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.The guard lowered his sword.The fisherman put away his bow.Cyric smiled and put a hand on each of the dalesmen's shoulders."Come with us, then," Yarbro said."'Together we shall find the mage.Then we'll make her pay!"Cyric could not believe his good fortune.The idiots actually believed his wild story! "She's already on her way to Scardale," the thief volunteered helpfully."Bane's servants must have had orders to rescue them.We should follow them to the city."Cyric and the dalesmen walked into the woods for a hundred yards, following the course of the river.They found the fishing skiff impaled on a thick branch.Obviously it would never be seaworthy again.Mikkel gazed at the small boat, thinking of the splendid times be had shared with his partner, Carella.Kicking the boat loose from the snag, the fisherman watched as it sank into the Ashaba."We take the road, then," Yarbro said flatly as he turned from the river and headed back into the woods.Cyric quickly followed the guard, and Mikkel soon joined them.After leaping from the bridge, as soon as they had struggled to shore, Yarbro and Mikkel had rushed to the camp the dalesmen had established in the woods at the north end of Blackfeather Bridge.There they took three horses - one for each of them to ride and the third as a pack animal.The other horses they sent down the road, away from the bridge.Now the two survivors of the hunt, along with Cyric, found the proud animals and loaded the mounts with the few supplies they had gathered.But as they got ready to ride, Cyric realized that Yarbro and Mikkel were exhausted.The lack of sleep they had endured during the ride from the Standing Stone and their frightening experiences of the last few hours had drained the last sparks of energy from the men.Cyric was still alert, though, and he knew that the men needed rest more than anything.So the thief set about to ensure that they would never get any if he could help it."We must ride hard and try to catch them before they're in Scardale too long," Cyric said hurriedly as he leaped onto his horse."If they get to the city before we do, they'll have a chance to disappear in the crowds, perhaps even catch a boat to Zhentil Keep.Then we'll never find them."The hunters nodded."For now, you ride in front," Yarbro sighed as he mounted his horse."You don't get a weapon until we say so.and never forget that our cold steel is at your back."Cyric kicked his horse into motion."Of course.I would feel the same way if I were you.All I ask is that you allow me the opportunity for vengeance when the time comes.""Aye," Mikkel said, stifling a yawn."That we promise."Cyric sensed that Yarbro hadn't believed his story as completely as he first thought.It hardly mattered.They had allowed the thief to live.Once the party stopped to rest for the night, the hunters would belong to Cyric.After he dispatched the weakened, exhausted men, he would take their supplies and set off for Scardale alone.After an hour's ride, the forest gave out, and the barren expanses of Featherdale loomed before Cyric and the two dalesmen.Looking back, the thief half expected the mysterious forest to shimmer and vanish, or the trees to uproot and follow them.Yet nothing strange occurred.The riders left the riverbank to avoid a curve of the Ashaba to the north in order to follow the most direct route to Scardale.After an hour's ride over the dull flatlands of Featherdale, Cyric spotted a handful of riders in the distance, riding toward them."What do you want to do about those riders?" the thief asked as he turned slightly in his saddle."We have no quarrel with whoever it is," Yarbro snapped, a slight tinge of nervousness in his voice.Cyric reined his horse; to a stop."We could try to avoid them, but they might think us cowards or criminals and set out after us if we do."A frown creased the young guard's face."Just a minute! I'm trying to think," Yarbro growled harshly."There isn't much time, of course," Cyric continued."If we ride right now, we might stand a chance of escaping from them.""A moment ago, you seemed to favor facing them," Mikkel said, confused.He stopped his horse next to Cyric's.The hawk-nosed thief smiled."Well, either way might be dangerous
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