Free The Swans' War 3 - The Shadow Roads by Sean Russell

threatened."In the entry they found their weapons still leaning against the wall. Alaan sheathed his dagger and straightened up, for he had been half-crouched, like a man about to do battle.
    "Whoever these men are, I think they're no threat to us."Tarn was reassured by the sight of their weapons, which had clearly not been disturbed.
    "But what goes on here?" Tarn whispered. "Who are they?"Alaan shook his head. "I don't know, Tam. The Dubrell have se-crets, that is certain."Alaan opened the door and looked out. The courtyard was empty, lit only by the last sliver of moon, the ancient light of the stars. He led the way out into the cool night and down the giant stairs. In the courtyard they found barely a sign that the riders had been there. And then Tam saw a faint gleam on the cobbles and bent to retrieve a small object.
    "What is it?" Alaan whispered.
    "I don't know. It's too dark to tell."Alaan looked into the dark stable, but there was little to be seen there without light, and they hadn't brought a candle lantern. They were up the cold stairs and inside in a moment.
    By the fire, Crowheart sat unmoving. Tam paused for a moment in the doorway. He could see the even rise and fall of the wolf's chest, and he was certain it slept peacefully. Whatever magic Crow-heart was performing seemed to be working.
    They slipped up the stairs, and the others let them back into their barracks, where it seemed warm after the cold of the courtyard. Cynddl and Fynnol looked anxiously at their companions as they re-turned.
    "Who are these men?" Cynddl whispered. "What do they want here?""I don't know," Alaan answered, shaking his head. He went and warmed his hands by the fire. "Clearly they are friends or allies of the Dubrell.""I didn't know that men traveled through the hidden lands ex-cept by accident," Fynnol said. He dropped to his knees before the fire, which had been built up again in their absence. Tarn could see that his cousin was unsettled, wakened from sleep to find himself threatened.
    "There are a few who can find their way here, Fynnol," Alaan said. "Crowheart is one. But for the most part, what you say is true."Tarn remembered the small object he had found and fished it from a pocket. He moved to the hearth so that the light shone upon it.
    "So, what is that, Tarn?" Alaan asked.
    "It appears to be a small broach. Oak leaves, I think."He passed it to Cynddl, who knew more of trees and plants than the rest of them combined.
    Cynddl turned it over in the firelight. "It's a fan of silveroak leaves." He looked up at Alaan. "Didn't you tell us, the night we met by Telanon Bridge, that a fan of silveroak leaves was the token of the Knights of the Vow?"Alaan held out his hand. He examined the silver ornament care-fully, turning it over in his hand several times.
    "That is the token of the Knights," he said at last. He looked up at the others, his face dark with concern or confusion. "Did these men wear the gray robes,Tarn?""No, they were all differently dressed. Nor was their armor made to a pattern." Tam tried to call up a picture of what he'd seen of the men in the courtyard. "Some wore surcoats, and oth-ers did not. I saw no devices upon the shields, nor did they bear standards.""That is strange," Fynnol said thoughtfully. "In a battle it is easy to kill your own men if they're not clearly marked.""Yes," Alaan said, "if you're fighting men."

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