Read Online Shadows of Sanctuary978-0441806010 by Robert Asprin, Lynn Abbey - Free Book Online
Authors: Robert Asprin, Lynn Abbey
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction - General, Fiction - Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fantasy Fiction; American, Fantasy - General, Fantastic fiction; American
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forward, blew gently into the stallion's nostrils, and spoke to him so quietly Wess could not hear the words. Slowly, easily, the troll straightened out the reins. The animal gradually relaxed, and his ears pricked forward again.
'Be easy on his mouth, frejojan,' the troll said to Wess. 'He's a good creature, just frightened.'
'I have to find my friends,' Wess said.
'Where are you to meet them?'
Aristarchus's calm voice helped her regain her composure.
'Over there.' She pointed to a shadowed recess beyond the tent. Aristarchus started for it, still holding her horse's bridle. The animals stepped delicately over broken equipment and abandoned clothing.
Quartz and Chan ran from the shadowed side of the tent. Quartz was laughing. Through the chaos she saw Wess, tagged Chan on the shoulder to get his attention, and changed direction to hurry towards Wess.
'Did you see them fly?' Quartz cried. 'They outflew eagles!'
'As long as they outflew arrows,' Aristarchus said dryly. 'Hurry, you, the big one, up behind me, and you,' he said to Chan, 'behind Wess.'
They did as he ordered. Quartz kicked the horse and he sprang forward, but Aristarchus reined him in.
'Slowly, children,' the troll said. 'Slowly through the dark, and no one will notice.'
To Wess's surprise, he was quite correct.
In the city they kept the horses at the walk, and Quartz concealed Aristarchus beneath her cloak. The uproar fell behind them, and no one chased them. Wess clutched the stallion's mane, still feeling very insecure so high above the ground.
A direct escape from Sanctuary did not lead them past the Unicorn, .or indeed into the Maze at all, but they decided to chance going back; the risk of travelling unequipped through the mountains this late in the fall was too great. They approached the Unicorn through back alleys, and saw almost no one. Apparently the denizens of the Maze were as fond of entertainments as anyone else in Sanctuary. No doubt the opportunity to watch their prince extricate himself from a collapsed tent was almost the best entertainment of the evening. Wess would not have minded watching that herself. Leaving the horses hidden in shadow with Aristarchus, they crept quietly up the stairs to their room, stuffed belongings in their packs, and started out again.
'Young gentleman and his ladies, good evening.'
Wess spun around, Quartz right beside her gripping her sword. The tavern-keeper flinched back from them, but quickly recovered himself.
'Well,' he said to Chan, sneering. 'I thought they were one thing, but I see they are your bodyguards.'
Quartz grabbed him by the shirt front and lifted him off the floor. Her broadsword scraped from its scabbard. Wess had never seen Quartz draw it, in defence or anger; she had never seen the blade. But Quartz had not neglected it. The edge gleamed with transparent sharpness.
'I forswore the frenzy when I abandoned war,' Quartz said very quietly. 'But you are very nearly enough to make me break my oath.' She opened her hand and he fell to his knees before the point of the sword.
'I meant no harm, my lady -'
'Do not call me "lady"! I am not of noble birth! I was a soldier and I am a woman. If that cannot deserve your courtesy, then you cannot command my mercy!'
'I meant no harm, I meant no offence. I beg your pardon ...' He looked up into her unreadable silver eyes. 'I beg your pardon, northern woman.'
There was no contempt in his voice now, only terror, and to Wess that was just as bad. She and Quartz could expect nothing here, except to be despised or feared. They had no other choices.
Quartz sheathed her sword. 'Your silver is on the table,' she said coldly. 'We had no mind to cheat you.'
He scrabbled up and away from them, into the room. Quartz grabbed the key from the inside, slammed the door, and locked it.
'Let's get out of here.'
They clattered down the stairs. In the street, they tied the packs together and to the horses' harnesses as best they could. Above,. they heard the
'Be easy on his mouth, frejojan,' the troll said to Wess. 'He's a good creature, just frightened.'
'I have to find my friends,' Wess said.
'Where are you to meet them?'
Aristarchus's calm voice helped her regain her composure.
'Over there.' She pointed to a shadowed recess beyond the tent. Aristarchus started for it, still holding her horse's bridle. The animals stepped delicately over broken equipment and abandoned clothing.
Quartz and Chan ran from the shadowed side of the tent. Quartz was laughing. Through the chaos she saw Wess, tagged Chan on the shoulder to get his attention, and changed direction to hurry towards Wess.
'Did you see them fly?' Quartz cried. 'They outflew eagles!'
'As long as they outflew arrows,' Aristarchus said dryly. 'Hurry, you, the big one, up behind me, and you,' he said to Chan, 'behind Wess.'
They did as he ordered. Quartz kicked the horse and he sprang forward, but Aristarchus reined him in.
'Slowly, children,' the troll said. 'Slowly through the dark, and no one will notice.'
To Wess's surprise, he was quite correct.
In the city they kept the horses at the walk, and Quartz concealed Aristarchus beneath her cloak. The uproar fell behind them, and no one chased them. Wess clutched the stallion's mane, still feeling very insecure so high above the ground.
A direct escape from Sanctuary did not lead them past the Unicorn, .or indeed into the Maze at all, but they decided to chance going back; the risk of travelling unequipped through the mountains this late in the fall was too great. They approached the Unicorn through back alleys, and saw almost no one. Apparently the denizens of the Maze were as fond of entertainments as anyone else in Sanctuary. No doubt the opportunity to watch their prince extricate himself from a collapsed tent was almost the best entertainment of the evening. Wess would not have minded watching that herself. Leaving the horses hidden in shadow with Aristarchus, they crept quietly up the stairs to their room, stuffed belongings in their packs, and started out again.
'Young gentleman and his ladies, good evening.'
Wess spun around, Quartz right beside her gripping her sword. The tavern-keeper flinched back from them, but quickly recovered himself.
'Well,' he said to Chan, sneering. 'I thought they were one thing, but I see they are your bodyguards.'
Quartz grabbed him by the shirt front and lifted him off the floor. Her broadsword scraped from its scabbard. Wess had never seen Quartz draw it, in defence or anger; she had never seen the blade. But Quartz had not neglected it. The edge gleamed with transparent sharpness.
'I forswore the frenzy when I abandoned war,' Quartz said very quietly. 'But you are very nearly enough to make me break my oath.' She opened her hand and he fell to his knees before the point of the sword.
'I meant no harm, my lady -'
'Do not call me "lady"! I am not of noble birth! I was a soldier and I am a woman. If that cannot deserve your courtesy, then you cannot command my mercy!'
'I meant no harm, I meant no offence. I beg your pardon ...' He looked up into her unreadable silver eyes. 'I beg your pardon, northern woman.'
There was no contempt in his voice now, only terror, and to Wess that was just as bad. She and Quartz could expect nothing here, except to be despised or feared. They had no other choices.
Quartz sheathed her sword. 'Your silver is on the table,' she said coldly. 'We had no mind to cheat you.'
He scrabbled up and away from them, into the room. Quartz grabbed the key from the inside, slammed the door, and locked it.
'Let's get out of here.'
They clattered down the stairs. In the street, they tied the packs together and to the horses' harnesses as best they could. Above,. they heard the
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