‘When you get to my age, you learn not to waste time. It is too precious. So, what would you ask of me?’
‘Join my alliance, as my father wished. Join me and add your strength to the mustering against Asroth and his Black Sun.’
Rhin sat there, staring at Nathair. Slowly she nodded. ‘I shall do that, gladly. From this moment my realm, or realms, are part of your alliance, Nathair. When the time comes I shall bring my armies to you, and we shall fight the Black Sun together.’ She lifted her cup and they all drank.
‘Would you ask anything else?’
‘I will be travelling north. Help or advice with the journey would be gratefully received.’
‘Yes. We spoke of this. To Murias, in Benoth. You seek the cauldron. It will be dangerous — the Benothi giants are no friends to men.’
Most of them.
‘I am aware of that. But it is what I must do.’
‘Then I will help you, grant you safe passage to the northern border, and give you scouts that know the land.’
‘And what of you, my lady? Is there more aid that I could give to you?’
‘I will be travelling to Domhain, to pay Eremon a visit. My goal is to unite the west.’
‘I would help you in that,’ Nathair said. ‘I have troop ships anchored in the bay at Dun Carreg. It would be a simple thing for them to take your warband across the seas to Cambren.’
‘That would be helpful,’ Rhin said. ‘Morcant crossed the channel on a hundred fisher-boats and lost more than a few to the sea along the way, I have heard.’
‘Then it is done,’ Nathair said. ‘And more than that — take Veradis and his warband, a thousand men.’
Evnis saw the young warrior stare with surprise at Nathair. He looks as if he wants to object but dare not, Evnis thought. Good, a soldier who takes orders without question. If only there were more blind followers such as he in our cause.
‘He is my first-sword and my battlechief, and he has proven himself many times. In Tarbesh he defeated a charge of draigs and giants, in Carnutan he defeated Mandros in battle and took his head, and in Forn he turned the battle against the Hunen. You will not regret his being in your ranks.’
Rhin studied Veradis; the young warrior quickly averted his gaze and looked into his cup.
‘Can you win Domhain for me?’ Rhin asked him.
‘I–I would not be so bold as to make that prediction, my lady. But whatever Nathair asks of me I will do or die in the trying,’ Veradis said.
‘Such loyalty and passion the young have,’ Rhin said, smiling drily. ‘You are fortunate, Nathair.’
‘A question,’ Nathair said. ‘It is already high summer. Even with my ships taking you there, it must take several moons of travel to reach Domhain.’
‘Yes, perhaps longer, with a warband on the march.’
‘So you will be undertaking a winter campaign? I hear the winters here are not as mild as those we are used to in Tenebral.’
‘There will be blood spilt in the snow,’ Rhin said with a shrug. ‘There is a road the giants made that cuts through the mountains between Cambren and Domhain, and forges a line right to Eremon’s seat, Dun Taras. As long as we have that we can wage war, no matter the weather. I have ample stores of provisions in Cambren. You may need a warmer cloak, and some woollen breeches to cover those legs of yours,’ she said to Veradis, who promptly blushed.
‘There is something else that we would ask of you,’ another voice spoke. Calidus. ‘A small thing. News.’
‘News of what?’ Rhin asked.
‘A young man, not much more than a boy. He escaped the fall of Dun Carreg in the company of Edana and some others, we think.’
‘Yes, I have had many men hunting the land for her. Who is the boy?’
‘His name is Corban. He travels with a wolven. A white wolven.’
Rhin sat up straighter.
‘What is it?’ Nathair asked her.
‘That is interesting. A messenger arrived today, bringing news from Cambren. My warriors have tracked what were thought to be Owain’s spies through most of Cambren and I have had reports that each night my men have been hunted and killed, by a wolven. Stories are growing that whoever is roaming my land is in league with Asroth and becomes a wolven at night, or commands a pack of wolven, or something. At first I put it down to superstitious warriors, but. .’
‘It is him,’ Calidus said.
‘I am inclined to agree — it is too much of a coincidence. Edana must be fleeing to Domhain. She must have some capable people about her.’
‘Indeed,’ said Nathair.
‘Well, then, I am glad to have helped,’ Rhin replied. ‘Perhaps you can travel some of the way north with me — we will take your ships together, and try hunting this lad and his wolven before our journeys force us to part. You want him, and it sounds as if he is with Edana, and I really want to find her.’
‘Agreed,’ Nathair said.
They drank some more together, toasting their past and future victories, and in time Nathair and his retinue left.
As soon as they were gone, Rhin called in a messenger boy and whispered in his ear. He ran off.
‘There is something about that Nathair,’ Rhin said.
‘There is,’ Evnis agreed. How much does she know? We are both bound to Asroth, to bringing about the God-War, to making Asroth flesh. And we have both grown powerful, in our ways. But she far more than I, and she loves her newfound power — that is plain to see. Would she relinquish it, even for Asroth or his avatar?
‘What do you think of Nathair?’ she asked him.
Unusually blunt, thought Evnis. The question shocked him. What should I tell her? How much of what I guess? Sometimes a direct question deserves a direct answer. Roll the dice.
‘I think he is the Black Sun. I have heard the voice.’
She regarded him thoughtfully. ‘I have heard it too,’ she said eventually.
‘We should do all we can to help him,’ Evnis said, trying to prompt her. He saw thoughts spiralling in her mind.
‘He is the Black Sun, Asroth’s chosen avatar to bring about the great war. He is not Asroth himself. Remember that, Evnis.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Do not serve Nathair blindly. I don’t think that Nathair realizes who his master is.’
I had not thought of that. ‘Perhaps you are right. There is a sincerity about him. .’
‘Exactly. Be careful what you tell him. He must be steered, controlled.’ She tapped long nails upon the arm of her chair, making a clicking sound. ‘This boy and his wolven that Nathair searches for, I have heard more about him than I have told Nathair,’ Rhin said.
Evnis just looked at her, waiting.
‘I spoke with Uthas earlier; through the fire, you understand?’
‘Yes.’
‘He has been sneaking around Domhain, spying and killing, stirring things up for my arrival. Well, he has encountered some misfortune: most of his company has been killed, slain, in a battle only last night. The boy Calidus asked about, he was there, with his wolven.’
‘Why did you not tell Nathair?’ He knew the answer already. Knowledge is power. And she does not want to relinquish any of it.
‘There is no rush,’ she said with a smile.
The tent flap opened and a man walked in, tall, skin weathered, a scar running down his face from forehead to chin.
Braith.
‘You sent for me, my Queen,’ Braith said, sinking to a knee.
‘I have a job for you. Someone to find.’
‘Of course.’
‘They are in the mountains between Cambren and Domhain, close to the giants’ road, or were last night. I guess that they are heading into Domhain, so you will have to move carefully through enemy country. It is Edana and her helpers, amongst them a boy with a pet wolven.’
Braith frowned at her. ‘I have met this boy before, at Dun Carreg when I rescued Camlin, and he fought in the Darkwood, when I had Alona. That wolven is no pet, I saw it tear my men to pieces,’ Braith said.