rs； keeping one eye on the castle； the other on the down slope。 Elmo muttered； 〃Hungry eyes。 That's what they were。〃
We reached the ridgeline west of the castle。 The Lieutenant paused。 〃How close can you get？〃
I shrugged。 〃I haven't had the balls to find out。〃
The Lieutenant moved here； there； as if sighting on something。 〃Let's bring up some prisoners and find out。〃
I sucked spittle between my teeth； then said； 〃You won't get the locals anywhere near the place。〃
〃Think not？ How about in exchange for a pardon？ Candy's rounded up half the villains in the Buskin。 Got a regular anti…crime crusade going。 He gets three plaints about somebody； he nabs them。〃
〃Sounds a little simple；〃 I said。 We were moving around for a look at the castle gate。 By simple I meant simplistic； not easy。
The Lieutenant chuckled。 Months of hardship had not sapped his bizarre sense of humor。 〃Simple minds respond to simple answers。 A few months of Candy's reforms and the Duke will be a hero。〃
I understood the reasoning。 Juniper was a lawless city； ruled by regional strongmen。 There were hordes of Sheds who lived in terror； continuously victimized。 Anyone who lessened the terror would win their affection。 Adequately developed； that affection would survive later excesses。
I wondered； though； if the support of weaklings was worth much。 Or if； should we successfully infect them with courage； we might not be creating trouble for ourselves later。 Take away daily domestic oppression and they might imagine oppression on our part。
I have seen it before。 Little people have to hate； have to blame someone for their own inadequacies。
But that was not the problem of the moment。 The moment demanded immediate； vigorous； violent attention。 The castle gate popped open as we came in line。 A half…dozen wild beings in black rushed us。 A fog of lethargy settled upon me； and I found fear fading the moment it sparked into existence。 By the time they were halfway to us； all I wanted was to lie down。
Pain filled my limbs。 My head ached。 Cramps knotted my stomach。 The lethargy vanished。
One…Eye was doing strange things； dancing； yelping like a wolf pup； throwing his hands around like wounded birds。 His big； weird hat flew off and tumbled with the breeze； downhill； till it became tangled in the brush。 Between yelps he snapped； 〃Do something； you idiots！ I can't hold them forever。〃
Thang！ Elmo's sword cleared its scabbard。 The Lieutenant's did the same。 I was carrying nothing but a long dagger。 I whipped it out and joined the rush。 The castle creatures stood frozen； surprise in their ophidian eyes。 The Lieutenant reached them first； stopped； wound up； took a mighty two…handed swing。
He lugs a hanger that is damned near an executioner's sword。 A blow like that would have severed the necks of three men。 It did not remove the head of his victim； though it did bite deep。 Blood sprayed the three of us。
Elmo went with a thrust； as did I。 His sword drove a foot into his victim。 My dagger felt like it had hit soft wood。 It sank but three inches into my victim。 Probably not deeply enough to reach anything vital。
I yanked my blade free； poked around in my medical knowledge for a better killing point。 Elmo kicked his victim in the chest to get his weapon free。
The Lieutenant had the best weapon and approach。 He hacked another neck while we diddled around。
Then One…Eye lost it。 The eyes of the castle creatures came alive。 Pure fiery venom burned there。 I feared the two not yet harmed would swarm all over us。 But the Lieutenant threw a wild stroke and they retreated。 The one I had wounded staggered after them。 He fell before he reached the gate。 He kept crawling。 The gate closed in his face。
〃So；〃 the Lieutenant said。 〃There's a few lads we don't have to face later。 My mendation； One…Eye。〃 He spoke calmly enough； but his voice was up in the squeak range。 His hands shook。 It had been close。 We would not have survived had One…Eye not e along。 〃I think I've seen enough for today。 Let's hike。〃
Ninety percent of me wanted to run as fast as I could。 Ten percent stuck to business。 〃Let's drag one of these bastards along；〃 it croaked out of a mouth dry with fear。 〃What the hell for？〃 Elmo demanded。 〃So I can carve it up and see what it is。〃
〃Yeah。〃 The Lieutenant squatted and grabbed a body under the arms。 It struggled feebly。 Shuddering； I took hold of booted feet and hoisted。 The creature folded in the middle。
〃Hell with that；〃 the Lieutenant said。 He dropped his end； joined me。 〃You pull that leg。 I'll pull this one。〃
