Bevier looked at him speculatively. ‘Wouldn’t it be easier if the Zemochs all gathered in one place, Domi?’ he asked.
‘It would indeed, friend Bevier, but why would they do that?’
‘To capture something of value, friend Kring.’
Kring looked interested. ‘Such as what?’
‘Gold,’ Bevier shrugged, ‘and women, and your herds.’
Kring looked shocked.
‘It would be a trap, of course,’ Bevier continued. ‘You gather all your herds and your treasures and your womenfolk in one place with only a few of your Peloi to guard them. Then take the rest of your warriors and ride off, making sure that Zemoch scouts can see you leave. Then, once it gets dark, you slip back and take up positions nearby, keeping well out of sight. The Zemochs will all come running to steal your herds and treasures and women. Then you can fall on them all at once. That way you spare yourself all the trouble of hunting them down one by one. Besides, it would give your women a glorious opportunity to witness your bravery. I’m told that women melt with love when they have the chance to watch their menfolk destroy a hated enemy.’ Bevier’s grin was sly.
Kring’s eyes narrowed as he thought it over. ‘I like it!’ he burst out after a moment. ‘God strike me blind if I don’t! We’ll do it!’ And he rode off to tell his people.
‘Bevier,’ Tynian said, ‘sometimes you amaze me.’
‘It’s a fairly standard strategy for light cavalry, Tynian,’ the young Cyrinic said modestly. ‘I came across it in my study of military history. Lamork barons used that ploy a number of times before they started building castles.’
‘I know, but you actually suggested using women for bait. I think you’re just a little more worldly than you appear, my friend.’
Bevier blushed.
They followed after Kring at a somewhat slower pace, hindered by the wounded and the sorrowful line of horses carrying the dead. Kalten had a distant look on his face, and he seemed to be counting something up on his fingers.
‘What’s the trouble?’ Sparhawk asked him.
‘I’m trying to figure out just how much time we gained on Martel.’
‘Not quite a day and a half,’ Talen said promptly. ‘A day and a third, actually. We’re about six or seven hours behind him now. We average about a league an hour.’
‘Twenty miles then,’ Kalten said. ‘You know, Sparhawk, if we rode all night tonight, we could be right inside his camp when the sun rises tomorrow.’
‘We’re not going to ride at night, Kalten. There’s something very unfriendly out there, and I’d rather not have it surprise us in the dark.’
They made camp at sunset, and after they had eaten, Sparhawk and the others gathered in a large pavilion to consider their options.
‘We more or less know what we’re going to do,’ Sparhawk began. ‘Getting to the border shouldn’t be any problem. Kring’s going to lead his men away from his womenfolk anyway, so we’ll have most of the Peloi warriors with us for at least part of the way. That’s going to keep the Zemoch conventional forces at a distance, so we’ll be safe from them until we reach the border. It’s after we cross that line that we’ll run into trouble, and the key to that is Martel. We’re still going to have to push him to the point that he won’t have time to gather up Zemochs to stand in our way.’
‘Make up your mind, Sparhawk,’ Kalten said. ‘First you say we’re not going to ride at night, and then you say you’re going to push Martel.’
‘We don’t have to be actually on top of him to push him, Kalten. As long as he thinks we’re close, he’ll start running. I think I’ll have a little talk with him while I’ve still got some daylight.’ He looked around. ‘I’ll need about a dozen candles,’ he said. ‘Berit, would you mind?’
‘Of course not, Sir Sparhawk.’
‘Set them up on this table – close together and all in a row.’ Sparhawk reached inside his surcoat and took out the Bhelliom again. He put it down on the table and laid a cloth over it to hide its seduction. When the lighted candles were in place, he uncovered the jewel and laid his ringed hands on it. ‘Blue-Rose,’ he commanded, ‘bring Khwaj to me!’
The stone grew hot under his hands again, and the glowing red spot appeared deep within its petals. ‘Khwaj!’ Sparhawk said sharply. ‘You know me. I will see the place where my enemy will sleep tonight. Make it appear in the fire, Khwaj! Now!’
The howl of anger was no longer a howl, but had diminished to a sullen whine. The candle flames lengthened, and their edges joined to form a solid sheet of bright yellow fire. The image appeared in the fire.
It was a small encampment, three tents only, and it lay in a grassy basin with a small lake at its centre. A grove of dark cedar trees stood across the lake from the camp, and a single camp-fire flickered in the lowering dusk at the centre of that half-circle of tents on the lake shore. Sparhawk carefully fixed the details in his mind. ‘Take us closer to the fire, Khwaj!’ he barked. ‘Make it so that we can hear what is being said.’
The image changed as the apparent viewpoint drew nearer. Martel and the others sat around the fire, their faces gaunt with exhaustion. Sparhawk motioned to his friends, and they all leaned forward to listen.
‘Where are they, Martel?’ Arissa was asking acidly. ‘Where are these brave Zemochs you counted on to protect us? Gathering wild flowers?’
‘They’re diverting the Peloi, Princess,’ Martel replied. ‘Do you really want those savages to catch up with us? Don’t worry, Arissa. If your appetites are growing uncontrollable, I’ll lend you Adus. He doesn’t smell very nice, but that’s no great drawback where you’re concerned, is it?’
Her eyes blazed with sudden hatred, but Martel ignored her. ‘The Zemochs will hold off the Peloi,’ he said to Annias, ‘and unless Sparhawk’s been riding horses to death – which he’d never do – he’s still three days behind us. We don’t really need any Zemochs until we cross the border. That’s when I’ll want to find some of them to start laying traps for my dear brother and his friends.’
‘Khwaj!’ Sparhawk said shortly, ‘make it so that they can hear me! Now!’
The candle flames flickered, then steadied again.
‘Awfully nice camp you have there, Martel,’ Sparhawk said in an offhand manner. ‘Are there any fish in the lake?’