Galdra. What of Galdra? He would need a sword to pa.s.s off as the legendary blade of elven kings. That would be no easy task. The legend gave a good description of the sword, so that part would be no problem, but it also said the blade was made from elven steel, which had not been seen in over a thousand years. At the same time, however, that very fact would make it easier to fake. Who would know the genuine article anymore?

With a steel blade that could be pa.s.sed off as Galdra, what remained was the getting of a reputation. Some daring feats would have to be performed to capture the imagination of the people- feats such as rescuing a princess of the Royal House of Nibenay and taking her across the Barrens and back to Nibenay, where he could tweak the noses of the templars and their city guard in a very public way. Yes, it certainly required boldness, perhaps even a death wish, but if the plan succeeded...

What could be his final goal? Was it possible that he really aspired to reunite the elves under his kingship? No, thought Edric, that would be insane. Even if he could accomplish such a thing, which did not seem possible, it would take many years, and the dragon kings would never stand for it. Then he would truly bring down their wrath. So it couldn't possibly be that. What then?

And then it hit him. Of course. The lost treasure of Bodach. It all came back to that. If this Nomad had somehow stumbled on the secret of the treasure's location, he would need help in removing it. He would never be able to do it by himself. Even a heavily armed party would risk death. The only way it could be done would be if he knew exactly where the treasure was. Then he could go in with a party large enough to load it and remove it, working swiftly during the daylight hours so they could be out again before then sun went down, when the undead of Bodach would attack with a frightening, unrelenting fury.

And to be sure of success in such a task, he would have to be certain of the loyalty of those he took with him, because the treasure would tempt anyone to seize it once it was safely removed from Bodach. And how better to command such loyalty than to go in with a small army of elves who had been duped into thinking he truly was the king the prophecy foretold?

He could tell them that the treasure would be safely hidden, or perhaps invested with a merchant house to grow in value and finance the coming kingdom. Something like that, anyway. And then the riches would be his, converted into merchant bonds he could take anywhere on Athas and use to buy himself a t.i.tle and a palace and private guard of mercenaries to protect him from those whom he had duped.

It was plausible, thought Edric, but could that really be what he intended? If the Nomad joined the caravan-well, of course he would do that; why else come here-Edric could observe him. And when they arrived in Altaruk, if he went directly to one of the great merchant houses...

The treasure. It came back to that again. If he really knew where the treasure was hidden, he would have brought out some piece of it to show the merchant houses. Which meant that he was probably carrying it with him.

Edric took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He could be wrong, of course. All this was merely supposition. But what if he was right? The trip to Altaruk just might let him find out for sure. Perhaps he could arrange for some distraction somewhere along the way, so he could examine what this Nomad carried with him.

He hurried back to the Desert Damsel to fetch Cricket's belongings. The caravan would be leaving in the morning, and it promised to be a very interesting journey.

CHAPTER SIX.

Shortly after sunrise, Sorak and Ryana arrived at the camp on the outskirts of the village. The campsite was already a bustle of activity. The caravan captain had been up for several hours before dawn, cracking the whip and having the roustabouts light the cookfires for breakfast, then mustering the kank handlers and making sure the giant beetles were well fed before the journey.

Kanks were docile creatures, especially those raised in captivity, and were the preferred means of caravan transport. Otherwise, the merchant houses employed large and fully enclosed armored wagons drawn by mekillots, usually in paired teams. Each mode of transport had its advantages and disadvantages.

With the kank beetles, a caravan could make much better time, but the caravan crew and pa.s.sengers were exposed to the elements and were more vulnerable to attack. Consequently, a larger force of mercenaries was usually employed to guard a kank caravan against desert predators and raiders.

The armored wagons drawn by mekillots were large enough to hold the complement of the entire caravan, in addition to the cargo, and they were nearly impregnable to attack. However, the huge, six-ton mekillot lizards that pulled the heavy armored wagons-the only creatures on Athas capable of such a task-were slow moving and difficult to control.

Only skilled handlers adept at psionics could deal with the beasts, and their job was the most hazardous of all, for the giant lizards had long and powerful tongues that could snare a handler for a snack if his control slipped even for an instant. The pa.s.sengers and crew were well protected, but even with the roof vents of the wagon open, the heat inside became oppressive, and the stench of sweaty bodies crammed together inside the dark enclosure made for a very long, unpleasant journey.

