The Crippled God

She shot him a look. ‘A day’s rest – at this point – could prove counterproductive.’



He flicked away the stick, eyes tracking the glowing end. ‘Before he … changed his mind about things, Tehol became the wealthiest man in Lether, Aranict. Ask yourself, how could he have done that, if in pragmatism he was an utter failure?’ He faced the camp. ‘Today, we eat the last of our food, and drink the last of our water.’



‘Brys?’



‘I think,’ he said, ‘I will walk over to the Bolkando camp. Will you join me, love?’



‘Mud of the gods, woman, what are you doing?’



Abrastal looked up. ‘What does it look as if I’m doing, Spax?’



Her fiery tresses lay heaped on the tent floor. She was wrapped in her blanket and as far as he could tell, naked underneath. He watched as she resumed slashing long lengths away with her knife. ‘I witness,’ he said, ‘the death of my lust.’



‘Good. It’s about time. I was never going to bed you, Barghast.’



‘Not the point. It was the desire I took so much pleasure in.’



‘That’s pathetic.’



Spax shrugged. ‘I am an ugly man. This is how ugly men get through each damned day.’



‘You’ve been bedding my daughter.’



‘She only does it to infuriate you, Highness.’



Abrastal paused with her knife, looked up at him. ‘And has it succeeded?’



Grinning, Spax said, ‘So I tell her every night. All about your rants, your foaming mouth, your outrage and fury.’



‘Ugly and clever, a deadly combination in any man.’



‘Or woman, I would wager.’



‘What do you want?’



‘My scouts have returned from the coast, Highness. With news.’



Finally, she sensed something in him, in his tone, or the look in his eyes, for she slowly straightened. ‘Are we flanked, Warchief?’



‘No enemy in sight, Highness.’



‘Then what? As you can see, I’m armed, and my patience is getting as short as my hair.’



‘Ships were sighted. A rag-tag fleet.’



‘ Ships? Under what flag?’



‘Letherii, Highness.’



Suddenly she was on her feet. Her hair only half shorn, she flung the knife away. The blanket slipped down and Spax found himself staring at her magnificent body.



‘Highness, I could live with that short hair.’



‘Get out of here – and send a messenger to Brys.’



‘No need, Highness – about the messenger, I mean. He and Aranict are even now approaching camp.’



She was casting about for her clothes. Now she paused. ‘This was planned!’



Spax shrugged. ‘Possibly. But then, why not tell us? I’m more inclined to think this gesture was made by the king, entirely on his own.’



She grunted. ‘You might be right. What else did the scouts see?’



‘Landings, Highness. Battalion strength, Letherii infantry and auxiliaries. And more supplies than any single battalion would ever need.’



‘Was the Imperial Standard flying? Does King Tehol command?’



‘No, only the battalion colours were present, as far as my scouts could determine. In any case, just this last night, my scouts realized that riders were on their trail. They too will be upon us shortly.’



She was still standing before him, in all her glory. ‘What are you still doing here?’



‘Answering your questions, Highness.’



‘I am finished with my questions. Get out.’



‘One more detail you might be interested in learning,’ Spax said. ‘Among the auxiliaries, Highness, there are Teblor.’



* * *

Abrastal and Warchief Spax were waiting outside the queen’s tent, and Aranict studied them as she and Brys approached. Both were arrayed in their full regalia, the queen looking imperial though the hair on one side of her head was shorn away, and the Gilk Warchief festooned in weapons and wearing an ankle-length cloak made of turtle shells. What is this? What has happened?



Abrastal was the first to speak. ‘Prince Brys, it seems we shall be entertaining guests shortly.’



‘Before you ask,’ Brys replied, ‘this was not arranged beforehand. However, the last messengers I sent back to my brother detailed what we then knew of our route. At the time, we were ten days into the Wastelands.’



‘Still,’ she said, ‘the timing of this is … extraordinary.’



‘My brother’s Ceda is able to sense, even at a great distance, sorcerous efforts seeking groundwater.’ He turned slightly to nod at Aranict. ‘As you know, our legion mages have been engaged in such rituals ever since we left the Wastelands.’