Part 7 (1/2)
”Show me.” Wolf moved away from the table against which he had been lounging, and his step was no longer the step of an old man. It was curiously as if the years had suddenly dropped away from him.
”Be careful,” Aunt Pol warned.
Wolf chuckled, and the sound was chilling. ”I'm always careful. You should know that by now.”
Garion quickly led Wolf out into the yard and around to the far end where the steps mounted to the gallery that led to the rooms of the farmhands. They went up, their soft leather shoes making no sound on the worn steps.
”Down here,” Garion whispered, not knowing exactly why he whispered.
Wolf nodded, and they went quietly down the dark gallery.
”Here,” Garion whispered, stopping.
”Step back,” Wolf breathed. He touched the door with his fingertips.
”Is it locked?” Garion asked.
”That's no problem,” Wolf said softly. He put his hand to the latch, there was a click, and the door swung open. Wolf stepped inside with Garion close behind.
It was totally dark in the room, and the sour stink of Brill's unwashed clothes hung in the air.
”He's not here,” Wolf said in a normal tone. He fumbled with something at his belt, and there was the sc.r.a.pe of flint against steel and a flare of sparks. A wisp of frayed rope caught the sparks and began to glow. Wolf blew on the spark for a second, and it flared into flame. He raised the burning wisp over his head and looked around the empty room.
The floor and bed were littered with rumpled clothes and personal belongings. Garion knew instantly that this was not simple untidiness, but rather was the sign of a hasty departure, and he did not know exactly how it was that he knew.
Wolf stood for a moment, holding his little torch. His face seemed somehow empty, as if his mind were searching for something.
”The stables,” he said sharply. ”Quickly, boy!”
Garion turned and dashed from the room with Wolf close behind. The burning wisp of rope drifted down into the yard, illuminating it briefly after Wolf discarded it over the railing as he ran.
There was a light in the stable. It was dim, partially covered, but faint beams shone through the weathered cracks in the door. The horses were stirring uneasily.
”Stay clear, boy,” Wolf said as he jerked the stable door open.
Brill was inside, struggling to saddle a horse that s.h.i.+ed from his rank smell.
”Leaving, Brill?” Wolf asked, stepping into the doorway with his arms crossed.
Brill turned quickly, crouched and with a snarl on his unshaven face. His off center eye gleamed whitely in the half m.u.f.fled light of the lantern hanging from a peg on one of the stalls, and his broken teeth shone behind his pulled-back lips.
”A strange time for a journey,” Wolf said dryly.
”Don't interfere with me, old man,” Brill said, his tone menacing. ”You'll regret it.”
”I've regretted many things in my life,” Wolf said. ”I doubt that one more will make all that much difference.”
”I warned you.” Brill snarled, and his hand dove under his cloak and emerged with a short, rust-splotched sword.
”Don't be stupid,” Wolf said in a tone of overwhelming contempt. Garion, however, at the first flash of the sword, whipped his hand to his belt, drew his dagger, and stepped in front of the unarmed old man. ”Get back, boy,” Wolf barked.
But Garion had already lunged forward, his bright dagger thrust out ahead of him. Later, when he had time to consider, he could not have explained why he reacted as he did. Some deep instinct seemed to take over.
”Garion,” Wolf said, ”get out of the way!”
”So much the better,” Brill said, raising his sword.
And then Durnik was there. He appeared as if from nowhere, s.n.a.t.c.hed up an ox yoke and struck the sword from Brill's hand. Brill turned on him, enraged, and Durnik's second blow took the cast-eyed man in the ribs, a little below the armpit. The breath whooshed from Brill's lungs, and he collapsed, gasping and writhing to the straw-littered floor.
”For shame, Garion,” Durnik said reproachfully. ”I didn't make that knife of yours for this kind of thing.”
”He was going to kill Mister Wolf,” Garion protested.
”Never mind that,” Wolf said, bending over the gasping man on the floor of the stable. He searched Brill roughly and pulled a jingling purse out from under the stained tunic. He carried the purse to the lantern and opened it.
”That's mine,” Brill gasped, trying to rise. Durnik raised the ox yoke, and Brill sank back again.
”A sizable sum for an ordinary farmhand to have, friend Brill,” Wolf said, pouring the jingling coins from the purse into his hand. ”How did you manage to come by it?”
Brill glared at him.
Garion's eyes grew wide at the sight of the coins. He had never seen gold before.
”You don't really need to answer, friend Brill,” Wolf said, examining one of the coins. ”Your gold speaks for you.” He dumped the coins back in the purse and tossed the small leather pouch back to the man on the floor. Brill grabbed it quickly and pushed it back inside his tunic.
”I'll have to tell Faldor of this,” Durnik said.
”No,” Wolf said.
”It's a serious matter,” Durnik said. ”A bit of wrestling or a few blows exchanged is one thing, but drawing weapons is quite another.”
”There's no time for all of that,” Wolf said, taking a piece of harness strap from a peg on the wall. ”Bind his hands behind him, and we'll put him in one of the grain bins. Someone will find him in the morning.”
Durnik stared at him.
”Trust me, good Durnik,” Wolf said. ”The matter is urgent. Bind him and hide him someplace; then come to the kitchen. Come with me, Garion.” And he turned and left the stable.
Aunt Pol was pacing her kitchen nervously when they returned.
”Well?” she demanded.
”He was attempting to leave,” Wolf said. ”We stopped him.”
”Did you-?” she left it hanging.
”No. He drew a sword, but Durnik chanced to be nearby and knocked the belligerence out of him. The intervention was timely. Your cub here was about to do battle. That little dagger of his is a pretty thing, but not really much of a match for a sword.”