Chapter Six:
“Attention to detail is the watchword for gleaning information from an unsuspecting witness.”
-INSP. CLOUSEAU
THE warrior’s terror did not immobilize him long. In fact, it didn’t immobilize him at all! No sooner did he make his discovery than he took action. Strangely enough, the action was to lean back in his saddle and begin rummaging frantically through one of his saddlebags, a precarious position at best.
Apparently I was not the only one to notice the instability of his pose. Aahz sprang forward with a yell, waving his arms in the unicorn’s face. Being a reasonable creature, the unicorn reared and bolted, dumping the warrior on his head.
“By the Gods!” he bellowed, trying to untangle himself from the ungraceful heap of arms and weapons. “I’ve killed men for less!”
I decided that if his threat was to be avoided, I should take a personal hand in the matter. Reaching out with my mind, I seized a fist-sized rock and propelled it forcefully against his unhelmeted brow. The man went down like a pole-axed steer.
For a long moment Aahz and I considered the fallen man, catching our breath.
” ‘Relax, Skeeve! This’ll be easy, Skeeve! Trust me, Skeeve.’ Boy, Aahz, when you miss a call you don’t do it small, do you?”
“Shut up, kid!”
He was rummaging through his pouch again.
“I don’t want to shut up, I want to know what happened to the ‘foolproof spell you taught me.”
“I was kind of wondering that myself.” He had produced the mirror again and was peering into it. “Tell you what, kid. Check his aura and watch for anything unusual.”