She will definitely get horses. It’s just how many.
He heard footsteps approach the front door and walked quickly across. Lara must have noticed and followed along.
Beatrix opened the door and stepped inside, making an effort to lock the door properly.
“Ahh, you’re here,” she said when she noticed Vincent.
“Just waiting for the good news,” he said.
“I wasn’t so sure, and I even struggled at the beginning of that conversation. But the more I described, the more he came around. The gold was not as big a lure as you may think. We’re in quite a remote place here.”
“I know, but it never hurts. When someone does come here to trade, it sure does help make the most of it,” Vincent said.
“True. I’ve managed to secure three horses with saddlebags. You just need to go pick them up when you are ready to leave.”
“Fantastic! That’s plenty, we can figure that out. It might even make sense for Alyx to ride with someone anyway. She may not be strong enough to ride alone.”
“That’s a good idea,” Lara said.
“I need some information on the terrain ahead. What will we be riding into?”
“The trails become thinner and harder to navigate. The weather will be increasingly cold until you reach the snow. You need to be prepared for that.”
“Our destination is in the snow?” Vincent said. Beatrix paused before answering.
“My assumption is yes. We are well acquainted with the lands closer to home.”
“You’re still being evasive,” Lara said.
“I cannot say more. Follow the paths, and then the amulet will show you the way.”
“That’s what the other Healer told us.”
“I know. So, you will need lots of food supplies, as game to hunt, and foraging are slim pickings as you track north. Also, cold weather gear.”
“Makes sense,” Vincent said. He started making a mental checklist of the things he needed to procure.
“Why are they in such a remote location?” Lara said.
“You’ll have to ask them,” Beatrix said.
“They certainly don’t like attention,” Vincent said. He looked at Beatrix for any reaction and saw none.
“Well, thank you again for your assistance. Would it be unsafe to leave this afternoon?” Vincent said. Beatrix looked away, clearly concentrating on something else.
“I don’t travel north that frequently. I believe there will be places to camp overnight, and you shouldn’t be in the worst of the cold by then. I also believe that you can’t leave any earlier. It’s too risky, considering the injuries you have to contend with.”
“And if we are gone by nightfall, then hopefully those following us will realise and leave you all alone,” Lara said.
“That would be ideal. But don’t think that I am making the recommendation based on that alone. Considering your need to move forward, the opportunities for staying somewhere overnight and the risk to the village, it’s the best approach.”
“I agree. Lara, are you interested in helping me prepare?” Vincent said.
“Why not? Nothing to do here now.”
“Good. Let’s go directly.”
“You’ll find a trading store at the edge of town. They should have everything you need,” Beatrix said.
“Great, we will be back soon,” Vincent said. He opened the front door, and held it open for Lara. After she stepped through he followed behind, hearing the door lock behind him.
“She doesn’t feel safe,” Lara said.
“Can you blame her?”
“No, it’s quite a fair response. I don’t feel safe.”
“We’ll be fine.”
“You do seem to just take all this in your stride,” Lara said. She slowed down and Vincent drew alongside her.
“I’ve had many interesting life experiences. Plus, my father was an exceptional wizard. It wasn’t your usual upbringing.”
“It sounds like Alrion had quite the opposite. Was that on purpose?”
“Definitely. I wanted him to have the routine, a home of his own. A place to return to. Even if he never feels the need later in life.”
“I think you’ve done that. But don’t you think he needed to be introduced to the world? Considering the legacy of your family?” Lara said. Vincent stopped walking. He was surprised to hear her go down this line of discussion. But she seemed to have his son’s best interests at heart.
“Part of me was hoping he wouldn’t need that. So instead I focused on an upbringing that would be a good foundation for whatever he wanted to do. He’s learning about the world now, isn’t he?” Vincent said.
“He sure is. He sure is,” Lara said. Vincent let the comment go, not wishing to add more to that conversation. He sensed that Lara didn’t want to talk about her past, since she never brought it up. He’d have to ask Alrion about it one time. Maybe she had opened up to him.
“I’d say that’s the place over there,” he said, pointing into the distance. There was a well-built stone building with a peaked wooden roof. Large double doors dominated the front porch, although there were some leather goods piled outside as well.
“I’m really curious what they have here,” Lara said.
“It’s a remote community. They probably have everything,” Vincent said. He stepped up onto the porch, the wooden boards creaking as he put his weight down. He quickly glanced at the goods outside, and determined that they weren’t for sale. They were more weathered and not saleable.
At least I hope they’re not representative of what’s inside.
He pushed on one of the great doors and it gave way easily, offering up some warmth from inside. Vincent entered eagerly, keen to escape the cold.
It’s only going to get worse as we push further north, he thought. He waited for Lara to enter then closed the door. Looking around he saw a wide array of various goods. But what immediately drew his attention was the crackling fire at one end of the room. A withered old man sat there, reading a book in a comfortable cushioned chair.
“I think we will find what we need,” Lara said. Vincent agreed. There were racks of coats and jackets, boots, and even ropes and saddles.
