Sean Russell - The Shadow Roads

“Oh, I think you’ve paid dearly for your horses,” Alaan observed.

“Let’s hope the price will not be more than we can afford,”Fynnol answered quickly.

On the shoulder of the mountain, crows seemed to be the onlyanimals. A few were always near at hand, but many more could be seen at adistance, perched on the branches of stunted pines or dotting stacks oflichen-yellowed rocks.

Prince Michael had told Tam that his company had been attackedby an army of crows in the Stillwater, and he’d displayed the scars on his faceand hands to prove it. Tam looked over at Crow-heart sitting on his horse, staringout over the lands below. The horses all seemed to perk up their ears whenCrowheart was near, as though they listened for him to speak. He had a way withanimals, that was certain, speaking to them quietly, calming them with a touchof the hand. Tam only hoped that he had control of his crow army, for theirbills looked fearsome.

A dark bird lit on the branch of a fire bush. Tam caught themovement out of the corner of his eye and thought at first it was another crow.But the nearby crows all took to wing, crying out in alarm. And then Tam heard, whist, whist .

The little bird hissed loudly, but it didn’t seem to bescolding any of them, for it looked pointedly out over the distant lowlands.

Cynddl’s hand shot up. “There!”

Far below, by the small lake where they’d rested, a dozen riderstraversed the open meadow. Fynnol cursed, but Alaan sat impassively on hishorse, his eyes fixed on the riders.

“I feared as much,” he said grimly. “Hafydd has many spies.Some must have been watching the Fael encampment.” He stared for a moment more,then turned his horse but paused before pushing on. “They would catch up withus, now ,” he said looking over his shoulder. “There are greater dangersin these lands than Hafydd’s spies. Beyond this mountain is a wide valley thatwe must traverse. There is no way around it. I’d hoped to wait and crossit at first light, but we may be forced to travel by darkness now. Keep yourweapons to hand.” He spurred his horse and set off up the slope.

The whist leapt into the air, circling up, until it became ablack speck in the sky-a fragment of night lodged in the blue.

They hurried on, pressing their tired horses up the mountainsidewhere cliffs, broken and jagged, loomed over them. Tam glanced up from guidinghis horse over the uneven terrain. There was, no doubt, a way among these, orAlaan wouldn’t be leading them on, still he didn’t like their situation. Hetwisted a bit in his saddle, the leather creaking in complaint. The riders werejust disappearing into the trees below, having rounded the lake.

Tam felt a sudden familiar tightening in his stomach. Memoriesof the black guards pursuing them down the Wynnd, of the fight at the ford atWillowwand, of the night Baore was struck by an arrow beneath the north bridge.He pulled a drinking skin from his saddle to put a little moisture back in hismouth, suddenly dry as sand. And what was this Alaan was saying about thevalley beyond?

The base of the cliff was a jumble of broken rock, somepieces larger than barns. Alaan led them among these, never once having todouble back. Tam wondered if he’d been here before, or if this was his arcanesense that found paths where other men couldn’t. Alaan never said that hecreated paths but always that he “found” them. As though they were there allalong but hidden from others.

They were forced to dismount and lead their horses over afield of stone, but only Alaan’s sorrel and the dark bay Crow-heart rode wentalong willingly. Twice Crowheart turned and spoke to Fynnol’s horse when itbalked, and then the gelding followed docilely.

They picked their way among house-sized boulders, crowsgathering now in numbers on the tops and on ledges. The crying of the birds inthe hollow wind added a sense of urgency, andTam hurried on, feeling aprickling on the back of his neck, as though the men behind were gaining-withinarrow range.

Don’t be a fool , he told himself, they will takesome time to climb that hill, even if they don’t spare their horses, as we did,and go straight up .

He wondered who these men were. Certainly it was Alaan theywere following. Did they know he was a sorcerer? Surely they must. Did this notintimidate them at all, or had Hafydd taught them ways to deal with Alaan?

Of course Tam still had no idea of what these children ofWyrr were capable. Hafydd had revealed himself a little in the Stillwater, butAlaan was still a mystery. He could travel paths no one had ever seen intolands unknown. He was a formidable swordsman and far stronger than he appeared,Tam was sure. But could he match Hafydd’s control of fire? Or Elise’s apparentcommand of water? Tam hoped there was more to Alaan than he’d revealed so far.They would have need of all the arcane knowledge they could find to fightHafydd, he was sure of that.

Almost at the base of the cliff, Fynnol called out to Alaan,pointing up. There, silhouetted against a quickly clouding sky, stood a man. Tamblinked once, and when he opened his eyes, the man was gone. Alaan cursed, butwent on, offering no explanation.

Tam felt his anxiety increase dramatically. Who had thatbeen atop the cliff? Alaan did not seem pleased, whoever it was. Tam loosenedhis sword in its scabbard and pressed on, his eye flitting over the landscapeas though the very rocks threatened them.

Their efforts brought them to the foot of a narrow draw thatwound up through a deep cleft in the broken cliff. A game path clawed up the steepdraw, meandering from one side to the other, and Alaan urged his horse up this.

“Tam,” the traveler called, looking back once, his face disturbinglyapprehensive. “Give your horse to someone. Take a bow and follow behind. Weneed a rear guard.”

Tam took a bow and quiver and gave the reins of his horse toCrowheart, who was already leading his own mount and a pack-horse. Rabal made aquick string of his charges and set off after Alaan, Fynnol close behind.Cynddl took his own bow and quiver from his saddle and placed himself justahead of Tam, where he kept looking back warily. Tam could see sweat on thestory finder’s brow, his gray hair plastered tight to his forehead.

“If you see any movement, Tam, I have my bow ready.”

“I’m just as worried about men ahead of us, or overhead,”Tam said, glancing up. “Certainly the riders who follow are two hours behindus.”

“I don’t think so,” the story finder said, puffing as theyclimbed. “Alaan made sure that we traversed back and forth across the face ofthe hill, saving our mounts, but these men saw us and will come straight on.Their horses will be tired, and perhaps they will be too, after they’ve ledmuch of the way on foot, but they are likely not far behind now.”

“Then hurry on, Cynddl,” Tam said, “I’ve seen enough ofHafydd’s guards to last me a lifetime.”

Tam glanced up, wondering, unable to suppress a feeling thatrocks or arrows would come raining down on them at any moment.

Before they reached the crest the first man appeared behind.He was horseless and carrying a bared blade that glittered in the sun. Tamcalled to Cynddl and heard the word pass up the line to Alaan. They pressed onmore quickly, all of them gasping for breath now, unable to speak. Tamstumbled, trying to look back and forward at the same time. He bloodied hisknee, but pulled himself up and hobbled on.

Another man appeared below, a bow in his hand. Above him Tamcould hear the panting horses, hooves clattering over frost-shattered stone.

Another archer appeared and let an arrow fly.

“They’re shooting at us!” Tam called up, watching the higharc of the arrow. It plummeted down toward them but well wide, having beencaught by a breeze above the walls of the draw.