said.
“Why so?” Peniff asked.
Darva recounted the reason Bedistai had given on that earlier occasion. The land was so riddled with hills and valleys no general could possibly keep track of his troops, let alone his enemy’s whereabouts.
“But when the general is a telepath like Harad,” said Peniff, “that all changes. The terrain will make communication difficult and the going will be slow, but Harad will be able to assess both sides’ positions.”
“Do you have any idea how soon that will be?” Darva asked, casting Pandy a glance.
The girl shook her head. “I suspect he’s still making up his mind. I can’t see with certainty. All I can tell you for sure is that he will come. And when he does… ”
She felt her face contort as a new vision filled her and she hesitated before she went on. This was like the morning in danTennet, but felt even odder.
“The man is crazy,” she said, shaking her head at what the vision revealed. “So his army will consist in part of aging farmers and young boys.”
The group stared as she ran a hand through her hair. Eyes wide, she looked at Bedistai. Staring pointedly, she continued, almost in a whisper.
“I’m not saying he’s nothing to worry about. Harad will bring a few thousand. But the greatest threat will not come from him. That one will come from east of Lake Ossan—real warriors, not the ragtag army Harad will assemble. If you value the ones you leave behind when you go to fight… ” She paused and looked at him intently. “ …you will remember this.”
“The girl is joking,” said Bedistai turning to Peniff for confirmation.
“No, she is not. I see it clearly in her thoughts.”
“I’m sorry,” said Pandy. “I know it sounds crazy, but I can see that much with absolute clarity.” Looking directly again at Bedistai, she said, “Please don’t forget this. This part is important. Unless you act promptly when you recognize the truth of what I am telling you, many will die.” She spread her arms wide to indicate the village. “Your mother will die. The old people and children will die as well.” Her voice dropped again as she begged, “Please remember.”
Bedistai looked from Pandy to Peniff and the thought gazer returned his look with a confirming nod.
“And you,” said Pandy, turning to Darva.
Darva’s brow furrowed.
“Stay out of it.”
“Stay out of what?” Darva asked.
“The fighting. When Harad comes to Mostoon, stay out of it. It’s not your fight.”
“If Harad comes to Mostoon, it will certainly be my fight.” Darva’s eyes widened. “I love Bedistai. I love Salmeh. I love these people. I will most certainly fight to protect them.”
“I’m sorry,” said Pandy. “I didn’t mean to offend you. But please… ” She paused and looked away for a moment.
“Yes?” Darva prompted.
Pandy hesitated a moment longer, then said, “I’m just asking you. Please don’t.”
“Why…? ”
“It’s something I saw. It’s not a certainty, so I’d rather not say.” She paused again. “Just don’t,” she concluded before turning away.
“When are you going?” Miened asked in a monotone dulled with resignation.
Peniff turned to Pandy and asked, “Tomorrow morning?”
Pandy nodded.
14
A howl in the night jerked Pandy awake. Eyes wide, ears pricked, heart pounding in her chest, she gripped the blankets and peered into the darkness. Although she knew the hunters could never follow her to Mostoon—not the way she had come—fear is an irrational thing and she soon felt the cold prickle of sweat run down her back and along her thighs. Pandy’s scalp, neck and forehead, even her palms and the soles of her feet, all felt alive as if thousands of moist insects were crawling over them. It was just an animal , she told herself. Nothing to do with me. Even so, the terror refused to subside.
The image of a man with a topknot and a moustache flashed across her mind, then vanished. It had something to do with
“Why so?” Peniff asked.
Darva recounted the reason Bedistai had given on that earlier occasion. The land was so riddled with hills and valleys no general could possibly keep track of his troops, let alone his enemy’s whereabouts.
“But when the general is a telepath like Harad,” said Peniff, “that all changes. The terrain will make communication difficult and the going will be slow, but Harad will be able to assess both sides’ positions.”
“Do you have any idea how soon that will be?” Darva asked, casting Pandy a glance.
The girl shook her head. “I suspect he’s still making up his mind. I can’t see with certainty. All I can tell you for sure is that he will come. And when he does… ”
She felt her face contort as a new vision filled her and she hesitated before she went on. This was like the morning in danTennet, but felt even odder.
“The man is crazy,” she said, shaking her head at what the vision revealed. “So his army will consist in part of aging farmers and young boys.”
The group stared as she ran a hand through her hair. Eyes wide, she looked at Bedistai. Staring pointedly, she continued, almost in a whisper.
“I’m not saying he’s nothing to worry about. Harad will bring a few thousand. But the greatest threat will not come from him. That one will come from east of Lake Ossan—real warriors, not the ragtag army Harad will assemble. If you value the ones you leave behind when you go to fight… ” She paused and looked at him intently. “ …you will remember this.”
“The girl is joking,” said Bedistai turning to Peniff for confirmation.
“No, she is not. I see it clearly in her thoughts.”
“I’m sorry,” said Pandy. “I know it sounds crazy, but I can see that much with absolute clarity.” Looking directly again at Bedistai, she said, “Please don’t forget this. This part is important. Unless you act promptly when you recognize the truth of what I am telling you, many will die.” She spread her arms wide to indicate the village. “Your mother will die. The old people and children will die as well.” Her voice dropped again as she begged, “Please remember.”
Bedistai looked from Pandy to Peniff and the thought gazer returned his look with a confirming nod.
“And you,” said Pandy, turning to Darva.
Darva’s brow furrowed.
“Stay out of it.”
“Stay out of what?” Darva asked.
“The fighting. When Harad comes to Mostoon, stay out of it. It’s not your fight.”
“If Harad comes to Mostoon, it will certainly be my fight.” Darva’s eyes widened. “I love Bedistai. I love Salmeh. I love these people. I will most certainly fight to protect them.”
“I’m sorry,” said Pandy. “I didn’t mean to offend you. But please… ” She paused and looked away for a moment.
“Yes?” Darva prompted.
Pandy hesitated a moment longer, then said, “I’m just asking you. Please don’t.”
“Why…? ”
“It’s something I saw. It’s not a certainty, so I’d rather not say.” She paused again. “Just don’t,” she concluded before turning away.
“When are you going?” Miened asked in a monotone dulled with resignation.
Peniff turned to Pandy and asked, “Tomorrow morning?”
Pandy nodded.
14
A howl in the night jerked Pandy awake. Eyes wide, ears pricked, heart pounding in her chest, she gripped the blankets and peered into the darkness. Although she knew the hunters could never follow her to Mostoon—not the way she had come—fear is an irrational thing and she soon felt the cold prickle of sweat run down her back and along her thighs. Pandy’s scalp, neck and forehead, even her palms and the soles of her feet, all felt alive as if thousands of moist insects were crawling over them. It was just an animal , she told herself. Nothing to do with me. Even so, the terror refused to subside.
The image of a man with a topknot and a moustache flashed across her mind, then vanished. It had something to do with
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