Kanks, on the other hand, could manage a surprisingly rapid pace for creatures of their size, even loaded down with cargo, but they grew stubborn and recalcitrant when they were hungry. Getting a four-hundred-pound beetle to move when it didn't want to was not only difficult, but potentially hazardous. Kanks were vegetarian, and domesticated ones did not attack, but they indicated their hunger by clicking their powerful pincers together, and if an unwary handler happened to come too close, he could be severely injured, or even killed. Consequently, the welfare of the kanks was the first priority of the caravan captain, after the safety of the cargo. The pa.s.sengers came last.

It took several hours to feed the kanks, and while the handlers were seeing to that task, the roustabout crew loaded up the cargo pouches, strapping down the large hide bags and cinching them tight on the chitinous backs of the creatures. Others worked at taking down the camp, furling the tents and packing all the gear away for travel.

Once he had issued orders to feed the kanks and strike the camp, the captain of the caravan mustered the guard. The supply clerk took careful inventory as the cargo was loaded, making sure none of it had gotten sidetracked since the previous night's inventory. If any of the cargo turned up missing, the guards who had been on watch the night before would have to answer for it, so they stood anxiously by the supply clerk, making sure each item on the manifest was systematically checked off.

The few hours before the caravan moved out were profitably used by the captain to make sure all his men were present and accounted for, which sometimes took a bit of doing, particularly when a caravan stopped at a place like South Ledopolus. Mercenaries were drifters by nature, and despite the high salaries paid by the merchant houses, they sometimes drifted off before the caravan reached its final destination. Others had gotten deep into their cups the previous night and had failed to make the muster. If some of the guard turned up missing, the captain sent a flying squad through town for a quick check of the taverns and the pleasure houses and the back alleys in their immediate vicinity.

If the missing guards were found, the flying squad would sweep them up and return them to the campsite. If they were not found, or were discovered too injured or hung over to make their way back to the camp, then they were simply left to fend for themselves, and new men were recruited from among those who got up before the crack of dawn and gathered at the campsite in the hope there would be vacancies they could fill.

It didn't take long for Sorak to find Kieran, who was conversing with the caravan captain when they arrived. As the new captain of the house guard for the House of Jhamri, Kieran would be the caravan captain's superior when he arrived in Altaruk to a.s.sume his duties, so the caravan captain's desire to impress was evident in his posture and demeanor. As Sorak and Ryana approached, they saw the captain nod to Kieran and clap his right fist to his left breast in salute, then hurry off to resume his duties. Kieran turned and, when he saw them, grinned broadly.

"I was hoping you would come," he said, holding out his hand in greeting. "So, you've decided to accept my offer?"

Sorak clasped forearms with him, in the mercenary fashion. "Well, it's a tempting offer, and I have no other prospects at the moment. But before I give you my answer, I would like to know a little more about the terms and conditions of my employment."

"Fair enough," said Kieran, nodding. "I will be your immediate superior. A man of your courage and abilities should not be wasted in the ranks, so if you accept, I shall make you my lieutenant. I pride myself on being a good judge of character, and you strike me as the sort of man I can depend on. You will draw an officer's pay of one hundred silvers a month."

"One hundred silvers? That is very generous."

"The House of Jhamri can afford to pay its soldiers well," Kieran replied. "However, you will not be paid for the first two weeks of your employment. You'll receive those wages at the termination of your service. This is to discourage you from leaving the service of the house without giving adequate notice. Should you choose to leave without serving two weeks notice, those wages will be forfeit."

"That seems fair," said Sorak. "But what if I am short of funds during those first two weeks?" He did not wish to give the impression he had money. The last thing he wanted was for Kieran to know what they carried in their packs.

"As an officer, you will be paid an adequate allowance for your room and board, in excess of your wages, which you may draw upon as soon as we arrive in Altaruk," said Kieran. "If you are reasonably frugal, it should allow you to secure comfortable lodgings and enjoy three meals a day, if at least one of those meals is a light one. The enlisted men live in the barracks, but I think you would prefer private quarters." He said this casually, with no obvious inference regarding Ryana. "Besides, I do not approve of officers living in the barracks with enlisted men. It encourages familiarity."

"Room and board and and one hundred silvers?" Sorak was impressed. one hundred silvers?" Sorak was impressed.

