The Goblin Wood Part 13

Daroo sighed. "We'll trade you for b.u.t.tons, like the mistress does," he announced.

"He's a prisoner," said Regg. "Not a friend."

"Do you want him to die?" Onny demanded. "Go with Daroo and find some wood. I'll help him get some b.u.t.tons off his s.h.i.+rt. He's going to need them."

By the middle of the night he'd traded all his b.u.t.tons, the laces from his slippers, and his belt, for they were small creatures, and could only carry small loads. He was wondering how he'd pay for the next bundle of wood when Regg silently reached down and handed him a smooth stone. They tried to explain their theory of debts and equality, but he'd had trouble understanding it because about that time feeling began to return to his numb hands and feet, and pain came with it. At least the b.u.t.tons on the sorceress' vest were now explained. Had she really traded for their services, instead of enslaving them? Yet another thing Master Lazur had been wrong about? Apples and grapevines.

He smiled down at Nuffet. His cloak had finally dried and she snuggled beneath it, sound asleep on his lap. They'd brought him water as well as wood, and he was sleepily content. The pit was almost warm with the fire blazing in it, and the three older children made surprisingly little noise as they climbed in and out. He yawned and was hoping they wouldn't get into too much trouble as he fell asleep.

When he opened his eyes, the rim of the pit was surrounded by a ring of goblin faces. He'd never seen so many at once. He moved abruptly and discovered four small, warm bodies pressed against him, under his cloak.

The fire had died, but warmth still radiated from the embers. He gazed at the goblin children, who were stirring and rubbing their eyes, and wondered how long they'd worked to keep that fire going before they finally rested.

And he knew, beyond any doubt, that if he was able to keep his promise to Jeriah, it would be their doing. They had saved his life. That was a debt that couldn't be repaid in b.u.t.tons and stones, whatever the goblins might think.

C HAPTER 13.

The Hedgewitch "I DON'T LIKE IT," SAID COGSWHALLOP. "I don't like not setting any fire around the doors, and I especially don't like you going alone to lead off the soldiers."

"But they'll follow me," Makenna explained again. "I'm the one they want. Once they're gone, there'll be no one but the settlers to defend the gear and seed grain. And as soon as they see fire at the church, they'll go to put it out, and the Spoilers will have a free hand."

"They'd go to put it out quicker and stay there longer if there was fire around the doors and windows," said Cogswhallop shrewdly. "Getting soft, gen'ral?" A rumble of agreement came from the troop leaders.

Makenna leaned against the base of the fallen log and gazed out over the goblin village. It was so well camouflaged that most humans wouldn't even have seen it, at least at a casual glance. But Makenna knew the look of every house, field, and craft yard. This clearing, backed by the old fallen pine, was one of her favorite places, both to come alone and for briefingsa"it reminded them, and her, of what they were fighting for.

She sighed and turned to face the troubled frowns of her troop leadersa"old friends, tried in combat after combat, every one of them. Could she tell them she was being haunted by the ghost of her mother's disapproval? "Aye, maybe I am soft. But there's no need to kill these folk. If their seed is spoiled and their tools start to rot, they'll have to go homea"and the priests and soldiers will follow. If they don't go with the settlers, at least we can fight them without hurting other folk." She put a note of finality into her tone and they nodded reluctantly.

"All right," Cogswhallop conceded. "But what about you leading off the soldiers, all by yourself?"

"Demon's teeth, Cogswhallop, let it go! Do you think I'm such a bungler I can't lose a troop of mounted men in a dense forest? They're all wearing pounds of steel! Off their horses, they'll be wheezing before they've run half a mile. I told you about the course I scouted. Do you really think they could follow me through that?"

A reluctant grin crossed his face. "Well, likely not. But you haven't said where we'll regroup."

"That's because I don't know where you'll end up. I'll show some Flichters a place to meet me when it's over and they can guide me back. Have I answered all your doubts?"

"Almost."

Makenna groaned.

"There's that knight fellow. We told you he almost escaped while you were gone. His ankle's sprained and Natter says he's got a fever coming on, so he'll keep for a few daysa"but you're going to have to do something about him, gen'ral, once those others are gone."

"If he'd had the sense to stay healthy, we could have sent him off with them," Makenna grumbled. "We can't turn him loose till we've beaten them. He's learned too much about us."

"Might be he's learned too much to ever go free."

Makenna suddenly felt cold. She rubbed her arms to warm herself and shook her head. "I don't think so. You're certain he doesn't know how to find this village?"

