Fire Dragon - Katharine Kerr [171]
“I'm all right,” Carra said over and over. “So is Elessi.”
Niffa stooped and picked up the dagger.
“She did carry a weapon,” Niffa said. “She did wish to murder at the Deciding.”
“So she did.” Admi took the dagger from her. “This be a grave and serious thing. Inside, everyone! We'll not be able to think in all this rain. Sergeant Gart! The urns! Get your men inside and guard the urns!”
Dar helped Carra up, then took the sobbing Elessi and cradled her in his arms. In the milling confusion Rhodry looked around for Rakzan Kral and found him standing back by the Council House wall. He looked stunned, his mouth half-open, his hands spread wide as if in disbelief. Rhodry was just considering speaking to him when Raena suddenly went limp in his grasp, falling forward as if she were fainting. Without thinking he let go her arm lest he break it. She twisted away, shoved him off-balance, somehow kept her feet and ran.
“Stop her!” Rhodry yelled.
The crowd around began shouting. Rhodry took out after her, but in the driving rain the soles of his riding boots had gone slick as lard. He slipped on the cobbles, righted himself, and realized that he'd lost her. It seemed she'd melted away into the shadows and the gathering twilight.
“Dalla!” Rhodry called out. “Is it dweomer?”
“Of a sort.” Dallandra came running up. “But she can't disappear into Evandar's country without the help of her beastly fox-spirit. We've got a chance to find her.”
Rhodry felt himself howling with laughter. The militia, the townsfolk, the councilmen—they all mobbed around. Admi yelled for silence and at last got it.
“If she be a murderess, then our laws have somewhat to say to her,” Admi bellowed to the crowd. “My fellow citizens! Find her! Bring her here to justice!”
The townsfolk cheered with spontaneous joy. Only then did Rhodry realize just how much they had hated Raena. Nearby Verrarc stood with his head bowed, praying to some god, perhaps, or perhaps simply staring at the stones in an utter exhaustion of will. When Rhodry strode over, Verrarc neither raised his head nor spoke.
“You know where she'll hide, don't you?” Rhodry said. “Tell me. Spare us all the trouble of tearing this town apart searching for her, and you'll do yourself a good turn, too. If you want to stay on the council, that is.”
Verrarc raised his head and looked at him with eyes that might have been made of glass, so little feeling did they show.
“We'll find her in the end anyway,” Rhodry went on. “The gates are closed, and she'll not get out.”
Verrarc said nothing. Rhodry was about to argue some more when Dallandra grabbed his arm.
“Come with me.”
“But—”
“Come with me!” Dallandra tossed her head, and her silvery hair seemed to snap with life and power. “Leave him alone.”
Rhodry allowed himself to be led away out of earshot. When he glanced back, he saw Verrarc standing where they'd left him, staring out at nothing.
“Rori, be reasonable!” Dallandra snapped. “He's only flesh and blood, not steel. Besides, I've scryed her out.”
“Oh.” Rhodry paused for a smile. “My apologies. I should have known you'd be able to find her. Where is she?”
“In the ruins of that temple thing. Where you and Arzosah were camping.”
Yelling at Kiel to follow, Rhodry took off running. At the edge of the plaza he glanced back and saw that Kiel was bringing five more militiamen with him. He paused to let them catch up.
“I hope there's no back way out of the ruins,” Rhodry said.
“I ken it not,” Kiel said. “But here, Stone! Go round the back and guard any path you find there.”
Stumbling on the uneven ground Rhodry hurried downhill to the heap of rubble, then stopped, peering around for an entrance. He found at last what seemed to be a tunnel mouth. As he headed for it, with the militiamen right behind, he heard a strange sound from inside. All at once a shrike burst free in a flash of black-and-white wings. Right behind it came a red hawk