Stasheff, Christopher - Rogue Wizard 08 - A Wizard and a Warlord by Stasheff Christopher

Author:Stasheff, Christopher
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf

10

The roadside brush gave way to low trees quickly. Fortunately, what they lacked in height, they made up in width and density. Gar and Alea had to crouch to stay under the canopy of needles and had to thread their way between gnarled and twisted trunks, but they were hidden.

Then, though, they had to cross an open space between two stands of yew, and heard a shout behind and below them. Alea took a quick glance back and was amazed to see how high they had come already. Below, though, she could see soldiers dismounting, leaving one of their number to hold the horses while the rest dashed into the underbrush to follow the fugitives.

"They're coming," she grated.

"I know." Gar panted. "But ... no faster than ... us." That wasn't much reassurance, but it was better than nothing. Alea forged ahead, breath rasping in her throat-this hillside was steep. Nonetheless, she tried to hurry-but needled branches and twisted roots conspired to slow her down.

Then the trees gave way to grass in a soil so hard underfoot that Alea was amazed anything could grow. There was a shout behind them but she didn't bother to

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look-she knew the soldiers had seen them.

"They're riders," Gar wheezed. "They're ... not in shape ... for climbing."

"Neither are you," Alea snapped, but had to admit she wasn't, either. She wondered if anyone could ever get used to plowing up hillsides this way. She listened to the patrol's thoughts and found them winded, having to force themselves to keep climbing. Then one said to the others, "That man ... with her

... he's old!"

"Not too ... old to ... climb," another man panted.

"These hillfolk ... hop uphill like ... mountain goats," a third soldier rasped.

"Halt," the sergeant said.

Alea didn't, but she could feel the relief from his men.

"We're chasing ... the wrong ... travelers," the sergeant gasped.

"There's a ... woman . . ." a soldier wheezed.

"Not ... worth it. . ." the sergeant told him. "Other women on ... the road. . ."

She could feel their silent agreement. "Back to . . . the horses," the sergeant said.

His men were glad to start back down. "Keep going," Gar grunted.

"You didn't ... have to ... say it," Alea retorted. Then, suddenly, their feet struck level ground. Gar climbed up onto a mountain ledge and stood staring at it in disbelief. "It's a ... path!"

"You didn't think. .. we were the only ones ... ever come ... up here ... did you?"

Alea was grateful to climb up onto the ledge, though.

"Frankly ... yes," Gar said. "At least ... I didn't expect ... anyone who wasn't ...

born here."

"They need paths ... too." But Alea saw what he meant. The path was six feet wide at least and had clearly been hewn out of the rock; she could see the original track had only been three feet across. Someone had widened it-but why?

"Must be something ... worth seeing .

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