Chapter 35

Kilthanis sat in stunned silence for several minutes following the decision of the Court. He could not believe what he just heard. Well, he could believe it, but not from his friend Lucas. He tried to wrap his head around the decision, but it just made no sense. The doctrine that Lucas had spelled out was almost completely novel.

Yes, he reflected, one couldn’t apply the full set of laws to the field of battle. But that wasn’t the case here. As Lucas himself had acknowledged, many of those taken were far from the deserts and they certainly weren’t being held near the site of any hostilities.

And what was that business about being part of the Empire, “in a foreign sense”? While that might be a justification for ignoring the Kiyem-merethil, a fact which Kilthanis seriously doubted, how would that affect the Kiyem-bo? It was the laws as decreed by the Gods. How could that fail to apply to any person, citizen or not?

Kilthanis shook himself and looked around the empty courtroom. He had to do something. But what? The Court had made its ruling. He could wait for the evidence to arrive from Osh’riyo, but he feared that the Court would use the same rationale to ignore any claims, even if the accusations were true.

As he left the courtroom, Kilthanis found himself profoundly shaken. He had devoted his life to the pursuit of the law. He had trusted that personal qualms and beliefs had no place within these hallowed halls. As he reached the door, he looked back at the bench through eyes that were having trouble focusing, to the words written there: ‘Alu Utos-Merethil tur alu Kiyem-Tethos.’ Today, they carried no meaning for him.

He wandered aimlessly through the city and finally returned home after several hours. Kelsey was sitting in the parlor, needlepointing. “Good evening, my love. Where have you been this day?”

Kilthanis shambled over to the couch and collapsed on it, not answering. Kelsey put down her canvas and needle and walked over, sitting down on the couch and pulling his head into her lap. “I take it the Court did not grant your petition.”

Kilthanis snorted. “It’s much worse than that, Kelsey. They denied the desert folk have citizenship. They ruled that there was not enough evidence to support the charges and that there was no right to enforce for the one charge they acknowledged was ripe for review.”

“Not citizens? But how can this be so? The desert folk have been treated as full members of the Empire for almost four hundred years. They are an integral part of our judicial system! How can the Court deny them the rights they help enforce on a regular basis? How could Lucas allow them to?”

“Allow them to?!” Kilthanis burst out. “He authored the opinion!”

Kelsey’s brow furrowed. “What? But Lucas has been almost as big a force for the rights of citizens against Imperial power as you. How could he now author an opinion giving the Emperor carte blanche to behave as he wishes?”

“That’s what I’d like to know! It came out of nowhere. Of course I suspected the Lord Chief Justice and Lord D’Orne to side with the Emperor. The Chief Justice has always been of a more conservative bent, and Lord D’Orne would fear the implications of the Emperor defying the Court. But I figured Lucas could sway the others to form a majority. And Lord Juroch didn’t sound like he needed much swaying.”

Kelsey ran her hand gently through Kilthanis’s hair. “Why don’t you ask him, dear?

“That wouldn’t be proper. I was an attorney in the case. And it’s possible I’ll be returning on the same matter, once the dispatches from Osh’riyo arrive.”

“Damn proper, Kilthanis!” she burst out. “This is out of character for Lucas. If you’re to have any hope of succeeding in your follow up petition, you must find out what prompted this aberration!”

Kilthanis closed his eyes, relaxing under his betrothed’s gentle ministrations. “Perhaps you’re right, my love.”

“Of course I’m right, Kilthanis. I keep telling you, if you just start from that assumption, your life will go much easier.”

He opened one eye and looked up at her, a chuckle escaping involuntarily. “Very well, Lady D’Ember. I shall see the Lord Justice on the morrow.”

She smiled down at him and tousled his hair. “See that you do, Lord D’Endray.” She leaned over and kissed him. “Now come, let us see about dinner.”

Next>

Chapter 34

The Court was packed again on the day the Court issued its ruling. It was an unusually swift decision, coming just a week after the Court heard arguments. Decisions typically took weeks to render and sometimes a span of months would elapse before the Court announced a decision.

But given the weighty issues that the Court was being asked to consider and the urgency of the need for a decision, the Justices had burned the midnight oil putting together their opinion. In fact, the decision itself had been reached fairly quickly. Lucas had walked into their conference with a draft opinion already written.

