The Lion of Senet Read Online Free PDF Page B

meet them at the base of the levee on the other side. The unconscious sailor was hauled up the sheer side on a makeshift stretcher, encased in the splints Dirk had fashioned from the shattered decking of the wrecked ship. Many of the townsfolk had stayed to watch the sailor’s rescue, while others had returned to their homes to get ready for the day.
    Helgin was waiting at the top of the wall. Dirk breathed a sigh of relief as he handed the man over to the care of his master. The old physician examined the sailor’s wounds, then gasped suddenly when he saw the man’s face. Dirk wondered at his reaction, thinking that maybe the head wound was worse than it appeared. But he was given no chance to question Helgin about it. The physician hurriedly pulled a blanket over the man and had him bundled away before Dirk could ask him anything.
    Rees had finally released Eryk and came to stand beside Dirk as he watched Tovin’s men lift the stretcher into the wagon under the critical gaze and impatient direction of the old physician. Master Helgin’s obvious nervousness concerned Dirk. He wondered if he had forgotten some procedure.
    “Well, you can bet this will be the talk of the town for weeks to come,” Rees remarked.
    “He’s badly hurt and I’m not certain I helped much.”
    “You did plenty,” his brother assured him. “And you scaled the levee wall like a spider. I am actually impressed, little brother.”
    Dirk smiled briefly, not really listening. Tovin Rill sat astride his stallion with Lanon at the base of the wall, watching the proceedings with interest. Eryk stayed on the top of the wall with them, standing beside Dirk, unconsciously mimicking his stance.
    “You’ve got one problem though, Lord Dirk,” Eryk suggested sagely.
    “What’s that, Eryk?”
    “You’re gonna be in big trouble when your mother finds out.”

Chapter 4
    Elcast!” Vonril shouted as he finished feeding the mules for the night, glancing up at the ash-laden clouds with a frown. They had finally begun to break up late in the afternoon, and small rays of sunlight pierced the gloom in the most unexpected places. It had been overcast and gloomy all day, and the nearby town was abuzz with talk of a giant tidal wave that had destroyed a ship and ruined the coming harvest. He moved toward the cooking fire and sat down beside his mother. “Why in the name of the Goddess did we come to Elcast?”
    “Don’t swear,” Kalleen said, cuffing the young man absently. “We’re here on Elcast because I decided to come.”
    “Then surely we could have found a better place to camp than here?”
    “Here” was a small clearing in the Duke’s Forest, about two miles from the town of Elcast. They had come for the annual Landfall Festival, but it was still weeks away, and so far the takings had been lean. Elcastrans were notoriously tightfisted, Vonril was constantly complaining. They had been so close to Senet, too. A week, perhaps two, and they could have been on the mainland. But their mistress had decided that once they left Derex, they were headed in the opposite direction.
    “Here is just fine,” Kalleen announced, her face shining with sweat. She was sitting too close to the fire for such a warm evening. “Besides, rumor has it that since Lord Tovin was appointed Governor, the Landfall Festival on Elcast will be much bigger than in previous years.”
    “That was yesterday, when they actually had something to celebrate. If you believe the townsfolk, they’ll all be starving come winter.”
    “Come winter, we’ll be long gone, so it makes no difference to us now, does it?”
    “But why not Senet? Why not go to Senet?” Vonril sounded like a whining child.
    “Because we’re Dhevynian, you moron. All foreigners need a permit for Senet,” Lanatyne told him, throwing another split log on the small campfire. “And a permit for Senet costs more than we make in a year.”
    Inside the wagon, Marqel listened to the conversation