“I’m ready to go when you are.”
“What will we need for supplies?”
“It’s two days to the mountain and we may be underground for a few days. Best take two weeks supply of food just to be on the safe side. Jerky, oatcakes, waybread, dried fruit. You can get them all from the merchants here. Won’t cost you more than an arm and a leg.”
“Boreas, will you see to it that we are supplied,” Karnea said. The big man nodded. “Anything else?”
“You’ll need lantern oil and lanterns. Many parts of Khazduroth are in darkness now.”
Karnea nodded. Kormak was surprised to discover that not all of the city was dark. “Anything else.”
“Weapons you’ve got and you’ll need. It can be pretty hairy down there.”
“I think we knew that already,” Kormak said.
Sasha said, “Get your gear and meet me at the last league post at noon then and we’ll be on our way.”
“The last league post?”
“It’s where the royal road ends and the track up into the mountain begins,” Sasha said. “You’re at the edge of civilisation now.” She looked around and grinned. “If you can call this civilisation.”
Chapter Four
KORMAK ARRIVED AT the meeting point early, leading his pony. It was on the edge of the village. The last league post was half as tall as a man and showed the horned crown within a solar disk symbol of Taurea. It was well-weathered.
He was surprised when Sasha showed up early as well. With her were two other people. One was a pretty sad-faced girl a few years younger than the prospector. The other was a sickly-looking little boy not more than five. He watched pale faced and a little tearful. He kept glancing at the weapon on Sasha’s back then at the long winding track up into the mountains. Clearly both had significance for him. He knew it meant she was going into danger.
“They’re not coming with us,” Kormak said.
Sasha said, “They’ve just come to see us off.”
“They your kin?” She nodded. The girl and the little boy were watching him wide-eyed. He seemed to make them nervous. It was something he was used to. He took a copper piece from his purse and flicked it to the boy. He snatched it from the air and gave a quick bright smile.
“Say thank you, Tam,” said the sad-faced girl.
“Thank you, sir,” said the boy. He walked over to Sasha and tried to take her hand. She squeezed his fingers and then let his hand go. He clutched her hip and pressed his head against it. Half-angry and half-affectionate she pushed him away then bent down till her head was level with his.
“While I am gone you’re going to have to look after your Auntie Sal,” she said. “Make sure she does not get into any trouble.”
The boy looked at her with big eyes, and nodded. He pushed himself against her then. She pushed him away and ruffled her hand through his curly dark hair.
“Don’t go, Ma,” he said.
“I’ve got to,” she said. It sounded like she had explained this to him many times. She said it with a kind of weary patience. “We need food. We need money for Aunt’s medicine. We need money for clothes.”
Kormak looked away not sure what to say. The boy gave him an imploring look.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll see your mother comes back.”
“Promise?” the boy asked.
“I promise,” Kormak said. As the words came out of his mouth he felt their weight settle on his shoulders, heavier than any pack. The boy ran and grabbed Sasha again.
Kormak stared down the main street. Karnea and Boreas walked towards them, leading mules with gear slung over their side.
“It’s time to go,” Sasha said. She gently detached the little boy from her and pushed him into the arms of her sister. The boy was crying. She walked away, standing stiff and straight and she did not look back. Kormak did and saw the little boy waving.
Kormak looked over his shoulder down the steep rocky slope. Varigston had dwindled to a toy town beneath them, as they followed the Dwarf Road. Tiny figures swarmed in the streets, and moved along the ridge-lines. Smoke rose from chimneys. Temple gongs tolled.
Sasha saw the direction of his gaze. “Worried about being followed?” she asked. Kormak nodded. “We left some annoyed people back there; from what you told me they seem like they might be the sort to be vengeful.”
“So do you,” she said. “If you don’t mind me saying so.”
“I don’t go looking for fights. I get enough in the normal line of things.”
“You a mercenary?”
“I prefer to think of myself as a soldier.”