The Protectors war

Katrina's hand had left Mathilda's mouth as she made an abortive grab at the hilt of the long dagger at her belt.

Mathilda spoke, in a small, quiet voice with a shiver in it, younger than her years. "I loaned it to Rudi," she said. "I'd told him about it. That's why I said to bring it."

Eddie Liu began to swear, softly and venomously. Mathilda swallowed; she knew what most of the words meant, but she also knew there was something very wrong if Baron Liu was talking that way to her.

"Where is the little shit?"

"Eddie!" she whispered. "You're scaring me!"

"Where is he?"

"And here I thought you were a man of initiative," Juniper said, leaning her chin on one palm. "Tsk, tsk. I go to all the trouble of getting my son his own tent-"

On the other side of the table, Nigel Loring laughed softly. "And I thought, dear lady, that it was simply that he must have one if young Miss Arminger had her own."

"He certainly thought so."

His smile died slightly. "Are you quite sure?" he said.

"Quite. As if a little bird had whispered in my ear." Or Herself.

He moved the lamp to the other side of the camp table and reached out both hands; she took them in hers. "I'm a bit older than you-ten years-"

"Oh, hush, Nigel; I discovered my first gray hair some time ago. We're neither of us teenagers in lust. We're middle-aged, and friends. Let's see where that takes us." An impish smile. "And I do covet that fair body of yours, you know."

"Which I assure you is mutual."

They were leaning towards each other when the first shout sounded outside.

Rudi Mackenzie bolted upright at the soft thud of steel in flesh. He made an instinctive grab for the book that slid off his chest, then reached for the knob on the lantern beside his cot. Then he froze; the starlight was just enough for him to see the glitter of cold steel at the entrance to the tent. A huge gauntlet clamped on his ankle with bruising force and yanked him through the entrance and onto the turf beyond in a single motion; behind him the lantern toppled sideways, and there was a rush of flame as the glass shattered and burning wood alcohol rushed out across canvas and cloth.

"Got him, boss!" a voice like gravel dropping into a steel bucket said, and a huge armored figure loomed over him.

"The book, you fuckhead, the book!"

A smaller figure darted through and scooped up the paperback, stuffing it hastily into a pouch at his belt. He swore in relief and then clamped a hand on the back of Rudi's neck.

"Kat, you got the princess? Sorry I was rough, Princess; business. All right-"

Juniper Mackenzie had her sword in her hand as she dashed out into the dark; that was a measure of what she felt, because ru

Rowan was there, panting, his ax in his hands. "Sentries dead on the north end-not a mark on them."

"Damn the man!" Nigel Loring said. "He was talking about launching it with crossbows. Stonebow type, to throw little thin glass containers of it, like pebbles. There would be enough in the carboy of the real thing for some of those."

Juniper felt her mind whirl. "Mathilda!" she said. "That must be it, why he sent that lady in so-called waiting!"

She whirled; Nigel's hand fell on her shoulder. He'd managed to get most of his armor on, somehow.

"They may still have some of it left," he said. "Don't go ru

More and more of her folk were boiling out of their tents. "Rudi," she snapped; that was in the same direction anyway. "Now!"

A dozen of them formed up on her, and they trotted forward. Her back was to the campfires, but there was light ahead too, a sullen red glow mingled with black smoke that smelled rank and hot; burning canvas. Horses neighed, stark fear in the night, and her heart hammered at her ribs.

Then a great calm descended as she saw that it was Rudi's tent that burned. Katrina Georges was there, armed, with Mathilda against her side. The towering form of Mack, several of the knights she'd seen in Sutterdown, out of their disguises now and back in their hauberks: and Eddie Liu, with her son's neck in his hand, and the other gripping some sort of pistollike contraption: no, more like an old-fashioned water pistol but heavy and bulky. The boy's hands were bound behind his back, and there was a rising bruise on the side of his face.

"Hold!" Juniper cried. "Hold, everyone!"

Liu's smile was white in the dimness, framed by his darkened helmet. "Yeah, Ms. Witch, hold it. 'Cause I brought some Raid on this raid." He flourished the pistollike apparatus. "We've all got the antidote. But fu

Juniper cast desperate eyes aside at Nigel Loring. He spoke without moving his lips. "Probably not. There wasn't' much of the real agent left. But he may have it in that."

But Arminger would never let my child go, no matter what I did. And he would torment him from spite.

Rudi's eyes met hers; there was no fear in them, only a clear anger, his lips braced tight. Eddie Liu gri

"Told you I'd make you pay, bitch," he said softly. "Do you like your choices now?"

Hooves sounded in the night, galloping horses pressed to desperate haste. One of the Protectorate knights stooped to take a burning tent pole from the ruins of Rudi's tent, waving it aloft in signal.

Whatever he expected, it wasn't the shaft that hissed out of the night and struck him full in the chest, sinking through the mail and halfway to the feathers. The others shouted and jumped to surround their leaders and the children, raising their shields in a protective fence; Mack swept out the huge blade of his greatsword and poised, growling. Firelight shone on the edges of the hungry swords; then she saw Eilir sitting her Arab behind the attackers, and more of her Dunedain on either side.

Liu jerked Rudi closer and poised the water gun. "One more arrow and he dies!"

"You won't harm my son," Juniper said, amazed at the calm strength of her own voice. "You know what would happen to you if you did."

"If I go down, I take your kid with me," Liu said. "I figure that'll hurt you worse than killing you would, and bitch, I've wanted to do that for a long time."

Juniper sheathed her sword and raised her hands, and her voice tolled in the flame-shot night: "Eddie Liu, Kat-rina Georges. I curse you, now; in the name of the Dark Goddess, by the power of the Dread Lord. I curse you in their names and mine, and that curse is this: Death not long delayed. So mote it be!"

Rudi's eyes went wide. One of the knights licked his lips and his sword moved as he crossed himself, but Liu bared his teeth again. "Sorry, Witch Queen, that mojo only works on people stupid enough to believe it. Now we're going to back away, real careful, and if any of your folks get in our way: well, I've got me a real good shield, right here."

More hooves moved in the darkness, not close, but moving fast; Liu gri

"Hakkaa paalle!"

Liu looked over his shoulder. "OK, those are big boys, and they can take care of themselves. Let's go!"

Please, Mother-of-All, Juniper thought, drawing a great breath. Hear me, for I'm a mother too. Not him! Anyone, but not him!