City of Sorcerers (25 page)

Afer snorted at them both.
Why do you want to do this?
he asked the humans.

Kelene explained as best she could the reasons why she and Rafnir wanted to attempt such a feat. When she was finished, she looked from one horse to another, waiting for their response.

Is this something you are willing to do?
Afer addressed Demira.

Yes!
the filly's reply was adamant.

It is an astounding plan,
Afer commented. He nudged Demira's shoulder.
Well, I
see no reason why you cannot try it.
The big stallion returned his wise regard to Rafnir and Kelene.
But what are you going to use for wings?

Kelene's hand tightened on Rafnir's sleeve. She had to get a tight rein on her excitement before she could answer. "We really don't know. Since we can't create living flesh or make anything as complicated as a wing, we're not certain what we should use. Do you have any ideas?" she asked the Hunnuli.

Don't be silly,
meowed the cat from Afer's back.
Ask horses about wings? You
want wings, ask bird.

"What bird?" asked Rafnir dryly.

The white cat stood up; her tail began to twitch.
You want bird? I will find bird.

She jumped lightly to the ground.

Kelene's face grew very thoughtful. "A bird could be useful," she murmured.

Then I hunt,
the cat growled.
Do you want a big bird or a little bird?

"Whatever you find would be a help," Rafnir told her. His imagination was beginning to follow the same path as Kelene's thoughts. A bird just might be the key to the success of their plan.

Her tail twitching in earnest, the cat meowed a farewell and slipped into the ruins.

Her departure seemed to signal the end of the talking, for the Hunnuli drifted back to their previous positions and relaxed once more. Pleased by what the horses had told them, the two magic-wielders returned to their post by the tower.

"I wonder why no one ever asked the Hunnuli about their invulnerability," Rafnir said.

Kelene chuckled her soft, rich laugh and said, "No one thought of it, I guess.

Don't forget, the Hunnuli had no riders for over two hundred years."

Rafnir nodded once and eased a little nearer to the girl. With their heads bent close together, they whispered long into the night about magic, wings, and flying.

They sat through Rafnir's watch, then Kelene's and Savaron's. The moon had long set when they finally yawned and woke Morad for his turn at guard. They bid each other a quiet goodnight and retired to their beds, contented.

* * * * *

The men were up and eating breakfast when Kelene awoke.

She cracked open an eye, realized that it was morning and that she had slept late, and opened both eyes---to find her brother grinning at her.

"Thank you and Rafnir both for taking my watch last night," he said, a teasing note in his voice.

His grin widened, making Kelene wonder just how much he knew or guessed about what she and Rafnir were doing. Their plans for Demira weren't exactly a blood-sworn secret, but she was hoping to keep it quiet until after they had failed or succeeded. She didn't want to listen to any ridicule or build up anyone's false hopes. It would be better to surprise everyone. She climbed out of her blankets and shrugged.

"We didn't mind. We couldn't sleep last night."

"Fine," Savaron said, transferring his grin to Rafnir. "You can have my watch tonight, too."

"Perhaps we'll take it. Your sister is certainly prettier than you in the moonlight,"

Rafnir retorted.

At Savaron's delighted guffaw, Kelene's face turned a fiery red, and she turned her back on the men to hide her embarrassment. Pretty in the moonlight! Of all the insolent remarks! She put her hands to her hot cheeks. Was Rafnir teasing, or did he really mean what he said? They'd had such a pleasant time last night, she hoped he wasn't just ribbing her for her brother's entertainment. Kelene liked Rafnir more rhan she expected, but her feelings for him were still too new.

She didn't know how he felt about her or what she should do with her own growing attraction to him. Time will work it out, she told herself firmly. But she put away her gear, plaited her hair, and ate her breakfast in a very pensive silence.

The party was ready to go when Sayyed called, "Mount up!" from the gap in the wall they used for a doorway. He glanced around at the shadowy room and frowned.

"Has anyone seen Tam's cat?"

"She went hunting last night," was Kelene's truthful reply. As far as it went.

