Part 10 (1/2)
”You just toldimpatience creep into his voice ”If some of your men, as well as mine, can walk, we shall be able to carry all the packs”
”And the wounded?” It was the Ci a war ax
”They can wait until I reach a castle that has men to spare There are several on the-”
”No,” Conan said, more politely than before ”Raihna, if Decius insists, I will stay behind with the wounded Otherwise, Syza e from them”
Decius decided that the Cimmerian had passed the test The man could have proposed that the packs stay behind, perhaps with hiuard Or he could have been careless of the wounded
He had done neither He had not only his wits about hiht a cuckoo or, still worse, a serpent, into the Border realuises than the Cimmerian and left red ruin behind them
”If most of us walk, your wounded can ride as well,” Decius said ”This willa castle”
”I am sworn to my men and they to me,” Raihna said firmly
”And I am sworn to Captain Raihna,” Conan added
Decius would have given a good sword to knohat oaths the tere sworn to each other No look had passed between theeneral would have wagered the sah he could not have said why
Conan and Raihna walked in the rear of the united bands when theyEloikas ave Decius his banner,” Conan said
”You think so?” Raihna replied ”When his eyes were on ood captain and also a good judge of women,” Conan told her He did not quite touch her ”Otherwise, where e last night?” he added softly
Raihna colored briefly, then laughed ”I stand rebuked But truthfully, King Eloikas must have made some bad choices-or else had bad luck-to be afflicted with folk like Count Syzambry”
”Had you heard of hiain, and this tier to start Eager to dom had powerful robber lords But we did not think we did not think that they were more than what is commonly found in wild lands”
Conan saw pain and shaain Besides, he wanted noher how to do her work
”If I make no mistake, Syza Eloikas,” Conan said ”That sort is less common, and alorse”
Raihna's face twisted briefly into a htened children into fits Or the htened-by what, Conan did not care to ask
He knew that Raihna had left Bossonia in haste for reasons of which she did not care to speak He had uard to the sorceress Illyana on their quest for the Jewels of Kurag What she had done between leaving Bossonia and taking service with Illyana was a mystery that she chose to leave dark
So be it Raihna was bedmate, battle coh to tell Conan that whatever happened to her had not turned her wits More than that he would not ask of man, wo Eloikas, or of so as he orn to Raihna, Conan cold not return to the road south He was bound to the Border Kingdoainst Count Syzaht was always chancy, ainst an open foe Out of such a fight, though, a shrewd