Faces of Deception by Troy Denning Page B

hollow assurances, Rishi. We all know they’ll catch up long before this ice melts,” Atreus said as he urged his mount up beside the Mar’s. “Do you have any of your throwing daggers left?”
    Rishi lifted his brow. “Has the master decided it is necessary to kill our pursuers?”
    Atreus shook his head. “No, but the time has come to chase them off. How many daggers do you have?”
    “Enough.” Rishi opened his cloak, revealing two long lines of small silver hilts.
    Atreus turned to Yago. “How does your shoulder feel?”
    The ogre reached over and used his injured arm to pluck a willow bush out by its roots. “A little stiff, but ready enough to swing a club.”
    Atreus grinned and said, “Follow me.”
    He urged his yak ahead of Rishi’s and led the way through the winding channels, all the time listening to the splashing of Naraka’s ponies grow louder. After a time, the channel curled around the head of a small, willow-screened hummock. Atreus and Rishi tethered their yaks on the far side, then the three companions sneaked back across the little island and crouched behind the willows on the other side. In front of them lay the passage through which they had just ridden, their path clearly marked by the channel of broken ice.
    The patrol was so close that Atreus could hear murmuring voices and snorting ponies, but it seemed to take forever to arrive. He felt himself growing numb in the cold air and began to squeeze the hilt of his stolen sword, trying to keep his arm from growing stiff. Finally, Naraka came trotting into sight, his eyes fixed on the channel of broken ice. As soon as he saw the hairpin curve ahead, the captain slowed and began to scan the willows along the banks.
    Atreus cursed silently and laid down in the snow, motioning for Yago and Rishi to do likewise. Naraka continued cautiously ahead, his eyes working the shore methodically, looking first high then low, low then high, then finally moving on to the next thicket.
    Atreus held his hand palm up, signaling his companions to remain still. “Catch-and-club” had been a favorite game among his ogre siblings, and he had learned early that motion attracts attention. As long as they remained as still as the willows screening them, they would not be noticed.
    Naraka’s gaze reached their thicket, and Rishi gasped almost audibly. Atreus frowned at the Mar, silently willing him to hold his breath. Naraka glanced the base of the willow screen, then ran his eyes up the length of the stalks and back down again. He paused for a moment, then finally moved on.
    Atreus let his breath out, waiting as the rest of the patrol followed Naraka into the channel. He did not move until Naraka was halfway to the bend and there were a half-dozen riders in the water in front of them.
    “Remember, don’t kill them,” Atreus whispered. “What we need is a panic, not an angry mob.”
    “I understand.” Rishi rose to a crouch. “Your plan is very wise and clear.”
    Rishi pulled three little knives from inside his cloak. Yago rose to his knees and cupped his hands, holding them about two feet apart. Atreus gathered his legs beneath him, ready to jump to the Mar’s defense if matters did not go as planned, then nodded.
    Rishi leaped into the willows, splashing through the ice at the edge of the thicket. Several riders cried out in alarm and jerked their mounts around just as the Mar hurled his first dagger. Yago brought his hands together, creating a deep booming clap at about the same time the blade sank into the shoulder of the closest pony.
    The beast whinnied and reared wildly, hurling its astonished rider from the saddle. He bounced off the pony behind him and splashed face first into the icy water, then surfaced an instant later, shrieking as though he were the one who had been wounded.
    Naraka spun on his saddle, screaming orders and reaching for his sword. Several riders lowered their lances, and Rishi hurled another dagger. Yago clapped his hands, and