Shards of a Broken Crown

by Raymond E. Feist

  The minutes dragged by and upward the man 52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page 374

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  climbed, each hand and foot moved carefully, testing the grip or footing. Like a fly on a wall, he moved slowly upward, slightly to the right of his starting point.

  Erik was amazed. At first he was twenty feet above, then thirty, then forty. At fifty feet he was a third of the way to the top. He did not stop to rest, and Erik decided that hanging on the face of the rocks was no more rest than climbing would be. At no time did Pashan’s rhythm change. A step, a grip, a shift of weight, and up he would move.

  As darkness descended, it became more difficult to see him moving among the rocks. Erik lost sight of him in the inky shadows between the rocks, then he caught sight of movement; Pashan was now two-thirds of the way to the top of the cliffs.

  Again he vanished into the gloom and the minutes dragged by. As the night deepened into darkness—no moons would rise until near dawn this night—finally the cord began to jerk up and down.

  “Tie the rope,” instructed Akee.

  The remaining cord was cut and tied tightly around the end of a much heavier rope. When it was secured, they tugged three times firmly on the cord.

  Pashan rapidly pulled the rope upward.

  The rope continued to pay out, then jerked up and down again. The first jerks had been the signal Pashan had reached the top of the cliffs and to tie the rope. The second signal indicated either he had tied off the rope, or he was now digging in to hold it. The second man up the rope would be the smallest remaining. He would join with Pashan and hold the end. Each man after would add his strength as the larger men climbed.

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  The second man had his weapons tied in a bundle slung over his back and started up hand over hand, using his feet to boost him along the surface of the rocks. Erik was amazed at how fast he climbed.

  Then the third man went up.

  The night’s silence was cut by the distant sounds from the enemy’s camp, but not alarms or the sounds of fighting. Slowly the squad of fifty Hadati hillmen reached the summit, and at last Erik and Akee were alone on the beach.

  “I’ll go after you,” said Erik.

  Akee nodded and was up the rope without a word.

  Erik waited, then gripped the rope. He was never a good climber, so he wanted to be last in case he slipped. If he was going to fall to his death, he wasn’t about to knock Akee off the rope behind him.

  Erik found his feet to be of little aid to him as he struggled up the rope. He was a powerful man, with a huge upper body, yet he was also a heavy man. His arms were burning and his back cramping with pain as he reached a point near the summit. Suddenly the rope began to move and for an instant Erik felt a stab of panic before he realized he was being pulled up.

  Akee reached over the edge of the cliff, took Erik by the wrist, and with a yank hauled him up to safety. With a whisper, he said, “Someone comes.”

  Erik nodded, pulling his belt knife out and looking around. They were in a sparse stand of trees, pines and aspens, and as far as he could tell, he and Akee were alone. The other Hadati had somehow managed to vanish into the woods.

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  he pulled Erik away and they slipped off into the woods.

  From a short distance he heard men walking, and one spoke in the language of Novindus. “I don’t hear nothing.”

  “I tell you, I thought I heard something, like someone moving around.”

  “There’s no one here,” came the first voice.

  Erik hugged the side of a small oak, glancing through the lower branches of a pair of star pines as two figures emerged from the other side of the clearing. One carried a torch. “This is a fool’s errand.”

  “Then you’re just the man for the job,” said the other.

  “Very funny.” They reached the clearing before the cliffs and the first man said, “That’s a long way down, so don’t get too close.”

  “Don’t need to tell me, lad. I have no love for heights.”

  “Then how did you get up the wall at Krondor?”

  “Didn’t,” said the second man. “I waited for them to blow up the walls and walked in.”

  “You were lucky,” said the first man. “See, no one here. What did you think? Someone was sending monkeys climbing them cliffs, or some sort of magic thing?”

  “I’ve seen enough weird magic things to last me my lifetime, that’s a fact,” said the second man as they turned to retrace their steps to the camp. “What about that demon thing and the Queen, and them snake priests? If I never see magic again in this life, it’s fine by me.”

  “Did I tell you the time I met that dancer in Hamsa? Now that was magic.”

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  “Only six or seven times, so spare me . . .”

  The voices faded off into the night. From behind Erik heard a voice say, “They think the woods empty.”

  “Good,” said Erik to Akee. “Then we can wait until just before first light to make our move.”

  Erik said, “Spread the word. Have the men stay where they are, out of sight. We gather an hour before dawn.”

  Akee vanished into the gloom without a word.

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  Seventeen

  Assaults

  JIMMY POINTED.

  Captain Songti said, “I see them.”

  They were scouting out the well at Okatio oasis, and lounging in the shade of the desert willows was a patrol of Keshian soldiers.

  “Those are Imperial Borderers,” whispered Jimmy. “See those long lances?”

  Leaning against the rocks near where the horses were staked out, rested twenty long slender spears with banners attached. Songti said, “Looks like we want to get in close, fast.”

  “Yes,” said Jimmy. “No archers.”

  “Is that your man?” asked Songti, pointing at a figure on the far side of the campfire.

