'Why should I be any more reliable in predictions than Karnak?'

'Because I trust you.'

'And I value that trust, but I can't answer you.'

'I think you already have.'

High in the Keep, Karnak was beginning to lose patience with the surgeon, Evris. Fighting to hold his temper, he cut across the man's argument by crashing his fist on the table.

'I will not have the wounded brought to the Keep! You understand? What do I need to say to you, Evris? Is my language not plain enough?'

'Oh, it is plain enough, general. I tell you that men are dying in their scores unnecessarily – and you do not care.'

'Care? Of course I care,' thundered Karnak. 'You impudent wretch! The audience is ended. Get out!'

'Audience, general? I thought one held those with kings. Not butchers!' In two strides Karnak rounded the table and grabbed the slightly-built surgeon by his blood covered apron. Evris was hauled from his feet to dangle before the furious warrior.

Karnak held him high for several seconds and then hurled him against the far door. Evris hit hard and slid to the floor.

'Get out before I kill you,' hissed Karnak. Dundas, who had been watching the scene in silence, moved to his feet and assisted the surgeon, helping him out into the corridor.

'You went too far, surgeon,' said Dundas softly. 'Are you hurt?'

Evris wrenched himself clear of Dundas' supporting arms. 'No, I'm not hurt, Dundas. I don't have gangrene spreading through my limbs. I don't have maggots breeding in my wounds.'

'Try to understand the wider view,' urged Dundas. 'We face many enemies, not least of which is the threat of plague. We cannot take the wounded into the Keep.'

'You think me so lacking in understanding of strategy that you must feed me the same simple line as your leader? I know what he is thinking and I would have respected him far more had he admitted it. We cannot hold the walls for much longer. Then the soldiers will retreat to the Keep. Karnak wants only fighting men there – he doesn't need a thousand or more wounded men clogging the space, needing to be fed … watered … cleansed and healed.'

Dundas said nothing and Evris smiled. 'Thank you for not disagreeing. When the retreat comes the Vagrians will kill every wounded man – butcher them in their beds.'

'Karnak has no choice.'

'I know that, damn you.'

'Then why did you rail against him?'

'Because he is there! It is his responsibility; it comes with power. And also because I detest him.'

'How can you say that when he is fighting to defend everything you have lived for?'

'Defending? You cannot defend what I have lived for with a sword. You cannot see it, can you, Dundas? There is no real difference between Karnak and Kaem. They are brothers of the Soul. But I cannot stand here talking to you when men are dying.' He stumbled away, then turned by the stairs.

'This morning I found three men dead in the stable cellar, where I had been forced to place them. Rats had eaten them alive.'

Then he was gone and Dundas sighed and returned to the general's rooms. He took a deep breath as he opened the door. Karnak was sitting at the table, his fury still present.

'Insipid worm!' he declared as Dundas entered. 'How dare he say that to me? When this is over, there will be a reckoning.'

'No, there won't, general,' said Dundas. 'You will honour him with medals and apologise.'

'Never! He accused me of forcing Degas to suicide – of not caring about my men.'

'He is a good surgeon and a caring man. And he knows why you will not allow the wounded into the Keep.'

'How? How does he know?'

'Because he is also a soldier.'

'If he knows, why in Hell's name did he attack me?'

'I don't know, general.'

Karnak grinned, and his anger passed. 'For a small man he certainly stood up to me.'

'He did that well enough.'

'I'll only give him a small medal – and no apology,' said Karnak. 'Now tell me, how is the water situation?'

'We've moved six hundred barrels into the Keep. That's the limit.'

'How long will that last?'

'It depends how many men we have left.'

'Say two thousand when the retreat comes?'

'Roughly six weeks, then.'

'It's not enough, not nearly enough. Why the Hell doesn't Egel break out?'

'It's not time; he's not ready.'

'He's too cautious.'

'He knows what he's doing, sir. He's a canny thinker.'

'He lacks flair.'

'You mean he isn't reckless?'

'Don't tell me what I mean,' snapped Karnak. 'Go away and get some rest.'

Dundas returned to his quarters and lay back on the narrow bed. There was no point in removing his armour; dawn was less than an hour away.

As he drifted towards sleep, images of Karnak and Egel floated in his mind. Both were men of awesome power. Karnak was like a storm, dramatic and inspiring, while Egel was more like an angry sea – deep, dark and deadly. They would never be friends. Could never be friends.

The images shifted and Dundas saw a tiger and a bear surrounded by snarling wolves. While the common enemy was close, the two animals would fight side by side.

But what would happen when the wolves departed?

Sarvaj buckled the chin-strap of his helmet and sharpened his sword with a black whetstone. Beside him Jonat was silent as the enemy raced forward carrying their ladders and coiled ropes. There were few archers now on the walls, the supply of arrows having been virtually drained three days before.

'What I'd give to be astride a horse with five thousand Legion riders,' muttered Vanek, staring down at the massed ranks of the infantry as they surged towards the fortress.

Sarvaj nodded. A cavalry charge would cut them apart like a lance slicing through pork fat. The first of the Vagrians reached the wall and the defenders took several paces back as the heavy grappling irons sailed over the ramparts, snagging tight.

'Another day begins,' said Vanek. 'You'd think they would be tired of it by now.'

Sarvaj found his mind wandering as he waited for the first enemy soldier to appear. Why would anyone want to be first? They always died. He wondered how he would feel as an attacker standing at the foot of the ladder. What did they think as they climbed towards death?

A hand reached over the ramparts, broad fingers clamping to the stone. Vanek's sword slashed down and the hand fell at Sarvaj's feet, fingers twitching. Scooping it up, he threw it over the ramparts. More warriors appeared and Sarvaj stabbed out, his blade thrusting between a man's teeth and through the back of his neck. Dragging the blade clear, he backhanded it across the throat of another climber. Already his arm was weary and the battle proper had yet to begin.

For an hour the enemy were unable to get a foothold on the ramparts; then a huge warrior forced his way to the wall west of the gate tower, opening a gap behind him. Climbers surged over the ramparts and soon a fighting wedge had formed. Gellan saw the danger and took five men from the tower to launch a blistering attack to their flank. The massive Vagrian turned and aimed a slashing blow at the tall Drenai. Gellan ducked and lunged and his blade slid into the man's side. The Vagrian grunted, but was far from finished. His blade whistled down but Gellan blocked and moved.

'I'll kill you!' screamed the Vagrian. Gellan said nothing. The man lunged but Gellan sidestepped the blade and countered with a thrust to the throat. Choking on his blood, the warrior fell, but even as he died he lashed out, though his blade cut into the leg of the man beside Gellan. The Vagrian's wedge was collapsing in on itself and Gellan forced his way closer, drawing his dagger and stabbing an enemy soldier who had just climbed into view. The man fell back to be dashed on the rocks below. From the other side of the wedge Gellan could could hear Sarvaj shouting orders for the men to close in. Slowly the Vagrians were forced back and the wall cleared – only for a new wedge to open up thirty paces to the right.