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But there was something odd Dalgard brushed aside a tendril of weed which cut his line of vision and so was able to see clearly. White and clean most of those bones were, but the skull was blackened, and similar charring existed down one arm and shoulder. That merman had not died from any mishap in the sea! "It is so," Sssuri replied to his thought.
But nothing in their attitude suggested that age had mellowed them. Dalgard was brought to stand before the trio as before a tribunal of judges. His sword-knife had been taken from his belt before he had regained his senses, his hands were twisted behind his back and locked together in a bar and hoop arrangement.
"Not a snake-devil," Dalgard deduced. As far as he knew only the huge reptiles or their smaller flying-dragon cousins preyed upon animals. But a snake-devil would have left no remains of anything as small as a hopper, one mouthful which could not satisfy its gnawing hunger. And a flying dragon would have picked the bones clean. "Them!" Sssuri's reply was clipped. "They hunt for sport."
And in the muddy verge of the stream, pressed deep, was the fresh track of a snake-devil. Almost full grown, Dalgard estimated, measuring the print with his fingers. Sssuri pivoted slowly, studying the circle of buildings about them. "An hour maybe two " Dalgard gave a hunter's verdict on the age of the print. He, too, eyed those buildings.
The buildings on this side of the river were not set so closely together. Each, standing some two or three stories high, was encircled by green, as if this had been a section of private dwellings. They pulled the light boat out of the water and Sssuri pointed at the open door of the nearest house. "In there " Dalgard agreed that it might be well to hide the craft against the return.
When the colony scout roused in the morning, his companion was stretched full length on the other side of the spring, but his head came up as Dalgard moved. "We may go forward without fear," he shaped the assurance. "What has troubled this land has gone." "A long time ago?" Dalgard was not surprised at Sssuri's negative answer. "Within days they have been here. But they have gone once more.
He had lost that tenseness of a hound in leash which had marked him the night before. "This was one of their secret places, holding much of their knowledge. They may return here on quest for that learning." All at once Dalgard was conscious of a sense of urgency.
Never had Dalgard penetrated into the cave cities of the sea folk before without inquiries and open welcome lapping about him. Were they entering a place of massacre where no living merman remained? Yet there was that whistling which had led Sssuri to this place....
"We have heard." But there was no relaxing of tension, not a spear point wavered. "Look upon his hands," Sssuri insisted. "Come into his mind, for he speaks with us so. And do they do that?" Dalgard tried to throw open his mind, awaiting the trial.
And the venturesome merman thudded back through the door. But he was not alone. Two of the black guardsmen, their flamers spitting fiery death, ran behind him, and the curling lash of one of those flames almost wreathed the runner before he swung aside. Raf fired without consciously aiming. Both of the sentries fell forward, to slide limply down the ramp. Then Dalgard pulled him on.
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