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“
When Sapphire dropped by for a visit.”

“
Watching him.” He pointed to the floor of the tent. “Saw him come this way when I came back from arranging dinner. He slipped in that way and I stayed there and watched.

“
Until he left?”

“
Until he left.”

“
I never asked what tribe you were, Meran. No sense doing it now, is there?”

He grinned. “Thank you for not insulting my mind. No, no sense at all. But for what it's worth I was Alendi.”

“
Was?”

“
I like civilization. Warmed floors, hot baths regularly, raised bread, books, beds, roofs that never leak, not having to...”

I held up my hand, “Enough, I get the idea.”

“
I would rather be a free man but...”

“
You know the law. Freedman, your children can be free.”

“
I would still serve you if I were free.”

“
I'd have to pay you.”

He grinned wickedly. “Owe me!”

“
And have my ex-slave be my creditor? I'd never live it down.”

I was joking but I could see that partly he had not been and that he was disappointed. Dammit, everyone wants something and now here I was hoping the spirit of a murdered man was not going to point the finger at me and concerned that my slave was unhappy that I wouldn't free him.

“
How come you didn't see the murder?”

“
I had to see about dinner.” He winked and dropped his voice. “But don't worry, I saw another earlier.”

“
What?!”

“
Him again. Sapphire. A slave. I would guess that the slave was the contact or go between for someone else. The slave spoke to the crossbowman and that one left. Sapphire killed the slave, then split. I lost him. He moves sneaky.”

I swore. There didn't seem anything else to say on the subject so I left it.

“
Meran.”

He turned at the doorway. He had some dirty clothes in a bag. I was going to say that if I freed him my reputation would suffer, but that seemed insufficient. My reputation was in tatters and ultimately meant nothing to me and he knew it, or guessed confidently enough to be said to know. “You're free.”

He froze in place. It was a long time before I realized he was in fact on the verge of tears. “Don't joke.”

“
I'll draw up the paper now,” I moved to the desk. “It's normal that you become part of my clientèle In fact you will be my first client.”

“
An ex-slave that you freed yourself? The stuff mighty legends are made of!”

Then we both laughed. And I'm not sure, but I think we both shed a tear. It really was very funny.

#

Before any hint of dawn, Dubaku was my first visitor of the day. Meran was half way up with a knife in his hand when Dubaku bid him be calm and announced himself.

“
I wish to speak with your master.”

“
I'm awake.” I had heard Meran move and awoken at once. I was becoming a light sleeper, rarely more than a moment from wakefulness.

Meran made way for him and Dubaku stepped fully into the tent. The residue of a fire burned outside, giving just enough light that I could discern both men as shadows against a paler background.

“
I thought you would like to know as soon as I did. Preth did not see who killed him. He saw you but was already dying and you were far away. Then he was confused. He is still confused. His perceptions have changed. The world is not what it was or how he saw it. It will be many years before he can choose to remember and interpret what he saw immediately after he died. And then he will be focusing perhaps on things that are not important to us.”

“
You lost me, but he can tell us nothing?”

“
I did not lose you at all, Sumto. He can tell us many things, but none we are equipped to understand.”

I sighed. “And his compatriots are aware of this?”

“
They are all awake. They all know that you did nothing.”

I winced at his turn of phrase but assumed that it was just that. Then I wondered how adept he had become at interpreting the confusion of spirits. Did he guess that I had known the killer from what the spirit of Preth had said?

“
The usual monies will be paid to his widow, heirs or assigns. I have written the papers and need only pass them to the commander.” I hoped our private agreement was not yet in force in Tulian's mind or I would be liable for the money. Then I winced again at my parsimony. What is a man's life worth? To him it is worth the world. To me, five hundred coins. To Sapphire, nothing.

“
Of course.” I watched his shadow move against the pale wall of the tent, the flap opened, he was a brief silhouette and then gone.

“
What time is it?”

“
I don't know.”

I sighed. Should I rise or try to sleep? The eternal quandary.

#

The dawn rose pale in the east and gently lit the white walls of the town behind us. I took pleasure in the sight as I walked back from the commander's tent (Tulip), the routine of the camp going on around me almost without notice.

I walked through Rastrian's area, passed a few words with him, letting him know the commander had approved payment and asking for the man's will. I was a little ashamed that I could not remember the man's name; Prit, Preth. Something. He was dead and I was alive and it was a perfect morning, cool and crisp and the light was stunning. I was breathing the air deep and loving life and I didn't know why. I felt good. That was all.

