Heritage Of The Xandim

22

NIGHT IN THE FOREST

The weather had improved at last. Since leaving Nexis the previous day, Iriana and her companions had been riding across rolling green downs beneath a blue sky streaked with high, racing clouds. Though it was summer, the air up here was cool and fresh, tingling against Iriana’s skin. Now they were approaching the forest, and once again, Iriana was looking at the world from the perspective of Boreas the eagle. From such a height, the immensity of the wildwood was grimly apparent. ‘I can’t believe it,’ she gasped. ‘It goes on for ever.’

Esmon shrugged. ‘Not quite. At a steady pace, it should take us about ten days or so to reach the other side.’

Iriana, far from being daunted by the endless miles of forbidding forest in front of them, was looking forward to the adventure. It might help her forget that dreadful night in Nexis. Now that she had put a goodly distance between herself and Challan’s new family, she was finally beginning to shake off a little of the bitter rage that had clouded her spirits since that pointless and humiliating meeting with her foster father, but she didn’t feel any better about it. Oh, how she wished she had ignored him as he deserved, and had never gone to see him! The thought of him sleeping with that human slave and fathering that nasty, poison-tongued half-breed made her physically sick.

Now, however, she could see a little more clearly, with her vision less clouded by anger. As she rode, Iriana thought back to the events of that night. Though she was forced reluctantly to admit that her own behaviour, fuelled by fury, had been less than exemplary, the conduct of Challan and his woman and daughter had driven her to such extremes. It was not so much the fact that he had abandoned his true family so heartlessly, or the fact that he had run off with a mortal slave and had bred a half-human offspring. It was both of those things together - added to the fact that he had seen fit to humiliate his original family by throwing his unnatural liaisons in everyone’s face. Everyone knew that some Wizards - not all of them male - liked to pleasure themselves with humans, and the resulting hybrids did appear from time to time. But unlike the Phaerie, Wizard-human relationships were not acceptable within their society, and most Wizards had the decency to be discreet about their foibles, not move into a house with them and parade them as if they were a proper lifemate, for the whole world to see. And as for Chiannala, Challan’s abomination of a daughter - apparently she had the temerity to think herself every bit as good as Yinze, the full-blooded child who had been deserted in her favour, and she could only have learned that attitude from her father.

How could Challan have put Zybina and Yinze in such an embarrassing position? Had he never loved them at all? As for herself, perhaps she had less right to such consideration - but all these years, she had lived with the misery and guilt of believing that he’d abandoned his family because of her. Now that she had discovered the truth, all the pain that had been festering within her for so long had come spewing out. It was too soon for her to feel relieved and grateful that she had not been the cause of such misery. She just felt sickened and stupid, and furious that she had wasted so many years in blaming herself. And how could she ever tell Zybina the truth? It would break her heart.

All these thoughts, however, had been churning in her mind for the last two nights and the day in between, and Iriana told herself firmly that it was finally time to stop. Challan had ruined enough of her life - she wouldn’t let him spoil any more of her first real adventure. With the border of the trees coming closer, she switched back again to the bird’s-eye perspective of the forest. It wasn’t exactly easy. While she stood still, it was a simple matter to keep her mind focused on the eagle’s viewpoint, but from the back of a moving horse, the experience was disconcerting in the extreme. She would only have dared try it on this particular horse. She had had Dailika since she was a youngster, and had trained her patiently for years to carry her rider smoothly and steadily at ground level while Iriana’s mind was in the skies.

Seen from above, the vast tract of woodland spread like a dark cloak from horizon to horizon. The mountains that marked its northern boundary were so distant that they were nothing more than a smudge on the skyline. Directly below the bird, less than half a mile from the southernmost edge of the forest, the horses cantered steadily along a windswept ridge. They had left the logging road from Nexis the previous day in favour of a different, older trail, located further to the east, which wound its way through the wildwood to the Phaerie city. Iriana was glad about that. The constant stream of human slaves that passed to and fro along the Nexis road, and the mundane work that was being done, would have made this part of the journey much less of an adventure. Besides, the extensive felling operations had left ugly scars on the face of the land, and she didn’t want to see any more of the churned ground and the pitiful stumps of the devastated woodland.

