A Burning Sea by Theodore Brun (i am reading a book txt) 📕

an impossible position the city was in, how they had no choice but to submit, and so on, and so on. Good God, if the Arab could have put it to music he would have! Leo danced this way and that to the envoy’s song, but Katāros could see he was taunting the young warrior. He watched the envoy’s almond-shaped eyes cloud with anger and frustration. Handsome eyes, nevertheless; his mother must have been a rare beauty. One of those desert flowers which the Syrians were so fond of keeping out of sight.

The audience ended badly.

Katāros escorted the envoy from the emperor’s presence, breathing in the fumes of his frustration. Outside, they had time only for a brief exchange. ‘You must attack at once,’ Katāros said in a quick, low voice. ‘Do not squander the chance I have given you.’

‘We shall see whether what you have given me proves its worth. But it is not enough.’

‘Not enough? I’ve given you the keys to the city!’

‘If the key fits the lock,’ returned Abdal-Battal. The almond eyes narrowed. ‘In any case, we want more.’

‘What more?’

‘Find us the secret of that fire of Shaitan.’

‘What? Have you lost your mind? There’s no more closely guarded secret in all the empire.’

‘Our fleet is as good as defenceless without it, though I would never say so in there.’

‘But not four men in the whole city know it.’

‘That’s your concern. But if you mean to collect on the price we agreed, then find a way to get it. Bring me that,’ the envoy smiled, ‘and you shall have all the gold in Damascus.’

‘An assault is now certain, Majesty.’ Having regained his composure, Katāros had returned to the Chrysotriklinos and now stood before the throne.

‘That’s the idea, my friend. Let them break their bones against our walls for a while. And meanwhile I shall continue to send messages of love to my brother prince, eh?’ Leo took a long quaff from his wine cup. ‘Maslama! Ha! The poor fool. If he’d been a woman I wanted to seduce, I could have done it. I don’t suppose he’d have refused me anything I desired.’ Leo laughed at that and Katāros tasted bile. The man’s complacency rankled like a hair shirt. Still, Katāros assured himself, he would not have to suffer it much longer.

‘Our northern guest,’ said Leo abruptly. ‘What has become of her?’

As a chamberlain of the palace, Katāros was always ready to switch subjects. ‘She waits upon your leisure, Majesty. I heard she succeeded in obtaining her countryman from Arbasdos after all.’

‘Has she, by God?’ Leo chuckled. ‘Her charm must be formidable indeed to twist his brawny arm. I should like to see her again. And this man for whom such a beauty would cross half the world. Bring them to me.’

‘At once, Majesty.’ Katāros bowed, and left the emperor to his scheming.

The king of kings was not as Erlan had imagined him. He was a shortish man, broad-shouldered, plain to look at. In some ways, he looked like every shopkeeper in the city. But when he fixed his gaze on you, you felt his authority. The strange costumes, the headdress, the purple and gold everywhere you looked, seemed superfluous to the man himself. He wore it all as a necessity, but beneath it, Erlan felt he saw a man who knew what he was about.

Erlan was happy to let Lilla exchange formalities, some further pleasantries about the palace and what she had seen. He was surprised the man had time for them with the city beset on all sides. But he was a cool one, to be sure.

‘This is your countryman, then,’ the emperor said at length.

‘It is.’ Lilla turned to beckon Erlan forward. Her Greek was solid but simple and Erlan had followed everything so far, impressed by the equal standing on which this high lord received her.

‘He limps,’ observed the emperor.

‘He is one of the greatest warriors in all the North, Majesty.’ That was some claim, Erlan thought ruefully. He wondered whether it was true.

‘Then why is he here?’

A fair question. When Lilla hesitated, Erlan came to her rescue. ‘My king was murdered, Majesty. My oath to him, undone. I resolved to serve the greatest lord in all the world.’ He kneeled. ‘I am ready to serve him now.’

The emperor pulled himself to his feet and came down from his dais. ’You speak our language.’

‘Some,’ he replied. ‘Enough to kill for you.’

‘God’s blood, man! Hah! Peace, my friend, peace! We need not speak of killing yet. Besides, duty prevents my standing in the battle-line as I would have in the past. These days, death is more likely to find me in a poisoned cup or a dagger in the back while I slumber on silk sheets.’ He raised a thick eyebrow.

‘I’m ready to protect you against threats from any quarter. My lord.’ All just as Lilla had briefed him.

‘You are eager. I like that.’ The emperor circled behind him, apparently intrigued.

‘Put him to the test, Majesty,’ interjected Lilla, perhaps sensing her moment. ‘I promised you what help I could. I can offer nothing of greater value to you than this man. And with him one other.’

‘Two of them! You spoil me, Queen Lilla.’

‘I give them both willingly. They are both capable of proving the mettle of our people.’

The emperor smiled. ‘The other can at least walk, I trust.’

Lilla gave a little shrug and smiled. ‘He is strong, brave and loyal. I trust him with my life.’

‘It’s a wonder you can do without them,’ replied Leo, with another sardonic flick of his eyebrow. At length he nodded, making the little crosses hanging from his diadem jingle. ‘Very well. We shall test your northern mettle. Do you swear an oath to me then, before Almighty God?’

‘I know nothing of your god, Majesty,’ said Erlan. ‘An oath before him would mean nothing. But I’ll swear according to our ways. The goddess Var is witness to our oath.’

‘No Christian emperor can accept a pagan oath. . . On the