按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
dealt before with demons； as you and your friend have with landwalkers。〃
Ben did not appear entirely satisfied。 〃I don't suppose you have this particular demon's life in hand？ No？ Then you have words of magic certain to mand him？〃
The ghost of a fearful murmur could be heard among the listening men。 The wizard appeared to be making an effort to restrain his temper。 〃I have not his life in my hand； no。 His name； yes； though I should not speak it now。 I have said that there are things I wish we had。 But what we do have is sufficient。 Else I should not be here now。〃
〃Whatever we may truly need；〃 Doon said firmly； 〃Wayfinder will bring us to it。〃
Wherever it might be bringing them now； they passed four more days in the process； entering lands that none of the men knew very well。
Ben warned them all； first Mark in private and then the others； that Wayfinder's last few crossroad choices were in fact taking them farther and farther from the place where he knew the gold to be。 Doon did not argue the point； calmly insisting that there might well be something else they had to obtain first。 Nor did he press Ben to reveal the location of the hoard。
Ben had already given that information to Mark； privately。 The two of them continued to meet frequently； apart from the others； to assess their situation。 They were doing this late one afternoon； on a hillside covered with a wild orchard of tall； almost tree…like bushes； covered at this season with fine pink and white blossoms that had drawn innumerable bees。
The two sat on a patch of grass； in conference； and Mark was asking： 〃Doesn't it e down to this： How long can we trust Doon？〃
〃As long as he needs us。 Which ought to be till we've got past the dragon； at least。〃
〃Of course after that； he's still going to need all the help that he can get； to get past the other sealings。。。〃
〃And after that； if we win through； there'll be more treasure in our hands than we can carry； if we were eighty men instead of eight。 No reason for us to fight over it then； that I can see。〃
Mark still marveled； silently； every time he thought about it。 If he could bring Sir Andrew two Swords； possibly； or even three。。。 〃Blue Temple won't be watching the area； you think？ I have trouble believing that。〃
〃If they are watching； we should discover the fact when we get near。 Then。。。 I don't know。 But I don't think they're watching。 They probably think I'm dead； as I've told you。 Even if they doubt that； they won't believe that I could be ing back so soon； with a band as well…organized as this one is。〃
〃I suppose。 You know； Ben； about Doon。。。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃Indosuaros wouldn't have joined up with him； would he； if Doon didn't know what he was doing？ I get the feeling that the wizard definitely knows what he's doing。〃
〃Me too。 Good point。〃 Ben stretched his arms； then lay back on the grass； staring at the sky。 〃I hope Barb made it back to the carnival safely。〃
〃We could ask the magician to send one of his powers to find out。〃
Ben shook his head。 〃I don't want to draw his attention to her。〃
〃Hm。 Yes。 I wonder why he hates Blue Temple so？〃
〃Hah； why not？〃 Ben reared himself up on an elbow。 〃If ever I meet someone who doesn't hate them； then I'll be puzzled and ask why。〃
Their talk was interrupted by a small black shadow； that darted toward them among roseate blossoms。 The monkbird had plainly not e spying on them； but had been sent to summon them to rejoin the others。 It clung for a moment to a nearby branch with its handlike feet； whistling at them with soft urgency。 Then next moment it was gone； back in the direction it had e from； keeping its flight below the tops of the bushes。
Wordlessly Mark and Ben grabbed up their weapons。 As silently as possible they scrambled after the messenger。 Doon and the others were gathered at the edge of a slope； peering downhill between branches toward a road not much more than a hundred meters away。 The Baron pointed。 〃Look。〃
A slave caravan was passing on the road； from right to left。 It consisted mainly of short columns of people chained； together； men； women； and children in separate groups。 They were being watched over and prodded along by mounted spearmen wearing the red and black of the Red Temple。 There were a few litters in the procession too； some of these borne by male slaves and some by animals。
Mark； hearing a drawn…in breath from the Baron； turned his head。 Wayfinder； in Doon's hands； was pointing straight downslope at the caravan。 There was a fierce vibration in the blade's tip。
Suddenly the monkbird flew among the men at head height； yammering。 Then it sought shelter on its master's shoulder； just as a new sound arose from a little distance uphill among the trees and bush。
The men had their weapons drawn； but little time to acplish more in the way of readiness； when the mounted Red Temple patrol burst shouting out of the bush and onto them； sabers leveled and scarlet…lined cloaks flying in the charge。
Chapter 7
The charge was clumsily planned； ing as it did through the awkward bushes where it had to be both slow and noisy。 The men who were its target had plenty of time and plenty of places in which to step aside。 Still the long cavalry swords were formidable weapons。 Mark saw Pu Chou go down before that first rush； amid a blizzard of pink and white blossoms。 Golok also had been struck down； or had thrown himself flat； while his creature Dart howled； and managed to hover like a hummingbird in the air above its fallen master。 Indosuaros and Mitspieler were crouching under showers of blossoms； presumably doing as much as they could with their magic given the conditions。 Ben； like Mark himself； had taken shelter behind a bush。 Then Ben had stepped out at the right moment to use Dragonslicer to good effect on a trooper thundering by。 Doon and Hubert had adopted the same tactic； and both had done damage to the foe。