He waited to hear what his other colleagues thought before voicing his own opinion, but after making his case the decision was rapidly agreed to. All the justices had agreed on the need for a unanimous decision and that was initially a source of contention. But Lucas’s calm explanation of his rationale had quickly achieved a consensus.

“We are seated today to announce our decision in the case brought by Lord D’Endray against the Emperor,” the Lord Chief Justice announced. “The decision is unanimous as to all issues. The Court’s decision has been authored by Lord Justice Aldon.”

So saying, the Chief Justice turned to Lucas. “Thank you, Lord Chief Justice.” He looked out at the gathered crowd, his eyes locking with Kilthanis.

“We are called upon to issue a ruling of great importance today. The possibility of crisis rests heavily on our minds. Were the Emperor to defy this Court, chaos would erupt. Additionally, the implication that the Emperor and his cousin are complicit in the violation of the Kiyem-merethil and the Kiyem-bo must not be arrived at lightly.

“Given the lack of evidence in this case, it is the opinion of this Court that there is no basis to issue the orders asked by Lord D’Endray in this matter. Therefore, the charge that Imperial citizens are being held without being presented with the charges must be dismissed until such time as competent evidence can be taken on the issue.”

Kilthanis looked striken.

“The same fate must befall the claim that Laris Rychart is violating the prohibition against cruel torture. However, as the Imperial Solicitor acknowledges, this flaw does not affect the claim that the men and women of the desert are being held without due suspicion.

“The holding of an Imperial Citizen without due suspicion is without a doubt a violation of the law, as handed down by Bokiyem himself.” Here, Kilthanis felt a spark of hope. But this hope turned to confusion at Lucas’s next words. “The question remains, however, whether the people of the desert are Imperial Citizens. And this brings us to the last charge, the violation of the Pact of Dhereshu.

“This Pact creates a special relationship with Yometh Robak and Kolam Robak unseen elsewhere in the Empire. It grants a level of autonomy not experienced by any other realm within our Imperium. Given this special status, it is the ruling of this Court that the desert lands of Yometh Robak and Kolam Robak are Imperial territory, but in a foreign sense, and thus the citizens of these territories stand outside the Empire.

“This matter is further complicated by the accusations on both sides that the Pact of Dhereshu has been violated. We find it unnecessary to determine by whom the Pact was broken. Without a doubt, it is no longer in force. If broken by the desert people, they cannot now claim its protections before this Court.

“If broken by the Emperor, it still affords no protections. For the desert lands are now in a state of war. While the Kiyem-bo applies in territory occupied by military forces, this application has always depended on a state of occupation, rather than open hostilities. To require otherwise would hamper the ability of Imperial forces to successfully prosecute a war. And this step we will not take.

“The fact that some of these people were taken far from the field of battle is immaterial. Given our ruling that they are not Imperial Citizens, the locus of their capture is not relevant.” So saying, Lucas ceased his recitation of his opinion.

“There being no other business before us today, this Court is now adjourned,” said the Chief Justice.

Next>

Chapter 33

The Court adjourned, the five justices retiring to their chambers to contemplate the arguments made by counsel. The issues were weighty and the potential outcome could rock the Empire. All of the Justices were burdened by their great duty. But none was more burdened than Lucas Aldon.

He sat in his chambers in the large Court building in Dekiyem, pondering the charges his good friend Kilthanis had laid before the Court. Spread before him were treatises on Imperial Law and the Law of the Gods, some of them written by Lucas himself, despite his relatively young age.

Lucas had taken quite well to the law and to the priesthood. All judges, from the lowest to the highest, were priests in the Church of Bokiyem. Because they were called upon to interpret the law as laid down by both men and Gods, they needed to be learned in both sources of law.

He had come further than his father could ever have imagined, he reflected. As the second son of a noble in Ethsheya, he would never be a ruling lord like his older brother. That gave him the freedom to pursue his true love – the law. But he had expected to be appointed as a judge in his home nation. To be sitting on the High Court, and at such a young age, was a great honor and did his family and his nation proud.

