The Mages of Royas Bay (Mages of Wrystan 1)

Chapter 3: The Old Witch, Part 2

HAWK WASN'T SURE how long he sat there before he noticed the cage. At first he'd been too busy taking care of Sidony, healing her aches and bruises, comforting her grief. Then there was the argument between the slavers and the old man. Apparently the old man won, because three of the Callisuni trudged off, looking ill at ease, while their remaining cohort sat down to sharpen his impressive collection of knives.

As night closed in, the old man harangued his companion until he put his knives aside and started a fire. It was while they were coaxing the kindling into flame that Hawk first caught a glimpse of movement across the dell.

He had seen the rowan tree when they arrived, a little surprised to find a mountain tree swamped in the middle of a forest. It was old though, much older than the pines around it. Age showed in every twist of its knotted trunk and branches. Movement drew Hawk's eyes to the lowest branch and his breath caught.

"What?" Snuggled up to him as she was, Sidony felt the shock ripple through his body. "What is it? Are they back?"

Hawk didn't answer. His eyes were fixed on the cage and the animal within. He couldn't be certain from this distance, but it looked like a polecat or a ferret, perhaps a pine marten, judging by its size. It was bundled inside a copper wire cage that was too small for it.

Across the dell bright black eyes seared into his and Hawk's hands clenched into fists.

"Is that a ferret?" Sidony asked, sitting up and squinting.

"No."

She blinked at his sharp tone. "Hawk?"

"It's a mage-beast."

The fire finally built, the old man turned around and wheezed his grating laugh. "So you have seen our little friend. Reminds you of your own magic beasties, yes? Where are they hiding?"

He turned with unerring accuracy to stare at the branch where Hawk had last seen Cyrus. The sparrowhawk wasn't there now, of course, but it still sent a chill of fear through him.

The old man showed his rotten teeth in a merciless smile. "He cannot stay hidden forever, little mage. We will catch him eventually."

Not if Hawk had anything to do with it. After a long moment of waiting for his taunt to bear fruit, the smile faded from the old man's face and he waved a dismissive hand at them. "Why bother? He will be here soon. Then you will learn."

He turned back to the fire and the bubbling pot. For a little while the only sound in the dell was the crackle and hiss of the fire, until the old man started harassing the younger one again. This time he waved a leather bucket about, almost braining the Callisuni in the process.

The young man wasn't budging. He kept shaking his head, pointing at the children then out into the woods. Once he pointed at the sky then slashed down with both hands in a clear refusal. The old man stamped his feet and raged. For a long time it looked like he wouldn't get his way, until he started pointing at his companion.

Suddenly the younger man couldn't move fast enough. He snatched the bucket, growled something bitter and hurried off into the trees. The old man wheezed and clutched his chest, shuffling his feet in a victory dance.

"Now," he chortled, turning to face the children, "we can have fun."

Definitely, Hawk thought, eyeing the pile of knives the Callisuni slaver had left behind and wondering how quickly he could grab one before the old man caught him. It was two against one and even though the old man was stronger than he looked, well, so was Hawk.

"Ready?" he murmured to Sidony, and she nodded.

"Yes, yes." The old man rubbed his hands as he skirted the fire and nudged the cage in passing. "He will be here soon and it will be too late. Must take my chance."