The Kingless Land - Ed Greenwood [88]
***
"Not much of a map, is it?" one of the warriors grunted.
"You haven't gone out exploring to improve it yet, have you?" Rivryn replied crisply, lifting his head to glare at the man, who stepped back, muttering. Silence fell again, as they all stared at the scratches on the shield of a warrior who'd never need a shield again, now.
It was crude, yes, and only a small corner of the ruins of Indraevyn, but it was enough for them to see what stood where under all the trees and undergrowth. They were fairly certain, now, that their immediate surroundings were free of both lurking terrors (such as whatever had slain Nynter) and of promising surviving buildings to explore-though anything might be buried under fallen stones, or overgrown, or in hidden cellars underground.
"Less than promising," another Ornentarn warrior murmured. "Have we l-"
His words died away unspoken as the sentinel outside whistled two notes, and Rivryn's head snapped up. "All of them back," he reported a moment later, and the atmosphere of the room suddenly seemed less tense.
They came into the room in a weary line of ready-armed warriors, back from their "long ramble." In their midst was the older and more powerful of the two mages. Huldaerus, the Master of Bats, leaned down with a drawn dagger to carefully mark three new buildings on the shield. "These were the most promising sites we found," he announced to the silent room, then turned his head to look at the other wizard in the group. "Take you some warriors and have a look at the first-this one." His dagger tapped the shield.
"While you sit here safely guzzling wine, I suppose," Phalagh replied, looking up.
Huldaerus shrugged. "I went into danger," he said, waving a hand at the open doorway and the ruins beyond, "and now it's your turn. We dare not risk both of us at once-and so court the greater risk of leaving these good swordsmen mageless in this most dangerous of backwaters."
"No," Phalagh observed, rising with a sigh. "I suppose we dare not." He looked around at the faces of many not-quite-grinning warriors, and asked, "Which of you accompanied the Lord Wizard Huldaerus into these three ruins?"
Several warriors raised reluctant hands. Phalagh smiled. "Good-then you can now lead me into them."
There was a long silence before the first warrior shouldered out the door, and the others slowly began to follow. Phalagh ignored their growls of resentment, gave the room a tight smile, and strode out after them.
As the scrape of their boots on the rocks died away, Huldaerus looked at the map, and spoke to the nearest warrior without looking up. "Despite what happened to Lord Master Nynter," he said, "we've been here over-long without facing an attack. I need guards posted, in pairs, here and here…"
"Once more," Sarasper said soothingly, his arms warm and gentle around a shivering Embra. "Just once more, and we're there."
"But this shouldn't be happening to me," Embra sobbed. "It's as if working magic is making me sick!"
Sarasper drew back her tunic to lay bare her shoulders, and Hawkril and Craer reached out grimly together to put their hands on her.
The Lady of Jewels steadied herself, drew in a deep breath, and held up another knickknack from her dwindling supply. She murmured something, made a complicated gesture with her free hand-and the world around the Four changed suddenly.
They stood now on a rocky knoll, with tilled fields on all sides of them-and the walls of Sirlptar in the distance. "I can see the gates," Craer murmured, more to lift Embra's spirits than for any other reason.
They stood together, the three ignoring Embra's feeble attempts to shake them free as Sarasper worked a magic of his own, stealing more energy from all three of them to strengthen the sorceress.
Craer gasped at the sudden weak emptiness in his guts. "Could this be the curse of the Silent House on the blood of Silvertree?" he asked.
"Or something cast by her father's mages?" Hawkril rumbled. Silence was the only reply