The Blade Itself: The First Law: Book One by Abercrombie Joe

Author:Abercrombie, Joe [Abercrombie, Joe]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Orion
Published: 2009-06-18T04:00:00+00:00

Better than Death

‘We’re looking for a woman,’ said the officer, staring at them suspiciously. ‘ An escaped slave, a killer. Very dangerous.’

‘A woman, master?’ asked Yulwei, his brow wrinkled with confusion. ‘Dangerous, master?’

‘Yes, a woman!’ The officer waved his hand impatiently. ‘Tall, with a scar, hair cropped short. Well-armed, most likely, with a bow.’ Ferro stood there, tall and scarred, hair cropped short, bow over her shoulder, and looked down at the dusty ground. ‘She is wanted, by the highest of authorities! A thief and a murderer, many times over!’

Yulwei gave a humble smile and spread his hands. ‘We have seen no such person master. I and my son are unarmed, as you can see.’ Ferro looked down uncomfortably at the curved blade of the sword stuck through her belt, shining in the bright sun. The officer didn’t seem to notice though. He swatted at a fly as Yulwei blathered on. ‘Neither one of us would know what to do with such a thing as a bow, I can assure you. We trust in God to protect us, master, and in the Emperor’s matchless soldiers.’

The officer snorted. ‘Very wise, old man. What’s your business here?’

‘I am a merchant, on my way to Dagoska, to purchase spices,’ and he gave a grovelling bow, ‘with your kind permission.’

‘Trading with the pinks are you? Damn Union!’ The officer spat in the dust. ‘Still, a man has to make a living, I suppose, if a shameful one. Trade while you can, the pinks will be gone soon, swept back into the ocean!’ He puffed out his chest with pride. ‘The Emperor, Uthman-ul-Dosht, has sworn it! What do you think of that, old man?’

‘Oh, it will be a great day, a great day,’ said Yulwei, bowing low again, ‘may God bring it to us soon, master!’

The officer looked Ferro up and down. ‘Your son looks a strong lad. Perhaps he’d make a soldier.’ He took a step towards her and grabbed hold of her bare arm. ‘That’s a strong arm. That arm could draw a bow, I’d say, if it were taught. What do you say, boy? A man’s work, fighting for the glory of God, and your Emperor! Better than grubbing for a pittance!’ Ferro’s flesh crawled where his fingers touched her skin. Her other hand crept towards her knife.

‘Alas,’ said Yulwei quickly, ‘my son was born . . . simple. He scarcely speaks.’

‘Ah. A shame. The time may come when we need every man. Savages they may be, but these pinks can fight.’ The officer turned away and Ferro scowled after him. ‘Very well, you may go!’ He waved them on. The eyes of his soldiers, lounging in the shade of the palms around the road, followed them as they walked past, but without much interest.

Ferro held her tongue until the encampment had dwindled into the distance behind them, then she rounded on Yulwei. ‘Dagoska?’

‘To begin with,’ said the old man, staring off across the scrubby plain. ‘And then north.’

‘North?’

‘Across the Circle Sea to Adua.

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