From her lofty perspective, Iriana watched with fascination as the little mounted figure that was herself drew ever closer to the border of the woods, and finally disappeared among the trees. As soon as she entered the forest, Iriana left the viewpoint of Boreas and began to alternate her vision between the cat and the horse instead. As the trees closed round the riders, she regretted losing the sense of freedom that she always experienced looking out through the eagle’s eyes. He was still far above her, she knew; though she could no longer see him, he was linked to her by their unique bond. How she envied him the freedom of the skies . . .

‘You seem far away.’ Avithan’s voice interrupted her reverie.

‘I was.’ Iriana grinned at him. ‘Literally. I’ve just been looking down from the skies with Boreas.’

‘That must have been quite an experience,’ Esmon said, ‘but now that we’ve entered the trees, you’d better pay more attention to your immediate surroundings. There are any number of dangerous wild animals here in the forest: bear, puma, lynx and moose, to name but a few—’

‘Moose?’ Iriana interrupted. ‘But surely they’re herbivores?’

‘That’s as may be,’ Esmon replied, ‘but truly, they are one of the most dangerous creatures in the forest. They’re big, evil-tempered and their hooves are sharp as razors. They would disembowel you before you could even blink. Also, there are wolves and wildcats, which are less dangerous to us but might kill your animal companions.’ He shifted in his saddle and frowned. ‘There are worrying rumours that the occasional monster penetrates Hellorin’s wards and escapes over the border into our part of the forest. Unicorn, gryphon, basilisk and wyvern are all supposed to have been sighted at various times—’

‘But I thought they were extinct,’ Avithan protested. ‘They were wiped out years ago, surely?’

‘The wildwood here is big enough to hide anything,’ Esmon told him. ‘And it’s rumoured that the Forest Lord deliberately let a few of them survive and breed here, to guard the approaches to his realm. So let’s just behave as if it’s true, all right? That way, there will be less opportunity for unpleasant surprises. Besides, we know that there are plenty of other animals here, and a bear that’s ten feet high when standing on its hind legs is quite enough threat for us to handle. We must be on our guard. Now that we’re among the trees and visibility is so limited in all directions, you’ll need to rely on your other senses more - particularly hearing and smell. You should have the advantage over the rest of us there, Iriana.’

‘But we don’t know what these creatures smell like,’ Avithan pointed out.

Esmon smiled at him. ‘Good point. Well, a bear is probably easiest to describe. They smell something like wet dog . . .’

As they rode, Esmon taught them what he knew about forest survival - and he knew a great deal. Iriana reflected on how lucky they were to have him with them. He might be the high-ranking Head of a Luen, but he was refreshingly free of airs and graces, and was, in fact, the most down to earth of the three of them. He was a highly interesting, informative and useful companion who was more than happy to tell them everything they wanted to know - and more besides - about self-defence and survival in the wilderness. He was also excellent company, with a fund of amusing stories and bawdy songs. Best of all for Iriana, Esmon treated her blindness as nothing more than part of her life, never tiptoeing round the subject in embarrassment or pity, as so many of the Wizards in Tyrineld did.

The seldom-used forest road was little more than a primitive trail that wound between the trees, penetrating deeper and deeper into the dark, dim green of the wildwood. Since Esmon had warned her to pay attention to her surroundings, Iriana, switching between the eyes of Melik and her horse, had begun to notice that the forest was far more populated than it had first appeared. The liquid fall of birdsong was all around them, with small winged shapes flitting from bough to bough and darting between the trees. Squirrels whisked up tree trunks and sat on branches, chattering indignantly down at the travellers from their safe vantage. Rustles in the undergrowth betrayed the presence of rabbits and their nemesis, the fox, while deer fled on slender legs from clearings at the approach of the riders, their short tails lifted to show white flashes of startlement and warning. It was ironic, Iriana thought, that she was probably seeing more through the eyes of her animal companions than she would have through normal human eyes. With Dailika’s vision giving her a panoramic view of her surroundings, and the keen eyes of the hunting cat, designed to catch the slightest flicker of movement in the undergrowth, she was able to detect the small, secretive creatures that she might otherwise have missed.

