Part 23 (1/2)

”If they were his men, as I thought, they'd lose time guessing who we were. I reckoned that the men could put that time to use.”

”You reckoned right. But what if they'd been friends?”

”Then they'd have offered proof and joined with us. Either that or run off, and if they ran, at least they'd be clear of the palace. There's nothing there for any man loyal to King Eloikas save a hard death.”

Conan felt Raihna s.h.i.+ver as the truth of his words struck home. Then she kissed him, stepped free, and cupped her hands.

”Ho, the Second Guards! Rally to Captain Conan! We've not done with this night's work!”

They had not, Conan knew, and the end might yet be death for all. But Count Syzambry had lost a hundred men, dead or taken or driven into flight. They were a rabble, but even a rabble could be a loss a usurper might not bear easily.

Chapter 11.

At most times, Conan would not have asked of his Guards an all-night march after two battles. Moreover, some of the Guards bore wounds that would have commonly put them in bed. Others were borne on crude litters by comrades who would not abandon them to wolves, bandits, or the scanty mercy of any men Count Syzambry might have still roaming the palace precincts.

So the march continued until dawn, although it ended with some of the men stumbling along more asleep than awake; a hand on the shoulder of the man ahead was enough guidance. And by the G.o.ds' mercy, they were out of the worst hills.

In an empty village on the edge of a wilderness of virgin forest looming higher than temple towers, they met the Guards who had fled the burning huts. They were some seventy strong-most of them armed and only few wounded-under the command of the veterans.

The sergeant of the First Company raised a hand as Conan strode up.

”Hail, Captain Conan. I await your orders. You are the only captain of Guards here.”

Conan wanted to order the sergeant to put his men on guard so as to let the Second Company sleep, captain and all. He judged it more prudent to listen to the man's report.

It was simple. Once away from the palace, the sergeant had looked about for a captain to rally the men. Not finding one, he had taken the command himself. The men had formed up and marched in fairly good order until about the hour of false dawn, when they came upon the village.

”It was already deserted, so we saw no harm in settling down.”

”It was?” Conan had little stomach for a quarrel with a man who might be valuable help in days to come. He also had little stomach for serving with a man who had robbed his own countryfolk.

”By the Red Rock, I swear it.”

The ancient throne of the Border Kingdom was something that few men would invoke to uphold a lie. It seemed best to leave the matter.

”Truly, Captain Conan, they had gone with just what they could carry on their backs, and not much of that,” the sergeant added. ”We saw some men with spears who might have been the rear guard, but they weren't after staying to answer questions. I would not send the men running about the forest after them, either.”

”Wise of you.”

Returning favor for favor, Conan told the story of the Second Company's adventures. ”I'd wager that the village folk ran when the rabble we fought came by. We'll have some more of the truth out of the prisoners, with luck.”

The sergeant led Conan to a hut that had a straw-stuffed mattress in one corner. ”Fear it's rat-ridden, too, but-”

Conan lifted the sergeant's jaw with one hand to cut off the flow of apologies. ”Sergeant, if the rats aren't bigger than I am, I can face them.”

The Cimmerian remained on his feet until the two companies of Guards had divided sentry duty. Then he kicked off his boots and crawled under the molting sheepskins on the bed.

His sleep was sound, though not unbroken. He awoke to find that he was sharing the bed with Raihna. She had taken off rather more than her boots, and as if that message might be too subtle, she then embraced him and drew him hard against her.

Both slept even more soundly afterward, but when the pipes sounded again, the notes were so faint and distant that even the sentries doubted that they heard anything. The sergeant heard nothing at all, and he misliked waking weary captains at the best of times. Conan and Raihna were allowed to sleep until the sun was far toward the west.

Aybas wished that last night's dream would depart from his memory. Even more, he wished that he had never had it in the first place.