Some days later, without warning, the Tower of Blois crashed down into ruins – a terrible death for defenders and miners alike. There was no breach, for the mighty Accursed Tower lay intact beyond, but it was clear that Khalil was throwing all he had into the siege.
The King’s Tower barbican went soon after but the tangle of collapsed masonry was unusable as a breach. Where was the mining going on now? Soldiers atop the wall between the two towers carried on doggedly, aware that at any moment the mighty stone fortifications could suddenly give way under them in a killing avalanche.
In the smithy there was little conversation as a pall descended.
‘Did I say I lost heart?’ Hugh said in a forced voice. ‘Stands to reason, they’ve sent for reinforcement, haven’t they? We’ve just got to hold until they come for us.’
‘And when will that be?’ Jared came back.
‘I don’t know, do I?’ the big man exploded. ‘When they does, Christ save us!’
‘So if they gets a breach in the walls, they come in after us?’
‘God’s wounds, Jared, use your noggin! We’ve still a fair force of knights – it’s their job to stop the breach and I wish ’em well, but it’ll be the sure sign to me to find a boat and be away from here. Until then I stays and does my service to the Order as pays me. And you?’
‘The same, brother,’ he said uneasily.