The Twilight herald

'Good. Now go back to your family's rooms and tell your family that in a few minutes the stonedun won't have any guards. That means you will be able to do what you like, but it's not going to be much fun on the streets tonight. I suggest you all stay quiet and safe. Can you do that?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Then nod once more if I just keep on going up this main stair to reach the general's chambers, and go back to your rooms.' Styrax watched the boy bob quickly and scramble away. He straightened and replaced his helm.

'Right, no u

Kohrad nodded and sheathed his own sword, the flames from the blade licking at the gold band on the scabbard for another heartbeat before dissipating. He accepted one of Gaur's crossbows, loaded it with ease as the general did the other, then turned and began padding softly up the steps, both crossbows levelled and ready. Styrax followed close behind, weaving a simple spell to bind the tu

The darkly flickering armour melted into the murky surrounds and Kohrad turned up the last corridor without hesitation. Styrax caught sight of the two drowsy, bored guards over his son's shoulder only just before Kohrad shot them, one following the other so swiftly that the second man didn't even have time to see why his companion had grunted before a bolt hit him in the throat. Styrax stepped over the corpses to the closed iron-bound door.

More sloppiness, he thought to himself as he realised the door was too thick to allow the sound to travel. I would hope for better from my own army than this. Don't tell me they let the old man claim he'd catch a chill and allowed their numbers be divided the night before he was damn well scheduled for execution? Haven't they even contemplated someone attempting a rescue?

He drew a breath and hefted Kobra. The strange, fanged blade was pitch-black colour – except after it had killed, when it took on a deep red sheen. Styrax had always considered it a hateful weapon, too eager to drink the blood of those he killed. Unfortunately, that also made it the most powerful sword he'd come across, with the exception of that wielded by Koezh Vukotic, the last weapon forged by the Elf king Aryn Bwr, which was filled with last king's grief at the assassination of his son.

Styrax could have taken that sword as he watched Koezh Vukotic's corpse putrefy and disintegrate, but it had rejected him. There was not enough loss in his soul, he suspected. After he'd touched the blade with his scarred hand, Styrax hadn't wanted it either – so much pain would eat its way into a man, and that power was not worth the high price demanded. A long time ago he had been told that he would have to take everything he had, that nothing would be given freely to the Saviour he was to become. That suited Styrax, even after he'd rejected the dubious honour. He had earned his 'gifts', and bore no debt to the Gods because of them.

Kicking the door off its hinges, Styrax stormed dramatically into the room, almost colliding with the guard who had jumped up from his chair and was still fumbling for his sword. Styrax sca

He took stock of the living: two women cowered near the bed, obvi-ously terrified, while a young unarmed Chetse soldier by the window looked almost frozen on the point of ru

'Ah, General Dev,' Styrax said graciously. 'I hear you're scheduled for execution in the morning.'

'Lord Styrax.' Chote Dev acknowledged his fellow soldier. 'I had suspected as much – but it appears that is no longer the case.'

Styrax paused and stared down at the man. 'Well now, that rather depends on you,' he replied gravely. He pulled up a chair and sat down besiele the bed as Kohrad and Gaur arrived at the open doorway. 'You are no fool, and ru

age would be rather taxing. I think you'd enjoy an easy retirement – and I don't actually want to have to kill you and all your family in a most unpleasant fashion. It would be a tedious waste for both of us.'

'What are you suggesting?' asked Dev, sounding puzzled. The ageing general was not best pleased to be at so great a disadvantage when speaking to his people's conqueror, but he was, as Styrax had gambled, a considered and cautious leader. The Menin agents in Thotel all agreed the general was one of the few men Lord Chalat had paid any attention to at all.

Styrax leaned forward. 'It's simple. Your reputation precedes you, both as a warrior, and as a man of honour. To execute you is u

Styrax didn't bother concealing the scorn in his voice, and he could see the effect it had on the general. Most Menin revered Grast, de¬spite the man's terrible acts – trying to wipe out the Litse hadn't been his only crime, just his most notable. History had many monsters, yet outside the Ring of Fire, where the Menin lived, few names were as reviled as Grast's.

'And so-?'

'And so I see no need to further insult the wounded pride of the Chetse by murdering the man who is the epitome of traditional val¬ues. I want your word that you will engineer no rebellion against me, that you will take no part in any such activities.'

And you will take my word?' wondered Dev, too surprised to hide his surprise. The look on the old man's face said the rest: I wouldn't trust my word in your place.

'I will. In return, you may retire to your estates outside the city in, say six months? The city needs your leadership right now.'

'You want me to rule the Chetse from your pocket?' General Dev snorted. 'I think I preferred Salen's conversation. At least he didn't offer false hopes.' The Chetse veteran looked at the Menin soldier pi

'I will appoint a permanent governor in due course,' Styrax con¬tinued, 'but I have no desire to see the city collapse into chaos because

its leaders have been slaughtered. I must listen to someone among the Chetse, and better it be someone I respect.'

'I'll be seen as your puppet.'

'Then get something of value from it. I'm here to negotiate if you want.'

'Leave the city?' the general replied quickly, prompting a laugh from Styrax.

'Perhaps not that.'

'Well, I had to ask,' Dev said with a sigh. 'If you want me to govern this city, I need some concessions. No requisitioning of held wealth or slaves, no conscription, and a guarantee that there will be no purge of the nobility.'

'No slaves beyond what would be acceptable by normal Chetse traditions,' Styrax countered, 'no conscription – I've never taken con¬scripts. If men want to join, they can, and they'll do it with the same rights and pay as any Menin. My coffers will need some refreshment, but nothing to bankrupt families or empty Chalat's treasury; it does me no good to break you. No systematic purges, of officers or nobles. I can't expect all of your countrymen to be reasonable, however, and my agents are extremely effective people. Doubtless some will die.'