The King's Bastard - By Rowena Cory Daniells Page 0,148

see his sister. Took poorly, she did. Come on.' The girl ran across the open space from the tree line to the building, diverting away from the front entrance where the tap room was, to go around to a side entrance across from the barn. There was no sign of her brother.

She flung the door open and called over her shoulder. 'Hurry up, Leif.'

'I'll help him,' Byren offered. 'Can you see to my sister? She's exhausted.'

The girl nodded and Byren sprinted into the barn, where Leif had already driven the chickens in. Crusher and Queenie came over to investigate him, so Byren offered his hand. The dogs' heads were level with his waist and their jaws could have easily crushed his hand.

'They're good dogs,' Leif said, hauling open a sack of chicken feed.

'Eh, not tonight, Leif. No time. Come on.' Byren grabbed the boy and together they barred the barn's doors. 'Is this the only way in?'

'I've barred the shutters as well.'

'Good lad.'

Byren backed across what would have been the busy stable yard, empty now of anything but their footprints in the snow. Crusher and Queenie went very still, barked twice then shivered and whimpered, slinking to their sides. Byren's mouth went dry. He scanned the tree line and the shadows between the outbuildings. He couldn't spot the manticores, but he knew they were there. Heart racing, he reached for his hunting knife. His hand felt slick on the hilt. Why was it that when he needed a bow he only had a knife?

Because he didn't want to walk around weighed down with weapons.

He heard Leif swing the tradepost door open. The boy and the dogs darted through. Byren followed, closing it behind him. The boy grinned up at him and Byren couldn't help grinning back. Even the dogs grinned.

It was dark in the hall, but a welcoming glow came from under a door further along. The smell of roast lamb and oregano made his stomach rumble. He could hear voices.

'This way,' Leif said.

Byren found the others in the kitchen, where Leif's sister was putting out plates while Piro sliced fresh bread and Garzik poured ales. Orrade had made friends with the other wolfhound, which was crunching on a bone in front of the huge oven.

'Byren, thank the goddess!' Piro greeted him. 'I wasn't sure we'd make it.'

He was glad he hadn't revealed his own doubts.

'Who says we're safe?' the girl countered.

Orrade glanced to Byren, as did Garzik and Piro.

The boy looked at his sister. 'What d'you mean, Florin? Da always says this is the best fortified of all the tradeposts.'

'Aye. And I've closed all the shutters on the ground floor, but the house wasn't meant to be defended. The Neck and the palisade should have kept us safe, only the manticores are in now. We have to come out eventually. Once the manticores have battered their way through the barn and eaten our animals, they'll be waiting for us.'

Byren knew this was true. Manticores were renowned for their intelligence. He wouldn't put it past them to figure out how to lift the bar that held the barn door closed. Then the manticores would find a way into the tradepost. He'd brought this down on Florin and Leif. It was his responsibility to keep them safe.

'We'll have to kill the manticores,' he decided.

Orrade snorted. 'Kill a whole pride? Even you can't do that, Byren!'

'No, not on my own. But the cold snap has drained all the moisture from the air. Ideal for fire, and with a little cunning...' He grinned, and they drew closer, eager to hear his plan.

* * *

Piro trusted Byren's judgement. If he said the flaming torches would keep the manticores away, then they would. Still, she felt vulnerable as they left the tradepost, each carrying a torch, cooking pots, several jars of pitch and more torches. She was so laden down, she couldn't have run if she'd tried. Her stomach tied itself in knots. Whatever made her think she would have enjoyed hunting the leogryf!

They were all armed with bows, courtesy of the tradepost's weapon room. But night had fallen while they planned and prepared, so it would be difficult to hit a moving target.

Byren was right, they had to kill the manticores... couldn't leave them to roam the valley, terrorising isolated farms.

The wolfhounds bayed. Piro's heart raced in response to the mournful sound. Little Leif edged closer to her. Garzik, Orrade and Florin each held a wolfhound's collar as well as their load of supplies,