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to circumstance and need； to the devastating fact that more than half their number were dead。 There were barely thirty men doing battle now with almost as many of the dung…eating Horsemen。 Their weapons and armor were less good； their style of bat was not and never had been this kind of savage face…to…face confrontation。
The ambush had almost succeeded but it had not quite been enough。 It was time to break free； to run south； to accept that a huge risk had nearly worked； but had not。 They had a desperately long way to go to get home to Arbastro； on evil winter paths； through mud and rain； and with the wounded to slow them。 It was past time to pull out while they could； while yet some of them lived。
As if to mark the truth of his thought； Idar was forced in that moment to duck swiftly down and to one side as a burly Jaddite with a studded mace stepped forward and hammered a sideswung blow at his face。 The Jaddite was armored from head to calves； Idar wore a leather helm and a light chain breastpiece。 What were they doing fighting face to face？
Twisting under the lethal mace； Idar chopped sharply at the back of the Jaddite's ankle。 He felt his sword bite through the boot and into flesh。 The man screamed and fell to one knee。 They would say it was a coward's way to fight； Idar knew。 They had their armor and their iron。 The men of Arbastro had decades of experience in the tactics of cunning and entrapment。 When it came to killing or dying there were no rules； his father had drilled that into them from the beginning。
Idar killed the fallen giant with a slicing blow to the neck； where the helmet did not quite meet his body armor。 He thought about grabbing the mace； but decided it would be too heavy for him； especially if they had to run。
And they did have to run； or they were going to die in this defile。 He watched his father； still wild with rage； pounding his blade over and again against a Jaddite shield。 The Jaddite withdrew； one pace and then another； but the shield arm held； steady and resilient。 Just beyond his father Idar saw the Jaddite captain； the yellow…haired one； dispatch another of their men。 They were going to die here。
It was in that moment that the second wave of Jaddites came galloping up behind them； the hooves of their horses like sudden thunder in the defile。
Idar wheeled about； aghast。 Too late now； he thought； and in his mind he saw a swift； vivid image of a white…faced； black…haired maiden ing for him； her long fingernails reaching for his red heart。 And then； a pulsebeat later； Idar realized that he understood nothing at all of what was happening here today。
The leader of this new wave of Horsemen came sweeping through the outlaw line。 He rode straight up to where the yellow…haired man wielded his heavy sword。 Leaning in the saddle； he blocked a thrust and then； curbing his horse tightly； swept his own long blade down with incisive mastery and killed the other Jaddite where he stood。
Idar became aware that his mouth was gaping open。 He closed it。 He looked desperately towards the red…smeared figure of blood and grief and fury that was his father and he saw the sharp…eyed clarity that he remembered…that he needed…suddenly return。
〃We have been used；〃 his father said to him then； quiet amid the roiling chaos of new horses and dying men in front of them。 He had lowered his sword。 〃I am in my dotage。 Too old to be allowed to lead men。 I ought to have died before today。〃
And； amazingly； he sheathed his blade and stepped back； seemingly indifferent； as the new Jaddites killed the first ones without mercy or respite； even though swords were being thrown down in the circle around the gold and men were crying aloud for ransom。
No one's surrender was accepted。 Idar； who had killed many men in his time； watched in silence from where he and his father had withdrawn beside his dying brother。
The men from Jalona； who had e south for a fortune in parias gold； who had ridden foolishly into a trap and then survived it by main courage and discipline； died that morning； every one of them； in that dark place。
Afterwards it was quiet； save for the moaning of injured outlaws。 Idar realized that some of the new Jaddite archers were shooting the wounded horses； which is why those sounds had stopped。 The animals' screaming had been going on so long he had almost blocked it out。 He watched as the undamaged horses were rounded up。 They were magnificent stallions； no mounts in Al…Rassan could match those from the ranches of Esperana。
Idar and his father and the others laid aside their weapons； as ordered： there was no point resisting。 They numbered barely more than twenty； all exhausted and many wounded； with nowhere to run； facing fifty mounted warriors。 On the ground beside them； his head now pillowed on a saddle cloth； Abir breathed raggedly； dealing with pain。 The wound in his thigh was too deep； Idar saw； it was still bleeding despite the knot tied above it。 Idar had seen that kind of wound before。 His brother was going to die。 There was a kind of blankness in Idar's mind because of that； an inability to think properly。 He remembered； quite suddenly； the vision he had had when the new Horsemen had appeared： death as a woman； her nails raking for his life。
It wasn't his life； after all。 He knelt and touched his younger brother's cheek。 He found that he could not speak。 Abir looked up at him。 He lifted a hand so their fingers touched。 There was fear in his eyes but he said nothing at all。 Idar swallowed hard。 It would not do to cry。 They were still on a battlefield。 He squeezed Abir's hand and stood up。 He walked a few steps back to stand beside their father。 The old man's blood…smeared head was high； his shoulders straight as he looked up at the new men on their horses。
Tarif ibn Hassan of Arbastro； captured at last after almost forty years。
The outlaw who had bee more a king…and who had always been more a lion…than any of the myriad pretenders to royalty since Silvenes fell。
