Gifted Hunter

  "You seem sure. Why not last week?"

  "He wanted the hue and cry to die down after the killing and, if patrols were sent out, he wanted them to return."

  Crallin, who had just left the villa, grimaced. "We sent patrols out; they returned the day before yesterday," he said. "Without knowing who or what they were supposed to find, they returned empty-handed."

  Sallis smiled. "Thought so."

  "So we could have been murdered in our beds?" demanded Mermack. He glared at his sylphs. "You bloody fools! Why didn't you wake and warn us?"

  Some earpoints rose in indignation, but others wilted away. Silver and silver-gray eyes flashed in humiliation or anger, but not one offered an answer.

  Sallis suddenly realized that these sylphs were embarrassed. All looked sleek and well looked after and he guessed they adored their owners. The impression he received from Pusila concerning her sylphs was one of benign neglect.

  "Where did he get in?" asked Sallis.

  "I'll show you." Mermack stumped along one wall and pointed to a window. "Through there. It doesn't lock properly and leads to my study."

  Sallis nodded. "May I see inside?"

  "If you must." Mermack harrumphed and blew out his mustaches. "Thought you were in a hurry, boy."

  Sallis smiled. "Believe me," he replied, "I am."

  Inside, Sallis's booted feet thumped along the marbled floor. Mermack waved a hand vaguely towards the left.

  "We all sleep through there," he said. "The sylphs have their own room."

  "Study's this way?"

  Mermack nodded and led him within.

  Sallis had grown used to the rich in Marka having libraries, but few books lined the walls here. One bookcase was pulled away from the wall, revealing a barred wall, very similar to the armory at Senator Jarron's villa. But here, someone had gouged the fixings that secured the bars into the ceiling and bent the bars away.

  "We always kept the valuables in here," said Mermack. "We had thought of keeping them hidden in the library, but I decided this would be better."

  "You have a separate library?" Sallis stared.

  Mermack managed a brief smile. "My inventory tells me I have almost two thousand books," he informed Sallis. "The largest collection outside the city's library."

  Sallis inclined his head. "I'm impressed. Where I come from, anything more than a shelf of books is a library." He pointed to the window. "But with respect, keeping your valuables in a room with a window you cannot lock properly is foolish."

  "Lyrion was supposed to repair it," grumped Mermack. "And in fairness, we all thought he had. Lucky for the lad that this isn't the south. Besides, these damned bars are supposed to keep everything safe."

  Sallis pulled a chair across and stood on it to reach the window set high in the wall. "The thief didn't get through this as easily as you think," he said.

  "What's that boy up to?" Mermack demanded of Olista, who shrugged. He turned to Crallin.

  "No idea, sir," said Crallin, his eyes on Sallis above him.

  "You malign your sylph, sir." Sallis's voice drifted down. "This window was securely fixed and the latch has been forced."

  "How do you know Lyrion's a sylph?" Mermack stared. "Wasn't you crawling through there in the night was it?"

  "Just a guess. Ah!"

  Sallis jumped off the chair and flourished a scrap of oiled wool. "Most thieves wrap themselves up in a cloak, so anything left behind if they do catch themselves on something is undistinguishable from the thousands of similar cloaks."

  "You're telling me it could be any one of a thousand thieves?" Mermack turned back to Olista. "Boy's still wet."

  Sallis ignored Mermack and smiled at Olista.

  "Would you call on Pusila's family, Senator Olista? I'd love to hear their views on her late husband's proposals."

  Olista frowned. "What has that got to do with this?"

  "Everything. And I have another small favor to ask."

  Olista waited.

  "Lieutenant Vayburn found something on or in Senator Jarron's body. Will you please use your influence to get him to surrender it?"

  Olista's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

  "It will explain why our thief is running," said Sallis.

  "What are you going to do?" demanded Crallin.

  Sallis smiled and flourished the ragged piece of cloak again. "This belonged to the thief," he said. "Whether today, tomorrow or next week, I have him now."

  He left the villa, leaving three confused men staring at each other.

