out of eyes that were not as innocent as her parents insisted
they were. “You’re sure this is a unicorn you’re sending
me after?”
“Are you sure you’re a virgin?”
“Yes, I’m sure,” she said tiredly. She’d heard this
stranger discussing the matter with her mother.
Hathcar turned and pointed back through the woods.
“Back this way there’s a pool in a little hollow. Bring him
there. We’ll be waiting.”
“What happens when we get there?” she asked curiously.
“None of your business, lit… Silky. Your daddy’s
being paid for your services. You do what I want you to
and you don’t ask questions.”
“Okay.” She hesitated. “You’re not going to hurt him,
are you? I’ve never seen a unicorn, but I’ve been told
they’re real pretty.”
“Oh, no, no, we won’t hurt him,” said Hathcar smoothly.
“We just want to surprise him. We’re his friends, and we
want to surprise him, and you won’t tell him about us
because that would ruin the surprise, wouldn’t it?”
“I guess so.” She smiled brightly. “I like surprises,
too. Can I watch when you surprise him?”‘
“Sure you can,” Hathcar assured her innocently. “I
think you’ll be surprised, too.” He turned to leave her,
Brungunt and Parsh following.
“It’s dark,” she said uncertainly.
“You’ll be okay,” Brungunt told her. “Didn’t you say
you were a big girl?”
“That’s right, I am.”
“Fine. Just bring the four-legs down to the pool.”
“Why didn’t we just abduct the little bitch?” Parsh
wanted to know as they made their way through the woods
to rejoin the rest of the waiting band.
“Big village,” Hathcar told him. “A good place to buy