Black wizards - Douglas Niles [63]
Tristan clenched his teeth to keep from crying out, and he struggled to remain conscious. The invisible sword had stricken deep into his back. It would almost certainly have killed him had not Daryth's warning caused him to turn at the last minute. Dimly, he realized that one magically invisible assassin had crept up behind them.
Pawldo rushed forward to keep the three assassins at bay. Now the Calishite leaped forward to stand at the halfling's side, as Pawldo stumbled rapidly back before three slashing attackers. Pontswain climbed to his feet and charged forward, waving his longsword before him.
Daryth sliced savagely at Razfallow's face, but the assassin ducked the blow easily and almost took off the Calishite's ear with the counterthrust. One of the others tried to follow up his master's advantage with a lunging stab, but this one overstepped his reach. Daryth's downward cut lopped off his arm at the elbow, and the man stumbled to his knees, holding the bleeding stump in shock.
Pawldo attacked aggressively. The Calishite crouched and jabbed at Razfallow, but neither of them could gain an advantage. Pontswain ducked about the edge of the melee, looking for an opening. Suddenly, the halfling shouted in alarm – his attacker had just knocked the blade from his hand. Pawldo ducked as the assassin took a wild swing at his neck. The attack was the man's last mistake, as Pontswain leaped into the fray and stabbed the man in the throat with a single lightning thrust.
Razfallow slashed immediately after Daryth, but the Calishite parried smoothly. The two blades clashed again and again as the fighters hurtled themselves at each other.
Pawldo scrambled to regain his sword, and rage twisted Razfallow's face into a hideous mask of hatred. He spit in Daryth's face and sprang backward, snarling.
"I will see you again, Calishite!" His voice was a rasping, inhuman growl as he turned and raced into the darkness.
"I'll get that baboon-faced -" growled the halfling, at last finding his sword. He lunged after the half-ore but Daryth caught him by the collar and pulled him back.
"I admire your courage," he said sincerely. "But he would kill you – or me! The darkness is his element – he wants us to come after him! Besides, our companion needs our help."
Tristan saw his friends coming toward him, and then nothing more.
* * * * *
"Come here, little fellow. You know I won't hurt you."
To most listeners, Genna's voice would have sounded like an assortment of chirps, squeaks, and clicks. Robyn, however, had no difficulty understanding her teacher's speech.
Neither did the small red squirrel, obviously, for the little creature bounded to the end of a long limb, and then hopped lightly onto the great druid's outstretched hand. The creature jumped to her shoulder and sniffed curiously at her ear as Genna smiled at Robyn.
"I really think the mammals are the most fun of them all," she said. "They're the most like us, of course. And I think they can be friendliest of all our creatures, when they want to be."
"Food?" the squirrel chirped.
"Oh, you little beggar," sighed Genna in resignation, nevertheless reaching into a pocket of her loose gown to draw forth an acorn.
Robyn looked up suddenly as the limb next to Genna sagged slightly. "Don't you dare Newt!"
Scowling, the dragon became visible. Perched over the squirrel, he had been about to squeeze the animal's tail – a prank that certainly would have sent it shrieking in terror to the highest branches of the tree.
"You should be ashamed of yourself!" rebuked Genna.
"I can't help it," whined the dragon, his wings and tail drooping pathetically. "I'm so bored! You two never have time for anything fun anymore! It's always lesson this and teach that and learn the other thing!
"And you're always yelling at me, too," he pointed out defensively. "'Newt, where are you?' or 'Don't do that, Newt!' or 'Stop eating that, Newt!' or something else."
"We have been working hard," said Genna with a look at Robyn. "I suppose I have been trying to make up for lost time. Why don't