  ***

  Chapter 10 - Chasing

  As always, the images burned in Sallis's mind. Images was not quite right, though. It was more a sense of knowing where the thief had passed. Either way, he knew where the man had been and his general direction. Sallis had no idea of his ultimate destination and intentions of course; knowing what was going to happen, as well as what already had, would be too much to handle.

  This one, niggling sense alone almost fried his brain. He needed no more.

  The thief had been crisscrossing around Mermack's villa for some days, but Sallis concentrated his attention on the freshest "tracks" that led south towards the forest.

  He saw nothing on the ground. The skill didn't work that way, and nor did he know if the thief was on horseback or afoot. The freshest tracks burned brightest in his mind and nothing else interested him.

  When Sallis first started using the Gift this way, tracks on tracks on tracks had initially confused him. Now that he had practiced for four years on Re Annan, he could easily sort through such problems. He barely noticed them today.

  Nobody had ever got away; once Sallis had the scent, there was no escape except through death. Sallis had never killed a person before and prayed this thief would not be the first.

  Sallis had already guessed this case had hidden depths, but he would get few answers until he had the thief in his custody.

  "Before you go," interrupted Olista, "I think you had best return to your lodgings and get a change of clothes, in case the journey is longer than you plan for."

  Sallis looked around in surprise.

  "These things happen," smiled Olista. "And, when you leave the city, someone from the Guard will ride with you."

  "I don't need -"

  "Probably not." Steel lay under the silk of the Senator's voice. "But an extra sword can do no harm."

  So an hour later, as Sallis ti Ath again rode out from Marka by the South Gate, he had an escort. And a change of clothes wrapped in his bedroll, together with sword and quarterstaff.

  He twisted around to peer at Oston. The stocky man looked strange in ordinary clothes instead of his uniform. He had his sword strapped beside his saddle, rather than hanging from the pommel as Sallis preferred. His dark eyes glittered at his companion.

  Sallis looked at Oston's mount, a black gelding with a reddish tint to mane and tail.

  "Never knew you had a horse," he remarked.

  "I don't," replied Oston, "he belongs to the Guard."

  "What's his name?" asked Sallis. "Or do the Guard's horses only answer to numbers?"

  "He's called Hammer," replied Oston.

  "Oh, you name them after weapons, not numbers," Sallis grimaced. "Silly me."

  Riding past the villa, Sallis quickly picked up the thief's tracks again and followed them, despite a fear that they might have somehow faded while he faffed about in the city. Oston stayed beside him, apparently content to ride in silence.

  The thief's route burned brightly in Sallis's mind.

  The brightness lessened abruptly and Sallis knew this meant that the thief had increased speed. Perhaps he'd hitched a lift or else had a horse hidden. A quick look around showed no horse had ever been secured here.

  Sallis leaned forward and patted Glyder's long neck. "Time to give you a good run," he said, wishing he could increase the animal's movement through time.

  But that skill only worked for him.

  "Our friend has increased speed," Sallis told O
ston.

  "How do you know?"

  Sallis gave no answer. He touched his heels to Glyder's flanks and the horse leapt forward. The bounty hunter watched the ground carefully, looking for any hint of a change, but saw none. He waited a few minutes, before slowing Glyder to a trot, then a walk.

  Ten minutes later, he touched heels to flanks again.

  They rode half a day that way: a few minutes at a gallop, twice that at a trot, twice that again walking, before repeating the cycle. As the time spent at a gallop grew less and less, Sallis knew the time to rest was upon them.

  Finding a likely spot, Sallis gave Glyder a good rub, quickly checked his hooves, then set him free to graze and drink, after releasing some of the tack. Glyder had a gleam in his eye that suggested he might like to lose more tack, but Sallis ignored it. He watched Oston do the same for Hammer.

  "Not used to horses, I see," remarked Sallis.

  "Just out of practice," retorted Oston.

  Sallis crouched and refilled both water bottles where a stream tumbled in a small waterfall over some rocks. He looked over his shoulder at Oston.

  "Why did you come?" he asked.

  "I like traveling," replied the shorter man, after encouraging Hammer to drink. "And I want to see how you catch these criminals. Not to mention waiting to see you fall."

