front of a cart or used her for riding. She wasn’t old, being only five, but she had a calm disposition that made her suitable for the elderly and safe enough for children.
Since Will hadn’t been raised atop horses the way most of the nobility had, he found the mare to be exactly what he preferred—simple and no-nonsense. Plum also possessed an uncommon level of stamina and endurance. She might not be the fastest runner, but over the long haul she could outperform most equines, except mules and asses.
Tiny had to walk beside Thunderturnip for at least as much time as he rode, perhaps more, to keep from winding the great beast, and though Will did the same for Plum, it wasn’t really necessary. He could tell she still had plenty of reserve to carry him further if need be. Maybe. After all, he wasn’t a horse expert by any stretch of the imagination.
The main reason for walking the animals was simply because they wouldn’t be stopping for the night. At a slow pace, the horses could manage at least eight hours with a rider, but to last twenty-four hours or longer was a significant challenge that required either regular rest stops, or periods with the rider walking alongside on foot.
Janice’s palfrey was bred for easy riding, and with the light load, she had the easiest task, while poor Thunderturnip had to carry a giant. It was a testimony to the charger’s strength that he could bear Tiny’s weight at all, at least in Will’s opinion.
“The moon sets well before dawn tonight,” Tiny reminded. “It’s going to be hard to see.”
“We’ll walk then. I’ll lead Plum, and you and Janice can follow me in a line. If it’s too dark to see at all, I have a rope you can hold onto to keep from getting lost.”
“Can you really see if it’s that dark?” asked Janice. “What if it’s cloudy and there’s no starlight?”
Will nodded. “You followed me through the sewers, remember? I can see even if there’s no light, such as in a cave.”
“How?” she asked. “I understand you can change how sensitive your eyes are, but surely there has to be some light.”
“There is,” said Will. “There’s a lot more different types of light than people realize. There’s light created by the heat of our bodies, or even the warmth of inanimate objects. There are other kinds of light that pass through us all the time, some of it only partially, and some of it without being affected at all. Some types of vision are disorienting, but I’m never really in the dark.”
Looking ahead, Will spotted something sitting motionless on the road before them, a cat. He might have noticed the animal sooner, but its lack of movement had made it harder to spot. He pulled back on the reins until Plum stopped. His friends did likewise, giving him odd looks as he dismounted. “Something wrong?” asked Tiny.
“No,” said Will. “There’s someone on the road ahead of us that I need to talk to.”
Tiny squinted, looking forward into the gloom. “I can’t see anyone.”
“He can see us already,” Will replied.
“Non-human then,” offered Janice.
He nodded. “Non-mortal, but he’s a friend of sorts. I’ll be back in a few minutes. He won’t talk if there’s anyone else nearby. Stay on your guard.”
“He’s dangerous?” asked Tiny.
“He is, but not to us. I’m more worried about the vampire following me. He might try something funny while I’m not with you.”
Tiny’s sword left its sheath in a smooth motion. “Where?”
Will shrugged. “I don’t know. He stays far enough away that I can’t see him, but Tailtiu warned me a while back and I’m sure he’s probably still out there. Just be wary.”
Janice lifted one hand and three brilliant yellow orbs drifted up and away, lighting the terrain around them in every direction for fifty yards or more. Will saw the goddamn cat moving farther away to avoid being seen. “I don’t think that was really necessary, but I won’t fault you. I’ll be a short way out of sight. Don’t worry.”
“That’s not wise if there’s a vampire out there,” warned Janice.
Will laughed. “Don’t worry. The one I’m going to talk to is more dangerous than a whole pack of vampires. I’ll be safe.” He started walking before they could argue more.
Thanks to Janice’s overachieving light spell, it was almost five minutes before he was completely out of sight, and the Cath Bawlg allowed him to draw close. “I’ve been wondering if you would