The following day they started out as soon as they could make out the forest which was now quiet except for the odd call from a bird.
Shortly after they had stopped for some lunch, they came across a narrow track which had come from the south and turned east to run alongside the forest. “This should make our journey easier,” Poriya said.
“It’s well worn. I wonder who uses it?” Tallia said.
“No idea, travellers and merchants I guess.”
“Let's hope it takes us directly to Darkedge,” Jeb said.
The path followed in the right direction for the rest of the day. As the forest slowly disappeared in the dark, they stopped to make camp by the side of the track.
By morning they were engulfed in a thick grey fog stopping them from seeing more than ten arm lengths in any direction. Not being able to see the sun or the forest they were disoriented and it wasn’t until Jeb found one of his footprints on the track they knew which way to travel.
It was very slow going, and they walked in silence trying to peer through the fog looking for shadows of anything laying in wait and for the shadow of the forest which would mean they are getting too close.
The fog stayed with them all day, and as the light began to fail, they stopped to make camp. Jeb and Poriya scouted around the ground close by and kept Tallia within sight but were unable to find anything suitable for burning. Eventually, having to give up and settle for no fire that night.
The fog muffled the sounds coming from the forest and made them sound even more eerie. It also made it impossible to tell if they were closer or further away from the forest edge.
It was decided that they would do double watches and only one would sleep at a time. While Poriya and Tallia were on watch, Tallia got a feeling that something was close. She was just about to say something when they both heard a twig break close by. “Jeb,” shouted Tallia as Poriya jumped to his feet.
Jeb was up and his bow in his hand with an arrow ready in an instant. They heard a rustling noise and Jeb fired his arrow. There was a brief high pitched squeak and then silence. Poriya edged forward slowly with his sword raised.
“How on earth did you do that?” he said and came walking back with a rabbit with Jeb’s arrow right through the middle of it.
“Aw, the poor rabbit,” Tallia said.
“That’s it? Aw the poor rabbit? Your boyfriend here just hit this by listening alone. No one can do that. He’s more than an archer he is an arrow wizard or something.”
Jeb was beaming with pride.
“Oh, yes, of course, well-done Jeb,” Tallia said.
“Well done? Is that it? Oh I give up. Come on lad is there something your not telling us? You got some sort of magic powers?”
“Er no. Arrows just seem to go where I want them to go.”
“Just seem to go? Really? You know I am starting to feel you two don’t need me at all.”
“Don’t be silly Poriya of course we do,” Tallia said. “You are one of us. And even if we didn’t need you we want you with us. Don’t we Jeb?”
“Yes, yes, wouldn’t be the same without you. In any case, I am rubbish with a sword. Don’t even have one.”
Poriya looked at them deadpan and said, “I was joking. You two pups would get lost after three steps if I wasn’t here.” He winked at them, and they all laughed.
“Tallia you get your head down now it’s not going to be long before light,” Poriya said.
He was right, it wasn’t very long before the sun started to rise and with it the fog lifted. They could see they had not gone too much closer to the forest and as they started off again it soon started to curve gently round towards the forest.
“That was lucky,” Poriya said. “If we had moved a bit faster yesterday we could have found ourselves camped right on the edge.”
“It would have been okay,” Tallia said. “Jeb would have shot everything with his eyes closed.”
Jeb began fiddling with his quivers and then said, “I’m not sure if I have enough arrows for a whole forest.”
Poriya laughed so hard he collapsed on the ground and rolled around which made Tallia laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Jeb said not sure if he should be flattered or offended.
Poriya got his breath and said, “I’m not sure what’s funnier? That you think she was serious or that you completely missed a big compliment,” and began laughing even harder.
Jeb felt very silly and embarrassed. “Oh, I see.”
“Pay him no attention Jeb,” Tallia said as she put her arm around him, “I love you for your innocence.” She kissed his cheek.
Jeb’s heart fluttered and filled to bursting point. He had never felt so happy in all his life. She said she loves me he thought.
As the sun was close to setting the following day, they heard a young girl calling out. “Help, help me. I’m trapped.”
Jeb immediately began running towards the voice and the forest.
“Jeb stop,” Poriya shouted.
Jeb stopped dead and looked back at him. “But did you not hear her, she is trapped and needs our help.” He turned and started running again.
“Jeb No,” Tallia screamed.
Jeb stopped and turned again wondering why.
“Do you not remember what Halthor said. He warned us.”
“But what if it really is someone who needs our help?”
“And what if it’s not?” Poriya said.
Jeb stood and looked to the forest. “Please help,” the voice shouted. “Please, they are going to eat me.”