As afternoon wore on into evening and the shadows lengthened between the trees, Esmon decided that it was time to make camp for the night. Iriana felt a thrill of excitement. It would be the first time she had ever slept out in the open, in a tent. While they had crossed the realm of the Wizards there had always been somewhere for them to stay: inns, a farm, the sister of one of Esmon’s Warriors. Now that they had entered the wildwood, however, such vestiges of civilisation no longer existed. The trail followed the course of a narrow, fast-flowing river, and they found a clearing set well back from the road but close to the water’s edge. It felt good to dismount and stretch their legs after all the hours of riding, and as they began to set up camp, they found themselves falling naturally into a division of labour that would soon become routine.

Esmon cleared a space in the centre of the campsite, brushing away twigs, leaf litter and other debris from the area. Then he built a fireplace using stones from the riverbed. This first night, there would be no cooking, for they had plenty of supplies, including meat for Iriana’s animals and grain for the horses, which they had bought from the farmer’s wife with whom they had stayed the night before. The fire would be for light and safety rather than cooking, though they did want to boil some water to make taillin.

To Iriana’s surprise, the warrior turned down her offer to use Fire magic to light the campfire. ‘Thanks, but no,’ he said. ‘You’re supposed to be keeping those abilities secret, remember?’

‘But we’re in the middle of the forest,’ Iriana protested. ‘There can’t be anyone around for miles.’

Esmon looked at her with raised eyebrows. ‘You know that for sure, do you?’

‘As a matter of fact, I do. If anyone were around here trying to spy on us, the animals would have let me know by now.’

‘Nevertheless, it’s better safe than sorry,’ Esmon told her. ‘Much as I’d like to use your powers, Iriana, we should avoid it if possible.’ He grinned. ‘Though when it’s pouring with rain, ask me again. But the Phaerie can go a long way on those flying horses of theirs, and we know the Hunt has been trespassing in our part of the woods. If we start developing slipshod habits we’ll give ourselves away sooner or later, so let’s save your magic for emergencies, shall we? Besides, it will only take me a couple of minutes to do this. I’ve been lighting campfires for years.’

Kneeling before the fireplace, he assembled the materials he needed: moss and dead leaves for tinder, twigs, then small branches and finally the bigger boughs close to hand. In no time he had a cheerful blaze going, and his two younger compatriots found it difficult to resist settling down close to the source of light and warmth to rest bones that were weary from a long day on the trail.

There were still plenty of chores to be completed, however. As well as foraging for more firewood, Avithan went to fill up the water bags. Iriana, who was alternating between the eyesight of Melik, whom she had lifted up onto Dailika’s back, of Boreas, who had flown down and perched on a branch above her, and of the horses themselves, saw to the comfort of their mounts - brushing and feeding them, and unloading their packs, which Esmon carried to the fire.

Once these tasks had been completed, they pitched their small, lightweight tents made of the silken moonmoth fabric, while there was still light to see. Esmon got supper ready and set water to boil for taillin, while Avithan helped Iriana to feed her animals, including the owl, who was now out of her basket and perched on a low bough, fluffing her feathers as she prepared for the night. Then, their work finally done, the three Wizards sat down around the fire. The heat was very welcome, for the weather was growing colder by the day as they progressed towards the northern mountains.

‘There’ll likely be a frost tonight,’ Esmon warned them. A shiver went through Iriana at the thought, but she stiffened her spine. She was finally having the adventure she had longed for all her life, and hardships were an important part of that experience.

They ate a meal of bread, cheese, hard-boiled duck eggs and some wonderful pasties that had been freshly baked early that morning by their former hostess the farmer’s wife who, like her soulmate, had been born in Tyrineld. They had wanted a different life and, like the other farmers in the northern regions, had settled in the rough frontier country, using their Earth magic to nurture livestock and grow crops. She was truly adept at kitchen magic, Iriana decided. It wasn’t only the appetite worked up on a long day’s ride that made the supper so delicious.

As the travellers ate, they chatted inconsequentially about this and that, sipping their hot taillin and relaxing after a long day in the saddle. Iriana knew she would never forget that night: the sharp tang of woodsmoke; the rustle of the wind in the leaves and the crackle of the fire; the crowding of shadows beyond the light of the flames; the upward drifts of sparks as the burning wood collapsed in the fireplace; the flicker of flame and the play of firelight on faces; Melik’s blue eyes as he purred in the warmth. Everything around her combined into a moment of pure enchantment.

