The Fireseed Wars

FOURTEEN

Rylla and Kalvan clung together for a last few precious moments, then she broke away. "I must leave now, before I lose my dignity." Kalvan laughed and smacked her on the behind.

She didn't bother to glare, as she usually would, or knock his hand aside. She would miss his familiar touches and kisses; they wouldn't be seeing each other for a long time-maybe never again. There were no guarantees; they would be fighting for their lives and those of their subjects.

"Take good care of the little one. I will miss her so much!"

"I know. Little Demia will miss her father, too. I will guard her as I guard Our Treasury." The disposition of the Treasury had caused several arguments, but in the end she had won him over with logic: "When you are at sea, you not only have traitorous allies-please, husband, think no other way of the Nythrosi-but pirates, enemy ships and the sea herself, the most unpredictable enemy of all. Many a fleet has been sunk and her men disappeared without a trace. Would you leave me bereft of both husband and treasure?" Kalvan had finally decided to take one hundred thousand ounces of gold and the Styphoni banknotes to pay the Nythrosi for passage. "I'd give you my Guard, if I thought they'd make a difference." "No, you're stuck with Halgoth! His beery breath is too much for me. Besides, he'd never leave your side."

He nodded. "You're right. Halgoth is oath-sworn to protect his Great King; only death will relieve that obligation."

"I am happy that you count such a man among your captains. I will have Chartiphon, Sarrask and Hestophes to protect me. Please be careful, Kalvan. I fear the Saltless Seas more than I do Styphon's armies and Theovacar's fleets."

"Let me go with you to say good-bye to our people."

She willed away the tears that threatened to fill her eyes. "No, it will only make things harder and confuse them. Your speech yesterday said all that needed to be said. 'Now it is up to our will and our arms to wrest a new home out of these faraway lands.' They were heartened by your words and are eager to leave before Styphon's minions return."

"All right, my love. I will see you again in our new Princedom of Thagnor."

Kalvan helped her up on her saddle and she grabbed his hand for one last touch. Then she turned away and never looked back until Ulthor Port was lost in the dust cloud of their passing.