The numbness in Idar extended to this as well。 Their world was ending in this defile。 A new legend to go with the old ones about the haunted Emin ha'Nazar。 His father betrayed no expression at all。 For more than three decades a series of khalifs and then half a dozen of the petty monarchs of Al…Rassan had vowed to cut off his fingers and toes one by one before they allowed him to die。
The leaders of the new pany sat astride their horses； gazing down upon him。 They looked undisturbed； as if nothing of note or consequence had taken place。 Their own weapons had been sheathed。 One of them was an Asharite。 The other was Jaddite； as were all of the soldiers。 The Jaddite wore an old…fashioned helm with a bronze eagle on the crown。 Idar didn't know either man。
His father said； not waiting for them； 〃You are mercenaries from Ragosa。 It was Mazur the Kindath who planned all of this。〃 He did not put it as a question。
The two men looked at each other。 Idar thought he saw a trace of amusement in their expressions。 He felt too hollow to be angered by that。 His brother was dying。 His body ached； and his head hurt in the silence after the screaming。 It was in his heart； though； that the real pain lay。
The Asharite spoke。 A courtier's voice。 〃A measure of self…respect requires that we accept some of the credit； but you are correct in the main： we are from Ragosa。〃
〃You arranged for us to know about the parias。 You drew us north。〃 Tarif's voice was flat。 Idar blinked。
〃That is also correct。〃
〃And the woman on the slopes？〃 Idar said suddenly。 〃She was yours？〃 His father looked at him。
〃She travels with us；〃 the smooth…featured man said。 He wore a pearl in one ear。 〃Our doctor。 She's a Kindath； too。 They are very subtle； aren't they？〃
Idar scowled。 〃That wasn't her doing。〃
The other man； the Jaddite； spoke。 〃No； that part was ours。 I thought it might be useful to have di Carrera distracted。 I'd heard some rumors from Eschalou。〃
Idar finally understood。 〃You drove them into us！ They thought you were part of our pany； or they would never have ridden into the trap。 They had sent spies； I saw them。 They knew we were here！〃
The Jaddite brought a gloved hand up and touched his moustache。 〃Correct again。 You laid your ambush well； but di Carrera is…was…a capable soldier。 They would have doubled back and around the valley。 We gave them a reason not to。 A chance to make a mistake。〃
〃We were supposed to kill them for you； weren't we？〃 Idar's father's voice was bitter。 〃I do apologize for our failure。〃
The Asharite smiled and shook his head。 〃Hardly a failure。 They were well trained and better armed。 You came close； didn't you？ You must have known this was a gamble from the moment you set out。〃
There was a silence。
〃Who are you？〃 Idar's father asked then； staring narrowly up at the two of them。 〃Who are you both？〃 The wind had picked up。 It was very cold in the defile。
〃Forgive me；〃 the smooth one said。 He swung down from his horse。 〃It is an honor to finally meet you。 The fame of Tarif ibn Hassan has spanned the peninsula all my life。 You have been a byword for courage and daring。 My name is Ammar ibn Khairan； late of Cartada； currently serving the king of Ragosa。〃
He bowed。
Idar felt his mouth falling open again and he shut it hard。 He stared openly。 This was 。。。 this was the man who had slain the last khalif！ And who had just killed Almalik of Cartada！
〃I see；〃 said his father quietly。 〃Some things are now explained。〃 His expression was thoughtful。 〃You know we had people die in villages near Arbastro because of you。〃
〃When Almalik was searching for me？ I did hear about that。 I beg forgiveness； though you will appreciate that I had no control over the king of Cartada at that point。〃
〃And so you killed him。 Of course。 May I know who your fellow is； who leads these men？〃
The other man had taken off his helm。 It was tucked under one arm。 His thick brown hair was disordered。 He had not dismounted。
〃Rodrigo Belmonte of Valledo；〃 he said。
Idar actually felt as if the hard ground had suddenly bee unstable beneath his feet； as in an earth tremor。 This man； this Rodrigo； had been named by the wadjis for years to be cursed in the temples。 The Scourge of Al…Rassan； he had been called。 And if these were his men 。。。
〃More things；〃 Idar's father said gravely； 〃are now explained。〃 For all the blood that smeared and stained Tarif ibn Hassan's head and clothing； there was a remarkable dignity and posure to him now。
〃One of you ought surely to have been enough；〃 he murmured。 〃If I am to be finally defeated and slain； I suppose it will at least be said in years to e that it took the best men of two lands to do it。〃
〃And neither man would claim to be better than you。〃
This fellow； ibn Khairan； had a way with words； Idar thought。 Then he remembered that the Cartadan was a poet； to go with everything else。
〃You aren't going to be slain；〃 Rodrigo Belmonte added。 〃Unless you insist upon it。〃 Idar stared up at him； keeping his mouth firmly closed。
〃That last is unlikely；〃 Idar's father growled。 〃I am old and feeble but not yet tired of life。 I am tired of mysteries。 If you aren't going to kill us； tell me what it is you want。〃 He said it in a tone very nearly of mand。
Idar had never been able to keep up with his father； to match or enpass the raw force in him； he had long since stopped trying。 He followed…in love； in fear； very often in awe。 Neither he nor Abir had ever spoken about what would happen when their father was gone。 It did not bear thinking about。 There was an emptiness that lay beyond that thought。 The white…faced； dark…haired woman with her nails。
The two mercenaries； one standing before them； the other still on horseback； looked at each other for a long moment。 An agreement seemed to pass between them。
〃We want you to take one mule's worth of Fibaz gold and go home；〃 said Rodrigo Belmonte。 〃In exchange for that； for your lives and that measure of gold； you will ensure that the world hears of how you successfully ambushed the Jalonan party and killed them all and took all the parias gold back to Arbastro。〃
Idar blinked again； struggling。 He folded his arm