Mark nocked an arrow to his bow while he avoided that first rush。 Stepping into the open again to shoot； he got his first clear look at the face of the Red Temple officer who had led the attack。 The man's countenance was flushed and glassy…eyed； as he fought to wheel his mount around between constricting bushes； presumably with the idea of making another charge。 That charge was never ordered； never made； for Mark's arrow took the officer in the throat an instant later。
The other riders of the patrol were circling in the bushes； milling around in what looked like plete confusion。 Mark saw one man scraped from his mount by projecting branches； a stroke from Hubert's battle hatchet finished him off in an instant。 Many of the mounts were already riderless； thrashing and crashing in panic through the wild orchard； and the snowstorm of delicate petals did not slacken。
Doon； back in his own saddle now； parried a saberslash and killed a rider in his saddle。 Dragonslicer hewed at human flesh。 Red…and…black capes lay crumpled and twisted on the ground； amid the blossoms and the blood。 Hubert's bow twanged。 The last survivor of the patrol had dropped his saber and turned his mount to flee； when Mark's second arrow of the skirmish struck him in the back。 The rider screamed and fell。
Even more quickly than it had begun； the crash of bat ceased。 Mark turned to look for Ben。 The big man was on his feet and apparently unhurt； and gave Mark a salute with bloodied Dragonslicer。
Now there was almost silence。 Mark could hear the blood in his own head； his own panting； gasping breath； the
loud thrashing of a downed and wounded riding beast。 Doon； prevented by the noise from listening； set his foot on the
animal's neck and cut its throat。
Golok had risen to his hands and knees and was crawling toward the animal； evidently with the intention of giving it some kind of help。 The youth paused； transfixed in horror and disbelief with his eyes on Doon。
His leader was paying him no attention。 But now Doon started to relax。 There were no sounds of any more enemies approaching； or of any who might have gotten away to alarm the other troopers with the caravan。
Indosuaros and Mitspieler were both on their feet again； apparently unhurt； their four arms spread； their two mouths chanting softly。
A quick look at Pu Chou was enough to show that he was beyond help； a heavy saber…stroke had caught him full in the forehead。 Of all the fallen men； only the enemy mander still breathed； with Mark's arrowhead protruding from the side of his neck。 A good arrow； that one； Mark found himself thinking distantly。 If the shaft's not cracked； I'll have to retrieve it before we go on。
The officer's lips were moving。 Doon bent over him； trying to hear whatever the man was trying to say； then sniffed and straightened up； frowning with contempt。
〃Stoned blind；〃 Doon muttered scornfully。 〃You can smell it on him。〃 He looked round at the human wreckage of what had been this officer's mand。 〃Probably his whole patrol was in the same shape。 Typical Red Temple。〃
Hubert looked up from his self…assigned task of going through Pu Chows pockets。 〃But usually they're not this hot to get into a fight。〃
〃Usually；〃 said Doon； and bent to wipe his Sword before putting it away。 The fallen officer was not going to mind this misuse of his cloak； for he had now stopped breathing altogether。
Wayfinder； thought Mark； heightens risks。 One more flower petal drifted down past his eyes； and sideslipped； just missing a landing on another dead man's face。
And now Wayfinder； already gleaming clean again； was pointing in the direction of the passed caravan。
〃Well； we must overtake it；〃 said Doon； moving on quickly to the next order of business。 Briskly he climbed a tree； trying to see more of the hillside and the road below。 〃This slope is all ravines below us … we could hardly have jumped on their caravan from here。 Very poor operation on their part。 Well； Golok； get your little monk up in the air； bring us some news of the caravan … I can't see it from here now。 Indosuaros； now that swords are put away again； see what you can do to calm these riding beasts and bring them to us。 We'll need six new mounts … no； Pu Chow's gone； five will be enough。〃
The magician and his aide began a process of soft soothing magic； summoning the hurt and frightened animals to submit to strange human hands。 Golok； as the riding beasts came within his reach； touched and spoke to them； using beast…master's lore to soothe their hurts and make them tractable。
Doon watched this process impatiently； and meanwhile issued orders to his other men。 〃We're going to dress ourselves in these Red Temple uniforms … in parts of them； anyway。 It's all right if we look sloppy； half out of uniform； that's typical Red Temple too。 If we look totally like swine； they'll take us for some of their mercenaries。 Or maybe even regulars。 I want to be able to get close to that caravan without another fight。〃
Golok and Mitspieler had to physically treat the hurts of a couple of the animals before five mounts were ready。 By then； all the men had replaced some of their garments with those of the dead enemy； and helped themselves to choice weapons here and there。 Very shortly afterward； what now indeed looked much like a Red Temple mercenary patrol was on its way。
The caravan had had no very great start on them； nor was it moving any faster than a weary slave could be pelled to walk。 But Doon's men had to master their new mounts and nurse them along。 And there was the difficult hillside； that had to be negotiated before they even got down to the road。 By the time they had managed that； the caravan was long out of sight； but Dart brought back word to Golok that it was still on the road； proceeding no faster than before。
Still； dusk was falling before the mounted men caught sight of it again。 If Doon had been seeking an opportunity to attack it in isolation on the road； that chance had now slipped away。 The caravan was traversing a busy crossroads now。 And； only a couple of hundred meters farther on； the gates of a large Red Temple plex were standing open to receive it。
Doon gestured； slowing his tr