The Hag of Calix

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  It was far into the night before Felic's all-consuming passion was gratified. All emotion was drained; he fell into a deep sleep. When he awoke it was mid-day. He threw his legs over the side of the berth and sat bewildered by his throbbing head. He saw the empty goblets and the wine bottle and his puzzled frown became a grimace of disgust.

  Gwenay still slept. Her hair swirled in a black cloud over the pillow. She was uncovered, but Felic ignored the voluptuous body that had elicited his wild adoration and steamy ministrations a few hours before.

  After dressing he went on deck and looked for Chessa. He had a blurred memory of her opening the Queen's door and he realized she had been a witness to their humping. When he failed to find her on board the yacht, he lowered himself into the bay to search ashore. The icy water soothed his aching head. He swam to the beach, floating Battle Flasher ahead of him on a wooden shield. Skirting the shoreline he found Chessa's footprints leading across the sand and into the scrub. The trail disappeared in the grass and weeds. Felic rushed on in the general direction he felt she was headed, taking the easiest route up the ridge before him. He was surprised at the intensity of his nagging concern for her.

  At the crest, he found a cliff dropping off into a gorge. A swift stream cascaded through the bottom, flowing between pillars of rock into the sea. A hint of a path led along the ridge inland. He followed it through thickening forest, dropping down until it came to the creek. Here the path joined a much-used trail leading across a rude bridge. In the soft damp earth near the bridge he found many footprints. He looked for Chessa's, but couldn't distinguish hers from the rest.

  The sounds of movement on the trail behind him sent him swiftly to cover. A score of Maijad hunters filed out of the forest past his place of concealment. They moved on silent feet with no conversation. Their fair skins were daubed with brown and green stain, an effective camouflage. Three carried slain deer on their backs; wood grouse hung from the spears of others. In the center of the column was Chessa. Her hands were tied in front of her and she was jerked along by a plaited leather leash. Felic's jaws tightened and he restrained the urge to leap out and do battle. Chessa looked frightened but unhurt.

  The file moved away across the bridge and into the forest. Felic shadowed them. After an hour or so, the trail became a cart road and the forest thinned. Felic kept to one side for cover. The road led gradually downhill and came out of the forest into a bowl-like valley that was open to the ocean on the eastern side. The grassy slopes of the valley were dotted with rock huts chinked with mud. They were roofed with thin shale-like rocks placed over a supporting framework of poles. On the western slope of the valley was a more impressive structure, triangular in shape and built with more skill than the rude dwellings.

  Felic studied it for a moment, then returned his attention to the hunting party. He watched as they led Chessa into a central area. The blast of a hunting horn brought the islanders streaming like ants from their huts. They bunched around the new arrivals and followed as her captors jerked Chessa along. Felic watched until she was shoved into one of the huts, then he skirted the valley and studied the layout of the village.

  As the sun set, a flurry of activity in front of the temple suggested the Maijads were preparing a celebration. Felic watched from the cover of the forest, waiting an opportunity to move in unnoticed