The Dwarves

Balyndis took care of their wounds by clumping snow together and pressing it against their bruised and battered limbs. They set off in silence on a northeasterly bearing.

Andфkai drew alongside Tungdil. "There's no smoke ahead," she said. "Nфd'o

Tungdil nodded his agreement. It was nighttime when the company reached the gates of a city marked on the map as Roodacre. Beroпn's Folk, Secondling Kingdom, Girdlegard, Winter, 6234th Solar Cycle No sooner were the wagons rolling along the rail than Balendilнn and Xamtys encountered the next setback. Nфd'o

They managed to speed past the first band of waiting orcs, but a little farther along the tu

The ambush cost them four wagons, but the remaining carriages turned off at a junction, only now they were heading north and not west.

Before they reached the next corner, Xamtys signaled for them to halt. She made her way to the king's wagon to confer with Balendilнn. "They've blocked the rail to my kingdom," she said, clenching her jaw in frustration. "It's too dangerous for us to use the tu

"Bislipur must have told them about the tu

"We can't go overland, Balendilнn." Xamtys inspected his wound and shook her head. "It's winter and we won't find anything to eat on the way. None of us are equipped to trudge through snow and ice. We'd be lucky if half of us survived without freezing or starving." She took off her helmet and two plaits unfurled, draping themselves over her shoulders. "We'll have to come up with another idea. The Red Range-"

"No, Xamtys." He stopped short, gasping with pain. His strong hand gripped the side of the wagon while the dressing was removed. "The Red Range is out of the question." He pulled out a map and placed his finger over a dot at the heart of Girdlegard. "This is where we'll go. It's a somber place, I know, and a curse hangs over its history, but it's our only safe bet."

She ran a hand over her face as if to wipe away the dark thoughts and tiredness. "What makes you so sure?"

"It's not co

"Girdlegard is a big place. We can't count on sending messengers." Xamtys studied the section of map beneath Balendilнn's hovering finger. "I've never heard of the place."

"We won't need messengers. Provided we make sure everyone knows where we're going, our two friends will find us in the normal course of events. They're bound to realize that the orcs have seized the tu

"Hmm." The queen didn't seem entirely convinced. "But then the beasts will be able to find us too. Is that what we want?"

"Absolutely." He nodded vigorously, his brown eyes gazing earnestly. "That's exactly my intention. I want Nфd'o

Xamtys looked at him as if he were out of his mind. "He'll never show up in person, and if he does, we'll be dead. If you want a swift end, Balendilнn, you should have stayed in the Blue Range. We needn't have bothered to escape."

"No, Nфd'o

"But why would we want him to attack us?" She leaned over the side of the wagon and looked at him imploringly. "Balendilнn, I need to know why I should lead my warriors to certain death."

He met her worried gaze. "We need to draw Nфd'o

At last the queen saw the logic of the plan. "So we'll act as bait. Of course, the only drawback is that no one knows when Gandogar or Tungdil will arrive."

"Or if they'll make it at all," he admitted frankly, closing his eyes. The loss of blood was sapping his strength, making him dizzy. "But it's our only hope."

"Very well." Xamtys let go of the wagon. "But I must warn my subjects first."

"It's too late for that. The orcs know all about the tu

She took a deep breath and stared at his chapped hand. "To think that they're butchering my folk and I can't even stop them." A tear trickled down her soft cheek. "We must avenge ourselves a thousand times over, Balendilнn. The fields of Girdlegard will be awash with orcish blood, and I shall pursue our enemies tirelessly, stopping only when my royal mace shatters on an ogre's skull." Balendilнn could see from a glance that her weapon would never break. Suddenly Xamtys looked concerned. "But what if Nфd'o

He smiled at her, trying to look more confident than he felt. "We won't let him," he said firmly.

Xamtys held her head high, her brown eyes sca

"As you wish, Balendilнn. I will follow your lead." She shook his hand and returned to her wagon.

The news of their destination spread like wildfire through the carriages. The secondlings had left their kingdom with misgivings, but on hearing where Balendilнn was taking them, they reacted with disbelief, horror, and, in a few cases, unmitigated fear. Roodacre, Kingdom of Tabaоn, Girdlegard, Winter, 6234th Solar Cycle Once again the company passed the sentries' muster without anyone remarking on Djerun's great size.

Roodacre was a vast place. The population was listed as seventy thousand in one of Lot-Ionan's books, but the study had been written some time ago and the city was still expanding.

"I don't blame the orcs for not touching it," commented Boпndil. "I'll wager that Roodacre could rally thirty thousand trained defenders, not to mention the rest."

"It won't take long for the orcs to gather an army to rival them," said Andфkai. "Either that, or the дlfar will capture the city by stealth." Mifurdania had taught them that nowhere was safe from Tion's hordes. "If all else fails, Nфd'o

"I wouldn't want to live in a place as flat as this," Bavragor said to Balyndis. "How are you supposed to hide from the sun when there isn't any shade? It must be baking in the summer."