Read Online Exodus of the Xandim (GOLLANCZ S.F.) by Maggie Furey - Free Book Online Page A

at odds with his usual, sunny nature, he began to press home his advantage,
driving Incondor back.
    The winged man’s eyes were swollen, his face was scraped and bruised. Blood flooded from his nose as he choked and gasped for breath. Yinze pulled back his fist for one last blow to finish
it, but suddenly hands were grasping him from behind, pulling him back from his foe. With a jolt of anger at such betrayal, he realised that his own bearers had intervened – and then another
shock, of horror this time – turned his wrath to black terror as he saw that Incondor’s companions had hold of Kea, and Torgos was pressing a blade against her throat.
    ‘This has gone far enough, Wizard,’ Milvus said. ‘Take your bearers and your Skyfolk trull and leave these lands. Never come back, for if you do – we’ll be
waiting.’
    ‘Gladly.’ Yinze spat blood onto the ground. Part of him, seeing Kea’s face bone-white with fear, revolted against retreating from these cowardly louts, but despite his temper
he had intelligence enough to realise that this was the most sensible option. Having managed to avoid any dishonour or disgrace all these months, he must not fail at the final hurdle. ‘Let
her go. We’re leaving.’
    Torgos pushed Kea away from him, hard. Yinze caught her as she stumbled, and saw that her eyes were blazing with anger. He bit down on his own fury, though it nearly strangled him, and put an
arm around her shoulders. ‘Come on, let’s go. The sooner we’re far away from these scum, the better.’
    Incondor, however, had other ideas. While the Wizard was distracted he scrambled to his feet and his eye fell on the harp, resting atop the rock in its open case. Before anyone could react he
darted past Yinze, snatched up the instrument, and rocketed into the sky.
    ‘Come near me and I’ll drop it,’ he screamed, spittle flying, as Kea and the porters prepared to take wing. Helpless, they all watched in dismay as he flew higher. ‘If
you’re going to ruin me, I’ll pay you back. See how you manage the powers of Air without your little toy.’
    ‘For pity’s sake be careful,’ Yinze shouted. ‘That’s no toy, you fool, and you don’t understand it. It’s loaded with strange magic.’
    ‘Magic, my backside,’ Incondor jeered. ‘A child could master this trinket.’ To Yinze’s horror, he slung the strap over his shoulder and began to play.
    It happened with terrifying speed. The gusting wind screamed into a tempest, and the clouds came swirling down into a vortex of spinning air that centred on the harp. Snow and stones flew up
into Yinze’s face and the gale flattened him back against the cliff. He snatched at Kea’s hand as she was whirled helplessly past him, her wings catching the wind like sails, and pulled
her against him, trying to shelter her with his body.
    Then a shriek, loud enough to be heard over the screaming of the storm, drew his eyes upwards. Through streaming eyes he saw the titanic forces snatch at Incondor, hurling him like a stone from
a slingshot, tumbling him over and over in the air like an autumn leaf. Once more he shrieked hideously, and Yinze saw his wings crumple like paper as the dreadful forces snapped the delicate bones
like kindling. Then the gale hammered down like a fist, smashing the winged man into the harsh rocks of the pass.
    He was dead. He had to be. Yinze rushed forward, sick with horror, but Kea was faster, and knelt over the broken, bloodied form. ‘Don’t move him,’ she said. ‘He’s
still breathing, but he’s smashed up so badly . . . We need a healer here.’ Wildly she looked around for their bearers, but they had all suffered the same fate as she would have done
had Yinze not protected her, with the wind catching their wings and bowling them over. They had been scattered further down the pass, and even now were picking themselves up and limping back, their
flesh covered in cuts and abrasions, and already darkening with bruises.