The Spider's Web by Peter Tremayne Read Free Book Online Page A

points of stars reluctant to leave the sky, she realised that dawn was not far away.
    ‘What is it that worries you about these armed men?’ she demanded, following Eadulf’s example and keeping her voice low.
    ‘The sound of horses woke me fifteen minutes ago,’ Eadulf explained quietly. ‘I peered out and saw the shadows of half a dozen riders. They rode up silently but did not come to the hostel. They hid their horses in the woods beyond and took up positions among the trees before the hostel door.’
    Fidelma sat up abruptly. She was wide awake now.
    ‘Outlaws?’

    ‘Perhaps. It seems to me that they mean no good to this hostel for they all carried bows with them.’
    ‘Have you alerted Bressal?’
    ‘I woke him first. He is downstairs securing the doors in case we are attacked.’
    ‘Has he been attacked before?’
    ‘Never. Sometimes the richer hostels along the main road between Lios Mhór and Cashel have been attacked and robbed by groups of outlaws. But why would anyone choose this isolated hostel to rob?’
    ‘Are the youngsters awake?’
    ‘The youngsters? Oh, you mean Archú and Scoth. Not yet. I came …’
    There was a curious whooshing sound from outside and Fidelma momentarily caught the smell of fire. A second whoosh barely registered on her ears as an arrow sped through the window and embedded itself in the wall beyond. Straw, fastened around the arrow, had been set alight. Now there came the sounds of a man calling orders from outside.
    Fidelma leapt from her bed.
    ‘Wake the others. We are being attacked.’ The last sentence was unnecessary as another flaming arrow flashed into the room and embedded itself into the floor. She ran forward and grasped it, without concern for the hungry flames. She turned and threw it through the window before reaching for the first arrow and sending it after the other through the window. Turning again, she grabbed her robe and dragged it over her head. Almost without pausing, she pulled down the curtained partitions in case an arrow ignited them. Archú, awakened by Eadulf, came running forward to help her.
    ‘Stay here,’ instructed Fidelma. ‘Keep down but if any lighted arrows land in the room make sure the flames are put out.’
    Without waiting for a reply she turned away and hurried down the stairs into the main room.

    Bressal, the hostel keeper, was busily stringing a bow. It was clear that he was unpractised for he was clumsy.
    He glanced up, his usually cheerful face was creased with anger.
    ‘Outlaws!’ he muttered. ‘I have never known outlaws in these woods. I must defend the hostel.’
    Eadulf now came racing down the stairs.
    ‘You said that you saw these men,’ Fidelma greeted him. ‘How many did you estimate there are?’
    ‘About half a dozen,’ replied Eadulf.
    Fidelma compressed her lips so hard that they almost hurt. She was trying hard to think of a means of defending the hostel.
    ‘Do you have any other weapons, Bressal?’ Eadulf demanded. ‘We have nothing to defend ourselves with.’
    The hostel keeper stared at him in surprise that a man of the Faith should be asking for weapons to defend himself with.
    ‘Quickly, man!’ snapped Eadulf.
    Bressal jerked in obedience.
    ‘I have two swords and this bow, that’s all.’
    Eadulf eyed the bow speculatively. It looked a good one, made of yew, strong and pliable, so far as he could judge.
    ‘How well can you use that?’
    ‘Not well,’ Bressal confessed.
    ‘Then give it to me. Take a sword.’
    Bressal was bemused.
    ‘But you are a brother of …’
    It was Fidelma who cut him short by stamping her foot.
    ‘Give the bow to him!’
    Eadulf almost grabbed the bow from his hand and strung it with an ease born of long experience.
    ‘Give me one of the swords,’ Fidelma instructed as Eadulf tested the string. There was no time to explain to the astounded hostel keeper that as daughter of a Failbe Flann, king of Cashel, she had grown up using a sword almost before she had