I’ve already had two. That’s my
limit.”
Then, as he was chewing, she asked, “You
really think he’ll come here again?”
He answered with a look. No words were
necessary.
“There won’t be much left of the place if he
keeps it up.” She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table
and her chin in her hands.
Alrick swallowed, resisting the urge to pat
his stomach. “He won’t stop until you are dead.”
“Or you.”
“Or me.” He frowned. “You still don’t take
this seriously.”
She started to answer, then apparently
thought better of it. “I’m trying. Really. But I think you both
have the wrong person. I’m just—.”
Kayo barked. He leaped to his feet and ran to
the kitchen window, growing more and more agitated. Still barking,
he ran into the living room.
Alrick jumped up. So did Carly.
“What now,” she groaned. “Don’t tell me this
Warlord guy’s back already.”
“He can’t be.” As they moved into the living
room, Alrick kept his body in front of hers, like a shield. “Using
so much magic in such a short time period will have serious
repercussions.”
“Yeah, so you already said. Several times. I
guess I need to turn on the evening news and see.”
Trying to watch the window, he spared her a
glance. “Not now.”
Kayo’s barking grew louder, more frantic.
“Kayo.” Out from behind him and running,
Carly set off for the front door. “He only does this when TM gets
loose.” She yanked open the door. Kayo ran by her, close on TM’s
heels, still barking.
Cursing, Alrick followed. He sensed no magic,
and doubted the Warlord could have regrouped enough after the last
attempt to return so soon.
“TM!” The horse galloped past the house, on
his way down the gravel driveway. “He’s escaped again, dang
it.”
Alrick shook his head. “I’ll get him.”
She followed him outside. “It’d be a lot
easier if the grain hadn’t burnt. I usually put a little grain and
pellets in a coffee can, shake it around, and he comes
running.”
“Do you have something to lead him with? A
bridle?”
“Most of the tack was in the barn. But I
think I might have left one of the halters in my pickup.”
He looked to see what she meant. A bright
red, metal machine which he recognized as a means of human
transport, sat nearby.
She reached inside and retrieved a faded blue
halter and lead rope. “Got it.”
Side by side, they jogged down the
driveway.
“You should teach him to come when you
call.”
“Like Kayo?” she puffed. “Is that even
possible?”
“Of course it is.”
The look she gave him showed doubt.
“You don’t believe me?”
“Well, I know the Lone Ranger only had to
whistle for Silver, but outside of the movies, I’ve never heard of
anyone teaching a horse to do that.”
He decided not to ask. He was learning that
with Carly, sometimes he was better off not knowing what she was
talking about.
“You’re not even winded.” Now she sounded
accusatory. She also sounded like she was about to collapse at any
moment.
“Why should I be?” He pointed out in a
reasonable tone of voice. “I’m a warrior. We don’t use machines for
transport in Rune. We have to stay in shape.”
When they reached the point where her
driveway met the gravel road, he saw her gate on its side in the
ditch.
“I will repair that as soon as TM is
caught.”
“If you can. I think it’s broken. Look!” She
pointed. Down the road Kayo, true to his nature, had cut TM off and
still barking furiously, herded him back towards home.
“That’s one good dog,” Alrick said,
pleased.
“Yeah, and I didn’t even have to teach him
that. He just does it. If I had sheep, he’d be in doggy
heaven.”
Seeing them, Tm lifted his head and snorted.
He trotted up to Alrick and stopped, lowering his head so Alrick
could scratch his ears. Alrick slipped the halter over his head and
TM let him.
Tail wagging, Kayo trotted over to be
petted.
“Good dog.” Alrick gave the praise
limit.”
Then, as he was chewing, she asked, “You
really think he’ll come here again?”
He answered with a look. No words were
necessary.
“There won’t be much left of the place if he
keeps it up.” She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table
and her chin in her hands.
Alrick swallowed, resisting the urge to pat
his stomach. “He won’t stop until you are dead.”
“Or you.”
“Or me.” He frowned. “You still don’t take
this seriously.”
She started to answer, then apparently
thought better of it. “I’m trying. Really. But I think you both
have the wrong person. I’m just—.”
Kayo barked. He leaped to his feet and ran to
the kitchen window, growing more and more agitated. Still barking,
he ran into the living room.
Alrick jumped up. So did Carly.
“What now,” she groaned. “Don’t tell me this
Warlord guy’s back already.”
“He can’t be.” As they moved into the living
room, Alrick kept his body in front of hers, like a shield. “Using
so much magic in such a short time period will have serious
repercussions.”
“Yeah, so you already said. Several times. I
guess I need to turn on the evening news and see.”
Trying to watch the window, he spared her a
glance. “Not now.”
Kayo’s barking grew louder, more frantic.
“Kayo.” Out from behind him and running,
Carly set off for the front door. “He only does this when TM gets
loose.” She yanked open the door. Kayo ran by her, close on TM’s
heels, still barking.
Cursing, Alrick followed. He sensed no magic,
and doubted the Warlord could have regrouped enough after the last
attempt to return so soon.
“TM!” The horse galloped past the house, on
his way down the gravel driveway. “He’s escaped again, dang
it.”
Alrick shook his head. “I’ll get him.”
She followed him outside. “It’d be a lot
easier if the grain hadn’t burnt. I usually put a little grain and
pellets in a coffee can, shake it around, and he comes
running.”
“Do you have something to lead him with? A
bridle?”
“Most of the tack was in the barn. But I
think I might have left one of the halters in my pickup.”
He looked to see what she meant. A bright
red, metal machine which he recognized as a means of human
transport, sat nearby.
She reached inside and retrieved a faded blue
halter and lead rope. “Got it.”
Side by side, they jogged down the
driveway.
“You should teach him to come when you
call.”
“Like Kayo?” she puffed. “Is that even
possible?”
“Of course it is.”
The look she gave him showed doubt.
“You don’t believe me?”
“Well, I know the Lone Ranger only had to
whistle for Silver, but outside of the movies, I’ve never heard of
anyone teaching a horse to do that.”
He decided not to ask. He was learning that
with Carly, sometimes he was better off not knowing what she was
talking about.
“You’re not even winded.” Now she sounded
accusatory. She also sounded like she was about to collapse at any
moment.
“Why should I be?” He pointed out in a
reasonable tone of voice. “I’m a warrior. We don’t use machines for
transport in Rune. We have to stay in shape.”
When they reached the point where her
driveway met the gravel road, he saw her gate on its side in the
ditch.
“I will repair that as soon as TM is
caught.”
“If you can. I think it’s broken. Look!” She
pointed. Down the road Kayo, true to his nature, had cut TM off and
still barking furiously, herded him back towards home.
“That’s one good dog,” Alrick said,
pleased.
“Yeah, and I didn’t even have to teach him
that. He just does it. If I had sheep, he’d be in doggy
heaven.”
Seeing them, Tm lifted his head and snorted.
He trotted up to Alrick and stopped, lowering his head so Alrick
could scratch his ears. Alrick slipped the halter over his head and
TM let him.
Tail wagging, Kayo trotted over to be
petted.
“Good dog.” Alrick gave the praise
Similar Books
