Part 12 (1/2)
”Machaon has seen the right of it,” Conan announced ”I naeant of this Free-Cohtful look appeared on Machaon's scar-nosed face, and a murmur of approval rose froood choice, in his mournful way
”Now,” Conan continued, ”let each ”
For three full turns of the glass the Ci with their allop Every ether, and they ood advance By that time's end, they did not use their horse bows so well as Turanian light cavalry, yet was their skill enough to surprise and shock any of these western lands Machaon, to no one's surprise, and Narus, to everyone's, were the best after Conan
After that time the Cimmerian led them back into Belverus, to one of the stables that lined the city's wall, where he had arranged for their horses to be tended After each iven his o his oay until the ain at the stable, for such was the custom of Free-Companies when not in service It was about that last that Machaon spoke as Conan was leaving
”AConan at the heavy wooden doors of the stable Machaon had been handsome as a youth, but aside from the scar that cut across his broad nose his face was a ns On his left cheek was a sold rings froht ear, and his hair was cut short in front and long in back after the style of the Ophirian border
”It would be well, captain, if you were to put the coh it's been but a few days since ore the bond-oath yet have I heard soold, and speak of the ease of taking a second bond-oath using another naistrate”
”Let theh he wondered hiht wish to hire a Free-Coeant”
Machaon hesitated, then asked quietly, ”Know you who I am?”
”I knoho you are, but I care not who you were” Conan aze until Machaon finally nodded
”I'll see to the men, captain”
Froh streets that seehs as a tenday past No plump merchant or stern-faced noble now h Streets without a hard-eyed escort, and no slave-borne curtained litter, whether it contained a noble's sleek daughter or the hot-eyed courtesan who served hiuardians The City Guard were nowhere to be seen
The Thestis when Conan entered was filling, as it always did of a midday, with youthful artists in search of a free uments and musical instruments blended into a cacophony that the Cirabbed Kerin's ar in each hand ”Has Hordo returned?” he asked
She set one of the jugs down hard enough to crack it, ignoring the wine spreading across the table top and the yelps of those seated there ”He sent a e by a boy,” she said coldly ”You are to rets, a glass past the sun's zenith”
”Why there? Did he say why he does not come here?”
Kerin's eyes narrowed to slits, and she spoke through clenched teeth
”There was soh! If you would learn oat!”
The Cimmerian suppressed a smile until she had flounced away He hoped this dancer was all that Hordo thought, for the one-eyed ain ca to decide if he had time for a bowl of steas assuredly better than that served on the Street of Regrets-before leaving to meet Hordo, when Ariane approached and put a s of a better use for his time than a bowl of stew
”Co an arm around her He pulled her close and tried out his best leer ”We could discuss poetry”
She tried to suppress a giggle, and almost succeeded ”If by poetry you mean what I think you mean, you want to do more than talk about it”
Her s more important to speak of now, but I must have your oath never to repeat a word of what is said to you You must swear”
”I do swear,” he said slowly
Abruptly he knehy he had not hired his Free-Company out Without a doubt, a company in service to merchant or noble would be expected to support the throne in a rebellion But he wanted no part of crushi+ng Ariane and her friends Most especially not Ariane
”I've wondered,” he went on, ”when you would speak to asped ”You know,” she whispered Quickly she put her fingers on his lips to prevent hih the tables into the back of the inn There, in a s wall, and Graecus, the stocky sculptor, straddled a bench, grinning Leucas, a thinnose who called hi his lower lip