by M. L. Forman
“What?” Alex asked.
“I was just thinking, if you intend to stay in Jarro for a while, you might think of returning to Midland. Perhaps you could escort your friend Lupo to the oracle. I’m sure that would please him, and improve his chances of seeing the oracle,” Whalen said.
“That would make Lupo happy, and it would give me a chance to explain why I had to lie to him. That would make me feel better, I think,” Alex said.
“Yes, I’m sure that explaining things to Lupo would help you both,” Whalen replied, running his hand across his beard.
“There is much to be done, here and in other lands. If the sea elves are to become dark elves once more, and if Westland and Jarro are to be at peace, well . . .”
“There is indeed much to do,” Whalen said. “And many new adventures as well.”
“Oh, I still plan to go on adventures,” Alex said quickly. “I am an adventurer, after all.”
“And going on adventures isn’t an easy thing to give up,” Whalen added. “Not even for an old man like me.”
“You’re not that old,” Alex said, smiling at his friend.
Whalen laughed. “I hope I live long enough to hear the stories of your future adventures told.”
“Stories for another time,” Alex said as he and Whalen walked down the dock toward the city. “There will always be stories for another time.”
1. At the beginning of the story, Whalen Vankin appears and asks Alex several questions to make sure of his identity. If you and a friend were in a similar situation, what questions would your friend ask you?
2. When Alex first meets Joshua, he senses almost immediately that he can be trusted. When you meet someone for the first time, are you usually more cautious or do you trust people from the beginning?
3. During their voyages together, Alex notices Whalen is distracted at times, and Alex is concerned that Whalen is trying too hard to make sure his magic is hidden from Jabez. Have you ever had a problem that you’ve tried to hide from your friends? Have you ever had a friend try to hide a problem from you? How did that turn out?
4. To join the caravan, Whalen and Alex pretend to be merchants. If you were in their place, what part of being a merchant in a caravan would be interesting to you? What part would be boring?
5. When Lupo first challenges Alex to practice sword fighting with him, he’s confident that he’s better than a merchant’s apprentice and is surprised by Alex’s skill. What hidden talents or skills do you have? Are there specific skills that you wish you had?
6. In the cave of dreams, Alex sees several scenes that predict the future. If you were able to predict the future, would you rather see what would happen to you, to someone else, or to the world in general?
7. As a dragon lord, Alex has learned that dragons have a true name that holds great power, and so they only share it with those they absolutely trust. Does your given name have any significance? If you could pick another name to call yourself, what would it be?
8. After his battle with Zain, Alex finds himself facing the consequences of a true failure. What is his response? What should we do when we fail?
9. The Axe of Sundering is unique because it is made entirely by magic. If you had the power to create anything at all with magic, what would it be—and why?
M. L. Forman was born and raised in Utah and now resides in the foothills of the western Rockies. He tries to write as much as possible while still attending to his many other hobbies, such as fishing, camping, hiking, and almost anything that will allow him to enjoy the magic of nature. He is also the author of Slathbog’s Gold , The Horn of Moran , Albrek’s Tomb , and Sands of Nezza , the first four books in the Adventurers Wanted series.