Read Online Siege of Macindaw by John Flanagan - Free Book Online Page B

event to take place. His next words confirmed her suspicions.
    "Well, I can't waste any more time with this. General MacHaddish is due in the next day or two." He was speaking to himself, secure in the knowledge that his words wouldn't register with her in her mesmerized state. He rolled the blue stone back toward him and removed it from the table.
    "All right, Alyss. Until next time. You can wake up now."
    She assumed that she should not make any pretense of coming out of a trance but simply continue with normal conversation. But her mind was racing. MacHaddish was a Scotti name. There was a Scotti general due here in the next few days. Will would have to be told.
    "So," she said evenly, "what did you wish to talk about?" Keren smiled at her. "We've already talked," he said. "But of course, you don't remember it."
    That's what you think, Alyss thought.

 

     
9
     

     
     
    Will and Horace rode along the winding path through Grimsdell Wood, following the dog's unwavering lead. Horace shook his head at the impenetrable tangle of trees and foliage around them.
    "No wonder Malcolm's been safe in here all these years," he said.
    Will smiled. "It's been his best defense," he agreed. "Of course, he has a few other ways to discourage visitors."
    "He'd hardly need them. You could lose an army in here, and they'd never find their way out... good grief!"
    The last two words were drawn from him as they rounded a bend in the track and he saw the gruesome skull warning sign among the trees. He suspected that Will had intentionally neglected to tell him about it.
    "Oh, that's Trevor. Pay him no mind. He's harmless," Will said.
    Horace could hear him chuckling quietly to himself as they rode on.
    "Hilarious," he muttered to himself.
    They came to the clearing in the woods quite abruptly. One moment they were in the semidark tunnel formed by the track among the gloomy old trees. Next, they were in the sunlight, and Malcolm's pleasant little thatched cottage was before them, smoke curling from its chimney.
    A table had been set up in the late-afternoon sunshine, and Will could see Malcolm, Xander and, to his surprise, Orman sitting around it. The sallow-faced castle lord appeared to have lost weight. His face, beneath the receding hairline, was even paler than normal and there were dark shadows under his eyes. The eyes themselves, however, were bright and alert.
    There were two vacant chairs. Will guessed that Malcolm had delayed lunch until they arrived. In all probability, Will thought, he had been receiving constant updates on their progress.
    After introductions all around, Will and Horace sat at the table with the others. The dog took off like an arrow, catching sight of Trobar on the far side of the clearing.
    "Go ahead, then," Will said belatedly.
    "We waited lunch for you," Malcolm told them.
    Will made a disclaiming gesture. "We ate lunch at the inn," he began, but Horace interrupted before he got any further.
    "Still, there's no harm in an early supper," he said. He was forever hungry, although his lean, muscular frame showed no evidence of the amount he could eat.
    "It's good to see you up and around, my lord," Will told Orman. The castle lord allowed himself a wry grimace.
    "Up, perhaps, Will Barton. But I'm definitely a long way from being around."
    "We're very pleased with his progress," Malcolm put in.
    Will indicated Horace, who had already begun demolishing a bread roll.
    "And the good news continues, my lord. With Horace to help us, we'll soon have you back in your castle." Horace reddened slightly at Will's fulsome praise, and Will realized he might be laying it on a little thick, but he was inordinately pleased and relieved to have his old comrade by his side again. He sensed that the others hadn't realized the significance of Horace's identity, so he added, "You might know him better as the Oakleaf Knight."
    The name meant nothing to Xander, who scowled and muttered, just loud enough to be heard,"And how much are we