The Gold Falcon - Katharine Kerr [170]
“A thousand apologies,” Arzosah spoke in Elvish. “I didn’t realize I was going to panic your horses. The last time I traveled with you Westfolk, they ignored me.”
“That was Evandar’s doing,” Dallandra said. “He cast some sort of enchantment upon them, but unfortunately, I don’t have the slightest idea of what it was.”
“And of course he wouldn’t bother to tell you, nasty clot of ectoplasm that he was. I should have known.” The dragon snorted in disgust. “Well, be that as it may, here I am. I’d have answered your summons before this, but it took me a while to find you.”
“I assumed it would, yes. How would you like to help us kill some Horsekin?”
“What a lovely idea for a summer’s day!”
“Good. I wasn’t truly afraid that you’d refuse.”
“No need to worry! I swore a vow that I’d hate them forever, and they’ve done nothing recently to make me break it. Where are they?”
“They’re building themselves a fortress off in the far west. I thought perhaps you’d seen it.”
“No, and it’s a pity. I would have enjoyed picking them off a few at a time.”
“Well, it’s not too late. They haven’t finished building it yet. What you see here—” Dallandra paused to indicate the road full of warbands with a sweep of her arm, “—is just the beginning. We’ll be mustering an army to go and destroy it.”
“Splendid! Can I assume that any dead horses are mine?”
“Most assuredly.”
“Then you don’t even need to invoke my true name. What is it they say in Deverry? It would gladden my heart, that’s it, and my stomach as well, to join you.”
“Wonderful! I do thank you, but there are a couple of small matters we have to attend to first.”
Arzosah heaved a gigantic sigh. “I should have known there’d be a price to pay. Small matters, are they? Doubtless some boring tasks vexing to dragons. They always are.” She was looking past Dallandra. “I suspect one of them of arriving now.”
Dallandra glanced back and saw Salamander, dismounted and trotting toward them. He waved a greeting with a swing of one arm and called out, “Arzosah, my dearest wyrm, O, pinnacle of dragonhood!”
“What do you want me to do for you?” Arzosah rolled her massive eyes heavenward. “I know flattery when I hear it, elf.”
Salamander grinned and bowed to her. “You’re as perceptive as always, nay, not merely insightful, but perspicacious and sagacious as well.”
Arzosah growled, but only softly.
“We need your help on two matters, actually,” Dallandra said. “This warband you see here? It’s on its way to deal with a traitorous lord who’s gone over to the Horsekin. We can’t spare the time for a siege if we’re going to bring that fortress down, but he has enough archers to keep our men away from his dun walls.”
“And I suppose you have the gall to expect me to do something about those archers. I don’t fancy having arrows hissing around my head. If one hit me in the eye—”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Dallandra said. “I most certainly don’t want you injured.”
“I don’t see how we’re going to take his dun with those archers in place.” Salamander stepped forward. “And we can’t afford to leave fighting men there to hold a long siege. We were hoping you could think of some maneuver to drive the archers off.”
“I knew that a straightforward Horsekin-eating expedition sounded too good to be true.” Arzosah paused for a snarl. “What’s the second thing?”
“Lord Honelg is sending messengers to Zakh Gral,” Salamander said. “They’ll be two, maybe three days’ ride to the west of his dun by the time we reach it. We’ll never be able to catch up with them, but you, the very soul of speed, should be able stop them.”
“A simple chore at last! How refreshing!” The dragon swung her head around to look at Dallandra. “I suppose you want me to carry this prattling gerthddyn on