“What?” said Dash.
It was obvious the soldier was curious how a noble of the Prince’s court could end up in such disreputable attire with questionable company late in the day on the wrong side of enemy lines, but he restricted himself to asking, “Would you like some water?”
“Yes, thank you,” answered Dash.
The soldier passed over a water skin and Dash drank, handing it to Gustaf, who then gave it to Talwin. Dash said, “I think I’ll sit,” and he moved over to the side of the road and sat.
His companions joined him. They sat in silence, ignoring the curious sentry.
A short time later a group of riders approached from the Kingdom camp, leading three horses. A sergeant jumped down from the first horse, handing the reins to the sentry, and said, “Baron Dashel?”
Dash stood up and said, “That’s me.”
“Captain von Darkmoor is at the forward location and is waiting for you and your companions, sir.”
The three men rode with the escort a scant mile up the road to Erik’s camp. He was waiting outside his headquarters tent and said, “Dash! Your father will be pleased to hear you got back in one piece.”
“What of my brother?” asked Dash as he dismounted.
“He arrived about a week ago; he and Owen hurried off to see the Prince and your father. Come inside.”
Erik gave instructions to a soldier to find a place for Gustaf and Talwin to spend the night, and once inside his command tent said, “Hot food is on the way.”
“Good,” said Dash, sitting heavily in a camp chair next to a large map table. He glanced at the map and said, “Getting ready to assault Krondor?”
Erik shook his head. “We may not have to, if your brother’s message from Duko is not some sort of lie.”
“Message?”
“Jimmy got himself captured and was turned loose by Duko, bringing an offer to Patrick.”
“What sort of offer?” asked Dash.
“Duko wants to change sides.”
“You could have fooled me,” said Dash. “I was stuck on a work detail for a few days and he’s rebuilding Krondor as fast as he can.”
An orderly arrived with two wooden bowls filled with hot stew, simple by any standard, but the smell of which set Dash’s mouth to watering. Behind him came two other soldiers, one bearing cheese and bread and the other two large mugs of wine.
Dash set to, and after the soldiers left, Erik said, “You’d better fill me in on what you saw.”
After a few chews and a swallow, Dash said, “I got caught by Duko’s men and put to work in a gang.”
Erik said, “Interesting. They caught Jimmy coming into the city and took him for questioning.”
Dash said, “I was already in the city and looking like a rat catcher, so they must have assumed I had just avoided capture for a while. I don’t know, but that would make sense. For all that Duko’s doing there, it’s still pretty confusing in places.”
Erik nodded. “So you were in a work gang.”
Dash took a sip of wine. “Yes, until I got out with three other men. We slipped into one of the sewer culverts under the outer wall and headed into the city. That’s when we got grabbed by the Mockers.”
“So the thieves still control the sewers of Krondor?”
“I wouldn’t exactly call it ‘control’ as much as that there are some places Duko and his men haven’t found yet, and they have a couple of safe ways in and out of the city.”
Erik took a drink of wine and said, “That would have been a blessing if we were going to assault the city.”
“You think he’s sincere about wanting to change sides?”
“I don’t know,” answered Erik. “Your brother seemed to think so, and he convinced Greylock, and if I know your father, they’ll all convince the Prince.”
Dash shook his head. “That creates a problem for the Mockers.”
“What?”
“I promised them some sort of amnesty or pardon if they helped get us into the city during the coming attack.”
Erik rubbed his chin. “With Krondor in ruins it does seem a little trivial being worried over a man’s past before the war. I mean, should we hang someone for cutting purses two years ago while we pardon a man who burned down parts of the city last year?”
“Politics,” said Dash. “Fortunately for you and me, we don’t have to make that decision.”