Part 24 (1/2)

”But you said the gate was guarded”

”So it is They are not going toward the gate”

Thayla shook her head, trying to clear the dregs of slu e The trip was a short one, and she arrived in ti the wall

”They are audacious,” she said

”What are we to do now, milady?”

”Follow them If they can climb it, so can we

Indeed, it was so While it took a considerable effort and no sed to surer and toeholds invisible froed the task, the Tree Folk and Conan were not to be seen

Thayla felt a moment of panic If her husband still lived, it was very likely that he, too, was in this collection of detritus that passed for a hu of the Pili ht never bump into her barbarian lover She had to find Conan before this happened and see him dispatched to meet with his Gods But where was he?

”Look, milady Smoke”

Aye, there was a thick curl of dark se that could only be flame Would not a fire draw Conan's attention as well?

”Let us go there,” she said

Kleg was in a panic as he ran, carrying the drunken old man who smelled of swine and had lapsed into unconsciousness There could be no doubt that thein which the selkie had been had co for him How had it found him? Well, were it sent by He Who Creates, such a proble's thoughts as to his master's relative oet back to the castle and he had to do both quickly One could not dodge such enee bounded by walls on three sides and water on the other-

Hsst! What was this?

Kleg slid into a patch of dark shadow next to a bakery and stared at two figures in the narrow street just beyond There was a man and a s under the fitful light of a dying torch He could not be sure, but the boy looked fa, but-could this not be the ie?

No, he decided, it could not be That particular boy would have been stew long ago, a morsel to be consumed quickly by the rapacious Pili

No matter What did matter was that the tere otten here? Were their others of their kind? Yes, yes, therehe doubted not a whit

By the Black Depths! It was not enough to be chased by two kinds of eneed It was most unfair

He turned and sprinted into the nearby alleyway to avoid the tree dwellers He had to get to a place where he could revive this s worried, the old es and twists, the Prime selkie found a leather stable that, save for two spavined horses, was ehthat ad dropped the old man on a mound of dry hay, inhaled the dusty scent kicked up by the action, and began searching for so hich to revive the drunk

He found a leather bucket used to feed the anih Returning to the old man, the selkie dribbled some of the warm liquid onto his face When this provoked no response, he upended the bucket and dumped all the contents into the old man's face That woke hi waited as the old man wiped his face with his bony hands

”Who are you?”