按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The nightmare was rushing in to finish him off。 He swung Splitter； and this time the demon was too mitted to the attack to halt its forward momentum。 The greatsword slashed through its neck； nearly severing the head with its luminous scarlet eyes。 The steed toppled sideways and rolled； leaving a trail of embers。 The rider tried to jump free； but he was too slow。 The nightmare crushed him on its way to the ground。
Ryld tore open the dead male's purse； then floated down to the demon horse and checked the saddlebags。 There were no potions or any other means of mending a wound。
Why； he wondered； should he expect to find such a thing among the noble's effects？ The noble had e to the Braeryn for some lighthearted sport。 He hadn't believed the goblins couldn't hurt him or that he was in any other danger； so why bring a remedy for grievous harm to the festivities； even if he was lucky enough to possess one？
There were only five hunters who'd e there with a deadly serious purpose； prepared to cross swords with formidable foes： Greyanna and her retainers。 They were far more likely to carry healing magic than any other drow whom Ryld might opt to waylay。
Alas； they were likely to prove more trouble as well； but if he wanted to save Pharaun； he'd just have to cope。 Pharaun was a useful ally； and Ryld was unwilling to let that carefully nurtured relationship expire easily。 He skulked on； ignoring the hunters who obliviously crossed his path； until he finally spied a familiar figure on a rooftop just ahead of him。
Still masked； one of Greyanna's twin warriors was stalking along that eminence。 An arrow nocked； he peered down into the street below。
Ryld threw himself down behind a stubby little false minaret on his roof。 He peered around it； looking for the rest of the wouldbe murderers。
He didn't see them。 Maybe the band had split up； the better to look for their quarry。 They'd have to； wouldn't they； to oversee the entire district。
He ducked back； cocked his hand crossbow and laid a poisoned dart in the channel。 He and Pharaun had been reluctant to kill their pursuers； but with the wizard dying； Ryld was no longer overly concerned with a petty retainer's life。
He leaned back around； his finger already tightening on the trigger— and the space where the archer had stood was empty。 Ryld cast about； and after a moment spotted the male atop a round； flatroofed little tower adhering to the main body of the building。
That posed two problems。 One was that the warrior was farther away and ten feet higher up； at or beyond the limit of the little crossbow's range。 The other was that the male happened to be looking in Ryld's direction。 His eyes flew open wide when he spotted his quarry。
Ryld shot； and his dart fell short of the tower。 A split second later； the twin pulled back his bowstring and loosed his arrow in one fluid motion。 The shaft looked like a gradually swelling dot； which meant it was speeding straight at its target。
Ryld dodged back。 The arrow whizzed past； and the archer shouted； 〃Here〃
The weapons master scowled； feeling the pressure of passing time even more acutely than before。 He didn't want to be there when the rest of the enemy arrived； and the only hope of avoiding it was to dispose of his present opponent quickly。 The longbow simply had his hand crossbow outclassed。 He needed to get in close。
He drew Splitter； sprang out into the open； and strode toward his foe。 The archer sent one arrow after another winging his way； and he knocked them out of the air。 The defense was considerably more difficult advancing across the irregular surface of the roof than it would have been standing still on the ground。
Ryld began to sweat； and his heart beat faster； but he was managing。 There came another shaft； this one aglitter with some form of enchantment； and he swatted it down。 Rattling； it rolled on down the pitch of the roof。
He took another step； slapped aside another missile； then heard something—he didn't know what； just an indefinable change in the sounds around him。 He remembered that some enchanters created magical weapons capable of more than flying truer and hitting harder。
He spun around。 The sparkling arrow had launched itself back into the air and circled around behind him。 It was streaking toward its target and was only a few feet from his body。
Ryld wrenched Splitter across in a desperate parry。 The edge caught the arrow and split it in two。 Spinning through the air； the piece with the point hit his shoulder； but； thanks to his armor； did him no harm。
He lurched back around with barely enough time to deflect the next shaft； then marched on。 Four more paces brought him to the end of the roof。
The gap between this house and the next was five yards across。 He took a running start； made himself nearly weightless； and jumped。 The twin tried to hit when he was in the air； but for a blessed change； his arrow flew wild。 Ryld thumped down atop the same structure his opponent occupied。 It felt as if it had taken forever to get this far； even though he knew it had really been less than a minute。
Not that he was done running the gauntlet。 The arrows kept hurtling at him； including one that gave an eerie scream； filling him with an unnatural fear until he quashed the feeling； and another that turned into a miniature harpy in flight。 Yet another struck two paces in front him and exploded into a curtain of fire。 Squinting at the glare； he wrapped his piwafwi around him and dived through； emerging singed but essentially unscathed。
After that； he was close enough to the tower to cancel most of his weight and leap up to the top。 He sprang into the air like a jumping spider and alit on the platform。 The twin hastily set down his bow and drew his scimitar。
〃Do you have any healing magic？〃 Ryld asked。 〃If so； give it to me； and I'll let you go。〃
The other warrior smiled unpleasantly and said； 〃My rades will start arriving any second。 Surrender now； tell me where Pharaun is； and perhaps Princess Greyanna will let you live。〃
〃No。〃
Ryld cut at the warrior's head。 The other male jumped back out of range； sidestepped； and slashed at the weapons master's arm。 Ryld parried； beat the scimitar aside； and the fight was on。
Over the course of the next few seconds； the Mizzrym warrior gave ground consistently。 Twice； he nearly stepped off the flat； round tabletop that was the apex of the tower but on both occasions spun himself away from the edge in time。 He was a good duelist； and he was fighting defensively while he waited for reinforcements to arrive。 That made him hard to hit。 Hard； but not impossible。
Pressing； Ryld feinted high on the inside to draw the parry； swung his greatsword down and around； and cut low on the outside。 Splitter sheared into the Mizzrym's torso just below the ribs； and he collapsed in a gush of blood。
Magic trilled and flickered through the air。 When Ryld spun around； the other twin and Relonor popped into being on the rooftop below。 Obviously； House Mizzrym's mage could teleport on his own； without the aid of the brooch Pharaun had pilfered。
His voluminous sleeves sliding down to his elbows； Relonor lifted his arms and started to cast a spell。 The newly arrived twin nocked an arrow and drew back the string of his pale bone bow。
Ryld threw himself down on his stomach。 He was ten feet above his adversaries； and he hoped that they couldn't see him。 Sure enough； no magic or arrow flew in his direction。 He scuttled across the platform—enchantments in his armor deadening the sound of his footfalls—and grabbed his previous opponent's bow and quiver； then scrambled to his knees。
The twin and the wizard rose above the platform； the former levitating； the latter soaring in an arc that revealed some magical capacity for actual flight。 The archer loosed an arrow； and mystical energy flashed from Relonor's fingertips。
The Mizzrym's magic reached its target first。 A ghastly shriek stabbed through Ryld's ears and into his brain。 He cried out and flailed in agony。 The warrior's arrow plunged into his thigh； and the razoredged point burst from the other side。
After a moment； the screaming stopped。 Ryld could feel that it had hurt him； perhaps worse than the arrow had； but had no time or inclination to fret about it。 Qui