Part 5 (1/2)

They are said to have in-spired the making of Azazrels' mighty golden bow, the sublime poetry of Elphame, the fabled Book of Shadows, Kimmen-Ber's celestial harp and much more. You've heard ofthose, no doubt?'

'Yes, even we've heard of those,' Stryke came back gruffly. 'Though in truth we're not much given to poetry, books and fancy music. Ours is more of a ... practical profession.'

'Howdid the stars bring about these things?' Alfray persisted.

'Revelations, visions, prophetic dreams,' Tannar returned. 'The yielding of a small part of their mystery to those with the knowledge to extract it.'

While Stryke and Alfray were mulling that over, Jup had his own question. 'No one's been able to tell us what the stars are; what they do, what they're for. Can you?'

'They're a pathway to the G.o.ds.'

'A fine phrase. What does it mean?'

'The schemes of the deities are beyond the grasp of us mortals.'

'Another way of saying you don't know.'

'How did your star come to Scratch?' Stryke wondered.

'A legacy from one of my predecessors, Rasatenan, who gained it for my race long ago.'

'Never heard of him,' Jup commented dismissively.

Tannar scowled. 'He was a mighty hero of trollkind. His exploits are still celebrated by the songsmiths. They tell of how he once caught an arrow in flight, of how he downed fifty enemy single-handed and-'

'You'd do well in an orcs' boasting tourney,' Jup ribbed.

'. . . and of how he took the star from a tribe of dwarfs after de-feating them in combat,' Tannar finished deliberately.

Jup coloured. 'I find that hard to believe,' he countered with wounded dignity.

'However you got it,' Stryke intervened, 'what are you trying to say about the stars, Tannar?'

'That they have only ever brought death and destruction unless properly handled.'

'By which you mean fed the blood of sacrifices.'

'You kill too!'

'In warfare. And we lift our swords against other warriors, not the innocent.'

'Sacrifice brings my race prosperity. The G.o.ds favour it and pro-tect us.'

'Until now,' Alfray reminded him.

The king didn't try to conceal his displeasure at the gibe. 'And your hands are unsullied by the blood of sacrifice, are they?'

'Never higher lifeforms, Tannar. And mostly we sacrifice to our G.o.ds by going into battle. The spirits of those we slay are our offerings.'

'Maybe the fact that you've found more than one star in a short time means the G.o.ds favour you too. Or perhaps they're just making you the b.u.t.t of a jest.'

'Perhaps,' Stryke conceded. 'But why are you telling us all this?'

'So that you'll see how important this artifact is to my race. Return it and release me.'

'Why should we abet you in more slaughter? Forget it, Tannar.'

'I demand that you return it!'

'Demand be d.a.m.ned. We didn't gamble our lives in that hole you call a homeland just to hand the star back. We need it.'

The troll adopted a conspiratorial manner. 'Then consider a trade.'

'What have you got to bargain with that we could possibly want?''Another star?'

Stryke, Jup and Alfray traded sceptical glances.

'You expect us to believe you have such a thing?' Stryke said.

'I didn't say I had it. But I might know where one could be found.'

'Where?'

'There's a price.'

'Your freedom and the star back.'

'Of course.'

'How would you expect such a trade to be carried out?'

'I reveal the location and you let me go.'

Stryke pondered that for a moment. 'All right.'

Jup and Alfray made to object. He silenced them with a slash of his hand.

'I have heard that a centaur armourer called Keppatawn possessesa star,' Tannar explained, 'and that it's guarded by his clan in Drogan Forest.'

'Why haven't you trolls tried for it yourselves?'

'We have no insane ambitions to collect them like you. We are content with one.'

'How did this Keppatawn get a star?'

'I don't know. What does it matter?'

'Drogan's a centaur stronghold,' Jup put in, 'and they can be mean about their territory.'

'That isn't my problem,' the king announced loftily. 'Now give me the star and set me free.'