circle Elycia couldn’t see anything but shifting shadows and unfortunately, eyes. At first she saw only one creature studying them from a safe distance. But as the ride , a constant swaying she hadn’t been able to get used to, stretched, more sets of yellow unblinking orbs joined the first.
“It’s right there. Just ahead.” Thaniel grimaced at both of them. “You both go blind?” He asked incredulously.
Her stomach and head hurt so much . The rocking motion was torture that grew in intensity with every slow plodding step of the ox. She just wanted it to stop for a minute, but for as many times as the thought of demanding a rest crossed her mind, she knew it wasn’t possible. Whatever was out there was growing bolder by the minute. The swaying lamp and the creeks and pops of the ancient cart didn’t seem to be spooking them anymore. Instead the fleeting shapes moved with purpose. Furtive dark blurs just out of the light’s reach. What were they waiting for?
Against the deep of night the lamp’s feeble light was nearly useless. She didn’t see the old stone keep until they nearly ran into Samial Harkanin’s wagon. Meticulously painted in swirling patterns of yellow and green, every edge trimmed in brass gilt, it was chocked next to a makeshift manger that leaned precariously against a ramshackle stone cottage. The keep had seen more abuse than the coach had care. What did she expect? The only upkeep the place was given was by weary travelers trying to escape the cold. It was so decrepit that she wondered if they were safe to enter. It looked like it would topple over at the first stiff breeze.
“Told ya. We’re here.” Thaniel shook his head as if they were both playing a joke on him that he wasn’t falling for.
“How did you know?” She couldn’t help but ask. The little keep was nestled in a bend in the road, nearly impossible to see until they were right on it. In fact, the sudden appearance of the bright colored coach had nearly caused her to wet her pants.
“Stop it.” Then he made that face boys do when they think people are stupid and thumbed upward, “The chimney smoke.”
The smell of the fire filled her nostrils as if for the first time. She couldn’t help but smile. She was being stupid after all. Then both he and Jorel licked their lips in unison as the smell of searing meat wafted over them. Did they ever think of anything else?
“Harkanin?” She heard Jorel call out.
A loud crash came from inside the keep, followed by a torrent of swear words before the door banged open.
“Who in nine hells…” The wiry trader peeked around the rough hewn door post, rubbing his head and squinting in pain. His one open eye took in the three of them. “Sneakin on a man in the pass?” He yelled. “Stupid is what that is.” He added after a few mutters and curses… “A good way to get killed.” Then he disappeared back into the keep.
“That’s Harkanin?” She asked.
Thaniel’s face twisted into a grimacing grin and he nodded affirmatively. Clearly, both Jorel and Thaniel thought the profane man was funny. They had a hard time stifling laughter.
The ox ’s ears flickered toward the boarded up manger, where Harkanin’s beasts were penned up. Elycia smiled. He was miffed about being yoked and hungry while they were eating already. She suspected it wasn’t the only reason the ox couldn’t wait to be on the other side of the walls. Her head swiveled, eyes peering into the woods, expecting to see the eyes out there again. But all she saw was blackness. Whatever had been tracking them was long gone, at least for now.
“You’re the Caller. You talk to him.” Jorel said as he nimbly slid off the cart and started to unhitch the cranky old beast.
“Don’t start with that Caller stuff again.”
“You prefer master? How about The Free-erer of the Lowly Slaves? Or…”
“I’m going, just shut up…” Thaniel raised his hands in surrender and headed for the door.
“Take
“It’s right there. Just ahead.” Thaniel grimaced at both of them. “You both go blind?” He asked incredulously.
Her stomach and head hurt so much . The rocking motion was torture that grew in intensity with every slow plodding step of the ox. She just wanted it to stop for a minute, but for as many times as the thought of demanding a rest crossed her mind, she knew it wasn’t possible. Whatever was out there was growing bolder by the minute. The swaying lamp and the creeks and pops of the ancient cart didn’t seem to be spooking them anymore. Instead the fleeting shapes moved with purpose. Furtive dark blurs just out of the light’s reach. What were they waiting for?
Against the deep of night the lamp’s feeble light was nearly useless. She didn’t see the old stone keep until they nearly ran into Samial Harkanin’s wagon. Meticulously painted in swirling patterns of yellow and green, every edge trimmed in brass gilt, it was chocked next to a makeshift manger that leaned precariously against a ramshackle stone cottage. The keep had seen more abuse than the coach had care. What did she expect? The only upkeep the place was given was by weary travelers trying to escape the cold. It was so decrepit that she wondered if they were safe to enter. It looked like it would topple over at the first stiff breeze.
“Told ya. We’re here.” Thaniel shook his head as if they were both playing a joke on him that he wasn’t falling for.
“How did you know?” She couldn’t help but ask. The little keep was nestled in a bend in the road, nearly impossible to see until they were right on it. In fact, the sudden appearance of the bright colored coach had nearly caused her to wet her pants.
“Stop it.” Then he made that face boys do when they think people are stupid and thumbed upward, “The chimney smoke.”
The smell of the fire filled her nostrils as if for the first time. She couldn’t help but smile. She was being stupid after all. Then both he and Jorel licked their lips in unison as the smell of searing meat wafted over them. Did they ever think of anything else?
“Harkanin?” She heard Jorel call out.
A loud crash came from inside the keep, followed by a torrent of swear words before the door banged open.
“Who in nine hells…” The wiry trader peeked around the rough hewn door post, rubbing his head and squinting in pain. His one open eye took in the three of them. “Sneakin on a man in the pass?” He yelled. “Stupid is what that is.” He added after a few mutters and curses… “A good way to get killed.” Then he disappeared back into the keep.
“That’s Harkanin?” She asked.
Thaniel’s face twisted into a grimacing grin and he nodded affirmatively. Clearly, both Jorel and Thaniel thought the profane man was funny. They had a hard time stifling laughter.
The ox ’s ears flickered toward the boarded up manger, where Harkanin’s beasts were penned up. Elycia smiled. He was miffed about being yoked and hungry while they were eating already. She suspected it wasn’t the only reason the ox couldn’t wait to be on the other side of the walls. Her head swiveled, eyes peering into the woods, expecting to see the eyes out there again. But all she saw was blackness. Whatever had been tracking them was long gone, at least for now.
“You’re the Caller. You talk to him.” Jorel said as he nimbly slid off the cart and started to unhitch the cranky old beast.
“Don’t start with that Caller stuff again.”
“You prefer master? How about The Free-erer of the Lowly Slaves? Or…”
“I’m going, just shut up…” Thaniel raised his hands in surrender and headed for the door.
“Take
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