Lady Carliss and the Waters of Moorue Read Free Page A

was not one to abandon a friend, even though her instincts told her that hunting down a large band of marauders on their own was foolish.
    She galloped after Salina, not pausing until they reached the top of the eastern ridge line.
    “There!” Salina pointed below them to a shallow valley, where a man on a gray horse was galloping toward a wooded area. She quickly scanned the rest of the region but saw no sign of the larger contingent.
    They bolted down the valley after the man, and before long it was clear he had spotted them in pursuit. They closed on him, and Salina charged recklessly after him. Carliss had to push Rindy hard to stay up with her.
    They rounded a bend and had to rein in their horses to keep from colliding into a large branch that had broken from a tree and blocked their way. It was also what ended their pursuit, for their quarry lay prone on the ground, motionless. They could see his gray horse continuing the sprint eastward without a rider.
    Salina jumped off her horse, drew her knife, and ran to the man on the ground. Carliss quickly joined her, noting that the man’s head was bent over onto his shoulder.
    “Where’s my family?” Salina shouted, her knife at the man’s throat.
    Carliss drew her sword and approached cautiously.
    “Where are they?” Salina screamed again.
    “Salina.” Carliss returned her sword to her scabbard. “His neck is broken.”
    Salina hung her head, and Carliss put a hand on her shoulder.
    “I have to find them,” Salina said. “Please help me find them.”
    Carliss took a deep breath. “Of course. We can track the main contingent until we are certain of where they are headed. Then you must promise me we will ride for help.”
    Salina stood and looked Carliss in the eye. “Thank you.”
    “By the number of prints, there must be many of them,” Carlisssaid as they recovered their steeds and rode back to find the trail. “With prisoners they’ll have to travel more slowly, so we should be able to catch up with them fairly easily.”
    They rode until the daylight was gone and it was too dangerous to continue in unfamiliar country, then bedded down in a grassy clearing. By early the next morning they were back on the trail, pushing their steeds as hard as they dared. At times, the tracks of the band of marauders were difficult to follow, and the knights’ progress slowed considerably. At one point they completely lost the trail and had to backtrack to discover it again. They were constantly on the lookout for some sign of violence that might have been done to the captives but found none.
    With every mile they journeyed away from Salisburg, Carliss grew more hesitant to continue. She knew they needed help, but Salina could not be swayed.
    That evening they camped by a small stream, somewhat discouraged that they hadn’t caught up to the marauders. They had already exhausted their meager provisions and were famished. Carliss was able to shoot a couple of pheasants, and Salina gathered a few nuts and berries for the evening meal.
    The following day they picked up the trail again. In late afternoon, they finally came upon telltale signs—and sounds—of a camp being set up.
    “We’ve found them,” Salina breathed, her eyes bright.
    Carliss said nothing. Never before had she been so apprehensive about being successful in a hunt.

CARLISS AND THE BOW
    Carliss and Salina waited until dusk to move. They tied their horses a safe distance away and then carefully and quietly approached the camp. Carliss could hardly force herself to take each step, for she knew that this was an unwise venture.
    The sounds of the camp grew louder, though they could not yet see it. As they approached, evil-sounding laughter reached their ears, and they froze. They each dropped to one knee near the trunk of a large tree. Carliss reached out and grabbed Salina’s arm.
    “This is foolish,” she whispered. “We know these are the men, and as far as we can tell, no one has been killed yet.