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not　avoid　the　strike　entirely；　and　her　nails　gouged　four　deep　cuts　across　his　cheek　bone。
With　a　curse；　Calard　backhanded　the　feral　peasant　girl　hard　in　the　side　of　her　head。　She　slammed
heavily　to　the　ground；　losing　her　grip；　and　Calard　backed　away；　blood　dripping　from　the　left　side　of　his
face。
Scrambling　onto　all　fours；　the　girl　glared　up　at　him；　pure　hatred　burning　in　her　eyes。　An　animalistic
growl　rumbled　from　deep　in　her　chest。　Her　teeth　were　bared　and　she　began　to　crawl　swiftly　towards　him；
like　a　spider　closing　in　on　its　prey。
Calard　drew　his　bastard　sword；　and　she　hesitated。　Sensing　her　indecision；　he　yelled　loudly　and　took
an　aggressive　step　towards　her。
With　a　hiss；　the　girl　turned　and　fled。　He　watched　her　go；　revulsion　written　on　his　face；　but　his　head
snapped　around　as　he　heard　Chlod　scream。
‘Master！’
Moving　quickly；　Calard　hauled　himself　into　the　saddle　of　his　warhorse。　Rounding　the　front　of　the
barn；　he　saw　his　manservant　pointing　wildly。
There　were　dozens　of　loping　figures　approaching　the　farm　from　across　the　muddy　fields。　Calard
could　not　be　sure　if　they　were　the　same　ones　that　had　been　following　them；　but　he　thought　it　likely。　He
saw　instantly　that　there　were　too　many　of　them　to　fight；　and　while　the　notion　of　fleeing　from　them　made
his　face　burn　with　shame；　he　knew　that　it　would　not　serve　the　Lady’s　purpose　to　die　meaninglessly　here。
‘Forgive　me；　Lady；’　he　whispered。　‘Peasant！　We　ride！’
Chlod’s　mule　bucked　suddenly　as　the　wind　shifted；　bringing　with　it　the　scent　of　the　approaching
hunters。　The　hunchbacked　peasant　fell　backwards　into　the　mud；　and　the　mule　took　off　over　the　fields。
Calard　swore；　and　made　to　go　after　the　beast；　but　dragged　himself　back　as　more　of　the　hunched
figures　appeared；　rising　from　concealment。　They　leapt　on　the　mule　like　a　pack　of　wild　dogs；　and　it
screamed　in　terror　as　it　was　dragged　to　the　ground。　They　were　peasants；　he　saw　now；　undernourished
and　filthy；　but　some　of　them　appeared　so　devolved　and　inbred　as　to　be　barely　human　at　all。

His　steed　tensed　beneath　him；　stamping　its　hooves　and　snorting　in　agitation。
The　starving　peasants　were　running　towards　them　now；　closing　the　distance　quickly。　Their　faces　were
twisted　in　ravenous　hunger。
‘Keep　back；　or　by　the　Lady’s　name　I　will　not　stay　my　blade！’　roared　Calard；　holding　his　sword　high。
They　came　on　undaunted；　and　he　swore　again。
Making　his　decision　quickly；　Calard　rode　forward　and　plucked　Chlod　from　the　ground　by　the　scruff
of　his　neck。　He　dumped　him　on　the　saddle　behind　him；　and　urged　his　destrier　on。
If　the　warhorse　was　overburdened　carrying　two　riders；　it　didn’t　show；　and　within　heartbeats　they
were　riding　hard　up　the　muddy　roadway。　The　starving　peasants　ran　after　them；　but　they　were　easily
outpaced。　Only　once　the　hellish　farmstead　was　several　miles　behind　them　did　Calard　rein　the　destrier　in；
patting　her　neck　appreciatively。
Darkness　closed　in；　bringing　all　its　claustrophobic　terrors　with　it；　and　so　their　second　night　in
Mousillon　began。
V
IT　WAS　PITCH…BLACK　as　they　approached　the　inn；　yet　it　could　only　have　been　an　hour　after　nightfall。
It　was　built　like　a　fortress。　It　had　few　windows　on　its　lowest　level；　and　these　were　shuttered　and
barred。　Fifteen…foot…high　walls　topped　with　spikes　enclosed　it　completely。　Braziers　burned　brightly　in　a
vain　attempt　to　keep　the　night　at　bay。　A　stout　gatehouse　was　the　only　entrance　to　the　compound；　and　to
Calard’s　trained　eye　it　looked　able　to　withstand　all　but　the　most　concerted　siege。
As　they　rode　into　the　light；　Calard　pulled　his　hood　down　over　his　face。　They　were　spotted　as　they
approached　the　inn’s　fortified　gate；　and　sentries　levelled　heavy　crossbows　in　their　direction。　Calard　knew
that　his　armour　would　provide　scant　protection　at　this　distance；　but　if　he　felt　any　unease；　he　did　not　show
it。
‘Who　goes　there？’　called　out　one　of　the　guards。
‘Travellers　seeking　a　room；’　replied　Calard。
‘The　gates　are　sealed　at　nightfall；　stranger；’　came　the　reply。　‘Move　along。’
‘What　now？’　said　Chlod；　eyeing　the　night　with　haunted　eyes。　Wolves　howled　in　the　distance　and　he
shivered。
‘I’ll　be　damned　if　we’re　spending　the　night　out　here；’　Calard　said　under　his　breath。　‘We　have　coin；
peasant；’　he　called　out。　‘We　are　not　paupers。’
‘How　much？’　called　down　the　guard。
‘Enough；’　said　Calard。
‘Approach；’　ordered　the　guard。
Calard　nudged　his　warhorse　forward；　noting　the　deep　scratches　and　gouges　in　the　front　of　the　gate。
The　sign　swinging　above　the　arched　gateway　proclaimed　the　inn　to　be　called　Morr’s　Rest。　Below　the　sign
was　a　carved　icon　of　the　god　of　death　in　his　guise　as　the　reaper。　Unlike　more　formal　representations；　this
carved　wooden　statuette　clasped　a　foaming　mug　of　ale　in　one　skeletal　hand；　while　in　its　other　it　held　its
more　traditional　sword。　Calard　frowned；　uncomfortable　at　such　disrespect；　and　he　muttered　a　prayer　of
appeasement　to　the　god　of　the　underworld。
A　hatch　in　the　gate　opened　up；　just　large　enough　to　show　the　pig…like　face　of　a　guard；　who　squinted
at　them　through　a　latticework　of　bars。
‘Show　us　the　colour　of　your　coin；　stranger；’　he　said。

