Keir Read Online Free PDF Page B

happen.”
    Pain ripped through him. Without giving herself time to think, she pulled a strand of it into her own mind, wincing as it burned through her. She took a second, a third and tried for one more, but a scream clawed at her throat and she had to let go.
    Keir stared up at her, his gaze clear but bewildered. “Why?” he rasped. “Why are you not afraid of me? Why are you risking your life to help me?”
    “Why did you save mine?” she countered.
    “Devils!” yelled the old man, finding his voice and his feet. “Kill them! Kill them now, before they use their black magic again!”
    Quin drew Keir to his feet, supporting him as some of the men moved forward cautiously, looking back and forth at each other. More shouts came from others still hiding, urging them on. Their fear wouldn’t hold them much longer.
    “Move, Keir!”
    She dragged him forward and they stumbled past the raving elder, heading for the edge of the village as fast as they could. Those who had regained their feet only stood and watched them go, one or two jeering, but it wasn’t long before a youngster felt brave enough to lift a rock and throw. Within seconds, the air filled with missiles, rocks and mud raining down on them. It seemed forever before they were out of range, staggering into another band of trees and the protection of the woodland.
    * * * *
    With his trackers leading the way, Rialto and his men came through the edge of the copse toward a small village. The trees thinned and gave way to open farmland. A cluster of timber buildings stood between one band of woodland and the next.
    Rialto surveyed it. There seemed to be some commotion, and several houses were missing their thatching. They had barely made it to the first fence before they were surrounded by irate villagers, desperate to tell their tale. As their strange procession reached the center of the village, Rialto reined in his horse and nodded to his second-in-command.
    “Who is in charge here?” the second demanded.
    A gray-haired man, his eyes wide, stepped forward. “It should nae be allowed to happen to innocent people, my lord,” he protested loudly. “We have done nae wrong. We cannot protect ourselves from witchcraft!”
    Rialto stared impassively at the peasant. “Who cast magic against you?”
    “It was that witch, the woman with hair like fire. Knocked us flying, she did, with just a wave of her hand! We could nae stop her.”
    Rialto signaled his men to move on and nudged his mount into a walk, but the villager kept pace with him.
    “What will you do, my lord?”
    “We will deal with them. You have my word on that.” He kicked his horse on, determined to be clear of the village as soon as possible.
    The forlorn villager called after him, “But, my lord, what about the damage?”
    “I suggest you get to work repairing it.” Rialto spurred his mount into a canter.
    * * * *
    Quin breathed a sigh of relief as they came, at long last, to terrain she recognized. The small river marked her arrival point on Salusan. She lowered Keir to sit against an earthen bank that ran above it, before dropping down next to him. It felt as though an entire lifetime had passed instead of the mere forty-eight hours she had spent here. Strange that such a backwater planet could have caused her this much trouble in so short a time.
    On her knees, she scrabbled under the bank for the hidden hollow in which she’d tucked the small pack of supplies she always left at a gateway when uncertain of her safety. She took out the first-aid kit, knowing even as she did the meager offerings within wouldn’t be enough. The portable scanner revealed broken ribs and a cracked skull, injuries she had neither the knowledge nor skill to deal with. All she could do was clean his cuts and seal the shoulder wound, and give him as high a dose of pain relief as she dared.
    Throughout her ministrations he leaned against her, too weak to move or voice any protest even when it was clear she had