"As I said, the House of Jhamri pays its soldiers well. But they do not do so merely out of the goodness of their hearts." He grinned. "Merchants have no hearts. The high salaries they pay ensure that they attract top men and keep their loyalty. Should you fall ill during your service, or become wounded, you will have free access to a healer. Should you become crippled in the service of the House, you will receive a pension that should keep you from resorting to the beggar's cup. And should you die while in the service of the House, a onetime cash benefit shall be paid to your a.s.signs, or they may accept the equivalent value in House shares."

"With such terms, it is amazing they have any vacancies at all," said Sorak sincerely.

Kieran indicated a large group of men milling around near the entrance to the camp. "As you see, there is never any shortage of applicants. However, the work can be hazardous, as I am sure you know, and while the terms are generous, the conditions are equally strict. After leaving service with the House of Jhamri, you may not enter into service with a competing merchant house for at least five years."

Sorak frowned. "I suppose I can understand the reasoning, but how could they enforce that?"

"Violating that condition of your employment results in a bounty placed upon your head," said Kieran. "A bounty lucrative enough to ensure that you will be looking over your shoulder for the remainder of your days, as there is no time limit to the bounty. Once offered, it is not rescinded."

"I see," said Sorak.

"This is to discourage you from accepting a better offer with another merchant house and, in the process, divulging any secrets you may have learned," said Kieran. "Still interested?"

"Continue," Sorak said. "Anything else?"

"Yes, one more thing," said Kieran. "The word of your superiors is law. Pure and simple. In other words, my my word. The punishment for disobedience to orders, whether direct or indirect, can be quite severe." word. The punishment for disobedience to orders, whether direct or indirect, can be quite severe."

"How severe?" asked Sorak.

"That is entirely up to my discretion as captain of the house guard," Kieran said. "It could be as mild as extra duty and a dock in pay, if I felt the infraction a minor one and unintentional, or as severe as fifty lashes, possibly even death."

"What sort of offense would merit a sentence of death?" asked Ryana.

"Murder; desertion or direct disobedience to orders in the field or under conditions of combat; sabotage or espionage for a competing merchant house; and striking a superior officer in the field or under conditions of combat. Under other circ.u.mstances, the normal penalty is fifty lashes. However, it is possible to die from that, as well. Those are the rules of the House of Jhamri. I have a certain amount of lat.i.tude in how I choose to interpret them."

"Which means?" said Sorak.

"Which means I consider fifty lashes for striking a superior officer an excessive penalty," said Kieran. "I can easily imagine conditions under which an officer might well deserve to be struck. I would judge such matters under individual circ.u.mstances."

"And if someone under your command struck you?" asked Ryana.

"Under conditions of combat, my lady, I would kill him instantly," said Kieran. "Otherwise, I would simply strike him back. Repeatedly." He glanced at Sorak. "Have you a problem with any of those conditions?"

Sorak shook his head. "No, they seem straightforward."

"Good. Then you accept?"

"I accept," said Sorak with a nod.

"Excellent! Raise your right hand."

Sorak did so.

"Repeat after me," said Kieran. "On my oath and on my life, I hereby swear to abide by the terms and conditions of service with the House of Jhamri, which have been explained to me and which I My understand."

Sorak repeated the words.

"That's it," said Kieran. "You are now the executive officer and my second-in-command of the House Guard of Jhamri. Congratulations, Lieutenant. Henceforth, except in private, you will address me as Captain."

"Second-in-command?" said Sorak, with surprise. "But... we have only just met! You barely even know me!"

"I know what I need to know," said Kieran. "Your past does not concern me. In the present, you have demonstrated your courage and saved my life not once, but twice-once indirectly, on the boat; and once directly, in the Desert Damsel. And I feel confident that in the future, I shall not regret my decision."

"But... with all due respect, Captain," Sorak said, "is this wise? Surely, there is already a senior officer in service with the house guard whom my appointment will displace. Will this not incur resentment?"

"It is a commander's privilege to appoint his own second-in-command," said Kieran. "Every officer knows and understands this, or should. If not you, then I would have recruited a new man from outside the house guard for this position."

"May I ask why?" said Sorak in a puzzled tone.

"Certainly. A senior officer already in place will inevitably have certain prejudices or predispositions, and an established relationship with those under his command. When taking a new post, I always prefer to start fresh, with a man I do not have to break of old habits and routine, and one who has not yet established any sort of a relationship with the rank and file. A new broom sweeps clean, in other words. And a man who has already killed a giant in single combat is not likely to be regarded as unqualified by those under his command."

