Conan the Fearless Part 26

"Careful there, buffoon! If you drop that case, I shall shrivel your manhood!"

The workman's eyes widened, and he moved more gingerly.

Djuvula turned away and went to finish packing her trunk of potions and powders.

As she carefully padded certain fragile gla.s.s b.a.l.l.s full of brightly colored chemicals, once again the sorceress shook her head. She desired not this journey, but no help existed to save her from it. Djavul was dead; and, while there could be many reasons why, Djuvula knew in her own mind that her demon-brother must have met his fate at the hands of the barbarian, the old wizard, and the girl of Fire. Thus, revenge was added to her motives for wanting the man and girl. Revenge itself stirred her but little, though. Her relationship with Djavul had been based more on mutual self-satisfaction than on any true feelings; still, he had been kin. A point against her quarry.

With the expected failure of Lemparius as master swordsman of the bedchamber, it became more important to retrieve Conan for her Prince.

And, of course, there stood the matter of the girl, possession of whom would buy her favor from Sovartus. Now that Djavul was dead, she would need a patron more than before. For all these reasons Djuvula knew she must follow the barbarian and the girl he protected.

She smiled. Fortunately, she would not have to ride the Corinthian road for long. She had in her possession a powerful spell, taught her by Djavul, which would allow the caster to travel the in-between lands. A few hours ride on that h.e.l.lish road would be worth as many days travel on any highway in Corinthia.

True, such travel was not without risk even for a witch of considerable power; there were things that existed in the in-between lands that would bring terror to the eyes of a demon, much less a mortal woman.

Unwary travelers under the gray sun could die a thousand deaths in a thousand horrible ways. Djuvula had made other journeys on that route, however. She was cautious; and, because of their head start, the risk must be taken if she were to catch her quarry.

She smiled at the thought and continued to pack her magical gear.

Near dusk Conan saw a new menace. One moment the plain to the Cimmerian's left stood empty for as far as the eye could behold. The next moment a creature stood not twenty paces away. The thing was taller than Conan by a foot, and it looked like nothing so much as a very large dog standing upon its hind legs. The hind feet differed in shape from a dog's or wolf's, being more manlike, and the forepaws seemed more apish than canine, but otherwise it was doglike. The ears were pointed, the snout long and the muzzle filled with sharp teeth, and the nose was black, with twin nostrils.

Conan had no more time than to turn toward Vitarius and utter a curse, when the beast vanished. It was there, then it was not-dematerialized into the dusky air.

Vitarius turned. Conan quickly described the apparition.

The old mage nodded. "A demi-whelf." he said. "A beast of Earth, and thus controlled by Sovartus-through Eldia's sibling."

"They are magic, to disappear so?"

"No. They live under the ground, in tunnels. The one you saw needed merely step into a concealed entrance to drop from sight."

"Ah," That made Conan feel better. Beasts, controlled by wizards or not, could be fought with steel.

"No doubt Sovartus shall shortly know we are here," Vitarius said.

"Best we continue moving; as like as not, the ground here is honeycombed with the whelves' tunnels."

The Cimmerian nodded. "What are they likely to do?"

Vitarius shrugged, his thin shoulders denting his robe slightly from within. "They must certainly contact their master somehow. A runner, perhaps, if not by some magical means. While demi-whelves have not the keenest eyesight, that one was close enough to observe us and give a description. I have no doubt that Sovartus is by this time aware of our presence."

"What will he do, then?" Kinna asked.

The old man shook his head. "I know not. We proceed toward his lair. He can attack us now, or, perhaps, only await our arrival."

"Then our advantage of surprise is gone," Conan said.

"I had not counted greatly upon it," Vitarius replied.

"Perhaps you should reveal your plan, then, magician." Conan had not cared for the sight of the demi-whelf.

"When we arrive in the vicinity of the castle, I shall create a magical diversion of sufficient power and agitation to warrant Sovartus's attention. While he is thus occupied, you need merely enter the castle, locate the children, and free them."

"That is your plan?" Conan shook his head. "I am to scale a giant mountain, enter a castle, search perhaps thousands of rooms until I find our quarry, defeat the forces that might be mounted by a powerful wizard inside as guards, and return with three children?"

"That is my plan, yes."

