gc.shadowslinger-第58章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃What？〃
〃I thought I was pretty clear。 We've got to go back out there。 Now。 We've used one of our days。〃
〃Hey； man； I'm ripped。 I'll die if you make me。 。 。 。〃
〃Sleep in the saddle。 That's always been one of your big talents。 Sleep anywhere； any time。〃
〃Oh； my aching butt。〃
An hour later I was headed down the Shaker Road again； with Silent and Otto added to the crew。 Shed insisted on ing along； though I was willing to excuse him。 Asa decided he wanted in； too。 Maybe because he thought Shed would extend an umbrella of protection。 He had started talking mission like Shed； but a deaf man could hear its false ring。
We moved faster this time； pressed harder； and had Shed on a real horse。 We got down to the clearing by noon。 While Silent sniffed around； I worked myself up and took a closer look at the lump。
No change。 Except the two dead creatures were gone。 I did not need Hagop's eye to see that they had been dragged through the entry hole。
Silent worked his way around the clearing to a point almost identical with that where the creature trail entered the forest。 Then he threw up an arm； beckoned。 I hurried over； and did not have to read the dance of his fingers to know what he had found。 His face revealed the answer。
〃Found it； eh？〃 I asked more brightly than I felt。 I had started to count on Raven being dead。 I did not like what the skeleton implied。 Silent nodded。
〃Yo！〃 I called。 〃We found it。 Let's go。 Bring the horses。〃
The others gathered。 Asa looked a little peaked。 He asked； 〃How did he do it？〃
Nobody had an answer。 Several of us wondered whose skeleton lay in the clearing and how it had e to wear Raven's necklace。 I wondered how Raven's plot for vanishing had dovetailed so neatly with the Dominator's for seeding a new black castle。
Only One…Eye seemed in a mood to talk； and that all plaint。 〃We follow this and we're not going to get back to town before dark；〃 he said。 He said a lot more； mostly about how tired he was。 Nobody paid attention。 Even those of us who had rested were tired。
〃Lead off； Silent；〃 I said。 〃Otto； you want to take care of his horse？ One…Eye； bring up the rear。 So we don't get any surprises from behind。〃
The track was no track at ail for a while； just a straight shot through the brush。 We were winded by the time it intercepted a game trail。 Raven； too； must have been exhausted； for he had turned onto that trail and followed it over a hill； along a creek； up another hill。 Then he had turned onto a less traveled path which ran along a ridge； toward the Shaker Road。 Over the next two hours we encountered several such forkings。 Each time Raven had taken the one which tended more directly westward。
〃Bastard was headed back to the high road；〃 One…Eye said。 〃Could have figured that； gone the other way； and saved all this tramping through the brush。〃
Men growled at him。 His plaints were grating。 Even Asa tossed a nasty look over one shoulder。
Raven had taken the long way； no doubt about it。 I would guess we walked at least ten miles before ing across edgeline and viewing cleared land which descended to the high road。 A number of farms lay on our right。 In the distance ahead lay the blue haze of the sea。 The countryside was mostly brown； for autumn had e to Meadenvil。 The leaves were turning。 Asa indicated a stand of maples and said they would look real pretty in another week。 Odd。 You don't think of guys like him as having a sense of beauty。
〃Down there。〃 Otto indicated a cluster of buildings three…quarters of a mile south。 It did not look like a farm。 〃Bet that's a roadside inn；〃 he said。 〃What do you want to bet that was where he was headed？〃
〃Silent？〃
He nodded； but hedged。 He wanted to stick to the track to make sure。 We mounted up； let him do what walking remained to be done。 I； for one； had had enough tramping around。
〃How about we stay over？〃 One…Eye asked。
I checked the sun。 〃I'm considering it。 How safe you figure we'd be？〃
He shrugged。 〃There's smoke ing up down there。 Don't look like they had any trouble yet。〃