  “That’s him,” said Jimmy. Malar was sitting next to a Keshian officer, who was examining the bundle of dispatches Jimmy had been carrying to Duko.

  “We’ve got to kill them all before they leave in the morning.”

  Songti said, “They’re pretty lax at camp.”

  “They’re arrogant bastards, but they’ve earned it.

  They’re among the best light cavalry the world has 378

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  seen. Those fellows with the long hair they pile up under their helmets when they ride”—he pointed to six men who were slightly apart, relaxing around a large pot of food, speaking quietly—“are Ashunta horsemen, from deep within the Empire. Man for man they are the best riders in the world.”

  “Some of my lads might take exception to that,”

  said Songti.

  Jimmy grinned. “The best horsemen in Triagia?”

  “Not since we got here,” said Songti. He turned and signaled. His men were hanging back down the trail. They slowly moved forward.

  Jimmy said, “As soon as you attack, Malar is going to jump on the nearest horse and ride that way.” He pointed to a pass to the south, leading down into the borderlands of Kesh. “Let me get over there, and if he does, I’ll jump him from those rocks.”

  Songti said, “I’ll go with you. He might bring a friend.”

  “Ignore the friend unless it’s that officer looking at those documents. First thing we must do is get them back and kill any man who reads them.”

  “That makes it easy,” said Songti. “We’ll just have to kill them all.” />
  Jimmy admired the man’s confidence. There was a full patrol of twenty Keshian Borderers taking their ease around the well, and only ten Kingdom soldiers with Jimmy. Jimmy said, “Hit them fast.” He got up and in a crouching run skirted the rocks above the oasis until he was poised above the point he had indicated.

  Songti communicated with his men using hand signals, then came and stood beside Jimmy.

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  shouted. While outnumbered, the Kingdom soldiers were given the advantage of surprise. Without looking, Jimmy knew men were dying before they reached their weapons. The sound of bows was reassuring as only Songti’s men had them.

  As he predicted, Jimmy heard a shout and a rider coming fast through the defile. He readied himself.

  Malar rounded the bend riding bareback, having taken time only to slip a bridle on his horse, and carrying only the bundle of messages. As he passed, Jimmy leaped out, sweeping the man from his horse.

  The bundle went flying and Jimmy tucked his shoulder, rolling on the ground and coming to his feet with a grunt of pain. He had struck a rock outcropping and could feel his left arm going numb. He knew instantly he had dislocated his shoulder.

  Another horse appeared and Songti jumped out, sweeping a rider from his saddle, and Jimmy barely dodged the second horse as it raced by. He turned, trying to find Malar, and saw the spy attempting to flee down the trail after the horse.

  Clutching his sword in his right hand, his left dangling limply at his side, Jimmy ran after him, past Songti, who was sitting astride the chest of a Keshian, choking the life from him.

  Malar reached a bend in the trail, and Jimmy lost sight of him. He hurried after, and as he rounded the bend, pain exploded in his left shoulder.

  Malar had climbed aboard a boulder and had kicked him hard, aiming for his head, but striking his shoulder instead. The effect was nearly the same, for the pain in Jimmy’s left shoulder nearly rendered him unconscious. An involuntary cry escaped his lips as he staggered to his right.

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  Jimmy managed to keep enough wits to put his sword up, and Malar almost impaled himself on its point as he jumped off the boulder. Instead, he hit the ground and backed away a step. The spy said, “Well, young lord, it appears I should have used a stronger poison.”

  Jimmy shook his head to clear it, and said, “But then you wouldn’t have been able to drink any.”

  Malar grinned. “Building up a resistance was a most unpleasant process, but over the years I’ve discovered it was worth it. I would love to continue our discussion, but I hold no confidence that your men will be delayed much longer, so I must leave.” He was holding only a dagger, but he advanced as if confident Jimmy and his sword would be no match.

  Years of training, back to when he was a boy learning at the knee of his grandfather, took over, and Jimmy leaped to his right, just as Malar let loose an underhand cast, lightning swift, with his left hand, and a previously unseen dagger glanced off the rocks where Jimmy had stood a moment before. Jimmy knew this man would have several blades secreted upon his person. As Jimmy expected, when he turned to confront Malar, the spy was already hurling himself at Jimmy, daggers in both hands.

  Jimmy fell over backward, enduring further searing agony in his left shoulder as he avoided Malar’s assault. Jimmy kicked out with his right leg as Malar closed on him, knocking him off balance. The spy’s leg was rock hard and Jimmy was certain he’d find the man’s slender build had been misleading; this was not a skinny weakling he fought. Wasting no time, Jimmy rolled upright and struck hard with his sword. Malar barely avoided the blow and rolled 52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page 382

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  away, ignoring the sharp rocks that littered the trail.

  Jimmy pressed on, not allowing this dangerous foe the chance to collect himself, not while Jimmy had only one good arm. He swung down again with his sword, almost cutting the Keshian spy. Malar scrambled backward, halfway up a rock face, then rather than retreat, he used the momentum to hurl himself forward, inside of Jimmy’s sword.

