Subai looked at Erik, who nodded, and said, “I think we need to know of this man, Kahil.”
Nordan said, “He was one of her captains. We met him when she sent for Fadawah and arranged for him to take command of her forces. I thought it strange that she would seek us out when she already had commanders, but the money was good and she proposed conquests that would do nothing but make us rich beyond imagining.
“Kahil specialized in sneaking inside of cities before we attacked them, gathering information and sowing discord among the populace. He spent more time with the Emerald Queen than anyone save Fadawah, and those men she called her Immortals, the men who willingly died in her bed to feed her hunger.”
“You knew of that?” asked Erik.
“You hear things. You try to ignore anything that distracts you from the task at hand. I was her sworn Captain, and until I either was released from duty, captured or killed, I would not betray her.”
“Understood,” said Erik.
“When the chaos around Krondor revealed that we had been somehow tricked by a demonic creature and that the Emerald Queen was no longer our true mistress, we were left to fend for ourselves. Fadawah is an ambitious man. Kahil is also an ambitious man. I suspect it was he who proposed to Fadawah that my fate be much the same as Duko’s.
“I was led to believe that we would keep a soft center in Sarth, with a thousand men secreted in the lower halls of the abbey. When your army was safely up the road, I was to ride out and strike from behind while Fadawah was rolling your army south along the coast.” Bitterly he said, “I never got the men. I should have known that the third time twenty men showed up when I expected two hundred. Instead I got a long visit from Kahil, who inspected the abbey and told me all was going according to plan. I got less than four hundred men in total, most of them of questionable skills.”
Owen said, “We’ll have to decide what to do with you later, General. For the moment, I have the problem of getting up north and getting the Duchy of Yabon back for my King.”
Nordan stood. “I understand, Marshal. I will by force of circumstances await your pleasure.”
Greylock signaled to a guard to return the captive General to the company of the other officers. After he was out of hearing range, Owen said, “He said one thing that disturbs me.”
“What?” asked Erik.
“That remark he attributed to this Kahil: ‘All was going according to plan.’ “
Subai said, “I came up through the basement of the abbey. I saw nothing we need to fear.”
“I don’t think he meant the abbey,” said Owen. “I think he meant some larger scheme that Fadawah is hatching.”
Erik said, “All of which we will learn in due time.”
Owen pointed his finger at his old friend. “That’s what has me fearful.” He pointed at the tabletop. He motioned for food to be brought and servants hurried to comply. To one of the junior officers standing nearby he said, “Let me know when all the commanders report their units are in place.”
Erik was silent a moment, then said, “We could hit them at night.”
“At night?” asked Subai.
Erik’s tone indicated he didn’t strongly advocate the idea, but was rather just speculating. “If we could get close to the barricade before they spotted our advance units, perhaps we could force a breach before they started doing too much damage with those catapults and archery fire.”
Owen was dubious. “I think we do this the traditional way. Order camp, and tell the men to rest. At first light we assemble, we march out and stand in ranks. I’ll ride forward with Erik and ask for surrender, and when they say no, we’ll attack.”
Erik sighed. “I wish I could think of something very clever.”
“Subai, can you see any way to get some of our soldiers around the hillside end of the barricade?”
“A few maybe,” answered the Captain. “But not enough to do more than get them all killed when they were discovered. If my Pathfinders were to do it, we could get up there and be in position before we were discovered, I’m certain.”
“But you have to be on your way north, carrying messages,” said Owen. “No, gentlemen, this time we must walk up and kick down the door. See to your men.”
Erik stood up. “I’ll inspect the deployment.”
Owen motioned for Erik to stay, and when the other officers were gone, he said, “Can you get some men on the beach below those cliffs?”
“I can get them down to the beach, but I don’t know if I can get them up the cliffs,” said Erik.
“Then you’d better get down there and see, before you lose the daylight. If you can get a squad up those cliffs and over the top before they see you coming, you could spring that gate from the inside.”
Erik considered it. “It is closer to the cliffside than the hillside by a hundred yards or so, isn’t it?”
“Think you can do it?”