“Yes. No. Both.”
The elder knight raised an eyebrow. “Both?”
To explain his answer, Huma first had to tell Taggin of the Test and how it had affected Magius. The Knight of the Rose listened patiently as Huma told him about Magius’s premonition of his own death. Taggin’s expression changed little.
“You’ve been quite honest with me,” the commander said when Huma had finished. “I’d like to digest it and then speak to you again come the morrow.”
Now that it was over, Huma was sweating. “Yes, milord. Thank you.”
Taggin sat down in his chair. “I’ve lived a long life, Huma. I’ve seen more than you think. I want you to consider that tonight. Dismissed.”
Huma saluted and left. Once outside, he exhaled sharply. He found Buoron waiting for him.
“You’ve not eaten for some time,” the bearded knight finally said. “Would you like some nourishment?”
Huma smiled thankfully. “I could use some food. Magius might as well.”
“He can fend for himself. He’s a magic-user.”
The comment cut deep. Huma glanced back at the knights’ quarters. At last, he replied, “He’s probably still asleep. When he’s hungry, he’ll awaken.”
“Fine.” Buoron led him away, and Huma did not resist.
Night grew, aged, and finally passed away. Magius remained asleep. Huma decided that the mage must be purposely building his strength. Magius might have been dead, judging by the way he appeared, all pale and nearly as stiff as a corpse. Huma had checked his pulse, though, and discovered nothing wrong.
As the first hour of day passed, the sentry gave a shout that the patrol was home at last. Men rushed to open the gates, speculation on the success of the hunt rampant. Huma found Buoron and joined the rest. Taggin stepped out of his quarters and merely watched.
The first man at the gate peered through a spyhole and turned back in excitement. “They’ve got something!”
Immediately, Taggin walked toward them. “Everyone on duty return to his post! By the Triumvirate, this is a military establishment, not a circus! You’ll see the thing soon enough, if it’s truly a beast!”
The gates were opened, and the weary but triumphant party rode in. A number of them appeared wounded, but Buoron whispered that all had returned.
The Beast was not visible, having been wrapped up in weighted nets. Some patches of brown fur were evident, but the nature of the Beast was hidden; the creature had been forced into a ball. It snorted and growled.
Taggin had the Beast dragged to a pen, which had been built days before just for this event. While Huma looked on, several knights took hold of the bound mass and pulled it into the pen. The Beast squirmed and some of its wrapping came loose. The knights hurried out of the pen while the creature continued to try to free itself.
The patrol leader came up to Lord Taggin and saluted. “Found it in the gully: Killed a stag recently and was eating it. Sensed us but by then we had surrounded it. First men tried to net it, and it pulled them in. Got more men wounded trying to rescue the others. For a moment, I thought we were going to have to kill it. Fortunately, we did not have to. It tripped in the tangle of nets, and we had it.”
The elder knight nodded. “Paladine watched over you, that is obvious. I’m glad no one was killed. The cage should hold it now.”
“Best not to call it a cage. A prison would be a more proper term, milord.”
“Prison?” Beside him, Huma and Buoron exchanged glances. “What have we got here?”
The Beast was still unrecognizable, having succeeded in freeing its limbs but not in uncovering itself. It was obvious now, though, that some of its growls were actually muffled words.
The patrol leader looked overly proud. “A spy from the Dragonqueen! One of her ugly creatures from the north. The war has finally come to us.”
There was a gleam in the knight’s eye that Huma, at least, found disturbing.
Taggin stepped closer to the prison cage. The Beast had finally begun to tear away the nets still covering it.
“Sargas be damned! I’ll tear all of you apart!”
Huma froze. Buoron looked at him, possibly wondering why the sight of the Beast so astonished Huma. Having recently come from the north, Huma should have been familiar with such creatures.
The Beast pulled the last net from its horned head. It turned on its captors, breathing heavily. With blood-chilling fury, it shook the bars of its new prison.
“Fools! Cowards! Let me fight one of you! Give me a fair chance! Where is your vaunted honor?”
From its present angle, the Beast could not see Huma. Huma, though, could see the Beast quite well. He stared wide-eyed at the furious man-beast and wondered just how he was going to save Kaz from execution.
Chapter 14
It was to Buoron he first confided his secret.
“You were fortunate that no one else noticed,” said the bearded knight. “Your mouth fairly hung open when he was brought in.”
Huma shook his head. “I was stunned. The last I had seen of Kaz, he was riding north and I was riding south. We had a great number of pursuers following us. I was apparently the main prize, for they followed me.”
“And paid the price,” Buoron remarked quietly. Huma had told him of that incident, without any embellishment. It had not failed to impress the other knight.
“I am amazed that Kaz is here, and has been for at least a couple of days more than I have. He must have turned south almost immediately and just missed me. After we separated, I was forced to let loose my horse in the hope I might lead my pursuers farther astray. I was on foot for some time after that. Still, he must have been riding hard to have gotten all the way here. He must have lost his horse soon after.”
“Did he know where you were heading?”
Huma thought long. It seemed ages ago. “In general. Enough, at least, to bear southwest.”
Buoron stared out a window in the direction of the cage. Kaz was slumped in sullen anger. “There are many paths that an expert warrior could use to travel safely. He must have discovered our existence down here as well and assumed that you would stop here. Perhaps he even assumed this was your destination.”
That made some sense to Huma. “I did mention wanting to return to the knighthood. He may have assumed that I would go here if I could not make it back to Solamnia.”
“Or—” Buoron hesitated. “Or he really is a spy, and this was his intention all along.”
“No.” Huma was unsure about much lately, but the minotaur’s loyalty was not an issue.
“You may have trouble convincing the others of that. A minotaur is a minotaur. They will question him and, whether or not he speaks, will probably execute him.”
“For what? He’s done nothing but defend himself.”
Buoron grimaced. “Haven’t you heard what I was saying? He’s a minotaur. They do not need any other reason.”
Huma paced. “I must speak with Taggin.”
“Do it soon, then. They will start the questioning today, likely after morning vigils.”
“Will I find Taggin in his quarters now?”
“I think not. Being a Knight of the Rose, he will be at his daily prayers by now. It was only because of the hunt that he delayed at all this morning. Speaking of which, have you eased your mind of late?”
Huma stopped his pacing and whitened. “No. I’ve not. It would serve me right if Paladine turned his eye from me forever.”
Buoron shook his head. “I think Paladine is a little more forgiving than that. Come.”
Taggin was unable to see Huma after prayers. The commanding knight was conferring with his seconds and with the patrol leader. Huma knew better than to demand entrance; it would only hurt his chances of convincing them to free Kaz.
With the leadership busy, Huma decided to face the minotaur. It was not right that he pretend not to know the massive easterner. Kaz had always treated him honestly.