The warrior looked worried, but all he could do was shrug. "I suppose she'll be all right. Now," he said to his four companions, "you know what we have to do. Be wise.

Do not try to prove your boasts today. We need the lion, not more cairns. Kelene," he went on heavily, "I'm sorry to do this to you, but you and Demira must be the bait since she is smaller and faster through those debris-choked streets than our horses.

Can you do that?"

Kelene's eyes involuntarily slid to Rafnir's face. She was rather startled to see he had gone very pale. She nodded once, unwilling to trust her voice, and pulled her gaze down to her boots.

They went over their plan one more time, then silently went outside to mount their Hunnuli.

Demira greeted Kelene with a warm muzzle to her cheek. Her breath fanned the woman's face.
You are frightened
, the filly sent worriedly.

Kelene didn't say anything more than, "We're about to bait the Korg," as she pulled herself up onto the filly's broad back.

As soon as they were ready, the searchers made their way through the ruins as circumspectly as possible. In due time they all arrived safely at a building Sayyed had spotted the day before in the northern quadrant of the city, not far from the central square.

What was left of the building was perfectly round, about twenty paces in diameter, and built of stone. At one time there had been two substantial timber-framed stories built over the massive stone foundation that formed the walls and ceiling of the ground floor. The upper stories had been partially burned during the attack on the city and left to rot, but the stone walls of the lower floor were still standing as thick and stout as the day they were built.

The clanspeople dismounted and walked inside through a double-width doorway large enough for a wagon to enter. The heavy ceiling towered nearly fifteen feet over their heads and was still intact, keeping the space below in damp gloom. The remains of what could have been a huge grinding stone lay in several pieces in the center of the round room. A second large entrance lay directly across from the first, the rotten remains of its wooden doors hanging lopsidedly on the hinges.

"Must have been an old warehouse or mill," Sayyed surmised. He studied the heavy stone walls like a commander planning an attack. "It should be strong enough.

Are you ready?" He turned to Kelene.

Her face had assumed the blank, withdrawn expression they all knew well, and for the sake of her own resolve, she made no effort to change it or look at anyone. She bowed her head once and, without a word, made her way from the gloomy interior.

Her task was to find the lion and lure it to this building where the men would trap it within. The plan was fairly simple, but their prey was dangerous and unpredictable.

Kelene did not relish the beast's chasing her and Demira through the treacherous tuins. She had to take several deep breaths before she could pull herself onto the filly's back.

The other Hunnuli nickered to them as Demira trotted down a road toward the central square. Fortunately, the warehouse was not far from the main road and would be easy to reach. Sayyed had suggested that she go to the square and let the Korg find her rather than search through the maze of shattered buildings, clogged alleys, and cluttered roads to find him. Less chance of getting lost.

Kelene's stomach was roiling by the time Demira stepped into the square near the ruins of the old Sorcerers' Hall. The open, sunlit space looked much the same as it had yesterday: dirty, desolate, and very empty. Kelene looked toward Niela's cairn and was relieved to see it was untouched.

Demira slowly clopped toward the obelisk in the middle of the square. The filly's head was up, and her nostrils were flared like cups. Her ears swivelled at every sound.

The horse and rider waited by the obelisk for a long, breathless time in the hot sun and the silence. Then, from out of nowhere, Kelene laughed out loud. The unexpected, slightly hysterical noise startled Demira so badly she skittered sideways, banged her rump into the obelisk, and squealed in pain and irritation. A flock of crows burst from a nearby building to the right, their raucous voices protesting the intruders'

presence.

"Well, those birds ought to get his attention," Kelene said nervously.

You could have warned me
, Demira complained as she stepped away from the stone pillar.

Kelene apologized. "I'm sorry. That laugh just came out. Here we are, standing around waiting for a stone lion to chase us, and he's not coming! Let's get him here, the sooner the better. I don't think I can stand much more of this. Do you smell him anywhere?"

No, and why are you talking so loudly?

Kelene didn't reply but burst into a bellowed and slightly off-key version of her favorite ballad:

"Riddle me a riddle, love

Of a buttercup that bore a sword

Of a horse of darkest ebony

And the fall of a renegade lord.

