Lin Carter - Down to a Sunless Sea by Lin Carter, Ken W. Kelly - Cover Page A
Authors: Lin Carter, Ken W. Kelly - Cover
Ads: Link
riding behind him so that he could more easily handle the reins. So close was her embrace, that even through his clothing he could feel the soft pressure of her firm breasts nuzzling into his back.
He tried not to notice that her smooth thigh was pressed against his leg, and that her warm breath panted against his nape. But Brant was only a man, not a priest or a saint, and the warm closeness of their bodies aroused hungers within him, as did the delicious fragrance of her hair.
Muttering an uncomfortable curse, he moved his big shoulders restively, trying to turn his attention to other matters.
It is doubtful whether Zuarra could have understood his words, for they were in English. But women possess certain instincts, and in the windy dark she smiled a slow little smile to herself, understanding the cause of his irritable agitation.
The night seemed endless, and as they swayed in the saddle to the rhythm of the beast's awkward gait, they found themselves being lulled into sleep. Brant almost fell from the saddle at one point, but Zuarra's grasp restrained him, and he straightened, stiffening his back, forcing sleepiness from his mind by an act of will.
The lopers themselves were beginning to founder by this time, for the beasts were unaccustomed to being driven for so long at their best pace. Eventually, and with reluctance, Brant had to give the signal to slow down and let the beasts canter at an easier pace, to conserve their vigor.
Dawn took them all by surprise. On this harsh desert world, where the air is incredibly thin, sunrise does not advertise its coming by the slow brightening of light, as it does on Earth, with its thicker, more humid atmosphere. No, dawn is like a vast, silent explosion, which comes upon you with no advance warnings.
One moment they were riding through pitch-black gloom. And, in the next instant of time, daylight flooded the sky and they blinked sleepy eyes against the unexpected brilliance.
Brant pulled up and let Zuarra dismount. Then he got down from the saddle himself, stretching weary legs with a jaw-cracking yawn.
"We'll take a brief rest stop here," he advised the others. After a long night spent in the saddle, they were all thankful for an opportunity to relieve their bladders.
Brant and Harbin scanned the ridgeline narrowly, through powerful binoculars, but nowhere could they discern the slight est sign of the unknown watchers. That was one problem off Brant's mind, at least.
"How far do you think we traveled, Doc?" inquired Brant, wetting his lips with a drink from his canteen. The scientist pursed his lips and hazarded a guess.
Brant grunted. "Better than I could have hoped," he said. "Well, we're all worn out, and the lopers are in bad shape. What say we find a place to hole up and get some shut-eye?''
"I could use some," admitted Harbin with a rueful grin. "Not as young as I used to be. . . ."
Brant chuckled at that. "You're made out of whipcord and steel wire, and you know it," he quipped. "Matter of fact, you look like you're in better shape than I am."
This part of the shoreline of the prehistoric continent was grooved and worn into deep gullies, and it didn't take the travelers very long to find a snug cave. Fortunately, although the crusted droppings suggested it had once served as a rock dragon's lair, the beast was no longer in residence, and had not been for many years.
The women unrolled the bedding and Harbin asked the younger man as to the wisdom of mounting guard.
Brant stifled another huge yawn, and shook his head blearily,
"Naw, I don't think so. They're just now realizing we skipped out last night, and have no way of knowing which way we rode, or how far we went. It'll be quite a while before they catch up to us, that is, if they bother with pursuit. And that shale we were riding over most of the night won't show tracks."
They went to bed and almost instantly fell asleep.
10
The Riddle
Bone-weary as they all were, it was well into the afternoon
He tried not to notice that her smooth thigh was pressed against his leg, and that her warm breath panted against his nape. But Brant was only a man, not a priest or a saint, and the warm closeness of their bodies aroused hungers within him, as did the delicious fragrance of her hair.
Muttering an uncomfortable curse, he moved his big shoulders restively, trying to turn his attention to other matters.
It is doubtful whether Zuarra could have understood his words, for they were in English. But women possess certain instincts, and in the windy dark she smiled a slow little smile to herself, understanding the cause of his irritable agitation.
The night seemed endless, and as they swayed in the saddle to the rhythm of the beast's awkward gait, they found themselves being lulled into sleep. Brant almost fell from the saddle at one point, but Zuarra's grasp restrained him, and he straightened, stiffening his back, forcing sleepiness from his mind by an act of will.
The lopers themselves were beginning to founder by this time, for the beasts were unaccustomed to being driven for so long at their best pace. Eventually, and with reluctance, Brant had to give the signal to slow down and let the beasts canter at an easier pace, to conserve their vigor.
Dawn took them all by surprise. On this harsh desert world, where the air is incredibly thin, sunrise does not advertise its coming by the slow brightening of light, as it does on Earth, with its thicker, more humid atmosphere. No, dawn is like a vast, silent explosion, which comes upon you with no advance warnings.
One moment they were riding through pitch-black gloom. And, in the next instant of time, daylight flooded the sky and they blinked sleepy eyes against the unexpected brilliance.
Brant pulled up and let Zuarra dismount. Then he got down from the saddle himself, stretching weary legs with a jaw-cracking yawn.
"We'll take a brief rest stop here," he advised the others. After a long night spent in the saddle, they were all thankful for an opportunity to relieve their bladders.
Brant and Harbin scanned the ridgeline narrowly, through powerful binoculars, but nowhere could they discern the slight est sign of the unknown watchers. That was one problem off Brant's mind, at least.
"How far do you think we traveled, Doc?" inquired Brant, wetting his lips with a drink from his canteen. The scientist pursed his lips and hazarded a guess.
Brant grunted. "Better than I could have hoped," he said. "Well, we're all worn out, and the lopers are in bad shape. What say we find a place to hole up and get some shut-eye?''
"I could use some," admitted Harbin with a rueful grin. "Not as young as I used to be. . . ."
Brant chuckled at that. "You're made out of whipcord and steel wire, and you know it," he quipped. "Matter of fact, you look like you're in better shape than I am."
This part of the shoreline of the prehistoric continent was grooved and worn into deep gullies, and it didn't take the travelers very long to find a snug cave. Fortunately, although the crusted droppings suggested it had once served as a rock dragon's lair, the beast was no longer in residence, and had not been for many years.
The women unrolled the bedding and Harbin asked the younger man as to the wisdom of mounting guard.
Brant stifled another huge yawn, and shook his head blearily,
"Naw, I don't think so. They're just now realizing we skipped out last night, and have no way of knowing which way we rode, or how far we went. It'll be quite a while before they catch up to us, that is, if they bother with pursuit. And that shale we were riding over most of the night won't show tracks."
They went to bed and almost instantly fell asleep.
10
The Riddle
Bone-weary as they all were, it was well into the afternoon
Similar Books
