Read Online Exodus of the Xandim (GOLLANCZ S.F.) by Maggie Furey - Free Book Online
Authors: Maggie Furey
Ads: Link
altitude, and Yinze’s purple
cap stood out clearly against the white background.
The winged man looked at his companions with a feral grin, and gestured them downward. ‘I’ve just changed my mind,’ he said.
The Wizard and his companions were making a brief stop in the pass, to rendezvous with their porters and make sure all their baggage was organised, before they set off on the
long journey north. Yinze had dusted the snow off a boulder and was sitting down, with his harp case open on his lap. In the final scramble to leave Aerillia he had packed the precious instrument
rather hastily, and he wanted to make sure it was safe and secure before continuing on his way.
Kea, dressed in snug travelling clothes of a tunic and leggings, came over to him. ‘Are you finished yet? We’re all ready to—’ Her words were cut off by the thundering of
wings. Snow whirled up, blinding them, and as it cleared Yinze found himself confronting Incondor and his henchmen.
The Wizard’s heart sank. He’d thought he’d seen the last of his foe. Ardea had made no secret of the fact that Pandion had sent him home while Incondor was away hunting, in the
hope of keeping the two of them apart. Had it not been for the storm which had delayed him, the plan would have worked perfectly. His bearers, under orders from the Queen to protect the Wizard at
all costs, closed ranks around him, outnumbering the interlopers.
Incondor’s eyes glinted nastily. ‘Well, well. If it isn’t the Wizard and his little friend. I’m so glad I didn’t miss the chance to say farewell.’
Kea’s attention was on the mewling bundle. ‘What are you doing with that cub?’
‘It’s a gift for the Queen.’ Again, that feral grin. ‘I killed its mother and siblings yesterday, but this is the only white kit that has been seen on Steelclaw for many
years. Won’t it look lovely when it’s skinned? That pelt is going to make me very popular with Pandion for some time to come, I suspect.’
Yinze looked at the wretched little creature, pity stirring in his heart. He thought of Iriana, so far away, and knew that she would want him to save it. Yinze, with a half-formed plan of
promising Incondor liquor in trade for the cub, stepped closer – and smelled the brandy on the winged man’s breath. ‘If I were you, I’d take some time to sober up before
meeting her,’ he said with a grin. ‘If she smells that liquor on you, all the scrawny cubs in the world won’t save your hide.’
‘She won’t catch me,’ Incondor sneered. ‘I’m far too clever.’
‘You’re clever enough to let a number of witnesses see you in this state, including some of the Queen’s own bearers, sent along by her to make sure we met no
trouble.’
Incondor turned white as he realised that he had trapped himself. For a moment his brash pose crumpled, and his arrogant expression was replaced by a sick, furtive look. Then the panic
disappeared, as anger won out. Dropping the cub he lunged, and smashed his fist into the Wizard’s face, catching him beneath the left eye. Yinze reeled back, cursing, and impacted hard
against the cliff face. Fuelled by blazing rage, he used the rock as a springboard to launch himself at his foe, and crashed into the winged man, knocking him off his feet.
The pair rolled on the ground, kicking, pummelling and gouging at one another. Yinze’s entire focus was on the battle. He was bigger and heavier, but his opponent was lightning-fast, and
was possessed of a wiry strength that the Wizard had not suspected. Also, the Winged Folk had sharp, curved, talon-like fingernails, which Incondor used as a weapon in addition to his fists,
tearing at Yinze’s face and coming perilously close to his eyes. Nevertheless, as the pair scrambled back to their feet, the Wizard was more than holding his own. This fight had been a long
time coming, and he had months of taunts, pranks, and downright bullying to avenge. With a black savagery completely
cap stood out clearly against the white background.
The winged man looked at his companions with a feral grin, and gestured them downward. ‘I’ve just changed my mind,’ he said.
The Wizard and his companions were making a brief stop in the pass, to rendezvous with their porters and make sure all their baggage was organised, before they set off on the
long journey north. Yinze had dusted the snow off a boulder and was sitting down, with his harp case open on his lap. In the final scramble to leave Aerillia he had packed the precious instrument
rather hastily, and he wanted to make sure it was safe and secure before continuing on his way.
Kea, dressed in snug travelling clothes of a tunic and leggings, came over to him. ‘Are you finished yet? We’re all ready to—’ Her words were cut off by the thundering of
wings. Snow whirled up, blinding them, and as it cleared Yinze found himself confronting Incondor and his henchmen.
The Wizard’s heart sank. He’d thought he’d seen the last of his foe. Ardea had made no secret of the fact that Pandion had sent him home while Incondor was away hunting, in the
hope of keeping the two of them apart. Had it not been for the storm which had delayed him, the plan would have worked perfectly. His bearers, under orders from the Queen to protect the Wizard at
all costs, closed ranks around him, outnumbering the interlopers.
Incondor’s eyes glinted nastily. ‘Well, well. If it isn’t the Wizard and his little friend. I’m so glad I didn’t miss the chance to say farewell.’
Kea’s attention was on the mewling bundle. ‘What are you doing with that cub?’
‘It’s a gift for the Queen.’ Again, that feral grin. ‘I killed its mother and siblings yesterday, but this is the only white kit that has been seen on Steelclaw for many
years. Won’t it look lovely when it’s skinned? That pelt is going to make me very popular with Pandion for some time to come, I suspect.’
Yinze looked at the wretched little creature, pity stirring in his heart. He thought of Iriana, so far away, and knew that she would want him to save it. Yinze, with a half-formed plan of
promising Incondor liquor in trade for the cub, stepped closer – and smelled the brandy on the winged man’s breath. ‘If I were you, I’d take some time to sober up before
meeting her,’ he said with a grin. ‘If she smells that liquor on you, all the scrawny cubs in the world won’t save your hide.’
‘She won’t catch me,’ Incondor sneered. ‘I’m far too clever.’
‘You’re clever enough to let a number of witnesses see you in this state, including some of the Queen’s own bearers, sent along by her to make sure we met no
trouble.’
Incondor turned white as he realised that he had trapped himself. For a moment his brash pose crumpled, and his arrogant expression was replaced by a sick, furtive look. Then the panic
disappeared, as anger won out. Dropping the cub he lunged, and smashed his fist into the Wizard’s face, catching him beneath the left eye. Yinze reeled back, cursing, and impacted hard
against the cliff face. Fuelled by blazing rage, he used the rock as a springboard to launch himself at his foe, and crashed into the winged man, knocking him off his feet.
The pair rolled on the ground, kicking, pummelling and gouging at one another. Yinze’s entire focus was on the battle. He was bigger and heavier, but his opponent was lightning-fast, and
was possessed of a wiry strength that the Wizard had not suspected. Also, the Winged Folk had sharp, curved, talon-like fingernails, which Incondor used as a weapon in addition to his fists,
tearing at Yinze’s face and coming perilously close to his eyes. Nevertheless, as the pair scrambled back to their feet, the Wizard was more than holding his own. This fight had been a long
time coming, and he had months of taunts, pranks, and downright bullying to avenge. With a black savagery completely
Similar Books
