Blade of Fortriu by Juliet Marillier Page A

over.
    “We’ll ride on until the light fails,” he told them. “No hunting today; we’ll eat after dark, from what supplies we have. Straight on in the morning as soon as the sky lightens.”
    “But—” Creisa began, and fell silent at his look.
    “It’s important that we move on quickly,” Faolan said. He would not explain why; no point in getting the women alarmed. The men would work it out for themselves.
    “Is there a risk of ambush here?” Ana asked, surprising him.
    “Why would you suggest that?”
    She hesitated before speaking. “It’s densely wooded; good cover, I would think. And they do speak of rival tribes here, warring chieftains …”
    “If he has his wits about him,” Faolan said, not believing his own words, “Alpin will be anticipating our arrival, and will have taken what steps are necessary to make our way safe. He should have received the king’s message by now, advising him of our intention to travel to Briar Wood.”
    “Of course.”
    There was something in Ana’s tone that alerted him. He looked at her more closely and observedthat she was paler than usual; she looked tired. “Did you understand?” he asked her. “We must keep riding until nightfall, make what progress we can.”
    “Of course I understand!” she snapped, surprising him again; she had the good manners of a lady, and rarely let them slip even when tried severely, as with the bathing episode. “I’m not a fool. Rain’s coming and we have a ford to cross. A childcould understand.”
    Creisa made to speak again. This time it was Ana who silenced her, making a sharp gesture.
    “On, then,” said Faolan. “Let us make what way we can while the light still holds.”
    When the sun was hanging low in the sky, and the dark trees stretched long shadows across the narrow, needled path, they came down to the bank of a river. The track followed its course, winding betweenalders and willows. The riverbed was broad and stony, the water flowing fast. Faolan sent Kinet to wade in with a staff in his hand; they watched him take two cautious steps, three, and go in up to his waist, struggling to balance against the pull of the current. Faolan and Wrad helped him out.
    “The ford’s almost certainly downstream,” Faolan said, trying to fix this spot on his imagined map.“Keep up the pace; we must cross before dusk.” This could not be the river Ged’s man had warned him of. They had made good speed, but not as good as that. He was sure the major obstacle was days ahead and situated in a broader valley than this wooded divide. “Move!” he snapped, seeing how the women were holding back, seemingly reluctant to start off again. They had disappeared into the woods whileKinet was testing the water and now, returned, were slow to remount. They conferred in low voices, then Creisa helped Ana up into the saddle before getting on her own pony. “Don’t fall behind,” Faolan warned them. “We can’t afford to be trapped here after dark. We must find the crossing. Make sure you keep up.”
    Creisa scowled at him. Ana rode forward without a word. Was he imagining how whiteshe looked? Curse this mission. Already, he had slowed the pace to accommodate the women’s weakness. In the world of men, the journey would have been relatively simple, its principal hazard the chance of ambush.
    Faolan could deal capably with difficulties. He had learned early that alongside the stunning blows fate could deliver, the practical matters of day-to-day life were trivial. Once therehad been people, pastimes, ideas that had possessed significance for him. They were gone. In the space of a single moment’s decision, a single instant’s action, that part of him had died. For a long time, until he met Bridei, there had been nothing at all save the requirement to take the next breath, to set one foot before the other and move on. Bridei had given him a purpose; had offered a friendshipFaolan did not have it in him to return. Instead, he gave