Page 19
Harok shifts on the low stool at the thought. Suskara offers that body to wild beasts. Beast like the one he is wrapped around, cooing over.
Unbidden, the thought comes that perhaps Harok could be one of those beasts himself, snarling and savaging the flesh of his brave little Suskara. He feels soft at the thought.
Harok looks up when he hears a voice calling his name, “Irgo Harok.”
The speaker is Mereli. Harok’s closest advisor, a man many claim is the oldest and wisest in all of Urynwud. He is wobbling down the aisle between the stalls, leaning on a staff. Harok stands up and goes to greet him. When he reaches him he places both hands on the old man’s shoulders. “Mereli. It is good to see you.”
Mereli smiles. “And I you, my Irgo. Forgive me not being in the Sacred Hall to greet you.”
“No matter, Mereli.”
“I have been informed there was an attack by the Exceli as you journeyed back to Urynwud.”
Harok nods. “Yes. It is of concern. They had sworn not to come so close again since I slayed Jessal. But we should have known the Exceli are not to be trusted.”
Mereli nods. He glances over at Tobi Darekul. “But you have the Azurian?”
Harok nods.
Mereli’s expression is unreadable. But Harok knows Mereli does not think snatching a young man of Darek blood is wise. And he doubts Mereli will see any sense in allowing Tobi Darekul to bring his strange beast with him. But before Mereli can speak, Harok says, “I have my reasons for it, Mereli.”
“An Irgo need not explain his desires,” Mereli says deferentially. “But if you would come with me. There is a matter outside you must attend to.”
“Very well,” Harok says and follows Mereli out into the courtyard.
Two men and a woman are held on their knees by two of Harok’s Solwen warriors apiece. They are also Solwen, but they do not wear the triple black line on their faces. Instead their features are crossed by a red X.
Exceli.
More Solwen crowd around. Harok pushes his way through.
“The party who came by the ford captured them only a mile outside Urynwud,” says Mereli. “We believe they are part of the force who attacked you.”
Harok looks down at them. “Is this true?”
One of the men spits on the ground.
“You have been charged,” Harok says, “as part of the pact I made with the Exceli two moons ago not to come within ten leagues of Urynwud.”
“We honour no pact until you grant us access to Susal-ur-Bellan,” the man says and spits again, this time on Harok’s boot.
The woman snaps, “Diazuul kept peace in the forests for two hundred years,” speaking fast, her throat moving against a blade held to her neck.
“No,” Harok growls back at her. “Diazuul did not protect us. He enslaved us and killed our sons and daughters.”
“You will kill our sons and daughters,” shouts someone. Not one of the kneeling Exceli. Someone in the crowd of Solwen watching.
Harok spins around, as behind him, one of the Exceli shouts, “You are the true demon of the Amber Forest.”
“Enough,” Harok roars. “Bring me the Solwen who spoke.”
A moment later, a Solwen man is dragged, through the crowd and put on his knees before Harok. He is rangy and thin and looks to have seen fifty summers. Harok pulls out a small dagger from his belt and uses it to lift the man’s chin. The man looks up from his knees. Harok considers him for a moment, lets the fear build, before he speaks the man’s name. “Gil.”
Gil nods, shakily.
“You are loyal to the demon Diazuul? You believe Diazuul protected the Solwen? The monster who demanded blood sacrifices every year on the long night? Who demanded the death of my father Irgo Lal?”
Gil is shaking. “Yes, Your Majesty. Your father was a great Irgo. He was honoured to be bound to Diazuul. Many more Solwen would accept such an honour.”
