The Trouble with Peace (The Age of Madness #2) - Joe Abercrombie Page 0,131

meaning business. It was something she would rather like to see.

“Can’t say I don’t enjoy your flattery,” he said, grinning, “but if you want my warriors, you’ll need to offer me more.”

“Of course. I will need a gift fit for a king. I was thinking, maybe… Uffrith?”

Stour froze, sword back for another jab. “Eh?”

“A city by the sea. One of the North’s greatest, I am told, though in truth it seemed a little… primitive to me.”

“Well,” he whispered, narrowing those horrible wet eyes at her. “We’re known more for our swords than our cities up here.” He dodged a swing of the stick without even looking, caught it with his free hand, slipped around the shield and clubbed the straw-strapped warrior in the face with the pommel of his sword.

The man gave a sharp cry as he fell to his knees with his hands to his bloody mouth. Stour gave a sneer of disgust as he planted his boot on the man’s chest and shoved him onto his back. “Didn’t realise Uffrith was yours to give.”

“It is mine to let you take.” Savine walked closer, shrugging as if they talked of the weather. “What’s a Protectorate without anyone protecting it, after all?”

“Available.” And Stour nudged his fallen sparring partner towards the archway with a lazy kick. “You got some bones, woman, stepping into the wolf’s jaws this way. Got to admire that. But I do worry.” He rolled the man over with another kick and made him squeal. “I worry you might be one o’ those folk likes to promise everything to everyone and somehow thinks she’ll never be called on to pay.”

He stepped closer, raising his sword, point towards her, and it took all her courage to stand her ground. She could tell from the murderous glint on its edge that this was no practice blade. “I worry you can’t be trusted.” And he brushed her neck gently with the point.

They called him the Great Wolf and Savine did not doubt he was well named. She could hear his growling breath. Smell his sour sweat. A wild dog indeed. And you cannot show a dog your fear. Her skin crawled, her heart thudded, but she forced herself to stand still, forced herself to meet his eye as the cold point tickled at her throat, then along her shoulder, caught something just inside her collar and eased it out.

“After all…” Dangling from the end of his sword was the necklace of runes Rikke had given her. “Aren’t you and your husband best of friends with that fucking witch?”

It was an apt word for Rikke these days. Savine had almost flinched at the sight of the tattoos inked into her bony face, one of the pale eyes she had once so admired seeing nothing, the other far too much. She thought of Rikke’s hand resting on her stomach. Her delighted laugh as the baby shifted. The truest person he knew, Leo had said, and Savine felt a pang of guilt. A rare thing for her. Rarer than ever, since Valbeck. But she had chosen her path, and it led to the throne, whoever she had to step over on the way. Conscience would have been even worse to show than fear.

“Trust is a poor foundation for an alliance. Almost as poor as friendship.” Savine stared at Stour down the blade of his sword. “Both can shake loose in a storm, and there is a storm coming. Self-interest, on the other hand, has deeper roots. We need you. And you need us. Today, and tomorrow. Rikke is useful to us today. But afterwards…?”

She stepped forwards. Stepped forward so suddenly she gave Stour no choice but to stab her through the throat or pull his sword away. Close as they were he had no room, caught his arm against his body, twisted his wrist clumsily and had to let his sword drop, clattering down between the two of them.

“Afterwards, you will be lord from the Whiteflow to the Crinna and beyond. A true King of the Northmen.” She sank down, and took his sword gently by the blade, and offered the hilt to him as she stood. “All of them. Something I understand your father could never quite manage.”

“Well, in that case…” He wrapped his fingers around the grip, his eyes flicking about all over her face and his teeth bared in a hungry grin. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

“Of course.” She smiled as she stepped away. As if she never had any