Pagan Siege (Tribes of Britain Book 5) by Sam Taw (10 best novels of all time TXT) 📕

“He did, well enough. I thank the gods often for sending you to us that day. Kenver banished him to work the northern mine with my other lad. That was Kerensa’s fault too, two-faced little kyjyan.”  His voice grew quieter, his thumb brushed against his bottom lip. I thought he was going to recount the event that caused his son to be sent away but he took a long breath and sighed instead. “I um, can help you resolve this entire situation, if you’ll promise just two things.”

“If you can end this whole siege, my nephew is likely to grant you almost anything.” I blustered without thinking. After all my advice to the younger ones about holding your tongue and your nerve during negotiations, I had dropped my guard in an instant.

I caught Ren gently shaking his head in disbelief. “Let’s hear what he has to say first. It might be another trap. Kenver is fond of those and this man seems far too willing for my liking.” Ever the cautious one is my Ren.

Nectan stared at the bag of tin on the ground and then at Ren’s perpetual glare. “I think you should take me to Chief Tallack. I’m more than happy to discuss my proposition with him.”

Ren struck some threatening poses for a few moments but Nectan wouldn’t be swayed. He was wise to use his solution as leverage. I had to admire that in him if nothing else. When no amount of cajoling would loosen his lips, we marched him back downstream to the beach.

Nectan slowed to a crawl when we reached the smouldering huts near the river mouth, taking in the devastation as he tiptoed through the ruins. He looked positively queasy after we passed the stretch of warriors tending to their burns and wounds. Senara was changing the wrappings on Kewri’s back. The taut flesh and pus-filled blisters look set to burst at any moment. By all rights, I should have left Ren to take Nectan to our Chief and resumed my healing duties, but I was shamefully curious. How could this Alchemist resolve a situation as precarious as ours?

I dropped my kit bag containing the mullein and other herbs next to Senara and muttered that I would return shortly. Tallack was further along the beach, gazing absently at the horizon. Our captive raised his hands when we approached, more as a gesture of politeness than submission.  Tallack was jolted from his reverie, hopping to his feet in short order.

“Who’s this?” My nephew growled, his hand straying to the hilt of his sword.

“Calls himself, Nectan.” Ren said, dumping the bag of clinking tin onto the sand. “We caught him in the valley upstream. Reckons he has a way to break the siege.”

“Is that so?” Tallack did not seem convinced. Just as Ren had done, our Chief encircled the prisoner looking for evidence of trickery. Massen and a few other Sea Warriors crowded around, each of them snarling and preparing to strike Nectan down at the Chief’s command. I’m not sure why, but I expected this Alchemist to be squirming with anxiety for his own safety. Instead, he watched with calm assurance while Tallack did his best to intimidate, puffing out his chest and flexing his muscles. The Alchemist’s knowledge must have been worth a ransom to be so cool in the face of such hostility.

“Well? Speak, you kyjyan traitor, or we’ll beat it out of you.” Tallack was not master of his emotions. It was hardly surprising given all that had happened over the past few days. Here was a chance to repay Kenver’s malice following the brutal torture of a beloved crewman. As much as I understood my nephew’s need to assert his dominance, I couldn’t let him squander our chance of resolution. His anger was too close to the surface for a reasonable negotiation.

Biting my lip, I edged forwards. “Chief Tallack, if I may?”

He spun on his heels in the sand and glowered at me. “Not now, Aunt Mel.”

“But Nectan is offering us a way out of this mess. There’s no need to threaten…”

“I said, not now!” His snarl was filled with such spite, I was shocked mute. His temper frightened me. Covering my mouth with my hand, I stepped backwards into the crowd of warriors. Emotions bubbled to the surface and would not be quelled. With his attention turned once again to Nectan, the young Chief moved in so close their noses almost touched. “You had better tell me all that you know, or by the gods, I’ll skin every inch of you, just like you did my crewman.”

“Ah, well, yes. That was a bad business all round. Many of our elders tried to stop him, but Kenver is a law unto himself. Poor lad was no more than a boy.” Nectan bobbed his head about apologetically, but it only served to rile Tallack all the more.

He grabbed the prisoner by the neck and began to squeeze until the vessels in Nectan’s face pulsed in great blue lines. Gobs of spittle flew from his mouth as the Chief’s grip tightened. Tallack had chided me once already, I dared not interfere again.

Ren stepped closer to my nephew and rested his hand on his arm. “Chief, we need him alive.” It was almost a whisper. For a single moment, Tallack increased the pressure, directing his rage into the man’s throat, but even he could see that Ren was right. Nectan was our only hope to regain control over the mines.

As soon as Tallack let go, Nectan inhaled a vast gulp of air before doubling over and coughing up the contents of his lungs. With watering eyes and a bruised neck, he took a while to regain his strength. When at last he was able to speak, Nectan held up his palm. “I am not your enemy. I asked Fur Benyn to bring me here so that we could help each other end this situation.