"I see," said Sorak. "Well, I shall try to justify your confidence in me."

"No, Lieutenant, you shall not try," try," said Kieran. "You will said Kieran. "You will do do it. Understood?" it. Understood?"

"Understood, Captain," said Sorak with a smile.

Kieran clapped him on the back. "Good. And now that you have been sworn in, your first two weeks of service begin as of today. You will have no duties to perform until we reach Altaruk, but in the meantime, we can discuss what will be expected of you, and this way, you will not have to wait as long to draw your pay. And since you have already joined my command, you will receive free pa.s.sage on the caravan, and I shall be honored to extend the same courtesy to you, my lady."

"Thank you. That is very kind of you," Ryana said.

"I would do so in any case," Kieran said, with a slight bow, "out of respect to any cleric or priestess."

"Even a templar?" asked Ryana.

"Especially a templar," Kieran said. "It is wise to show respect to any cleric, whether preserver or defiler. And since templars exert considerable influence of a political nature, it is prudent to be politic with them."

"And where do your own sympathies lie, Captain?" Ryana asked.

"Close to my vest, my lady, which is where I prefer to keep them," Kieran replied. "And now, if you will permit me, it would please me if you would join me for some morning tea. Our caravan captain strikes me as an able fellow, and I am sure he would be relieved to go about his duties free of the concern that I am watching him. I seem to make the poor man nervous."

Before long, they were ready to get under way. It was normal for a caravan to travel with a string of spare kanks, and Kieran had the chief handler select one for them. Some caravans traveled with light carriages drawn by kanks, a luxury afforded to well-heeled pa.s.sengers and dignitaries, for a carriage offered a more comfortable ride and shade from the searing sun, but this caravan lacked such amenities. There were no aristocrats among the pa.s.sengers, and the caravan captain had not wished to burden himself with carriages when he could make better time without them. As a result, the pa.s.sengers and roustabouts all rode mounted in pairs upon the backs of kanks, as did about half the mercenary force. The outriders rode solo upon crodlu.

The lizard-hide kank saddles were specially crafted for the merchant houses, providing some welcome padding between the hard, chitinous sh.e.l.ls of the beetles and sensitive posteriors. They also had high backs that provided support, allowing the riders to lean back and relax with the slightly rolling gait of the giant, six-legged beetles. Sorak found it a much more comfortable way to ride than bareback.

He found the crodlu mounts of the mercenaries of greater interest. They were large, bipedal, flightless birds, covered with reddish-gray scales instead of feathers. Their cousins, erdlu, were raised for their large eggs, one of the staple foods of Athas, and their scales were used for shields and armor. The birds were also slaughtered for food when they became mature, and erdlu meat prepared in tenderizing marinade was regarded as a delicacy.

Erdlus weighed up to two hundred pounds and stood around seven feet tall, with long yellow necks and small heads with large, wedge-shaped, powerful beaks. Their rounded bodies had small, vestigial wings which were kept folded to the sides and which the erdlu flared when they grew agitated. Their long legs ended in four-toed feet with strong, razor-sharp claws. If threatened, the birds defended themselves with powerful kicks which were easily capable of killing a man; but domesticated, herd-raised erdlu were mostly pa.s.sive creatures that rarely became aggressive. Crodlu were a rather different breed.

Crodlu were specially bred for aggression by a small group of master herdsmen. Their eggs still made a good food source, though they were smaller, and their powerful beaks and claws were often fashioned into spearheads and daggers.

Crodlu scales were stronger and thicker, so armor made from them was more expensive, and it was readily identified by its darker, brick-red color. But primarily, crodlu were valued as fighting mounts.

Unlike the gentler erdlu, crodlu did not spook easily and in an attack they were more than merely mounts. A trained crodlu would kick upon command, and they would strike opponents with their deadly beaks at any opportunity. Erdlu could run very quickly, sprinting for up to half a mile, but crodlu had greater powers of endurance and could run much faster. For this reason, the mercenary outriders were all mounted on these birds, and Sorak was hoping he would have a chance to try one out.

The dark sun was quickly warming up the desert, as the caravan prepared to set off. For protection from the sun's potent rays, the riders wore loose, hooded cloaks, and most also wore turbans with extra lengths of cloth hanging down that could be used as veils to protect their faces. Each pa.s.senger carried his or her own waterskin, slung from the saddle, and there were spare skins strapped to the cargo kanks, as well, but the caravan captain made it clear the water would be rationed, so the pa.s.sengers would be responsible for conserving their supply between stops. Those pa.s.sengers mounted in front on each individual kank could control the reins if they wished, but there was no real need: the kanks instinctively followed those in front of them, and the kanks leading the caravan were ridden by handlers, who also rode the cargo kanks and those bringing up the rear.

