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The most alert of the guards opened one eye and stretched out one hand to pluck the arrow from the tree. "Arragh now," he growled, scratching his head and yawning. "Whassis?" He held the feather end of the shaft over the fire, which cast a reddish glow upon it.
"Reddisit?" asked another guard, sleepily, squinting down at the missile.
"Aye," the first one replied, and planted two filthy fingers in either side of his pit-like mouth, emitting a piercing whistle. "Coomonin and ootwizit," he grumbled as his whistle died out to be replaced by scrabbling sounds from the shadows beyond their hideout. "A body can't rest nowise here 'boots wizzoot sommun wantin' ter jabber at 'im."
The arrow's apparent author crashed out of the woods and into the circle of firelight. He led a sweating horse and was himself wet and exhausted looking. "Whcre's 'erself?" he asked. "Gotta message frum 'is worship."
"She's oot baggin' nuthern," replied the first guard. "Whassee want?"
"Wants ya backita castle is whut. Gotta bite or a drap for a poor soul?"
"Got nawt. 'ave to feed THEM, 'erself says." and he jerked a thumb at the Everclear folk and Colin.
The messenger peered at them across the fire. "Who're they?"
"Slavics. They do what they're told. Best kinda civilians to 'ave aboot. Though they eats o're much."
"Dead-lookin', kinda, ain't they? 'Cept that one." He nodded at Colin, who courteously nodded back.
"He'll be deader'n they are. soon's she tires of Mm, I reckon," said the first guard, then stiffened as if listening for something. Colin heard it at once. A great agitation in the forest, borne forward on a rising wind.
"She's coomin'," the guard said.
Immediately all the others began poking the fire, packing supplies, sharpening bows, bullying prisoners, and performing other brigandfy activities, as if trying to appear busy and purposeful.
It was a good thing for them they did, for Sally Forth had whipped herself into a veritable tornado, and was driving several hapless highwaymen before her, hurtling tree limbs and gusty abuses upon them as they staggered into camp and cringed beside their fellows.
Her stormy wind whipped the fire into an inferno that threatened to engulf them all, then it and Sally's fury seemed to spend themselves and the wind died away, leaving the nymph spinning in its center.
"If you'd but let me explain, mum," the bravest of the new arrivals begged.
"Explain failure? That you lei down the side? Betrayed the Cause with your carelessness?" Sally's blossom-like mouth was square with anger, but she paused, foot tapping, long enough to give the guard a chance to offer his explanation.
"The swine never showed, mum. We waited for 'em right where you said, at the second fork where the hill and trees 'id us good, but nawt did we see t'whole time but a little nightbird and an old hooty owl."
With suspicious rapidity, the storm in Sally's lovely eyes blew itself out and her voice was as smooth as oiled water as she said, "Why didn't you tell me that in the first place? Obyiously, someone must have warned them. I'd never have blown up at you lads if you'd told me that before. Who could have known you were there? The witch?" Her gaze slid to Colin. "You didn't lie to me, did you. my dear, about the witch? Did she come with you?"
Colin's throat tightened as her eyes burned into him, and he shrank back against the uncomforting bulk of the nearest zombie. But she smiled at him with the same mercurial shift of expression she'd displayed to her men. "No. It couldn't have been her," she said. "Wulfie would have known. He was with you. Who was it then, who betrayed us? I think you know." Almost tenderly, she lifted a burning stick from the fire and, skirting the flames, advanced on him.
The soft light of the flaming brand was as flattering as candleglow to her skin tones, giving them a warm, honeyed gloss. Her movements were supple, her body graceful as she swayed toward him, extending the end of the brand like a gift.
He feit the heat against his cheek as she smiled kindly, saying, "You must tell the truth, you know. If you protect this spy, our work could be seriously hampered. We'll have to take time away from important tasks now to arrange for the demise of Prince Leofwin and your friends. You understand how inconvenient that is going to be, for us all, don't you?" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]