Free The Devil's Armour (Gollancz S.F.) by John Marco Page A

children and I have no choice. I yield to you because I must. But it will not be so when Jazana Carr triumphs. And when King Lorn hangs, I will celebrate.’
    Stung, Lorn looked at Poppy, then back at Gedena. The woman had done him a remarkable favour, but only for the sake of the girl. He wondered how willing she’d have been to feed a boy child.
    ‘Jazana Carr has poisoned your mind,’ he told her. ‘She will bring chaos to Norvor. Mark my words – you will miss King Lorn someday.’
    ‘I will not,’ said Gedena, ‘any more than I would miss a wart.’ She had dressed herself and now stood up tall, summoning her dignity. Obviously she was waiting for Lorn to leave. He dug into his pocket and fished out a silver coin, one of a handful he had stolen off the Rolgans. Gedena glowered when he held it out for her.
    ‘I am not a whore,’ she said. ‘What I did I did for the sake of the child.’
    ‘You have done me a service,’ Lorn said. ‘Take it, and if you have some milk I could take with me I would be glad for it. For the child, you see. We still have a long ride ahead of us.’
    ‘Now you would take goat milk? After I offered it to you before?’
    ‘Unless there are more willing teats on the road to Liiria, my daughter will starve without it. And I won’t take it; I will pay for it.’
    ‘Liiria?’ Gedena raised her eyebrows. ‘Why would youtake the child there? I thought you wanted to escape war. You won’t find peace in Liiria.’
    Again Lorn went into his pocket and came out with another coin. ‘This one is to keep your tongue from wagging. My business in Liiria is my own. Now, will you fetch us what we need?’
    Gedena frowned, still unwilling to help.
    ‘Have I not kept my promise to you, woman? You and your children are unharmed. My daughter is fed and I can be on my way now. What I’ve paid you is more than you deserve, but you’ve shamed me into it. The milk would be fair recompense.’
    Reluctantly, Gedena nodded. ‘All right, but you bring that child to her doom, you know. Perhaps you don’t know this, being from the south – Liiria is at war with itself. There’s no safety there for you. If you’re a deserter—’
    ‘I am not a deserter, madam,’ said Lorn stiffly.
    Her eyes narrowed. ‘Perhaps not. But if you’re trying to make a better life for that girl, you should stay here in the north. There will be peace soon. Jazana Carr has promised it. The war is almost over.’
    More so than you think
, thought Lorn. He said, ‘I cannot stay in Norvor. Now ask me no more questions.’
    Gedena nodded and went to the open doors. Immediately she wrapped her arms around herself again. ‘It’s a cold night.’ She turned and frowned at Poppy. ‘Too cold for you to be riding with that child. Fate above, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you should stay here until morning. Give that child some rest.’
    The offer stunned Lorn. ‘You’re asking me to sleep here?’
    ‘Unless you’re willing to leave the child . . .’
    ‘No,’ said Lorn.
    Gedena smirked. ‘I didn’t think so. You can spend the night out here. I have blankets and a lamp for you. But let me bring the baby inside. She’ll be better off for it.’
    ‘I can look after my daughter well enough, thank you.’
    ‘No, you cannot. You had no milk or proper food for thechild, and now you want to ride off with her in the darkness. Why are men such fools? Give me the child.’ She held out her hands. Lorn’s expression soured. She said, ‘Come, hand her here. In the morning you can take her back. Ride off to whatever god-cursed country you want, I won’t be able to stop you. But at least for tonight let the girl have some comfort.’
    It was all logical, and Lorn was too tired to argue. ‘Very well,’ he relented, and handed the child to Gedena. ‘What is it about women?’ he muttered. ‘You suckle a babe once and you act like it’s your own.’
    ‘We’re all mad, don’t you know that? Isn’t that what you