Sheena turned out to be a hard, fierce lover and Tak was hard pressed to keep up with her. A part of him wondered whether they ought to be spending the night before battle so actively. Didn't they ought to be getting a good night's sleep to clear their minds for the next day's spellcasting? The rest of him told the voice to go to hell. He was having much too good a time to worry about tomorrow. And besides, there was a very good chance he was going to die before the yellow sun set again. What better way to spend his last night than making love to a beautiful woman?

     Being with Sheena was a battle in itself, however. She scratched and bit like an animal and howled with pleasure when he thrust inside her. In the end, though, it was she who fell asleep first, with a smile of contentment on her handsome, angular face. Tak felt strangely as though he'd defeated an enemy in battle, and the warm glow of pleasure he felt came almost as much from the victory of outlasting her than from the pleasure of their lovemaking. She'd left him totally exhausted, though, and he fell asleep himself soon after, delighting in the feel of her warm, soft body against his.

     He needn't have worried about getting his sleep. All four of them slept until well after sunup, sleeping right through the blaring of the trumpets that roused the rest of the army, and it wasn't until a servant arrived with breakfast that Tak was finally jerked back to consciousness. He reached for his clothes, but Sheena snatched them out of his hands with an amused laugh and took down the sheet of silk that screened their half of the tent.

     On the other side, Barl and Ehr Laing, still unclothed, were already eating. Tak strove to give no sign of his self consciousness, not wanting to be thought provincial and unsophisticated, and so he joined in with the meal, the four of them sitting naked on their blankets. The two men sat in silence, feeling a little awkward, as the women chatted and laughed like sisters, discussing the relative merits of their partners of the night before.

     Tak thought he was conducting himself with self assured sophistication and was feeling pretty pleased with himself until Sheena shocked him by leaning lazily against him and reaching across to play with his manhood as she ate. Tak grabbed her hand in a pure reflex of self consciousness, acting before his brain had had time to register what was happening, but the black girl snickered as she pulled her hand free of his grasp and returned it to his groin. This time Tak made himself sit still, horribly self conscious as he throbbed and pulsed between her slender, black fingers but afraid of making a spectacle of himself in front of the others by protesting further.

     "That's better, little white man," purred Sheena into his ear, brushing his skin with her lips. "You like, yes? Before you go to war, I take you first to paradise."

     "There'll be time for that later," said Ehr Laing, however. "We have important business to discuss."

     Sheena sighed with disappointment and sat up, but continued leaning against Tak. She took one of his hands in both of hers and pressed it into her lap.

     "This tent is shielded against scrying magic," said the redheaded woman to Tak. "Ostensibly, to prevent the enemy from spying on us, learning our battle plans, but it will also protect us from the undead eyes of Khalkedon. We may speak freely, without fear of consequences. Tak, a year ago, Barl told me that you wanted to free yourself from thraldom to Khalkedon. Is that true?"

     "Yes," replied Tak nervously, hoping he wasn't making a dreadful mistake by trusting them with the truth. "We discussed the possibility of some of us getting together. Working out some kind of plan."

     "We also wish to be free of Khalkedon," stated Ehr Laing, indicating herself and Sheena, "and we know of at least four others who feel the same way. Have you come up with any firm ideas for how we are to attain this happy state?"

     "Sorry," replied Tak, feeling rather useless. "I know so little about him, his powers and weaknesses. I know he's a rak, but that's about all I do know. I don't even really know what a rak is."

     "Then you know about as much as the rest of us," said Barl. "One thing we do know, however, is that raks can be killed. There are old tales of powerful wizards trailing raks to their lairs and slaying them there. It has to be in their lair, apparently. There, but nowhere else, they are vulnerable. If we can confront him in his lair, therefore, all of us together, we may be able to destroy him."

     "His lair?" asked Tak.

     "His throne room," said Sheena, looking up into his face. "The palace is his lair."

