silently, whispering prayers to the Lady Felakia.
When the attack came, Safar had no idea how much force Iraj could muster. The only thing he was sure of was that it would be entirely magical. Coralean had no reason to lie when he'd said that Iraj's army was two days distant. Safar guessed it was even farther away than that-the terrain they had to cover was all treacherous mountains. Also, if there'd been an army behind him, the massacre of Kyrania would already be over. No, tonight would be a night of horrors meant to intimidate the villagers. To soften them up for his army.
To help in his work Iraj had three of the most cunning creatures in the history of Esmir. Two had been demons in their previous forms and therefor magical by birth, although Prince Luka was nowhere near as powerful as Lord Fari, who had been chief wizard to several generations of demon kings. Iraj's other ally was the human spymaster Kalasariz, who had no natural magical powers but was so ruthless and clever he hadn't needed them. The three had preyed on Iraj's many weaknesses, promising him even greater powers then being the
Safar poured a silvery liquid into the pot, whispered a chant until the mixture began to bubble, then set it aside for his next task. He slipped five heavy-headed war arrows from a bundle and dipped them into the liquid one by one.
The defensive spell he was concocting was much weaker than he'd like, but he had no choice. With over a thousand people to protect he was going to be spread very thin. A more powerful spell-a spell capable of doing any real harm to Iraj but still safeguarding the villagers-would be impossible to maintain.
His preparations done, Safar opened his wizard's pouch and lifted an amulet out by its leather thong. It was made of some rare black stone that had been carved into the shape of a wondrous horse. The amulet had once belonged to Iraj-a gift from Coralean for saving his life. Safar had received the silver witch's dagger at the same time and for the same reason.
He remembered the moment as if it were yesterday, instead of nearly twenty years before. Safar and Iraj had been mere lads then. Even so, they'd first warned and then rescued Coralean and his caravan from a marauding army of demon bandits who'd broken out of the Forbidden Desert.
The gifting had come at a meeting of the Council of Elders and both boys had been bursting with pride as Coralean praised them.
Safar slipped back in time, remembering…
'But, alas, no one who owns such a creature would ever agree to part with it. Even if it is a colt its lines will be so pure, its spirit so fierce, that the man it belongs to would be blind not to see what a fine animal it will become.' He handed the horse amulet to Iraj. 'If you give this magical ornament to that man he will not be able to refuse you the trade. But do not fear that you will be cheating him. For he only has to find another dream horse and the man who owns it will be compelled to make the same bargain when he gives him the amulet.'
A great chorus of howls, louder than before, broke through Safar's reverie and he jolted back to the present. He checked the arrow tips, but the potion smeared on them was still damp. A few more minutes and he'd be ready.
Safar glanced down at the amulet. Iraj had never found that horse. He remembered that Iraj had cursed Safar for that failing, as if he were to blame. Then he'd hurled it into Safar's face, demanding that he take it in payment for Nerisa. At that moment the war between them had begun.
'Ah, well,' Safar said to himself, taking comfort from the sound of his own sighing whisper. 'Ah, well.'
He tested the arrows again. They were ready.
Safar gathered them up, along with a sturdy bow, and slipped from the tent to confront the night.
Leiria gritted her teeth as the next chorus of howling began. It was a sound that first pierced the ears, then jabbed the brain with hot spear points. All around her the villagers crouched down in misery. Some wept and covered their heads to drown out the sound, while others held their heads high in stoic defiance.
Palimak stirred beside her. She'd promised Safar that she'd guard the child until the danger had passed.
'If I were bigger,' he said, 'I could magic their howls right out of their throats.' He lifted up both hands, cupping them into paws like a cat's. Needle point claws emerged from his fingertips. 'I'd do like this…'
and he slashed the air with his claws … 'and cut those howls right out!'
Not for the first time, Leiria felt a shiver when confronted with the demon side of the child's nature. Claws and glowing eyes are damned hard to get used to! She wondered, also not for the first time, if she would've been able to adopt the child as her own as Nerisa had done. The thought of Nerisa made her feel momentary resentment. The woman had remained her rival even beyond the grave. Then she remembered her resolve and smiled at the lapse. She and Safar were friends, not lovers. So there was nothing to resent.
Then the howling stopped. The silence came so abruptly it was like falling off a cliff into nothingness.
Leiria tensed for danger, one arm going around Palimak.
'Look, Aunt Leiria,' the child said, 'there's my father!'
Her eyes swept left and she saw Safar walking from the small shelter to the raised platform in the center of the field. People called out to him as he passed and he had a quick smile and word of reassurance for each of them, but he never paused, always moving easily and quickly along towards his goal. Leiria remembered when he'd done the same at Iraj's great court in Zanzair, giving cheer to his followers while hurrying to an appointment with the king. Except then he'd been moving through a dazzling royal chamber instead of a makeshift campground full of frightened peasants and their flocks.
Palimak struggled to get up. 'I'd better go help him,' he said.
Leiria gently pulled him back, saying, 'Your father said you had to stay with me.'
Palimak frowned. 'Well, maybe he did,' he admitted. 'But I still think I ought to help. This is going to be a really, really hard spell. Maybe harder than he thought. I can feel it all the way over here.'
His voice was mild, but Leiria could tell he was worried and a little angry with her for holding him back.
His eyes were beginning to glow yellow and his little pointy claws were emerging unbidden.
'But if you disobey your father,' Leiria said, 'you might spoil his spell. I mean, what if he's so worried about you that he can't concentrate? Then what'll happen?'
Palimak sighed dramatically and slumped down. 'I suppose you're right,' he said. Then he brightened.
'But we can be his … his … reserves, right?' he said. 'Like they do in the army?'
Leiria chuckled. 'That's exactly right,' she said. She patted her sword. 'We'll be his brave and loyal reserves. I'll provide the steel.' She nodded at the stone turtle clutched in his hand. 'And you can provide the magic.'
Palimak chortled. He lifted up the little idol. 'Did you hear that, Gundara? We get to be reserves. You too, Gundaree. Won't that be fun?'
There was no answer, at least any Leiria could make out. But Palimak seemed satisfied so the two little Favorites must have heard. She looked up and saw Safar mounting the platform, waving to the crowd, while at the same time directing some men who were quickly encircling the platform with a pile of wood.
That circle was the center of a great four-pointed star also made of wood. Many barrels of oil, magically enhanced by Safar, had been poured on the wood, as well as on the mounds of additional wood scattered strategically about the field.
It would be a strange kind of fight, Leiria thought. Logs and bundles of brush instead of spears and swords. Like Palimak, she wished she could join Safar. Perhaps even more so. Finer feelings aside, Leiria had been Safar's personal bodyguard for many years. She'd turned away assassins' knives in the dark and had even charged into battle with him to protect his back.
