‘Thought you could answer it for yourself, old boy, now that I’ve nudged your memory a bit. I gathered the Lamorks while I was up there fomenting discord between Baron Alstrom and Count Gerrich. The Cammorian mercenaries are always available. All I had to do was pass the word, and they came running. The Rendors weren’t that difficult, once I’d disposed of Arasham. Incidentally, he kept croaking the word “Ramshorn” while he was dying. Could that possibly have been that secret word you cooked up? Very pedestrian, Sparhawk. Most unimaginative. The new spiritual leader of Rendor is a much easier man to manage.’

‘I’ve met him,’ Sparhawk said shortly. ‘I wish you joy in his companionship.’

‘Oh, Ulesim’s not so bad – as long as you stay upwind of him. Anyway, I landed in Arcium, sacked and burned Coombe and marched on Larium. I must say that Wargun took his own sweet time getting there, though. When he arrived, I rode away and then led him around in circles down in Arcium. It was a way to amuse myself while I was awaiting word of the passing of the revered Cluvonus. Did you give him a nice funeral, by the way?’

‘Fairly standard.’

‘I’m sorry I missed it.’

‘There’s something else you should be sorry about, Martel. Annias isn’t going to be able to pay you. Ehlana’s recovered and cut him off from her treasury again.’

‘Yes, I’d heard about that – from Princess Arissa and her son. I freed them from that cloister as a favour to the Primate of Cimmura. There was a slight misunderstanding while I was releasing them, though, and all the nuns in that cloister died quite suddenly. Regrettable, perhaps, but you religious types really shouldn’t become involved in politics, you know. My soldiers also set fire to the cloister as we were riding away. I’ll convey your best wishes to Arissa when I rejoin my troops. She’s been staying in my pavilion since we left Demos. The horrors of her confinement quite unnerved her, and I’ve been sort of offering what comfort I could.’

‘That’s one more you owe me, Martel,’ Sparhawk grated.

‘One more what?’

‘Those nuns are another reason for me to kill you.’

‘Feel free to try at any time, old boy. How on earth did you manage to cure Ehlana, though? I was assured down in Rendor that there was no possible cure.’

‘Your informants were wrong. We found out what the cure was in Dabour. Actually that’s why Sephrenia and I were really there. You might call spoiling your plans there in Arasham’s tent a sort of a bonus.’

‘I was really put out with you about that, you know.’

‘How are you going to pay your troops?’