A Spark is Struck in Cruachan by Bill Stackhouse

Author:Bill Stackhouse [Stackhouse, Bill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bill Stackhouse
Published: 2015-07-04T22:00:00+00:00

Alderday - Wolf 44th

Cairbrigh Shire

Because of Liam’s stressed-out condition, not only did Pádraig continue to keep the presence of magic from him, but the existence of the Northman and the Alliance, whatever that was, as well.

After their altercation with the boss-man, the Northman, and the other two guards that morning, nothing more had been heard from their captors until lunchtime, when the now-standard triple thump sounded on the door and the order was given to don their hoods and stand in the center of the room, facing away from the door.

Lunch was slid in by way of the pass-through door, and fifteen minutes later the same order was given and the utensils collected.

Nothing else was said during either of those encounters; and, although Pádraig wanted very much to ask what the verdict was on allowing his ‘farrier friend’ to deliver the ransom note to the High King, he refrained from doing so.

* * *

Periodically that afternoon, the boys took turns standing on each other’s shoulders and spying out the western window. The only movement they saw was that of the two grooms and the dogs going about their business.

In the early evening, during a break from exercising, Pádraig sensed the concealment spell dissipate and heard the sound of horses—not just the usual horse sounds from the holding pen, but hoof-beats as well.

“Something’s going on out there,” he said, crossing to the window. “Get me up there. Quickly!”

Liam complied, and Pádraig spotted two buckskin-clothed riders leading a group of about twenty horses through the tree line, across the ford, and into the clearing. They were greeted by the ever-present wolfhounds. As the trailing rider entered the clearing, the concealment spell was re-established.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do with any more,” he heard the groom they had nicknamed ‘Porky’ tell the first rider, as he herded the last of the horses into the corral. “We barely have enough room for these. Plus, we’re running low on feed.”

“Not to worry,” the man said. “They’ll all be moved northward under the cover of darkness tomorrow night. We’ll bring you fresh feed and supplies with the next batch.”

“When will that be?” the groom to whom they had given the name ‘Slim’ asked, having just returned from the north side of the compound.

“Not until way after this other matter has been resolved. There are too many patrols out and about right now. It was sheer luck that we didn’t get caught with this last batch earlier. Fortunately, we had a friend with one of the search parties from Árainn Shire. Somehow they heard us in the forest, although I don’t know how they could have. We were fairly distant from their position. Anyway, our friend covered for us and told the others that we were a search party out of Ráth Cairbrigh.”

Before Pádraig could relay the information to Liam, three thumps sounded on the door.

Pádraig jumped down. Both boys hurried to the center of the room and donned their hoods even as the order to do so was being given.

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