The fact that his opinion carried great weight with his colleagues was a source of personal pride. It was one reason this case weighed so heavily on him. He could count votes and he could read the law. He knew from the oral argument that the Chief was likely to rule in favor of the Emperor and it seemed just as clear that Justice Juroch was leaning in favor of Kilthanis’s position. Justice Kilrean was a question mark, as was Lord Justice D’Orne. He hadn’t asked a single question, as was his custom. That made him very hard to read. But he was a conservative at heart. He could probably be counted on to rule in favor of the Emperor’s power.

Given the nature of the accusations in this case, a unanimous bench would be almost essential to ensure that the Court’s opinion was followed. The Court had the advantage that since it was made up of members of the clergy, its decisions on the Law as handed down by Bokiyem were unimpeachable. But they could claim no special wisdom in interpreting the law of men, other than their experience in doing so.

All of these thoughts laid heavily on the mind of the most brilliant legal scholar of his generation. And overlaying them was one more thought – these desert people could not be allowed to win. It had nothing to do with a potential crisis if the Emperor ignored the ruling of the Court. Those sand snakes thought they could partake of the benefits of the Empire while maintaining their right to be apart. What made them so special? Just because they alone could do magic? No. Just as the Solicitor had argued that you couldn’t vitiate the Pact and then seek protection under it, they shouldn’t be allowed to claim the spoils of Imperial Citizenship, while insisting on their right to remain autonomous.

And with that thought, Lucas realized what he had to argue, in order to sway his colleagues. He took up a griffin quill and some parchment, dipped the tip of the quill in his inkpot and he began to write.

Next>

Chapter 32

Kilthanis noted that the large hourglass which kept time for arguments was almost empty and he therefore saluted the Court and resumed his seat at the table reserved for petitioning counsel. The Imperial Solicitor stood and strode to the well before the bench.

“My Lord Chief Justice and members of the Court, I am here today, as always, to represent the Empire. I would like to begin with the last charge leveled by Lord D’Endray. As this Court has properly noted, there is no evidence on which to base the charge of cruel torture. To insinuate otherwise, on the mere basis of rumor, may itself be a crime.”

“Is it your position that Lord D’Endray should be charged with falsely accusing Laris Rychart?” Lady Justice Ilyena Kelrean, asked.

“No, my Lady Justice. It is merely my intent to show that the charge is so baseless, that even though this Court has the authority to issue an advisory opinion on the matter, there is no basis to do so.”

“And would it not serve for this Court to make such an order, to ensure that such rumors do not become fact?” the Chief Justice interjected.

“My Lord Chief Justice, the implication of such an order would be seen only one of two ways. Either this Court believes these foul rumors, or it fears that Prince Laris and the Emperor were considering violating the right against cruel torture. Such an implication from this Court is quite damaging, especially in these troubled times.”

“A fair point,” the Chief Justice noted.

“Thank you, my Lord,” he replied. “As for the other charges leveled by Lord D’Endray, it is the Empire’s position that they are equally baseless.”

“My Lord Solicitor, forgive me if my memory is faulty, but the Pact of Dhereshu forbids the presence of the military in either Yometh Robak or Kolam Robak, which we currently have, isn’t that correct?” Lucas asked.

“That is correct my Lord Justice. However, the Emperor only ordered troops into the deserts following the attack on the Imperial family, which we maintain voided the Pact. Therefore, there is no basis in Law to lay a claim on that basis. The Pact was vitiated by the desert men. They cannot now seek refuge behind it.”

“So if a desert man, any desert man, violates the tenets of the Pact of Dhereshu, all lose their protection under it?” This question came from Lord Justice Juroch.

“No, my Lord. It is our belief that this was a greater conspiracy, which explains the Emperor’s actions in this matter. If correct, it justifies the broad sweep of the investigation that has been undertaken.”

“And what evidence do you have that the conspiracy was so vast?”

“Lord Justice Jurach, we know there were at least three conspirators – the apothecary, the desert man who bought the poison, and a member of the kitchen staff. Given the unprecedented nature of an attack upon the person of the Emperor, it is our position that a wide-ranging investigation is called for and should be allowed by this Court.”

“Even at the expense of the rights of Imperial citizens?”

