Magiere flopped onto her back, trying to find the faces of those around her. She looked at the birch that she'd backed into and touched before the world turned black. She began to tremble.
The tree's trunk bore the mark of her hands. Where she'd touched it, the bark had darkened and dried dead. Brittle pieces had already fallen away.
"Leesil!" she cried out.
"Here… I'm here!" he answered; and then, "Get out of my way!"
A wet nose grazed her neck, and Chap's head pressed into her face.
She dug her fingers in his fur and hung on. Leesil dropped to his knees beside her.
Magiere latched on to him, thrashing around to bury her face in the chest of his hauberk and hide from all eyes.
"It's all right," he whispered.
She still felt the lingering shock in her body and saw in her mind the marks of her hands upon the birch. Nothing was all right anymore.
Magiere closed her fingers on Leesil's hauberk until its leather creaked in her hands and its rings bit into her palms. The name she'd been called still echoed in her head. Her… his allies came in the dark with colorless eyes and teeth stained with the blood of their own.
Sorhkafare.
"I said keep back!" Leesil growled, and pulled Magiere closer. "It's over."
He knew better than to touch Magiere until she recognized him. But when she fell and cried out for him, he knew her dhampir nature had already retreated.
Brot'an stepped around to wave Sgaile off. Osha finally released Wynn.
En’nish was on her feet but still hunkered from Brot'an's strike. Her one remaining companion aided the other that Magiere had thrown into the trees. They both emerged, but the latter man was limping badly and the front of his tunic was shredded.
Nein'a glared at Leesil in shock. Any hint of fearful and angry denials she'd cast at him were gone. There was only wary revulsion as her gaze drifted from him down to Magiere hiding in his arms.
"It is not over," Freth said coldly, and the white majay-hi shifted silently in her way. "You have brought an undead into our midst. I do not understand how this is possible, but this thing you coddle will not remain."
Leesil's anger rose again, but he couldn't leave Magiere.
"Chap," he said quietly, "kill anyone who takes a step."
Chap didn't answer in any fashion. He simply paced around Leesil to stand before Magiere and glanced once at the white majay-hi blocking Freth.
"Enough," Brot'an insisted. "If she were undead, the forest never would have allowed her to enter. There is nothing Leshil could have done to change that."
Leesil wasn't certain about the shift in authority taking place. Both Sgaile and Freth were reluctant, but it seemed Brot'an took charge. For the moment, it served to protect Magiere from the others-but still, Leesil didn't like it.
Brot'an's pale scars stood out like white slashes on his lined face. "We are all fatigued from a night of running with no food. We will rest part of the day in the outer forest."
He gestured toward the fern-curtained passage.
"Frethfare, please report to Most Aged Father. Tell him all is settled, that we have found the human woman and will return soon. Sgailsheilleache, you and Osha find food, and En’nish…"
Brot'an spun toward her, and now Leesil couldn't see his expression.
"You and those serving your purpose will keep well apart from Sgaile and his charges. Or you will have more to answer for upon our return."
En’nish picked up her fallen blade as she hobbled past Brot'an. Her face dark with malice, she joined her two companions and headed out through the woods' passage.
Leesil tried to get Magiere on her feet. When Brot'an approached, Chap lunged, and his teeth clacked shut on air as Brot'an leaped away.
"No more," Sgaile said quickly to the dog. "No more fighting… let him pass."
Brot'an betrayed subtle surprise at Sgaile's words. "It seems there are some things you have not told me."
Sgaile sighed but didn't answer.
"It's all right, Chap," Magiere said.
Leesil's uncertainty grew. Brot'an might have pacified further conflict for the moment. But it was still Brot'an, the one who'd used him. Leesil would never sink to a hint of gratitude, but he let Magiere step forward to follow Brot'an.
Leesil looked back into the glade. Nein'a watched him, but he no longer saw anything recognizable in her cold eyes.
An abomination in his land.
Most Aged Father-who had once been Sorhkafare-quaked in his bower.
This pallid woman with blood-stained hair had fooled even Frethfare.
In that long night, running beside Snahacroe and the others, he had heard the cries behind him. Each dawn that followed, fewer remained in his company.
There had been humans and dwarves as well ashis own kind. The dwarves had been the first to fall. Unable to keep the pace with their short legs and heavy bodies, fewer and fewer of those stout people were present at dawn when his meager forces fell prostrate upon the ground. They foraged for water and food by day, slept what little they could in shifts, and before dusk each night they fled inland toward Aonnis Lhoin'n.
Not long past each dusk, they heard the shouts and running feet of abominations closing upon them. Each night they were closer, as he and his forces grew more weary and worn with flight. More than once he glanced back to see dozens of sparking eyes, perhaps a hundred, in the dark.
Then humans and elves began to fall behind as well, and no one could turn back for them. Along their harried passage, they found desolate and shattered towns and villages. And more than once, pale figures erupted from the dark ahead of them. They slogged their way through, but more of his fleeingband were always gone when they halted at the next dawn.
Most Aged Father could not shake the memories from his mind.
Cuirin'nen'a andher hidden dissidents no longer mattered. Long ago, he had brought his people here to safety. Now this woman-this abomination-appeared among them.A human-spawned thing. The Ancient Enemy stirred sooner than he had feared. It was the only explanation he saw to account for this new tool of bloodshed and devastation. One that could breach his people's land, the only haven that had saved them in those long lost days.
Most Aged Father lifted his wrinkled hand from the bower's wood, but his fingers would not stop shaking.
Chapter Fourteen
Frethfare ran from the glade with her heart pounding. She fled far into the forest before daring to find a place in which to speak with Most Aged Father. How could she tell him what had happened, what she had seen? Where would she even begin? An undead entered their land and walked freely among the people-and was now protected by Brot'an'duive.
She glanced up at the sun caught on the edge of drifting dark clouds. Within moments, the morning light faded. The forest darkened around her.An omen.
She dropped to her knees beneath a tall elm's branches and pressed the smooth word-wood to its bark. Her reluctance to report such disturbing events fell before her need for Most Aged Father's guidance.
"Father…"
I am here, daughter.
His voice in her thoughts brought some relief. "I do not know where to begin… I have failed-"
I know all. I was there as you faced this horror. Destroy it! Tell Brot'an'duive my wishes, and dispatch the smaller human woman as well. You and Sgailsheil-leache first restrain Leshil. Disable him if need be, but he is not to be permanently harmed.
Perhaps Most Aged Father had not seen everything.
"Brot'an'duive protects this undead woman," Frethfare answered, "and allowed Leshil to speak with Cuirin'nen'a. Even with En’nish’s assistance and those with her, I do not think we could overcome the Greimasg'ah if he refuses. And Leshil and this woman would side with Brot'an'duive."