Bard's Oath Read Free

something happened, I don’t know what, and he threatened to disown them. But he died before he could do so. Perhaps this is how Agon is repaying him for trying to cast him and his sister aside. His father must be weeping in his grave over those horses.” Gunnis shook his head. “Sad—very sad.”
    A pall settled over Raven’s good mood, but lifted at the Beast Healer’s next words.
    “Still, I think he’d rather the horses be with someone who’ll treasure them as I know your aunt will. Some things are worth more than gold,” Gunnis said.
    “Don’t worry—my aunt already treasures them above the Hoard of Lanresh,” Raven said, naming a greedy, long-ago Kelnethi king whose lost treasure hoard was the stuff of legend.
    “I know. That will ease the old man’s heart wherever he is in the Summerlands. That, and knowing they’ll be bred to this fellow,” Gunnis said, tilting his head at Stormwind. “The old lord probably would’ve sold every one of his own offspring for such a chance!” he finished with a chuckle.
    Stormwind tossed his head, sending his heavy grey mane flying. He arched his neck and pranced. Bouncer barked gaily at him, wagging his tail.
    Raven laughed at the dog. “So tell me—are there any Beast Healers with horses for brothers-in-fur?” he asked, imagining a Llysanyin as one. That’s what he’d have wanted if he’d been a Beast Healer. “I’ve only seen a dog or a cat as a familiar.”
    “Oh, yes, there are a few. There are also various birds, rabbits, ferrets, a fox or two—all kinds of animals. At my chapterhouse there’s even a girl with a woods dog—what you northern Yerrins call a ghulon —for her brother-in-fur.”
    Raven gaped at him. A ghulon ? The shy, badgerlike creatures were known for their fierce tempers and incredible strength; even a bear would think twice, thrice, and many times more before stealing a ghulon ’s meal. “Good gods!”
    “That,” replied Gunnis dryly, “was what a number of us said, too. When it wasn’t something much worse, that is. Come to think of it, it was your friend, Dragonlord Linden Rathan, and one of our Beast Healers, Conor, that gave her the name Pod—”
    He broke off at the sight that greeted them as they rounded a bend. A fair distance down the road a group of riders circled two small figures huddled in the dust. Raven could hear faint weeping. Now and again one of the riders would dart in and turn aside just short of riding down the youngsters. Jeers greeted each terrified shriek.
    Raven’s first thought was bandits toying with their victims; he half-drew his sword. Then he saw that they were too well dressed and well mounted. Young nobles bored and looking for amusement at someone else’s expense, the sods.
    “Bloody little—” Raven snarled in frustration as he slammed his sword back into its sheath. If only they’d been bandits.…
    “That’s Teasel and Speedwell!” Gunnis gasped. “Reed’s fosterlings!”
    Even as he spoke, a gap opened in the circle. Teasel grabbed her little brother’s hand, hauled him to his feet, and dashed toward the opening and safety in the gorse bushes beyond the edge of the road.
    But a scarlet-and-blue-clad rider was suddenly before them, cutting them off. One booted foot kicked out and Teasel fell to the ground on top of her brother.
    With a scream of rage the Llysanyin broke into a run even before Raven’s signal. As they raced down the road, Raven shouted at the attackers. He heard a yelling Gunnis following as fast as his horse could run. But no ordinary horse could keep up with a Llysanyin; the Beast Healer and his baying familiar were soon left behind.
    But it seemed the attackers had heard Bouncer. The one who had knocked Teasel down reined his horse around in a tight circle and called to his friends. They lined up across the road, facing the oncoming Raven.
    “Such a hero, plowboy!” the scarlet-and-blue-clad man called mockingly through cupped hands. “Are you going to