The Stoneholding

fight and manoeuvre.

"There's no way out except the way I've just come?"

"Yes. But wait, put that weapon away. It won't do you much good against a sword. I can give you something far better. Here, hold my little Starigan for a moment." She entrusted the child to him, while he managed with one hand to slip the dagger back into its hidden sheath. She hurried over to the bed and began feeling with her fingers at the base of one of the elaborate spiral posts that held the canopy.

"Hurry, please hurry, as you value your life, somebody's coming." Encumbered by the child, Frysan made shift to lay it on the bed, but stopped short.

"I've got it!" she said.

There had been the slightest of clicks and then half the bedpost flew open on unseen hinges bringing to light a superbly tooled leather scabbard, open end down so that it rested against the quillons of a sword laid upright. It was made of steel so finely tempered and so sharp that she had to take care not to nick herself as she drew it forth from the scabbard and held it out to Frysan, glinting in the lamplight. The thing was ...