The Steel Kings by John Maddox Roberts

Author:John Maddox Roberts [Roberts, John Maddox]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, General, Fiction
ISBN: 9780812518313
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 1993-03-01T00:00:00+00:00

"That river might prove a terrible obstacle to our invasion. We may have to consider an amphibious operation, as we did when we conquered Chiwa."

"IVe already considered that," Gasam said. "Qur transports are in dry dock, as well maintained as our warships."

"That being the case, it would be well to know about their harbors and coastal defenses. Some Page 76

probing raids along their southern coast might be in order.''

Gasam grinned. "While we are pledging eternal friendship?"

"We won't need our naval forces. Our harbors are alive 156 John Maddox Roberts

with pirates who have been out of work for some time. Get a few of your coastal defense skippers together. Half of them were pirates in the old days. Give them ships and tell them to raid along the coast as far as practicable. Nothing military, just ordinary pirate raids for loot and slaves. Then they are to report back to me about everything they have seen and learned."

"And if this Deathmoon protests anyway? He will be sure they are coming from my domains."

"I'll assure him that these pirates have strongholds in some unsubdued islands off the Chiwan coast. For all he knows, there might be such. We certainly used those islands for the same purpose."

He smiled once more. "I shall do exactly as you desire. The sailing season will begin soon. We should know something in less than six months."

"Good. That leaves one place still undealt with. The Canyon."

"A needless distraction," the king said. "An obscure place where we can lose many soldiers from accident alone, and accomplish nothing of worth."

"They have the secret, I know it!" the queen insisted. "The Canyoners are sorcerers and they never grow old or die!"

"My love," he said, "I do not believe in gods or spirits, magic or sorcerers. If people believe these things about the Canyon and its people, that is because the Canyoners have spread these tales about themselves. And it works. It has kept them secure in their worthless corner of the world for a long, long time."

"How can you say that?" Larissa demanded. "You saw Lady Fyana. She was a powerful sorceress and she looked to be no more than a girl."

"Lady Fyana looked that way because she was a young woman. She only claimed to be a sorceress. Rather, she did not contradict you when you insisted that she was one. Besides, she was in love with a son of Hael. Does that speak highly of her wisdom?" Idly, he fingered the thin scar that

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ran down one side of his face, the mark left by that surprisingly capable young man's sword.

"Your armies virtually surround their land now," Larissa insisted. "Send a token force under a flag of truce and demand their cooperation! What use are all our conquests if we merely grow old and die like other men?"

This was an old contention between them. Why this? he thought, wryly. His queen, who was in all other things so levelheaded, was quite insane on this one obsessive matter.

"Very well," he agreed.

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