按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
feel when she ran some small fleeing thing to ground。
Spy on me！ Spy on me； will you？！
The shadowy form stumbled again。 Simon lifted his sword； ready to hew the sneaking creature down in its tracks。 Another few paces。。。
〃Simon！〃 Something caught at his shirt； tugging him off stride。 〃Don't！〃
He lowered his hand to regain his balance and his sword caught in the weedy grass and sprang from his fingers。 He pawed at the ground； but could not find it in the deep brush； in the dark。 He hesitated for a moment； but the dark shape before him had regained its stride and was pulling away。 With a curse； Simon abandoned the sword and ran on。 A dozen strong paces and he had caught up again。 He wrapped his arms around his quarry's midsection and tumbled them both to the ground。
〃Oh； sweet Usires！〃 the thing beneath him shrieked。 〃Don't burn me！ Don't burn me！〃 Simon grabbed the thrashing arms and held on。
〃What are you doing？！〃 Simon hissed。 〃Why have you been following us？〃
〃Don't burn me！〃 the man quavered； struggling to keep his face turned away。 He flailed his spindly limbs in seeming terror。 〃Weren't following no one！〃
Miriamele arrived； Simon's sword clutched in both hands。 〃Who is it？〃
Still angry； although even he was not quite sure why； Simon took the man's ear in his hand…as Rachel the Dragon had oftentimes done with a certain recalcitrant scullion…and twisted it until the face swung toward him。
His prisoner was an old man； Simon did not know him。 The man's eyes were wide and blinking rapidly。 〃Didn't mean no harm； old Heanwig didn't'〃 he said。 〃Don't burn me！〃
〃Burn you？ What are you babbling about？ Why were you following us？〃
Miriamele looked up suddenly。 〃Simon； we can't stay here shouting。 Let's take him back。〃
〃Don't burn Heanwig！〃
〃Nobody's burning anybody；〃 Simon grunted。 He dragged the old man onto his feet less gently than he might have； then marched him toward the shed。 The intruder sniffled and pleaded for his life。
Simon retained his hold on the old man while Miriamele tried to relight the torch。 She eventually gave up and took another from her saddlebag。 When it was burning； Simon let go of the prisoner and then sat with his back against the door so that the old man could not make another bolt for freedom。
〃He doesn't have any weapons；〃 Simon said。 〃I felt his pockets。〃
〃No； masters； got no nothing。〃 Heanwig seemed a little less frightened； but still pathetically eager not to offend。 〃Please； just let me go and I'll tell no one。〃
Simon looked him over。 The old man had the reddened cheeks and nose of a veteran tosspot； and his eyes were bleary。 He was staring worriedly at the torch； as though it were now the greatest danger in the room。 He certainly didn't seem much of a threat； but Simon had learned long ago from Doctor Morgenes' small…outside； large…inside chambers that things could be other than they appeared。 〃Why were you following us？〃 he demanded。 〃And why do you think we'd burn you？〃
〃Don't need to burn no one；〃 the old man said。 〃Old Heanwig means no harm。 He won't tell nobody。〃
〃Answer my question。 What are you doing here？〃
〃Was just looking for place to sleep； masters。〃 The old man chanced a quick survey of the shed。 〃Slept here before once or twice。 Didn't want to be outside tonight； no； not tonight。〃
〃Were you following us in the forest？ Did you e to our camp last night？〃
The old man looked at him with what seemed genuine surprise。 〃Forest？ In Oldheart？ Heanwig won't go there。 Things and beasties and such…that's a bad place； masters。 Don't you go to that Oldheart。〃
〃I think he's telling the truth；〃 said Miriamele。 〃I think he was just ing here to sleep；〃 She fished the water skin out of her saddlebag and gave it to the old man。 He looked at it for a moment with suspicion。 Understanding； Miriamele lifted it to her own mouth and drank； then passed it to him。 Reassured； the old man swallowed hungrily； then looked at her as accusingly as if his fear of poison had been confirmed。
〃Water；〃 he murmured sullenly。
Miriamele stared at him； but Simon slowly smiled。 He leaned across and fished out the other skin bag； the one Miriamele had told him she was saving for cold nights or painful injuries。 Simon squirted a little bit of the red Perdruin into a bowl and held it out where the old man could see。 Heanwig's trembling fingers reached for it； but Simon pulled the bowl back。
〃Answer our questions first。 You swear you were not searching for us？〃
