Mika thought that he might throw up. He clutched his wrist and rose half out of his chair. He stared at his hand, blinking his eyes rapidly, hoping that there was some mistake, that the finger would go away if only he wished hard enough. But the finger remained.
To be more specific, it was his thumb. It was, if possible, even more hideous than the pointer finger, for it was wider, more spatulate than a thumb, and the talon four times thicker than a fingernail, ridged and lumpy and dull yellow in color. The talon curved back over the tip of the thumb and ended in a sharp, vicious edge.
"Mika, tell me what has happened," Hornsbuck said, severely shaken by the sight of Mika's deformity.
Mika told his tale in a dull monotone, scarcely able to take his eyes off his hand, picking up the story at the point where Hornsbuck had lost his wits to the umber hulk and finishing with their presence at the tavern.
"Then I owe my life to you," Hornsbuck said when Mika was finished. "I would not be here with Lotus Blossom now, were it not for you."
Mika said nothing, staring at the awful thumb. In truth, he hadn't even considered the fact that he had saved Hornsbuck's life. It just never occurred to him to leave Hornsbuck behind. RedTail had led them out of the confusing labyrinth of underground caverns, and the wolf would never have left Hornsbuck's side. And they could not have found their way out of the tunnels without the wolf, so Hornsbuck's presence had been mandatory. But it would have taken more energy than Mika had to explain matters, so he said nothing.
"I'm in your debt, Mika," Hornsbuck continued. "I'll never forget what you've done."
Depressed as Mika was, the huge warrior's words cut through the fog that gripped his mind. One could do worse than to have Hornsbuck in one's debt. Mika slipped the gauntlet back on his hand, then sat up and paid attention.
"I confess, I used to think you were all talk and little action," said Hornsbuck, "but this has proven me wrong. It will be hard to repay you, lad, but it's a matter of honor now.
"Mika, we're going to Exag, just like that demon told you to, and we're going to find the king and bring him his daughter," Hornsbuck continued. He leaned across the table to grip Mika's arm painfully and look into his eyes with an earnest expression. "And somehow, I don't care how dangerous it is, how perilous, or at what risk, we're going to face that demon and get your hand back! You can count on me, Mika. I promise you, I won't change my mind!"
Mika sat up straight in his seat at Hornsbuck's words, the very center of his being riveted to what the nomad was proposing. Although going to Exag might be unavoidable and finding the king might be necessary, Mika had absolutely no desire whatsoever to face down the demon-not even to get his hand back!
"No, Hornsbuck, I… I couldn't let you do that," he stammered. "This is my problem."
"No, Mika. It's our problem-yours and mine," Hornsbuck said firmly. "I'll not let you do this alone. After all, we're Wolf Nomads, comrades in arms, brothers in spirit. We're not afraid of anything. No demon can tell us what to do. No threat, no fight, no torture will ever stop us. Not even if they rip us limb from limb-not even then. Right, Mika?" Hornsbuck boomed, his eyes shining with excitement. He slammed Mika on the shoulder, nearly felling him with the force of his enthusiasm.
"Uh, I'm not so sure about the torture part and being ripped limb from limb…" Mika ventured.
"Ha, ha, ha! There was a time that I might have believed you meant that, Mika. And I'd have despised you for it. Now I see that it's just a ruse to put people off your true nature. Clever lad! Well, it certainly worked. I never even suspected that you had it in you!" Hornsbuck thumped Mika again, a blow that knocked the turban down over his eyes and nearly threw him from his chair.
"You've left something out," said Lotus Blossom, who had been unusually silent. "I'll be going with you. Let you out of my sight for just a moment and you get all confused and strange. Had to work right hard to straighten you out again, I did. I'll go with this time to keep my eye on you and save myself some work in the long run."
"No, Lotus Blossom, I couldn't let you do that," Hornsbuck said solemnly. "This is man's work; it's no place for a woman!"
