The Black Raven - Katharine Kerr [58]
“Spear or knife—it doesn’t matter to the thing. It will become one or the other as you wish.”
“Handy of it. Neither Raena or her vulpine friend liked the taste of the point, especially when it caught fire.”
“Shaetano was here?”
“Who? This fellow looked more like a fox than a man, and she called him Lord Havoc.”
“Shaetano it was, then. My brother.”
“And here I thought Rhys Maelwaedd was nuisance enough as a brother! Can we get back to the real world?”
“What makes you think this world isn’t as real as yours?”
“My apologies, then, but it’s not as cozy, is it now?”
Evandar laughed. “I’ll grant you that. We’ll leave it behind, then.”
“How? I can’t fly like you can, and I left my horse behind somewhere.”
“Dar’s got your horse. Dalla and I flew over him and his men on our way here. I’ll call us up a pair of mounts, and we’ll ride back in style.”
“Splendid! And whilst we’re riding, I’d like an explanation, thank you very much, of what all this cursed dweomer means.”
With the long sight of the magical linnet, Dallandra had seen Rhodry strike Raena with the dweomer spear. While normally the raven could outfly her, she was counting on that wound to slow her quarry down. Sure enough, she’d not gone far before she saw the raven flying low to the ground on wings that trembled and beat an unsteady rhythm. Although Raena was heading toward the forest that marked the boundary of Evandar’s Lands, she was tiring too badly to reach it. The trees were still a dark swell on the horizon when the raven screeched once, then settled to the dusty earth.
In human form Raena appeared, staggering as she walked a few steps toward a flat grey boulder, lying half-buried in the earth. In a near faint she flopped down upon it. Dallandra circled overhead, then landed not far from the boulder. She transformed her image into her usual elven body, complete with clothing, an easy job on the astral plane. Raena saw her, started to rise, then sank back onto the stone.
“Lord Havoc!” Raena threw back her head and howled the name. “Lord Havoc! Come back!”
As Dallandra walked over, she noticed Raena’s eyes, studying her in a glitter of malice. The raven was perhaps not as spent as she chose to look. Dallandra stopped a safe distance away.
“Lord Havoc’s deserted you,” Dallandra said. “He’s a coward.”
“Indeed? Think you I know that not? He be so, but of use to me and my holy lady all the same.”
Dallandra started to answer, thought better of it. For a long moment they considered each other in silence.
“Here!” Raena said abruptly. “I do know you. You be the elven witch that stands guard over the cursed silver dagger.”
“The very one. It was a foolish thing you did here today. Rhodry could have killed you, you know.”
“That I do see and most clear, like. What does move you to warn me so?”
“I’m not really sure. I feel sorry for you, mayhap.”
“Oh, do you now?” Raena tossed her head like a startled horse. “And why?”
“Because you’ve been duped by lying spirits. They’re not gods, Raena, not Shaetano, not Alshandra either. When they claim to be gods, they—”
“Blaspheme you not my lady’s name!” Raena rose to her feet. “Or I’ll scratch your eyes out.”
“Your ‘lady’ is dead.”
“Not! She liveth still and someday will come to us again, no matter how you ply your foul false magicks.”
“The matter’s not in my hands.”
“At last you speak a true thing. She will return when she chooses, and she alone will choose. The Horsekin did prove themselves cowards, and so she hid herself from them. When they prove worthy, then will she reappear in all her glory. And I did fail her in the holy charge she laid upon me, and so I be no better than they, and no more worthy of her.”
“You don’t understand. She’s gone. Well and truly gone.”
“Not! I say to you, not!” Raena shook her head in fury. “Someday she will lead us to our heritage, that which she did promise us.”
“The Slavers’ country?”
“Just that. And at her return, neither you nor any other mortal shall stand against her. She be not dead but withdrawn from this