When I reached the center of our area all was ready for the march and there was nothing for me to do but mount and wait a while.

Meran wore his hair in the style of a freedman and it seemed like he always had.

Kerral and the others all raised eyebrows. I ignored them. Would it occur to them that he was my first client? I prayed it would not. If there is any pity in the world, let them please not think of it. Someone would. No doubt of it. But like all decisions made and actions taken I would have to live with the consequences. The hell with it. I wasn't going to let anything spoil my mood.

Life was good.

The day's march was utterly uneventful. I chafed at the bit. Wanting more to do. More to think about. I felt like everything had been resolved. We would do war, win, go home. What could be simpler?

Of course, there was always one fly in the ointment. Larner Harrat and Lentro rode up to my position and bearded me in my den.

“
A man was killed at our tents last night, Sumto. What are you doing about it?”

“
Burying him,” I quipped cheerfully.

“
Sumto,” his voice held a hint of warning.

“
Commander.” I snapped. “There is nothing to be done. The shaman interrogated his spirit and the dead man knew nothing.”

“
We could perhaps have learned something. A scout could have followed the tracks! I am told you did nothing!”

There was that word again. Was it going to haunt me? “A scout following tracks in a camp of seven thousand men? And what, might I ask, could a battle mage do?”

Larner cleared his throat deliberately. “Commander. No offense intended but you are somewhat more ignorant in matters sorcerous than I. I assure you, had we been summoned at once there would have been at least some information gained.”

Then I'm damn glad I didn't summon you. “I accept that. And it was remiss of me. That I have the right to command your services had escaped me.”

“
Now, here, Sum... Commander. That is overstating the case and you know it.”

I shrugged. “I am in command of the unit you are attached to. Shall we bring the matter to the attention of the commander and have it clarified.”

“
I think not, and you are evading the subject.”

“
I have given as much apology as I will, and assure you it will not happen again.”

“
I wonder if you are in control. If our area of the camp is safe.”

I hadn't given the matter a second's thought, we were inside a fort, patrolled, but now I knew that there were threats within. “My men patrol the area,” I said, hoping it was true. Where had Luk and Gobin been last night while I passed time with Kerral and Pakat? I had not seen them at their tent but I had not been looking. I had reason to trust them, their experience, knowledge, competence. I'd check discreetly as soon as I could. “And if you are concerned, you are, as you have reminded me, battle mages. Can you do nothing to enhance our security?”

Larner snorted, half derision, half humor. “We will take such measures as seem discreet and appropriate.”

“
Do that, please. But keep me informed.”

He glowered for a moment, but acquiesced. He or one of his would have to come and report to me. It was a mistake I had been making and now it was corrected. I was in command. They would obey my orders. I didn't think for a second that this was the end of it, but it was a start.

When they left I settled back to enjoy the rest of the ride. And planning. Always planning.

#

The region adjacent to the road was far more densely populated than the previous provinces. The fertility of the terrain saw to that. As a consequence the road was busier, or would be if we were not using it. Common people did not get in the way of an army and they could hear us coming. We passed them in groups; wagons, flocks, on foot and on horseback. They waited at the side of the road and watched us pass. No one seemed unhappy to see us but no one seemed overjoyed either. We were a friendly force, no doubt of that, but where there is a friendly force there is an enemy force and the people suffer. Actually that is a lie. A friendly force will consume two tenths of the total produce of their own people in the area of conflict. They knew it even if the nobility chose to ignore the fact. We paid, yes, but you can't buy what is no longer there. Imagine two men with their surplus stocks gone, each with some new money in his pocket. Neither can buy from the other. It isn't quite that bad but the lie is a useful one. That is why it is advantageous to take enemy supplies. The rule of thumb is an enemy wagon of supplies is worth twenty of your own. It hurts them that badly.

Of course most people don't think these things through to that extent. The people we passed were more glum than happy because they knew that war is a bad thing for them. The young were excited, of course. An army on the march is a spectacle, an event to be enjoyed. So there were mixed feelings on the faces of the people we passed. They knew there was war in the north and hoped it stayed there. In the north it was a topic of gossip and speculation and excitement. On their own fields it would be a nightmare. A hell. Maybe the end. Some knew that and feared it. Can't say I blame them. Of course, there are some who see profit in war, and there is money to be made. Our baggage train increased in size as merchants tagged on the back. They were kept at a distance. When we camped they would be interrogated by a commander and accepted into the baggage train depending on what they had and who they were.