Mika gawked at Hornsbuck in total disbelief. Was he a lunatic? Lotus Blossom was twice the man Mika was! Mika wished he could let Lotus Blossom go in his stead, but he could think of no way to suggest it. When trouble starts, maybe I can just find a convenient hole and let the two of them take care of it, Mika thought to himself. In any event, Lotus Blossom would certainly be a fine addition to the party.
"Uh, Hornsbuck, I think that maybe you should let Lotus Blossom go with us," Mika said persuasively. "If there's any trouble, I'm sure that you and I can handle it, and this way we can enjoy the pleasure of the lady's company as well."
Hornsbuck glowered at Mika. But with Mika on her side, Lotus Blossom soon reduced Hornsbuck's arguments to feeble rumbles, and in the end, he acquiesced.
"Well, what did you do to earn this second finger?" asked Hornsbuck, anxious to change the subject. "And where's the princess? 1 haven't seen her around anywhere."
"I don't know what I did," answered Mika. "And I don't know where the princess is, either. She's probably lurking around here somewhere, thinking of ways to kill me."
As Mika sat there, ruminating over the proposed expedition, he slowly realized that it had been some time since he had seen the princess. When had he seen her last? Some time during the night. Right before that fellow shared his flask. The flask that left such an odd taste in his mouth. Right before he fell asleep… or was drugged! The thought leaped into his mind, and instantly he understood all.
"The princess has been stolen!" he gasped, quickly filling the massive pair in on the events of the evening and passing along his suspicions.
"The pig-dog was too much of a coward to find his own wolf, so he stole the princess instead," snarled Lotus Blossom. "We'll make him pay for it. We'll cut off his-"
"No time for that!" Mika interrupted. "We've got to find her before this finger business spreads any further!"
"Horse!" growled Hornsbuck. "Got to find another horse first. Then we'll find the princess."
"A horse!" wailed Mika. "No, we've got to find the princess, or I'll be covered with green scales from head to foot!"
"Mika, I can't do anything without a horse!" Hornsbuck explained patiently. "One just isn't enough for all of us. First we find another horse, then we find the princess, then we ride for Exag. Calm down, lad, no need to pretend you're afraid. You forget, I know the truth now. Come along with me. Lotus Blossom, pack!"
Rising from the table, Hornsbuck strode out of the tavern with RedTail and Mika trotting at his heels. Tam still slumbered beneath the table and as Mika hurried out of the establishment, he realized that Tam comprised the least of his worries; the tavern was scarcely likely to choose this late date to begin sweeping the floor.
"It has to be a big horse," muttered Hornsbuck as he strode through the streets. Mika hurried along behind him, dragging the roan by its reins.
"I'm sure we can find the right horse if you have the coins to buy it," he said, hoping that Hornsbuck would not notice that his purse was gone or that Mika was attired in new finery.
"I have coins," said Hornsbuck, hefting the purse that Mika had last seen given to Lotus Blossom.
They found the horse pens just as the sun was streaking the darkening sky with layers of crimson.
The pens were made of bronzewood, a strong and resilient hardwood found only in the Burneal Forest. Mika knew that the wood was all but unbreakable and judged its use costly but wise, for the pens were filled with a seething, swirling mass of wild-eyed horses.
"As nice a group of horses as you'll ever see," said a voice at his elbow.
Mika looked down and saw a small man standing beside him. The fellow barely came to the roan's stirrup. Twisted and bent, he looked as though he had been badly stepped on and had healed poorly. Given his profession, such a scenario did not seem unlikely. One arm was withered and emaciated, and the entire left side of his face, from temple to jaw, was sunken and misshapen and covered with a mass of ugly purple scar tissue. The eye-what remained of it-was milky-blue and unseeing.
"Ugly creatures, every one. Not good for anything but wolf meat," replied Mika as he turned and made as though to leave, thus officially opening the bargaining. "My friend here is interested in a horse, not carrion fodder."
The bent man quickly took himself off to Hornsbuck's side, having thus identified the buyer. He sized the big nomad up with a shrewd eye. Placing his hand on Hornsbuck's arm, he attempted to draw him closer to the pen.
