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.In themeantime, I ll ask if you can go out in the garden with me again. Alec had expected to work harder than this to get another chance at thegarden. Thank you.I d likethat. Then you forgive me? Alec forced a grudging smile. Forget about it.It doesn t matter anyway.I guess I ll have to settle foranother walk on my chain, eh? CHAPTER 32Page 172 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlOn the HuntMICUM AND THERO found horses saddled for them at the head of the escortwaiting by thecourtyard gate.There was a stone mounting block near the gateway, and Micumswallowed his prideand used it.Once he was on horseback, he was any man s equal.The khirnari was the next to use the block, climbing stiffly into thesaddle of a fine chestnut mare. Iwill be your guide. Thero bowed in the saddle and Micum did the same, glad of more time to getto know the man.Seregil had always spoken fondly of him.They rode along a coastal road until dusk, and guested at a lonelyfarmstead.The farmer and his familywere clearly honored to have their khirnari under their roof and made theirSkalan guests welcome withevery comfort they had.The following morning they turned up into the wooded hills, following awell-traveled road.Micumkept one eye on the trees, but the khirnari assured him that bandits were rarein these parts.Micumnodded, but kept watch anyway; this was perfect country for an ambush.Wasn tthat why they werehere?They reached the ravine that afternoon and Riagil led them down to thespot where the bodies hadbeen found.Thero seated himself on a rock by the stream and closed his eyes,intent on seeking anylingering energies that might be here.Micum left him to it and walked slowlyup and down the bank of thestream.The soft ground was still marked by footprints, but not from a battle.It looked more like thebodies had simply been dumped here after they were killed. Why would they have turned aside? wondered Thero. That water doesn tlook good to drink,except perhaps for the horses. Why indeed? Micum dismounted stiffly and walked slowly up and down theside of the ravine.Ithad been weeks since the attack-weeks of rain and wind, but he could stilltell that the attack hadn thappened here.There was no sign of a fight.Leaving his horse with one of the faie, he grabbed his stick and workedhis way slowly back up to theroad, following the faded signs that were left.The Gedre had mucked up muchof it when they came fortheir dead, but he could still make out some drag marks, and the deepimpressions left by men carrying aburden.The trees were thick on either side of the road and would have providedample cover for archers.Given the number of arrows found in the bodies, that must have been the maintype of attack.Beginningwith the ravine side of the road, he limped slowly into the forest, gaze andstick sweeping the ground.Fortunately, there wasn t much undergrowth, and he soon found numerous groupsof small depressions,TopPage 173 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlPage No 114where the archers had stuck handfuls of arrows into the ground, in easy reachas they shot.The treecover had protected footprints better in here, and he guessed there had beenat least thirty ambushers.Going to the far side of the road, he found similar signs and a rustedknife of Skalan make, which hepocketed.Chin on chest, he walked the roadside for nearly an hour, searching forold signs along the verge whilethe others milled about, trying to stay out of his way.He found nothing moreon the far side of the road,so he crossed over and tried again on the ravine side.He had better luck here.The grass was longer between the road and thetrees and looked to havebeen trampled some time ago.He used the tip of his stick to brush it this wayand that, looking for tracks.Instead, the tip struck something that gave back the clink of metal
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