After a time, their talk drifted down into a thoughtful silence, and Esmon said, ‘Let’s clear up, then we’ll get some sleep and make an early start in the morning. Now, because of the dangers in the forest - not only from wild animals but also feral slaves, who’ve been known to creep into camps and murder people for their food and equipment - we’d better set watches tonight. Iriana, you take the first turn—’

‘But surely—’ It was out of Avithan’s mouth before he could stop himself.

‘Yes?’ Though she spoke quietly, Iriana’s voice was a whetted blade. ‘Were you about to say I can’t keep watch because I’m blind?’

‘I didn’t mean—’

‘Then what, exactly, did you mean? Are you saying that just because I can’t see in the normal way, I’m no use for anything? Because that’s how it sounds to me. You’re always hovering, always watching, waiting for me to make mistakes—’

‘Iriana, I’m just trying to take care of you—’

Even though she could not use them in the normal way, Iriana’s eyes were blazing. ‘Who in all Creation appointed you my keeper?’

Esmon intervened, heading off the quarrel. ‘As a matter of fact, Avithan, Iriana may be best equipped of all of us for keeping watch at night, because she can use the senses of her animals, which are far more acute than ours would be in the dark. Pay close attention to all your creatures, Iriana, not just the one currently helping you to see. The owl will spot anything moving around the encampment in the dark long before the rest of us, and the horses will soon warn you if there’s anything dangerous around.’

He took a deep breath and looked at Avithan and Iriana. ‘Now listen carefully, both of you. You’re on watch tonight. That means you are responsible for the safety of the camp, yourself and your companions. You’re not in the city any more - it’s dangerous out here. It’s time to grow up, the pair of you, and forget about squabbling. If you see or hear anything - anything - suspicious, wake the others at once. It doesn’t matter if it turns out to be a mistake. Never, ever try to deal with trouble on your own. If you lose, the rest of us will have no warning. I would rather have an interrupted sleep than be attacked in my bed by a bear or a slave because some idiot has tried to play the hero. Always, if you’re on guard, your first responsibility is to wake the others. Do you understand?’

‘Yes, Esmon,’ they chorused.

The Warrior got to his feet. ‘Right. Avithan, go to bed - oh, and just before you go, there’s one more thing. When you’re on guard, don’t sit facing the fire. Put your back to it and look out into the woods. If your eyes are used to the firelight, you won’t see anything in the darkness. Remember to get up and move around from time to time. It’ll give you a fresh perspective and help keep you awake.’

He turned to Iriana. ‘Iriana, wake me in three hours. You know how to set up a charm to sense the passing of time . . . And don’t, on any account, let that cat go wandering off, even though you may be tempted to send him out to scout. Remember, here in the forest, he’ll be prey for all sorts of wild creatures, and we certainly don’t want him attracting any bears to our campsite.’

Startled, Iriana put a protective hand out to Melik. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll keep him close.’

They all said their goodnights, then Avithan went to bed, though Iriana could plainly see that he was reluctant. She wished that she could somehow explain to him, and make things right between them, but how could someone who had enjoyed the privileges of sight all his life ever be made to understand just how important it was to her not to feel she was a burden on their group?

Esmon, who had lingered, squatted down beside her and spoke softly, so that only the two of them could hear. ‘Iriana, I meant what I said about raising the alarm if you see or hear anything suspicious. I know you want to show Avithan that you can manage every bit as well as those of us with ordinary vision - I would feel the same myself, were I in your position - but he’ll learn that as time goes on. Don’t risk all our lives to prove a point. Only an idiot would do that.’

Iriana felt her face burning with embarrassment at having been so easily found out. How had Esmon known what was on her mind?

The warrior gave her a wry grin. ‘I thought as much,’ he said. ‘It’s just exactly what I would want to do.’ Then the smile vanished abruptly. ‘Just don’t, that’s all.’

