easy. All I’ll do is lie to him a little.”
Caina looked at him for a moment, and then her eyes turned to Kylon.
“Go with him,” she said.
“I do need him to come along,” said Morgant.
“Why?” said Caina.
“He can jump higher than I can,” said Morgant. “Younger knees, I expect.”
Kylon looked at Caina, and Morgant rolled his eyes. Those two had gotten quite good at communicating without any words. He wondered if they had started sleeping together yet, and then decided that it did not matter. So long as it did not interfere with Morgant’s promise to Annarah, Caina and Kylon could do whatever the hell they wanted. A pity that Caina could not have children. She had considerable energy and intellect, and had she married into the Nighmarian nobility as her birth dictated she would be well on her way to having a brood of clever sons and scheming daughters who would one day dominate the Empire between them. That was clearly what she would have wanted from life, yet that had been denied her.
It was a cruel world, and that was far from the darkest cruelty Morgant had seen in his two centuries.
Did the world deserve to die?
If the Knight had told the truth, Morgant might have the chance to decide that soon.
He realized that both Caina and Kylon were staring at him, and he made himself smirk at them.
“You look like you’re about to kill someone,” said Kylon.
“Do I?” said Morgant. “Well, good for you, because I am. Coming, Exile?” He turned to Caina. “Have your mercenaries deal with the Immortals. I’ll bring you Cimak.” He thought for a moment. “In fact, I will bring you Cimak…and he will thank you for kidnapping him, and thank Tanzir as his deliverer from certain death.”
Caina raised an eyebrow. “And just how are you going to accomplish this?”
“Lies and flattery, of course,” said Morgant, and he described his plan.
“I think that would work,” said Caina. “And if we can get Cimak on our side, that will make our task all the easier. Tanzir would appreciate his cooperation, too.”
Morgant smiled. “Then you are planning to overthrow the Padishah and the Grand Wazir?”
The cold blue eyes looked at him without blinking. “I am going to do what is necessary to stop Callatas.” Her lips thinned. “If that includes overthrowing the Grand Wazir, so be it.”
“Well, then,” said Morgant. “Let’s see if the Kyracian and I can deliver you a tame emir.”
Caina nodded. “Be careful.”
She wasn’t talking to him, Morgant knew.
“I always am,” said Kylon.
Caina snorted. “Liar. But, then, so am I.” She turned her horse back towards Nasser and the mercenary captains.
Morgant and Kylon stared at each other for a moment.
“Come along, Kyracian,” said Morgant. “I suspect we might need to kill a few people before we find Cimak.”
Kylon did not look pleased, but he followed Morgant as they circled to the south, making their way alongside a field full of ripening wheat. Tanzir had passed orders that the men were to avoid trampling the crops. Morgant had to approve of his foresight. More people died of famine and plague during war than of swords and spears.
Tanzir was definitely smarter than some of his ancestors. Especially the ones Morgant had killed.
They reached the hill’s south side, and Morgant considered it for a moment. The Immortals had not bothered to place a guard upon the ramparts or outside the village. No doubt they thought themselves secure in the heart of the Vale. Since the village watchmen were currently opening the gates for Tanzir, the Immortals would soon learn otherwise. Morgant flicked his eyes over the houses rising within the village’s walls. The inn was the largest building in the village, four stories tall with a flat roof. Morgant had passed through Korundush before, and he knew that the brothel occupied the top floors of the inn.
Kuldan Cimak would be there, in the inn’s most luxurious suite.
“There were are,” said Morgant. “Jump to the top of the wall and then throw down the rope.” He passed Kylon the coiled rope.
“That’s it?” said Kylon. “That’s why you wanted me along?”
Morgant shrugged. “That and the stimulating conversation, of course. Do hurry. I suspect Nasser and his friends are going to start killing Immortals any second.”
Kylon ran to the wall with a burst of speed, climbing up the steep slope. Morgant hurried after at a slower pace. As he drew nearer, Kylon jumped, leaping far higher into the air than a normal man could manage. He kicked off