Part 23 (1/2)
”If they were hisere I reckoned that the ht 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 anyEloikas save a hard death”
Conan felt Raihna shi+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 ht yet be death for all But Count Syzaht They were a rabble, but even a rabble could be a loss a usurper ht not bear easily
Chapter 11
At most tiht 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 ould not abandon them to wolves, bandits, or the scantythe palace precincts
So the h it ended with so more asleep than awake; a hand on the shoulder of the uidance And by the Gods' mercy, they were out of the worst hills
In an ein forest looher than te huts They were so-most of them armed and only feounded-under the coeant 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 uard so as to let the Second Coed it more prudent to listen to the man's report
It was sieant had looked about for a captain to rally theone, he had taken the coood order until about the hour of false dahen they cae
”It was already deserted, sono har down”
”It was?” Conan had little stoht be valuable help in days to co with a man who had robbed his own countryfolk
”By the Red Rock, I swear it”
The ancient throne of the Border Kingdo that few men would invoke to uphold a lie It seemed best to leave the one with just what they could carry on their backs, and not eant added ”We saw souard, but they weren't after staying to answer questions I would not send theabout the forest after the favor for favor, Conan told the story of the Second Coe 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 jaith 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 thesheepskins 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 ht be too subtle, she then eainst her
Both slept even ain, the notes were so faint and distant that even the sentries doubted that they heard anything The sergeant heard nothing at all, and heweary captains at the best of times Conan and Raihna were allowed to sleep until the sun was far toward the west