forehead and grimaced. “I don’t feel so well myself.”
“Off you go, then,” Morgan said, rising with him. “I’ll
come see you both m the morning. Right now, though, I’m in
desperate need of about two days’ sleep.” He paused. “You
know about the Trolls?”
“Know about them?” Steff gave him a wry smile. “I ‘ve spo-
ken with them already. Axhind and I go back a ways.”
“Well, well. Another mystery. Tell me about it tomorrow,
will you?”
Steff began moving away. “Tomorrow, it is.” He was almost
out of sight when he said, “Better watch your back, High-
lander.”
Morgan Lean had already decided as much.
He slept well that night and woke rested. The midmoming
sun had crested the treeline and begun to heat up the day. There
was activity in the outlaw camp, more so than usual, and Mor-
gan was immediately anxious to find out what was happening.
He thought momentarily that the Valemen might have returned,
but then discarded the possibility, deciding that he would have
been awakened if they had. He pulled on his clothing and boots,
rolled up his blankets, washed, ate, and went down to the bluff
edge. He caught sight of Padishar immediately, dressed once
more in his crimson garb, shouting orders and directing men
this way and that.
The outlaw chief glanced over as the Highlander approached
and grunted. “I trust the noise didn’t wake you.” He turned to
yell instructions to a group of men by the lifts before continuing
in a normal tone of voice, “I would hate to think you were
disturbed.”
Morgan muttered something under his breath, but stopped
when he caught a glimpse of the other’s mocking grin. “Ah, ah.
Just teasing you a bit, Highlander,” the other soothed. “Let’s
not begin the day on the wrong foot-there’s too much that
needs doing. I’ve sent scouts to sweep the Parma Key to reassure
myself that my neck hairs mislead me about what’s out there,
and I’ve sent south for Hirehone. We will see what we will
see. Meanwhile, the Trolls await, Axhind and his brood. Close
kin, the bunch of them, I’m told. Yesterday was merely an over-
tore. Today we talk about the how and the wherefore of it all
You want to come along?”
Morgan did. Budding on the scabbard that held the remained
of the Sword of Leah, which he was carrying now mostly out ot
habit, he followed Padishar along the bluff face and then back
toward the campsite where the Trolls were already gathering
As they walked, he asked if there was any news of Par and
Coll. There wasn’t. He looked about expectantly for Steff and
Teel, but there was no sign of either. He promised himself that
he would seek them out later.
When they reached the Trolls, Axhind embraced the outlaw
chief, then greeted the Highlander with a solemn nod and a
handclasp like iron, and beckoned them both to take seats. Mo
ments later, Chandos appeared with several companions, that
Morgan didn’t know, and the meeting got under way.
It lasted the remainder of the morning and the better part of
the afternoon. Once again, Morgan was unable to follow what
was being said, and this time Chandos was too preoccupied with
his own participation to worry about him. Morgan listened at-
tentively nevertheless, studying the gestures and movements ot
the bearish Trolls, trying to read something of what they were
thinking behind their expressionless faces. He was mostly un-
successful. They looked like great tree stamps brought to life
and given the rudiments of human form to allow them to move
about. Few did much of anything besides watch. The ones who
spoke did so sparingly, even Axhind. There was an economy of
effort behind everything they did. Morgan wondered briefly what
they were like in a fight and decided that he probably already
knew.
The sun moved across the sky, changing the light from dim
to bright and back again, erasing and then lengthening shadows,
filling the day with heat and then letting it linger in a suffocating
swelter that left everyone shifting uncomfortably in a futile search
for relief. There was a short break for lunch, an exchange of