The Maze - Tor's Quest Book 2

Chapter 28

"So how do we let the others know where we have gone?" Ellen voiced the question that was on everyone's mind.

"I have no idea," Tor admitted. "I am estimating that Ban and the others will not arrive for at least another week and I do not want to have to wait for them. We can easily leave a new message at the inn, but they could end up just chasing after us forever."

"And Hawk is also on his way, remember," Sam reminded them all.

"Frack," Seth swore. "We should have thought of this before splitting the team up."

"Watch your language," Tor warned him, casting a look at the elderly maid. Seth had the decency to be embarrassed.

"Do any of us have anything that would have any of their scents on them?" Ellen enquired, an idea forming in her mind.

"I still have one of Hawk's cloaks in my bag," Sam said. "He lent it to me a while ago to cover myself when I slept in his coffin and I never got around to giving it back," she quickly added, looking at Brin out of the corner of her eye.

"And I have one of Liselle's scarves," Ria volunteered.

"Why?" Tor asked uneasily. He had a horrible feeling he was not going to like what Ellen was about to suggest.

"The Duke owned a couple of tracker hounds. Since he is dead I think they now belong to Tibia and I am sure she will allow us to borrow them."

A shocked silence filled the room.

"What's the problem?" Sam enquired. It was Patrick who responded, his voice hard and emotionless.

"A dozen tracker hounds were created a few hundred years ago by an evil wizard, purely for the purpose of hunting down and killing his enemies. Thankfully none of them exist now; all have been successfully destroyed. However, before they were captured and eliminated, they were bred with normal domestic dogs and it is the half-breeds that are still in existence. These creatures are lethal. Once they have been given a scent to follow, they will not deviate from their assigned task until it is completed. While they will not specifically attack someone who is not their intended target, they will not hesitate to savage anyone who gets in their way; man, woman or child. Mortal weapons do not harm them and, if they lose a scent, they will eventually pick it up again. It is impossible to shake them once they are on your trail."

He turned to face Ellen, fury simmering in his eyes. "I died once trying to save a friend from one of those beasts. How can you even think of using them? They are nothing but savage killers. If I had my way they would all be destroyed."

"Hear me out," Ellen requested in a soothing voice. "While everything that Patrick said is true, they are not quite as bad as he is making them out to be. They obey every order they are given, no matter what it is. If they are instructed to not harm any human being, they will not do so."

Patrick snorted in disgust, but Tor was prepared to listen. "I think I see where you are going with this. They could be used to carry a message to our friends." He tapped his teeth with his fingers as he thought, having subconsciously picked up Tibia's habit. "But how will we get them to understand that they are to deliver a message only, not kill them. Or anyone else, for that matter."

Ellen looked at Sam and a smile spread across Tor's face. "Mistress Sam," he said formally to her. "Will you agree to speak with the tracker hounds for us?"

"No." Brin rose and stood in front of Sam. "I will not allow her to take that risk. They could tear her apart before she even has the chance to open her mouth."