The Shadow Roads-The Swans' War 3 by Sean Russell

Author:Sean Russell [Russell, Sean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction
ISBN: 9780061859755
Google: 4qbIRJ4Ye0sC
Amazon: B000FCKETA
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2009-10-13T04:00:00+00:00

Twenty-six

It crouched high in the dead branches of a tree. In the diffuse gray light the creature cast no shadow, but Tam could see it was thin-boned and angular—almost human. It appeared narrow-chested and thin-necked, bent like a stooped old man, but it leapt nimbly to another branch, swung one-handed, and landed in the crotch of a nearby tree, its long tail curling around a branch like a fifth limb.

Whatever beast it was, it stared down at Alaan through the leafless branches, its eyes large and dark, almost hidden in short, ash-gray fur.

“Have you kept your word?” it hissed. “Have you?”

“Can you keep yours? That is what I wonder,” Alaan answered.

“She will be angry,” the creature said very softly, as though someone might hear. “If she finds out, she’ll cast another spell on me.”

“She’ll learn nothing from us.” Alaan dug into a pocket and produced a leather pouch dangling from a cord. He reached up, the cord entwined in his fingers, the dull little pouch twisting slowly.

For a moment, the creature stared solemnly at Alaan, then came creeping down the branches, more sinuous and nimble than a squirrel. It reached out a paw tentatively toward the pouch, almost afraid to touch it, Tam thought. Just as its fingers were about to snatch it, Alaan seized the creature by its wrist and yanked it bodily from the tree. It tumbled down upon him, throwing its thin arms around his neck. It bared its fangs and would have bitten him had Alaan not been expecting such an attack.

“Don’t you dare bite me!” Alaan hissed, grabbing the creature by the throat.

“Liar!” the beast hissed. “Liar.”

“I just want to be sure I get what you promised,” Alaan said. “The potion is yours, but you must do what I’ve asked.” He put the pouch into the creature’s hand and closed the bony fingers around it.

“How do I know that it will do what you promised?” the creature accused.

“It will, on my word.”

The creature stopped struggling and stared at Alaan’s handsome face, so close to its own. “I will put you on the right path,” it conceded.

Alaan let the creature crouch on the saddle before him, for it would not sit like a man, despite its ability to speak like one.

It pointed, and Alaan gave his horse a heel. The others followed in single file, dumbfounded by this latest strange twist in their journey.

“What manner of creature is that thing?” Tam heard Fynnol whisper to Crowheart.

“A man—or so it once was.”

“That is no man!” Fynnol argued, but the creature turned and glared at him, and Fynnol fell silent.

Whatever it was it had good ears,Tam decided.

They continued on through the dim wood, the barren and broken trees like creatures burned to a hard shell, their arms flung out, thin fingers grasping the air in agony. The ground itself was barren sand and rocks, though a little darker soil could still be seen around the exposed roots of the trees.

Every so often the creature would point, and they would change direction, though how it found its way in the featureless landscape Tam did not know.

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