wo in his war with the Pechenegi； and he knew they were fierce fighters。 He wanted real men at his back when he went up against this Ferenczy。 And it could well be that he'd need them。 Arvos； the old gypsy； had said the Boyar had no retainers； who； then； had answered the mirror signal？ No； Thibor couldn't see a rich man living up there all alone with a mere woman or two； fetching and carrying for himself。 Old Arvos lied。
In the event that there was only a handful of men up in the mountains with their master。。。 But it was no good speculating； Thibor would have to wait and see what were the odds。 If there were many men； however； then he would say that he came as an envoy of Vladimir； to invite the Boyar to the palace in Kiev。 It would be in connection with the war against the Pechenegi。 Either way； his course was now set： he had a mountain to climb； and at the top a man to kill； depending on conditions。
In those days Thibor had been in a way naive； it had not once crossed his mind that the Vlad had sent him on a suicide mission； from which he was not expected to return to Kiev。
As for the climb： at first the going had been easy； and this despite the fact that the way was unmarked。 The track （there was no real track； merely a route which the old gypsy knew by heart） climbed a saddle between foothills to the base of an unscalable cliff； then followed a rising apron of sliding scree to a wide crevice or chimney in the cliff； which elevated steeply through a fissure on to a false plateau beneath a second line of even steeper hills。 These hills were wild and wooded； their trees massive and ancient； but by now Thibor had seen that indeed there was a path of sorts。 It was as if some giant had taken a scythe and cut a straight line through the trees； their wood had doubtless provided much of the village's timber； and perhaps some of it had been hauled up into the mountains for use in the construction of the castle。 That might possibly have been hundreds of years ago； and yet no new trees had grown up to bar the way。 Or if they had； then someone had uprooted them to keep the path free。
Whichever； the climb along the track through the rising woods was fairly easy going； and as twilight grew towards night a full moon rose to lend the way its silvery light。 Spying their breath for the climbing； the three men and heir guide spoke not at all and Thibor was able to turn his mind to what little he'd heard of the Boyar Ferenczy from his foppish court contact。
The Greeks fear him more than Vladimir does；〃 that loose…tongue had informed。 〃In Greek…land they've long sought all such out and put them down。 They call such as the Ferenczy 〃vrykolax〃； which is the same as the Bulgar…ian 〃obour〃 or 〃mouphour〃…or 〃wampir〃！〃
〃I've heard of the wampir；〃 Thibor had answered。 They have the same myth； and the same name for it； in my old country。 A peasant supersition。 And I'll tell you some…thing： the men I've killed rot in their graves； if indeed they have graves。 They certainly don't bloat there！ Or if they do it's from rotten gasses； not the blood of the living！〃
〃Nevertheless this Ferenczy is said to be just such a creature；〃 Thibor's informant had insisted。 〃I've heard the Greek priests talking： saying how there's no room in any Christian land for such as that。 In Greek…land they put stakes through their hearts and cut off their heads。 Or better still； they break them up entirely and burn all the pieces。 They believe that even a small part of a wampir can grown whole again in the body of an unwary man。 The thing is like a leech； but on the inside！ Hence the saying that a wampir has two hearts and two souls…and that the creature may not die until both facets are destroyed。〃
Thibor had smiled； humourlessly； scornfully。 He'd thanked the man； saying； 〃Well； wizard or witch or whatever； he's lived long enough。 Vladimir the Prince wants this Ferenczy dead； and I've been given the job。〃
〃Lived long enough！〃 the other had repeated； throwing up his hands。 〃Aye； and you don't know how true that is。 Why； there's been a Ferenczy up in those mountains as long as men remember。 And the legends have it that it's the same Ferenczy！ Now you tell me； Wallach； what sort of man is it who watches years pass like hours； eh？〃
Thibor had laughed at that； too； but now； thinking back on it…several things connected； it seemed。
