“So Rendle has a thousand riders himself now?”
“I already told you.”
“And at least another two thousand regulars?”
“I think so. Maybe more.”
“When are they moving into the Oceans of Grass?”
“I told you before, I don’t know. They don’t tell me those sorts of things.”
“You must have heard rumors.”
The mercenary closed his eyes. He had given away so much already, if only he could hold on to some of his secrets, the Chetts might yet pay for what they were going to do to him.
“No.”
“All right,” the female said. At first the mercenary slumped in relief, but then realized she had been talking to the Chett with the sword who was advancing on him. Just then the tent flap parted and another Chett walked in.
At least, the mercenary thought, he dressed like a Chett. But he was shorter than any Chett he had ever seen. The man’s hat was low over his face and he could not see what he looked like.
“Have you got what we need?” the newcomer asked.
“All except when,” Korigan said.
“Leave me with him.”
The two other Chetts left. The mercenary sat up straighter, struggled uselessly against his bonds. The short Chett just looked at him.
“I told the woman everything I know.”
Still the man said nothing.
The mercenary licked his chafed lips, but his mouth did not have enough spit left to do any good. “Just kill me. Get it over with.”
The man removed his hat, and the mercenary got his first glimpse of his face. He used his heels to push himself away.
The man crouched down and his right hand shot out to grasp the mercenary by his cheeks. The mercenary yelped but could do nothing against the strength of that grip. He was forced to look again at the scarred, ivory-white face.
“What are you?”
“You do not know me?”
“You’re hurting me.”
“I’m going to kill you,” the man said. The mercenary closed his eyes, waiting for the worst. “Unless you tell me what I want to know. Let’s start with your name.”
“Arein,” the mercenary said. He opened his eyes again, feeling a slender thread of hope for the first time since his capture.
“Arein, I need to know when Rendle is coming over the mountains.”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you know who I am?”
Arein tried to shake his head. “No,” he said pitifully.
“I am the White Wolf.”
“Oh God, oh God ...”
“I am going to eat you alive.”
“... oh God, oh God ...”
“Tell me what I need to know, and I promise you will live.”
“Why should I trust you?”
“Because the White Wolf never lies.”
“I don’t know any white wolf.”
“You know me, Arein. You know Prince Lynan Rosetheme.” The man took an amulet from beneath his poncho.
“The Key of Unity!” Arein looked up surprised. “No, you can’t be the prince.”
The man grinned mirthlessly. “I have changed. But I am Prince Lynan. I told you the White Wolf never lies. I have no need to. Now, tell me when Rendle is coming over the mountains.”
“Before ...” Arein stopped himself. No. He was going to die. This mad thing was going to kill him, he was sure. The grip on his cheeks tightened and he cried in pain. “Before winter is over!” he blurted, and the pain went away.
The man straightened. “Before winter is over. Are you sure?”
“Rendle wants Prince Lynan to help Salokan invade Grenda Lear.” Arein looked up at the man’s face and again saw the Key of Unity. “He wants you.”
The prince turned on his heel and opened the tent flap. “We have what we want,” he said to someone, and the woman returned, this time accompanied by a man who was as huge as the prince was small.
“Good,” the giant said. “We can kill him now.”
“No,” Lynan said.
Kumul looked as if he was about to argue, but remembered they were in front of the prisoner. He glanced at Korigan, who seemed as mystified as he was. “Your Highness, can we talk outside for a moment?”
As soon as they were outside, Kumul asked Lynan if he had other questions he wanted to ask.
“I’ve no more questions,” Lynan admitted.
“We can’t just let him go—” Kumul started.
“I didn’t say we would let him go. At least not yet.”
“We can’t keep him with us,” Korigan said. “The clan has no one to look after a prisoner.”
“He will stay here, at the High Sooq, after we have gone.
There will be no need to set a guard on him because he cannot go anywhere. When it is time to release him, we will send a message to Herita.“
Kumul scratched his head. “I don’t understand your reasoning, Lynan. Why not just kill him?”
“First, because I told him if he told the truth I would spare his life. Second, because I want our enemies to know that if they surrender to us, they will not be butchered out of hand.”
“The Red Shields never took prisoners,” Kumul said gruffly.
“Nor have the Chetts,” Korigan added.
Lynan thought it ironic they were on the same side at last, but in opposition to him. “I will be fighting my own people,” he said. “I cannot help it. Sooner or later, I go up against the armies of Grenda Lear. You will be with me, Kumul. Both of us will almost certainly be facing people we once knew.”
“War can be like that,” Kumul said.
“We don’t kill those who surrender to us. I will not have my own people butchered by my own soldiers.”
Kumul jerked a thumb at the tent. “He is a mercenary. Will you spare all of them as well? What of Rendle? Would you let him live if he surrendered? And Jes Prado?”
“It will be hard for the Chetts to take any mercenaries prisoner during a battle,” Korigan said. “There is too much hatred for what they did to us in the Slaver War.”
Lynan looked uncomfortable. “I do not include the mercenaries in any amnesty. But this one lives because I gave him my word.”
Korigan nodded. “So be it,” she said.
Lynan stared down Kumul until the giant reluctantly nodded his head. “I will do as you order,” he admitted. Then he looked up again, his eyes bright. “And now that we know what Rendle and Salokan plan, what will you do?”
“When will the clans leave the High Sooq?” Lynan asked Korigan.
“The time is near. I would say within ten days.”
“If we wait that long,” Kumul said, “we will not make the Ufero Mountains in time.”
“In time for what?” Lynan asked lightly.
“To trap Rendle against them, of course,” Kumul declared, as if it was obvious. Lynan said nothing. Kumul shook his head. “You’re not going to do that, are you?”
“I don’t know yet,” Lynan said. “I want more information.”
“God’s death, Lynan, we have a good idea of how many ride with Rendle, and when and where they are coming over. What more could you want?”
“It is still not enough. I want to know what is happening in the east before committing our forces.”
“Surely they will be busy with Salokan,” Korigan said. “From what our guest revealed, Hume will be hard-pressed to survive the onslaught from Haxus.”
“We have no word from Gudon. Until then, I will commit to no strategy.”
“You will stay here like a paralyzed bug?” Kumul demanded.
“No. We leave with the White Wolf clan. We will head east, taking our time.”
“The spring grass will not be able to feed our whole army for long, your Majesty,” Korigan said.
“I don’t intend for the army to be on the Oceans of Grass for long.”
“But the army is here now,” Kumul said, his voice rising. “You have the instrument in your hands to destroy Rendle and his force as soon as he enters the Oceans of Grass.”
“His force will be destroyed,” Lynan said. “But not then.” He faced Korigan. “Tell Term to take his clan out as soon as he can. I want him to patrol those passes Rendle will be using to get his army across the mountains. Terin is not to attempt to attack or harass them. When Rendle himself appears, Terin is to let us know. Once the mercenary force has left the mountains behind, Terin is to destroy any guard left behind and secure the passes so Rendle cannot retreat that way.”