The Complete Morgaine by C. J. Cherryh

Author:C. J. Cherryh
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: DAW
Published: 2015-08-16T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

The harilim moved about them still, shadows in the first fading of the stars. They rode as quickly as they could in the tangled wood, and the harilim did not hinder, but neither did they help; while Lellin and Sezar, beyond the woods that they knew, could only guess at the quickest way.

Then at the very last of the night the forest gave way before them, and dark waters glistened between the trees.

“The Narn,” Lellin said as they drew rein within that last fringe of trees. “Nehmin lies beyond it.”

Morgaine stood in the stirrups and leaned on the saddlebow, stretching. “Where can we cross?”

“There is supposedly a ford,” Sezar said, “halfway between the Marrhan and the plain.”

“An island,” said Lellin. “We have never ridden this far east, but we have heard so. It should be only a little distance north.”

“Day is coming on us,” Morgaine said. “The riverside is exposed. Our enemies are likely near at hand. We cannot afford errors in judgment, Lellin . . . nor can we linger overlong and risk being cut off from Nehmin.”

“If they have hit Mirrind and Carrhend,” Vanye reasoned, “they will have learned which way we rode, and some of them would not be long at all in understanding the meaning of that.” He saw Sezar’s stricken face as he said it; the khemeis knew well his meaning and understood the danger his people were in. “Can we find an answer of the harilim, whether the strangers have crossed the Narn?”

Lellin looked about; there was nothing behind them, not a breath, not a whisper of leaves . . . no sign, suddenly, of their shadowy companions.

Morgaine swore softly. “Perhaps they do not like the coming daylight; or perhaps they know something we do not. You lead, Lellin. Let us come to this crossing as quickly as we can, and if there is night enough left, we will try it.”

Lellin eased his horse into the lead northward, trying to keep within the trees as they rode, but there were washes and flood-felled trees that made their progress slow. At times they must go down onto the bank, exposing themselves to view of any watchers on the far side. At others they must withdraw far into the forest, almost losing sight of the river.

And they were tired, the better part of the night without sleep, constantly tried by obstacles, the branches of the trees tearing at them, the horses stumbling often over impossible ground, or exhausting themselves in climbs up and down tributary washes. Dawn began, almost enough that they could see color on the forest’s edge.

Yet in that first coloring they came to their islet, a long bar, bearing a crown of brush, with logs piled up at the upstream end.

They hesitated. Morgaine sent Siptah forward, down that slope toward the crossing. Vanye put the spurs to Mai and followed, little caring whether Lellin and Sezar stayed with them or no; but he heard them coming. Morgaine hastened: the fever was on her now .

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