The White Road - Lynn Flewelling [167]
Moving as one, Seregil and Alec swung down from the saddle and drew their swords. The polished Aurenen steel caught the faint light.
Two of the men in front of them stepped back a little, but the three others rushed them, swinging their clubs. Alec ducked a blow from the fare most and slashed the man across the chest, striking to wound rather than kill. It had the desired effect; the man dropped his club and staggered back. Seregil struck the other one--the erstwhile leader--across the face with the flat of his blade, opening up his cheek and stunning him. The rest turned tail and ran.
Satisfied, Seregil went to the man who lay doubled up on the ground and gave him a hard nudge with his foot, pushing him over onto his back.
"Please, sir, don't kill me!" the man pleaded, craven now.
"I did warn you." Holding him down with a foot on his chest, Seregil put the tip of his sword under the man's chin and helped himself to the thief's purse. "You really should be more careful about choosing your marks."
The man gaped up at him in terror. "Please sir! I'm sorry! Maker's Mercy, please don't--"
Seregil looked over at Alec, who was still standing over the other man. "What do you say?"
"Not worth getting our blades dirty."
"I suppose not. On your feet, you pathetic bastard. Take your friend here and run away before we change our minds."
"He's no friend of mine!" the coward exclaimed and staggered away behind the horses.
"No honor among some thieves," said Alec.
Seregil sighed. "That was hardly any fun at all."
Mounting again, they continued on, alert for reprisals.
The Stag and Otter was dark. Bypassing the front door, they led their horses to the back courtyard and left them with the sleepy stable lad, then went in by the kitchen door.
Seregil went to the mantelpiece above the broad hearth and took down the large painted pitcher that stood at the center of it.
"Well, well." He felt inside and held up three folded vellum packets and a small scroll tube, no doubt delivered by Magyana or Thero. "We've been missed."
Alec lit a candle from the banked coals and they made their way up to the second floor, where Seregil unlocked the door of an empty storeroom and locked it again carefully behind them. Crossing to the opposite wall, he spoke the ward that opened the hidden panel there.
"Do you remember the passwords?" he asked Alec with a grin. "It has been a while."
"I certainly hope so. It would be a shame to be killed on our own doorstep." Alec took the lead, whispering the current passwords--Aurathra. Morinth. Selethrir. Tilentha, the Aurenfaie words for the four moon phases--for each of the four wards Magyana had placed here to deal with unwanted visitors, should anyone stumble onto their secret.
Seregil's cat, who had her own way in, stood up and stretched as they reached the door at the top of the stairs.
"There's my girl!" Seregil exclaimed, reaching down to scratch her behind the ears as Alec spoke the final password. Ruetha broke into a loud purr and rubbed around Seregil's ankles as he opened the sitting room door.
The room was dark and cold and smelled of dust, but they'd left a good supply of wood by the hearth. Seregil tossed his saddlebag into a corner and kicked off his muddy boots by the door. Alec did the same, then used a fire chip from the dish on the marble mantelpiece to light the fire. Seregil went around the room, lighting candles and lamps, then--sweeping the dust cover off the couch--he stretched out there and inspected the seals on the letters.
Two of them were simply drops of melted sealing wax; it was more prudent not to advertise who was sending certain letters in case they were intercepted. The third was from a duchess he knew slightly, and the scroll was from Magyana.
Alec pushed Seregil's feet aside to sit down and covered them both with his cloak as they waited for the room to warm.
"Let's see," said