Read Online Barrenlands (The Changespell Saga) by Doranna Durgin - Free Book Online
Authors: Doranna Durgin
Ads: Link
they weren't site-specific; they might trigger nasty, unworldly creatures, or they might bring down blindness upon all within the influence of the spell, or they might make everyone too heavy to move. They rarely had a direct effect on the environment.
Rarely isn't the same as never .
But never , he had to admit, had the spells felt so... anchored.
In the distance, a loud snort. Spike, Laine thought, distracted. But then the noise repeated, and it held the edge of alarm. Scrambling to his feet, Laine realized that the mountains had twisted the sound on him, and that it had come from the sumacs. Someone else on their road, coming from the other side? Who would dare it, without a guide?
The shout of alarm he heard was human, and he didn't hesitate any longer. He scooped up his sword and ran for the sumacs. And this time, when he reached the spell, he didn't have to make any effort to see it. It was fully triggered— and there were figures within the odiferous, magicked sumac, thrashing against the twining limbs that reached for them, ducking the swirl and loop of a darting, airborne horde of... Laine squinted. Of... something really ugly with teeth and claws.
He set his jaw and ran into the dripping trees, heading for the man and his two horses. His sword ran interference, and he ducked and slashed, creating enough noise so the man heard him coming and froze an instant, focused sharply on Laine. Then the heavy-boned horse beside him screamed a challenge— a branch had draped over his poll and oozed down his neck, spiraling a tendril around the rein that rested there— and the man was in motion again, leaving Laine with the impression of economical deadliness.
"Let me help!" Laine yelled over the huff-huff-grunt of the lighter horse; it reared, kicking its hind legs out behind before its front legs touched back to the ground. Something grabbed his ankle— Hells, were the roots doing it too?— and Laine hesitated just long enough to slash it away; when he straightened he had to duck a flurry of leathery wings and grasping talons. But he was still moving, and as he reached the besieged trio, the man said, "Take him!" and flung the big horse's rein at Laine, pausing at the last minute to shout, "It's safe!"
Laine was about to shout, "No it's not ," as if that hadn't been obvious, harried as they were by tree and creature, when the big dark horse snaked his neck forward and snapped, lips peeled back on fierce teeth. Laine back-pedaled furiously, smacking into a tree and then reflexively leaping forward out of its unnatural grasp.
"He's safe , dammit!" the man said, and smacked the horse's haunches as it passed him, still on its way to Laine. The horse pinned his ears, shaking his head in threat— but when he snapped again, it was at the creature flapping above him.
Laine reclaimed the rein he'd dropped and turned for the edge of the sumac, hauling the horse for only the first few steps. As soon as the beast realized he was heading for safety, he spurted into a powerful pounding trot, dragging Laine the last thirty feet. The sumac clung to Laine, ripping his shirt— a noise which only spurred the horse on. Once on a clear path, the horse snorted loudly half a dozen times, and when Laine would have turned to check on the animal's companions, he discovered the horse had other ideas. He scrambled to stay on his feet as the lead rope jerked him onward, and was unable to stop the horse until the man's "Ricasso, whoa!" rang through the air from behind.
It seemed, then, that they'd all made it out. But Laine suddenly felt like he was getting into something just as dangerous.
~~~~~
The big dark horse jigged beside Laine on the way back to camp, and Laine kept an ever-wary eye on it as they finally approached the wagons— he and the oddly familiar man from the sumacs. His own little wagon seemed innocuously out of place compared to the horror they had just run through. It sat at the head of the caravan, square and
Rarely isn't the same as never .
But never , he had to admit, had the spells felt so... anchored.
In the distance, a loud snort. Spike, Laine thought, distracted. But then the noise repeated, and it held the edge of alarm. Scrambling to his feet, Laine realized that the mountains had twisted the sound on him, and that it had come from the sumacs. Someone else on their road, coming from the other side? Who would dare it, without a guide?
The shout of alarm he heard was human, and he didn't hesitate any longer. He scooped up his sword and ran for the sumacs. And this time, when he reached the spell, he didn't have to make any effort to see it. It was fully triggered— and there were figures within the odiferous, magicked sumac, thrashing against the twining limbs that reached for them, ducking the swirl and loop of a darting, airborne horde of... Laine squinted. Of... something really ugly with teeth and claws.
He set his jaw and ran into the dripping trees, heading for the man and his two horses. His sword ran interference, and he ducked and slashed, creating enough noise so the man heard him coming and froze an instant, focused sharply on Laine. Then the heavy-boned horse beside him screamed a challenge— a branch had draped over his poll and oozed down his neck, spiraling a tendril around the rein that rested there— and the man was in motion again, leaving Laine with the impression of economical deadliness.
"Let me help!" Laine yelled over the huff-huff-grunt of the lighter horse; it reared, kicking its hind legs out behind before its front legs touched back to the ground. Something grabbed his ankle— Hells, were the roots doing it too?— and Laine hesitated just long enough to slash it away; when he straightened he had to duck a flurry of leathery wings and grasping talons. But he was still moving, and as he reached the besieged trio, the man said, "Take him!" and flung the big horse's rein at Laine, pausing at the last minute to shout, "It's safe!"
Laine was about to shout, "No it's not ," as if that hadn't been obvious, harried as they were by tree and creature, when the big dark horse snaked his neck forward and snapped, lips peeled back on fierce teeth. Laine back-pedaled furiously, smacking into a tree and then reflexively leaping forward out of its unnatural grasp.
"He's safe , dammit!" the man said, and smacked the horse's haunches as it passed him, still on its way to Laine. The horse pinned his ears, shaking his head in threat— but when he snapped again, it was at the creature flapping above him.
Laine reclaimed the rein he'd dropped and turned for the edge of the sumac, hauling the horse for only the first few steps. As soon as the beast realized he was heading for safety, he spurted into a powerful pounding trot, dragging Laine the last thirty feet. The sumac clung to Laine, ripping his shirt— a noise which only spurred the horse on. Once on a clear path, the horse snorted loudly half a dozen times, and when Laine would have turned to check on the animal's companions, he discovered the horse had other ideas. He scrambled to stay on his feet as the lead rope jerked him onward, and was unable to stop the horse until the man's "Ricasso, whoa!" rang through the air from behind.
It seemed, then, that they'd all made it out. But Laine suddenly felt like he was getting into something just as dangerous.
~~~~~
The big dark horse jigged beside Laine on the way back to camp, and Laine kept an ever-wary eye on it as they finally approached the wagons— he and the oddly familiar man from the sumacs. His own little wagon seemed innocuously out of place compared to the horror they had just run through. It sat at the head of the caravan, square and
Similar Books
