(eng) Michael Scott Rohan - Winter of the World 04 by The Castle of the Winds

Author:The Castle of the Winds [Winds, The Castle of the]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

A Lord and a Lady

‘YOU SEE ’EM NOW?’ demanded Olvar.

Kunrad, sprawled among berry bushes at the crest of the ridge, looked up from the ruddy pebbles he had been examining, lifting his head as high as he dared on what might be someone’s skyline. Even the Shield-Range behind might not shadow him enough. ‘I’ve not got your eyes, but … yes, I think so. By that big broken redwood, clambering down the far slope?’

‘Slipping down it, you mean. There goes another now, arsy-versy into the thorns! Wouldn’t waste skin that way if they knew about Alais’s path, would they?’

Kunrad frowned, and spilled the pebbles. ‘No. But they’ll still know the lie of the land, probably. That would put them about a day behind us.’

‘Maybe two,’ suggested Gille. ‘They can’t know they’re following anyone. That path we took could have led a dozen ways, and we covered our tracks. They’re just searching. That’ll slow them.’

Kunrad slid down, and sat unhappily, chin on hand. ‘That’s what worries me, boy. Merthian might know!’

Gille ducked down beside him. ‘Hey, surely not! How would he find out … Oh, come, Mastersmith! He wouldn’t hurt her!’

‘Wouldn’t dare!’ added Olvar.

Kunrad sighed. ‘I begin to think that bastard would do anything – anything! – if he felt it was important enough to his great mission. He has some kind of trick of thinking, something truly strange, a kind of dam in the head. All that passes through is the odd trickle of remorse, and he mops that up quick with apologies.’

Olvar laughed quietly. ‘Then he goes right on pissing over the other side, you mean? Could be.’ He plucked a berry off the bush, and chewed it. ‘Not bad. Enough like our hedgeberries so I could risk it. But some of these bright green things might be all right, too. Wish I knew more Southland fruit.’

‘Better be going,’ grumbled Gille, ‘if you don’t want to be pushing it up. And keep an eye open for more of those fat ground birds. We’ve hardly any dried food left, and no fat to spare after the Marshes – and no woodcraft for these Suderney forests.’

Kunrad heaved himself to his feet, scratching under his mail. ‘Shouldn’t be long now. By Alais’s directions we should hove in sight of the tower tonight or tomorrow morning, and then our problems will be at an end. One way or another.’

‘Nice if we could sight a farm or two along the way,’ sighed Olvar. ‘Farms have chickens, or whatever the poor folk here raise instead.’

‘Lizards, probably,’ suggested Gille.

They had come a long way swiftly since leaving Alais in the wood. Kunrad had had trouble following his own command. More than once on that first slope he had practically to be dragged along because he kept stopping to look back. Olvar said he had seen Alais being set on a horse and led away, but Kunrad couldn’t be sure he was telling the truth – and even if he was, what had awaited her? He

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