Jeb didn’t know what to do. He wanted to go and help but couldn’t be sure if it was a trap or not. “What do I do Tallia? We can’t leave them if they are really in trouble.”
“Oh, Jeb you’re such a good person. But we can’t risk it.”
“Can you not hear their thoughts?”
“Oh, yes, maybe, I hadn’t thought.” Tallia closed her eyes and concentrated hard. She didn’t know if she could do this from such a distance.
“Please, help, help me, quickly,” the voice called.
Tallia snapped her eyes open. “I have no idea what that is, but it’s not human.” She shuddered. “And it’s evil. Jeb come back here quickly, please.”
Jeb’s bravery and compassion left him rapidly to be filled with fear at that word, evil. He hurried back to them and the three moved on quickly.
Chapter XIII
Early the following day after Jeb had a sleepless night still brooding over his close call with the voice calling for help, they walked into Darkedge a large sprawling town to the southeast of the Lost Forest.
They walked through what looked like to them the main road which they hoped would lead them to the centre of the town passing many narrower side streets and dark looking passageways.
There weren’t many people around who disappeared into their houses before they got to them. “Don’t seem to be very friendly here,” Poriya commented.
“Maybe they don’t get many strangers here and are fearful,” Tallia said.
“Or something else is going on.”
As they walked further into the town, the street started to get busier, and some just hurried passed them with their heads down rather than hide in a house.
In the entrance to a passageway, a beggar was sitting with a tattered old box in front of him that contained just a few coins. Poriya approached him and asked, “Can you direct us to an inn friend?”
The beggar looked up at Poriya and considered him for a moment. “You not been here before have you not?”
“No that’s why I am asking for directions.”
“Asking for directions. That’s information that is.”
“I suppose it is.”
“I would say you never been north of the crack either have you not?”
“You’re a very observant man sir. No, we haven’t.”
“Didn’t think so. I can tell these things.”
“So can you tell me where we can find an inn.
”
The beggar stared at him and raised one eyebrow but said nothing.
Poriya tutted and said, “Guess not then.” He turned and went to walk on. Tallia put a hand on his shoulder to stop him and spoke to the beggar. “Sir, you are correct this is our first time north of the crack, we have been walking for many days and need a soft bed, food, and drink. Please, can you help us?”
The beggar stared at her for a moment or two then said, “Seems you are from the south. I will give you one piece of information for free.”
Tallia looked at him quizzically.
“In the north information costs.” He looked down at his tatty box.
“Oh, I see.” She took a coin from a hidden pocket and offered it to the beggar.
He smiled a toothless grin and said, “carry on along this street until you get to a street on the left, take that and you will find The Lost Ape Inn.” Tallia thanked him, and they continued along the street as instructed.
They soon found the inn, and as they opened the door, the smell of wood smoke and stale ale filled their noses. It was a dark room, and the burning lanterns on the walls didn’t shed much light being old and black with soot.
The place was empty except for a hooded figure sitting on a stool by the bar hunched over it. As they walked up to the bar, the figure didn’t move.
The door behind the bar opened and a man dressed in a red tunic, that was a little too small for his portly belly, over a grey shirt. He had a round jolly face with a couple of days beard growth. “Good day to you all and welcome. How may I serve you today?”
“We need three rooms for a few days,” Poriya said.
“Very good, I have three excellent rooms for you, you will be most happy with them.”
“I’m sure,” Poriya said. “How much?”
“Oh very cheap, very cheap indeed.”
“That’s good. How much is cheap.”
“Just 30 coins, very cheap.”
“30 is not cheap for three rooms my friend.”
“Oh no, not for just the room kind sir. It is for full board. 30 coins include three meals as well, very good meals, very nice meals, my wife is the best cook in Darkedge, ask anyone.”
“Drinks?”
“No, drinks not included.”
Poriya turned to leave.
“Okay, okay, you're making me poor. One drink with each meal.”
Poriya turned and nodded. He pulled out his coin sack and paid him.
“Please follow me I will take you to your rooms. My name is Tov I am most pleased to serve you.”
“Poriya,” Poriya said.
“Jeb,” Jeb said.
“I am Tallia, Tov. Pleased to meet you.”
Tov smiled at Tallia.
After they had put their packs in their rooms above the bar and tested the bed to ensure it was soft, they met downstairs in the bar. The hooded figure was still sitting at one end of the bar and hadn’t appeared to have moved.
“If you would like to choose a table, Tog, my wife, will bring you your food,” Tov said.
