bright. He wordlessly lifted the fistful of bracelets, shaking them as if to say, I can never repay you for these.
Sólmundr’s face softened. ‘Oh,’ he whispered. ‘Oh, aye.’ He cleared his throat. ‘Ná bac, lucha. Let’s . . . let’s go, before Tabiyb, he find you gone and we all in trouble.’ Glancing briefly at Wynter, the warrior turned and led the way back between the tents.
‘Ah, shit,’ whispered Christopher. ‘Could he not have bloody waited, the awkward bollocks?’
Razi was standing by the supply tent, his shadow and those of the soldiers accompanying him stretched long and black in the lowering moonlight. He was quietly dismissing the men.
‘You may go,’ he said. ‘I shall be fine from here.’
‘His Highness’s orders were to bring you to your tent, my Lord.’
‘Thank you, lieutenant, but there’s nothing except shadows between me and my bed. Your presence should only serve to disturb the dogs, and they would wreak their vengeance by ruining everyone’s sleep.’
Wynter heard the lieutenant chuckle, and Razi sent him on his way with a nod of his head. The soldiers walked off and Razi made his way into the black canyon between the tents. Wynter sighed in frustration. There was no hope of sneaking back before him now. They may as well come clean.
Sólmundr popped his head out, glanced at the retreating soldiers, then gestured that the way was clear. They slunk furtively across the road and reached the other side without anyone raising an alarm.
Razi was just ducking back out from their empty tent as they exited the alley, and he regarded them with alarm. ‘Where were you?’ he whispered, but almost immediately he saw the bracelets in Christopher’s hands, and he groaned and closed his eyes in despair. ‘Oh, Chris,’ he said. ‘No.’
Wynter went to explain, but Christopher spoke before her. ‘Your brother’s plans will be unhinged, I suppose.’
Sól glanced curiously at Wynter and they shut their mouths.
Razi groaned again and tiredly ran his hand across his face. ‘God, he will be apoplectic,’ he said. Then to Wynter’s utter astonishment he threw his hands out in resignation and sighed. ‘Oh,’ he said. ‘Do not worry. Certainly I can find a way around it, though it would have been so much better if – oh, never mind. Do not worry, friend.’ He glanced at Christopher, genuine apology in his face. ‘It was unbearably cruel to stretch your tolerance any further. I am glad for you, Christopher. I only wish—’ He shook his head. ‘No! I am glad for you,’ he said firmly. ‘I am glad it is over for you.’
‘You only wish what?’
Razi grimaced ruefully. ‘It matters not, friend. In the end, that was my plan and had nothing to do with your wishes or desires. In the end it is better that, having for so long deferred to my needs, you got to do things as you wanted.’
‘You only wish what?’ insisted Christopher. ‘Tell me what you wanted, you damned fool, and stop always holding things back!’
Razi stepped abruptly into the moonlight and the weary acceptance on his face gave way to something harder. He held his fists before him, his eyes bright with desperate zeal. ‘I had wanted more, Christopher,’ he hissed. ‘I had wanted it to mean something.’
Christopher gazed at him, waiting, and Razi, seeing that he did not understand, spread his hands, trying to find the right words.
‘I had wanted that this should be more than a private, personal revenge. Something more powerful than a throat slit quietly in the dark. I had hoped that, when it came, your vengeance would symbolise something. I had wanted it to sing out, Behold. Here is the wages of evil. See what befalls those who live at the expense of those weaker than themselves. I had wanted the Loups-Garous’ deaths to say, We shall not be tolerated. Our kind shall not prevail.’ Razi stared ahead of him for a moment as if witnessing his plan blossom before him. Then he dropped his hands and sighed.
Christopher smiled. He glanced at Wynter and she took his arm. Wryly he jangled his father’s bracelets in his hand and grinned at Razi.
‘Lucky for you the Wolves ain’t dead, then, ain’t it?’ he said.
Razi gaped at him.
‘Nah,’ said Christopher with studied negligence. ‘Didn’t feel right. Thought I might leave it for another day.’
‘Chris,’ said Razi quietly, ‘I have a plan.’
‘Thought you might.’ Christopher grinned across at Sól, a loving, affectionate grin at which the older man had to smile. Wynter’s heart filled with pride.