We pulled。 The body slid sideways。 We started bickering about who should do what。
〃You guys want to stop crapping around？〃 One…Eye snarled。 He stabbed a wrinkled black finger。 I looked back。 Creatures had appeared on the battlements。 I felt an increase in the dread the castle inspired。
〃Something's happening；〃 I said； and headed downhill； never letting go of the body。 The Lieutenant came along。 Our burden took a beating going through the rock and brush。
Wham！ Something hit the slope like the stamp of a giant's foot。 I felt like a roach fleeing a man who hated cockroaches and had his stomping boots on。 There was another stamp； more earth…shaking。
〃Oh； shit；〃 Elmo said。 He came past me； arms and legs pumping。 One…Eye was right behind him； flying low； gaining ground。 Neither offered to help。
A third thump； and a fourth； about equally spaced in time； each closer than the last。 The last sent chunks of stone and dead brush arcing overhead。
Fifty yards down…slope One…Eye halted； whirled； did one of his magic things。 A chunk of pale blue fire exploded in his upraised hands； went roaring up the hill； moaning past me less than a foot away。 The Lieutenant and I passed One…Eye。 A fifth giant stomp spattered our backs with shards of rock and brush。
One…Eye let out a mad howl and ran again。 He yelled； 〃That was my best shot。 Better dump that clown and scatter。〃 He pulled away； bounding like a hare fleeing hounds。
A scream filled the valley of the Port。 A pair of dots came hurtling over from the southern slope； almost too fast for the eye to follow。 They passed over with a hollow； deep roar； and boomed like a god's drum behind us。 I was not sure； but it seemed the dots were connected。
Another pair appeared； revolving about a mon center。 I got a better look。 Yes； they were connected。 They roared。 They boomed。 I glanced back。 The face of the black castle had vanished behind a wall of color like paint thrown against； then running down； a pane of glass to which it would not adhere。
〃Taken are on the job；〃 the Lieutenant panted。 His eyes were wild； but he clung to his side of our burden。
The damned creature got hung up。 Panicky； we hacked its clothing free from a thorn bush。 I kept looking up； expecting something to e down and smash us all over the slope。
Another pair of balls arrived； spraying color。 They did no obvious harm； but kept the castle occupied。 We freed our booty； hurried on。
A different sort of dot pair came； dropping from high above。 I pointed。 〃Feather and Whisper。〃 The Taken plunged toward the black castle； preceded by a high…pitched shriek。 Fire enveloped the castle wall。 Obsidian seemed to melt and run like candle wax； shifting the already grotesque decorations into forms even more bizarre。 The Taken pulled out； gained altitude； came around for another pass。 In the interim another pair of dots screamed across the Port valley and painted the planes of the air。 It would have been a great show if I had not been so damned busy getting away。
The slope resounded to the stamp of an invisible giant。 A circle fifteen feet across and five deep appeared above us。 Sticks and stones flew。 It missed by only a dozen feet。 The impact knocked us down。 A line of like imprints marched back up the slope。
Mighty though that blow was； it was less forceful than its predecessors。
Feather and Whisper swooped again； and again the face of the black castle melted； ran； shifted form。 Then thunder racked the air。 Barn…bam！ Both Taken vanished in clouds of smoke。 They wobbled out； fighting for control of their carpets。 Both smouldered the way Feather had the night we captured Shed。 They fought for altitude。
The castle turned its entire attention to them。 The Lieutenant and I made our escape。
Chapter Thirty…Four： JUNIPER： FLIGHT
The Lily shuddered several times。
Shed was doing mugs and wondering which of his customers were Black pany。 The shaking made him nervous。 Then a shriek flashed overhead； rising； then falling as it whipped away north。 A moment later the earth shivered again； strong enough to rattle crockery。 He rushed into the street。 One small； cunning part of him kept watching his customers； trying to determine who was watching him。 His chance of escape had lessened drastically with the advent of the pany。 He no longer knew who was who。 They all knew him。
He hit the street as a second shriek came from the direction of the Enclosure。 He followed pointing hands。 A pair of balls joined by a cord whipped away to the north。 Seconds later all Juniper was illuminated by a particolored glare。
〃T