“Looks like you’ve got everything for an expedition,” Vincent said as he approached the fire.
“Can’t be too prepared in these conditions. Nor can you let someone go out there unprepared. That’s akin to murder,” the old man said without looking up. He carefully pulled a red ribbon to save his place in the book and put it down.
“Haven’t seen you around these parts? Are you the visitors causing so much commotion?”
“We must be. I’m Vincent, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Weyland. And the lovely lady is?”
“Lara. Nice to meet you. Great place you have here.”
“Thank you. It has taken many years to build it up, but it has proven useful time and time again. I needed something to do when I was unable to keep exploring.”
“Have you ventured far north?” Vincent said.
“Aye. It’s a hard road if that’s what you’re thinking. Where are you going?”
“We’re looking for the Mystics.” Vincent carefully watched Weyland’s reaction. The old man raised an eyebrow.
“People do from time to time. Some return, others do not. I gave up trying to dissuade folk a while back.”
“Have you met them?” Lara said. Weyland was deep in thought.
“I believe one saved me, when I was younger and more foolish. There was no way I could have survived otherwise. I never did find where they live though. Very private and secretive bunch.”
“But you know they exist?”
“Of course. You come to understand that some things exist without having to see them yourself. There’s too many stories, too many coincidences and occurrences to believe otherwise.”
“Thanks for the information,” Lara said.
“You’ll need cold weather gear. And lots of food an
d water. Fire-starting gear as well.”
“What about this?” Lara pulled something off the wall. It was a long leather whip.
“That’s a quality whip, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you were proficient with wielding one. From the way you are holding it, I would assume you are not,” Weyland said.
“It’s for a friend.” Lara winked and Weyland nodded.
“Maybe you can recommend a full detail? Assume we have nothing. Well, we have three horses,” Vincent said.
“I bet I know which three they are too,” Weyland said, winking. “How many travelling?”
“Four.”
“Alright, I’ll write you a list but you can go pick it out. It’s too cold for me away from the fire,” Weyland said with a grin.
“Not a problem,” Vincent said. Weyland hauled himself up and trotted over to a nearby desk. He wrote up a list of items and handed it to Vincent before taking his place back by the fire.
“Looks fine. How much?” Vincent said.
“No charge. But I have a request.”
“Name it.”
“I want you to bring something back. That will be payment enough.”
“Something?”
“Anything.”
“That we can do. I’ll go assemble everything,” Vincent said.
“Call out if you need help, I’ll be here,” Weyland said. Vincent nodded and walked off.
Within an hour, he and Lara had arranged a neat pile next to the door. They had clothing, a few tools, and some dried food.
“Next, we need the horses,” Vincent said.
“Right. Lead the way,” Lara said.
“We’ll be back with the horses!” Vincent shouted. Weyland waved and returned to his book. Vincent opened the door, waited for Lara to leave, and followed close behind.
“Just up here,” Vincent said. He pointed to a set of buildings at the end of the road. As they approached a man stepped out.
“Ho there! Here for the horses?” he said.
“Yes.”
“They’re ready to go. Come with me,” the man said. He led them into the stables. Three horses were ready and saddled up. Two were brown and one was black. Vincent walked past, patting each one.
“You didn’t waste any time,” he said.
“I was informed that time was of the essence.”
“Absolutely. Thank you for your help. Let’s go Lara,” Vincent said. He mounted the horse and looked around.
“Don’t worry, here’s a lead. They’re used to working together,” the man said. Vincent accepted the lead and nudged his horse forward. The other brown one followed closely. Lara wasn’t far behind on the black horse.
Vincent took his time, navigating back to the street and taking care on the road. The horses seemed calm, which was reassuring. They would all be tested soon enough. They tied the horses up outside the store, and methodically packed as much as possible. Vincent donned his cold weather gear and stepped back to check it all.
“Looks good, you wear it well,” Lara said.
“Thanks. I’m curious to know how much mobility we get with this.”
“Enough. It would be harder without it if the cold gets much worse.”
“Very true. Suit up and we can join the others,” Vincent said. Lara threw on the extra layers, and helped Vincent pack the leftover gear. They took their time trotting down the street, not in a hurry. It was more important to build trust with the horses and not lose anything in the process.
Vincent tied up the horses outside Beatrix’s house, and they knocked on the door.
“Who is it?”
“Vincent.” The door opened promptly and Beatrix looked them over.
“You look ready. Come in.”
“The real question is, are they ready?” Vincent said. He stepped inside and strode directly into the other room. He saw Alrion and Alyx seated together on the couch.
“Ready to ride?” Vincent said.
“Not sure really. But we can try,” Alyx said.
“I should be fine,” Alrion said. He reached out and touched his leg.
“Eat and prepare yourselves properly. You can leave anytime today that suits,” Beatrix said.
“Especially the eat part. The food we are taking with us isn’t exactly gourmet,” Lara said. Alrion laughed.
“Sure, I’ll stock up,” he said, patting his belly.
