Anumaris Thunderbolt walks into the room on cue. She’s young, recently qualified and without much experience. Even so, I’m reasonably pleased to see her, because I did encounter her on the battlefield outside Turai. For a young sorcerer, she did well. Didn’t lose her head, and fired a few powerful spells at the rampaging Orcs.
Surrounded by Lisutaris, Makri, Hanama and Anumaris, I feel like asking Lisutaris if she’s planning on recruiting any actual men to fight the war, but I hold my tongue. Anumaris tells me that there’s an office upstairs we can use until the army marches. I follow her out. In the corridor outside there are a group of fair-haired Elves waiting to see Lisutaris. None I recognise, though from their clothing and insignia they’re important figures. Even if their numbers are fewer than we’d hoped for, it’s a relief to see the Elves. Without them we’d have no chance of defeating Prince Amrag and his Orcish horde.
I climb the stairs with Anumaris. “It will be exciting going into battle with Elves,” she says.
I nod. I wouldn’t call it exciting, but it’s re-assuring. “They’re more reliable than some of the lowlifes I’ve found myself sharing a phalanx with, anyway.”
“Lowlifes?”
“Turanian phalanxes weren’t made up of the cream of society. Dregs of the earth, half of them. They’d have collapsed in battle without a man like me in the middle, supporting everyone else.”
“I see.”
“If it wasn’t for me the Turanian infantry would have crumbled years ago. Turai too, I expect. Is this our office? Isn’t there somewhere bigger?”
“It’s only for a short while, till we march north.”
I look around. I’m not very impressed. “Where’s the couch?”
“There’s a chair. Won’t that do?”
I look sternly at Anumaris Thunderbolt. “A chair? Anumaris, what rank are you?”
“Storm Class Sorcerer, Sorcerers Regiment.”
I’ve no idea what Storm Class means. I let it pass. “Well, Storm Class Sorcerer Anumaris, if you’re going to be working in my security unit, there’s some things you need to know right from the start. Most importantly, your chief officer needs a couch. I can’t sleep properly in a chair. Find me a couch.”
Young Anumaris looks perplexed. “Surely you won’t be sleeping in your office?”
“Of course I will. The ability to sleep in difficult circumstances has carried me through more campaigns than you’ll ever see.”
“But what about when we’re on the march? Out in the field?”
“We’ll improvise. Or rather, you will. You’re a sorcerer. I expect you to be able to produce a couch when necessary.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Good. Stick with me and I’ll get you through this war. Lisutaris said she was assigning me staff. Where are they?”
“It’s just me so far.”
“Really? Well, you’ll have to do, I suppose. As well as a couch, I need beer.”
Anumaris screws up her face and looks uncomfortable.
“What’s the matter?”
“I’m not allowed to bring you beer. Orders from Lisutaris.”
I stare at her suspiciously. “Lisutaris, Mistress of the Sky, War Leader and supreme Commander of the forces of the west, specifically instructed you not to bring me beer?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Very strange. You’d think she’d have better things to do. Like organising armies. It hardly inspires confidence.”
Anumaris doesn’t reply. I get the impression that’s she’s someone who will not lightly ignore orders from out War Leader. That could become irritating. I notice her rainbow cloak is in good condition. So are the rest of her clothes. She doesn’t look like a young woman who’s gone through many hardships recently.
“How did you fight your way out of Turai?”
“I didn’t,” she admits. “I was outside the city walls when the Orcs attacked. I’d been visiting my parents on their farm. I tried going back but it was hopeless. All the refugees told me the city had fallen. So I headed west, looking for other Sorcerers. That’s what we’ve been trained to do.”
“I see. I had to fight my way out in a bloody struggle, rescuing Lisutaris and Makri at the same time. After that I navigated our way here on a leaky old boat and helped establish Lisutaris as War Leader. Remember that next time you start criticising me about couches and beer.”
I try the chair for size. It’s not satisfactory. Not built for a man of my size. “Were there any other Turanian Sorcerers with you?”
Anumaris shakes her head. “No. And hardly any have shown up here.”
That’s bad news, both for the war effort and for the City-State of Turai. Turai is small in comparison to many of our neighbours, but we’ve always had plenty of sorcerers. Our superior magic has protected us.
“Perhaps we’ll find some when we meet up with the Simnians. They might be waiting for us.” I rise to my feet. “Now, about Deeziz the Unseen. We need to find her.”
“Where will we start?”
“The nearest tavern.”
Anumaris looks concerned. “You’re really not supposed to - ”
“Don’t you know anything about military discipline? We’re not going to get very far if you start arguing every time I issue an order. Deeziz’s last appearance in a human city was in the Avenging Axe, a tavern. Prior to that she’d been working as a singer in a theatre, also a popular drinking haunt. So it’s quite likely that if she’s arrived here, we’ll find her somewhere similar. We’ll start at the local taverns and work our way outwards. Does this office have any funds?”
“There’s a safe in that wall. I’m not sure how much is in it.”
“Do you have the spell to open it?”
“Yes.”
“Then gather up the money and follow me. You’re about to get your first lesson in security work.”
Chapter Three
We’re in the wealthy part of town where there are mansions, villas and temples. We have to walk a few streets south before we come to a tavern. Anumaris hesitates. “What’s the matter?
Haven’t you ever been in a tavern before?”
She shakes her head.
“Never?”
“No.”
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-two.”
I’m astonished. I hardly know what to say. Twenty-two years old and never been in a tavern? My first thought is that she might be suffering from some sort of mental deficiency. A fear of crowds, perhaps. However she joined the Sorcerers Regiment, so she can’t be all that scared of company. Perhaps her parents didn’t approve of her visiting Turai’s many drinking haunts. Young Anumaris is rather well-spoken. Not an aristocrat, but a daughter of the land-owning gentry. No doubt they were a respectable family. She looks very dubiously at the sign above the door. The King’s Shield.
“Is it safe?”
“Safe? How sheltered has your life been?”
“Not sheltered at all!” Anumaris is offended. “I just haven’t had occasion to visit taverns. I grew up on the family estate. Then I went to sorcerers college. Everyone considered that quite daring.”
I’m about to let go with some hearty criticism of her, her family estate, and sorcerers college, but I restrain myself. She did appear on the battlefield outside Turai, after all, and stood up to the enemy attack when plenty of others crumbled. She must have something about her.
“Enough discussion.” I open the door and march inside. The young sorcerer follows me in. The tavern is crowded and noisy, the same as every other tavern in Samsarina, with mercenaries and off-duty soldiers taking the opportunity for some last minute revelry before we march off to war. There’s a contingent of market workers close to the bar. I’m obliged to use my body-weight to force my way through, pulling Anumaris behind me.