The Ruby Knight

of something. ‘Tell me, neighbour, have you seen any Styrics lately?’
    ‘Styrics? No, they don’t come into this forest. People up here don’t like them, and we make the fact well known.’
    ‘I see. How far did you say it is to the count’s house?’
    ‘I didn’t say. It’s about fifteen leagues, though.’
    ‘A fellow in Venne said it was forty leagues from there to Ghasek,’ Kurik told him.
    The villager snorted derisively. ‘City folk don’t even know how far a league is. It can’t be much over thirty from Venne to Ghasek.’
    ‘We happened to see somebody back in the woods last night,’ Kurik said in a mildly conversational tone. ‘He was wearing a black robe and had his hood up. Could that have been one of your neighbours?’
    The sawyer’s face went very, very pale. ‘Nobody around here wears that kind of clothes,’ he said shortly.
    ‘Are you sure?’
    ‘You heard me. I said nobody in this district dresses like that.’
    ‘It must have been some traveller then.’
    ‘That must be it.’ The villager’s tone had become unfriendly again, and his eyes were a little wild.
    ‘Thank you for your time, neighbour,’ Sparhawk said, turning Faran around to leave the village.
    ‘He knows more than he’s saying,’ Kurik observed as the two of them were passing the last houses.
    ‘Right,’ Sparhawk agreed. ‘The Seeker doesn’t own him, but he’s very, very much afraid. Let’s move right along. I want to catch up with the others before dark.’
    They overtook their friends just as the sky to the west took on the ruddy glow of sunset, and they made camp beside a silent mountain lake not far from the road.
    ‘You think it’s going to rain?’ Kalten asked after they had eaten supper and sat around the fire.
    ‘Don’t say that,’ Talen said. ‘I only just got dry from all that rain in Lamorkand.’
    ‘It’s always possible, of course,’ Kurik said in reply to Kalten’s question. ‘It’s the time of year for it, but I don’t smell very much moisture in the air.’
    Berit came back from where they had picketed the horses. ‘Sir Sparhawk, there’s somebody coming.’
    Sparhawk came to his feet. ‘How many?’
    ‘I only heard one horse. Whoever it is is coming down the road from the direction we’re going.’ The novice paused. ‘He’s pushing his horse very hard,’ he added.
    ‘That’s not too wise,’ Ulath grunted, ‘ – considering the dark and the condition of that road.’
    ‘Should we put out the fire?’ Bevier asked.
    ‘I think he’s already seen it, Sir Bevier,’ Berit replied.
    ‘Let’s see if he decides to stop,’ Sparhawk said. ‘One man all by himself isn’t much of a threat.’
    ‘Unless it’s the Seeker,’ Kurik said, shaking out his chain-mace. ‘All right, gentlemen,’ he said in his gruff, drill-sergeant’s voice, ‘spread out and get ready.’
    The knights automatically responded to that note of command. They all instinctively recognized the fact that Kurik probably knew more about close fighting than any man in the four orders. Sparhawk drew his sword, suddenly feeling an enormous pride for his friend.
    The traveller reined in his horse on the road not too far from their camp. They could all hear the horse panting and gasping for breath. ‘May I approach?’ the man out in the darkness pleaded. His voice was shrill and seemed to hover on the very brink of hysteria.
    ‘Come on in, stranger,’ Kalten replied easily after a quick glance at Kurik.
    The man who came riding out of the darkness was flamboyantly, even gaudily dressed. He wore a wide-brimmed, plumed hat, a red satin doublet, blue hose and knee-length leather boots. He had a lute slung across his back, and except for a small dagger at his waist, he carried no weapons. His horse lurched and staggered with exhaustion, and the rider himself appeared to be in much the same condition. ‘Thank God,’ the man said when he saw the armoured knights standing around the fire. He swayed dangerously in his saddle and would have fallen had not Bevier jumped forward to catch him.
    ‘The poor fellow seems to be just about played out,’ Kalten said. ‘I wonder what’s chasing him.’
    ‘Wolves, maybe.’ Tynian shrugged. ‘I expect he’ll tell us just as soon as he gets his breath.’
    ‘Get him some water, Talen,’ Sephrenia instructed.
    ‘Yes, ma’am.’ The boy took a pail and went down to the lake.
    ‘Just lie back for a few moments,’ Bevier told the stranger.