Calard　edged　his　steed　closer　and　slid　from　the　saddle。　He　drew　a　copper　piece　from　his　coin　pouch
and　held　it　out。
‘You’ll　have　to　do　better　than　that；’　said　the　guard。
‘This　is　more　than　you　deserve；’　said　Calard。　‘Take　it　and　open　the　gate。’
‘I　don’t　think　so；’　said　the　porcine　guard；　grinning　smugly。　‘What　else　you　got？’
Calard　sighed。
‘Fine；’　he　said；　pulling　a　second　pouch　from　beneath　his　travel　worn　tabard。　This　one　was　made　of
fine　velvet；　and　the　sentry’s　small　eyes　lit　up。
‘Closer；’　Calard　said　in　a　conspiratorial　whisper。　‘I’ve　only　got　the　one；　so　it　will　only　do　for　you；　not
the　other　guards。’
The　man　leaned　in　close；　licking　his　lips。　Calard’s　hand　shot　out；　slipping　through　the　bars　to　grab　the
guard　by　the　throat。
‘You　should　have　taken　the　copper；’　said　Calard　in　a　low　voice。
The　guard’s　eyes　were　bulging。　Calard　shifted　his　grip　to　the　back　of　the　man’s　neck　and　pulled　him
violently　forwards；　slamming　his　face　against　the　bars。　Before　the　guard　could　recover；　Calard　pressed
the　blade　of　a　knife　to　his　throat。
‘I　have　a　new　proposition。　Open　the　gate　and　you　live　to　see　another　dawn。’
The　man　tried　to　speak；　but　Calard　pushed　the　knife　more　forcefully　into　the　rolls　of　fat　beneath　his
chin；　drawing　blood。
‘Nod　your　head　if　you　agree；’　he　said；　eyes　cold　and　dispassionate。　‘Gently。’
The　man’s　eyes　were　wide　with　fear；　and　he　nodded　his　head　slightly。
‘Good；’　said　Calard。
‘Open　it　up；’　said　the　guard；　his　voice　hoarse；　and　Calard　heard　the　heavy　bar　being　removed。　He
released　the　guard；　his　knife　disappearing。
The　gate　swung　wide。
‘Try　anything　before　I　leave；　and　I’ll　gut　you　like　the　pig　you　are；’　Calard　hissed；　leaning　in　close　to
the　shaken　guard　as　he　walked　through。
Calard　caught　a　snatch　of　the　conversation　behind　him　as　he　led　his　steed　into　the　walled　inn’s
courtyard。　He　heard　guards　asking　how　much　the　gatekeeper　had　got。　Calard　glanced　over　his　shoulder
and　caught　the　man’s　eye。
‘Enough；’　he　heard　him　say；　looking　away　quickly。
THE　COMMON　ROOM　of　Morr’s　Rest　was　crowded　and　filled　with　smoke；　and　even　the　aroma　of
cooking　meat；　sawdust　and　ale　was　unable　to　fully　conceal　the　stink　of　humanity　and　vomit　within。
Conversation　stopped　and　heads　turned　as　Calard　stepped　through　the　door。
He　drew　his　hood　down　lower　over　his　face　under　the　scrutiny　and　took　in　the　layout　of　the　place　at
a　glance。　He　noted　that　the　inn　had　holy　sigils　and　loops　of　garlic　hung　above　its　entrances。　The　drinkers
themselves　were　a　surly　lot；　their　expressions　ranging　from　suspicion　to　outright　hostility。　He　glared　at
those　whose　gaze　lingered　on　him　too　long；　and　one　by　one　they　turned　back　to　their　drinks；　muttering
darkly；　and　the　hubbub　of　conversation　resumed。
A　more　disreputable　crowd　of　people　Calard　had　rarely　encountered；　and　he　wondered　wryly　if　he
would　be　better　off　facing　the　creatures　of　the　night。　The　patrons　of　Morr’s　Rest　scowled；　bickered　and
spat　as　they　gambled；　drank　and　stuffed　their　faces　with　greasy　stew　and　stale　bread；　laughing　loudly　at

ribald　jokes　and　gr