"It's the first time I have ever traveled with so large a caravan," Sorak said, glancing down the line of huge, restive black beetles. Kieran had insisted that they ride together, and he rode at the front, mounted on a crodlu, just behind the handlers who rode point. "Does it present many problems on the trail?"

"It actually presents fewer problems than with smaller caravans," said Kieran. He turned and pointed. "To keep things organized, the captain has the formation drawn up five abreast, with the cargo kanks positioned single file in the center, a file of pa.s.senger-bearing kanks to either side and the two outer ranks of kanks bearing mercenaries and roustabouts.

"This way," he continued, "the formation is kept closely grouped, except for the mercenary outriders, who range out ahead and to the rear, as well as scouting to the left and right for a mile or more, always within sight of the caravan. They ride the faster crodlu, of course, so they can quickly return to the main body and give warning in case they spot any raiders or natural hazards such as dust storms or rampaging antloids."

Ryana frowned. "But the instincts of the kanks, even domesticated ones that have been raised by herdsmen, are to organize into hives, with a hierarchy of soldiers, food producers, and brood queens. Unless they're separated, as in the case of kanks used as individual mounts or to draw light carriages, large groups of kank beetles that remain together for any length of time tend to fall into the organization of a hive."

"You are quite correct, my lady," Kieran replied, inclining his head toward her, "which is why food producers and brood queens are invariably used as cargo bearers, with young soldier kanks used as mounts for the mercenaries and older ones for pa.s.sengers. Since the natural instinct of the soldier kanks is to protect their brood queens, that means they will never stray far from the cargo and will fiercely fight away predators or raiders."

"That makes good sense," said Ryana, "but what prevents the brood queens from nesting?"

"The interruption of their cycle," Kieran said. "Brood queens used as cargo bearers are sterilized. It does not cause them any harm, and actually increases their life span and renders them more manageable. The food producers and soldiers cannot tell the difference, and so they continue to react the same way to the sterile queens as they do to fertile ones." He saw the caravan captain ride out to the side of the formation, giving it one last check. "Ah, it seems we are about to get under way."

The captain raised his baton, from which several bright red streamers waved, symbolizing the House of Jhamri. "Out-ri-ders!" he called, stretching it out into three syllables. "Move out!"

The mercenaries taking the first shift of outrider duty prodded their crodlu into a fast trot and moved out to take their posts on the flanks, while the forward scouts rushed to the head of the main caravan. Sorak noted that all the mercenaries in service to the House of Jhamri wore red turbans, except Kieran, perhaps because he had not yet officially a.s.sumed his duties.

The caravan captain raised his baton once more. "Car-rak-vannnn "Car-rak-vannnn..." he called out loudly in a sing-song voice, "...ho-ohhhhh!" He circled the baton over his head and wheeled his kank as the point riders urged their mounts forward and the caravan moved out. He circled the baton over his head and wheeled his kank as the point riders urged their mounts forward and the caravan moved out.

They started down the trail, leaving the campsite and South Ledopolus behind, and gradually picked up speed. The caravan captain, mounted on a crodlu, rode out along the flanks, keeping an eye on things and making sure the formation did not string out. Ryana looked behind her to see how far the caravan was stretching out and spotted Cricket some distance back, sitting astride one of the pa.s.senger kanks, behind the elf they had seen in the Desert Damsel.

Ryana glanced over at Kieran. Riding at the very front, behind the two point riders, they had no cargo kanks between them, so they could converse easily. "I see your dancer friend made good her threat to leave."

"Yes, surprisingly," said Kieran.

"Why surprisingly?" Ryana asked.

"I did not really expect to see her," Kieran said. "Despite whatever resolutions these girls may make, they rarely leave such places as the Desert Damsel. And Cricket was the star attraction, after all."

Ryana frowned. "But if the conditions were unpleasant..."

"The money usually is not," Kieran replied. "A dancer in a busy pleasure house may easily make in one night what it would take me a month to earn. They become seduced by the money. They may tell themselves they will only do it until they can get out of debt or put enough aside to move on to a better life, but it rarely happens."

"Why?" Ryana asked.