Part 13 (1/2)
Conan pointed out ”With the warriors and the gold of the Girui behind him, he will think that he can do as he pleases He ht”
”That is not the brother I knew,” Bethina replied ”You are saying that he is ready to make slaves of his own people, if he can be their i?”
”Good s when ambition fuddles their wits,” Conan said sharply ”Besides, it's not hard to find tribesmen to follow you if you say you seek to hurt Turan Turan has not been just in its dealings with the desert folk, and they have long ave Conan a radiant save him a sour look Farad carefully looked at the desert, but the Ci the man's lips under his beard
Under the stars, they rode toward the Kezankian Mountains
The Kezankian Mountains did not tower as high as the Ibars range in Turan, let alone the Himelias in northern Vendhya Those were mountains that seemed fit to hold up the very sky, or pierce it and thrust their snow-clad peaks into the abyss beyond
However, from the direction Conan and his coht fro halfway up the mountain faces looked as tiny as doves, even to the Ciher were as invisible as if they had been rew cooler, and its flutings and pipings around the rocks set e
”It's as if the wind itself knows this is a place to avoid,” Farad said
”Ha,” Conan said ”I thought you would be feeling hulistan?” Farad said His grin showed all his teeth, but there was no mirth in his black eyes Then he shook his head
”I knohat my homeland's mountains may hold-”
”Bandits, sheep, and lice,” Bethina said Farad stared at her, then laughed loud enough to raise echoes ”Not so wrong, lady,” Farad said ”But even the lice are-I won't call theers to a er to these er as an eneray walls before the once more to the wind, Conan could not find it in his heart to disagree
They found the re, soon after they the with Farad, Conan was the first to see the patch of soot in the round
While Farad kept watch, the Ciround and studied it He sifted soil between his fingers, sniffed the ashes, and finally rose
”You look like a hound seeking a scent,” Farad said
”Close enough,” the Ci their er this ca they left in the pit has to tell usit up,” Farad said
”Oh, I think we can find it As for digging it up, I'll do it myself if there's no other way”
”I can spare you that, my chief”
As it happened, Khezal's orders spared both Conan and Farad the dirty chore A gang of Greencloaks set briskly to ith knives, hands, and the odd spade
(Cavalry were nottools with them) The rubbish they unearthed told Khezal and Conan much the same
”Two score bandits-what the tribes call loose-feet,” Khezal said ”They're commonly a desperate, vicious lot” ”Then who left this?” Conan said, holding up a blackened square of metal
”A Khorajan left his cloak pin,” Khezal said ”In truth, a Khorajan captain, or at least a , as far as I can judge under the soot”
”Are you sure serving Mishrak never teood nose for spy's work”
”Also a tender conscience about it,” Khezal said He lowered his voice ”More so since Yezdigerd's accession, and I'd wager I'm not the only one”
Conan had no doubt of that There were as many honest folk in Turan as anywhere, and more than in some lands he had traveled (andas Yezdigerd's prolory and filled their hands with gold, ht be less honest than they would be otherwise
Turan ht profit from his quest with Khezal, but the Cimmerian intended to end it far froain for Koth
”Best we uard,” Khezal said ”Forty loosefeet with a civilized captain leading theht do some mischief if they surprised us”
Conan nodded ”Perhaps But we ht do theave a gusty laugh
”You Turanians still think like the plains horseo to ithout a hill, to tell you what to do when the land's at a slant”
Khezal threw the Cimmerian a weary look ”Very well, my friend You speak and I will listen But by all the Gods, for every needless word you say, I will take one jewel fro before I return it to you Talk me deaf, and you will ride empty-pursed for Koth”
”Better empty-pursed than ean to trace lines in the sand with the point
Conan shi+fted his weight cautiously, lest a dislodged stone roll far enough to ht was still, the wind for once asleep like everything else
Or rather, as the bandits would expect everything else to be
The trap Conan had proposed was simple The main band would ca a place where no one could strike frole They would be loud and lax in keeping watch, as if they thought theht faded would see easy prey, with hardly a sentry about, and none of those sober
After dark, the revelry would continue, for all that Khezal swore to geld anyone who actually let a drop of wine touch his lips Meanwhile, bands of ht-sight would creep unseen out into the sand, at three points covering the three approaches to the ht ofand incapable victims would face the rudest of surprises Indeed, a man could die from such a surprise
A small hand touched the Cimmerian's shoulder He did not ht about dying of surprise had been ill omened
He did not strike, however, because in the next ently across his ers across his lips, and smelled healthy woman and the faintest of perfuain His eyes were now accusto Bethina What gave hi out here with the ambush posts, and he could hardly ask her now, not when the slightest whisperfoes
She solved the proble into his arainst his ear They weresoftly on his skin as she explained
”Thebut sing one lewd song after another”