To the High Redoubt Read Online Free PDF Page B

they might be able to camp; in a while he found a small glen a short distance off the road. A stream ran down the far side of the glen, and there was enough shelter to give them some protection during the night.
    â€œThis will do it, I think,” Arkady said aloud. “We can lay out the bedroll and make a fire. I’ve got a pot for cooking, and if I can bring down a rabbit or a bird, that should give us a fairly good meal.” It would be little enough for two, but he decided that he would not suggest that, and not simply because his slave would not understand him. He swung the bay off the road and brought him to a halt in the glen. “This is where we stop tonight, girl.”
    â€œImmai?” she asked, her expression puzzled as he dismounted.
    â€œGive me your hand,” he told her, taking hers before she could become frightened. “I’ll help you down. Just lean and I’ll catch you.” He tugged gently on her arm, and as she shrieked, he caught her and helped her to the ground. “There. All fine.”
    She put her hand to her head, shaking it a little. “Verrek, immai?”
    â€œSure,” he answered, having no idea what she might have said. “I’m going to gather wood for a fire and get my saddle off the horse. I want you to sit down. Sit down.” He pressed her shoulders and found that she was willing to do it, although she moved stiffly from her hours on horseback. He sighed a little as he untied the bow from his saddle and strung it. “I’ll have to do a little hunting. I won’t be long.” He was already reaching for the hobbles to secure the bay. Once the hobbles were in place, he unbuckled the girths and tugged the high-fronted, straight-canteled saddle off his gelding’s back, putting it on a clear space of ground. “You can lean against this while I’m gone,” he said to his slave.
    â€œCherut, immai,” she answered, sounding tired. Obligingly she braced her elbows against the saddle and half leaned against it.
    â€œI’m taking one of my swords, but you can have the other,” he said, bending down and taking one of her hands and laying it on the hilt of his shorter sword. “Just don’t take out after the horse with it, will you?” He smiled at her as he would have smiled at green troops, but the sight of her eyes froze the expression in a rictus grin. “I won’t be long. I’ll call out when I come back.”
    â€œN’yeh, immai.” She held the sword more firmly.
    â€œThat’s right,” he said, not with much certainty. “Hang on to it.” He stepped away from her, fixing an arrow in place as he went. If he had not shot something for their supper by dusk, he would go back and they would have to make do with what he had in his saddlebags. He decided not to waste time searching for arrows that went wide of the mark. He did his best to keep his thoughts on small game instead of the slave he had bought.
    To his surprise, by the time he returned with two small rabbits, his slave had found a way to gather wood and lay a fire, and she sat by it patiently, her hand not far from the sword he had left for her.
    â€œYou’ve done well,” he called out as he started across the glen toward her. “Next time I’ll leave the flint and steel with you so you can light it as well.”
    She had turned toward his footsteps and the sound of his voice. “Selleh, immai,” she called out, lifting one hand in greeting.
    Arkady paused to pat his horse and to replace the bay’s bridle with a halter. “There you are, boy,” he said to the horse. “You can graze awhile. How’s that?”
    The bay nuzzled his arm, whickering softly.
    â€œGood boy,” Arkady said, patting the gelding’s neck once more before continuing across the glen toward his slave. “I’ve gutted the rabbits already. They’ll cook nicely on a spit, and