Lady Carliss and the Waters of Moorue Read Free

invitation.”
    “Wonderful!” Salina exclaimed. “They will all be so excited to meet you.”
    Carliss ducked her head again, embarrassed at Salina’s exuberant response.
    “It’s off toward Pembrook then,” she said, wondering if she had just committed to something she might later regret.

A RELUCTANT HUNT
    Carliss and Salina left the main road to Salisburg to travel due north toward Pembrook. Salina’s farm was southeast of the village, so they would reach it before they came to the village. Carliss knew she would need to spend the night somewhere, and she reserved the option to stay at Pembrook should she not feel comfortable with Salina’s family or should they not offer lodging for the night.
    By early evening they arrived at Salina’s farm. Salina appeared ecstatic, but Carliss couldn’t help feeling apprehensive. Her discomfort grew as they entered the yard, for it became immediately evident that something was wrong. Carts and barrels were overturned, and there was a blatant absence of any normal farm activity. Carliss scanned the area and felt for her sword just as Salina spurred her horse to gallop the last distance to the house.
    “Salina—be careful!” Carliss called as her friend jumped from her steed and ran inside. Carliss followed more slowly, her senses tuned for signs of danger. The back of her neck began to tingle as she neared the house, and she drew her sword as a precaution. She heard Salina calling for her family inside and decided to dismount and circle the house for any evidence of what may have happened.
    She walked along the right outside wall of the stone house. Shecould see that the doors of the barn were open and a section of the surrounding fence was broken down. A gray horse was grazing nearby. She knew in an instant that the horse was not simply loose of its own accord, for it was saddled and ready for travel.
    Carliss gripped her sword tightly as she approached the rear corner of Salina’s home. She stepped away from the wall to gain a better view, but all she saw was a bright blade arcing its way toward her head. Carliss instinctively met the blow and positioned herself defensively, not knowing if this marauder was alone or the first of many.
    Another wide slice came toward her, and she met it with the flat of her blade. She countered and glanced quickly about to assess the situation. If there were others she did not see them. She focused her complete attention on this lone bandit, and it quickly became apparent that her skills far exceeded his. The man maneuvered toward the horse, threw a wild combination of cuts and slices, then fled. Carliss started after him but was stopped by a cry from inside the house.
    “Carliss!”
    She hesitated just a second, then ran back to the front of the home and in through the door, fully expecting another fight. Instead she found Salina kneeling beside a chair, her eyes full of fear. Carliss scanned the room as she rushed over to her friend.
    “What is it, Salina?”
    Salina looked up at Carliss, unable to speak. At her knees was a pool of fresh blood.
    “Is anyone here?” Carliss asked.
    “No… no one. They’ve been… taken.”
    “Some kind of marauder just fled the farm,” Carliss said. “There may be more.”
    Salinas eyes opened wide. She jumped to her feet and ran to the front of the house. “Which way did he go?”
    Carliss pointed east. Salina ran to her horse, and Carliss followed.
    “Salina, we need help. We don’t know how many there are.”
    “If we don’t track the man, we may never find my family again.” Salina swung into the saddle. “I’m going after them.” She slapped the reins of her horse and bolted in the direction Carliss had pointed.
    Carliss mounted Rindy and followed more slowly, her discomfort growing when she saw the hoofprints of many horses in the spongy turf on the other side of the farmyard. Clearly, this was not a time to react irrationally. She understood Salina’s worry, though, and she