Baldacci, David - Lord of the Silver Bow by Baldacci David

Author:Baldacci, David
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf

Part Three

THE STORMS OF WINTER

XXI

The Man at the Gate

Habusas the Assyrian sat on the cliff top, gazing out over the sea. To the northeast the high mountained isle of Samothraki was bathed in sunshine, but here, above the smal island of Pithros, heavy clouds cast dark shadows over the cliffs and the rugged land behind them. The sea below was rough and churning, fierce winds buffeting the waves. Habusas lifted the wine jug to his lips and drank. It was cheap wine, and coarse, but none the less satisfying. Behind him he could hear the laughter of his children, the three boys chasing each other, long sticks in their hands - pretend swords for pretend warriors. One day, he thought proudly, they wil sail with me, and the swords wil be real.

It had been a good season, with fine raiding. Kolanos had led them to many victories, and Habusas had returned to the winter isle with a huge sack of plunder. There were golden torques and wristbands, brooches of silver and lapis lazuli, rings set with carnelian and emerald. Yes, a fine season - save

for the horror of Blue Owl Bay. A lot of good men had died that day, their bodies burnt and blackened.

Stil , they had revenged themselves in the attack on Dardanos. Habusas recal ed with pleasure watching the young king, his clothes ablaze, fal screaming from the cliff. More pleasurable stil , though, was the memory of the queen. Sex was always good, but the pleasure was heightened immeasurably when the woman was unwil ing. Indeed, when she begged and pleaded to be spared.

And how she had pleaded!

Habusas had been surprised when he had heard she had survived. Normal y deadly with a dagger, he could only suppose that the necessity for speed had caused his blade to miss her heart. The queen’s soldiers had fought their way through more swiftly than anticipated. It was a shame, for he and the others had drenched her clothes with oil, and it would have been fitting to watch her plummet in flames to join her son.

He thought of Helikaon. It warmed his heart to imagine the anguish he was suffering.

The last ship to arrive at Pithros, some three weeks back, brought news from the mainland. Helikaon had arrived back in Dardanos. Everywhere there was uproar and unrest. The murder of the boy king had unsettled the people - exactly as Kolanos had forecast.

And how gal ing it would be for Helikaon to know that the men who attacked the fortress were now wintering in the safety of Pithros, protected by both the angry sea and the fact that the island was Mykene. Even if he could convince his warriors to brave the wrath of Poseidon, Helikaon could not attack the island

without bringing upon himself a war he could not win.

Kolanos had promised his men they would raid Dardanos again come the spring - this time with fifty ships and more than a thousand warriors. Habusas was glad the queen was stil alive.

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