With that, he scrambled to his feet and ducked into his tent, leaving Iriana in charge of the camp. Within each of their shelters, the Wizard could see a soft glow as her companions kindled a ball of magelight to light their way to bed. After a short while, the lights went out: Esmon’s first, followed by Avithan’s a little later. Iriana was alone on watch, thrilled that Esmon had believed her capable of handling such responsibility, and enjoying every moment of her solitary vigil. She looked around the campsite, switching between the eyes of Melik and the horses, then sent Seyka to glide into the surrounding forest on silent wings, circling the area around the clearing and scrutinising anything that moved.

Though she’d had a long day’s ride, Iriana had no trouble staying awake. She was far too aware that the safety of the camp depended on her, too excited at the novelty of it all - and too determined to show Avithan that she could keep watch every bit as well as he could. With great firmness, she had expunged all encroaching thoughts of Challan from her mind. She had vowed that she wasn’t going to think of him any more, and with so much else to distract her, she seemed to be succeeding. It wasn’t so easy, however, to get Avithan out of her thoughts. She just couldn’t shake off the irritation she had felt when he’d protested against her keeping watch. She knew he liked her - as, for that matter, she liked him. But somehow she just couldn’t seem to make him believe that she could take care of herself, and until he understood that he didn’t have to protect her all the time, she wouldn’t let him come any closer to her. She wanted a partnership of equals when - and if - she finally chose a soulmate, and her pride wouldn’t let her settle for anything less.

Iriana shrugged. Well, she would show him - and the best way to achieve that would be to give all her concentration to what she was supposed to be doing. Subsequently, she passed the time switching from the eyes of one of her animals to the next, utilising all the various differences in their vision to keep a careful watch, and she spent a good long while sharing the sights of the moonlit forest as Seyka flew her patrol. Using the senses of the owl and the cat, she soon found that she could put together a very accurate picture of all the living creatures in the surrounding area.

Sure enough, there was a family of bears in the vicinity, and Iriana’s heart beat faster when Seyka spotted the mother and two young cubs. She was just about to wake Esmon when she realised that the owl had flown a wider loop this time, and the bears were almost a mile away. Furthermore, Melik’s more advanced sense of smell could detect the wet-dog odour of the bear very clearly, and she perceived that the encampment was well downwind of the mother and cubs, so there was little risk that the Wizards would be discovered. Nevertheless, Iriana used the owl to keep a close eye on the bears until they had wandered far away in the opposite direction, leaving her very pleased with herself that she had discovered the potential threat. Avithan or Esmon would never even have known that any dangerous predators had been close by!

Sadly, she realised that she couldn’t tell them. No one who saw in the normal way seemed to be able to understand her unique link with her birds and animals. Esmon would be angry that she hadn’t awakened him, and probably wouldn’t trust her to keep watch again, and Avithan would agree with him. Iriana ground her teeth in frustration. She would just have to find another way to prove herself to Avithan - and one way or another, she meant to do just that.

The object of her thoughts couldn’t sleep. For one thing, this was the first night they had camped out on their journey, and Avithan wasn’t used to a tent. His feet were frozen, and he was sure that the others must have saved all the lumps and bumps in the clearing, and put them under his blankets. What was worse, he felt very insecure with only the thinnest of fabrics between himself and the manifold dangers of the forest. The discomfort wasn’t really the problem, however. It would not have mattered if he had been staying in the most expensive and luxurious inn in Tyrineld, with a feather bed to sleep on, while Iriana was on his mind. He was vexed and baffled by her behaviour. Why did she have to be so antagonistic? All he wanted to do was take care of her. Was that so bad? Did she really find him so unattractive that she just kept shutting him out, in the hope that one day he would take the hint and leave her alone?

After an hour or so of squirming around on his uncomfortable bed, it occurred to him that a different perspective might help. Esmon had plenty of experience with women - there always seemed to be a cluster of admiring females hanging around him when he was at home in Tyrineld. Maybe he would have an answer? Avithan hesitated for a while, reluctant to bring an outsider into his private business - as the son of the Archwizard, he had learned the hard way that there were very few people in whom he could safely confide. Also, if Iriana ever found out that he had been discussing her with Esmon behind her back, she would never forgive him. Eventually, however, his need for understanding overcame his scruples. He addressed the other man in mindspeech, shielding his thoughts very carefully so that Iriana should not overhear. ‘Esmon? Are you awake?’

‘I am now,’ the warrior replied, with a touch of irritation. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘I wanted to talk to you about Iriana.’

