Deathstalker 01 - Deathstalker

more easily, though his back still prickled just a little.
    After a moment, Hazel moved up beside him.
    "What's the problem between you and Ruby?" she said bluntly.
    "Don't know what you mean," said Owen.
    "Come off it. I saw you shooting suspicious looks at her in what you obviously thought was an unobtrusive manner. Don't you trust her?"

    "Of course not. She's a bounty hunter, and I'm bounty."
    "We're all outlaws together now, aristo."
    "Some of us are more outlaws than others."
    "She's my friend," said Hazel coldly. "She gave me her word. You can trust her as you trust me."
    "Exactly," said Owen.
    Hazel had to think about that for a moment, and then glared at him and fell back to join the others, scowling heavily. Owen sighed and took out his spleen on the helpless vegetation before him. It didn't help much. He liked Hazel. He admired her courage and her forthright manner, but they couldn't seem to exchange two words without arguing. Jack Random came forward to walk at his side, and they cut trail together in silence for a while, the only sound the solid chunk of steel cutting through vegetation.
    "A word of advice," Jack said finally. "Never win an argument with a woman.
    They'll forgive anything but that."
    "But I was right."
    "What's that got to do with anything?"
    "We're making good time," Owen said determinedly. "Would you like to take over the lead for a while?"
    "No thanks. In my experience, the point man has the most dangerous job. You're welcome to it."
    "You should be leading this party anyway. I mean, you're Jack Random."
    "I used to be, and given time I might be again. But for the moment I'm just a tired old man pulled out of retirement for one last fight. I've got a long way to go before I'm competent to lead anything but a suicide charge. You carry on, lad. You're doing a good job as leader."

    "Am I? Hazel and I spit at each other like cats, Moon worries the hell out of me, and I daren't turn my back on Ruby."
    "And you're holding them all together. You give them purpose and point them in the right direction. That's all anyone really has the right to expect of a leader. I should know."
    He grinned easily at Owen, clapped him once on the shoulder and dropped back to the others. Owen wiped the sweat from his face with his sleeve and stood a little straighter. If Jack Random said he was doing a good job, he must be. He was still getting used to the idea when Moon appeared suddenly at his side.
    "I have a question for you, Deathstalker. How are you going to get me to Haden when you don't have a ship anymore? You said you'd get me there. You gave me your word."
    "I'll get you there."
    "How?"
    "I'm working on it!"
    Moon nodded and fell back to join the others, leaving Owen by himself. He growled not completely under his breath, and hacked at a web of hanging creepers. He felt he could use a little time to himself. For some reason, the creatures surrounding the party seemed to be showing them a lot more respect.
    Owen found that suspicious, but he could live with that.
    Sometime later, the jungle fell suddenly away before them, to reveal a large clearing with a huge stone castle in its center. Owen raised an arm to protect his eyes from the direct glare of the sun. The heat was almost blistering away from the protection of the jungle canopy, but he held his ground. He'd come a long way to be here, and besides, it felt good not to have to worry about which
    direction an attack might come from next. The creatures of the jungle were always there, close at hand, watching and following. Owen's back ached from the constant tension and anticipation of an attack. He lowered his sword and leaned on it gratefully as he studied the castle in the clearing.
    It was a huge structure, rising up high enough to hide the jungle behind it, and composed of uncomfortably large blocks of dull gray stone. There were tall thin towers with pointed roofs and crenellated battlements. There was no sign of any activity, or any light at any of the small slit windows, and the single great door was closed. And on top of all that, the whole castle seemed slightly out of focus, seen through the faint shimmer of the force shield that surrounded it.
    For a long time nobody said anything. Owen looked up at the sky. The sun was bloodred and sinking down toward the tops of the trees. Not long now till night, and whatever new creatures prowled in it.
    "So that's the Last Standing of your ancestor, Owen," said Hazel. "I'm impressed. How the hell