"Aye. He went a fair way, but he was good and lost."

"Well, that's what matters. For now, we'll keep him here."

"I don't like it, gen'ral. I think he's a danger to us."

"You never like anything." Cogswhallop's level gaze never wavered, and she sighed. "All right, I'll talk to him and see what I can learn."

As she went down the hill to the hut where they kept the prisoner, Makenna found she was looking forward to seeing him. At first, the presence of a human in the goblin village had disturbed her, but now it seemed ... pleasant? Surely not. It was just the challenge of playing her wits against his that she looked forward to, for she'd enjoyed their last conversation more than she wanted to admit.

It was fun trying to trick him out of his secrets. But no lying bell this time. That spell had cut both ways.

She pushed open the door, and he sat up, staring at her. They'd dispensed with the chain, since Natter swore he wouldn't be able to walk on that ankle for at least a week. Makenna could have healed it, but given his knack for uprooting chains she'd decided it was safer not to. Her lips twitched as she remembered Bocami's dismay as he apologized for his "shoddy craftsmans.h.i.+p" driving in the spike. Bocami's work was never shoddy; he'd simply underestimated human weight and strength. And determination. The knight had told the children it took him three nights to work that spike out. There was more character behind that ordinary face than she had thought.

"I hear you've been spying on the settlers." He was trying to sound casual, but he didn't succeed. "Learn anything?"

"Oh, this and that." She leaned back against the wall. She did casual much better than he did. "Who told you what I was doing?"

Two spots of color flamed in his cheeks. "I'm not saying." The color didn't fade as fast as it should. Natter was right; he was starting a fever. Would it make him loose tongued? Possibly. "Onny, was it?"

The deepening flush on his face was answer enough. "Aye, she's a good girl," Makenna went on. "But she keeps trying to top Daroo. He's the eldest, mind, and it leads her to do silly things. A dare, likely?"

"She won't get in trouble, will she?"

"Not from me, but I'm not her mother. And I won't answer for her hide if Natter finds out she was talking to you. Speaking of hides, I didn't think they flogged lordlings."

He said nothing, but more betraying color flamed in his face. Keep pus.h.i.+ng. "You've got nerve, calling me a killer. I can't imagine what you did to get those stripes."

"I didn't do it," he burst out. "I have never been less than honorable!"

Yes, the fever was weakening him. Good. Keep him talking, keep him off balance. "I met your friend, Master Lazur." She hoped the name would startle him, but he only nodded.

"I thought you might."

"And Jeriah, too. He was younger thana""

"Jeriah's there? But he . . . Of course. I should have guessed. What are you going to do?" he demanded.

Now why would Jeriah's name provoke such a violent response?

"What are you planning to do about the settlement?" He looked utterly alarmed.

"Suppose I said I planned to kill them all?" she probed. "What would you do?"

"I wouldn't believe you," he shot back. "We've never known you to commit wholesale slaughters."

"Aye, but I've killed before, and you know it. The only reason I let you live is that Natter's taken a liking to you."

Now why should that make him laugh? It was a pity, for laughter calmed him.

"Please tell me," he said. "What do you intend to do?"

She thought about lying, but the memory of the blond girl weeping in the church filled her mind. He was sick, helpless. Why not give him the truth? "Lead off the soldiers, cause a distraction to get the farm folk away from their seeds and gear, and let the Spoilers in to rot it. With no tools or seed, they'll have to go back."

"They won't." He met her eyes steadily. "Master Lazur means to drive you out, whatever the cost."

"Whatever the cost? Pigdung. n.o.body trades a good sow for skin and bones. If I make the cost too high, he'll back off."

"He won't. He believes the good of all the people of the realm outweighs the good of individualsa"and that includes both the settlers and himself. He won't back off."

Makenna laughed. "And I thought the farmer who cut down his grapes was a fool. That's like saying the good of the apple crop outweighs the good of the apples! Who does he think the people of the realm are, if not folk like those settlers? But I can hear him saying it. A dangerous man, that."

"Then don't fight him." He leaned forward, putting force behind his words. "Give up now. There's no honor in leading these goblins to die for your vengeance. In spying and lying and trickery. Please, give it up and go, before more are hurt or killed!"