Mind…reader。 I had been examining farmsteads as we passed； seeking indications that the lump creatures were raiding the neighborhood。 The farms had seemed peaceful and active。
I suppose the creatures confined their preda…tions to the city； where they would cause less excitement。 Raven's track hit the Shaker Road a half…mile above the buildings Otto thought an inn。 I checked landmarks； could not guess how far south of the twelfth mile we were。 Silent beckoned； pointed。 Raven had indeed turned south。 We followed and soon passed milestone sixteen。
〃How far are you going to follow him； Croaker？〃 One…Eye asked。 〃Bet you he met Darling out here and just kept hiking。〃
〃I suspect he did。 How far to Shaker？ Anybody know？〃
〃Two hundred forty…seven miles；〃 Kingpin replied。 〃Rough country？ Likely to have trouble along the way。 Bandits and such？〃
King said； 〃Not that I ever heard of。 There's mountains； though。 Pretty rough ones。 Take a while to get through them。〃
I did some calculating。 Say three weeks to cover that distance； not pushing。 Raven wouldn't push； what with Darling along； and the papers。 〃A wagon。 He'd have to have a wagon。〃
Silent； too； was mounted now。 We reached the buildings quickly。 Otto proved right。 Definitely an inn。 A girl came outside as we dismounted； looked at us with wide eyes； raced inside。 I guess we were a rough…looking lot。 Those who did not show tough looked nasty。
A worried fat man came out strangling an apron。 His face could not decide if it wanted to remain ruddy or to go pallid。 〃Afternoon；〃 I said。 〃We get a meal and some fodder for the animals？〃
〃Wine；〃 One…Eye called out as he loosened his cinch。 〃I need to dive into a gallon of wine。 And a feather bed。〃
〃I reckon；〃 the man said。 His speech proved difficult to follow。 The language of Meadenvil is a dialect of that spoken in Juniper。 In the city it wasn't hard to get along； what with the constant intercourse between Meadenvil and Juniper。 But this fellow spoke a country dialect with an altered rhythm。 〃And you can afford it。〃
I produced two of Raven's silver pieces； handed them over。 〃Let me know when we're over that limit。〃 I dropped my reins over the hitching rail； climbed the steps； patted his arm as I passed。 〃Not to worry。 We're not bandits。 Soldiers。 Following somebody who passed this way a while back。〃
He rewarded me with a frown of disbelief。 It was obvious we did not serve the Prince of Meadenvil。
The inn was pleasant； and though the fat man had several daughters； everyone stayed in line。 After we had eaten and most had gone off to rest； the innkeeper began to relax。 〃You answer me some questions？〃 I asked。 I placed a silver piece upon my table。 〃Might be worth something。〃
He settled opposite me； regarded me narrowly over a gigantic beer mug。 He had drained the thing at least six times since our arrival； which explained his girth。 〃What do you want to know？〃
〃The tall man who can't talk。 He's looking for his daughter。''
〃Eh？〃
I indicated Silent； who had made himself at home near the fire； seated on the floor； folded forward in sleep。 〃A deaf and dumb girl who passed this way a while back。 Probably driving a wagon。 Met a guy here； maybe。〃 I described Raven。
His face went blank。 He remembered Raven。 And did not want to talk about it。
〃Silent！〃
He snapped out of sleep as if stung。 I sent a message with finger signs。 He smiled nastily。 I told the innkeeper； 〃He don't look like much； but he's a sorcerer。 Here's how it stands。 The man who was here maybe told you he'd e back and cut your throat if you said anything。 That's a remote risk。 On the other hand； Silent there can cast a few spells and make your cows go dry； your fields barren； and all your beer and wine go sour。 That's a present risk。〃
Silent did one of those nasty little tricks which amuse him； One…Eye and Goblin。 A ball of light drifted around the mon room like a curious puppy； poking into things。
The innkeeper believed me enough not to want to call my bluff。 〃All right。 They was here。 Like you said。 I get a lot of people through