“Lord Justice Jurach, there is no evidence that rights have been violated. We have only the accusations made by Lord D’Endray. His petition was filed so quickly, we have been unable to secure information from Osh’riyo to answer his charges. A ship was dispatched almost immediately upon receipt of the petition, but these things take time. Because the Court is exercising its jurisdiction in the first instance, we do not have prior testimony or determinations to rely upon.”

“Another fair point,” the Chief Justice said.

“Thank you, my Lord Chief Justice. It is the position of the Empire that the Court should wait to rule on almost all of these claims until more information can be collected. The only charge leveled by Lord D’Endray that can be substantiated at this time is the charge that desert men and women are being rounded up without due suspicion.

“As to that charge, the Empire finds itself in a position almost unprecedented for the last two centuries. We are under attack. The life of the Emperor has been directly threatened and the Empress is dead. Imperial troops have been called to arms on a scale not seen since the Third War for Et’Alash. The Emperor believes that given the circumstances, facing a threat of unknown scope, he has the power to fully investigate this matter to prevent another attempt on his life.

“Finally, it must be noted that the magicians have fled. Given that they are all members of the desert race, and that they have vanished en masse across the Empire, it speaks of a vast conspiracy. This justifies both the Emperor’s position that the Pact of Dhereshu has been rendered null and that there is a broader plot under way against both his person and the Empire.”

The Imperial Solicitor made eye contact with all the justices, and seeing no further questions, resumed his seat.

Next>

Chapter 31

Lucas Aldon was one of the most respected jurists of his era. He had the finest legal mind of his generation and one of the most gifted minds in Imperial history. He was capable of detecting fine nuances that his colleagues often missed and they gave his opinion great deference because of it.

Lucas was not the Chief Justice of the Imperial High Court, but only because the position wasn’t available when he was appointed. He was still regarded as the most powerful jurist in the Empire, a fact which he relished. Despite this, he was a humble man, who made friends easily.

Kilthanis D’Endray recalled the first time he’d met Lucas, when they were studying law together. They had maintained their friendship throughout the intervening years and Kilthanis sincerely hoped it would not cause his friend to recuse himself in the case he had brought before the Court. He was counting on his friend’s sharp legal mind to sway the Court to stand up to the Emperor.

“My Lord Chief Justice and members of the Court,” Kilthanis began. “I come here today to ask your intercession on behalf of the people of the deserts. The Emperor has contravened the laws of Gods and men by ordering their capture, transport to Osh’riyo and interrogation. He does this on only the thinnest of bases, asserting it is in the service of the Empire.”

“Lord D’Endray,” the Chief Justice interrupted, “What remedy do you seek from this Court?”

“My Lord Chief Justice, I am asking this Court to instruct the Emperor and Laris Rychart to release all those being held, and to prevent the future capture and interrogation of others.”

“What laws do you allege have been violated?”

“Of the Kiyem-merethil, the Emperor has violated the Pact of Dhereshu, which recognizes the deserts as autonomous zones. Additionally, the Declaration of the Rights of Citizens demands that no man be held without notice of the charges leveled against him.

“Of the Kiyem-bo, the Emperor has violated the rights of citizens as handed down by Bokiyem, God of Law, which guarantee to all the citizens of the Empire the right to be free from confinement without due suspicion and upon such seizure to be brought before a committee of citizens to ascertain their guilt.

“Finally, Lord Justices, if rumors are to be believed, the prohibition against cruel torture and interrogation is being violated by the Emperor’s cousin, Lord Laris Rychart of Osh’Riyo.”

There was some muttering from the crowd that had come to watch the Court hear the case. There were always several students from the school of law in attendance at Court and that number usually increased when word got out that Kilthanis was arguing a case. Considering he was asking for the Court to chastise the Emperor, the gallery was packed.

“Lord D’Endray,” Lucas interjected, “you admit that your last charge is supported only by rumor?”

Kilthanis nodded. “Yes, Lord Justice Aldon. Because these citizens have been transported to a land far distant from their arrest, information is sketchy at best. There are reports of torture and denial of access to counsel. Therefore, I cannot attest in open court to the tactics being used during interrogations.”

“And yet, you ask us to rule on these matters?”

“My Lord Justices, an order protecting the right to be free from cruel torture cannot possibly go awry, even if such behavior is not occurring. It is within this Court’s power to make an advisory ruling, counseling those who hold the people of the deserts to behave in a manner consistent with the law.”

