Death Angel's Shadow by Karl Edward Wagner

sizable party of humans isolated from their fellows. Next step is to cut off escape. The storm I summoned took care of that part. I almost had you on two occasions that night, but you eluded me each time. Then it was simply a matter of slowly cutting down their strength until an outright attack could destroy the remnant. My strategy should be obvious to you by now. At first I arranged for my wolves to split the hunt by driving a second elk across your path, then they ambushed your half. They should have killed you then, but again I underestimated you."
    "Then you know who I am," said Kane, "--and what I am."
    The minstrel laughed softly. "Yes, I know about you--and I've guessed a lot more. As I've wandered I've cut across your trail occasionally--it seems neither of us stays in one place very long! And I've heard a good many stories about a wanderer named Kane. The old legends and sagas haven't forgotten you either. Even that old fool Lystric had some suspicions of the truth about you."
    He laughed again. Kane remembered the panting laughter of the wolf--soft, tongue lolling. "I even saw you once in my youth--over a century ago now, in old Lynortis. You were scheming your way into the court, I recall. The city was destroyed not long after that--by treachery within, the tale was.
    "So your presence here had me worried after I realized who you were. But I soon found a use for you as an added diversion. You played into my hands last night in Lystric's chamber. I spared you then in order to make it appear as if you were the werewolf everyone so desperately feared. If they killed you as I had intended, then you would be taken care of, and the rest would relax their vigilance. Instead they let you live, split their strength to guard both you and Henderin, and were still careless.
    "Tonight I had Henderin escape again, planning to use him for a diversion while I let my pack inside the castle. As it happened I didn't need him for that--the guard at the gate slept until the moment Henderin killed him. Later when I discovered Breenanin had barred her chamber with silver, I used him to break in and drive her out. The fool attacked me then, and I had to kill him before I had intended. The bitch had spirit though! She stabbed me with a little dagger, and I left to circle around.
    "Meanwhile Troylin had been able to fight off my wolves in my absence. But I came on him outside her room and finished them."
    Kane surveyed the destruction about him, the smashed figure on the floor. "And Breenanin?" he asked, wondering that he felt concern.
    Evingolis snarled. "That gross fool killed her himself! The idiot must have thought she was to blame for all my work. Killed her with her own dagger!" Kane winced. "Really makes me furious--I had some interesting plans for the girl! She's still warm and I suppose 1 can still have some fun--but it isn't the same as when her struggling heart forces hot red spurts over your muzzle!"
    He laughed again, running a long tongue over his lips in memory of unspeakable pleasures. "What's wrong, Kane? I know you aren't squeamish about such things. No, I think you really felt something for that girl. Love? You don't even know what the word means! Kane--doomed with the curse of eternal wandering--in love with a mortal girl! A flower who would be faded and gone before you could even understand! Her lifetime a day of yours! By this nine you've surely seen this happen enough to understand the absurdity of it! No, I know what it was! She loved you--and you were simply stunned to receive anything other than false love artificially induced by your cunning manipulations--and more often by far, to receive only fear and hatred! And you were so moved with the novelty you tried to discover tenderness in that stone you call your heart! Ah, Kane! You've crown soft headed in your dotage!"
    Kane stared silently at the taunting minstrel. In his eyes the cold flames of death were leaping.
    "Yes, it is a rare jest! And here the two of us