"Before more humans are killed, you mean? Goblins have been dying for six years now, but there's no dishonor in that, is there?" She was standing now, stiff with anger. "Aye, your conduct has always been honorablea"I believe it! No mud on your s.h.i.+ning armora"no blood, either. You think I lead these people for my own whim? I lead these people, honorable knight, because they have no one but me. Because they came to me when the humans slaughtered their families and drove them out. And I'll keep this place safe for them no matter how much spying and lying and killing it takes. You've never been a commander, lordling, or you'd know that it's easy to prate about honor when you're not responsible for others' lives. But let me tell you a bit of trutha"sometimes honor doesn't get it done."

She turned and went out, slamming the door in his astonished face. She stalked through the village, searching for calm. Why let that ignorant lordling anger her so? He knew nothing of her or her goblins. And she couldn't afford her anger any more than she could afford his honor. She had a job to do.

Makenna watched as Oddi and Tama crept forward. It made her nervous, having the Flamers go into the settlement before she led the soldiers off, but Cogswhallop was righta"the timing was crucial. They'd have only a few minutes before the settlers got the women and children out of the burning church and returned to defend their gear.

Tama leaned forward, staring intently at a young woman carrying a bucket back from the stream. Makenna recognized her face, but she hadn't learned her name. She didn't know which of the guards had the spell-resistance charms, so they'd decided to take no chances.

The girl shrieked and dropped the bucket. Water poured over the ground. She leapt back, staring at the bushes by her feet.

The guard frowned. "What is it?"

"There's something in that bush." She backed away from it with short, nervous steps. "Something grabbed me."

The guard picked up his spear (a decidedly unfarmer-like tool, Makenna noted critically) and went to investigate the bushes. As soon as his back was turned, Oddi scampered silently past him, into concealment behind a pile of lumber.

"I don't see anything," said the guard, poking his spear into the empty bush.

"But I know it's there! Something pulled on my, ah ... " The girl blushed.

The guard grinned. Makenna glanced down and saw his humor echoed on Tama's face. She was a skilled Charmer, able to create almost any illusion, but she had a wicked sense of humor.

In less than a minute the guard was back at his post, but now his back was to Oddi. The little Flamer made two more quick dashes before Makenna lost sight of him. She sat watching the bustling settlement. They'd thought about doing this at night, but Makenna knew the guards were more cautious after dark. "And besides," she'd told her troop leaders, "they've got to chase me a fair way. If it's dark, I might lose them before I'm ready to." So they'd chosen daytime, in spite of the risks, for she knew her goblins could remain unseen even in the sunlight.

She waited, fretting, for almost half an hour, giving them plenty of time to get into position. It worried her not to be there to supervise the attack, but she was the only one who could draw off the soldiers.

The inner stillness that always filled her when the waiting ended crept in, and she realized it was time to make an entrance. No spells of look-away now. She waited until the guard glanced aside, then simply stood up and waited for him to notice her. It took several minutes, for her rough clothes blended with the woods.

When he finally saw her standing there, his eyes widened and he blinked rapidly, obviously wondering if she was real. What would he say later? That she appeared out of thin air? That she'd formed out of the shadows before his eyes? Who needed magic anyway? Makenna smiled.

That broke the moment. The guard shouted, inarticulate at first, then finding words. "It's her! The sorceress! Arms! She's here!"

Not very military. Makenna turned and ran lightly away from the camp. Looking back, she saw that the guard waited until several of his fellows had joined him before coming in pursuit. She knew most of them would go for their horses while a few followed her on foot to guide the mounted ones.

She was far swifter than the armored guards and had to slow down several times to keep from losing them. She laughed aloud when she heard the hoofbeats pounding closer, drawn by the shouts of her pursuers. Let them comea"she was ready!

Her chosen entrance to the dense patch of woods was a fallen tree, almost three feet thick. Makenna dropped and rolled under it, losing no more than a second. It would take the mounted men far longer to find a way around, and if some decided to leave their horses and try to scramble over it. . .

Only a moment later she heard a startled shout and the crash of a fall. The moss on top of that log was very slippery.

The dense woods slowed her, but she still had to wait for them as they thrashed through the branches.

One of the smarter ones realized the horses couldn't make it through and abandoned his animal, running after her on foot. It took a bit longer for the stubborn ones to follow suit, but Makenna couldn't wait for them. She had to keep ahead of the leaders, so she ran swiftly now.

A bruising scramble through a shallow ravine, under another log, up a small rock facea"easy for an unenc.u.mbered girl, far harder for men wearing steel plates beneath their clothes. Makenna laughed when she heard them cursing, and her laughter made them curse again. She felt light with the exhilaration of the chase. When she worked magic, botching some spell her mother had cast with ease, she felt incompetent. But she never botched a fight, or a chase, or a battle plan. She was born for this.