Lord Justice Yurin Juroch leaned forward. “You said there was no suspicion on which to arrest these people. On what do you base that claim?”

“Lord Justice, I represent the apothecary who mixed the fatal potion that killed the Empress. While it is true that a desert man was implicated in the plot on the Emperor and his family, there is no evidence that the plot was more widespread than that.

“These citizens are being summarily rounded up merely because they happen to be of the desert people. At best, based on testimony given under Oath, there would be due suspicion of all desert men with green eyes. But the Emperor’s order sweeps much more broadly than that. It is for this reason this suit was filed. To ask this Court, consistent with the right of all citizens to seek redress from the Law, to order their immediate release.

“And by what right does this Court issue such an order?” the Chief Justice asked.

“No man is above the law,” Kilthanis replied. “Even if that man is born an Emperor.”

Next>

Chapter 30

Lysander reacted quickly. His sword cleared its scabbard before Faisal had taken three steps. He hadn’t really expected the desert people to need an hour to choose a champion, but he was surprised it was a woman.

All these thoughts flashed through his mind as he readied his sword to parry her charge. She was a tall woman, but still several inches shorter than Lysander. That gave her a shorter reach, but this was countered by her spear. Lysander stood his ground as she rushed him, stepping to his left at the last moment and raising his sword diagonally across his body, absorbing the spear’s thrust and letting it slide along his blade.

He followed through, sweeping his blade low aiming for the tendon in her heel, but she jumped just a bit and narrowly avoided the stroke. Lysander allowed the momentum to spin him lightly on his right heel and came to rest facing her still retreating back, his sword held in front of him in a guard position.

Faisal came to a stop and spun around quickly, crouching low, spear held out in front of her. Lysander was confident she wouldn’t throw it. Not when there was close fighting afoot. Still, it was a dangerous weapon, capable of both piercing and slashing.

On the other hand, the blade was only two feet long. The rest of the haft was made of a springy wood. His sword, on the other hand, was all blade. Still, the spear would be able to absorb overhand chops and slashes with ease. Lysander tested this by approaching and trying a two handed blow down on top of Faisal’s head. She deflected it easily and he used the rebound to try a slash at her left hip.

She dropped her left hand and blocked the second blow with the lower end of the spear. She began to circle Lysander and he matched her moves, considering. The flexibility of the spear’s handle was a double edged sword, he realized. Yes, it made the weapon more resilient to sword attacks, but it also helped quicken the rebound, which meant Lysander could rain blows upon his foe more quickly.

Faisal suddenly swung the blade at his head. He raised his sword, catching the blade on the crossguard and she twisted her whole body, snapping the butt end of the spear into Lysander’s knee.

He grimaced in pain, dropping to one knee. As he did so, the point of his sword dipped beneath her guard and he suddenly thrust upward with all his strength. She jumped back, but the sword was caught between her body and her spear. The sword sliced along her stomach and chest, drawing a thin red line.

She let go of the spear with her right hand, near the head, drawing her left hand quickly to the left. The blade flashed out toward Lysander’s head and sliced along his face, just over his right eye and down toward his ear.

Lysander grunted and jerked his head back as Faisal spun away. He flung out his right arm, holding the sword in one hand, and the blade bit deep into Faisal’s unprotected and exposed back.

She gave a brief cry of pain, but muffled it. Shouts rang out from the defenses as Lysander yanked his sword out in a spray of blood. Faisal stumbled and fell to her knees, but managed to hang on to her spear.

Lysander used his sword to help him rise to his feet. He wiped the blood from his eye with the back of his left hand and limped toward Faisal. She shifted her tenuous grip on the spear, moving her left hand closer to the blade. When Lysander’s shadow fell over her, she wrenched her arm up and back over her head.

Lysander swept the blade contemptuously aside and clubbed the back of her head with the pommel of his sword. She fell to the ground before her. Lysander reversed his grip on the sword, holding it in both hands, point toward the ground.

“No!” Liam shouted from the Imperial end of the square.

Lysander had his hands raised up and his eyes caught his reflection on the blade. His left eye widened as he saw what would one day become a hideous scar bleeding into his right eye. He gritted his teeth, looked down at Faisal splayed before him and with a savage growl, buried his blade between her ribs.

