Mercedes Lackey - Magic's Price

Stef found the tack, and the configurations it had been twisted into made him tight with anger. He managed to get it all untangled, got Yfandes saddled and bridled, then she knelt and Van practically fell into her saddle.

:l'd ask you to put the supports on him,: she said after she stood up again, :- but-:

“I have a pretty good idea,” Stef answered her, wishing that the bandit Van had nearly impaled hadn't gotten away. “I'm nowhere near as innocent as Van still thinks I am. He'd just get thrown back to last night if he felt restraints.”

Vanyel had fallen into a half-stupor; shock, Stef guessed. And at this point, the last thing he wanted to do was rouse him.

“I can walk beside, and steady him in the saddle, if you don't go too fast,” he told the Companion.

:Good. Thank you.: She moved off a few steps. :How's that?:

“That will do.” He kept one hand in the small of Vanyel's back, holding his sword-belt, and one clutching the front of Van's saddle. Now, if Stefen tripped, he wouldn't fall and take Van with him. “Where are we going?” he asked, as she led him through the wreckage of the doorway and into the sunlight. Several trails of footprints led away from the place, and she looked around for a moment.

:Anywhere except where those lead,: she replied, finally :Other than that, I really don't know. . .:

:Perhaps, white sister,: said a strange, very dry voice, .you should determine a direction before setting out.:

The bushes directly ahead of them rustled, and something large- very large-stepped out from among them.

:Perhaps I can help,: the voice continued.

Stef groped after a knife, his eyes fixed on the creature, his heart right in his throat. This beast - whatever it was - looked something like a wolf, but was much bigger than any wolf Stef had ever heard of or seen. Its shoulder was as tall as his waist; it had a thin, rangy body with long legs, and a head with a very broad, rounded forehead, forward-facing eyes, and jaws -

Dear gods, that thing could bite my arm in half and never notice -

:I could, singer, but I won't.: The thing lolled out its tongue in a canine grin. :I see you recognize my Folk, white sister. Tell him:

:That's a kyree, Stef. A neuter, I think.: Yfandes bowed her head to the creature, and Stef relaxed marginally. :One with a very powerful Gift of Mindspeech, or you wouldn't be able to hear him . . . er, it.:

:Indeed, right on all counts.: The kyree padded elegantly across the snow toward them. :I am the FarRanger for the Hot Springs Clan. I felt the magic, and I came. We are like in power, white sister, and you know my kind. Can I give you a direction?:

:Do you know the Tayledras?: she asked. The kyree nodded. :We have a treaty with them, all Clans of the Folk.:

:This one is Wingbrother to k'Treva.: She tossed her head at her rider.

He raised his head and peered keenly at Vanyel :Then we are honor-bound to give you more than direction, we must give you aid and shelter. Though of my own will,: he added over his shoulder as he turned, :I would have done so anyway.: His lip lifted as he sniffed audibly. :The things here were a foul, uncleanly folk, and the world is well rid of them. In time, they might have been a danger to my Clan.:

Yfandes followed the kyree beneath the trees, where it turned northward. :I am Yfandes, this is Stefen, and my Chosen is Vanyel,: she said formally.

The kyree looked back over its shoulder for a moment. :I am Aroon,: he replied, just as formally :There is deep mind-hurt with the one you call your Chosen.:

Stef felt Yfandes' shoulder muscles relax a little. :Yes. Have you a MindHealer among your Clan?:

:I fear not,: Aroon replied, regretfully. :Yet the talents of the singer and yourself, and the safety of our caves may suffice. Do not count the prey escaped until it wings into the sky.:

“I think you should know, sir,” Stef said hesitantly, “That the men that were here served someone who is our enemy. He's killed a lot of people, and he's a very powerful mage.”

:Adept-class, easily: Yfandes interjected.

“I doubt very much that he'll be pleased with the way things have turned out. And he won't hesitate to kill you if you give us shelter and protection.” Stef took a deep breath, afraid this would mean the creature would change its mind, yet feeling better that he'd told the kyree about the dangers involved.

The dry voice warmed a great deal. :We have often been called insular, and isolationist,: Aroon replied. :And there is some truth to that. But if the one you speak of would indeed kill those of whom he knows nothing to achieve his vengeance on you, then he is our enemy as well, and you are well deserving of our protection. And as the Tayledras and the white sister will tell you, that is not inconsiderable, particularly for a Clan with a Winged One.:

Yfandes heaved a great sigh. :You have a shaman, then?:

:Indeed,: the kyree chuckled :Comparable to your Adept-class. And I doubt me that this enemy of yours has ever encountered the magic of the Folk. If he can even find you on this continent, I would be greatly surprised. So - tell me all that you know of him. Warned ahead is armed ahead.:

Yfandes touched Van's leg with her nose before answering :They called him Master Dark-:

Sunset saw them entering the mouth of the cave-complex that the kyree called home, in the foothills of the very mountains Vanyel had been aiming for. To Stefen's considerable amazement, the caves were not dark; they were lit by glowing balls of light of many colors - each one, so Aroon told them, representing the last life-energy of a kyree shaman, created before he, she, or it passed out of the world.

:The blue are those that were mages,: he told them, as he led them through a gathering crowd of curious kyree that had gotten word of their arrival. The kyree didn't press about them, or hinder them in any way, but Stef felt their eyes on him, alight with a lively curiosity. :The green,: Aroon continued, :those that were Healers. The yellow, those that were god-touched, and the red, those that had mostly Mind-magic.: The globes of softly glowing light showed Stef wonders he'd have been glad to stop and examine more closely, if he hadn't been so worried about Van. Stone icicles grew toward stone tree trunks; stone pillars flowed toward the ceiling on either hand. Stone curtains, as rippling and fluid as real fabric, cloaked off farther chambers-light from globes behind them showed that, and the light passing through them made Stef catch his breath in wonder at their beauty.

And it was warm down here, and getting warmer.

“What's making it so warm?” Stef asked, throwing his cloak back and taking off his scarf.

:The springs,: Aroon told him. :We have both hot and cold springs here. I shall ask you while you stay here that you light no fires - the smoke will be trapped, you see, and cause us difficulties. But do not fear the winter's cold, or that you must eat your food raw. There is one spring fully hot enough that you may cook meat in it. And as for the white sister, I think we can provide-:

:I'd worried about that,: she admitted.

:Tubers, grain that we shall Fetch from those humans greedy enough to deserve being robbed, and mushrooms that we grow ourselves.: He laughed silently :We are not wholly carnivores :