‘Yes,’ Sparhawk replied. Then he reached out and caught Delada’s arm as the colonel started to push past him.

‘Let me go, Sparhawk,’ Delada said from between tight lips.

‘No, Colonel. Do you remember what I told you a while ago about your being the most important man in Chyrellos for a while?’

‘Yes.’ Delada’s tone was sullen.

‘That particular eminence started just a few minutes ago, and I‘m not going to let you get yourself killed just because you’re feeling pugnacious at the moment. I’ll take you to your quarters now and post a guard outside your door.’

Delada rammed his sword back into its sheath. ‘You’re right, of course,’ he said. ‘It’s just that –’

‘I know, Delada. I feel the same way myself.’

After he had seen to the colonel’s safety, Sparhawk returned to the cellar. The guardsmen under Kurik’s command were in the process of mopping up and flushing out any mercenaries who were trying to hide. Kurik came back through the torchlit darkness.‘I’m afraid Martel and Annias got completely away, Sparhawk,’he reported.

‘He was ready for us, Kurik,’ Sparhawk said glumly. ‘Somehow he knew we’d either be down here or that Sephrenia could work a spell so that we could hear him. He was saying a lot of things for my benefit.’

‘Oh?’

‘The army coming in from the west is Wargun’s.’

‘It’s about time he got here.’ Kurik suddenly grinned.

‘Martel also announced which way he’s going. He wants us to follow him.’

‘I’ll be overjoyed to oblige him. Did we get what we want, though?’

Sparhawk nodded. ‘When Delada’s done with his report, Annias won’t get a single vote.’

‘That’s something anyway.’

‘Put some captain in charge of these guardsmen, and let’s go and find Vanion.’

The Preceptors of the four orders were standing atop the walls near the gates looking with some puzzlement out at the now-retreating mercenaries. ‘They just broke off the attack for no reason,’ Vanion said as Sparhawk and Kurik joined them.

‘They had a reason, right enough,’ Sparhawk replied. ‘That’s Wargun over there across the river.’

‘Thank God!’ Vanion exclaimed. ‘Word must have reached him after all. How did things go in the cellar?’

‘Colonel Delada heard a very interesting conversation. Martel and Annias got away, though. They’re going to make a run for Zemoch to seek Otha’s protection. Martel’s going to send his Rendors out to destroy the bridges to give the rest of his mercenaries time to deploy. He doesn’t have much hope that they’ll be able to do much more than inconvenience Wargun. All he’s really hoping for is enough delay to give him time to get away.’