Hours later they were on the horses and crossing the edge of town. A single path connected with the wilderness beyond. Vincent rode out front, Alrion and Alyx shared the black horse in the middle, and Lara rode the other brown horse bringing up the rear.
“Keep this formation, the path ahead looks narrow,” Vincent said.
“Sure,” Alrion said. Alyx was quiet.
“How’s the ride for you two?”
“It’s not too bad for me, just need to be careful with my leg. Alyx?” Alrion said.
“Not ideal, but it’s manageable. It should get easier as we progress.” Alyx reached down and pulled the whip out from the saddlebag. “What was the inspiration behind this?”
“I’m not sure, I just saw it and thought of you,” Lara said.
“Lucky for you I am not just a weapon master in name. It won’t be my preferred weapon, but you never know when you will need it. I think I’m fine to get started.” Alyx looked back at Vincent.
“Good. I’ll slowly increase the pace where possible. Everything fine back there Lara?”
“So far, so good,” she said loudly and clearly, Vincent nodded and focused on the path ahead. He had chosen to ride up front to shield them from any obstacles or attacks. He wanted Lara’s keen eyes watching the rear to see if they were being followed. They were approaching a rocky area, with the path seemingly carved between massive stones in places. The tight nature of the way forward made Vincent feel nervous. It was good that they could hold their own in tight quarters. However, he was concerned that they could easily be boxed in.
Just have to see how things go.
It was slow progress initially though. The path was strewn with smaller stones, which were enough to disrupt the horses. They had to pick a careful path through to not sustain any injuries.
At least this pace will help ease them into the ride, Vincent thought. He had no idea how far they had to travel, but he could tell it was a fair way. The fact that it was cold but not even close to snow was telling.
“Stop!” Lara yelled from behind. Vincent pulled up quickly and wheeled around. They hadn’t left the village limits that long ago, and already there was trouble. It was too narrow to track all the way back past Alrion and Alyx, so he settled for coming closer.
“We have trouble. I spotted a Tracker skulking in the rocks. It must be the one that got away,” Lara said.
“Is it still around?” Vincent said.
“No, it noticed me and took off. I think it just wanted to confirm our location.”
“Not again! This is ridiculous we can’t shake them,” Alrion said. He was starting to get worked up. Vincent had to defuse the situation.
“Clearly they are resorting to more manual methods of tracking because you’ve been containing your anger. Well done,” he said. Alrion looked up, a puzzled look on his face. Vincent looked over at Lara and caught her attention. He motioned towards Alrion with his head slightly.
“That’s a good point. And I have to admit that there’s only one path north. It wasn’t going to be difficult to pick up the trail, as annoying as that is,” Lara said.
“But that Tracker is only alive because of me. I didn’t finish it off,” Alrion said.
“Nothing wrong with that, son. This doesn’t change our plan or our approach. We just need to be mindful that we will be followed every step of the way,” Vincent said. He had hoped they were going to get a break, but it just wasn’t going to happen. Suddenly Alrion clutched his head. Alyx did the same.
“What’s happening?” Vincent said. He jumped off his horse and ran over. Alrion and Alyx were slumped over
in the saddle. Vincent supported them both with his hands to make sure they didn’t fall off.
What is this?
He had a terrible feeling. Alrion sat up again quickly, almost toppling off the horse. Vincent saw Alyx stirring and managed to switch focus to stabilising her.
“You’re back with us?” Vincent said. He noticed Lara had joined him. She looked very concerned.
“I don’t understand what happened exactly, but we just received a very clear message. It must have been from a Tracker.” Alrion looked right at Vincent.
“What was it?”
“Celes is coming,” Alrion said. Vincent was momentarily stunned. Then he started laughing.
“There’s no stopping your mother is there?” he said.
“I guess not. I wonder where she is? And how did she even send that message?”
“If you think a Tracker sent it, there’s your answer,” Lara said.
“We can’t rely on that. I need to go back and leave a message,” Vincent said.
“We will wait for you,” Alrion said.
“No, keep pushing. It’s too risky otherwise. I’ll catch up, and hopefully your mother will be not too far behind.”
“I agree. Don’t worry Alrion I still have this,” Alyx said. She patted the crossbow hanging off the side of the saddle. “And at a pinch this lovely new gift you gave me.” Alyx grabbed the whip now hanging off her belt.
“And I still have these,” Lara said, twirling her daggers. Alrion sighed.
“Please hurry back,” he said. He looked worried.
“Of course. You won’t even know I’m gone,” Vincent said. He put a hand on Alrion’s shoulder and looked him in the eye.
Be safe.
Vincent carefully led the horse through and remounted once he was behind the rest. With one look back, he spurred the horse into action.
I have no idea what I’m riding into. But there’s too much happening to not leave something for Celes. If she makes it this far, it will be very dangerous to continue, he thought. He admired his wife, and was constantly surprised by her. But this was a very dangerous situation to be wading into. Vincent pushed the horse to go even faster.
Spark of Truth (The Hidden Wizard Book 3) Page 15