Read Online Rise of a Hero (The Farsala Trilogy) by Hilari Bell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Hilari Bell
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tighten their belts and take to the walls themselves, with clubs, if it comes down to that. They may not be warriors, but anyone can wrap a bandage, or push a ladder off the wall with a forked stick. Walls like Mazad’s can hold for years, if we can get supplies and the people have the heart for it. And I have plans for getting supplies.”
“Umm,” said Jiaan.
Siddas laughed. “Don’t look so dubious, Commander. Mazad’s walls are thick enough to last out the Flame for a few turns.”
“Well, when I’ve got an army assembled, I’ll find a way to support you,” Jiaan promised. “Though if I’m not to know the route in, how can we communicate?”
It was evidently the last question he’d needed to ask, for Commander Siddas smiled and rose, holding out his hand to grip Jiaan’s wrist. “I’ll have the man who takes you out show you a place where you can leave a written message. And don’t go lingering nearby once you’ve left it—it won’t be picked up tillafter you leave. Just mention where you can be found in your note, and I’ll send someone.”
Jiaan frowned. “I’m not asking for details, but if you can come and go so freely, how can you be sure that the Hrum can’t come in the same way?”
“We’ll be guarding it, for one thing. But it’s a secret long forgotten, even by most of the townsfolk. If the Hrum spies had learned of it they’d have used it themselves, and there’s been no sign of that.”
Probably an escape tunnel, built by some long-past governor—or even by the gahn who’d ordered the walls’ construction. Jiaan had heard of such things, in ballads, at least.
“All right.” He’d turned to go when another question occurred to him. “What did you do with the Hrum spies, anyway?”
“Kicked them out the gate and told them not to come back.” Siddas smiled at Jiaan’s sagging jaw. “Why not? Now that we know how they’re marked, they’re easy to spot. Or are you thinking like Nehar, that I should have hanged them off the battlements? Or worse? They’re just men doing their jobs, when all’s said. Well, and one woman. Doing it bravely, too.”
“But they’ll go straight back to the army and report! They’ll tell them everything!”
“You think they haven’t told them everything about our defenses months ago? That cursed, clever bitch sent out reports in every shipment of goods.”
“But . . . but they’re spies !”
“So they are,” said Siddas. “And by most folks’ laws of war, I’d be entitled to kill them. But I’ve a hope that if I’m sparing them, then maybe the Hrum will show a bit of mercy to my spies if they catch them.” He laughed again at Jiaan’s expression. “Oh, come, lad. How do you think I found out how their spies are marked, except with spies of my own? Do you think your father never used spies?”
“I know he did,” said Jiaan. “Though he didn’t talk about them much. But he told me once that they were the bravest men he knew.”
“And so were the Hrum I turned loose,” Commander Siddas agreed. “At least, I hope you aren’t fool enough to think that our spies are brave heroes and theirs are all scum.”
“No,” said Jiaan, rapidly changing the comment he’d been about to make. “I don’t think that.” After all, a loyal Hrum spy wasn’t the same as a Farsalan traitor.
But the conversation lingered in Jiaan’s mind as he bid the commander farewell and returned to the governor’s house.
He found the young deghans drinking a final cup of wine in Fasal’s room, and the talk stopped so abruptly when Jiaan entered that he knew they’d been talking about him. It made his tone more curt than it might have been when he told them they were to remain in the city.
“You think we need you to tell us our duty?” Markhan asked.
Kaluud snorted and reached for the wine without even bothering to speak. Fasal was scowling.
Jiaan clung grimly to his temper. “I think it would be best if we all understand
“Umm,” said Jiaan.
Siddas laughed. “Don’t look so dubious, Commander. Mazad’s walls are thick enough to last out the Flame for a few turns.”
“Well, when I’ve got an army assembled, I’ll find a way to support you,” Jiaan promised. “Though if I’m not to know the route in, how can we communicate?”
It was evidently the last question he’d needed to ask, for Commander Siddas smiled and rose, holding out his hand to grip Jiaan’s wrist. “I’ll have the man who takes you out show you a place where you can leave a written message. And don’t go lingering nearby once you’ve left it—it won’t be picked up tillafter you leave. Just mention where you can be found in your note, and I’ll send someone.”
Jiaan frowned. “I’m not asking for details, but if you can come and go so freely, how can you be sure that the Hrum can’t come in the same way?”
“We’ll be guarding it, for one thing. But it’s a secret long forgotten, even by most of the townsfolk. If the Hrum spies had learned of it they’d have used it themselves, and there’s been no sign of that.”
Probably an escape tunnel, built by some long-past governor—or even by the gahn who’d ordered the walls’ construction. Jiaan had heard of such things, in ballads, at least.
“All right.” He’d turned to go when another question occurred to him. “What did you do with the Hrum spies, anyway?”
“Kicked them out the gate and told them not to come back.” Siddas smiled at Jiaan’s sagging jaw. “Why not? Now that we know how they’re marked, they’re easy to spot. Or are you thinking like Nehar, that I should have hanged them off the battlements? Or worse? They’re just men doing their jobs, when all’s said. Well, and one woman. Doing it bravely, too.”
“But they’ll go straight back to the army and report! They’ll tell them everything!”
“You think they haven’t told them everything about our defenses months ago? That cursed, clever bitch sent out reports in every shipment of goods.”
“But . . . but they’re spies !”
“So they are,” said Siddas. “And by most folks’ laws of war, I’d be entitled to kill them. But I’ve a hope that if I’m sparing them, then maybe the Hrum will show a bit of mercy to my spies if they catch them.” He laughed again at Jiaan’s expression. “Oh, come, lad. How do you think I found out how their spies are marked, except with spies of my own? Do you think your father never used spies?”
“I know he did,” said Jiaan. “Though he didn’t talk about them much. But he told me once that they were the bravest men he knew.”
“And so were the Hrum I turned loose,” Commander Siddas agreed. “At least, I hope you aren’t fool enough to think that our spies are brave heroes and theirs are all scum.”
“No,” said Jiaan, rapidly changing the comment he’d been about to make. “I don’t think that.” After all, a loyal Hrum spy wasn’t the same as a Farsalan traitor.
But the conversation lingered in Jiaan’s mind as he bid the commander farewell and returned to the governor’s house.
He found the young deghans drinking a final cup of wine in Fasal’s room, and the talk stopped so abruptly when Jiaan entered that he knew they’d been talking about him. It made his tone more curt than it might have been when he told them they were to remain in the city.
“You think we need you to tell us our duty?” Markhan asked.
Kaluud snorted and reached for the wine without even bothering to speak. Fasal was scowling.
Jiaan clung grimly to his temper. “I think it would be best if we all understand
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