Heanwig shook his head emphatically。 〃Never seen you before。 Won't remember you when you're gone。 That's a promise。〃 His thin hands snaked out again。
〃Not yet。 Why did you think we'd burn you？〃
The old man looked at him； then at the wine； plainly torn。 〃Thought you were those Fire Dancers；〃 he said at last； with obvious reluctance。 〃Thought you meant to burn me like they burned old Wiclaf who used to be First Hammerman up to quarry。〃
Simon shook his head； puzzled； but Miriamele leaned closer； fear and distaste in her expression。 〃Fire Dancers？ Are there Fire Dancers here？〃
The old man looked at her as though she had asked whether fish could swim。 〃Town be full of them。 They chased me； chased Heanwig。 But I hid from them。〃 He smiled a weak smile； but his eyes remained wary and calculating。 〃They be in quarry tonight； dancing and praying to their Storm Lord。〃
〃The quarry！〃 Miriamele breathed。 'That's what the lights were！〃
Simon was still not sure he trusted the old man。 Something was bothering him； like a fly buzzing beside his ear； but he could not decide what it was。 〃If he's telling the truth。〃
〃I tell the truth；〃 Heanwig said with sudden force。 He tried to draw himself up straight； fixing Simon with his rheumy eyes。 〃I was ing here for a bit of sleep； then I heard you。 Thought the Fire Dancers were here…they roam all through town at night。 People with houses bar their doors； do you see； but Heanwig's got no house no more。 So I ran。〃
〃Give the wine to him； Simon；〃 Miriamele said。 〃It's cruel。 He's just a frightened old man。〃
Simon made a face and handed Heanwig the bowl。 The old man sniffed it and a look of rapture crossed his age…spotted features。 He tilted the bowl and drank thirstily。
〃The Fire Dancers！〃 Miriamele hugged herself。 〃Mother of Mercy； Simon； we don't want to get caught by them。 They're all mad。 Tiamak was attacked by some in Kwanitupul； and I saw others light themselves on fire and burn to death。〃
Simon looked from Miriamele to the old man； who was licking his wrinkled lips with a tongue that looked like something which made its home in a seashell。 He felt an unlikely urge to reach out and cuff the old tosspot； although the man had done little enough； really。 Simon suddenly remembered how he had raised the sword； that moment of fury when he might have slain this poor wretch； and was horribly ashamed。
What sort of knight would cut down a feeble drunkard？
But what dreadful fate had sent the old man to frighten the horses and break twigs in the very moment when he was finally holding Miriamele in his arms？ They had been kissing！ She； the princess； the beautiful Miriamele； had been kissing Simon！
He turned his gaze from the old man to Miriamele once more。 She； too； had been watching Heanwig drain his bowl； but now her eyes flicked up to Simon's for a moment。 Even in the torchlight； he could see her blush。 Fate was cruel 。。。 but a little earlier； it had been kind as well。 Oh； sweet Fate； sweet Luck！
Simon abruptly laughed。 The greater part of his anger dissipated like chaff before the wind。 The loveliest girl in all of Aedondom； clever and quick…and she had kissed him。 Called him by his name！ He could still feel the shape of her face on his fingertips。 What right had he to plain？
〃So what do we do？〃 he asked。
Miriamele avoided his eye。 〃We will stay the night。 Then in the morning we will get as far away from the Fire Dancers as we can。〃
Simon darted a glance at Heanwig； who was looking hopefully toward the saddlebags。 〃And him？〃
〃We will let him stay here for the night； too。〃
〃And what if he drinks all the wine and takes it into his head to strangle us in our sleep？〃 Simon protested。 Even he found it rather silly to say such things about the bony； shivering old man； but he desperately wanted to be alone with Miriamele once more。
As if she understood this and was equally determined not to see it happen； Miriamele said： 〃He'll do nothing of the sort。 And we will take turns sleeping。 Will that make you feel better； Simon？ You can guard the wine。〃
The old man looked from one to the other； evidently trying to decide where the battle lines were drawn。 〃Old Heanwig won't be no bother。 You don't nead to stay up； young masters。 You be tired。 Old fellow like me doesn't need sleep。 I'll stay up and watch for them Fire Dancers。〃
Simon snorted。 〃I'm certain you would。 Let's toss him out； Miriamele。 If he isn't the one who followed us； there's no reason to keep him。〃
〃There's a perfectly good reason。 He's