Free Jerusalem Man 01 - Wolf in Shadow by David Gemmell Page A

strong and he owed this man his life.

    Donna Taybard screamed once and sat up. Eric hauled on the reins and kicked the brake and the wagon stopped. The boy climbed over the back-rest and scrambled across the bulging food sacks to where his mother sat sobbing.
    'What is it, Mother?' he cried.
    Donna took a deep breath. 'Shannow,' she said. 'Oh my poor Jon.'
    Con Griffin rode alongside and dismounted. He said nothing, but climbed into the wagon to kneel beside the weeping woman. Looking up into his powerful face, she saw the concern etched there.
    'He is dead.'
    'You were dreaming, Fray Taybard.'
    'No. He rescued two children from the savages and now he is buried, deep in the ground.'
    'A dream,' insisted Griffin, placing a huge hand on her shoulder.
    'You don't understand, Mr Griffin. It is a Talent I have. We are going to a place where there are two lakes; it is surrounded by pine trees. There is a tribe who paint their bodies yellow and blue.
    Shannow killed many of them and escaped with a child. Now he is dead. Believe me!'
    'You are an Esper, Donna?'
    'Yes... no. I can always see those close to me. Shannow is buried.'
    Griffin patted her shoulder and stepped down from the wagon.
    'What's happening, Con?' shouted Ethan Peacock. 'Why are we stopping?'
    'Fray Taybard is unwell. We'll move on now,' he answered. Turning to Eric, he said, 'Leave her now, lad and get the oxen moving.' He stepped into the saddle and rode back along the convoy to his own wagons.
    'What was the hold-up?' Burke asked him.
    'It's nothing, Jim. Pass me my pistols.'
    Burke clambered back into the wagon and opened a brass-edged walnut box. Within were two engraved double-barrelled flintlock pistols. Burke primed them both with powder from a bone horn and gathered the saddle holsters from a hook on the wagon wall.
    Con Griffin slung the holsters across his pommel and thrust the pistols home. Touching his heel to the chestnut, he cantered back to Madden's wagon.
    'Trouble?' queried the bearded fanner and Griffin nodded.
    'Leave your son to take the reins and join me at the head.' Griffin swung his horse and rode back to the lead wagon. If Donna Taybard was right his convoy was in deep trouble. He cursed, for he knew without doubt that she would be proved correct.
    Madden joined him within minutes, riding a slate-grey gelding of seventeen hands. A tall thin, angular man with a close-cropped black beard but no moustache, his mouth was a thin hard line and his eyes dark and deep-set. He carried a long rifle cradled in his left arm, and by his side was a bone-handled hunting knife.
    Griffin told him of Donna's fear.
    'You think she's right?'
    'Has to be. Cardigan's diary spoke of the blue and yellow stripes.'
    'What do we do?'
    'We have no choice, Jacob. The animals need grass and rest - we must go in.'
    The farmer nodded. 'Any idea how big a tribe?'
    'No.'
    'I don't like it, but I'm with you.'
    'Alert all families - tell them to prime weapons.'
    The wagons moved on and by late afternoon came to the end of the lava sand. The oxen, smelling water ahead, surged into the traces and the convoy picked up speed.
    'Hold them back!' yelled Griffin, and drivers kicked hard on the brakes but to little avail. The wagons crested a green slope and spread out as they lurched and rumbled for the river below, and the wide lakes opening beside it. Griffin cantered alongside the leading wagon scanning the long grass for movement.
    As the first wagon reached the water, a blue- and yellow-streaked body leapt to the driver's seat, plunging a flint dagger into Aaron Phelps' fleshy shoulder. The scholar lashed out and the attacker lost his balance and fell.
    Suddenly warriors were all around them and Griffin pulled his pistols clear and cocked them. A man ran at him carrying a club. Griffin shot into his body and kicked his horse into a run.
    Madden's long rifle boomed and a tribesman fell with a broken spine. Then the other guns opened up and the warriors fled.
    Griffin joined