Free Casca 34: Devil's Horseman by Tony Roberts Page B

his head and tucked it inside his felt tunic, pushing the flap over and re-buttoning the top. “ Do either know it is here?”
    “I don’t know. It’s supposed to be with Chaghadai, the Chancellor, but he was worried agents of both were seeking it so he passed it to me. I’m being extra careful in passing it to you in case someone finds out I visited Chaghadai in person just before I came here.”
    Casca laughed ironically and shook his head. “Oh by the gods of war, you’ve just made certain I’ll stick with the army until Ogedei dies. You crafty old man.”
    Subedei grinned, then went serious again. “You will be the target of assassins if it becomes known you have the Stone. Trust no one.”
    “Thanks. You know how to make me feel safe.”
    Subedei called his slaves to attend him. He stood up and waited for his clothes to be changed. “I shall assign a few more trusted men to form part of your personal guard. That man you have, what is his name? Kaidur? I like him. Make him your guard commander. He has the look of loyalty about him.”
    “He served under your command the last time you came this way.”
    “Did he?” Subedei looked pleased. “In that case he’s definitely a man to have around you. He has experience and knowledge.”
    Casca nodded and bowed before leaving. Kaidur was waiting outside. Casca waved him to follow. As they went Casca softly spoke to the Mongol soldier, and Kaidur nodded in understanding.
    But as they walked towards their own quarters, a pair of eyes watched them go. A pair of eyes that had nothing but hate and murder in them.
     

CHAPTER EIGHT
    They crossed the mighty Volga River the following winter. The melting snows during each spring always turned it from a gentle flow into a torrent, which made it impossible to cross, and anyway the horses needed fattening up and foaling. So it was not until the winter came that the army was ready. Casca had enlarged his personal guard to ten, thanks to Subedei’s help, and Kaidur was now fitted out as any guard commander ought. He took his duties seriously and never left Casca’s side.
    Ashira was given a role to run Casca’s household, and that included making sure the other servants and slaves knew their tasks. She took to it like a duck to water, and Kaidur mentioned to Casca more than once she would make a fine wife. Casca might well have agreed, but he damn well didn’t want to get married. She deserved someone who could give her a proper life, and maybe even a child. She was getting older than many women who were mothers already, and sometimes he caught her looking wistfully at the camp women who had children in tow.
    Casca was more interested in the engineers and siege equipment. Almost exclusively Persians and Chinese, and former prisoners who had been allowed their freedom in return for service in the army, they were the catapult men, builders and carpenters who would be used when they came up against a city or town. All too many times early in Genghis’ campaigns they had failed to take cities because of a lack of siege equipment. Batu and Subedei weren’t going to make that mistake. They trained the army, now numbering some 120,000, rigorously and even Casca joined in, although he stayed off the horses. He had his pride and didn’t want to be regarded as the laughing stock of the entire army due to his failings on horseback.
    The river was frozen solid and even the wagons and carts had no trouble crossing it with the yurts and camp equipment, and their disassembled catapults. They crossed at various points along the river and rejoined in one huge group ready to receive orders. Subedei sent out scouts to scour the countryside. He’d made sure of his intelligence the previous year, having sent out spies and ‘merchants’ who reported back who and what was where.
    During the summer just gone Casca had often taken part in the discussions on strategy. Subedei held the floor but invited suggestions from the princes or Casca.