The Serpentwar Saga: The Complete 4-Book Collection

Nakor nodded. ‘I understand, but you’ll understand what I mean when I tell you. Just let me say that if you have a plan for us to get out of here, tonight would be a very good time to do it. We don’t need to stay any longer.’

Calis said, ‘Well, now that we know where the ford is, we could try to slip across, or bluff our way and tell the patrol at the bank that we’re going out on another sweep to the south.’

Nakor opened his ever-present bag, slung over his shoulder, and said, ‘Maybe one of these passes would fool them.’

Erik tried hard not to laugh at the expression on Foster’s and de Loungville’s faces. They looked at the documents, and de Loungville said, ‘I’m not an expert in reading this gibberish, but these look authentic.’

‘Oh, they are,’ said Nakor. ‘I stole them from Lord Fadawah’s tent.’

De Loungville said, ‘The Queen’s Lord High General?’

‘That’s the man. He was busy and no one noticed, as I was playing the part of a slave. I thought one of these might do us some good. I wanted to poke around. There’s something very funny about that general. He’s not what he seems to be, and if I hadn’t been in such a hurry to get my news to you, I would have stayed around to see just what this general really is.’

Calis looked through the four documents. ‘This might do it. It’s a vaguely worded order commanding all units to let the bearer pass. It doesn’t say if the bearer will have a full company of more than a hundred men with him, but I think if we can keep our wits about us, it might work.’

Praji stood. ‘Well, the day’s half done, and if we’re going to be convincing about a local patrol, we’d better be on our way now. Or did you want to wait until tomorrow morning?’

Calis glanced at Nakor, who shook his head slightly in the negative. ‘We leave now,’ said Calis.

Order was passed from man to man to act as if there was little urgency, but to get ready quickly to ride. If anyone in the other campsites took notice, Erik couldn’t see. The surrounding companies seemed intent upon their own business. The coming and going of another troop of men seemed of little interest.

In less than an hour, Foster had the men in file, and Calis motioned for Erik’s squad, the first in line, to fall in behind his own vanguard, Nakor, Praji, Vaja, Hatonis, and de Loungville. Foster would fall back and take command of the rear guard, the most experienced squad in the company. As Jadow Shati and Jerome Handy moved out of line, back to where Foster waited, Erik made a good-luck sign which Jadow returned, along with his broadest grin.

They rode northward, along the path to the road, where they paralleled the river until they came in sight of the bridge. That’s finishing up quickly,’ observed Praji.

‘They have many men working on it,’ said Nakor. ‘I worked on it for a couple of days so I could get across.’

Vaja said, ‘There’re are ample fords nearby. Why all the bother?’

Nakor said, ‘The Queen doesn’t want to get her feet wet.’

Calis glanced at the little man, as did Erik. Nakor wasn’t smiling.

They reached the guardpost and a stout sergeant came forward. ‘What’s all this, then?’

Calis said, ‘Hello again, Sergeant.’

Recognizing Calis from the night before, the sergeant said, ‘Going out again?’

‘The generals weren’t happy with my report. They think I didn’t head far enough south. I’m going out until noon tomorrow, then I’ll be back by morning the day after.’

‘No one said anything to me about your company crossing the river, Captain,’ said the sergeant, looking suspicious, ‘or anyone being out for more than a day.’

Calis calmly held out the pass. ‘The General made up his mind just a short time ago. He gave me this rather than relying on a messenger getting to you before we were ready to leave.’

The sergeant said, ‘Damn officers! We’ve got our orders, and then some captain of some company thinks he can get his drinking buddy to change the way we do things. Which of those strutting peacocks thinks he can just sign his name …’ His voice trailed off and his eyes widened as he saw the name and seal at the bottom of the pass.

‘If you want to send a messenger to General Fadawah to tell him that he’s not observing procedures, and you want confirmation, we’ll wait,’ said de Loungville. ‘I’d just as soon not have to go looking for the Gilani. Hell, I don’t think the general will mind, Sergeant.’

The sergeant quickly rolled up the pass and handed it back to Calis. ‘You may cross,’ he said, waving them past. He turned to the soldiers at the bank and shouted, ‘They’re crossing to the other side!’

They waved back and resumed their bored poses while Calis walked his horse down to where they stood and into the water, taking it slowly and carefully.

Erik felt the back of his neck itch, as if someone behind would start shouting they were trying to escape, or someone else would be warning the sergeant that a pass had been stolen from the General’s tent.

But they moved across the shallow ford in the river until the last company, with Corporal Foster the last man, had safely crossed. Then Calis motioned for them to pick up speed, and they all started moving south at a trot. Erik found himself fighting an unusually strong urge to dig his heels in and get his horse galloping. He wondered how many of the others felt the same way.

When they had moved some distance downriver, Calis ordered them to a canter and they rode at a good rate for another mile before he signaled for them to return to a trot. Nakor shouted, ‘You want me to tell you now?’

Calis said, ‘Yes, before you fall off and break your neck.’

Nakor grinned. ‘It’s bad. You remember our old friend the Lady Clovis?’

Calis nodded. Erik had no idea who she might be, but the darkening expression on Calis’s face said he knew her. What surprised him was that de Loungville registered no recognition. But Praji said, ‘That bitch who was using Dahakon and the Overlord Valgash down at the City of the Serpent River way back when we first met?’

‘That’s her,’ said Nakor.

‘She’s the Emerald Queen?’ asked Calis.

Nakor shook his head. ‘I wish it were so. Jorna, that’s her real name, at least back when we were married –’

‘What?’ gaped Calis, and for the first time Erik saw him totally lose his composure.

‘It’s a long story. I’ll tell you some other time. But when she was a girl she was vain, and when we were together she was always seeking ways to stay young forever.’

‘I think if we get out of this you’re going to tell me every detail,’ said de Loungville, obviously as astonished as Calis.

‘Anyway,’ said Nakor, motioning for him not to interrupt, ‘the girl had talent for tricks, what you call magic, and she left me when I wouldn’t tell her secrets I didn’t have, about staying young forever. She was using a different body when she was the Lady Clovis.’

‘A different body?’ said Praji, now obviously confused. ‘How did you recognize her?’

‘When you know someone well, bodies don’t matter,’ said Nakor.

‘I guess,’ said Vaja, obviously amused by the entire conversation.

‘Shut up,’ said Nakor. ‘This is serious. This woman made a bargain with the Pantathians to keep her young forever while she helped them. What she didn’t know was they were using her. I warned her. I told her, “They want more than you can ever give them,” and I was right. They’ve taken her.’

‘What do you mean?’ asked Calis.

Nakor’s expression turned grim. ‘What happened to your father, with the Armor of White and Gold.’

‘Yes?’ said Calis, color draining from his face.

‘It’s happening again. Jorna, or Clovis, is wearing an emerald crown and it’s changing her. She is becoming like your father.’

Calis looked shaken and said nothing for a moment; then he turned to de Loungville. ‘Tell Foster I want a rear guard to follow by fifteen minutes. I want to know if anyone tries to overtake us. If they encounter anyone, their fastest rider is to come find us, while the others are to lead whoever’s coming away. We’ll wait for a short time at the cave we found two days ago, then we’ll strike straight for Lanada.’

De Loungville said, ‘And if those who come after don’t take the bait?’