Esmon sighed. ‘When you’re trading night watches, the idea is to GO TO SLEEP when it’s not your watch. Otherwise, when it is your turn on guard, you won’t be able to stay awake. And, unless it’s an emergency, you do not wake your comrades - who ought to be getting their sleep. Is that clear?’

‘I’m sorry,’ Avithan said. ‘But—’

‘Oh, all right. Tell me what the problem is, then with a bit of luck we can all get some rest.’

‘Well, you’ve seen the way Iriana acts towards me? What makes her so angry with me, Esmon? I only want to take care of her. Why is she always pushing me away when I’m trying to help her?’

Esmon thought for a moment before he started to speak. He had a feeling that this matter, trivial as it first appeared, would have far-reaching consequences, and he had learned long ago to trust his instincts. ‘Put yourself in Iriana’s position,’ he said at last. ‘All her life she’s had well-meaning people - especially Zybina and your parents - trying to protect her, when all the time she wanted to be independent and do things for herself. How would you have felt, growing up with such restrictions?’

Suddenly the Warrior began to mimic the overanxious tones which, when Avithan came to think about it, his parents and Zybina had always used around Iriana. ‘Don’t climb that tree, Iriana, you might fall. No, you can’t learn to swim, you might drown. Don’t run, dear - you might trip over something. Be sure and wrap up warm, we don’t want you catching cold. Here, let me get it for you, let me take you there, hold my hand so you don’t get lost. Let me cut your food up, let me help you with those buttons. You can’t go travelling, it would be too much for you to manage, and far too dangerous besides . . .’ His voice went back to normal. ‘Is any of this sounding familiar?’

‘Oh.’ Avithan’s own thoughts from earlier that evening echoed in his mind: She can’t take a watch - it isn’t safe. How often had he been guilty of doing exactly what his parents and Iriana’s foster-mother had done?

‘Like any child growing up,’ Esmon went on, ‘Iriana wanted to make her own decisions, and learn how to do things for herself, and because of her amazing affinity with her animals, she’s made a truly remarkable job of doing exactly that. But she just can’t win. No matter how much she accomplishes, well-meaning people still want to do things for her, to protect her from taking any chances - and without a little risk now and again, it’s impossible to achieve anything useful or exciting in life. With this overprotectiveness, they are denying Iriana her precious, hard-won independence and, at the same time, they are robbing her of her self-respect and undermining her confidence by implying that she’s not good enough to manage on her own. And the tragedy is, they’re only trying to help. Is it any wonder that she gets frustrated and annoyed?’

Avithan thought of all the times he’d acted just as Esmon had described. ‘I’ve known her all her life, and it never once occurred to me—’

‘That’s the problem,’ the Warrior told him. ‘Most people have independence as a matter of course, so they don’t think anything of it, and don’t attach the same value to it, because they don’t have to fight tooth and nail, every hour of every day, to preserve it. It would be much easier for the Irianas of this world - and when you look around, there are plenty of them - just to lie back and let other people do everything for them. Why do they fight so determinedly to do things the hard way? It’s to preserve their self-respect. Without that, they might as well be dead.’

Avithan, dismayed and ashamed, rubbed a hand across his face. He couldn’t say anything just yet. Esmon had given him too much to think about.

‘Think about it in the morning,’ the Warrior advised him, ‘but right now, get some sleep. You still have a watch to stand tonight.’

Oblivious to what was going on in the tents, Iriana continued her watch, using Seyka to keep an eye on the retreating bears. When the female and her offspring had gone far upriver, there seemed to be nothing left to worry about - but something was puzzling her.

Melik was acting strangely. Usually, her bond with the cat was so close that he would look in whatever direction she wished, but tonight she found that wherever she pointed him, his gaze was soon dragged back to the same place: a tall chestnut tree directly across the clearing from the tents. Several times, Iriana sent Seyka to investigate the area, but the owl found nothing out of the ordinary.

Iriana fought a hard inner battle with herself. She writhed at the thought of waking Esmon over such a stupid thing. She kept sending her owl to check the tree and its surrounding area, and clearly, there was nothing there. Nevertheless, she could not shake off the uneasy sensation of being watched, and a growing feeling, like ice sheeting across her bones, that some dreadful evil lurked close at hand.

