Sorlost, the Golden, great city of the God, Lord Tanis,
Ith, land of silver, seat of Godkings, proud and unbowing.
Thus Amrath journeyed to Ith, war seeking, war bringing,
And thence came the ruin of Ith, the sorrow of her maidens.’
Oh gods. Not even in rhyme. Tobias tried not to snigger, though the audience looked enraptured. Good thing Rate wasn’t here, they’d have been listening to scatological ditties intoned in blank verse for days otherwise.
‘The event will be in five days’ time,’ Lord Vorley said quietly. Your ways in will be arranged closer to the time: one of my associates will provide that information a few hours before.’
‘How will we know who the targets are?’ Geth asked. Indeed: it was hardly likely they’d be wearing signs round their necks saying ‘kill me’. And half the troop was illiterate even then.
Lord Vorley smiled. ‘Oh, I thought perhaps small oil paintings. Or perhaps poetic descriptions would suit better? “You’re to kill a man with hair dark curling, bald spot concealing …” There are ten men who must not survive. Six others whose deaths would not be disastrous. So we’re keeping the plan simple. Kill everyone.’
‘Everyone?’
A flash of irritation at that. ‘If it was just one person, we could have handled it ourselves. We’re not going to the expense of hiring a small army for nothing. Chaos and death, I was told we were buying.’ He looked at them keenly, studying their faces. Wondering if he’s shocked us, thought Tobias. Wondering if we really have the strength of will to butcher a load of unarmed men. When none of them spoke, Lord Vorley said: ‘Anything else you need to discuss now?’ He seemed almost disappointed they took it all so calmly.
Skie thought for a moment, then shook his head. ‘No. It’s sometimes best not to plan too much, keep things open. We go in, we do it, we go out.’ Tobias and Geth nodded. It was the going out that was usually the interesting bit, but that wasn’t something you discussed in front of the important bloke. ‘Just ensure the gates remain unguarded.’
Lord Vorley finished his drink and nodded politely at them. ‘Indeed. And on that note, I should be going. I can only apologize for the musical accompaniment. As I said, someone will be in contact with you soon. Good evening, gentlemen.’
And he was gone.
‘Wept she, the princess, torn ’tween love and love’s desire,
Proud Amrath or her noble father for to lose,
Her own life, too, should Amrath she reject,
Yet the price so terrible, a crown and bridebed dearly sold.’
‘What do you make of him, then?’ Tobias asked Geth. Skie frowned at him. Not really professional to discuss the employer quite so soon after meeting him. He’d quite possibly have left a spy watching over them to check they weren’t laughing at him or meeting his chief creditor or ex-wife.
‘Fine.’ Tobias stood up. ‘I’ll get the stuff as planned. We’ll talk after that, here again, say tomorrow same time?’
Skie nodded. Fine, fine, thought Tobias. It’s all settled, don’t tell me anything more. He was about to leave when Geth said, ‘This, um, music reminds me. I picked up interesting news from the east back in my inn. It seems the Altrersyr heir is dead. Murdered, some rumours have it. Might be worth looking into, don’t you think?’
Skie frowned. Looked … uncomfortable? Seemed to think about it, then said, ‘Murdered? Boy was headed for death anyway, if the stories are true. Not much for us there, I’d have thought. More opportunity if he’d hung on a bit and got to rule.’
Geth said, ‘Yes, I thought so too, at first. But … The boy’s mother was Marissa of Ith. Selerie Calboride’s sister. And the very interesting rumour I picked up in the inn is that King Illyn himself had him killed.’
A snort from Skie: ‘Probably can’t be blamed if he had.’
‘Well, no. But you can imagine what Ith has made of the whole thing. Not quite up there with parboiling most of the ruling family, especially as the boy was basically dying anyway, but you know how these things can go … And the new heir and his mother … Some of the other island lords are not best pleased at her family’s influence either. Weren’t happy when Illyn married her. Won’t be happy now. Definitely worth looking into, I’d have thought.’
‘No …’ Skie looked thoughtful. Still edgy, though. ‘No … You’re right, there could well be … opportunities. It can be a dangerous crossing, this time of year. But something to think on, you’re right.’
Hmm. Something interesting in Skie’s responses there …
Why, Tobias wondered, were the posh nobs so bloody keen on killing each other? Amrath had had the excuse He didn’t want to be burdened with influential and semi-divine new relations – cue several thousand very tasteless mother-in-law jokes – but really, most of them just seemed to be children kicking something to see what would happen if it broke. Nothing good, usually, despite various best-laid plans. But it kept the company in employment, and between him and Geth they usually got out all right. The Whites were supposed to be nice enough, once this was over. Pork sausages. Good beer. Not so bloody hot.
He strolled back to his lodgings feeling almost relaxed about things, only to discover his men had somehow got themselves into a fight with a bunch of street thugs. Made him look bloody stupid, it really did.
Chapter Fifteen
City after city falls before them. Elarne, the magelord Nevet burns to ashes with a single word. Telea opens it gates to them and they enter to cheers. They are turned loose on it the next morning and the streets run red. Samarnath they find empty, its inhabitants fled into the wastelands. They tear down its temples, poison its rivers, raze its palaces to dust. If a city resists them, they besiege it until it breaks. If a city yields, they slaughter its people, to show others that surrender is an act of cowardliness. Lanth gives itself to them by treachery, a small group of its nobles opening the postern gate at the dark of the moon. They despise them for it. Ten days, it takes the betrayers to die.
They are the army of Amrath, the World Conqueror, the King of Dust, the King of Shadows, the Dragon Kin, the Dragonlord, the Demon Born. ‘Amrath the World Conqueror’, they call their master. Their god. And they have conquered the world for Him. But they do not want to rule the world.
They want to destroy it. Burn it in fire. Drown it in blood. Make it hurt. Make it despair. Kill it all.
Chapter Sixteen