Battleaxe by Sara Douglass Page B

he said. “Yes. That would be satisfactory. I’m sure that I’ll be able to use your men somewhere, BattleAxe. And yourself, of course.”
    Axis turned to Jayme, a look of angry incredulity over his face. The cloth he had been using to wipe his lip was clenched tightly in his fist. “Brother-Leader—”
    Jayme took Axis’ arm. “We have much to discuss in private, BattleAxe. Let it rest.” His painful grip belied his genial face.
    Axis took a deep breath and sat back in his chair, avoiding Borneheld’s triumphant gaze, his mouth white and pinched. He would rather burn in the everlasting fire pits of the AfterLife before he handed control of the Axe-Wielders over to Borneheld.
    “So,” Priam said, relieved that some decisions had been made, “then we have at least made a start. Roland, Jorge, I can count on you to support Borneheld with troops, supplies, and perhaps your own persons and advice? Good. Gentlemen, if we can adjourn for the moment? I’m sure that each of us has enough to keep us busy. Furrow wide, furrow deep, and may Artor guide our steps over the coming weeks and months.”
    As the group left the room, Earl Isend caught up with Borneheld and tweaked his elbow. “Duke Borneheld, if I may speak with you for a moment?”
    Borneheld pulled his elbow away roughly, annoyed, and walked a little faster. He did not like the foppish Earl Isend very much.
    Isend wet his lips nervously and struggled to keep step with Borneheld as he strode down the corridor. “Duke Borneheld? It is about my daughter…Faraday.”
    Borneheld stopped abruptly and turned to look at Isend, a speculative gleam in his eye. He’d taken particular note of Faraday when she had been presented to Priam the night before. Most men in the Chamber of the Moons had.

7
IN THE BROTHER-LEADER’S PALACE APARTMENT
    A xis retrieved his axe from the antechamber outside the Privy Chamber and fell into step behind Jayme and Moryson, his anger and resentment at Jayme’s decision increasing with every stride. Why, after hundreds of years, was a Brother-Leader passing control of the Axe-Wielders into the hands of a secular commander? And Borneheld! Axis shoved his axe into his weapon belt with a furious thrust. He rarely disagreed with Jayme and had never raised his voice to him in anger before, but now he’d made a disastrous decision and Axis meant to tell him so, Brother-Leader or not.
    He brushed past Isend and Borneheld talking in low tones in the corridor. Surely the dandified Isend wasn’t offering to fight alongside him? As far as Axis knew the closest he’d ever come to a weapon was the fruit knife that he constantly carried with him, hanging from his begemmed belt on a small silver chain. He turned the corner behind Jayme and Moryson, who were discussing whether or not to send Gilbert along on the journey to the Silent Woman Keep. Axis didn’t give a damn about whether or not Gilbert accompanied him, all he wanted was future control of his Axe-Wielders back again.
    A fat white cat that had rubbed about Axis’ legs at breakfast now scrambled along the corridor behind him. As he shut the door of Jayme’s apartment, he almost caught the cat’s tail as she slipped in between his legs. Jayme and Moryson turned to look at him, their faces expressionless.
    “Father, I will not relinquish control of my command to Borneheld at Gorkenfort!”
    “Axis,” Jayme began, stepping forward, but Axis was now so furious that he interrupted his Brother-Leader. “Have you gone mad? Do you know what you have done? You will inform Borneheld that you were mistaken and that control of the Axe-Wielders will remain with me.”
    Jayme halted a few paces from Axis, and bright spots of red blossomed in his cheeks; his eyes sparked as angrily as Axis’. “Remember who you speak to, BattleAxe! You do not question the orders of the Brother-Leader nor do you presume to offer him orders yourself!”
    Axis took a quick deep breath and squared his shoulders,