Next>

Chapter 29

Lysander slept well that night. He slept the sleep of the righteous, for so he thought himself. He was never plagued by nerves before a duel, no matter how high the stakes.

Liam’s rest was more troubled. First of all, every time he rolled onto his left side, a shooting pain would erupt in his arm, starting him from sleep. But even after he had wedged himself into a corner of the bed, he still had trouble sleeping well. He was worried about what would happen should Lysander lose. Worse, what would happen should he win.

As the first light of dawn crested the eastern horizon, Liam again reflected that the desert men may not take up Lysander’s mad challenge. At this point, they really had little reason to do so. Especially if Lysander’s reputation preceded him. But the more Liam thought about it, the more he was sure what ever man lead these people would accept the challenge, and gladly.

He had set half his city to the torch to give warning to his brethren out in the desert and to help his people escape. The entire defense of Debobat had been designed to prevent as much loss of life on the part of the desert people as possible. No, Liam was sure the head of the defenders was a man like himself. He would do what it took to preserve the lives of his people. And that meant this duel was inevitable.

Liam wasn’t sure how he felt about the outcome. He had already failed the Emperor once, and while that shame burned within him, he knew that he could survive it. And this time, he would have Lysander’s brash act as the reason, rather than apparent incompetence on his part. Except for allowing a man under his command to make such a foolish offer to a people that were clearly doomed to fall to Imperial forces.

Liam sighed deeply. Whatever the outcome of this day's events, he knew he would feel regret.

*******

“Ho the defenses!” Lysander called, stepping out into the open, his helm tucked under one arm, his head bared, a water bag held in his other hand. “I wish to speak with your leader!”

Lysander had read up on the enemy and he knew that one seeking shelter approached with their head uncovered. He also knew that a guest was required to offer a host water to drink. He had no idea if the normal rules applied in a war-like situation. But as he was seeking parlay, he felt it was best to approach as a guest.

“And why should our leader speak to you?” Lysander raised an eyebrow. It was a strong female voice that shouted back the reply. That was unexpected. From what he had read, he had thought men ruled this society.

“I wish to discuss terms of ending this battle without further bloodshed!”

“You wish to withdraw?” There was a mocking note in the feminine voice and hoots of laughter exploded from the wattle and plaster buildings. Lysander began to fume.

“We wish to negotiate a settlement that will require only one more of your people to die,” he roared back.

There was a flurry of activity near the center of the defenses and a woman stepped forward. Lysander sized her up immediately. She was wearing the costume of a warrior and held a short spear in her left hand. It had a large, leaf shaped blade. The sun glinted off its sharpened edges. She also had a sling on her right hip.

“And which one is that?”

“I am Lysander Hammersong and I come to challenge the leader of this band to honorable combat. Should your leader win, my men will withdraw from the field. Should I win, I expect your people to surrender.”

“And why should we trust the word of an Imperial sandsnake, you who have violated the Pact of Dhereshu?!”

“You have my word, sworn by my place in the Empire,” Liam said, stepping forward. He didn’t shout, but his voice carried forward across the open square that marked the dividing line between the forces.

The eyes of the woman with the spear widened a bit. “And who are you to give this oath?”

“Liam Donal, Commander of the Imperial Griffin Cavalry.”

“Sand and sun!” someone cried from the defenses. Lysander’s reputation may not have reached the desert people, but there were few in the Empire who had not heard of Liam. And he had just sworn the highest oath an Imperial citizen could.

The desert spokeswoman considered this. “Very well. We acknowledge your oath and accept your challenge.”

Lysander heaved the water bag across the intervening distance. “Take this water, as is your right.”

The woman bent, picking up the bag. She opened the top and then upended the bag, spilling the precious fluid upon the ground. Silence reigned across the square. Lysander knew enough to know he’d been dealt a deadly insult. His back stiffened.

“You have one hour to send out your champion! He shall face me, here in this square!”

“The time will not be needed. You will face me, Faisal of the Grey Rocks!”

“A woman?” Lysander laughed. “I issued a challenge to fight, not to bedsport!”

