Against the Giants by Ru Emerson - (ebook by Flandrel, Undead) Page B

cave. Several paces upstream, there was a hole broken through the
roof. Where sunlight came through the hole, grass grew next to the water. It
wouldn’t serve the horses for long, but Pferic had brought grain enough to last
a while, and the Flennish guards knew places nearby where they could be grazed
in relative safety.
    Malowan spent some time reminding Pferic how to check the
charm he and Nemis had concocted. With the tiny amulet, Pferic would know if he
and Zyb should take the boats and horses and head back to Flen or if they should
wait for the company to return.
    Vlandar allowed the company one full day to rest up from the
rigors of upriver travel, then set off with his band, afoot, going south across
a narrow band of flat country that soon went into hills and then into
mountainous country. The Steading, according to his maps, was three days away,
no more.
    It took all three days, partly because they needed to go to
ground for some time the first day to avoid a large company of bandits, and
again the next when three giants stopped to graze a flock of sheep—stolen, Lhors
thought.
    Just after midday on the third day, Vlandar stopped the company in a thick
copse of trees and pointed south. “See the two-pronged peak that’s covered in
snow? The Steading is this side of it, just beyond that ridge.”
    “Can we see it from the ridge?” Lhors asked. His feet ached
despite all his years of hunting with his father afoot, and he was cold, tired,
and scared.
    “No. The ridge is too high. I’m told there are caves nearby.
With luck, we’ll be able to store our provisions and rest the night.”
    “Caves,” Maera growled. “This near the Steading, the giants
will know them, too.”
    “Yes,” Vlandar said, “but if the reports are true, there are
many that are more human-sized. Young giants might play in such caves if the
Steading were not a fortress, but babes from that fort are not allowed to play
outside.”
    Khlened shook his head. “We’ve caves in the north. I dislike
’em. Bears and worse make them their home.”
    “Bears?” Agya said and shuddered.
    “We’ll make sure any cave we use has a small entry and no
back door,” Malowan assured her.
    Rowan, who was peering out of the concealing branches to the
north, suddenly interrupted their conversation. “Vlandar, come have a look.”
    Vlandar and the others came to where she crouched and saw
what had caught her attention. A lone figure was approaching them. Squinting to
try to make out the details, Vlandar finally said, “It’s Plowys.”
    Agya spat. “Hoped maybe a bear’d eaten him .”
    “No such luck,” Maera replied flatly.
    Vlandar sighed. “We may as well wait here. We can’t evade
him, and we can’t send him back. He’ll simply refuse to go, and we can’t tie him
up and leave him, tempting as it is. Evade him, and he might ride up to the
Steading gates and demand to join his company.” He gave the barbarian a hard
look. “And no, it’s no answer to let him do just that. He’d give us away as soon
as he opened his mouth—or they’d torture him and learn of us anyway. I prefer to
keep our presence secret for a while. We might learn more that way. Besides,
this way we may be able to keep control of him.”
    Khlened grumbled. “Hah. Well, if we’re waiting, I’ll wait on
my backside.” He settled on a nearby rock, and Nemis sat down next to him.
    Minutes passed as Plowys came on. Apparently, he didn’t know
where their company had gone, but he was making his way to the very copse of
trees where they lay hid.
    “Let me handle this,” Vlandar said as he stepped out of the
trees, waved to the young man, and then resumed his hiding place.
    Plowys saw him and spurred his horse forward. Crashing
through the trees with no attempt at stealth, he vaulted from the saddle. He was
still smirking, but before he could say anything, Vlandar pounced, hauling him
off his feet by his shirt and throwing him to the