eyes, not the animal dullness I would expect there.â
Gorian nodded. He had reached similar conclusions about the Pict. But he knew what the Gunderman didnâtâthat there was a probable connection between the boy and the prize they sought.
âCan you kill him?â
Hakonâs unexpectedly blue eyes widened in surprise. âI am right here next to you. Many have tried to kill me. They are dead. Not me.â
âYou yourself said he was good, and smart.â
âI am better,â Hakon said. âWithout question.â
âVery well,â Gorian said. That was the answer he had wanted to hear. He was glad, too, of the confidence in Hakonâs voice.
âWhen do you want it done?â Hakon asked.
He had not decided yet. There was still timeâthey werenât moving on Kuthmet until the next night. If they tried tonight, after walking all day, they would not be at their best. And to go up against those Stygians they would need to be. They would camp here, just out of sight of the city. Restore their energy. Then when darkness fell again, they would move.
âI will tell you when,â he said. âJust be ready, on my word.â
âWorry not, Gorian. When the time comes, I will do it, and happily. As soon as I saw we had a Pict on the ship with us, I wanted to do it then. I hate them. Every last one of them.â
Gorian promised that Hakon would get the chance, then dismissed the man so he could get back to planning their next move. He had found out from Kanilla Rey that their target was a sorcerer named Shehkmi al Nasir. The men who had taken the crown had been acolytes of his. He had many followers, it seemed, in Kuthmet, where he was regarded as powerful, a force to be feared.
Well, Gorian had seen that, firsthand. He was already afraid of Shehkmi al Nasir, and he had not even met the wizard yet. But he would do his masterâs bidding, no matter what. He was Kanilla Reyâs man. He did what he was told.
4
âLETâS GO!â
Alanya woke suddenly, startled by Mikeloâs hand on her shoulder and his urgent whisper in her ear.
âWhat is it?â she demanded.
âWe should leave,â Mikelo said. He turned away from her, shook Donial awake. Kral was already sitting up. It was still night. A sliver of moon floated just above the horizon.
âWhat have you learned?â Kral asked. As usual, Alanya thought, he was alert immediately upon awakening. It still took her a minute to get her bearings, and she had not remembered at first that they had feigned the fight with Mikelo so that he could get information from the mercenaries.
âCome on,â Mikelo urged. âWe should get away from here quickly. I can tell you on the way.â
Alanya shrugged off the cloak that had covered her. âVery well,â she said. âI am ready.â She got to her feet, glancing toward the nearby slope where the mercenaries slept. So far, none of them seemed to be looking their way. She kept expecting someone to notice them, to come running, as had happened when the same group of four had tried to escape the pirates in much the same fashion. But the pirates had not wanted them to leave; these mercenaries probably didnât care one way or the other.
Within moments, the others had gathered their things. Except for the clothes he wore, Mikelo had nothing but a sword and a couple of knives, affixed to his belt. They moved out as silently as they could, finding their way by the moonâs faint glow toward the distant lights of Kuthmet.
When they were a comfortable distance away from the mercenaries, Mikelo said, âThe men were talking about a magician named Shehkmi al Nasir. Thatâs who Gorian said they would be looking for.â
âSo this magician has the crown,â Kral speculated.
âOr will soon,â Donial said. âThat storm that blew us off course might well have done the same to the
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley