plants that usually thrive on the plains. Small insects buzzed around their ears, and mist rose around them.
When the city wall was nearly imperceptible as a structure, they stopped.
“To go farther is too dangerous,” Si Kon said. “Soro believes the esca lizards only inhabit the center portion of the swamp, but that is speculation.”
Carliss searched the ground for the flower that had been pictured in Petolemew’s book, but to no avail. She knew they were only on the very fringes of the swamp, for it spanned a great distance before them.
“I have to go farther,” she told Si Kon.
“What good will it benefit Dalton if you die too?” he argued. “Besides, it’s getting dark. Why don’t we return and form a plan with the rest of the Followers. Tomorrow we will find your flower… if it exists.”
Carliss could hardly bear to turn back. She had to see more. Maybe the flower was just a little farther, and she could be on her way back to Dalton by morning. She sheathed her sword and drew an arrow from her quiver instead, then set the nock in the string of her bow.
“I will keep sight of you, and you keep sight of the wall. I’m going in deeper.”
“They have already gathered at my home by now, and they will be wondering where we are,” Si Kon protested. “Surely Salina is waiting as well.”
Carliss just looked at Si Kon, and he yielded his protest. She considered telling Ganoaf to stay with Si Kon but realized it would be pointless. He was as stubborn as she. Fear showed on his face, but it still was not enough to make him leave her side. Together they traveled deeper into the swamp.
Carliss couldn’t deny the apprehension that was rising up within her, but Ganoaf’s presence helped. She glanced back toward Si Kon every few steps, pausing first to listen for the esca lizards, then to search for the flower. They couldn’t travel as far as they had on their first leg because Si Kon was more difficult to spot than the forty-foot wall of the city, especially with dusk falling and tree branches obscuring the view. The boggy ground became harder to navigate the farther they went, and soon Carliss was stepping gingerly from root to stone to avoid having her feet soaked.
When Si Kon had all but disappeared from her view, Carliss stopped. Ganoaf’s eyes were open wide with fear as he searched the darkening terrain for some horrible monster that would pounce upon them. Carliss touched his arm, and he looked at her with wild eyes. Her gesture seemed to calm him some, and Carliss realized that being strong for Ganoaf helped her be strong for herself.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something move. She snapped her head to the left and stared at the trees there. All was still. The sounds of croaking toads mixed with the hoot of an owl sent shivers up her spine. Carliss’s heart began to race, and she forced herself to calm down. Ganoaf picked up on her apprehension and began to fidget.
Swish!
Something rustled behind them, and they both jerked about, but all was still once again. Carliss gripped her bow tightly.
“Si Kon!” The faint but panicked cry of a young voice reached them in the darkness of the swamp.
“Si Kon!” The call came again.
“Let’s go, Ganoaf,” Carliss said. They quickly backtracked toward Si Kon.
“It’s Akiyma,” Si Kon said when they reached him. Lines of worry creased his brow.
They hurried back to the bridge to find Akiyma on the far side, waving for them to hurry. They quickly mounted and rode across to meet him. The boy was clearly distraught.
“Master,” he exclaimed, “your house is on fire!”
Si Kon waited for nothing. He spurred his horse and bolted off toward the city wall. Carliss put a hand down for Akiyma to grab and lifted him onto Rindy behind her. She and Ganoaf followed Si Kon in an urgent race through the gathering darkness.
They arrived shortly behind Si Kon to discover that the entire structure was ablaze. Si Kon’s family and the
When the city wall was nearly imperceptible as a structure, they stopped.
“To go farther is too dangerous,” Si Kon said. “Soro believes the esca lizards only inhabit the center portion of the swamp, but that is speculation.”
Carliss searched the ground for the flower that had been pictured in Petolemew’s book, but to no avail. She knew they were only on the very fringes of the swamp, for it spanned a great distance before them.
“I have to go farther,” she told Si Kon.
“What good will it benefit Dalton if you die too?” he argued. “Besides, it’s getting dark. Why don’t we return and form a plan with the rest of the Followers. Tomorrow we will find your flower… if it exists.”
Carliss could hardly bear to turn back. She had to see more. Maybe the flower was just a little farther, and she could be on her way back to Dalton by morning. She sheathed her sword and drew an arrow from her quiver instead, then set the nock in the string of her bow.
“I will keep sight of you, and you keep sight of the wall. I’m going in deeper.”
“They have already gathered at my home by now, and they will be wondering where we are,” Si Kon protested. “Surely Salina is waiting as well.”
Carliss just looked at Si Kon, and he yielded his protest. She considered telling Ganoaf to stay with Si Kon but realized it would be pointless. He was as stubborn as she. Fear showed on his face, but it still was not enough to make him leave her side. Together they traveled deeper into the swamp.
Carliss couldn’t deny the apprehension that was rising up within her, but Ganoaf’s presence helped. She glanced back toward Si Kon every few steps, pausing first to listen for the esca lizards, then to search for the flower. They couldn’t travel as far as they had on their first leg because Si Kon was more difficult to spot than the forty-foot wall of the city, especially with dusk falling and tree branches obscuring the view. The boggy ground became harder to navigate the farther they went, and soon Carliss was stepping gingerly from root to stone to avoid having her feet soaked.
When Si Kon had all but disappeared from her view, Carliss stopped. Ganoaf’s eyes were open wide with fear as he searched the darkening terrain for some horrible monster that would pounce upon them. Carliss touched his arm, and he looked at her with wild eyes. Her gesture seemed to calm him some, and Carliss realized that being strong for Ganoaf helped her be strong for herself.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something move. She snapped her head to the left and stared at the trees there. All was still. The sounds of croaking toads mixed with the hoot of an owl sent shivers up her spine. Carliss’s heart began to race, and she forced herself to calm down. Ganoaf picked up on her apprehension and began to fidget.
Swish!
Something rustled behind them, and they both jerked about, but all was still once again. Carliss gripped her bow tightly.
“Si Kon!” The faint but panicked cry of a young voice reached them in the darkness of the swamp.
“Si Kon!” The call came again.
“Let’s go, Ganoaf,” Carliss said. They quickly backtracked toward Si Kon.
“It’s Akiyma,” Si Kon said when they reached him. Lines of worry creased his brow.
They hurried back to the bridge to find Akiyma on the far side, waving for them to hurry. They quickly mounted and rode across to meet him. The boy was clearly distraught.
“Master,” he exclaimed, “your house is on fire!”
Si Kon waited for nothing. He spurred his horse and bolted off toward the city wall. Carliss put a hand down for Akiyma to grab and lifted him onto Rindy behind her. She and Ganoaf followed Si Kon in an urgent race through the gathering darkness.
They arrived shortly behind Si Kon to discover that the entire structure was ablaze. Si Kon’s family and the
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