  "It's the falling you really want to see."

  Oston gave the bounty hunter a venomous smile.

  As the sun reached its meridian, they were ready to ride on.

  Sallis mounted and patted Glyder's neck. "We'll let you walk and trot for a bit," he said. "Our man's on a cart, so he won't be moving too fast."

  "How do you know that?" demanded Oston.

  Sallis pointed to the soft dirt that formed a substantial part of the road. "Wheel ruts," he said. "Doesn't the Guard teach you to pay attention to everything around you?"

  Oston glanced at the ruts and shrugged. "Used to the paved roads in the city," he replied, though a touch of respect edged his voice.

  "Well, you'll be pleased to learn that we're gaining on our quarry."

  "Good," replied Oston.

  But disappointment lay ahead.

  Turning a corner, Sallis's sense of brightness lessened again. The thief had increased his pace once more. Sallis looked around carefully and poked the ground beside the road.

  "He had a horse hidden here," said Sallis. He leaned forward. "Hope you're up to this," he told Oston. "Now we've really got to work."

  Neither horse showed any hint of complaint as Sallis and his companion touched heel to flank, and broke into a gallop yet again.

  ***

  "Lo, driver!"

  Sallis called to the carter, wanting to catch his attention and not surprise him. He had no idea how many carts had passed today, but felt certain this one had recently carried a passenger.

  The man, somewhere in his middle years with graying hair, turned and immediately spotted Sallis. A piece of canvas covered a mound on the back of the cart.

  "Have you carried someone today?" asked Sallis. "I'm trying to catch up."

  "He said someone might be," growled the driver, before stopping himself. He eyed Oston suspiciously. "What's it to you?"

  "My business is that of catching a criminal before he escapes from Marka," replied Sallis ti Ath.

  "The man was pleasant enough to me," replied the driver. A dark blue gaze regarded their horses sardonically. "And the horse he's riding now will put those manky things into the ground in no time."

  Sallis smiled. "Mayhap." The driver might think he had a good eye for horses, but at least Glyder was tougher than appearances suggested. If not exactly a racer.

  "Smart chestnut beast he had," continued the driver. "A good few hands taller than yours I'd reckon. And fast."

  "That does not mean his animal has good stamina," said Oston.

  Sallis nodded. "Did he continue along this road?"

  "Yes," replied the driver. He looked wary for some reason.

  "Whatever the man paid you for your services is yours to keep," promised Sallis. "It's the man I'm after, not his hoard."

  If anything, the driver looked even more concerned and his gaze flickered between Sallis and Oston.

  "Bounty hunters," he muttered.

  "Yes," answered Sallis. "A bounty hunter. But it's not you I'm after." He inclined his head. "Thank you for your help."

  Sallis prodded Glyder into a semblance of a trot again and the carter was soon forgotten. Any hope that carter and thief might be the same man quickly faded. The trail was as bright as ever, but there was still no sign of his quarry.

  "You sure we're still following?" growled Oston. "If you're leading me on a fool's chase..."

  "We're still following," said Sallis, but his hope for a swift return to Marka had gone.

  "Better get a move on," said Oston, "we must catch him soon."

  "Patience," smiled Sallis. "No matter where this man runs to, he can't shake me off."

  Oston gave a grunt of disbelief. Sallis ignored the other man's skepticism and hoped the thief was equally ignorant of his skills. He would show them both the truth.

  ***

  Chapter 11 - Istwan

  Sallis looked about him at the town and laughed at himself.

  "What's so funny?" demanded Oston.

  Both men had slowed their animals to a walk and dismounted at the city gates. After a cursory glance, the single guard let them pass.

  "Me thinking of this place as a middling town." Sallis shook his head. "It's probably as large as Leynx."

  "Leynx?" A frown furrowed Oston's brow.

  "Not too long ago I gaped in awe at a city like this." Little wonder Elvallon had laughed at him.

  Reminded of Elvallon's rejection of him, Sallis's dark eyes narrowed. And unless he wanted to suffer that feeling again, he had better catch this criminal quickly. Oston had openly admitted he had come along to watch him fall.

