Stasheff, Christopher Warlock 03 The Warlock Unlocked

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showed seams and lining.
The elf-horse beside him reared, screaming and pawing the air. Then it leapt up
and whipped away, blown on a sudden gust of northern wind.
The five riders shrieked in frustration, jumping their mounts high to meet the
gust. So did all the faery host, leaping into the aif with a scream, and the breeze
swept them away round the hill to the south, like autumn leaves.
Only Eorl Theofrin remained, his horse neighing and dancing as though it stood
on hot coals. He himself winced and hunched his shoulders against pain, but
managed to pull a crossbow from its place on his saddle, cranking the string
back. "Thou hast cheated me full, wizard! Yet ere I succumb to pain and fly, I'll
break thee for thy life!"
There wasn't a rock big enough to hide behind for a thousand paces. Rod stood
his place, sword lifted, fighting a surge of panic. What that bolt could do, he
didn't know but he knew it was deadly. His one chance was to try to block it
with his sword but crossbow bolts moved very fast.
Theofrin leveled the bow.
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Dimly, Rod was aware of that kindly, stern Presence with him again, reassuring,
urging.
Fervently and with his whole being, he wished the faery lord would go follow
one of his own phantoms off a cliff and wherever else it led him, all night long.
Theofrin suddenly dropped his bow, staring off to his left.
Rod stared, too. He glanced over toward where the Eorl was looking, then
quickly back to Theofrin. He'd seen nothing.
"Nay, pretty maiden," Theofrin crooned, "come nigh to me!" And his horse
began to move forward. "Nay, dost thou flee? " Theofrin grinned. "I'll follow!"
And his horse leaped into a gallop.
Straight over the cliff.
And on up into the sky it was a faery steed, after all with Theofrin caroling,
"Nay, come nigh! Nay, do not flee! I'll do thee no harm, but show thee great
delightsj Ah, dost thou fly still? Then I'll follow thee, while breath doth last!"
Rod stared after him, stupefied, until Theofrin was only a lighted speck off to the
east, that sank below a horizon-line of trees, and was gone.
"My lord!"
He turned. Gwen came running up, clasping Elidor's hand firmly. "My lord, I
saw it all! Thou art untouched?"
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Stasheff, Christopher - Warlock 04 - The Warlock Unlocked (v1.0) (html).html
"Uh& " Suddenly, Rod became aware of aches all over. "I wouldn't say that.
Those pinches hurt! But nothing lasting I hope."
"There shouldn't be, if Terran folk-tales hold true here." Father Al came puffing
up. "But if he'd hit you with that crossbow-bolt, it might've been another matter."
"Oh?" Rod looked up, dreading the answer. "What kind of effects do those
things produce, Father?"
The priest shrugged. "Oh, epilepsy, rheumatism, a slipped disc, partial or full
paralysis it would be the same as any elf-shot, I assume."
"Oh, really." Rod felt his knees turn to water. "Gee, isn't it too bad he had to
leave so suddenly."
"Yes, I was wondering about that." The priest frowned. "What was he chasing?"
Rod shook his head. "Hanged if I know, Father. All I know is, I was wishing
with all my might that he'd go follow one of his own will-o'-the-wisps over a cliff
and he did."
"Hm." Father Al's face instantly went neutral. "Well. Another datum."
Rod frowned; then he leveled a forefinger at the priest. "You're suspecting
something."
"Well, yes," the priest sighed, "but you know how foolish it is to state a thesis
prematurely."
"Yeah." Rod should know Fess'd told him often enough. He sighed and
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Stasheff, Christopher - Warlock 04 - The Warlock Unlocked (v1.0) (html).html
straightened up. "Okay, Father play 'em close to your chest. I'll just be real
careful what I wish, from now on."
"Yes. "The priest nodded grimly. "I'ddothat, ifl were you."
CHAPTER NINETEEN
A soft tinkling sounded.
The whole company stilled.
Reed pipes overlaid the tinkling; a flute underscored them.
Rod turned to Gwen. "I think we've got company."
"Godmother!" Elidor cried.
They turned to watch as he scooted over the grass to the wealth of woman
beneath the firefly canopy. He leaped into her lap, arms outflung, and she
gathered him in, pressing him against her more-than-ample bosom, resting her
cheek on his head and crooning softly to him.
"Ever feel superfluous?" Rod asked.
"And never was so glad to feel so," Gwen affirmed. "Yet I think there is some
business for us here. Come, my lord." She gathered her children's hands, and
marched forward.
Rod sighed, caught Magnus's shoulder, and limped after her, while Father Al did
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Stasheff, Christopher - Warlock 04 - The Warlock Unlocked (v1.0) (html).html
a fast fade.
Gwen dropped a curtsey, and Cordelia imitated her. The boys bowed, and Rod
bent forward as much as he could.
The Grand Duchess noticed. "Does it pain thee so greatly, High Warlock?"
Elidor looked up, startled.
"Not that High Warlock, "Rod assured him. "And, well, I've felt this way before,
Your Grace say, the day after the first time I went horse-back riding. It won't
last, will it?"
"Nay; 'tis only soreness," she assured him. "Yet trust me, 'tis suffering well-
endured; though hast given him good rescue, as I knew thou wouldst."
"I'm glad somebody did. Well, you've got him safe, now so, if you'll forgive
us, we "11 be on our way. Come on, kids."
The Grand Duchess looked up, startled. "Thou wilt not take him to Lord Kern?"
Gwen caught Rod's sleeve. "Assuredly, an thou wishest it& "
"Uh, Gwen& "
"& yet will the royal lad not be safer with his godmother?" Gwen finished.
The Grand Duchess smiled sadly. "Safer, aye; but he'll not die 'mongst mortal
men both sides need him. And duty doth summon him."
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