She broke out of the dense forest and started the sprint through the lighter woods that bordered this part of the deep ravine. She was hundreds of yards ahead of them now.

She had to wait again at the top of the cliff. It was almost a hundred feet down to the river, but only the first twenty feet were sheer. The wait gave her time to recheck the knots that held the rope she'd tied there last night.

They shouted again when they saw her, and an arrow whistled past as she grabbed the rope to climb down. Arrows might be a problema"-she'd hoped they'd abandon the bows with their horses, but she'd long since learned that nothing went exactly as planned.

She scrambled down the long, steep slope and made it to the riverbed by the time they reached the cliff top.

A few more arrows hissed past as she splashed upstream among the boulders, but the archers had to aim quickly and they weren't too close. Still, she breathed easier as she hurried around the river bend that took her out of sight.

The roar of the waterfall greeted her like a benediction. She'd chosen this place carefully. There was another patch of dense woods to keep them from following her up above, and climbing down the rope and the scramble (or better yet, the fall) down the long, rocky slope to the river would take a man in armor quite awhile.

Nonetheless, she hurried as much as she could. Ordinarily this part of the riverbed was dry, but now the river was swollen with spring rain, and she splashed over rocks and around the boulders. She tripped once in her haste and almost got a soakinga"not that it mattered. Getting into the hidden cave behind the waterfall always drenched her.

She spotted the second rope she'd hung in the shadow of the cliff. It didn't matter whether they tried to climb after her, or gave up and went back, for she'd no intention of continuing the chase. The cave behind the falls was completely invisible when the river was full, and only a goblin could have found the hand- and footholds needed to climb to it.

She reached the cliff, wet with the mist from the waterfall, and stopped by the rope, gazing up. If she were them, she wouldn't even trya" A face peered over the cliff top, saw her, and vanished. A human face. They were waiting for her!

How could they have gotten there so fast? No, no time for questions. Makenna took a deep breath and tried to calm her pounding heart.

They were waiting at the top of the rope. They'd know she hadn't escaped that way and would tell her pursuers when they came around the benda"probably quite soon now. If they knew she was there, they'd find the cave eventually. Perhaps they knew about it already. How? No time.

She had to get out of the ravine, fast, unseen. The river? It would be risky, but all her options were dangerous now, and she'd grown up by the wetland lakes and was a strong swimmer.

She scuttled under the shelter of the cliffs, where she couldn't be seen from above. It took only seconds to strip off her boots and fill them with rocks, keeping a careful eye on the river bend. If her pursuers appeared, she'd have to swim.

Clinging to the shadow of the cliff, she worked her way to the deep pool at the bottom of the fall and pitched her boots in. Like St. Agna escaping to the Otherworld, the mighty sorceress would vanish from their trap without leaving a trace.

The water was up to midthigh. Makenna took a moment to study the current, planning a course that would keep her well away from the pounding falls. She took several deep breaths, forcing all the air she could in and out of her lungs, and then dove.

Cold water searched through her clothes, dispelling the warmth of her body. At least it wasn't the numbing cold of the high rivers that could kill a swimmer before she realized she was in danger.

She swam for the bottom and stroked along, having learned as a child that if you didn't stay close to the bottom, the buoyancy of your lungs would drag you up. Her hands deflected several rocks, but she missed one that sc.r.a.ped her cheek. Then the current took her.

It was far more powerful than she'd thought it would be, dragging her over the rough riverbed like a runaway horse, rolling and twisting her. She slammed sideways into a rock, bruising her ribs, forcing the air from her straining lungs. Was she out of their sight? She tried to orient herself, but she couldn't be sure, and she had to breathe now!

Bracing her feet against a stone, she poked her head into the air, gasping as quietly as she could, clinging to the rock. She dashed the water from her eyes and looked around. She'd come farther than she thought. The rock was between her and the cliff top, but there was the benda"and the soldiers were coming around it!

Ducking under the surface, Makenna felt her way carefully around the rock, surfacing cautiously this time, just her eyes above the river until she was sure neither the soldiers on the cliff top nor the ones on the riverbed could see her. She risked a glimpse upriver. They'd almost reached the rope, and the men at the top were standing, calling down to them. She couldn't make out the words over the roar of the falls, but they weren't pointing down the stream to where she was.

The wet, moss-slick rocks and the hidden cave would keep them busy for a time. Makenna silently wished them a merry hunt and dove again, not surfacing until the current had carried her around the curve and out of sight.