The Ruby Knight

incredulously.
    ‘They have no choice. They have no will of their own any more. The Seeker controls them utterly.’
    ‘How long does that last?’ he asked her.
    ‘For as long as they live – which usually isn’t very long. As soon as it has no further need of them, it consumes them. Sparhawk, we’re in very great danger. Let’s leave here at once.’
    ‘You heard her,’ Sparhawk said grimly. ‘Let’s get out of here.’
    They rode out of the grove of trees at a canter and crossed a wide green meadow where brown and white spotted cows grazed in knee-deep grass. Sir Ulath pulled in beside Sparhawk. ‘It’s really none of my business,’ the shaggy-browed Genidian Knight said, ‘but you had twenty Pandions with you back there. Why didn’t you just turn around and eliminate those soldiers and their bug?’
    ‘Fifty dead soldiers scattered along a road would attract attention,’ Sparhawk explained, ‘and new graves are almost as obvious.’
    ‘Makes sense, I suppose,’ Ulath grunted. ‘Living in an over-populated kingdom has its own special problems, doesn’t it? Up in Thalesia, the Trolls and Ogres usually clean up that sort of thing before anybody chances by.’
    Sparhawk shuddered. ‘Will they really eat carrion?’ he asked, looking back over his shoulder for any sign of pursuit.
    ‘Trolls and Ogres? Oh, yes – as long as the carrion’s not too ripe. A nice fat church soldier will feed a family of Trolls for a week or so. That’s one of the reasons there aren’t very many church soldiers or their graveyards in Thalesia. The point, though, is that I don’t like leaving live enemies behind me. Those church soldiers might come back to haunt us, and if that thing they’ve got with them is as dangerous as Sephrenia says, we probably should have got it out of the way while we had the chance.’
    ‘Maybe you’re right,’ Sparhawk admitted, ‘but it’s too late now, I’m afraid. Olven’s far out of reach. About all we can do is make a run for it and hope the soldiers’ horses tire before ours do. When we get a chance, I’ll want to talk with Sephrenia some more about that Seeker. I’ve got a feeling there were some things about it she wasn’t telling me.’
    They rode hard for the rest of the day and saw no signs that the soldiers were anywhere behind them.
    ‘There’s a roadside inn just ahead,’ Kalten said as evening settled over the rolling countryside. ‘Do you want to chance it?’
    Sparhawk looked at Sephrenia. ‘What do you think?’
    ‘Only for a few hours,’ she said, ‘just long enough to feed the horses and give them some rest. The Seeker will know that we’re not with that column by now, and it’s certain to be following our trail. We have to move on.’
    ‘We could at least get some supper,’ Kalten added, ‘and maybe a couple of hours’ sleep. I’ve been up for a long time. Besides, we might be able to pick up some information if we ask the right questions.’
    The inn was run by a thin, good-humoured fellow and his plump, jolly wife. It was a comfortable place and meticulously clean. The broad fireplace at one end of the common-room did not smoke, and there were fresh rushes on the floor.
    ‘We don’t see many city folk this far out in the country,’ the innkeeper noted as he brought a platter of roast beef to the table, ‘- and very seldom any knights – at least I judge from your garb that you’re knights. What brings you this way, My Lords?’
    ‘We’re on our way to Pelosia,’ Kalten lied easily. ‘Church business. We’re in a hurry, so we decided to cut across country.’
    ‘There’s a road that runs on up into Pelosia about three leagues to the south,’ the innkeeper advised helpfully.
    ‘Roads wander around a lot,’ Kalten said, ‘and like I told you, we’re in a hurry.’
    ‘Anything interesting happening hereabouts?’ Tynian asked as if only mildly curious.
    The innkeeper laughed wryly. ‘What can possibly happen in a place like this? The local farmers spend all their time talking about a cow that died six months ago.’ He drew up a chair and sat down uninvited. He sighed. ‘I used to live in Cimmura when I was younger. Now, there’s a place where things really happen. I miss all the excitement.’
    ‘What made you decide to move out here?’ Kalten asked, spearing another slice of beef with his dagger.
    ‘My father left me this place when he died. Nobody wanted to buy it, so I didn’t have any choice.’ He frowned