Shadow Magic by Patricia C. Wrede Page A

one! I am indebted to you, mistress Alethia.”

Chapter 5
    A S A LETHIA STARED AT the Lithmern circle in dismay, she felt Tamsin’s warning hand on her arm. She stifled the angry response that rose automatically to her lips; instead, she slipped her hand under her sash to the dagger she had taken from the sleeping Lithmern. The touch of the weapon was reassuring. She felt Tamsin shift in the saddle behind her, and heard him say mildly, “Two fish can often escape a net that in times past held many more.”
    “I think not, minstrel. We have you fast,” the captain replied.
    Burning at the satisfaction in his voice, Alethia leaned forward on Starbrow’s neck and said sweetly, “Nonetheless, perhaps we two together may do better than myself alone, captain. I hope your men had a nice nap? They seemed so tired when I left them.” She smiled to herself a little wickedly at the chagrin on the dark faces, and heard a low chuckle from Tamsin. Then she felt him stiffen as the Lithmern circle closed in around them.
    Alethia leaned forward and pulled her dagger free. She heard steel ring as Tamsin’s sword came out of its sheath, but her attention was concentrated on the grinning circle tightening around them. So intent was she that she almost missed seeing the captain draw out the twisted piece of iron she had seen or dreamed earlier.
    The Lithmern leader raised his hands with a commanding gesture and hissed four words. The iron piece he held aloft began to glow with a dull red light. As it did, a heavy darkness clamped itself over Alethia, and she felt Tamsin sway in the saddle behind her. Dimly she watched the Lithmern walking toward them, their captain standing behind with the iron talisman blazing dark fire in his gloved hands. Desperately, Alethia raised one leaden arm. With the last of her strength, she threw her dagger at the Lithmern captain.
    The missile struck in the center of the captain’s chest, just below the upraised arms. Black smoke puffed from the neck of his cloak and he made a brief clutching motion, then collapsed to the ground. The flame of the iron object died as it fell from the limp gloves, and suddenly Alethia and Tamsin could see clearly again.
    The remaining Lithmern were fleeing in terror, and for a moment Alethia thought that they had seen their leader’s collapse. Then one of the running warriors fell, a slender wooden shaft sprouting from his back. One of the men reached the horses, but the frightened animals would not allow him to mount. Another arrow found him, and he, too, fell.
    More arrows came singing out of the trees around them, and suddenly the clearing was empty of Lithmern, except for the four silent forms of Lithmern who had not reacted quickly enough. In another instant Starbrow was surrounded once more, this time by the archers who were pursuing the fleeing Lithmern.
    They were only about four and a half feet high; the tallest would barely have reached Alethia’s shoulder. Their eyes were bright in small, delicately boned faces that seemed vaguely cat-like. They wore tunics of dark green, loosely belted at the waist. Where arms and legs emerged from the coarse material, they were covered by a dark brown fur, which grew more thinly on face and hands and longer and thicker over their heads. From this mane emerged two ears, shaped like a fox’s but with inch-long tufts of hair at their tips. Alethia’s eyes widened. Behind her she heard Tamsin’s low whistle. “Wyrds!” he breathed in awe.
    One of the archers turned aside and scrutinized the two for a moment. Apparently satisfied, he raised his head and gave a piping cry. His fellows stopped, and each jumped for the nearest tree. In seconds, they had all vanished as if they had never been.
    The remaining archer slung his bow over his shoulder and walked over to Starbrow. He touched the animal’s nose lightly, then turned. Without glancing back, he headed northward into the trees. The horse followed; Tamsin’s surreptitious