The Warden

Chapter 13

How had she known?

Masis practically growled as he tore off another chunk of cured venison with his teeth. He rent the mouthful into tiny bits before forcefully swallowing it all down. He sat before a crackling fire which gnawed on logs and twigs with ravenous gusto. Night had fallen, bringing with it hordes of tiny winged devils that swarmed about him. He sheltered his head and turbulent thoughts in the cavernous depths of his cowl.

He had slept fitfully. All through the night Kyla's words had echoed in his dreams. Waking bleary-eyed and grumbling, he had ridden Ava hard, trotting her with frustrated purpose, All the while that question had kept rattling around in his head.

How could she have known? Masis wondered. Except by being there.

The woman possessed abilities. His encounters with her made that abundantly clear. Maybe even magical. But if she possessed the ability to conceal herself from even a night wight's terrible eye, what other powers could she command? Could she have intervened?

She was out there, somewhere, circling the bounds of the fire's flickering glow. With his new Sight he could not find her, but he felt her. Her movements, her very presence, vibrated in that dark atmosphere, sending ripples into his being. Eyes fixed on the fire's heart, his core throbbed as they collided with him. Ripple upon ripple upon ripple drove into him.

Tense jaws tore meat. Glowing coals shifted. Crickets chirped.

Kyla's eyes burned into him from somewhere in the darkness.

Masis flew to his feet. "Where are you?!"

"Now, that's something you don't see every day," said a man's voice from behind him. "Now, is it, brother?"

Masis spun, the fire behind him deepening his cowl into an inky well.

Two men stood some five paces from where he had sat. Tattered clothes hung from their husky bodies. Patchy facial hair dirtied their faces.

"No, brother, you normally don't find people screamin' like a banshee at night, 'specially in woods where wighties might be creepin' 'bout."

Both men grinned, their teeth yellowed with grime. Even with the fire's smoky aroma, Masis' nose twitched as the men's pungent unwashed odor struck it. They swaggered forward, thumbs thrust into belts and fingers fidgeting, stopping after taking a handful of steps.

Masis stepped back, angling his Shadow mark away from the duo. His hand went to the pummel of his seax, his spine stiffening as his eyes flicked between the newcomers.

"How can I help you, gentlemen?" he asked, flatly.

"My, don't he talk all educated sounding," said the man to Masis' right. His baldness set him apart from his companion.

"Smooth and easy sounding that's for sure," said his companion.

"Can I help you with something?" asked Masis. His heart beat faster. The men's slanted stares made Masis unsteady.

The men's greasy smiles stretched even further.

"There he goes again," said the bald man's companion. "All smooth like."

"Sounds nice, don't it?" said the bald man. He drew himself up, pressing his hand to his chest while looking down his nose at Masis, appearing a bit like Humphrey the butler. "I am Grisweld and this is my brother, Grimold. We have traveled far this day and are parched beyond belief. Could you spare us some of your water, good sir?"

At his last word, the brothers fell into each other, snorting and slapping each other's arms.

"I'm Gris," the bald man said, beginning again in his normal voice. "This here's Grim. Do you have any water? We're both a bit dry."