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〃Aahz！〃 I whispered。
〃Yeah； kid？〃
〃I thought this was supposed to be a peaceful meeting。〃
〃It is；〃 he assured me。
〃But they're arming！〃 I pointed out。
〃Relax； kid；〃 he whispered back。 〃Remember； Ajax is covering us。〃
I tried to focus on that thought。 Then I saw what was apparently the officer approaching us flanked by two soldiers； and I focused on the swords they were all wearing。
〃Aahz！〃 I hissed。
〃Relax； kid；〃 Aahz advised me。 〃Remember Ajax。〃
I remembered。 I also remembered we were vastly outnumbered。
〃I understand you gentlemen are emissaries of Possiltum？〃 the officer asked； ing to a halt in front of us。
I nodded stiffly hoping the abruptness of my motion would be interpreted as annoyance rather than fear。
〃Fine；〃 the officer smirked。 〃Then as the first representative of the Empire to contact a representative of Possiltum； I have the pleasure of formally declaring war on your kingdom。〃
〃What is your name？〃 Aahz asked casually。
'Claude；〃 the officer responded。 〃Why do you ask？〃
〃The historians like details；〃 Aahz shrugged。 〃Well； Claude； as the first representative of Possiltum to meet with a representative of your Empire in times of war； it is our pleasure to demand your unconditional surrender。〃
That got a smile out of the officer。
〃Surrender？〃 he chortled。 〃To a cripple and a child？ You must be mad。 Even if I had the authority to do such a thing； I wouldn't。〃
〃That's right。〃 Aahz shook his head in mock selfadmonishment。 〃We should have realized。 Someone in charge of a supply pany wouldn't swing much weight in an army like this； would he？〃
We had chosen this particular group of soldiers to approach specifically because they were a supply unit。 That meant they were lightly armed and hopefully not an elite fighting group。
Aahz's barb struck home； however。 The officer stopped smiling and dropped his hand to his sword hilt。 I found myself thinking again of Ajax's protection。
〃I have more than enough authority to deal with you two；〃 he hissed。
〃Authority； maybe；〃 I yawned。 〃But I frankly doubt you have the power to stand against us。〃
As I mentioned； I did not feel as confident as I sounded。 The officer's honor guard had mimicked his action； so that now all three of our adversaries were standing ready to draw their swords。
〃Very well；〃 Claude snarled。 〃You've been warned。 Now we're going to bring our wagons across this spot； and if you're on it when we get here you've no one to blame but yourselves。〃
〃Accepted！〃 Aahz leered。 〃Shall we say noon tomorrow？〃
〃Tomorrow？〃 the officer scowled。 〃What's wrong with right now？〃
〃e； e； Claude；〃 Aahz admonished。 〃We're talking about the first engagement of a new campaign。 Surely you want some time to plan your tactics。〃
〃Tactics？〃 Claude echoed thoughtfully。
〃。 。 。 and to pass the word to your superiors that you're leading the opening gambit；〃 Aahz continued casually。
〃Hmm；〃 the officer murmured。
〃。 。 。 and to summon reinforcements；〃 I supplied。 〃Unless； of course； you want to keep all the glory for yourself。〃
〃Glory！〃
That did it。 Claude pounced on the word like a Deveel on a gold piece。 Aahz had been right in assuming supply officers don't see bat often。
〃I 。 。 。 uh 。 。 。 I don't believe we'll require reinforcements；〃 he murmured cagily。
〃Are you sure？〃 Aahz sneered。 〃The odds are only about a hundred to one in your favor。〃
〃But he is a magician；〃 Claude smiled。 〃A good officer can't be too careful。 Still； it would be pointless to involve too many officers 。 。 。 er 。 。 。 I mean； soldiers in a minor skirmish。〃
〃Claude；〃 Aahz said with grudging admiration； 〃I can see yours is a military mind without equal。 Win or lose； I look forward to having you as an opponent。〃
〃And you； sir；〃 the officer returned with equal formality。 〃Shall we say noon then？〃
〃We'll be here；〃 Aahz nodded。
With that； the officer turned and strode briskly back to his encampment； his bodyguard trudging dutifully beside him。
Our rades were bristling with questions when we reentered the tree line。
〃Is it set； boss？〃 Brockhurst asked。
〃Any trouble？〃 Tanda pressed。
〃Piece of cake；〃 Aahz bragged。 〃Right； kid？〃
〃Well；〃 I began modestly； 〃I was a little worried when they started to reach for their swords。 I would have been terrified if…I didn't know Ajax was 。 。 。 say； where is Ajax？〃
〃He's up in that clump of bushes；〃 Gus informed me； jerking a massive thumb at a thicket of greenery on the edge of the tree line。 〃He should be back by now。〃
When we found Ajax； he was fast asleep curled around his bow。 We had to shake him several times to wake him。
Chapter Eighteen
〃Just before the battle； Mother； I was thinking most of you。。。 〃
…SONNY BARKER
A long； slimy tongue assaulted me from the darkness； acpanied by a blast of bad breath which could have only one source。
〃Gleep！〃
I started to automatically cuff the dragon away； then had a sudden change of heart。
〃Hi； fella；〃 I smiled； scratching his ear。 〃Lonely？〃
In response； my pet flopped on his side with a thud that shook the ground。 His serpentine neck was long enough that he managed to perform this maneuver without moving his head from my grasp。
His loyal affection brought a smile to my face for the first time since I had taken up my lonely vigil。 It was …a wele antidote to my nervous insomnia。
I was leaning against a tree； watching the pinpoints of light that marked the enemy's encampment。 Even though the day's events had left me exhausted； I found myself unable to sleep； my mind awash with fears and anticipation of tomorrow's clash。 Not wishing to draw attention to my disfort； I had crept to this place to be alone。
As stealthy as I had attempted to be； however； apparently Gleep had noted my movement and e to keep me pany。
〃Oh； Gleep；〃 I whispered。 〃What are we going to do？〃
For his answer； he snuggled closer against me and laid his head in my lap for additional patting。 He seemed to have unshakable faith in my ability to handle any crisis as it arose。 I wished with all my heart I shared his confidence。
〃Skeeve？〃 came a soft voice from my right。
I turned my head and found Tanda standing close beside me。 The disquieting thing about having an Assassin for a friend is that they move so silently。
〃Can I talk to you for a moment？〃
〃Sure； Tanda；〃 I said； patting the ground next to me。 〃Have a seat。〃
Instead of sitting at the indicated spot； she sank to the ground where she stood and curled her legs up under her。
〃It's about Ajax；〃 she began hesitantly。 〃I hate to bother you； but I'm worried about him。〃
〃What's wrong？〃 I asked。
〃Well； the team's been riding him about falling asleep today when he was supposed to be covering you；〃 she explained。 〃He's taking it pretty hard。〃
〃I wasn't too wild about it myself；〃 I mented bitterly。 〃It's a bad feeling to realize that we really were alone out there。 If anything had gone wrong； we would have been cut to shreds while placidly waiting for our expert bowman to intercede！〃
〃I know。〃 Tanda's voice was almost too soft to be heard。 〃And I don't blame you for feeling like that。 In a way； I blame myself。〃
〃Yourself？〃 I blinked。 〃Why？〃
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