Color rose in Faisal’s cheeks. “Come let us dance the blades and see who sleeps with Borobakil tonight!”

So saying, she raised her spear and charged.

Next>

Chapter 28

Night had fallen. Lysander stood in the inn his men had commandeered for his command center. He had planned to be celebrating in city hall by this point. But these damned desert men had put up more of a fight than he had expected. Pitched battles were still occurring in the northern quarter of the city. He had sent messengers out for his men to pull back. It didn’t matter at this point if those fighting in the north slipped out of the city.

Liam Donal sat in a chair across from where Lysander stood over a map of the city, put together hastily from various scouts’ reports. He was nursing his left arm. One of those damn guerillas had managed to attack Liam as he was being escorted to the inn. It had been a suicide mission, but had he succeeded, it would have dealt a blow to the whole campaign. He had been quickly killed, but not before coming far too close to success.

Three men had died defending Liam and the desert man had still scored a hit with his dying breath. These people were very serious. Lysander didn’t like the idea of giving them the night to hunker down, but they had had most of the day. He honestly wasn’t sure what more they could do to secure the center of town. Besides, any time they spent on improving their defenses was time they weren’t sleeping.

And that was fine as far as Lysander was concerned. He had more men, the ability to call in even more reserves, and he could ship in supplies from Kandara if that became necessary. The thought led to another curse from Lysander. He didn’t have the patience for a long siege.

“Calm down, Lysander.”

Lysander looked over to Liam. He hated being told to calm down. If anything, it just stoked his temper more.

“Calm? How can you be calm? You were assaulted and nearly killed!”

“But I survived. And that’s because I kept my wits about me. Getting angry only leads to mistakes.” Like this whole campaign, Liam thought to himself. But that was a thought he dared not express.

“I’m well aware of that, Commander. I’ve survived many a duel in my day.”

“And I’m aware of that,” Liam responded. “But this isn’t a duel. It’s a war. And sometimes, those take time. Which we can afford.”

“Can we? The orders I received made it seem the Emperor wanted swift action. And every day we delay is more time for the rest of the desert men to fortify. That pillar of smoke must be visible for miles!”

“It is,” Liam nodded. His outriders had reported being able to see the column of smoke twenty miles out, even from the ground. He was quite sure it was visible even farther, but that was as far as he had sent his men to patrol. “But from the reports I’ve read of

Dhetheru and Dhe-emok, they are walled cities. And something tells me the ‘City of Stone’ earned its name.”

Lysander grunted at this. He really wished there had been more intercourse between the Empire and the desert realms. Then, he would have decent intelligence. But Debobat was the only city that men of the Empire regularly visited. Men would pay for that oversight with their lives.

At least, with no need for surprise, he could rely on the griffins to scout the other cities, which would provide some intelligence. Assuming they ever got there. He slammed his fist onto the table. Duels were so much faster. If only….

A thought sprung into Lysander’s mind. “I know how we can end this tomorrow.”

Liam raised an eyebrow, clearly interested. But there was a note of concern just barely peeking through. “And how’s that?”

“I will challenge their leader to single combat tomorrow. If he wins, we leave the city. If I win, they surrender.”

“And get shipped to Osh’riyo for Laris’s questioning? I doubt they’ll agree to that.” Rumors had circulated throughout the ships that Lysander and his men had ridden from Kandara as to what was happening in Laris’s dungeons. Those rumors had passed to the griffin riders and to Liam’s ears.

“And why not? It will save their lives and they may think they can best me. After all, they’ve done this well.”

Liam was unconvinced. But it would end things with a minimum of bloodshed. “Well, you’re certainly welcome to try in the morning. Just remember, if you do fall in battle, it’ll be me who has to explain to the Emperor why the campaign failed.”

Lysander chuckled. “Don’t worry, Liam. The only thing you’ll have to explain is why I don’t deserve to be named Commander myself.”

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Chapter 27

Liam cursed as he paced in his tent. The smoke was interfering with the ability of his griffins to contain the city. It wasn’t walled to begin with, which gave far too many exits and entrances. But the breeze from the ocean was blowing the smoke right into the faces of his griffins and riders.

They were circling further out, but the desert men and women blended into the surroundings. They had much more experience in this harsh landscape than he and his men did. He knew many of them were escaping, which would only make future pacification more difficult. And those cities were hardened already.

