A Time of Omens - Katharine Kerr [180]
“That’s not the point. I might need you to watch over Carra.”
“Oh, here! Dar’s with her and twenty fighting men as well.”
“But they haven’t seen the dweomer workings you have or lived through some of your battles, either. Rhoddo, don’t try to tell me that you haven’t realized there’s dweomer at work here.”
“Very well, then, I won’t, though I will say that I’d hoped I was wrong. Do you know what these raiders want?”
“I’ve got an idea, but I’m hoping it’s a wrong one. I’d like to think it was only gold and slaves, but I have my doubts.”
“They’re not trying to kill Carra, are they?”
Jill winced.
“Her child, actually. Someone’s threatened to, anyway.”
“Who? We should tell the gwerbret, and he can drag the culprit to justice.”
“This culprit lives where the gwerbret can’t ride, but I doubt if I can explain.”
“Ye gods, I’m sick of being treated like a simpleton!”
“My apologies, Rhoddo, but the sad truth of the thing is, I don’t understand it all myself. This being lives—well, wait, you’ve met Dallandra, and so you know a bit of it already. She has an enemy who—”
“Alshandra! Am I right? The Guardian who drove me from the grasslands.”
“The very one. She’s sworn to kill Carra.”
“Crazed, isn’t she? Alshandra, I mean. She scared the wits out of me, babbling of her daughter and saying someone was trying to steal her away.”
“Oddly enough, she was right. Carra and Dar have done just that, not that they meant to. But I don’t know if these raiders are connected with Alshandra, or just some other evil come upon the land. Until I find that out, it’s hard to know exactly what to do.”
“That makes sense. Can’t fight an enemy when you don’t know his resources and allegiances.”
“Exactly.” Jill laid her hand upon his arm. “I’m glad you’re here, I truly am. Great things are on the move. Carra’s Wyrd, your Wyrd—the Wyrd of the elven folk, too, maybe. I don’t know the all of it yet.”
“I see.” Not, of course, that he did. “Do you want to know another odd thing? That dog of Carra’s? Penyn gave him to her.”
Jill swore like a silver dagger under her breath.
“You know, that’s one of those little things that can mean a great deal, when you’re dealing with omens. So Perryn’s had a hand in this, has he?”
“Well, he sacrificed more than a dog, truly. That lad lying dead at the ford? That was his grandson. He was more than a bit simple, but it wrung my heart when he died.”
“No doubt.” Her voice turned sad. “Poor lad! Well, you’ll have your chance to avenge him on the morrow. Cadmar’s leading his men out with the dawn.”
“Good. If we strip the dun of men, will Carra be safe? Well, that’s no doubt a stupid question! Here we are, in the middle of a city.”
“Not stupid at all. That’s what I mean about your instincts, Rhoddo. True, an army couldn’t get at her here with the town gates shut, but a traitor might. I’m taking her to stay with Otho till the warband returns. Now, there she’ll be safe.” She hesitated briefly. “I don’t suppose you’d stay with her.”
“If you order me to, I will, but I want revenge, I do. For Nedd and those villagers both.”
She considered, straying to a stop in the dark ward. Ahead the broch loomed against the sky and spilled light out of its windows along with laughter and talk, a familiar scene, a familiar sound, yet with Jill there, Rhodry felt as if he’d walked through an invisible door into another world.
“Well, go with the gwerbret, then,” she said at last. “I want someone reliable to keep a watch over Dar, too. He’s bound and determined to take his men and ride with the warband, and I don’t much care to lose him, either.”
“Then I’ll keep an eye out for him. I must say I don’t mind having archers along. Come in cursed handy, they will, if we can find these swine.”
“Oh, I’ve set the Wildfolk looking for them, and I’ll be along, as well. We’ll find them. Don’t trouble your heart about that.”
About an hour before dawn, Carra was sitting on the edge of her bed, wearing a pair of silk dresses that were a gift from the gwerbret’s lady, when Jill came to fetch her. Lightning thumped his tail