"Ah. And here I had thought there might be some difficulty in this undertaking. How foolish of me! It will be simple!"

"Sarcasm does not become you, Conan. I am open to better suggestions."

The Cimmerian shook his head again. "Nay, your plan suits me well enough." He touched the hilt of his sword. "I would rather rely on my blade than on complicated posturings in any event."

"I shall go with you," Kinna said.

Conan chuckled. "Nay. I said before I work better alone."

Kinna bristled. "You would take me were I a man!"

"I would not take you were you a tame dragon trained to belch fire at my command. I work best alone; I have always done so. And I am most glad that you are a woman, Kinna. I would have you be nothing else."

Conan could see the anger on her face war with another emotion. After a moment she smiled. "Yes. I, too, am glad to be a woman, Conan."

The in-between lands were never peaceful, at least during those times when Djuvula had traveled them. In two directions, the south and east, storms raged, spewing forth lightning and thunder; where she was the atmosphere seemed charged with some elemental force, so that the air swam with countless small motes, all dancing madly. The in-between lands twisted straight lines into curves and waves, made corners less than square, and surrounded every object with a fuzz of its own light-a total, encompa.s.sing delusion.

As Djuvula urged onward the frightened horses pulling her wagon, something dark flew across her path. gibbering loudly. The horses started and would have turned had she not used her whip. Despite blinders and a calming spell laid upon them, the horses were always skittish. Perhaps they somehow felt the danger that had once claimed one of their number while pulling Djuvula's wagon. That time, only Djavul had saved her from the fate of the horse, the filling of some monstrous thing's bloated belly.

Djuvula shuddered. She wished very much that Djavul still lived and was seated next to her now.

By her estimate she would need travel this h.e.l.lish road only another ten minutes to emerge into her own world again. And ahead of her quarry. She already had her plans for handling the wizard and barbarian. If nothing went agley.

Even as she thought this, Djuvula saw a ripple in the landscape ahead of her. The ground flowed upward in a pulsing mound as a wave swells in a storm. The earth split with a wrenching sound, as if giant nails were being pulled from solid wood. A cave filled with pointed stone teeth suddenly yawned before the sorceress. That this earth-demon would devour her, horses, wagon, and all, she doubted not at all.

The animals pulling her wagon needed no urging to turn aside. Djuvula allowed them to tow the wagon away from the road monster, then quickly pulled them to a stop. To travel away from the safety of the road would be folly of the highest order. Despite her desire to arrive in the real world ahead of the party she sought, she decided to leave the inbetween lands. That the road monster somehow traveled toward her, moving like a wave in water, hastened her decision. She intoned the words of the spell quickly but carefully. The swimming air seemed to dance faster, and an actinic flash lit the scene . . . .

She found herself on a small road on the edge of a danklooking wood.

Quickly, she determined that she had arrived at the northern limit of the Bloddolk Forest; a further working of her location spell, using Conan's clothing, showed that the barbarian lay ahead of her, at least half a day's journey. d.a.m.n! She would have to enchant the horses so they could run all night to catch up to them. Unless she wanted to risk the in-between lands again. The memory of the cave-mouthed monster drove that thought away in a hurry.

The witch laid the lash alongside the ear of the lead horse with a pop!

and the horses moved. One of them snorted and tossed his head, looking nervous. Djuvula looked in the direction of his attention.

Sleeping in the crook of a twisted hardwood tree lay a panther. Djuvula cursed the horse. "Fool animal, after what you have just seen on the highway through h.e.l.l, you fear a sleeping beast?" She stung the horse's rump with the whip, and the animal went back to his job. The wagon moved away from the twisted tree and the sleeping cat.

Of the panther, once out of sight, Djuvula thought no more.

Chapter Seventeen.

The camp was laid, the tire banked, and Vitarius set his magical wards once again. Conan had just dozed into a light sleep next to Kinna when he was jerked from slumber by a terrible cacophony around him.

It sounded to the Cimmerian as if the world were ending; a blast of noise smote his ears, louder even than the screams of the slain demon, Djavul. With the screeching came also a flashing of light, multicolored and blindingly bright. It took but a moment for him to realize what had happened: Something had entangled itself in Vitarius's magic spell.