Fire and Sword by Simon Brown Page B

ship recently completed a long voyage along Theare’s east coast, north to Chandra and Hume ... and Haxus.”
    “So, Salokan is still letting trade get through? That’s a promising sign.”
    “The last, I’m afraid,” Orkid said somberly.
    Areava felt her chest tighten. “What word have you?” she demanded.
    “The agent managed to journey with a caravan from the Oino delta to Kolbee itself. He reports the city came under curfew while he was there. Over several nights he heard large numbers of troops moving south through the streets. He assumed they came from the royal barracks. On his last morning he visited a market place near the barracks, and no one would open for business since there was no longer any business to be had. The Kolbee garrison had gone—all of it.”
    “Salokan is mobilizing.” She tapped her fingers together. “And it ties together the fragments of intelligence we are getting from other traders and our spies, that Salokan is storing more grain and cattle than usual for winter, and that he is limiting the trade in iron ore in his own country.” She looked up at Orkid, unable to hide completely the fear in her eyes. “The king of Haxus is preparing to go to war.”
    Orkid sighed heavily. “Yes, your Majesty, I believe so.” He cast his gaze down and his fingers fidgeted.
    “There is more?”
    “The agent reports there are rumors among many in Kolbee that Lynan has been seen in Haxus.”
    “That isn’t possible. He escaped Rendle. Prado told us so himself.”
    “That doesn’t mean Rendle—or some other captain—did not capture him subsequently, or that Lynan did not go to Salokan of his own accord.”
    Areava felt unsteady. She grasped the back of a chair then sat down. “No. I won’t believe it. Not even of Lynan.”
    “He killed Berayma, your Majesty. Fleeing to Haxus is a small treason beside that.”
    Areava did not reply. Her skin had paled to the color of ash and her hands rested in her lap like dead weights.
    “There is more,” Orkid said, his voice straining.
    “Go on,” Areava said shortly.
    “Some of the rumors insist that Lynan has been made commander-in-chief of the Haxus army to march south into Grenda Lear.”
    Again, Areava did not reply.
    “If true, there can be no greater proof of his guilt,” Orkid continued. “And there is nothing Lynan could do that would more alienate the people of Grenda Lear.”
    “He would lead an army against his own people?” Areava asked, but Orkid knew the question was not directed toward him. “He would take arms against his own country?” Her skin now darkened with anger. She stood up suddenly, her hands bunched into fists. Her ice-blue eyes seemed to glimmer.
    “How long ago was your agent in Kolbee?”
    “About three weeks, your Majesty.”
    “Three weeks!”
    “He returned as soon as he could, but he had to be careful getting back to the ship in the Oino delta.”
    “And how long would it take the Kolbee garrison to reach the border with Hume?”
    “About the same amount of time, as long as it was not stopping to recruit new members or pick up extra units on the way.”
    Areava started striding up and down the chambers, her fists still bunched and kept behind her back. “It is too late for them to attack. It will be winter in a month.”
    “I agree, your Majesty, but King Salokan—or Prince Lynan—is well in place to launch an attack as soon as the spring thaw starts.”
    “Then we must mobilize now and send regiments north.”
    “The first snows will have come by the time they are ready to leave the south.”
    “I don’t care. They have to march north. Our defenses must be ready by the time winter is over.”
    “You’ll need to increase taxes, your Majesty. Our treasury is healthy, but will not withstand the expenses of war for very long.”
    “Call my council immediately. They will support me.”
    “As will all Grenda Lear,” Orkid said.
    She looked at him grimly. “I hope you are right, Chancellor,