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."You've lost that much blood and now you can sit on your own?" Arya asked, doubtful."Healing." His rasping voice was soft."No one heals that fast," Arya said."You were on Kelemvor's doorstep when I pulled you onto Swiftfall's back.How—"Walker's right hand came up from her side.In the moonlight, a tiny sapphire glistened from within a silver wolf's head ring wrapped around the fourth finger."You have many secrets, it seems," said the knight with a nod of approval."Lone wolf."Walker nodded.Looking away, Arya bit her lip in thought.She was familiar with rings that healed their wearers—a warrior in the field did not always have a priest's healing at hand—and how powerful such rings could be.Still, she did not know how healed he was."Put your arms back around me," Arya said finally."I don't want you falling off—I'm too tired to pick you up again."Walker hesitated, but he did as he was told.She supposed the order was half for his benefit and half for hers.It was bitterly cold and though his arms were not overly warm, Arya welcomed them.His proximity reassured her against the dark of the forest.That was what she told herself, at least."Talk to me," said Arya after a moment."I've told you all about myself; what about you?""What shall I tell?" asked Walker.His voice still rasped, but he did not sound so deathly now."I walk with ghosts.I have my task.That is all.""Your task.you mean killing people?" She felt him wince at her harsh tone, and she quickly amended."People who wronged you? Hurt someone you loved? Greyt? The others?"Walker said nothing and silence fell again."I'm still not convinced you're not the one attacking those couriers, you know," Arya observed after a moment."It's quite a coincidence, that I run into you exactly when I'm investigating those attacks—""Yet you aid me now," Walker replied."Why?"Arya paused."My.Lord Greyt wants you dead, and that's enough for me." She was not sure why, but she stopped herself from drawing a connection with her step-uncle."The same man is trying to kill us both, whatever his plans might be.Then the man's son, gods above, he's just as dangerous—"Walker perked up."Meris?" he asked, interrupting.Then he stopped and looked around."Wait." His arms were gone from around her waist.Arya had been about to respond, but the urgency in his voice cut her off."What is it?" she asked.Swiftfall whinnied and paced nervously."Something draws near," said Walker."Something powerful."He swung down from Swiftfall's back, landing on his feet and appearing not the least bit weakened."What is it?" she asked again."Stay there," Walker said."I shall look."Then he vanished into the air, as though he had never existed."Walker?" asked Arya, surprise in her voice.She could no longer even feel his living presence.She and Swiftfall seemed alone in the dark forest."Walker!"* * * * *"Walker!" came her panicked cry.The ghostwalker did not answer, but it was not out of rudeness.Rather, he understood that she would not have heard his voice had he spoken.Ethereal himself, he would be just as hidden from whatever approached.In the Ethereal, the night was not as dark, or perhaps it did not seem so because everything was gray and blurry.Arya and Swiftfall were luminous beings seen from that realm—so vibrant that their flesh and bones seemed made of blazing sunlight.The knight looked around frantically, trying to find him, and Walker felt an odd twinge of regret that he had not given her more warning before he had shifted into the Ethereal plane.It was difficult to see beside the shining horse and rider, but Walker was immediately aware that the three of them were alone.The spirits that always seemed drawn to him had vanished as though driven away by some greater force.Walker bit his lower lip in thought.What could frighten spirits of the dead?It did not take more than a moment for his question to be answered, for in that moment a huge, roiling creature of flame emerged from the trees ahead of them.Walker's eyes widened as he looked up at the creature.Vaguely human-shaped, it towered over him like a giant composed entirely of shadowy fire.The most significant thing he noticed, though, was that the creature existed on this—the Ethereal—plane.He had heard of elementals, but never a beast of this ghostly sort—nor did he have any idea how to battle one.He did know two things, however: being ethereal would not hide him, as had been his intention, and the beast was coming fast.Drawing his shatterspike, Walker stepped back into the Material and put his hand on Swiftfall, as though he could command the horse to carry Arya away with but a touch.Indeed, his sudden appearance startled the animal, even as his ghostly aura had unnerved it.Carried past the realm of comfort, the horse panicked and snorted."Run!" he shouted to Swiftfall."Flee!"Then he rushed toward the elemental.Though it was invisible on the Material plane, the creature, in all its fiery fury, was fully visible to his ethereally sensitive eyes.Arya, however, did not share his ghostsight.To her, the ghostwalker charged toward empty air."What? What are you—"Her voice trailed off as the creature manifested, shimmering out of the Ethereal directly in front of her.The forest erupted into an inferno of gray-silver fire, translucent flames shifting like ribbons of burning silk.It made no sound—even the raging flames, which should have roared, burned silently.The ghostfire elemental loomed over her and pulled back one of its massive tendrils.Arya, shocked at its sudden, majestic appearance, stared into death itself."Arya!" shouted Walker.He slashed down into the mass of flame and the weapon pulsed with cold, ghostly power.It bit into the elemental, disrupting its essence and causing the creature pain.It bucked and turned toward the ghostwalker, growing a new fiery arm to lash at him.Walker stabbed his sword at the creature, warding it off, and ducked its swipe.He retreated and the elemental followed.The knight, broken from her spell, swung down from Swiftfall and slapped the horse's rump [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]