     "After every war, Khalkedon invites all his wizards back to his palace for a victory feast," said Ehr Laing, studying his face carefully. "That's when we'll get our chance. There'll be other wizards there, unfortunately. Gal-Gowan, Cuthbert. A couple of others who are loyal to Khalkedon and who would try to defend him against us. I am willing to be the one to strike the blow against Khalkedon, providing the rest of you can keep the rest of them occupied during the critical moment."

     "It will be for you and Barl to distract Gal-Gowan," said Sheena, fixing him with her dark, almost black eyes. "You will not have to fight him, I think. Just take him aside for a moment. Say there is something you wish to discuss with him. That is all my mistress needs. A moment alone with the rak."

     "It will be dangerous, of course," added Barl. "If the attempt on Khalkedon fails, he might kill all of us in retribution, and even if we succeed there's no telling what Gal-Gowan and the others might do. We might be in more danger from them than we would be from Khalkedon."

     "Then maybe we should kill them as well," suggested Tak. "Take them all out at the same time."

     All three of the other wizards relaxed at this indication that Tak was truly with them. Sheena gripped his hand tighter and pressed his fingers deeper into her lap. Tak closed his hand into a fist. He was too scared and anxious to do what she clearly wanted. He heard her snickering again, but she let go of his hand and took care of her own pleasure, completely uncaring of Barl's eyes on her.

      "I think we'll need Gal-Gowan alive," said Ehr Laing. "We won't be truly free until we've recovered the jewels to which our life essences are linked. We don't know where they're hidden or how they're defended, but Gal-Gowan may do and he may be anxious to gain possession of his own gem. I think that, when he realises what the situation is, he'll be persuaded to help us."

     "I hope you're right," said Tak. "Alright, I'll do whatever I can to help. How will we know when to make our moves?"

     "After the victory feast and the entertainment...”

     “Assuming we are victorious,” said Tak nervously.

     Ehr Laing smiled. “We can usually find some reason to claim victory, no matter what the outcome. The fighting usually comes to an end after a day or two and the commanders of the two armies come together to agree peace terms. You can have this if we get that, that sort of thing, and we always claim that what we get is better than what we lost. Hence, a victory. Anyway, after the feast we generally break up into small groups to talk and drink. Stay close to Gal-Gowan at all times. When I'm ready to strike, I'll send you all a telepathic message. Don't look at me when it happens. Just make sure you've got Gal-Gowan's full attention for the next five minutes or so. Keep him busy. Sheena, would you be willing to distract Cuthbert? I know it won't be pleasant for you..."

     The black girl nodded vigorously, however, and Tak felt her heart beating faster, although he couldn't tell whether it was from fear or excitement. Maybe it was both.

     "I've spoken to some of the others," continued Ehr Laing. "Got a feel for which of them will side with us. I'll speak to them again when we return to the city. Tell them what we're planning and see if they're willing to play an active part. If we can get three or four of them to stand with us, to distract those we know will definitely be against us, we'll have a chance. If all goes to plan, I'll announce the death of Khalkedon a moment later, and after that we'll just have to play it as it happens. Are we agreed?"

     "I think we could wait another five years and not come up with a better plan," said Barl. "I think we've either got to try it or resign ourselves to a lifetime of servitude. I don't know about the rest of you, but I want to see something of this world of ours. I don't intend to spend the rest of my life fighting Khalkedon's battles for him."

     "You speak for us all!" agreed Sheena, reaching across to take his hand and squeeze it. "Right, little white man?"

     "Right," agreed Tak without hesitation. "Death to Khalkedon!"

     "Death to Khalkedon!" echoed the others, but not too loudly in case anyone was standing too close to their tent. Sheena punched the air jubilantly with her fist. "Within the week we will be free!"

☆☆☆

     First they had to win the battle, though, and their mood sobered as they reflected that some or all of them might be dead by the end of the day. They dressed quietly, read their spellbooks to refresh the memorised words of their spells and then walked out to find the army arrayed in rank and file, facing the massed ranks of the enemy half a mile away across the grass. Gal-Gowan and two of his officers had ridden out to meet a small contingent of the enemy between the two armies and they seemed to be in earnest conversation.

