“Stay down!” Blorys ordered sharply. He fitted an arrow tohis string and shook the quiver resting by his knee, making certain the other shafts would slip out easily. “Nice of ’em to warn us!” he said.

“Nice? Stupid, I’d say!” Jerdren said tersely and slid hissword under his leg, leaving both hands free for his bow. “Let’s hope our hidemerchants remember what I told ’em to do if we’re jumped.”

He urged his bay gelding forward at a trot, and Blorys on the dapple mare came with him.

It was quiet once more. One lone maverick up there, or an over-excited fool in a company waiting to take the caravan as it passed? Jerdren wondered. He wagered the latter. A quick glance showed him the wagons were close together, their hired men taking up positions along the left flank and behind the last cart.

He and his brother came around the bend, holding the right side of the road-as far from the rubble of boulders and hillock as they couldget. The silence held, and even with the early sun hard on the boulders, he couldn’t see anything but stone, dirt, and a few scrubby bushes. Jerdren slowedto a walk.

“No one there,” he murmured and sent his eyes ahead to thenext possible danger-a low, bald ridge marking the path of a dry creek. Hecaught his breath sharply. Something metal flashed in the sun, then dropped out of sight on the far side of the ridge, maybe four strides back from the road.

“Saw it,” Blorys said quietly.

“Nice and easy,” Jerdren replied. His face was grim.

A clatter of hooves broke the silence. Six men on dark hill ponies broke cover some distance ahead, fanned out across the road, and at a sharp command spurred forward, howling and bellowing. Each carried a heavy-bladed short sword high, ready to hack. Behind them, another six rough men on foot piled out of the brush, bows and javelins in hand, and behind the ridge, others were shouting threats and curses.