if it had been much longer than the six months or so when sheâdlast reworked it: something or a number of somethings had been trying the warding while sheâd been gone.
Thunder cracked almost instantaneously with the bright flash of lightning, and it was followed by a second strike and a third before the wind picked up into a howling force.
With evidence of Rinnieâs distress, Seraph was unwilling to wait longer for more information, but she sent power surging through her warding, tightening it as a fisherman tightens his net. It wasnât enough to completely repair the damaged areas, but it would hold until she had time to do it right.
She came to her feet and started down the slope toward home.
âWhat did you learn?â asked Hennea.
âNot much, something shadââ Seraphâs voice was broken by a torturous howl that rose above the wind.
âTroll,â said Hennea.
Heart in her throat, Seraph started running again.
They came out of the trees still somewhat above the farm, but it didnât look as it had when Seraph left it. Instead of a half-plowed field and an empty house, there was a field of tents and her house was illuminated from within and without by dozens of lanterns. For courage, she thought, because it wasnât yet dark enough to require lanterns for sight, though with the rain it wouldnât be long before darkness had hold here.
Among the changes wrought since sheâd been home last was a crowd of people that looked to be composed of the whole village, all confronting a troll that straddled the path leading to Redern.
Seraph pushed her way through the first group of people, mostly women and children, and into the clear space in front of them, where she paused to take in the enormity of her task.
It was a forest troll, moss-green and larger than its more numerous cousin, the mountain troll. By the earlobes which hung so long they brushed its stooped shoulders, it was older than any Seraph had ever seen.
That trolls had two arms and two legs had given rise to the rumor that the thing was related to humans. Anyone who thought so, in Seraphâs opinion, had never seen a troll. Small red eyes were set deep and close on a head as wide as Skew was long above a nose that was merely two slits in the bumpytextured skin. Tusks curled out of its jaw and pulled the lower lip down to reveal fist-sized, serrated teeth that could snap a cowâs skull open.
Seraphâs long-ago teacher had speculated that they were hobgoblins or some other small creature morphed by the Shadowed King. Heâd told her the first mentions of trolls in books and stories came after the Fall of the Shadowed.
However they came into being, Seraph could wish this one a long way away instead of pacing back and forth at the trail-head to Redern, with its head topping the nearest trees.
As far as Seraph could tell, almost every able-bodied man of Redern had gathered along the edge of the warding that had so far kept the troll from coming closer, almost as if they could tell where it was. Born and bred in the Ragged Mountain as these folks had been, it wouldnât surprise Seraph if they could sense her wardâthough it could just be experience had taught them how far the troll could come. Some of them had bows or swords, but most of them held whatever implement had come to hand. She saw Bandor, Tierâs sisterâs husband, with one of the big knives they used to cut bread.
She couldnât see the forest kingâor Jes either, but it didnât surprise her. If either was here, heâd be in the forest, not in the midst of a crowd of people.
Tier was in the very front of the line of defenders. She could see him easily over the others because he was the only mounted man. Not many horses could be brought so close to a troll, but Skew was a warhorse born and bred.
The gelding roared the chill sound that belonged to fighting stallionsâand geldings, too,
Thunder cracked almost instantaneously with the bright flash of lightning, and it was followed by a second strike and a third before the wind picked up into a howling force.
With evidence of Rinnieâs distress, Seraph was unwilling to wait longer for more information, but she sent power surging through her warding, tightening it as a fisherman tightens his net. It wasnât enough to completely repair the damaged areas, but it would hold until she had time to do it right.
She came to her feet and started down the slope toward home.
âWhat did you learn?â asked Hennea.
âNot much, something shadââ Seraphâs voice was broken by a torturous howl that rose above the wind.
âTroll,â said Hennea.
Heart in her throat, Seraph started running again.
They came out of the trees still somewhat above the farm, but it didnât look as it had when Seraph left it. Instead of a half-plowed field and an empty house, there was a field of tents and her house was illuminated from within and without by dozens of lanterns. For courage, she thought, because it wasnât yet dark enough to require lanterns for sight, though with the rain it wouldnât be long before darkness had hold here.
Among the changes wrought since sheâd been home last was a crowd of people that looked to be composed of the whole village, all confronting a troll that straddled the path leading to Redern.
Seraph pushed her way through the first group of people, mostly women and children, and into the clear space in front of them, where she paused to take in the enormity of her task.
It was a forest troll, moss-green and larger than its more numerous cousin, the mountain troll. By the earlobes which hung so long they brushed its stooped shoulders, it was older than any Seraph had ever seen.
That trolls had two arms and two legs had given rise to the rumor that the thing was related to humans. Anyone who thought so, in Seraphâs opinion, had never seen a troll. Small red eyes were set deep and close on a head as wide as Skew was long above a nose that was merely two slits in the bumpytextured skin. Tusks curled out of its jaw and pulled the lower lip down to reveal fist-sized, serrated teeth that could snap a cowâs skull open.
Seraphâs long-ago teacher had speculated that they were hobgoblins or some other small creature morphed by the Shadowed King. Heâd told her the first mentions of trolls in books and stories came after the Fall of the Shadowed.
However they came into being, Seraph could wish this one a long way away instead of pacing back and forth at the trail-head to Redern, with its head topping the nearest trees.
As far as Seraph could tell, almost every able-bodied man of Redern had gathered along the edge of the warding that had so far kept the troll from coming closer, almost as if they could tell where it was. Born and bred in the Ragged Mountain as these folks had been, it wouldnât surprise Seraph if they could sense her wardâthough it could just be experience had taught them how far the troll could come. Some of them had bows or swords, but most of them held whatever implement had come to hand. She saw Bandor, Tierâs sisterâs husband, with one of the big knives they used to cut bread.
She couldnât see the forest kingâor Jes either, but it didnât surprise her. If either was here, heâd be in the forest, not in the midst of a crowd of people.
Tier was in the very front of the line of defenders. She could see him easily over the others because he was the only mounted man. Not many horses could be brought so close to a troll, but Skew was a warhorse born and bred.
The gelding roared the chill sound that belonged to fighting stallionsâand geldings, too,
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