     "What are they talking about?" asked Tak.

     "Probably deciding when to start the battle," replied Barl. "It's usually around midday, so that the evening's cooling off by the time everyone's getting puffed out."

     "You're kidding!" cried Tak in astonishment. "They arrange battles like it's a dance or something?"

     "It is a dance, sugar," grinned Sheena. "The dance of death."

     "The way they're arrayed, looks like they're going to try to outflank and surround us,"  said Barl, ignoring the interruption. "Looks like Gal Gowan's going to try to punch through their ranks, though. Split them in two. If that happens, though, the danger is that the two halves of their army will become a hammer and anvil against us."

     "You think they might let us through on purpose, so they can do that?" asked Ehr Laing, her brow furrowed with thought.

     "Possibly," Barl replied, "but the danger with that is that Gal Gowan only takes half our army through their gap. Then we'll be the hammer and anvil. Plus there's Cuthbert's legion to think about. We don't mind losing them, so he'll just send them in wherever the enemy's strongest. They're great at breaking up enemy formations."

     "Why don't we mind losing them?" asked Tak, frowning unhappily.

     "Because they're already dead," replied Sheena with a dazzling smile.

     Tak swept his gaze over the array of fighting men as he absorbed the information. "Where do we come in?" he asked.

     "One wizard is potentially as good as a whole regiment in a battle," replied Ehr Laing. "We can blast many enemies at once with our spells, while each of us will have our own bodyguard to protect us from Varlite soldiers. It's rare for wizards to fight mundanes, though. What generally happens is that wizards tend to pair off, one from each side, and they duel with each other until one is dead or forced to withdraw. Any wizards still standing at the end of the day are then free to use whatever magic they have left against mundane soldiers."

     "Don't worry," said Barl, seeing the look of fear on Tak's face. "Their most powerful wizards tend to be taken on by our most powerful wizards. You don't have to worry about finding yourself face to face with Dragamac or Jarlon. Gal-Gowan and Cuthbert'll take care of them, or maybe Ehr Laing here, who's no mean wizard herself. Most of their wizards are relatively young and inexperienced, like us. You'll trade a few spells with some beardless youth and then you'll both retire with honour without either of you having seriously hurt the other while the battle goes on without you."

     "Have you ever been in a battle before?" asked Tak.

     "Just once, a couple of years ago. It would have been around the time Molos Gomm was dying. It went about the way I've just described it. The thing to remember about battles like this is that very few people are actually killed. When one side or the other realises they're outmatched, they withdraw and retreat and the other side lets them go. It's like when you see a pair of rutting stags butting heads. They're not trying to kill each other, just establish which one's dominant. That's what's going to happen here."

     "I see," said Tak doubtfully, but he did feel better for Barl's words of reassurance, even if his ideas did seem outlandishly simplistic. He looked at Sheena and Ehr Laing, who nodded encouragingly, and he allowed himself to believe it. The battle would just be a lot of posturing and the actual danger was minimal, or so it would have been if it hadn't been for Gal-Gowan's plans for him.

     The red wizard and his entourage were returning now, and a moment later he was conferring with his War Marshals, who then split up to carry their orders to their regiments. Gal-Gowan then rode over to where the wizards were standing. "The battle starts at noon," he said.

     Tak looked up at the yellow sun, about an hour from its zenith.

     "Ehr Laing, you will accompany Lord Niser's bowmen," Gal Gowan continued. "Sheena, the Pakmenistan cavalry. Don't forget your horse. Barl, you will stay close to me. Watch closely and you may learn a thing or two. Tak..." He looked at Tak, and there was something in his eyes, as if he was holding an important personal debate with himself. "Tak, you take the right flank. Should be a fairly quiet spot for someone of your inexperience. Most of the action's likely to be to the left. I saw Dragamac personally inspecting his troops in that quarter earlier this morning."

     Tak nodded gratefully, and with a last glance at the other wizards he set off at a brisk walk.