Arutha said, “If he has no tongue, then he attacked us on our way to Sarth.”
“That is him,” said Baru. “The tongueless one is called Murad. He is a chieftain of the Clan Raven moredhel, blood enemies of my people since the dawn of time. Even his own people fear him. The scars upon his face speak of pacts with dark powers, though little beyond that is known. He has not been seen in years, since before the Riftwar when moredhel moss-troopers raided across the hill borders of Yabon.
“He is the cause of the Bloodquest. He was seen again two months ago when he led a band of black-armored warriors past one of our villages. For no good reason he paused long enough to destroy the village, burning every building and killing everyone there except the herdsboy who described him to me. It was my village.” With an almost resigned sigh he said, “If he was near Sarth, then there I must go next. This moredhel has lived too long.”
Arutha nodded to Laurie, who said, “Actually, Baru, if you stay with us, he’ll most likely come looking for you.” Baru looked quizzically at the Prince, and Arutha told him of Murmandamus and his servants and the quest for Anita’s cure.
When he had finished, the Hadati grinned and there was no humor in it. “Then I shall take service with you, Highness, if you will accept me, for fate has thrown us together. You are hunted by my enemy and I will have his head before he can have yours.”
“Good,” said Arutha. “You will be welcome, for we follow a dangerous road.”
Martin stiffened, and in almost the same instant Baru was coming to his feet, moving toward the trees behind the Duke. Martin signaled for silence, and before the others could move, he vanished into the trees, a step behind the hillman. The others began to move until Arutha motioned for them to hold. As they stood motionless in the dark, they heard what had alerted Martin and the Hadati. Echoing through the night was the sound of riders coming down the road from Ylith.
Long minutes passed, then the sound of hoofbeats passed, heading southwest. A few more minutes after, Martin and Baru reappeared. Martin whispered, “Riders, a dozen or more, moving down the road as if there were demons coming behind.”
“Black armor?” asked Arutha.
Martin said, “No, these were human, and hard to see in the dark, but I judge them a rough crew.”
“The Nighthawks could have hired extra bashers if they needed. Ylith’s that sort of town,” Laurie said.
Jimmy agreed. “Maybe only one or two were Nighthawks, but hired knives kill as quickly as any others.”
Baru said, “They head toward the Free Cities.”
“They’ll be back,” said Roald. Arutha turned to look at the mercenary in the gloom, barely seeing his face in the faint moonlight. “Your Baron Talanque has a new customs shed down the road five miles. My caravan passed it this afternoon. Seems there’s been some new smuggling from Natal of late. They’ll find out from the guards no one passed this night, and they’ll be back.”
“Then,” said Arutha, “we must be away. The question is how we reach Elvandar. I planned on traveling the road north to Yabon, then going west. “
Roald said, “From Ylith north you’ll meet some who know you from the war, Highness. Especially around LaMut. Had I any wits about me, I’d have figured it out after a while.”
“Then which way?” asked the Prince.
Martin said, “We could head straight west from here, take the South Pass, and run the Grey Towers along the western face through the Green Heart. It’s dangerous, but . . .”
Arutha said, “But goblins and trolls are known enemies. That is how we shall travel. Now let’s be off.”
They mounted and moved out, Martin in the lead. Slowly they wended their way through the dark and silent forests, heading west. Arutha hid his anger, forcing it down within. The uneventful trip from Sarth to Ylith had lulled him, making him forget for a while what dangers existed. But the ambush at the inn and the pursuing riders had turned his awareness back to the dangers. Murmandamus and his agents might have been denied their magic means of finding him, but they still had a net out, one that had nearly caught him.
Jimmy rode last in line, and he watched behind for a while, hoping not to see signs of followers. Soon sight of the road was lost in the darkness, and the boy returned his attention to Roald’s and Laurie’s backs, the only things he could see before him.
THIRTEEN - Stardock
The wind whipped the water to white foam.