Cecilia Dart Thornton The Bitterbynde 01 The Ill Made Mute

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."Liam protested that he did not know the way to the treasure's hiding place, that he himself was beingshown the route.They bade him secretly blaze marks on the tree trunks at intervals along the way, so thatthe rest of their riverside band, who followed stealthily, would be able to find the way.""'When your company reaches the destination,' they said, 'ye must steal the weapons of your comradesso that we may imprison them without unnecessary bloodshed.If we find them armed, we will kill them.'They assured him that no one would be injured that they would merely fetter his friends, load up ashare of the treasure, and ride away.""'Do not try to return now to the city to find your sister,' they warned, 'for a greater part of our bandrides behind, and will prevent ye.And if ye betray our purpose to your comrades, we will overpower yeall, for we have ye far outnumbered.'Tis your choice we be giving ye a chance to save the lives of yoursister and your friends.Will ye take it?'""And so, with the brooch as proof that Muirne was in their power, Liam had no option but to agree totheir ploy.When these strangers galloped out of sight of Sianadh and the Sulibhains, Liam, in agony ofmind, at first excused their visit by telling his four comrades that they had been after him for some moneyhe owed, which he had lost at dice.But later that same day he bowed to his conscience and revealed thetruth.""Liam wanted to leave the expedition straightaway, to go back and search for Muirne I can tell ye, hesuffered something dreadful, wondering what had befallen her.Knowing that any turning back would beprevented, the company decided to keep going and to pretend to fall in with what the blackguards haddemanded.Sianadh led them upstream for eleven days.Some unseelie things troubled the company fromtime to time they were but minor wights, and the lads were able to deal with them using iron and saltand charms.Liam blazed marks on the trees along the way, but did it falsely, trying to mislead thefollowers.In fact, the company believed they had succeeded in this, for eventually the signs of pursuitdisappeared.Then Sianadh turned their steps to the place he called Waterstair, but Liam prepared toreturn alone to rescue Muirne."Page 183 "On the night they camped before the doors of Waterstair, the brigands crept up and set upon them.They fought hard, but they had little chance against so many.Of course, themanscathaswere treacherous.Two of them pressed blades to Sianadh's throat.'Tell us who else knows the way to this place,' theysaid, 'and we will spare your life.' But he would not tell, and they threw him down with the dagger in him.One or two of the Sulibhain brothers got away into the forest, but Liam never saw them after.He slewone of the attackers with a skian, but four came after him.Wounded, he had to flee.Eleven days it hadtaken to ride upriver, for the way is pathless ten it took him to ride back, even through the wilderness,and injured.In his haste he gained a day, for he scarcely rested.""If ever I saw a man in torment, it was Liam after thatclahmorride.He blamed himself for the loss ofthose good men, and the single thought that burned in him like a flame was to rescue Muirne."Eochaid fell to his knees and wept."Ah, but if I had been at his side, this would never have happened!Before he left, Liam gave me a bag of gold to keep my family.He was always generous.But mystepmother is lame, a cripple, and 'tis not only gold my family needs, but my strong arms.I could notleave them.I could not go with him."Ethlinn gestured."She says the guilt of it is not with you," Roisin said quietly."Pray tell, how were you and Liam able tofind Muirne?"Swallowing his tears, the young man replied, "Liam knew.certain men.He never caused trouble, youunderstand, but he drank and diced with some who did some whom Diarmid would never mix with.Assoon as Liam told me what had happened, we went straight to them.Rumor spreads quickly among thedregs.The gossipmongers had it that two mid-city damsels were being kept by Scalzo's men in anunshielded house near the river, a house with agilf-roomon the top floor.An unstorm was hitting the citywhen we reached the house, so we went straight to the top room, with the idea of covering our entrancein the confusion of ghost-shows.And we found them there.Ye know the rest."Ethlinn raised her head.Her face was milk-gray deeply graven.She signed to Roisin, who translated toEochaid."Ethlinn wishes to know if Liam informed anyone else about the existence of the treasure cache in thecliff, this 'Waterstair.'""I can assure ye, my dame, he told me only, and the Sulibhain brothers who went with them toWaterstair.They are slain now and will never speak and I have passed the knowledge on to no one.""Did he describe how to reach the place?""Nay.""So, the secret of the treasure's house resides with Imrhien and with this band of racketeers and theirleader, this Scalzo.I doubt they'll broadcast the information any further, if they can help it."Again, Ethlinn's hands flew into motion.�Soon Diarmid will come here.He was with us when we found Liam lying in the street.He and his partywent hunting after revenge on those who did this.Diarmid and Muirne must not be told about Waterstair.They must not learn the true reason, the lawless reason, for Sianadh's expedition.Give them only part ofPage 184the truth.Let them believe that a small group of racketeers stole the lasses for slaves, and that Liam heardof this and turned back, and in the course of battling for their freedom, he fell.��But why not tell Muirne?� Bewilderment and disbelief wrapped Imrhien in a temporary cocoon againstsorrow.�Muirne cannot keep secrets.She would surely tell Diarmid.I know my son he is unable to restrainhimself he and his mercenary comrades would be hot for revenge upon the larger band of eastsidebrigands, those who attacked Sianadh at Waterstair.Diarmid would try to wipe them out.But if Scalzohas houses in the river quarter and links to the Namarran slave-trade, his band is evidently powerful andwell organized.Diarmid's crew is not equal to the task it would take the Dainnan to break them.Besides, it would burden my children's hearts to know the part Liam played in their uncle's undoing.�Lightly she brushed her son's cold brow with her fingertips.�Diarmid must never seek this treasure.It may be that it is accursed all who have sought it have metwith evil chance.As for these things that have been spying on us I know not whether they are Scalzo'sor the wizard's, but I suspect they are connected with something else only to be guessed at, for they areunseelie and perilous.No mortal man commands the wights of eldritch not for long.�Beyond the window, darkness was beginning to seep from the city.Above walls and roofs emerging inglimmering gray, the stars were fading.Far off, a rooster crowed.Another answered.The carlin turnedher gaze upon Imrhien.�Diarmid and Muirne wish to be part of the gathering of royal forces in the west.As earlier planned, theymust leave this city with you, when you travel to visit the one-eyed Daughter of the Winter Sun.I wantmy remaining children to be safe, far away from here [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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