Mallara and Burn: On the Road by Frank Tuttle

Author:Frank Tuttle [Tuttle, Frank]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: Fantasy
ISBN: 9781458130112
Amazon: B002OSXNI2
Barnesnoble: B002OSXNI2
Goodreads: 21606258
Publisher: Frank Tuttle
Published: 2009-09-09T04:00:00+00:00

"Mistress?"

Mallara stirred. That hurt, so she was still until she drifted away again. But the voice spoke again, and again, waking her each time she found comfort in oblivion.

"Mistress!" shouted the voice, from -- inside? -- her right ear."Wake UP!"

Mallara woke. There was a sound like an egg frying, and a familiar voice muttered curses. Mallara groaned, and opened her eyes.

She lay face-down on the cracked stone walkway, surrounded by smoking mounds of scorched earth and a ring of charred, limb-less tree-trunks. A fat afternoon sun shone down, unconcerned by the devastation. A cool breeze rushed south, it skirts filled with wisps of smoke.

Around her, in a ragged circle, lay dozens of charred vampire-flies. Another fell smoking to join the rest while Mallara watched.

"Four hundred and ninety-three," muttered the shimmer, who darted closer."Ah, you're awake. Get up and do something before the bugs finish what Yellow Face started."

Mallara rolled over.

"That's it," said Burn."Now sit up and look victorious before the Mayor and his telescope arrive. You'll never collect our fee stretched out like that."

Mallara sat up. Her head reeled, memories a whirlwind. Drink, she thought. Water first.

"The well opened into a cave," said Burn."That's where it caught me. I hid -- but when it left and I found my way back up, I hit your wards. Took me all night to wiggle past." Burn's voice fell to a whisper."You ought to say something to the clock," he said."Poor thing -- it didn't mean to trick you."

Mallara drained the canteen. When she was done, she put it down, picked up the goblin clock, and brushed soot from its bright glass face."No shame," she said, her voice a dry rasp."I'm very proud. Of both of you."

Burn darted near, an angry buzzing in his midst."They lied to us, Mistress," he said."That was a shadow-wight, or worse -- one with plenty of history behind it. I say our fee ought to double, triple, and triple again."

Mallara wiped soot from her brow."A pact is a pact," she said."You know that. We'll take the fees we asked, and no more. Then we'll rest. I expect out services will be required again, very soon."

Burn's buzzing intensified."Our services?" he said."What services?"

"It seems the villagers are going to have a problem with hornets," said Mallara."Angry hornets. Big ones."

"That isn't fair," said Burn."I'll get started right away."

The shimmer vanished.

Mallara smiled. The sun on her face was warm and bright. Birds sang, albeit from a safe distance. She closed her eyes and listened to bird-song until her head ceased pounding.

She heard the Mayor and his retinue long before they emerged from the trees and entered the smoldering meadow. Mallara allowed them to survey the ruins for a moment before she rose and turned to meet them.

"Welcome, gentlemen," said the Sorceress, a wide grin on her sooty face."I've been expecting you. But before we discuss my payment -- which one of you owns the telescope?"

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