We Leave Together, стр. 66

Jona wrapped his fingers around Belari’s throat.

The relief on Belari’s face dropped like a waterfall. Jona looked the old man in the face while the air died and the blood stopped and the fear swelled up and burst like a dike leaking tears.

The plan was the guards had to go. They couldn’t be trusted. Lady Ela’s plan was Jona is the only survivor here among the king’s men.

Jona knew the plan. He clenched his jaw. He stared this old, worn-out sack of a man in the face. Jona watched and felt the struggle draining from him.

When Belari was dead, Jona tied up Calipari before he could wake up, exactly as Belari had been tied up moments ago.

In his head, he wanted to scream.

He felt so numb he couldn’t stand it.

Calipari was still alive.

The one thing he wanted in the whole city, and he’d beg his future wife for it, and he’d beg her forever, is that Nicola Calipari must live, and Jona wasn’t going to be killing anybody anymore unless they had it coming.

It was something human in him that longed for death.

When the raiders came, from the north, they set up camp around the tower. Calipari was bound and groggy, with blood leaking from his nose.

They were expecting everyone to be dead but Jona and Salvatore. They sneered and pointed.

Jona stepped in front of him.

“No,” he said. “No, this one stays alive. He’s mine to kill. He’s mine. You don’t touch him. I’m doing him at my leisure.”

“We won’t talk around him.”

“You’ll do what I tell you to do and like it. We’re too far in to stop now.”

“She said you were more trouble than you’re worth.”

“You and I both know a desk sergeant from the Pens isn’t worth much against the word of Ela Sabachthani. I’ll take care of him when I’m good and ready. I thought we could use an extra witness. If he’s pliable, he’s a reputable enough fellow with lots of friends in the king’s men rank and file.”

Calipari spit blood out at Jona’s feet.

“We talk outside. We don’t talk in front of him.”

“Fine.”

The head of the raiders was called Moose by his men. He didn’t look anything like a moose. He was the shortest man in the room. He had a thin body, and his hands weren’t particularly rugged. He had tiny spots of ink stains in his hair, behind his right ear, as if he was in the habit of scratching himself with his own quill when he was thinking. He wore the same stiff leather armors as his men, but the only weapon he carried was a small knife, conspicuously plain.

“We have one week until the patrols come this far again,” said Moose. “When we return with prisoners, it’s important for you to remain inside. If they see you alive, we’ll have to kill all of them, and start again. We’re in a race against time, here. The army tends to notice two dozen men in the woods taking prisoners for an enemy city.”

“The plan seems a little elaborate, doesn’t it?” said Jona. “I’m supposed to chase you off in the night, free some prisoners and make a break for it?”

“Some of the prisoners will be us. You’ll be safe enough. She doesn’t want you scratched.”

“What I mean is that it’s elaborate. Why not just send me out here and make up a bunch of nonsense and run it through the criers. Nobody’d know the difference.”

“The soldiers would know,” said Moose. “The soldiers who will be cleaning up this mess will know. As king, you need to think wider than a few narrow streets. We’re here to put on a good show. You stay inside with your prize. If you can’t turn him, let us know. We’ll fix the problem for you if you don’t want to get your hands dirty.”

“I got my hands dirty already, fellow. I’m so dirty, all the rain in the night won’t work. Nothing works. You ever see me coming for you, you’re rolling into the water no matter what. I’m rowdy enough to scare the Lady Sabachthani. That’s how come she’s sweet on me.”

“I have heard good things about you,” said the man. “We can work with you. We can even trust you a little. That’s why I didn’t have someone killing your man while we chat. There will be no trouble here. I will not have any trouble. We know what we’re doing. The King of the Night is more dangerous than you, even out here on the edge of nowhere. Don’t say stupid things where other people can hear you. You stay inside.”

“Try not to kill too many people,” said Jona.

“What?”

“Be careful, is all I’m saying. You know, so there’s plenty of survivors to sing my name on the street.”

“It’s bloody work we do, and you had better leave us to it. You’ve got your own unfinished bloody work.”

Moose and Jona looked over at the door where Calipari, bound and bloody, waited with death written on his face. Calipari wanted Jona to be dead.