Read The Warlock Enraged-Warlock 4 for Free Online
Authors: Christopher Stasheff
air."
Rod nodded. "And it would've been foolish for you to try to follow low enough for her to get at you. Of course, if I'd been following on Fess, it would've been another matter."
Nobody answered.
He sighed. "How about her thoughts?"
"They ceased."
Gwen stared down at Magnus. "Ceased?" She looked up, eyes losing focus for a few seconds; then her gaze cleared, and she nodded affirmation. " "Tis even as he saith. But how... ?"
"Why not?" Rod shrugged. "I was telephathically invisible for years, remember? Sooner or later, somebody was bound to learn how to do that whenever they wanted."
"My lord," Gwen said softly, "I think there is more danger in these Northern witches, than we had thought." Rod nodded. "And, at a guess, they're better mind readers than we gave them credit for—'cause they certainly knew we were coming."
Gwen was silent, digesting that.
Rod shrugged, irritably. "Oh, sure, it's possible this one sorceress has a hatred for tinkers, especially when they come in families—but, somehow, I doubt that. Conjuring up a Black Annis for the average wanderer is a bit elaborate, No, they've spotted us."
He straightened his shoulders and clapped his hands. "All right, so much for our night's adventure! Everybody back to bed."
The children looked up, appalled.
"Don't worry, Mommy'11 give you a sleep spell." Gwen's lullabies were effective projective telepathy; when she sang,
"Sleep, my child," they really did.
"My lord," Gwen said softly, "if they do know of our presence..."
"We'd better post sentries. Yes." Rod sat down crosslegged. "I'll take first watch. I haven't been sleeping well lately, anyway."
THE WARLOCK ENRAGED 29
When the night noises prevailed again, and the only child-sound was deep and even breathing. Rod said softly,
"They're being very good about it—but the fact is, I blew it."
"But it is distinctly improbable that you could have caught the projective, in any event," Fess's voice answered him.
"Banished her, certainly—possibly even destroyed her, though that certainly would have been quite dangerous. But attempting to immobilize an esper, without killing her, would be ten times more dangerous."
Rod frowned. "Come to think of it, why didn't she just hop the next broomstick?" He had a sudden, vivid vision of Gwen in an aerial dogfight, and shuddered.
"Why leave her caravan, if she did not have to?" Fess countered.
Rod winced. "That hurts—that my rage hamstringed things so much that she didn't even have to strain to get away!"
"Still, that is only a blow to your pride," Fess reminded him. "The object was accomplished; the danger was banished."
"Only temporarily," Rod growled, "and the next time, it might banish us, if I let my rage block off my brain again."
"That is possible," Fess admitted. "And the danger must be considered greater, now that there is reason to believe the enemy knows your identities and direction."
"And can guess our purpose," Rod finished. "Yes, we can be sure they'll attack again, and as soon as possible.
... Fess?"
"Yes, Rod?"
"Think it's time yet to send Gwen and the kids home?" The robot was silent for a moment; then he answered,
"Analysis of available data does not indicate a degree of danger with which your family, as a unit, cannot cope."
"Thank Heaven," Rod sighed. "I don't think they'd be very easy to send home, just now."
"Your children have become intrigued."
"Children, my eye! It's Gwen I'm worried about—her dander's up!"
Fess was silent.
T
30 Christopher Stasheff
Rod frowned at the lack of response; then his mouth tightened. "All right, what am I missing?" The robot hesitated, then answered, "I don't think they trust you out alone. Rod."
3
"We're getting pretty close to the Romanov border now, aren't we?"
"Aye, my lord. 'Tis mayhap a day's journey further." Gwen was holding up bravely, but she did seem tired. Rod frowned. "Look—they know we're coming; there's no point in keeping our disguise. Why're we still walking?"
"To
Rod nodded. "And it would've been foolish for you to try to follow low enough for her to get at you. Of course, if I'd been following on Fess, it would've been another matter."
Nobody answered.
He sighed. "How about her thoughts?"
"They ceased."
Gwen stared down at Magnus. "Ceased?" She looked up, eyes losing focus for a few seconds; then her gaze cleared, and she nodded affirmation. " "Tis even as he saith. But how... ?"
"Why not?" Rod shrugged. "I was telephathically invisible for years, remember? Sooner or later, somebody was bound to learn how to do that whenever they wanted."
"My lord," Gwen said softly, "I think there is more danger in these Northern witches, than we had thought." Rod nodded. "And, at a guess, they're better mind readers than we gave them credit for—'cause they certainly knew we were coming."
Gwen was silent, digesting that.
Rod shrugged, irritably. "Oh, sure, it's possible this one sorceress has a hatred for tinkers, especially when they come in families—but, somehow, I doubt that. Conjuring up a Black Annis for the average wanderer is a bit elaborate, No, they've spotted us."
He straightened his shoulders and clapped his hands. "All right, so much for our night's adventure! Everybody back to bed."
The children looked up, appalled.
"Don't worry, Mommy'11 give you a sleep spell." Gwen's lullabies were effective projective telepathy; when she sang,
"Sleep, my child," they really did.
"My lord," Gwen said softly, "if they do know of our presence..."
"We'd better post sentries. Yes." Rod sat down crosslegged. "I'll take first watch. I haven't been sleeping well lately, anyway."
THE WARLOCK ENRAGED 29
When the night noises prevailed again, and the only child-sound was deep and even breathing. Rod said softly,
"They're being very good about it—but the fact is, I blew it."
"But it is distinctly improbable that you could have caught the projective, in any event," Fess's voice answered him.
"Banished her, certainly—possibly even destroyed her, though that certainly would have been quite dangerous. But attempting to immobilize an esper, without killing her, would be ten times more dangerous."
Rod frowned. "Come to think of it, why didn't she just hop the next broomstick?" He had a sudden, vivid vision of Gwen in an aerial dogfight, and shuddered.
"Why leave her caravan, if she did not have to?" Fess countered.
Rod winced. "That hurts—that my rage hamstringed things so much that she didn't even have to strain to get away!"
"Still, that is only a blow to your pride," Fess reminded him. "The object was accomplished; the danger was banished."
"Only temporarily," Rod growled, "and the next time, it might banish us, if I let my rage block off my brain again."
"That is possible," Fess admitted. "And the danger must be considered greater, now that there is reason to believe the enemy knows your identities and direction."
"And can guess our purpose," Rod finished. "Yes, we can be sure they'll attack again, and as soon as possible.
... Fess?"
"Yes, Rod?"
"Think it's time yet to send Gwen and the kids home?" The robot was silent for a moment; then he answered,
"Analysis of available data does not indicate a degree of danger with which your family, as a unit, cannot cope."
"Thank Heaven," Rod sighed. "I don't think they'd be very easy to send home, just now."
"Your children have become intrigued."
"Children, my eye! It's Gwen I'm worried about—her dander's up!"
Fess was silent.
T
30 Christopher Stasheff
Rod frowned at the lack of response; then his mouth tightened. "All right, what am I missing?" The robot hesitated, then answered, "I don't think they trust you out alone. Rod."
3
"We're getting pretty close to the Romanov border now, aren't we?"
"Aye, my lord. 'Tis mayhap a day's journey further." Gwen was holding up bravely, but she did seem tired. Rod frowned. "Look—they know we're coming; there's no point in keeping our disguise. Why're we still walking?"
"To
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