Christopher Stasheff - Warlock's Heirs 01 by A Wizard In Absentia

Author:A Wizard In Absentia [Absentia, A Wizard In]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

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CHAPTER 7

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The freelance asked, “Can you move quietly, in the wood?”

Ian tried to smile. “I can try.”

“Well, then, let’s away.” The soldier turned to go, then stopped and looked back over his shoulder. “I cannot go on calling you ‘boy,’ ” he said. “It’s too clumsy. What’s your name?”

More danger—but Ian was in the thick of it now. He might as well pray for the best and tell the truth. “Ian,” he said. “Son of Tobin.”

“And I am Gar Pike.” The freelance smiled. “Well, then, Ian Tobinson—let’s away.”

They went onward under the trees, between the trunks, Gar as silent as the wind and almost as silent as the dwarves in his soft boots. Ian plucked up his courage and followed.

They threaded their way through the back trails, so faint that Ian could barely make them out. Every now and then, Gar would stop, cock his head, and listen. Then he would nod and lead Ian forth. Several times, though, when he stopped to listen, he turned quickly into the nearest thicket, parting the bushes before him and stepping into their center, holding the bushes back for Ian to follow, then pressing them back together and crouching down, motioning for Ian to do likewise and pressing a finger to his lips for silence. When this happened, Ian would do as Gar bade him and stay very still, breathing through his mouth. Then, after a while, he would hear the crashing and the crunching of the soldiers as they moved nearer. Several times they came almost to the thickets where Gar and Ian were hiding and Ian would hear them talking. They were afraid the lord would punish them for not having found the runaway youth. Each time this happened, Ian’s body knotted with fear. Not so much as he had felt before—he did not panic; Gar would protect him, he knew, if it came to a fight. Ian saw his own hands tighten on his quarterstaff, though, and remembered very well that Gar was, after all, only one man. If he had to fight trained soldiers, perhaps he would not be able to prevail. If that happened, Ian resolved to guard his back for him. Though he was only a boy against full-grown men, he knew his quarterstaff-play well, and might be able to delay a second soldier long enough for Gar to finish with the first.

They travelled through the forest all night in this fashion, and the near brushes with the soldiers became less frequent. But near dawn, when they were about to hide for the day, Gar suddenly turned aside from the trail. “Take cover, and quickly!”

Ian leaped after him, pushing through some underbrush into the center of a thicket. There they crouched on the bare earth, for all the world like deer. “Down,” Gar murmured, though he himself only sat, “and be very still.”

There was more tension in him than usual. Ian huddled under the leaves, wondering what was so much more dangerous this time.

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