‘That’s only the first wave of looters. They’re the ones who are concentrating on gold. The next wave will go looking for silver. Then the third wave will start tearing houses apart looking for the hiding places where people keep valuables. I’d guess that it’s going to be a month or so before they’ve stolen everything in Chyrellos – down to the last brass candlestick. You don’t really have a month, old boy – not with Wargun wandering around out there with half the manpower in Eosia behind him.’

‘Ah yes, Wargun, the drunken King of Thalesia. I’d almost forgotten him. What do you suppose happened to him? It’s so unlike him to be this tardy.’

Sparhawk broke the spell. ‘Order your soldiers to drop some arrows on him, Kurik,’ he said bleakly.

‘What’s the trouble, Sparhawk?’ Kalten asked.

‘Martel’s found some way to keep Wargun away from Chyrellos. We’d better go and advise the Preceptors. I’m afraid we’re all alone here.’

Chapter 13

‘He didn’t say it exactly, Vanion,’ Sparhawk reported. ‘You know how he is, but there was that sort of implied smirk in his voice that he knows is so irritating. We both know Martel well enough to know what he meant.’

‘What exactly did he say again, Sir Sparhawk?’ Dolmant asked.

‘We were talking about Wargun, Your Grace, and he said, “What do you suppose has happened to him? It’s so unlike him to be this tardy.’” Sparhawk did his best to imitate Martel’s intonation.

‘It does have a knowing sort of ring to it, doesn’t it?’ Dolmant agreed. ‘I don’t know Martel as well as the two of you do, but that has the sound of a man who’s terribly pleased with himself.’

‘Sparhawk’s right,’ Sephrenia told them. ‘Martel’s worked out some way to keep Wargun away. The question is how.’

‘How isn’t important, little mother,’ Vanion said. The four of them were sitting together in a small room adjacent to Sir Nashan’s study. ‘What’s important now is keeping this information away from the soldiers. The Church Knights are trained to accept desperate circumstances. The soldiers aren’t. About all they’re clinging to at the moment is the expectation of seeing Wargun’s armies coming across the meadows lying to the west of the River Arruk. The inner city’s not really surrounded yet, and the looters aren’t paying any attention to other people. We could have desertions by the score if word of this gets out. Advise the Church Knights quietly – and in confidence. I’ll tell the other Preceptors.’

‘And I’ll tell Emban and Ortzel,’ Dolmant promised.