  Jimmy felt a blade slide across his ribs, and he gasped in pain, but he twisted enough that the point didn’t dig in. He contracted with his chest and stomach, striking Malar’s face with a vicious head-butt.

  Malar staggered backward, blood streaming from his broken nose, and Jimmy’s vision swam a moment.

  Suddenly a horse almost ran Jimmy down, hooves flying, as it raced by. Jimmy got up as quickly as he could and realized he no longer held a sword. The bleeding Keshian spy grinned like a crazed wolf as he crouched low, holding his remaining dagger in his right hand. “Don’t move, young noble, and I’ll make this quick and painless.”

  He took a step toward Jimmy, who countered with a handful of dirt to Malar’s eyes. Malar turned away, blinded by the dust, and Jimmy leaped to grip Malar’s wrist with his good right hand. Summoning as much strength as he could, he tried to crush Malar’s wrist by sheer willpower. Malar grunted in pain, but didn’t let go of the dagger. As Jimmy had suspected, the Keshian’s slight build hid steel-like strength, and nothing as trivial as a broken wrist would distract him.

  Malar pulled back, Jimmy still holding his right wrist in his own right hand. With his left fist, Malar struck a backhanded blow to Jimmy’s shoulder.

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  Jimmy cried out in pain and felt his knees buckle.

  He nearly lost consciousness as Malar struck him in the left shoulder again, and felt the strength draining out of him. Malar drew back and wrenched his wrist free of Jimmy’s grasp, and in one motion deftly tossed his dagger from right to left hand. For an instant Jimmy looked up as Malar stood above him, poised to deliver a death blow, a vicious backhand stab with his left hand.

  Malar’s eyes widened in shock, and he looked down. The dagger fell from his fingers and his hand went around behind his back, and he turned, as if to get a better angle on something. Jimmy saw an arrow protruding out of the spy’s right shoulder, and suddenly a second struck him with a loud thud.

  Malar went to his knees, then his eyes rolled up into his head as blood flowed from his nose and mouth, and he fell face forward onto the stones before Jimmy.

  Jimmy turned to see Songti and one of his men, armed with a bow, hurrying toward him. Jimmy sat back on his heels, then fell over backward, banging himself against the rocks.

  Songti knelt and said, “Are you hurt?”

  “I’ll live,” Jimmy croaked. “My shoulder’s dislocated.”

  “Let me see,” said the Captain. He gently touched the shoulder and pain shot through Jimmy’s body, from waist to jaw. “Just a moment,” said the Captain, then with a sure move, he gripped the upper portion of Jimmy’s arm and clamped his other hand down on the shoulder and shoved the arm back into position.

  Jimmy’s eyes widened and watered and he could barely catch his breath, then the pain passed.

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  Songti said, “Better to do it soon, before things swell and you can’t get it back in. Then you need a healer or priest, or a great deal of brandy. You’ll be better tomorrow.”

  “If you say so,” Jimmy replied weakly.

  “I got the second rider, but there was a third.”

  “He almost ran me down,” said Jimmy as Songti helped him to his feet.

  “It was the officer.”

  Jimmy swore. “Are the messages to Duko still over there?”

  The archer looked around and saw the leather pouch, reached down, and held it up. “It’s here.”

  Jimmy waved the man over, and he handed the bundle to the Captain. Songti pulled
out the documents and said, “There are seven papers here.”

  “That’s all of them,” said Jimmy. He looked down at the dead spy and said, “That was too close.”

  Songti motioned for the archer to give Jimmy a steadying hand. “We must bury the dead. If there’s another patrol nearby and they see vultures circling, they might come to investigate in the morning.”

  Jimmy shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. Before first light, we’re down that trail back across the border. We may kill horses; but we’ve got to get back to Port Vykor, and I’ve got to get up to Krondor as fast as possible.

  “Because that officer escaped?”

  Jimmy nodded yes. “I don’t know how closely he read these, or what Malar told him, but he’ll carry word back to his masters that Krondor is being held by a handful of palace guards and every fighting man not tied up at Land’s End or in the vale is up north facing Fadawah.”

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  “These Keshians would press the advantage?”

  Jimmy said, “Indeed they would. One quick strike up to the city and they hold Prince Patrick. The King would grant them much to reclaim his son.”

  Songti said, “It was simpler when we lived in Novindus.”

  Jimmy laughed, though it hurt him to do so. “No doubt,” he said as he leaned on the archer and hobbled back to the oasis.

  Erik heard the Hadati moving before he saw him appear out of the gloom. Akee said, “It’s almost time.”

  They had remained hidden through the night in the woods behind the barricade blocking the highway. Twice mercenaries had wandered close to where Erik waited, but none bothered to check the woods on the cliffs.

  Erik nodded. The sky to the east was getting lighter. Soon, if all went according to plan, a feint at the far end of the barricade would give Erik his opportunity to strike from behind and open the gate.

  “Let’s look around a little,” said Erik.

  He crouched low and moved through the trees until he reached the clearing south of the highway.