Wullis thought of Kaelin Ring. His hatred of the southerner was intense. He had watched with awe the fight with Bael, but then he had seen Chara run to him, taking his arm, and staring up at him with undisguised adoration. The sight had sickened him to the depths of his being.
It would be good indeed to stand over his body, to make Chara stare into his dead eyes.
Wullis came to a rise before a sharp dip. He paused, kneeling behind some bushes. Down below a group of hunters were gathered around a fire. Wullis saw that the tracks of Kaelin and Chara moved away towards the south. They were seeking to avoid the men below. Wullis had no such need. With luck, if he took the straight path, he would be ahead of them.
Moving down the slope he passed the camp fire, waving to the men seated there. They waved back and then ignored him. He clambered up the opposite slope and began to move with great care, pausing often to listen and scan the surrounding trees. He had no wish to be surprised by Kaelin Ring, nor to get into a sword fight with him. What he wanted was to find a good place for an ambush.
Then he spotted them. They were sitting beside a wide, shallow stream. Wullis ducked down and began to crawl through the undergrowth. Painstakingly, moving inch by inch, he came closer. Now he was within fifteen paces of them. Drawing his borrowed pistols he eased back the hammers. All he needed to do was to rear up and blast the life from Kaelin Ring. Just then Kaelin rose to his feet and walked away towards the west. Wullis swore.
Chara swung her head to watch Kaelin leave, then climbed out of her clothes and waded into the stream. There was blood on her face, and her body was badly bruised. Even so she was still beautiful, the sun glinting on her red-gold hair. She sat down in the stream and washed, then lay flat on her back, allowing the water to slide over her.
Wullis lay very still. Where in the seven hells had Kaelin gone? His hands were slippery with sweat. Carefully putting down the pistols, he rubbed his palms on his leggings.
Chara rose from the water and returned to her clothes. She sat down, and Wullis saw she was weeping. He could not hear her above the rushing of the stream, but he could see her shoulders heaving as she bent double, her face in her hands. Blame your father for this, he thought. Blame Call Jace for what you have been through.
At last the weeping ended and Chara donned her torn shirt and leggings. Then she sat, hugging her knees and staring out over the mountains. Wullis waited patiently, his pistols ready. Kaelin Ring emerged from the trees and strolled down to the water’s edge. He squatted down. Wullis cursed softly, for Chara was now in the line of fire. Moving carefully to his knees, the clansman lifted the pistols.
Kaelin Ring stood and moved away to Chara’s left. Wullis surged to his feet. Kaelin saw him. He should have been rooted in shock. Instead he dropped to one knee just as Wullis fired his first shot, and the ball sailed over his head. Steadying himself, Wullis readjusted his aim. Kaelin Ring had drawn his pistol. Panic touched Wullis then and he shot too fast. Kaelin’s pistol boomed. The ball smashed into Wullis’s chest, searing into his lungs. He staggered. All he knew in that moment was that he had to run, to get away. He heard his name called. His gaze flicked to Chara Jace. She was wading through the stream towards him. In her hand was a silver pistol. Wullis felt his strength ebbing away. She was closer now.
‘Not my fault,’ he said, backing into a tree.
The pistol came up. Liquid fire tore through his groin and he screamed in pain, and fell writhing to the ground. Chara dropped the Emburley and lifted her knife. Kaelin Ring ran alongside her, grabbing her arm. ‘Leave him,’ Wullis heard him say.
‘He has to suffer more,’ shouted Chara.