Роберт Асприн - Forever After

“Yes, sir, I’m certain that he did because I suggested that he take a larger blade than his hunting knife and he made a joke about the pen being mightier than the sword. He tapped his pencase then and I’m sure that he had some scroll tubes with him.”

Buckling on her saber, she strode outside to meet her officers. She quickly filled them in on what Seth had discovered, only omitting the significance of what Jord was carrying.

“I’m going to find them. Kerran, you will have command of the main Company. Colum, I want you to deal with the wagons and with Piggon — the sorcellet.”

“That little bastard?” the Quartermaster questioned. “May I inquire why, sir?”

“If Jord and Rafe were undone by the Magical Folk,” she explained only half truthfully, “Piggon may be in league with them, especially since his magical talent is communication. He should still be asleep — how about keeping him that way?”

“Yes, sir!” Colum sucked in his gut and looked fierce. A quartermaster didn’t often have hazardous duty and everyone knew that you should let sleeping wizards lie.

“General, do you plan on going alone?” Kerran asked.

On cue, the sound of hooves against the damp turf was heard. Spite came up the slope, driving Dove, Nightsky, and Rafe’s Blaze in front of him. Dewdrops sparkled from their glossy coats; those that fell from Spite glittered like diamonds.

“No,” Domino answered, “Spite will be with me and I’m bringing mounts for Jord and Rafe. I should be fine and I’ll move more quickly alone.”

“General?” a small voice came from the tent. “May I come with you, sir? To help — I can watch the horses.”

Seth stood holding the tent flap in a white-knuckled fist. The stiffness of his skinny frame said with wordless eloquence that he expected to be refused.

“I pity the horse thief who tries to steal any of these horses,” she answered, “as you should. No, Seth.”

“ Yes , sir.” He stood straighter, if possible. “May I speak with you? Privately, sir?”

Concern for Jord and Rafe pulled her, but something made her follow the lad into the tent.

“General,” Seth pleaded, “I should go with you. You’ll need me. I promise I have things to offer you.”

“Seth,” she tried hard not to patronize him, “I need to leave.”

The boy sucked in his breath, “General, I was listening when Cranky Granny told your fortune. I was out in the dark. She said that Kalaran couldn’t have his sorcerers read you because you were a girl, not a man. General, don’t be mad at me, but I’m a girl.”

Domino wondered if anybody was the gender they seemed, but skipped all the usual questions. It was obvious why Seth hadn’t told Dominik Blaid that she was a girl when the Colonel had pulled her from the ashes and protected her. Equally, it was obvious why the little girl had been dressed as a boy when the armies of Kalaran and the Prince had swept through. Instead, she jumped to the most immediate problem.

“Do you want to continue as a boy?”

“Yes, sir, for now at least.” Seth squared his/her shoulders. “May I come with you?”

“I surrender,” Domino said, “but stay out of any fights. You don’t have any armor except that no one will expect you.”

“Yes, sir!” Seth tried not to bounce. “I’m ready.”

Finding the direction in which the Magical Folk had gone was easily done, but Spite set a pace that would stagger the ordinary horses in a few hours.

“Slow,” Domino hissed, “this is too important to risk because you insist on showing off. Not only are Jord’s and Rafe’s lives in danger, but Jord has the scroll of Gwykander with him.”

When Spite slowed to a pace that was only rapid, not breaking, Domino did not chide him again. She knew that the horse could be sensitive to forces of which she was unaware. When night fell, they could see the flickering bonfires of the Magical Folk’s encampment in a hollow some distance off the road. Pausing on a tree-sheltered hillock, Domino scanned through her spy glass.

“They have the wagons and tents drawn into a rough double defensive circle with a bonfire in the center. There is no way that I can tell from here where Jord and Rafe are being held. However, they aren’t being roasted for dinner, so that’s something.”

“Let me go in and scout, sir,” Seth said. “They can’t help but be expecting you.”

Domino nodded permission reluctantly and Seth slipped away. The night sounds played counterpoint to the breathing of the horses and the occasional snap as one or the other grazed on the shrubs around them. An hour passed without untoward activity from the Magical Folk encampment.

When Seth emerged from the underbrush, her eyes were wide and wild, but she pulled herself up and snapped off a passable salute.

“General, I found them and they’re alive.” She paused to calm herself. “I didn’t talk with them though. They were pretty tightly tied up in one of Mel’s tents.”

“Did Jord… have the scroll with him?” Domino asked, biting back a flurry of undignified questions.

“No, sir,” Seth answered, incongruously blushing. “They were pretty much down to their underclothes — no weapons or gear of any type.”

Domino scuffed a space clear with the side of her boot. “Come and sketch the layout of the camp for me. Don’t leave anything out.”

Seth hunkered down and drew her dagger, using the edge to shape the dirt into lines and lumps.

“The double circles are pretty tight. The wagons have trip ropes strung between and there is a patrol — not just humans, some of those critters they have are helping.”

“That’s not good,” Domino said.

‘Then they have magical wards. I think that Mel may have set them up — they’re kind of wet and sparkly. I saw a raven go through one and it dripped glittery slime for a few feet.”

“That’s not good.”

“I’m not sure that all of the Magical Folk are in favor of the plot,” Seth continued. “There were some little knots of people grumbling.”

Domino brightened.

“But they seemed scared stiff of the ringleaders — Mel, Granny, and Necrotica. From what I’ve overheard, even those who don’t like being pushed around are afraid of being hurt or of missing out on any payoff. So I don’t see us getting much help.”

“That’s not good.”

“I didn’t notice at first,” Seth confessed, “but they’ve set up camp near to one of our ghost traps. It may be just coincidence, but I overheard a scout reporting to Colonel Rafe as we came down from the Lake District that many of the circles had been disturbed.”

“That’s not good.”

Domino chewed her thumbnail for several minutes, weighing the information. Then she turned to Seth.

“We’re going to have to move tonight, while they won’t expect the Company. First, we need to get the prisoners out. Second, we need to find the scroll or, failing that”—she swallowed hard—“destroy it. Thirdly, we need to punish the Magical Folk.”

Seth nodded, so eager to serve that Domino felt like a bastard for what she was going to say.

“You are going to have to take care of freeing Rafe and Jord and then do what you can about the scroll.” Domino watched Seth gulp as she realized that the crucial tasks were up to her. “I will provide you with a distraction by riding in the main gate as it were.”

“Oh.” Seth slumped forward, the thatch of strawy bangs hiding her eyes. “I can do it, I think.”

“You must.” Domino refused to soften. “There is no one else who is so well suited. When we separate, I want you to take all the horses except Spite and leave them in a convenient spot. Once you have the men out and have dealt with the scroll, you are to get clear.”