"Look you, sir. I can tell that one such as yourself is a good and knowledgeable judge of horseflesh," the man said smoothly. "A rough and hardy fellow like you has no use for a soft city horse, pampered and petted by all who pass."
"True, true," said Hornsbuck, stroking his beard and standing firm.
"These horses may look a bit rough around the edges, I admit, but take another look, good sir. They are tough in nature, and wild and brave in spirit- fitting mounts for a warrior such as yourself."
"Uh, Hornsbuck…" muttered Mika, suddenly worried that the big nomad might actually fall for the glib talk of the merchant.
"Let the fellow speak, Mika," said Hornsbuck. "He seems a good judge of character."
Mika groaned inwardly as the merchant seized the opportunity and rushed in for the kill.
"These horses, these sturdy beasts are not ordinary horses…"
"You can say that again," mumbled Mika as he leaned on the rails and looked at the sorry pack of horses wheeling within.
"They were captured deep in the Howling Hills, and their spirits are wild and untamed… fighters, every one, horses fit for a noble warrior such as yourself. Never could they be ridden by a city man."
"Or anyone else," muttered Mika. "Hornsbuck, what say we look further?"
"Let me show you the best of them," the man said hurriedly, placing his hand on the large man's elbow. Hornsbuck allowed himself to be drawn away.
Mika sighed and clucked to the roan, following after the horse-seller. The little man led them to a second pen; it held only one horse-the nastiest, meanest, ugliest stallion Mika had ever seen.
Standing at least seventeen hands high, the horse was a dull, mottled brown with a short, stiff, spikey black mane and brushlike tail. Its body, while massive and powerful, was covered with a variety of scars. Its eyes were black and ringed with white, a sign that Mika had learned to recognize as denoting madness in an animal. Its large, square, yellow teeth were bared over its gums as the men approached the pen. And even though it was securely snubbed to a thick post, it pawed the ground and strained to reach them.
"Now, this is not a horse I would show to just anyone," said the man. "It will take a very special sort to recognize this one's potential."
"Yes, a complete and total fool, that's the only sort who would be dumb enough to buy this horse. It's a killer, Hornsbuck!" said Mika.
To his horror he heard Hornsbuck say, "How much be you asking for this animal?"
Twilight fell as Mika sat with his head buried in his hands and Hornsbuck and the horse dealer finalized their bargain. Hornsbuck took possession of the horse and a complete set of heavy leather tack.
The stallion tensed as Hornsbuck untied the rope from the post. As soon as Hornsbuck flung the heavy saddle across the horse's back, it immediately sucked in air, inflating its abdomen to prevent the tightening of the girth. But Hornsbuck was familiar with that particular trick; a hard knee to the horse's stomach resulted in an explosive outburst of air and a quick cinch of the girth.
The ugly, hammer-headed creature gathered himself to buck as Hornsbuck stepped foot in the stirrup and swung into the saddle. But the nomad was no fool. As soon as he was seated, he clenched his knees together and squeezed.
Taken by surprise, the horse drew in a sharp breath. Immediately Hornsbuck tightened his massive thighs, compressing the horse's lungs still further, not allowing it to draw breath.
Unable to get air, the horse began to panic. It wheezed and sucked in vain, and every time it managed to take in a breath, Hornsbuck clamped down more tightly, the muscles in his massive thighs standing out like ridges of rock.
The horse was soon staggering about drunkenly, its legs trembling and shaking. Mika stared in pop- eyed fascination, certain the horse would soon fall to the ground and die. Even the dealer had stopped counting his grushniks and was gaping in stupified amazement.
Then, just as it seemed that the horse would surely expire, its face contorted in an awful grimace of pain and its eyes nearly popping from its skull, Hornsbuck relaxed his hold on the animal's chest.
The horse lowered its head and took in great, wheezing, shuddering breaths. And when, after a time, Hornsbuck gently shook the reins, tapping them lighdy on the stallion's neck, it broke into a trot instantly, with not a sign of trouble.
"Works every time," Hornsbuck said with a grin as he rode past the astounded pair. "And now, Mika, unless you have anything else to do, it's time to go after your wayward princess."