[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
right thing to do.
Bael, who d never bothered hugely with what was wrong and what was right,
frowned, but he nodded.
They were both silent for a while, then Kett said, Anyway, it s academic. Striker ll
probably get there first.
What grudge does he have against Albhar? Bael asked, thinking of his mentor s
extremely minor talents.
Oh, none really. Well, apart from Albhar being involved with the Federación, who
are responsible for that huge scar on Chance s back. But really he just likes killing
people. Chalia doesn t let him do it very often.
Lovely, Bael said. How and I realize I may regret asking how does Striker
know where Albhar will be? He s probably left the Vyiskagrad house by now.
Kett nodded. Yeah. Striker reckons he s gone south. He ll know better once we ve
crossed the Wall, but his guess was Pra
She froze.
Pradesh? Bael asked, and Kett gave a mechanical nod. She breathed jerkily for a
few seconds, and when she spoke her voice came out very calm.
Bael, when you said you used to know the Maharaja of Pradesh, you were just
bragging, right?
Sure, he said, and she relaxed. But it was true all the same.
Her eyes went distant, panicked. Her fingers traced the faded scar on her thigh.
Kett? Bael prompted.
Does Albhar know him?
Probably. He used to brag about being friends with the Governor, when Pradesh
was still a colony. Now it s been handed back to the
Maharaja, Kett said, who I was performing for the night before I found myself
strung up in that cave with you.
Performing what? Bael asked, terrible jealousy ripping through him.
Shape-changing. As an entertainment. I don t do it often. I just did that as a favor.
Shape-changing, Bael, the day before the cave.
A terrible silence followed.
Albhar knows him, Bael said.
236
Mad, Bad & Dangerous
I know him, Kett said. He took me in when my leg was hurt. He was kind to me.
He helped me get hold of my parents and Striker. I went back there to perform at his
daughter s wedding as a favor.
It could just be a coincidence, Bael said without much confidence, and Kett gave
him a disbelieving look. No, I didn t think so either.
I am going to eviscerate him, she said, clambering off Bael and resisting his efforts
to hold her in place. I m going to find that damn tiger and feed him to it!
And I ll be right behind you, he said, watching her pace naked. But
The sneaky rotten conniving backstabbing shit of a bastard!
Absolutely, Bael said, but the thing is
I m going to get his fat, slimy entrails and wrap them around his neck. I m
Yes, Bael said, but the thing is, the Maharaja of Pradesh has one of the biggest
standing armies in Asiatica. He s famous for it. Determined not to let anyone colonize
his country again.
I ll kill them all too, Kett vowed carelessly.
You and whose army? Bael asked.
And Kett smiled.
237
Cat Marsters
Chapter Twenty-Three
Oh, Bael said. That army.
The five of them stood on a small hill overlooking a valley. It was filled with tents,
cooking fires and people sharpening swords.
I made some calls, Kett said. Could have gotten more if we d had more notice,
but& well, really they re just for backup.
But that s a whole army, Bael said. Who do you know with a whole army?
Well, her step-uncle, for one, said Lya. Technically, he s head of the whole
Peneggan army.
But we re not in Peneggan, Bael said. They d crossed the Wall late last night
him, Kett, Striker, Dark and Lya the kelf and endured a hair-raising journey on the
back of a terrifying and completely untamed Xinjiangese dragon. I thought the
Peneggan army had pulled out of Pradesh years ago. Handed control back to the
locals.
The colony was handed back, Kett said. But a battalion or two stayed behind
with the handover. It s not a whole army, she mimicked Bael s tone, but it s probably
enough to attack the Maharaja s palace.
Which is probably why he keeps such a big army of his own, Lya murmured.
Checks and balances, Kett said. Come on. I know the colonel.
They walked down into the camp, Striker striding on ahead, Kett discussing
strategy with Dark, leaving Bael to walk with Lya. Her bare, three-toed feet pattered
silently on the ground. The air was full of sound, but all Bael could hear was the kelf s
silence.
Look, he said eventually. I m sorry about I was really rude to you. That day in
the café.
I ve had worse, she said. It s all right. She paused. Dust rose around them. A
kelf didn t kill your mother, you know.
Neither did a shapeshifter, Bael said.
No. It was her own ritual. Her own hunger for power. She got the details wrong,
and it killed her. Lya s huge purple eyes looked up at him. You know that, don t
you?
Bael took in a breath and blew it out. My father knew that, he said.
My guess is he thought you d prefer to be told it was someone you already hated,
Lya said.
Or he didn t want to admit the truth.
238
Mad, Bad & Dangerous
Perhaps. He was a very proud man. She hesitated. But not a bad one, in the
scheme of things.
Yes, well, the scheme of things includes Striker, doesn t it?
Lya gave him a pointy-toothed grin, and they followed Kett and Dark into the army
camp.
The colonel was not, as Bael had assumed, an army buddy of Kett s, but a fellow
Knight from this mysterious Order she d told him about. He d been amazed to learn
that not only were Kett, Striker, Chance and Jarven all fully qualified Knights, but so
were a good deal of Nuala and Tyrnan s friends.
Tane s going to be so pissed off, Kett commented as they entered the camp and
she saluted the guards. He s due to join the army next year. Officer training. He d love
to come down here and fight.
Why didn t he?
Politics. Can t get the king s nephew involved. If he were to be killed by Pradeshi
troops, it could turn into an international incident. We d probably go to war.
But it s okay for a battalion of the Peneggan army to fight? Bael asked.
Kett made a wavering gesture with her hands. They re not technically part of the
Peneggan army, she said. It s some bureaucratic bollocks. Don t ask me the details.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]