  Sallis wanted to show him different.

  The town was pleasant enough, with no sign of beggars or filth, beyond the expected horse droppings littering the streets. People moved purposefully about their business, entering and leaving shops, or inspecting goods and haggling over price. Stalls and carts lined one street, selling food of every description.

  Sylphs moved easily through the crowds, finding it easy to twist and duck past people without resorting to pushing. Sallis reckoned they easily outnumbered humans everywhere he had traveled on the mainland. In comparison, Re Annan had hardly any sylphs.

  When he sent some to his father, they would help work his farm and his parents would not feel obliged to reduce their main source of income.

  But that must wait for now.

  Having no intention of catching his quarry today, Sallis looked for and soon found a suitable inn.

  "Now this is a habit I recommend," announced Oston, in tones of deep satisfaction.

  The Hooded Falcon gave the appearance of warmth and comfort, with its drinking rooms on the lowest floor. A few men sat inside, with two bored-looking infertile sylphs waiting on.

  "Can I help, donenulya?" asked one.

  "We'd like a room for the night," replied Sallis.

  The sylph bobbed her head and disappeared into a back room.

  "Thought you wanted our man," whispered Oston. "Thought we come in here to wet our whistles."

  "Our man's going nowhere today," replied Sallis.

  Their brief conversation came to a halt when the sylph returned with a human woman in tow.

  "We're looking for a room, just for tonight," repeated Sallis, "and a stall for our horses." He flipped a fat silver coin across his knuckles and back again.

  Hazel eyes stared at the coin, and seemed to know its worth at a glance.

  "Can do that, sirs," she replied. "My name is Ranessa. Welcome to The Hooded Falcon, where rooms are clean and comfortable. And the ale better." She took in their appearance. "And the best hot tubs in Istwan."

  Sallis managed a smile. "That
sounds good," he replied.

  Oston grunted agreement.

  Ranessa looked over her shoulder. "Fessan, show the masters to their room." One of the sylphs inclined her head. "Mellan, go tell Yadder to put their horses in the best stalls." The other sylph dashed away. "And to clean their tack!" Ranessa shouted at the sylph's back.

  "Donenulya, if you would follow me?"

  Sallis smiled at the other infertile. "Lead on."

  Fessan scampered upstairs, staying three steps ahead of the humans and making a point of ignoring their swords, probably disapproving of weapons. Several doors hemmed in a dingy corridor, lit by a solitary light crystal. The sylph unlocked one of the doors and pushed it open. She waited for Sallis and Oston to enter before following them in.

  Sallis glanced at the two beds and wash stand. The room was certainly clean and airy and, more importantly, the beds looked comfortable.

  "Somebody mentioned hot baths," said Oston.

  Fessan bobbed her head again. "Give me an hour, donenya," she said. "I will knock on your door when the baths are ready for you."

  ***

  Ranessa may or may not have lied about her baths being the best in Istwan, but Sallis wanted to relax in his all day and Oston seemed in no hurry to climb out again.

  "I think my legs have taken on the shape of that saddle," groaned Oston, "and my rear feels even worse."

  "Saddle sore?" asked Sallis. "Your father clearly didn't beat you often enough as a child. You're soft."

  Oston launched himself out from his tub. He toweled himself and dressed quickly.

  "Feels good to be clean again," he said, running a hand across freshly shaved cheeks. "What now?"

  "We'll go and find where our thief has taken residence," replied Sallis. "And just in case he decides to leave, we'll keep an eye on the two gates until they're locked for the night."

  "He might have already left."

  "Perhaps. But if I was running and wanted to stay ahead of any pursuit, I'd leave a walled town like this just before the gates are due to close. However, I think our friend will rest tonight."

  Oston grunted, but respect flickered in his dark eyes. "He'll flee if he realizes we've followed him here."

  Sallis smiled. "Undoubtedly. He might have decided that after sending one lot of patrols, the Guard will now think he never left Marka at all and concentrate their search in the city."

  "But we know different." Oston grinned. "I hope."

  "If I'm wrong, your wish to see me fall will be granted. Either way, you win."