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unless
it was that without these friends of former times the camaraderie would not
have
been as sweet.
He went to the sideboard and got hot mulled wine from a krater, sprinkling
in
goat's cheese and grain, and took the posset to a corner, so the men could
come
to him as they would.
The problem of the eunuch was still unsolved: finding a suitable replacement
was
not going to be easy: there were not many eunuchs in the mercenaries' guild.
The
clubroom was red as dying day and dark as backlit mountains, and he felt
better
for having come. So, when Abarsis, high priest of Upper Ranke, left his
companions and approached, but did not sit among the mercenaries
Tempus had
collected, he said to the nine that he would see them at the appointed time,
and
to the iron-clad one.
'Life to you. Stepson. Please join me.'
'Life to you, Riddler, and everlasting glory.' Cup in hand, he sipped pure
water, eyes hardly darker never leaving Tempus's face. 'Is it Sanctuary that
has
driven you to drink?' He indicated the posset.
'The dry soul is wisest? Not at the Empire's anus, where the water is chancy.
Anyway, those things I said long ago and far away: do not hold me to any of
that.'
The smooth cheek of Stepson ticced. 'I must,' he murmured. 'You are the
man I
have emulated. All my life I have listened after word of you and collected
intelligence of you and studied what you left us in legend and stone in the
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north. Listen: "War is sire of all and king of all, and some He has made gods
and some men, some bond and some free". Or: "War is ours in common;
strife is
justice; all things come into being and pass away through strife". You see, I
know your work, even those other names you have used. Do not make me
speak them.
I would work with you, 0 Sleepless One. It will be the pinnacle of my career.'
He flashed Tempus a bolt of naked entreaty, then his gaze flickered away and
he
rushed on: 'You need me. Who else will suit? Who else here has a brand
and
gelding's scars? And time in the arena as a gladiator, like Jubal himself?
Who
could intrigue him, much less seduce him among these? And though I -'
'No.'
Abarsis dug in his belt and tossed a golden amulet on to the table. 'The god
will not give you up; this was caught in the sorrel's new shoe. That teacher of
mine whom you remember ...?'
'I know the man,' Tempus said grimly.
'He thinks that Sanctuary is the endpoint of existence; that those who come
here
are damned beyond redemption; that Sanctuary is Hell.'
'Then how is it. Stepson,' said Tempus almost kindly, 'that folk experience
fleshly death here? So far as I know, I am the only soul in Sanctuary who
suffers eternally, with the possible exception of my sister, who may not have
a
soul. Learn not to listen to what people say, priest. A man's own mistakes are
load enough, without adding others'.'
'Then let me be your choice! There is no time to find some other eunuch.'
He
said it flatly, without bitterness, a man fielding logic. 'I can also bring you
a few fighters whom you might not know and who would not dare, on their
own, to
approach you. My Sacred Band yearns to serve you. You dispense your
favour to
provincials and foreigners who barely recognize their honour! Give it to me,
who
craves little else ...! The prince who would be king will not expose me, but
pass me on to Jubal as an untrained boy. I am a little old for it, but in
Sanctuary, those niceties seem not to matter. I have increased your lot here.
You owe me this opportunity.'
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Tempus stirred his cooling posset with a finger. "That prince...' Changing the
subject, he sighed glumly, a sound like rattling bones. 'He will never be a
Great King, such as your father. Can you tell me why the god is taking such
an
interest?'
'The god will tell you, when you make of the Tros horse a sacrifice. Or some
person. Then He will be mollified. You know the ritual. If it be a man you
choose, I will gladly volunteer... Ah, you understand me, now? I do not want
to
frighten you ..."
'Take no thought of it.'
'Then... though I risk your displeasure, yet I say it: I love you. One night [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]