The 〃Moupho〃 in the name of the village； for instance…which sounded a lot like 〃mouphour〃； or wampir。 〃Village of the Old Ferenczy Vampire〃？ And what was it Arvos the Szgany had said？ 〃The sun's no friend of his。 Nor any mirror； for that matter！〃 Weren't vampires things of the night； afraid of mirrors because they showed no reflection； or perhaps a reflection more nearly the reality？ Then the Wallach gave a snort of derision at his own imaginings。 It was this old place； that was all； working on his imagina…tion。 These centuried woods and ageless mountains。。。
At which point his party came out of the trees and on to the crest of domed hills where the soil was thin as a whisper and only the lichens grew； beyond which； in a shallow depression； a jumbled plain of stony rubble and brittle scree reached perhaps half a mile to the inky shadows of dark cliffs。 To the north it reached up high； that black boundary； forming horns； and to these horns in the light of the moon； old Arvos now pointed a crooked finger。
There！〃 He chuckled as at some joke。 There broods the house of the old Ferengi。〃
Thibor looked…and sure enough he saw distant win…dows lit like eyes in the darkness under the horns。 And it was for all the world as if some monstrous bat squatted there in the heights； or maybe the lord of all great wolves。
〃Like eyes in a face of stone；〃 growled one of Thibor's Wallachs； a man all chest and arms； with short stumpy legs。
〃And not the only eyes watching us！〃 whispered the other； a thin； hunched man who always went with his head aggressively forward。
〃What's that you say？〃 Thibor was at once alert； casting about in the darkness。 Then he saw the feral； triangular eyes； like blobs of gold； seeming to hang suspended in the darkness at the edge of the woods。 Five pairs of eyes： wolves'eyes； surely？
〃Ho！〃 Thibor shouted。 He unsheathed his sword； stepped forward。 〃Away； dogs of the woods！ We've nothing for you。〃
The eyes blinked sporadically in pairs； drew back； scattered。 Four lean； grey shapes loped off； flowing under the moon like liquid； lost in the jumble of boulders on the plain of scree。 But the fifth pair of eyes remained； seemed to gain height； floated forward out of the darkness without hesitation。
A man stepped from the shadows； as tall as； if not taller than； Thibor himself。
Arvos the gypsy staggered； seemed about to faint。 The moon showed his face a ghastly； silvery…grey。 The stranger reached out a hand and gripped his shoulder； stared deep into his eyes。 And slowly the old man straightened up and the trembling went out of him。
In the manner of the warrior born； Thibor had placed himself in striking distance。 His sword was still in his hand； but the stranger was only one man。 Thibor's men…astounded at first； perhaps even a little afraid…were on the point of drawing their own weapons but he stopped them with a word； sheathed his sword。 If anything； this was a simple show of defiance； a gesture which in one move showed his strength and possibly his contempt。 Certainly it showed his fearlessness。 〃Who are you？〃 he said。 〃You e like a wolf in the night。〃
The newer was slender； almost fragile…seeming。 He was dressed all in black； with a heavy black cape draped about his shoulders and falling to below his knees。 There could be weapons concealed under the cape； but he kept his hands in view； resting them on his thighs。 He now ignored old Arvos； looked at the three Wallachs。 His dark eyes merely fell upon Thibor's henchmen and moved on； but they rested on Thibor himself for long moments before he answered： 〃I am from the house of the Ferenczy。 My master sent me out to see what manner of men would visit him this night。〃 He smiled a thin smile。 His voice had a soothing effect on the Voevod； strangely； his unblinking eyes also； which now reflected moonlight。 Thibor found himself wishing there was more natural light。 There was that about the features of this one which repulsed him。 He felt that he gazed upon a misshapen skull； and wondered that this didn't disturb him more。 But he was held as by some mysterious attraction； like a moth to the devouring flame。 Yes； attracted and repulsed at one and the same time。
As that idea dawned…that he was falling under some strange malaise or enticement…he drew himself more upright； forced himself to speak。 〃You may tell your master I'm a Wallach。 Also that I e to speak of important things； of summonses and responsibilities。〃
The man in the cape drew closer and the moon shone fully in his face。 It was a man's face after all and not a skull； but there was that which was wolfish about it； an almost freakish longness of jaws and ears。 〃My master supposed it might be so；〃 he said； a certain hard edge creeping into his voice。 〃But no matter…what will be will be； and you are but a messenger。 Before you pass this point； however； which is a boundary； my master must be sure that yo