A Dragon's Ascension - Ed Greenwood [4]
One of Oblarma's eyes bulged from her face, thrusting forth on a finger of flesh-a stalk that curled up and back until she could gaze at the top of her own head, and see the firefly's silent blue-green flashes.
"Like a little jewel," she murmured approvingly, settling a vest around a pair of magnificent-and quite dry-breasts that hadn't been there a few moments earlier. "I rather-"
Indie hissed sharply, chopping with his hand for silence…
Oblarma gave it.
In the stillness, they heard the splash of oars, voices grumbling to each other on the boats, the thud of someone's boot against old and sodden planks-and the thunder of hooves. It sounded very like Flaeros Delcamper, riding hard with two house armaragors right behind him, and took but a few moments to die away into distant darkness. They were in a hurry.
"Adventure comes late to some," Indie said in satisfied tones, heaving himself onto the rocks in a flurry of spray that made Oblarma roll hastily aside to keep her clothes more or less dry. "It seems our little deception worked as well as-"
"A typical day at Flowfoam," the other Koglaur replied in dry tones. "And just like, a courtier caught at treachery unawares, the real steward will be strolling home from his little Serpent-worshipping moot right about now-straight into the arms of all those hard-eyed Delcamper armaragors, and roaring-rage Delcamper uncles."
Indie gave her a little bow. "And I even managed not to stab you."
Oblarma chuckled. "Just as well. I like being Taercever."
"As long as you don't come boot to boot with his creditors, hmm?" Indie said, plucking up his clothes from the tall grass above the rocks.
"He died alone in the backlands six summers ago, now," Oblarma replied. "As successful as minstrels of the road ever get to be. You think he owed much coin to anyone?"
Indie shrugged. "All it takes is one debt to see a man dead-if it's the wrong one."
Oblarma's answering smile was thin. "A lesson too many folk of Aglirta seem never to learn. Who shall pay the final price next, I wonder?"
Chapter One
Gracious Hosts of Aglirta
The breeze was all too steady.
The leaves of the trees around the four riders rustled ceaselessly.
Craer frowned and hunched a little lower in his high-cantled saddle.
Hundreds of archers could be crouching within easy bowshot in this sun-dappled forest-Three take us, every second bowman could be felling trees for firewood, with the rest shouting encouragement!-and in all this hissing and roaring of foliage, riders on the road wouldn't know of the danger until 'twas too late, and they were all wearing rather too many arrows to ignore.
These four riders in particular: the Band of Four, Aglirta's only Over-dukes. Four folk Craer suspected the barons of the realm-loyal, good, and otherwise-were already heartily sick of. He glanced back, collected Hawkril's calm nod, and muttered to the placid gray beneath him, " DIV Vale??Embra's chuckle sang in the air beside him, making his horse's ears twitch.
Craer sighed; he'd forgotten her chatter spell. The Four could whisper and murmur and yet be heard by each other as clearly as if sitting in a quiet chamber with heads bent together, not riding through this windy forest spread out to deny archers an easy, massed target.
"This way," the Lady Silvertree explained with infuriating sweetness, "my fellow barons will find it just that trifle harder to play gracious hosts by thoughtfully preparing 'accidents' for us… or stealing away the prize we seek."
Ah, yes, the prize: the fourth magical Dwaer-Stone. Present whereabouts unknown, but held-at least on the day when they'd been made Overdukes and Embra's father Blackgult named Regent-in secret by one of Aglirta's barons.
Finding it was why the overdukes had spent far too many days riding the roads that flanked the Silverflow, crisscrossing Aglirta to visit baron after baron.
Not that Craer Delnbone had the worst task of the Four during visits. Here in the forest, as front-riding target, now…
" Thank you, Embra," he said in the most silky tones he could manage. "Now if you