Much as she resented looking like a fool, Esmon’s words came back to her: ‘If you see or hear anything - anything - suspicious, wake the others at once.’

Reluctantly, Iriana decided to rouse the Warrior. He had the experience to decide whether the unease of the cat and its owner was a sensible warning or a foolish fancy.

Using mindspeech to conceal from the intruder - if intruder there was - that she knew of its presence, she called the Warrior. Instantly he was wide awake and reaching for his staff. ‘Wait,’ she said, forestalling him just in time from hurtling out of the tent. ‘Stay there, Esmon.’

‘What’s wrong?’ Esmon was using the same mode of silent communication.

‘I’m not sure,’ Iriana admitted, embarrassment warming her face. Quickly she told the Warrior Wizard about Melik’s suspicious reaction, and her own uneasy feelings.

‘I’m coming.’ Esmon crawled out of his tent, yawned and stretched in a casual manner - though Iriana noticed his eyes darting around as he did so - and sauntered over to the fire to sit beside her. ‘Couldn’t sleep,’ he said aloud. ‘Thought I’d keep you company for a while.’ In mindspeech he added: ‘I can’t find the source, but you’re right. There’s danger near. We’ll watch and wait for a while.’

Dhagon crept through the undergrowth on soft and silent feet, guided by a drifting tendril of sharp-scented woodsmoke. His prey could not be far away now. Where most hunters would be experiencing fast-beating hearts and the tension and excitement of anticipation, this killer maintained his icy calm. His lips tightened in a cold, cruel smile as he thought of the oblivious Wizards up ahead. They were about to learn the hard way not to interfere in Phaerie concerns.

As usual, Dhagon was travelling alone. Though he had trained an efficient pack of spies and assassins in Hellorin’s service, he had not brought any of them with him. For one thing, he preferred to work alone; for another, this matter was far too delicate to trust to anyone else. Only he and Tiolani knew where he was and what he planned to do, and it was vitally important that he gain her trust by succeeding in this mission. Though he was acting on her instructions, however, he had his own objectives to fulfil.

He felt no particular loyalty towards his new ruler, and he certainly did not trust her. Long ago he had sworn an oath of allegiance to Hellorin, and though he was incapacitated at present, Dhagon had never given up hope of seeing him restored to health and power. He knew perfectly well that the healers should have effected a cure, or at least some considerable improvement in the Forest Lord’s condition by now, and he recognised the stench of treachery when he smelled it. He had tried many times to reach his Lord, but the sickroom was so well guarded that it defied even his skills. Day or night, Hellorin was never left alone for a single moment, and the chamber had been warded against any use of spells from the outside. Furthermore, the old, loyal guard had all been replaced, and several - those who had been asking too many questions - had either met with accidents or, in certain cases, had simply vanished under mysterious circumstances. Clearly, Ferimon was at the heart of the plot, but how deeply was Tiolani involved? Only by gaining her trust could Dhagon discover the truth, hence the need to make a success of this mission. And there was no doubt in his mind that he would succeed. The Wizards would not live to see another dawn.

He climbed into a twisted old tree and lay among the branches cloaked under a camouflage spell, watching the scene below. From his high perch, he had an unimpeded view of the enemy encampment. Three small, lightweight tents made of moonmoth silk, bespelled to take on the colour of their surroundings, were barely visible in a semicircle around the edge of the clearing. Loose gear such as the travellers’ packs, the horses’ tack and utensils for cooking and eating, were stored nearby beneath a tarpaulin, for the shelters were so cramped that there was no room for anything more than a single person inside. On the other side of the clearing from the tents, taking advantage of the fire’s protection from wild animals, the four horses were picketed.

He had been watching for some time, and listening to their careless chatter as they made camp. Only three of them - one a blind girl who fawned over a bunch of filthy animals, and would be absolutely useless if it came to a fight. He could pick them off at any time - but he had decided to wait a little longer. Already, he had discovered one or two startling facts, such as the presence of the Archwizard’s son, and the ability of the girl to use the magic of all four elements, instead of just the one.

Dhagon’s plan had already changed. He wanted to shadow them, to see what other vital information they might inadvertently reveal. There was no hurry, after all. Then, when he was ready, he would strike.