Huge Ajax's Arc

Chapter 156 of 619

Ajax dropped behind the wall stone beside Marco. The oil on his chest still warmed under the sun. He set his father's blade across his knee and put a hand on Marco's shoulder. "Reach for her," Ajax said. "How many with her. What she means to do." Marco closed his eyes. His mouth went tight. Down the shelf, Grayson slid to a knee at the south slit and nocked an arrow. Asher and Bran took the north slits. Tucker crouched at the gatehouse with a spear across his thighs. Chalam stood behind the killing lane with his staff flat in his palm, five vials warm on his belt. Elara pressed to the blind at the cliff, one hand on her golden band. Marco spoke without opening his eyes. "Four riders behind her. Hired swords. Coin talk in their heads, nothing more. She's the point." "The woman," Ajax said. "What's in her." "Iron," Marco said. "Something old. She knows the gate is warded. She feels it from a mile off." Ajax's stomach tightened. "She knows." "She knows," Marco said. "She's not coming through it." Grayson looked over his shoulder from the slit. "Then she'll pull us out." "Keep listening," Ajax said to Marco. "Give me her plan." Marco held still a long breath. Sweat ran down his temple into his beard. When he spoke again the words came slow. "She'll stop short of the gate. Out of bow reach. She'll send one rider up to call for me by name." "By your name," Ajax said. "By mine," Marco said. "She knows what I am. She wants me out on the road. Alone. If I don't come, she burns the port at dusk. She has men there already. Two houses. Tucker's." Tucker's head came up at the gatehouse. He said nothing. "She's counting," Marco said. "She thinks I'll come to spare the house. She's right that I would." Ajax looked at Chalam. Chalam gave a short nod. The read was clean. "How long until she's in sight," Ajax said. "A quarter hour," Marco said. He opened his eyes. "Ajax. She's not the Keeper. She's the Keeper's hand. If I go out and she takes me, the Keeper sees through her and hears every man's name on this shelf." Elara came up from the blind fast. "Then he doesn't go." "The port burns," Tucker said. Flat. Ajax stood. The oil pulled tight across his chest. He had wanted her at the gate, burning on the ward. She had refused the gate. She had brought the fight to his weak side, and put a name in his hand he could not answer without losing something. "She stops short," Ajax said. "We change the killing ground. Marco stays. I ride out wearing his face." Tucker's hand went to the ring at his belt. He drew it out and set it on the stone by Ajax's knee.