They sat around a nearby table and Tov brought over three mugs of ale. Before Poriya realised and could say anything Tov had disappeared out the back of the bar. “Exactly how old are you two?”
“I will be thirteen in three days,” Jeb said.
“Near enough, I suppose,” Poriya said and looked at Tallia.
“Today,” she said and looked bashfully at him.
Jeb slapped his hand over his mouth. He had completely forgotten it was Tallia’s coming of age day. He suddenly jumped up and rushed out of the room towards their rooms.
“Oh, you should have said before,” Poriya said. “Sorry haven’t got you anything.”
Tallia smiled, “Don’t worry Poriya. I had, kind of, forgot about it, more worried about my quest.”
“You don’t just forget about coming of age.”
“Yeah okay your right, just didn’t want a fuss and wanted to get on with finding this woman.”
“Well happy coming of age day. Enjoy your first taste of ale.”
“Oh I already know what it tastes like,” she said and grinned.
“Of course you do. Does your mother know?”
Tallia shook her head rapidly, and Poriya laughed.
Jeb came rushing back into the room and as he sat down placed a neatly wrapped small package on the table in front of Tallia. “Happy coming of age day.”
Tallia’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, Jeb. I wasn’t expecting anything.”
“I got it the day before we left. I hope you like it.”
Tallia carefully untied the string around it and unwrapped the cloth. It was a small dagger with a carved bone handle in a leather sheath with short leather ties.
“It’s beautiful Jeb, thank you so much.”
“It’s meant to tie around your leg or arm under your clothes, so no one knows you are armed,” he said excitedly.
“How clever. Thank you ever so much.”
Tallia withdrew the dagger from the sheath. It was made of shining metal and looked very sharp. “Oh, Jeb this is wonderful.” She leaned over and kissed Jeb on the cheek. He went bright red and grinned profusely.
“May I see?” Poriya said.
“Yes please do,” Tallia said and passed it over to him.
He examined it closely and then handed it back saying, “It’s very well made and surprising light. An excellent gift for someone on a quest.” He winked at Jeb who beamed with pride at his choice of gift.
Tog, Tav’s wife, came out with three plates of food and placed them on the table. Tallia slipped her new dagger off the table and into her lap, so she didn’t see it and winked at Jeb who smiled.
The meal consisted of potatoes in an orange looking thick paste and a dozen small fried fish.
Jeb took a spoon full of potatoes and shovelled it into his mouth quickly swallowing it after a cursory chew. “Arrrgh, it’s burning,” he said and grabbed his ale taking a long drink.
Tallia wrinkled her forehead and said, “It doesn’t look that hot.”
Tog laughed. “No dear it’s spicy, not hot.”
“Spicy?”
“Yes have you not had spicy food?”
“Um no, I don’t think so.”
“Try some, but not as much as your friend here.”
Tallia put a little in her mouth carefully, and her eyes widened as the spices started to tingle her mouth.
Tog laughed, “You’ll get used to it quickly enough then you won’t be able to get enough. Very good for you too.”
Poriya was watching all this closely and finally tried a small morsel himself. A surprised look crossed his face, and then he tucked into it apparently loving this new exciting taste.
Tog laughed again and walked off back to her kitchen.
Jeb tried again but with not quite so much on his spoon. “Mmm actually,” he mumbled with his mouth full. “This is pretty good.”
Having eaten and asking Tov for directions, they left the inn in search of the market square. A short walk along the narrow street it opened up into a large square full of brightly coloured stalls. Among the expected stalls selling food were stalls selling furniture and wooden carvings of animals and beasts, many of which the three of them had no idea what they were.
Having paused to look at a stall selling trinkets made of wood and leather Tallia hung back as Jeb and Poriya walked on to buy a leather bracelet for Jeb’s coming of age day.
They asked some of the stall holders if they had heard of Amalia Beastwalker, but no one had or of anyone living in the northern mountains. Several told them that visiting the mountains was certain death and must never go there.
Chapter XIV
Returning to the inn the hooded figure was still in exactly the same place as when they left, and Poriya thought that he really must ask Tov about them as they never seem to move.
They sat around the table to wait for their evening meal with a tankard of ale each. All three leapt up in sur
prise as an ape suddenly landed in the middle of their table and sat down.
“Calm down, calm down,” said Tov from behind the bar. “It’s not dangerous, won’t harm you.”
“What is it?” Tallia asked
Tov laughed. “It’s called an ape or in this case the lost ape.”
“Why lost ape?” Jeb asked.
“Don’t know really, we found it living here when we moved in. We think it comes from the forest but refuses to return. