### 33

A shock awaits you on your return to Cyrilus: both he and your horse have vanished. At first you curse him, thinking that he has wandered off to a nearby ale tent for a drink, but when you discover his oaken staff lying beside the road, you sense that something is seriously wrong.

You climb to the top of a parked wagon and strain your eyes in all directions for some clue to his whereabouts. Suddenly you see him, surrounded by a group of cavalrymen galloping away to the west. You count six of them plus a riderless horse—your horse. Then you notice that conveniently hitched to the back of the parked wagon is a saddled horse.

If you wish to take the horse and give chase, turn to 271.

If you wish to try to find the horse’s owner and offer to buy it, turn to 325.