True, he had advocated coming here first. But he hadn’t anticipated any troubles in securing the city. At least, not this many. He figured they’d take the city the first day and the griffins could outfly any people who escaped, thus making any warnings they might give moot.

He looked to the West. The sun was setting. Soon, even more of the desert folk would make their way out. Griffins had sharp eyes, even in the dark. It came from both their leonine and avian heritage. But even they could not see through smoke.

The more he considered it, the more certain Liam became that the desert men had set their own city ablaze. It was just too convenient. And that spoke of either very quick thinking on the part of the desert men, or long term plans for this kind of confrontation.

Neither was a very comforting thought. Although the latter was the more disturbing of the two.

He needed more information. He wanted to speak with Lysander to see what was going on inside the city. He was not used to playing the secondary role in any encounter. He didn’t like it. But it wasn’t that he had some compulsive need to be in charge. He didn’t like it because he didn’t know what the men inside the city were doing.

He had read history. He knew that in any battle, certain atrocities occurred. He had always vowed that if he found himself in this situation, he would do his best to keep those atrocities to a minimum. He wasn’t sure he could say the same for Lysander Hammersong.

He made a decision. He called out to his valet to have his griffin saddled. He would circle the city and land near the docks, then ask for an escort to the command center.

He grabbed his riding gloves and stepped out of the tent.

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Chapter 26

Smoke filled the air. Lysander coughed. He gritted his teeth in a smile. This was more like it. He was crouched in the doorway of a dry goods store near the center of the city. His men were around him, some groaning in agony, others coughing and spluttering. These desert men were putting up a fight.

And not just the men. He had a six inch gash in his side from some fishwife who had darted out of a darkened doorway with a kitchen knife. It was the first time anyone had scored a hit on him in ages. She had died honorably, looking into his eyes and cursing him.

It had been rough going for him and his men. After the first roadblocks went up, they’d had to work on clearing out pockets of men and women with superior reach, at least until the pikemen had unloaded from the later boats. They had been brought up in the rear on purpose, the idea being to overrun the city quickly, before defenses could be organized. In those circumstances, the bulky pikes would be more hindrance than help.

But the defenses had crystallized more quickly than Lysander had expected. At first, it appeared they’d just blocked the streets with whatever was handy, and left a small force to hold the intersections, giving the center of the city time to organize and to help as many evacuate west as possible.

The griffins had made the latter impossible. Oh sure, some probably slipped through the lines, and more would after dark. But for now, the populace was penned in the center of the city.

Lysander was still amazed at how well organized the resistance was. They’d been in the town less than three hours, yet the city center looked like an armed camp. It had taken time to clear obstructions and get men organized enough to move inward.

He didn’t know who started the first fires, his men or theirs. But the entire southern half of the city had to be in flames. Smoke billowed upwards in great fountains, the off-shore breeze blowing it west. Lysander squinted his eyes and poked his head quickly out the door, scanning the skies. It was very hazy and hard to see. He wondered how the griffins were dealing with the smoke.

No matter. Even grounded they could hold the western edge of the city. He jerked his head back in and heard a loud crack as a rock ricocheted off the doorjamb. Someone out there had a sling and was pretty handy with it. Probably some hunter who had come into Debobat to sell his catch.

His men would be setting up a command post for him in some anonymous inn a few blocks back. He would retreat to meet up with his commanders and discuss strategy. For now, he wanted to see the front lines, to give himself a better idea of what his men were up against.

Scouts’ reports were all well and good, but sometimes you needed to assess a situation with your own eyes.

Scattered reports had come in from across the city. He knew the southern quarter was on fire. He and his men mostly controlled the East, although there were still mysterious losses from guerilla actions. There was a pitched battle in the northern quarter. The desert men there hadn’t been so quick to retreat. It was a house to house fight.

And he had no idea what was happening on the western side of town. He had to trust that Liam had the situation well in hand. That left the center of town, where the majority of the enemy had decided to make their stand. Lysander would have to give some thought to how to take them.

For now, he had what he came for. A breeze blew some smoke into the street. He took a deep breath, held his shield up over his head and ran quickly down the block, back toward the east and the bulk of his forces.

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