David Gross: An Opportunity for Profit

"Slowly," said Belmer. "And quietly."

They moved along, trying to obey. Even Turbalt was uncharacteristically quiet. The shipless captain hadn't said a word since Anvil had saved him from his own cowardice.

Sharessa felt Belmer's hand upon her arm. It was cool and dry in the moist heat of the forest. His whisper was so quiet that she had to strain to hear it.

"Stay," he said. Then he was gone, and Sharessa waited until the sailor behind her came close before putting her hand on his arm and a whisper in his ear. He did the same, and so on down the line with one or two startled yelps. Then Belmer returned and led Sharessa to a new path in the darkness. They continued this way for more than an hour, stopping four more times, more quietly than before.

Finally, when Belmer returned from the darkness, they gathered close to talk again.

"Over the hills to the city, right?"

"Right," whispered one of the sailors.

"That's right," said Anvil. Though he had spent most of his adult life at sea, the big pirate had been born in Doegan.

"There's a river canyon in the way," pointed out Belmer. "About fifty yards north."

"Shouldn't be," said one of the sailors uncertainly. Sharessa imagined a withering stare from Belmer, but she couldn't even see the glimmer of his eyes in the darkness. The heavy canopy of trees obscured all the moonlight here.

"There was a footbridge, once," said Anvil. "I think."

"Right," sighed Belmer. "I don't suppose anyone remembers where that is."

"It was a long time ago," said Anvil. "I think it's farther inland, but I'm not sure." None of the sailors had anything to say.

"Good. It'll be an adventure." Belmer's voice was more sarcastic than Shar had ever heard it. Unlike the others, who seemed tense and frightened by the fiends, Belmer seemed increasingly annoyed.

"We'll move along the ravine's edge," he decided. "We'll travel inland and take the first crossing we can manage."

They formed their snaking line again and followed Belmer through the darkness.

Sharessa heard the water before they reached the canyon's edge. Judging by the sound, she guessed it was deep and wide. As they emerged from the darkness of the woods, she saw that where the river split the forest, moonlight shone down onto the water far below. The ravine was deeper than she had imagined. The moonlight slanted sixty feet or more before glancing off the river's face. On either side of the water were ragged cliffs. Some shadowy places on the far wall looked climbable, with ropes and pitons-in daylight. Even then the ascent would be dangerous, as the river's slow teeth gnawed at the earth to either side, undermining the ravine walls.

Sharessa crouched and gazed across the open space. The far shore was at least thirty yards away, probably more. It was hard to judge the distance across when the drop was so daunting. Thick tufts of grass and forest weeds jutted over the cliff's edge, each one poised like a suicidal lover, ready to plunge into the abyss. They wouldn't be crossing the river here.

They resumed their march. The moonlight emboldened them, and they quickened their pace. Still, every few minutes, Belmer would stop them with a raised hand, and they would all crouch and listen to the sounds of the forest. It was harder to make out any noise other than the river water. The ravine's walls were like cupped hands around a giant's mouth, magnifying even a gurgle to a roar.

When they had traveled for another hour, Sharessa dared to hope they had escaped their hidden tormentor. Maybe Ingrar had been right, and the creature couldn't leave the woods. Maybe they were safe out here in the moonlight. Sharessa made a silent prayer that it was so.

No sooner was the prayer conceived in her mind than she heard a splash behind and below her. One of the men behind her gave an urgent whisper. It came again, louder. Then she could make it out.

"Garni! He just jumped!" Sharessa didn't remember which sailor was Garni. She thought madly for a second that she should learn the names of the other sailors, as if that might ward them from danger.

Hurrying back toward the commotion, Sharessa saw the sailor's dark figure in the moonlight. He stood near the edge of the cliff, staring down at the water far below.

"I can't believe it. He just walked right over the edge. He had to have seen-"

Before Sharessa could open her mouth, spindly arms reached out from the inky blackness behind the sailor. As she drew her breath to shout, thin claws closed on the man's arms. "Look out!" she cried as those arms withdrew. Before she could close the distance, the echoes of his screams were already returning from the chasm behind her.

This time the sailors responded to the attack by crouching and falling silent-except for Turbalt. He crashed into the sailor in front of him, running away from where Gami and the other sailor-was his name Haj? — had vanished. Someone near Turbalt grabbed him and pulled him to the ground.

"Let me-" Turbalt's voice was smothered. Whoever grabbed him had the sense to put a hand over his mouth.

Sharessa spared a glance over the ravine's edge. Silver ribbons of light danced across the river, but there was nothing else to see. She snapped her attention back toward the forest. She could almost feel her pupils widening as she gazed into the gloom, but she saw nothing.

"It's gone. Go, go!" came Belmer's whisper from beside her. He moved past her, into the darkness. Sharessa obeyed him, taking the lead by herself.

She slipped quietly as a cat through the half-light of the forest's edge, careful to avoid the uncertain boundary of the ravine. She paused to listen for the sound of the others following. Satisfied that they were moving again, she increased her pace. This time she drew her slim cutlass from its scabbard.

No sooner did she have it before her than she heard a rustling in the trees beside her.

Sharessa threw herself down, rolling on her shoulder. Something heavy whipped past her head, and all the flesh on her neck contracted. She came up in a crouch, her sword before her. She could see nothing, but a faint smell of sulfur lingered in the air.

"It's here!" she cried in warning. But it was too late. The fiend was already among the men behind her.

An ululating scream pierced Sharessa's ears. It sounded completely inhuman, but Sharessa knew it had to be from another of the sailors. Blades flashed, and dark figures converged on the spot from whence the scream had come. Sharker and sailor alike were ready this time. Sharessa nearly ran into Anvil and Brindra where they stood with four of the sailors, forming their own circle back-to-back. Whatever had been there was now gone, and so was another crewman from the Morning Bird.

Farther back from the ravine, another man shouted in surprise. Ingrar's voice cried, "Here! It's here!"

"Follow me," said Sharessa, already running. She dashed toward Ingrar's voice, into the trees. She had almost reached him when she heard the boy's grunt of exertion, then a clunk of sword on wood.

"Where is it?" he raged. Among the vague silhouettes of tree branches, Sharessa saw Ingrar's black figure slashing blindly. She slowed lest she run into his hacking sword. Then she saw one of the branches unfold like the joints of an insect. It lashed down at Ingrar's head.

The boy screamed, clutching his face. "My eyes! My eyes!"

Sharessa stabbed at the attacking limb. Her sword struck nothing at first, then branches, then nothing again. Then her blade struck something tough and yielding. She struck again. Her sword hit hard, but the blade did not bite. A rough, dry claw gripped her wrist and held it fast.

A blast of foul breath struck Sharessa in the face. She struggled to free her arm, but the fiendish hand bound her fast as steel. It twisted her wrist so hard that she gasped and dropped the sword.