Of grief withheld and rage sustained,

The scarlet cloak reborn,

And the love of the Golden Belt

For an Exile girl forlorn."

"Trot around," she ordered Demira. "Make noise." As she plunged into the next verse, the filly trotted in circles around the square, her hooves ringing to Kelene's song.

They had made their seventh circuit around when Demira's ears snapped forward.

Kelene felt the hairs rise on the back of her neck. Her skin suddenly began to tingle, her hands went cold, and she knew without a doubt that they were being watched.

The filly tilted her head toward the Sorcerers' Hall and eased to a walk. Kelene peered toward the piles of masonry, debris, and stone. "Do you see him?" Her fingers twisted into the Hunnuli's mane.

No. I smell him. Over there behind that broken wall with the arches.

"Gods' blood! He's too close to our road. If we break for it now, he'll cut us off."

What do we do?

"Go past him. We'll try to get him to chase us, then circle back."

Demira stepped forward, her tail twitching and her legs so stiff she was almost walking on the tips of her hooves. Both of them stared wide-eyed at the gray wall for the first sign of the Korg.

When the lion's attack came, it happened so fast he almost took them by surprise.

One moment the old wall was empty and the next the huge beast was bounding over it, glistening teeth bared and yellow eyes burning with anger. A tremendous roar shook the buildings.

"Go! Go!" screamed Kelene.

With a squeal, the Hunnuli spun on her hind feet and fled the Korg's crushing paws. The lion roared again and charged after them.

Kelene glanced back to see its hulking form so close she could feel the tremor of its heavy paws. Frantically, she raised her hand and fired a blast of the Trymian force at the Korg's chest. Although the blue bolt was powered by desperation, it was weakened by lack of skill. It only stung the old lion into a greater rage.

"Run!" Kelene yelled to Demira. She ducked low over the filly’s neck and hung on with every ounce of strength as the horse veered in a circle around the open square.

Lightning-swift, Demira shot by the obelisk and headed for the northern road that led to the warehouse. Behind came the crashing thuds of the stone paws on the paved road and a growl like a rumbling avalanche.

Kelene's eyes were screwed almost shut against the wind and the filly's whipping mane. She refused to look back again, expecting any moment to feel the heavy paws smashing into her back or sweeping Demira's hindquarters out from under her. All she could do was hang on while Demira swerved past heaps of rubble and galloped frantically two steps ahead of the Korg.

Then they saw the side street where the warehouse lay and the men waited.

Demira turned so fast around the corner that her hooves skidded on the worn paving stones. Kelene shifted her weight to help steady the filly, and they bolted like an arrow down the narrower passage. The Korg roared again, shaking the tumbled buildings. It followed only a few leaps behind Demira's flying tail.

Lifting her head a little, Kelene saw the warehouse ahead, with its gaping black doorway leading to safety. There was no sign of anyone around the decaying building, but Kelene knew they were there. Demira stretched out her neck and fairly flew over the rough ground.

They were only two strides from the opening when Kelene felt Demira's hind leg slide out from under her on a slick stone. The girl had only that flash of realization before the filly lost her balance and fell toward the ground.

Kelene had just enough time to pull her leg up and over Demira's back before the horse crashed to her side on the rocky earth, but she couldn't stop herself from being thrown to the stone paving. A roaring agony exploded in her head and burst into her shoulder and arm. Shock rocked her. She heard rather than saw a heavy form come toward her. Terrified, she tried to struggle upright, only to fall back under a wave of pain and nausea.

She and Demira lay still, panting and wild-eyed as the Korg loomed over them.

Kelene stifled a shriek when the cold weight of its paw fell on her hip. She reached out with her fist, the only weapon she had, and pounded on the huge foot. "Get off me!" she screamed.

To her astonishment, the old lion lowered its head and peered at her through its yellow jeweled eyes. A deep, grinding sound issued from its mouth, not a growl but a word forced from a stone throat unaccustomed to speech. "Kelyra?"