process. That’s not feeding and watering them and stopping for only a few hours a night. The Horse are the toughest bunch of bastards I know, they probably would survive the limited rations but they wouldn't be in any condition to fight at the end of it. And that’s realistically what they are going to have to do. Even if the passes hold, which I hope they do, in a couple of months' time those men are going to be exhausted and when we turn up they will want to step down and sleep.’
‘It won’t help not knowing exactly where we are headed either. I have recalled the scattered Horse to meet north of our position and we will head inland from there. If we push north–east and skirt around the capital we should avoid having to deal with a coronation that would keep us, or at least me, away from the action where we are needed.’
‘Where do you think they will break through?’
‘The biggest push will be at Black Claw I imagine. It’s a central location, its closer to the heart of the Kingdom and they have the Cerebus Valley to feed from. Thousands can gather in that and charge down the pass. The Gorgon Pass is out of the way and won’t leave them in the best position to launch an attack. The Musea doesn’t even lead into Murukia anymore but I wouldn’t put it past Tyrea to turn the blind eye while they bloody well wander on in.’
‘You won’t go into Sarkridge to speak to your brother? His girls died the same night as your father. He must be hurting.’
‘Reza will have to tough it out. He’s the administrator of the family, took after father in that respect, he needs to be organising the troops, how we are going to feed them and try to get some help from Firadon and Raeltom. He’ll join us on the field when he’s done what he needs to do. We can kill Kyzantines to avenge his daughters together.’
‘I want runners out to everyone in town,’ Curdish snapped at the men in the room. ‘I want every man of the Horse ready by sun up to move north. Armoured, full flasks, and in the saddle before me.’
Daymon looked across at him, nodded his head, and left the house.
CHAPTER THREE
Dathe followed the page through the halls of Gravid’s Drift. The lad had come crashing through his door, ordering him as politely as possible to follow him to the council chambers quickly. Despite the three months of serving him, Jon was still hesitant about just how far he could go with the visiting dignitary, which made Dathe smile to no end.
Buckling his sword belt as he wound his way through the corridors of the living quarters in the western wing of the building, Dathe hurried to keep up with the page. He followed the boy down the narrow service stairs three floors to the level the earl used for state purposes.
Approaching the council chambers from the kitchen prep area, Dathe could already hear the earl screaming orders, his voice carrying through the stone corridors. That concerned him. The earl was generally a softly spoken man, but his commands had presence and not a single man would disobey an order given by him. The fact he was yelling meant that something serious had happened.
Emerging in front of him, from the central hall running the north–south length of Gravid’s Drift, Lacey was already at a full run, her father’s voice now matched by another’s. Dressed casually, her hair tied back, her blonde ponytail flew out behind.
‘Lace,’ Dathe cried out as he started to match her pace.
Slowing her pace so she could look back over her shoulder, Lacey pulled up so Dathe could catch her. There was a look of desperation and panic in her green eyes, screaming that something was very wrong, and her father’s booming voice was not placating her fears.
‘Do you know what’s wrong?’ Dathe asked.
She shook her head and closed her eyes, composing herself as he gripped her gently by the upper arms.
He stood motionless for a minute, letting the screaming from the council chambers wash over him, to identify the
‘It won’t help not knowing exactly where we are headed either. I have recalled the scattered Horse to meet north of our position and we will head inland from there. If we push north–east and skirt around the capital we should avoid having to deal with a coronation that would keep us, or at least me, away from the action where we are needed.’
‘Where do you think they will break through?’
‘The biggest push will be at Black Claw I imagine. It’s a central location, its closer to the heart of the Kingdom and they have the Cerebus Valley to feed from. Thousands can gather in that and charge down the pass. The Gorgon Pass is out of the way and won’t leave them in the best position to launch an attack. The Musea doesn’t even lead into Murukia anymore but I wouldn’t put it past Tyrea to turn the blind eye while they bloody well wander on in.’
‘You won’t go into Sarkridge to speak to your brother? His girls died the same night as your father. He must be hurting.’
‘Reza will have to tough it out. He’s the administrator of the family, took after father in that respect, he needs to be organising the troops, how we are going to feed them and try to get some help from Firadon and Raeltom. He’ll join us on the field when he’s done what he needs to do. We can kill Kyzantines to avenge his daughters together.’
‘I want runners out to everyone in town,’ Curdish snapped at the men in the room. ‘I want every man of the Horse ready by sun up to move north. Armoured, full flasks, and in the saddle before me.’
Daymon looked across at him, nodded his head, and left the house.
CHAPTER THREE
Dathe followed the page through the halls of Gravid’s Drift. The lad had come crashing through his door, ordering him as politely as possible to follow him to the council chambers quickly. Despite the three months of serving him, Jon was still hesitant about just how far he could go with the visiting dignitary, which made Dathe smile to no end.
Buckling his sword belt as he wound his way through the corridors of the living quarters in the western wing of the building, Dathe hurried to keep up with the page. He followed the boy down the narrow service stairs three floors to the level the earl used for state purposes.
Approaching the council chambers from the kitchen prep area, Dathe could already hear the earl screaming orders, his voice carrying through the stone corridors. That concerned him. The earl was generally a softly spoken man, but his commands had presence and not a single man would disobey an order given by him. The fact he was yelling meant that something serious had happened.
Emerging in front of him, from the central hall running the north–south length of Gravid’s Drift, Lacey was already at a full run, her father’s voice now matched by another’s. Dressed casually, her hair tied back, her blonde ponytail flew out behind.
‘Lace,’ Dathe cried out as he started to match her pace.
Slowing her pace so she could look back over her shoulder, Lacey pulled up so Dathe could catch her. There was a look of desperation and panic in her green eyes, screaming that something was very wrong, and her father’s booming voice was not placating her fears.
‘Do you know what’s wrong?’ Dathe asked.
She shook her head and closed her eyes, composing herself as he gripped her gently by the upper arms.
He stood motionless for a minute, letting the screaming from the council chambers wash over him, to identify the
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