Stasheff, Christopher - Warlock of Gramarye 04 - The Warlock enraged by Stasheff Christopher

Author:Stasheff, Christopher
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2003-02-03T00:24:47+00:00

Odd, though. He wasn't used to having Gwen listen to him.

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He did notice the squirrel peering at him from the branches, and the doves stopping their preening to watch him from the roof of the inn, as they pulled the cart into an innyard.

Rod climbed down and stood, surprised how much his joints ached from the four-hour ride. He tied the reins to a hitching post, and turned back to see Flaran climbing down from the cart also, and Simon stretching his legs carefully.

"Don't worry," Rod assured him, "they still work."

Simon looked up, and smiled. "The question is, do I wish they wouldn't?"

"Just at a guess, I'd say you're still having fun." Rod turned into the inn. "Shall we see what the kitchens hold?"

The question was as much good business as hunger; Rod was able to trade a bushel of produce for three lunches.

Flaran insisted on paying Rod the penny he'd been planning to spend on beer, and Simon matched him. Rod protested, but wound up accepting.

Dinner came with a liberal supply of gossip. "Ye come off the road?" the landlord asked, as he set their plates in front of them. "Then say—is't true, what they say ofAlfar?"

"Uh—depends on what you've heard," Rod said, feeling wary. "Myself, I've heard a lot about the man."

"Why, that he has dropped from sight!" A peasant leaned 787

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Christopher Stasheff

THE WARLOCK ENRAGED

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over from another table. "That none have seen him since he took Castle Romanov."

"Oh, really?" Rod perked up noticeably. "Now, that's one I hadn't heard!"

" Tis most strange, if 'tis true," the peasant said. "Here's file:///F|/rah/Christopher%20Stasheff/Stasheff...ck%202%20-%20The%20Warlock%20Enraged%20(1).txt (161 of 218) [2/3/03 12:25:33 AM]

a man who hath appeared from nowhere, conquered most of the duchy—and vanished!"

"Ah, but there's reason, Doln," an older peasant grinned.

"Some say he was stole away by a demon!"

"Eh, Harl—there's some as says he is a demon," chirped a grandfather.

"Well, that would certainly explain why he appeared out of nowhere," Rod said, judiciously.

The third peasant caught the note of skepticism, and looked up with a frown. "Dost'a not believe in demons?"

"Dunno," Rod said, "I've never seen one."

"Such talk of demons is nonsense, Kench," Doln scoffed.

"Why would demons take him away, when he's doing good demons' work?"

"Some say he's roaming the land, clad as a peasant,"

Harl grunted.

"Wherefore should he not?" Kench grinned. "He is a peasant, is he not?"

"Aye, but he's also a warlock," Harl reminded, "and they say he seeks through the land for folk who would aid him well in his governing."

Doln looked up, with a gleam in his eye. "That, I could credit more easily."

"Thou wilt credit aught," Kench scoffed.

"Belike he doth prowl unseen," Harl mused. "Would he not seek out traitors?"

Flaran and Simon stiffened, and Rod could feel little cold prickles running up his spine.

The peasants didn't like the idea, either. They glanced quickly over their shoulders, twisting their fingers into charms against evil. "How fell it is," Harl gasped, "to think that one could spy on thee, and thou wouldst never know it!"

Rod thought of mentioning that spies usually tried very hard to make sure nobody noticed them, but decided not to.

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