‘Was fishing about a league to the north,’ the fisherman said. ‘Pulling in our crab baskets and he was tangled in one of them.’
They were standing on the deck of a mid-sized fisher-boat, half a dozen crewmen gathered around her. Despite the sun the wind was cold, carrying with it a hint of ice from the mountains. Fidele pulled her cloak tighter. To one side, huge baskets were stacked on top of one another, crabs imprisoned within, clacking their great-claws. There was a body slumped on the deck, mottled blue, the flesh bloated and peeling, green weed clinging to the limbs, trailing like extended fingers.
‘Course, the crabs have had a nibble at him,’ the fisherman said.
Peritus bent down and rolled the body over. It was decomposing, chunks of flesh missing, but Fidele still recognized the nervous-looking youth that had been led into her chambers only a ten-night ago and told her of the Vin Thalun fighting pits.
Jace. His throat had been cut, the flesh frayed like rotted string.
Peritus spat on the floor. ‘So this is how Lykos obeys your commands.’
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
VERADIS
The army marched through the twilight of Forn, Alcyon’s bulk marking the column’s head. Veradis felt sluggish and ill-tempered after sleeping poorly, disturbed by bad dreams. In them he’d been riding across an endless meadow, the head of King Mandros held aloft on his spear-point. Murderer, Mandros’ head had whispered to him, over and over. Something had been bouncing against his leg. When he’d looked down he found Kastell’s head tied to his saddle. Betrayer, his friend had accused him.
He shook his head, banishing the nightmare, then saw Calidus drop back down the column towards him.
‘There you are,’ the silver-haired man said as he fell in beside Veradis. There was a new energy about the man since he had emerged from the catacombs beneath Haldis, a fierce determination in his expression.
‘We are making good progress,’ Calidus said. The hard pace had been set from the first day out from Haldis, four days ago. Veradis had woken the day after the battle to the news that King Braster of Helveth had been murdered in his tent by survivors of the Gadrai, Isiltir’s elite warriors. That had made no sense to Veradis – the realms of Isiltir and Helveth had been on good terms, but Lothar, Braster’s battlechief, had witnessed the deed and told Calidus personally. This news had troubled Calidus and he had ordered all haste in breaking camp and leaving Haldis. We must speed Jael to claim Isiltir’s crown, he had said.
‘I have been talking to Jael,’ Calidus said. ‘He is not as strong willed as I would like in an ally, but he is all we have, and we need Isiltir’s support.’
Veradis frowned at Calidus, suspicious of where this was leading.
‘Isiltir will be rocked by the news of Romar’s death. There will be others who will try to take advantage of the situation, try to claim the throne for themselves. Not least Romar’s estranged wife.’
‘What of Romar’s son?’ Veradis asked.
‘He is ten years old. Jael will rule with the boy as his ward, until he comes of age.’
‘Unless the boy’s mother has anything to say about it.’
‘Exactly. And she has the boy in her care, which gives her the advantage. Especially if those survivors of the Gadrai reach Isiltir ahead of us and warn her of all that has happened here,’ Calidus said. ‘Jael could do with some leverage, in the form of a warband, I am thinking.’
‘He has men,’ Veradis said, gesturing up the column, where Jael marched with his shieldmen about him.
‘Some – a few score here, some others at Mikil, but not enough to be convincing. We need Isiltir; Nathair needs Isiltir. It would be better if we could show our support . . .’
‘No,’ Veradis said. ‘I am Nathair’s first-sword, and I am going straight to him.’
Calidus raised an eyebrow and seemed to consider pressing the point, then shrugged. ‘As you say. And you are probably not best suited to the task. Lykos and his Vin Thalun, however – they would be perfect.’
‘That would take too long – by the time you sent word back to Tenebral, and then the time it took Lykos to reach Isiltir.’
‘Yes, unless Lykos had already left Tenebral and was sailing to meet us at Ardan,’ Calidus said, a smile twitching his beard.
‘But how?’
Calidus winked at Veradis. ‘I may look like a withered old man, but sometimes appearances can be deceiving. And where there is a will . . .’
There was a commotion up ahead, Alcyon calling a halt. The column rippled to a stop.
‘With me,’ Calidus said as he marched forward.
One of their scouts had returned, was talking to Alcyon, gesturing into the trees.
‘What is it?’ Calidus demanded.
‘Tracks in the forest, signs of a camp,’ the scout said.
‘How many?’ Calidus frowned.
‘Two, maybe three. The fire was burned out, but still warm.’
‘It is the Gadrai,’ Jael said. He had sidled up behind Calidus and Veradis.
‘Perhaps,’ Calidus murmured.