were gloomy comments from the others. But the prince cut them off with a ringing voice. ‘We can take them by surprise!’
‘How?’ asked Swanwick.
‘I would not lead a large army but a smaller, swift-moving force of some five hundred picked warriors. We would penetrate Holt Mallburn in a lightning raid and seize Achardus, his entire family, the court officials, and the merchant-lords who control the nation’s commerce. And we would not invade Didion in spring … but within five weeks, when they have no reason to expect us. My plan is not to march through Great Pass and then battle our way two hundred and sixty leagues through the enemy heartland. I plan to invade through Breakneck Pass, above this very Castle Vanguard, along a route less than one-third of the distance to the Didionite capital. The road is admittedly more rugged, but also more meagerly defended.’
‘Over Breakneck?’ the earl marshal exclaimed in disbelief. ‘There is no road — only a poor track that is often little more than a goat-path! And in late Boreal Moon we would risk fierce rains and washouts, snowstorms driven by hurricane winds, or — God help us — those sudden ice-mists that freeze a man and beast to glazed statues before they realize their mortal peril.’
The pass in the eastern reaches of the Dextral Range was indeed a shortcut to Holt Mallburn, but so steep and hazardous that only couriers, smugglers, and the bravest of legitimate traders made use of it. Almost all land commerce between Cathra and and its northern neighbors was through Great Pass, north of Beorbrook Hold.
The prince said, ‘The Wolf’s Breath has upset the seasons of our island in many ways, significantly delaying the onset of winter in the high country. Favorable weather will prevail over Breakneck Pass at least until Leap Day of the Boreal Moon. I have been assured of it.’
‘By the Conjure-King of Moss?’ Lady Zeandrise inquired softly.
Conrig continued without responding to her. ‘Our fighting force will consist only of mounted warriors, lightly armored for the sake of speedy travel. We’ll have no foot soldiers. Strong mules and ponies will carry supplies in the rear. We’ll move very quickly once we cross the frontier and strike without warning. There is only one small mountain outpost between Breakneck Pass and Castle Redfern, and the fortress itself is poorly sited, vulnerable to a surprise attack during fog.’
‘Fog!’ Beorbrook’s eyes narrowed. ‘And we can count upon fog?’
‘Oh, yes,’ the prince reassured him. ‘And not the dreaded freezing mists, but a warm concealing shroud, through which our army will ride on muffled hooves, led by friendly guides. We’ll seize Castle Redfern and use it as a staging area for the main assault upon Holt Mallburn, after we have briefly rested.’
‘What of Redfern’s windvoices?’ asked Baron Bogshaw. He was a hulking presence whose face was disfigured by a livid diagonal scar from a swordcut that had blinded his left eye. His lands, like those of Ramscrest and Cloudfell, lay along the mountainous frontier between Cathra and Didion. ‘And the foe may have talented ones posted at their outpost as well. Once they spot us, they’re sure to windspeak the alarm, even if our covert crossing of the pass is successful.’
‘Any Didionite windvoices along our line of march to Redfern will be silenced before our arrival,’ said Prince Conrig. ‘And so will those at the castle.’
‘Ah …’ A soft sound from many throats.
‘However, it will be up to us to make certain that no ordinary foemen escape and give warning in a commonplace manner. When we leave Redfern, we’ll move like ghosts through the mist, down from the mountains to the Coast Highway leading to the capital. We’ll cross over the great Mallmouth Bridge — its gate will be opened for us by our magical ally — and when we reach the inner city we’ll set selected parts of it afire as a distraction, using tarnblaze bombshells that each one of us will carry. A portion of our force under Lords Skellhaven and Holmrangel will press toward the quay, where they’ll use their nautical expertise to seize or destroy whatever ships are tied up there or moored in the harbor. The rest of us will take the palace, capture King Achardus, his two sons, and the other royal officials, and force Didion to surrender to the Sovereignty.’
‘Great God!’ said old Toborgil Silverside. His sunken eyes were shining. ‘What a glorious feat that would be!’
‘We’re to accomplish all this under cover of fog?’ Munlow Ramscrest was dubious. ‘In a strange city notorious for its twisted maze of streets?’
Conrig inclined his head. ‘As I’ve said, we will have guides. From the summit of Breakneck Pass to the raised portcullises and open barbican gates of Holt Mallburn itself.’
Ramscrest persisted. ‘What manner of guides? Creeping Mosslander wizards bearing magic lanterns?’
‘Nay,’ said the prince. ‘I may not speak of the guides to you yet, but I’m assured of their assistance. They are to meet us at the top of Breakneck Pass, and if their aspect provokes mistrust among you, then I pledge to abandon this enterprise forthwith.’
‘It’s magic, true enough,’ said Lady Zeandrise, her mouth quirked by a roguish smile, ‘but not so outlandish as to put off our knights and thanes, eh, brothers? Fog, eldritch pathfinders and gate-openers, cold steel, and hot tarnblaze! A lightning thrust into Didion, and Holt Mallburn waiting like a sleeping babe … Can we be sure King Achardus will be in residence?’
‘Oh, yes,’ said Conrig dryly. ‘He’s there now and he has little incentive to leave his stronghold. At least it’s well-stocked with food and drink.’ There was scattered laughter among the council, for the gigantic Didionite king was an infamous trencherman. ‘As we prepare to sally forth from Castle Redfern, I’ll be kept informed by windspeech of the king’s precise whereabouts, as well as that of the merchant-lords and our other special targets. My brother Vra-Stergos will accompany the expedition, as will Duke Tanaby’s trusted alchymist, Vra-Doman Carmorton.’ He said nothing of Snudge.
‘And will these good Brethren also use windspeech to transmit reports of our daily progress to the Conjure-King?’ Skellhaven inquired archly.
Conrig paused, then spoke with reluctance. ‘King Linndal of Moss has nothing to do with this plan. Most of the time he is raving mad and confined to his rooms. He spends his lucid days voicing Salka sorcerers in the Dawntide Isles, trading arcane secrets. Our Mossland collaborator is another.’
‘Who?’ Beorbrook demanded.
‘His daughter, Princess Ullanoth.’ The prince took up his cup and sipped from it, but his eyes did not waver from the skeptical face of the earl marshal.
‘And what does this benevolent lady ask in exchange for her good offices?’
‘That Moss receive First Vassal status in the Sovereignty, with a reasonable guerdon paid annually, and that we support her claim to the throne of Moss above that of her younger brother, Beynor.’
‘It seems a modest enough boon,’ Lady Zeandrise remarked. She frowned, then added, ‘Perhaps too modest.’
Beorbrook addressed Vanguard. ‘Did you know of this, Tanaby? Your royal godson consorting with a Mosslander witch?’
‘I knew,’ the duke replied stolidly. ‘An unlikely ally, perhaps, but the Lady Ullanoth is a powerful sorceress and there seems no good reason for her to contemplate using us treacherously.’
Munlow Ramscrest exploded in a coarse guffaw. ‘Why should
