The Sword and the Stallion - 06 by Michael Moorcock

Author:Michael Moorcock
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2011-12-21T01:07:05+00:00

‘ 'We are friends, ‘ ‘ Corum told him again.' 'We have spoken with Artek who told us what had befallen you. It is largely because we met him that we came here."

"Artek is safe?" A woman spoke. It was possible that she was young, that she had been beautiful. "He is safe?" She stumbled toward Corum. Her hands, also, were secured behind her back. She fell and struggled to her knees, whimpering in pain. "Artek?"

"He is safe—and about a score more of your folk."

"Ah," she breathed. "Oh, I am glad ..."

"His wife," said the man to whom Corum had first spoken. But Corum had already guessed this. "Did Artek send you here to rescue her?"

"To rescue you all," said Corum. It was a lie he was happy to tell. These people were dying. It would not be long before the last perished.

"Then you are too late," said Artek's wife. Corum stopped to cut her bonds, and then the voice he had heard in the forest came again from nowhere: "£><? not free her. She is ours now. "

Corum looked about him but, save that the air seemed to shimmer all the more, he could see nothing.

"I shall free her, however," he said. "So that she might at least die with her hands unbound."

"Why do you seek to anger us?"

"I seek to anger no one. I am Corum Llaw Ereint." He held up his silver hand. "I am the Champion Eternal. I came in peace to Ynys Scaith. I mean no harm to its inhabitants—but I will not see further harm done to these people."

"Corum ..." began Ilbrec softly, his hand upon the hilt of Retaliator. ‘ 'I think we confront, at last, the folk of Ynys Scaith.''

Corum ignored him and cut the ropes away from the woman's burned flesh.

"Corum ..."

Methodically Corum went amongst the folk of Fyean and he offered them his water bottle and those who were bound he untied. He looked nowhere else.

"Corum!"

Ilbrec's voice was more urgent and when Corum had finished his work and looked up he saw that Ilbrec and Splendid Mane were surrounded by tall, slim figures of a brownish yellow color, whose skins were seamed and whose hair was sparse.

They wore little more than belts supporting large swords. The flesh of their lips was drawn back from their teeth, their cheeks were sunken, as were their eyes, and they had the appearance of corpses long preserved. When they moved, small pieces of dried skin or flesh fell from their bodies. If they had expressions upon their faces, Corum could not tell what they were. He could only stand and look upon them in horror.

One wore a spiked crown set with sapphires and rubies. The precious stones seemed to contain more life than did his face and body. White eyes peered at Corum; yellow teeth clashed as the being spoke.

"We are the Malibann and this island is our home. We have a right to protect ourselves against invaders.'' His accent was unusual but his words were easy to understand.

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