Sahra kept calling
for more torches. As though bringing in enough light would nullify
the disaster. By the time the Captain arrived there were fifty
torches, lamps and lanterns illuminating what had been a stable
before the Company arrived.
“Strangled?” Sleepy asked.
“Strangled.”
“I’m tempted to use the word ‘ironic’
but I fear there’s no irony in it at all. Doj. That white
raven of Croaker’s was hanging around outside. Find it. There
were little people hanging around here, some of them supposedly
watching Singh. I want to know what they saw.”
Sleepy had a good idea what she would hear from the Unknown
Shadows. It would be a variation on reports she had had before. She
said, “I’ll want to send the news south,
too.”
Nothing happened around the Black Company without some hobyah
there to witness it. The soldiers from Hsien understood that
perfectly. They took it for granted. They tended to be
well-behaved. But someone without experience of life in Hsien would
not take the Unknown Shadows as seriously.
A minute later, Sleepy asked, “I don’t suppose
anyone’s seen Goblin, have they? I don’t reckon anyone
knows who was supposed to be watching him?”
Riverwalker said, “He was right over there till a minute
ago.”
Sleepy looked, considered, muttered, “No doubt right up to
the second I decided to consult the Unknown Shadows about what they
saw.” Which would have been the same moment he would have
realized that his recent history was no mystery to anyone. The
moment when he realized that Sleepy had been paying out the
hangman’s rope while seeing what she could learn.
Riverwalker asked. “Want him rounded up? In one
piece?”
“No.” Not now. Not when the best wizard she had was
an old, old man whose skills, outside using a sword, were too weak
even to put hexes on people and animals. “But I
wouldn’t mind knowing where he is.” Doj could manage
that. The Unknown Shadows communicated with him. Sometimes. When
the mood took them. “What you do need to do right now is get
extra guards around the Voroshk. Goblin showed a lot of interest in
them while we were traveling. I don’t want anything happening
to them and I don’t want them wandering off.” It did
not occur to her to reinforce the company responsible for the
comatose sorcerer Howler. But Fortune stood behind her there.
Goblin, it developed, had grabbed a couple of fast horses and
some loose supplies and had gotten himself out of
Nijha, headed north, all without attracting any particular
notice. Sleepy very nearly indulged in profanity when she received
the report. Someone pointed out that the little wizard always had
had that knack. Sleepy growled, ’Then somebody should have
been watching for him to take advantage of it.”
Uncle Doj told her, “I can’t stop him or control him
but I can make life miserable for him.”
“How?”
“His horses. The Black Hounds can have a lot of fun with
them. And when he tries to lead them to
water . . . ” He chuckled wickedly.
“Send them.” Sleepy beckoned Sahra. “I kept
leaning both ways during the meeting. Looking for a sign.
I’ve just had it. We’re not going to rush in anymore.
We’ll move ahead slowly, into more hospitable country, and
stop somewhere where we can support ourselves without much trouble.
We’ll wait till everyone catches up. And issue a call for
volunteers willing to support the Prabrindrah Drah and the
Radisha.” If anyone even remembered them.
“Wait especially for my son. Yes.” Sahra was angry
and unhappy but too tired to fight much. “Now that Murgen is
no longer the major tool.”
“Especially for Tobo, yes. Tonight it was clear that
without Tobo we’re in trouble bad.”
Sahra said nothing more. She was tired of fighting a battle in
which even the men she wanted to protect refused to honor her
concern.
Sahra kept calling
for more torches. As though bringing in enough light would nullify
the disaster. By the time the Captain arrived there were fifty
torches, lamps and lanterns illuminating what had been a stable
before the Company arrived.
“Strangled?” Sleepy asked.
“Strangled.”
“I’m tempted to use the word ‘ironic’
but I fear there’s no irony in it at all. Doj. That white
raven of Croaker’s was hanging around outside. Find it. There
were little people hanging around here, some of them supposedly
watching Singh. I want to know what they saw.”
Sleepy had a good idea what she would hear from the Unknown
Shadows. It would be a variation on reports she had had before. She
said, “I’ll want to send the news south,
too.”
Nothing happened around the Black Company without some hobyah
there to witness it. The soldiers from Hsien understood that
perfectly. They took it for granted. They tended to be
well-behaved. But someone without experience of life in Hsien would
not take the Unknown Shadows as seriously.
A minute later, Sleepy asked, “I don’t suppose
anyone’s seen Goblin, have they? I don’t reckon anyone
knows who was supposed to be watching him?”
Riverwalker said, “He was right over there till a minute
ago.”
Sleepy looked, considered, muttered, “No doubt right up to
the second I decided to consult the Unknown Shadows about what they
saw.” Which would have been the same moment he would have
realized that his recent history was no mystery to anyone. The
moment when he realized that Sleepy had been paying out the
hangman’s rope while seeing what she could learn.
Riverwalker asked. “Want him rounded up? In one
piece?”
“No.” Not now. Not when the best wizard she had was
an old, old man whose skills, outside using a sword, were too weak
even to put hexes on people and animals. “But I
wouldn’t mind knowing where he is.” Doj could manage
that. The Unknown Shadows communicated with him. Sometimes. When
the mood took them. “What you do need to do right now is get
extra guards around the Voroshk. Goblin showed a lot of interest in
them while we were traveling. I don’t want anything happening
to them and I don’t want them wandering off.” It did
not occur to her to reinforce the company responsible for the
comatose sorcerer Howler. But Fortune stood behind her there.
Goblin, it developed, had grabbed a couple of fast horses and
some loose supplies and had gotten himself out of
Nijha, headed north, all without attracting any particular
notice. Sleepy very nearly indulged in profanity when she received
the report. Someone pointed out that the little wizard always had
had that knack. Sleepy growled, ’Then somebody should have
been watching for him to take advantage of it.”
Uncle Doj told her, “I can’t stop him or control him
but I can make life miserable for him.”
“How?”
“His horses. The Black Hounds can have a lot of fun with
them. And when he tries to lead them to
water . . . ” He chuckled wickedly.
“Send them.” Sleepy beckoned Sahra. “I kept
leaning both ways during the meeting. Looking for a sign.
I’ve just had it. We’re not going to rush in anymore.
We’ll move ahead slowly, into more hospitable country, and
stop somewhere where we can support ourselves without much trouble.
We’ll wait till everyone catches up. And issue a call for
volunteers willing to support the Prabrindrah Drah and the
Radisha.” If anyone even remembered them.
“Wait especially for my son. Yes.” Sahra was angry
and unhappy but too tired to fight much. “Now that Murgen is
no longer the major tool.”
“Especially for Tobo, yes. Tonight it was clear that
without Tobo we’re in trouble bad.”
Sahra said nothing more. She was tired of fighting a battle in
which even the men she wanted to protect refused to honor her
concern.