Free The warlock insane by Christopher Stasheff

stories?" The robot sounded surprised.
    "Yes. After all, it makes sense, doesn't it? The knight Beaubras, I mean. He's just beginning his quest now. He must have sent for me, must have called me here. There must be some way in which I can help him."
    The robot was quiet for a second, evaluating the statement. Then it said, "Beaubras rode alone, Rod."
    "Yes, but there were mighty deeds wrought by other knights in other places, and their accomplishments helped him find the Rainbow Crystal, Fess. Maybe he needed one more." Rod's eyes glittered. "Just think—somewhere in this magic land, the knight Beaubras is riding his good steed Balincet, right this minute!"
    Fess was silent, weighing, planning for contingencies.
    Lucidity pierced for a gritty moment. "Fess—I'm really far gone in delusion, aren't I?"
    "There is always a way back, Rod," the robot said quietly.
    "Yes." Rod nodded. "Yes, there is, isn't there?" He turned the horse's head toward the east. "And if it's always there, then it won't matter if we go a little farther in before we turn back out. Right, Fess? Yes, of course right. We'll give it a chance to wear off, at least. Shall we go?"

Chapter Five

    Dawn turned the winter forest into an enchanted realm of crystal trunks with glittering branches, a cathedral of ice carpeted with fleece.
    "But then, it is an enchanted realm," Rod mused. "This is Granclarte." Fess maintained silence.
    "Ow-w-w-w-w-oo!"
    Rod reined in, startled. "What the hell was thatV
    "It did not have the sound of an animal," Fess answered. Page 43
    Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    "Then it's a man in trouble." Rod turned Fess's head toward the sound. It came again, and Rod shivered.
    "If it's a man, he's more angry than hurt."
    "Howling in rage?" Fess asked.
    He was, and he was a man. But Rod stopped in amazement, because he was one of the few dwarfs Rod had ever seen in Gramarye, besides Brom O'Berin.
    And Brom was half elven…
    The dwarf glowered up at him. "Am I so rare a sight, then, that thou must needs stare at me?"
    "Frankly, yes." Rod backpedaled quickly, trying to find a way to cover his rudeness. "Sorry. I'm Rod Gallowglass."
    He waited for the reaction, but there wasn't any, other than a sardonic, "And I am Modwis the Smith. Now that we are met, wilt thou cease to gawk?"
    "Sorry. It's just that you don't usually see people caught in their own traps."
    " Tis not mine, dolt! Would a dwarf lay a trap like to this?"
    "Like what?" Rod leaned forward, peering. "I can't even see what that thing is, much less how to undo it."
    " 'Tis but a forester's snare, like any other." The dwarf leaned against a nearby tree trunk, lifting his right foot. A length of glitter stretched up from the snow to his ankle. "Yet 'tis laid with a silver chain, and mine efforts to part it have yielded naught. Were it Cold Iron, I'd have broke its links with scarce a thought—but over silver, I've no power."
    Rod frowned: Brom alone, of the elf-folk, could handle Cold Iron with impunity—but he could work silver and gold, too.
    "You are in Granclarte, Rod, not Gramarye." Fess might have read his thoughts. Rod lifted his head—that made sense. "Well, silver can't stand against steel." He dismounted and stepped over to Modwis.
    "What dost thou mean to do!" the dwarf cried with alarm.
    "Cut the chain off your ankle. Be careful, now."
    "I'll not stir." The dwarf held his leg rock-steady, eyeing Rod strangely. Obviously, Modwis hadn't expected help. It made Rod wonder about his relations with other people. For that matter, why was the dwarf out here, alone, in the forest?
    Not that it was any of Rod's business. He slipped the point of his dagger through a link, then twisted. The link bulged, thinned, then parted, and the chain fell off the dwarfs leg. He put his foot down with a sigh of relief. "A blessing on thee, now, for timely aid!" Page 44
    Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter,