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Show enough for Janni's captor to get the maid up on his horse. It was the big knight. He yanked on the huge beast's reins to turn him and then galloped off through the square. Dr'Anya turned to the aircar; stepped over the body that was-no doubt about it-the young squire, scrambled into the driver's seat, and palmed the doors closed. By the time she levered up, the knight was beyond the inn and eating up the road south at a headlong gallop. Outside the alehouse a crowd was forming and Simon was running toward the road, his great arms churning the air. Stretched before Dr'Anya was the plain-the road a straight arrow through it until it disappeared into the greenwood. Horse, rider, and Janni were headed toward this wood, perhaps ten kilometers ahead. The last Twin had all but sunk in the West and dusk was settling fast. Dr'Anya, skimming through the air, reached them in a matter of minutes. Then she banked, swung out, and came in on a smooth angle to the right of the horse whose rolling eyes, catching sight of the car at once, shied to the left. Pressing against the huge beast only close enough to turn him, Dr'Anya maneuvered the car in a wide circle. The big knight meanwhile fought to control his mount with his left hand, for his right arm was encircling Janni who was holding onto the high front guard of the saddle for dear life. Soon the horse was off the road, pounding the lush grass into dust in an ever-tightening circle, with Dr'Anya in the little aircar pressing relentlessly against his right side. "Avaunt!" bellowed the knight to the persistent machine. He was fighting the reins now with both arms, Janni enclosed within them. The big man had lost his helmet and was struggling to release his left hand from the reins entangled in the cuff of his gauntlet. The weary horse was by |
