curse still prevented him from touching a
woman.
Azak
stepped closer to Inosolan, who did not move.
“You
have outwitted him. What do you propose, my dove?” Kade’s heart had
quieted down somewhat; now ‘it lurched nervously. Behind her, the tent
flapped in the wind and the ropes hummed.
“We
tried to leave once,” Inos said bitterly. “And failed. Let’s
leave now! “
Kadolan’s
knees bent with very little direction from her, and she sat down on the rug
rather heavily, not thinking of scorpions until she had done so. Oh, for a
comfortable armchair!
“Here?”
Azak exclaimed, from somewhere high above, near the stars.
“Yes,
here! Don’t you see?” Inosolan spoke quickly, as if trying to
convince herself as much as him, or perhaps not giving herself time to change
her mind. “That’s why he ... why we aren’t so sleepy tonight!
He didn’t bother! He decided we wouldn’t dare try to run away from
him here in the Gauntlet!” It would certainly be an insane act, her aunt
decided.
Azak’s
voice came deeper and slower. “There is another possibility. Sorcerers
can detect power being used. The sheik showed us his ring-he might have
invented that story, I suppose--but he did tell us that it had revealed
sorcerers at work in Ullacarn. Mages, I think he said. It is more logical that
there would be full sorcerers there, an Imperial outpost. May it not be that
... that a sorcerer ... would prefer not to use his abilities so close to
Ullacarn? You are right, you know. This is easier to talk about. “
Kadolan
resisted a temptation to quote an impish proverb about fine words salting no
cutlets. As long as they only talked! But Azak was infatuated. Inos’s
slightest wish was a royal edict to him.
“Then
that’s another reason!” Inos agreed excitedly. “That means we
have a much better chance of getting away! And what can he do when he wakes up
and finds us gone? If he comes after us himself, he leaves everyone else at the
mercy of the brigands! “
Most
of the traders and drivers were the sheik’s relatives. “He might
send the lionslayers,” Azak growled. “A trail that fresh would be
no trouble to a lionslayer.”
Inosolan
said, “Oh!” in a disappointed voice. “Then it is hopeless?”
A challenge from her would spur him to any madness, and she was woman enough to
know that. Vixen!
He
chuckled. “No.”
“Ah!
You can deal with them?”
“Gold
and promises. If they head off along the Ullacarn road, and we go north-”
“North?”
Even Inosolan sounded shocked. He could not be serious!
But
he was. “Northwest. Did you not notice the ruins we passed this
afternoon? A large city, very old. Cities near mountains usually mean passes.
Once there must have been a pass. The roadway may be gone, but the pass itself
must still exist. “
“And
the bandits?”
“If
they are anywhere, they will be waiting on the Ullacarn road.”
“I
suppose. North? Dare we?”
“I
dare. Do you?”
Challenge
worked both ways, evidently. Even before her niece’s agreement, Kadolan
knew it was coming. She heaved herself to her feet, ignoring her complaining
old joints as she mustered her arguments. All her instincts were against this
folly.
“Inos!”
she said. “Your Majesty! Even if we are right, and his Greatness is a ...
has been deceiving us ... at least we have his protection at the moment. This
is notorious bandit country, Sire; you told us so yourself, and--”
“They
will certainly not be looking for victims heading in that direction.”
Azak’s voice was a deep certainty in the darkness. Then he added
thoughtfully, “I wonder how many of the legends are spread around for
just that purpose-to keep the caravans from seeking ways around the
Slaughterhouse?”
Kade
tried another tack. “But travelers in Thume vanish and are never seen
again!”
“Not
necessarily. I have heard minstrels talk of it. Third Lionslayer’s father
crossed Thume, so he says.”
“But
what good will it do?
woman.
Azak
stepped closer to Inosolan, who did not move.
“You
have outwitted him. What do you propose, my dove?” Kade’s heart had
quieted down somewhat; now ‘it lurched nervously. Behind her, the tent
flapped in the wind and the ropes hummed.
“We
tried to leave once,” Inos said bitterly. “And failed. Let’s
leave now! “
Kadolan’s
knees bent with very little direction from her, and she sat down on the rug
rather heavily, not thinking of scorpions until she had done so. Oh, for a
comfortable armchair!
“Here?”
Azak exclaimed, from somewhere high above, near the stars.
“Yes,
here! Don’t you see?” Inosolan spoke quickly, as if trying to
convince herself as much as him, or perhaps not giving herself time to change
her mind. “That’s why he ... why we aren’t so sleepy tonight!
He didn’t bother! He decided we wouldn’t dare try to run away from
him here in the Gauntlet!” It would certainly be an insane act, her aunt
decided.
Azak’s
voice came deeper and slower. “There is another possibility. Sorcerers
can detect power being used. The sheik showed us his ring-he might have
invented that story, I suppose--but he did tell us that it had revealed
sorcerers at work in Ullacarn. Mages, I think he said. It is more logical that
there would be full sorcerers there, an Imperial outpost. May it not be that
... that a sorcerer ... would prefer not to use his abilities so close to
Ullacarn? You are right, you know. This is easier to talk about. “
Kadolan
resisted a temptation to quote an impish proverb about fine words salting no
cutlets. As long as they only talked! But Azak was infatuated. Inos’s
slightest wish was a royal edict to him.
“Then
that’s another reason!” Inos agreed excitedly. “That means we
have a much better chance of getting away! And what can he do when he wakes up
and finds us gone? If he comes after us himself, he leaves everyone else at the
mercy of the brigands! “
Most
of the traders and drivers were the sheik’s relatives. “He might
send the lionslayers,” Azak growled. “A trail that fresh would be
no trouble to a lionslayer.”
Inosolan
said, “Oh!” in a disappointed voice. “Then it is hopeless?”
A challenge from her would spur him to any madness, and she was woman enough to
know that. Vixen!
He
chuckled. “No.”
“Ah!
You can deal with them?”
“Gold
and promises. If they head off along the Ullacarn road, and we go north-”
“North?”
Even Inosolan sounded shocked. He could not be serious!
But
he was. “Northwest. Did you not notice the ruins we passed this
afternoon? A large city, very old. Cities near mountains usually mean passes.
Once there must have been a pass. The roadway may be gone, but the pass itself
must still exist. “
“And
the bandits?”
“If
they are anywhere, they will be waiting on the Ullacarn road.”
“I
suppose. North? Dare we?”
“I
dare. Do you?”
Challenge
worked both ways, evidently. Even before her niece’s agreement, Kadolan
knew it was coming. She heaved herself to her feet, ignoring her complaining
old joints as she mustered her arguments. All her instincts were against this
folly.
“Inos!”
she said. “Your Majesty! Even if we are right, and his Greatness is a ...
has been deceiving us ... at least we have his protection at the moment. This
is notorious bandit country, Sire; you told us so yourself, and--”
“They
will certainly not be looking for victims heading in that direction.”
Azak’s voice was a deep certainty in the darkness. Then he added
thoughtfully, “I wonder how many of the legends are spread around for
just that purpose-to keep the caravans from seeking ways around the
Slaughterhouse?”
Kade
tried another tack. “But travelers in Thume vanish and are never seen
again!”
“Not
necessarily. I have heard minstrels talk of it. Third Lionslayer’s father
crossed Thume, so he says.”
“But
what good will it do?
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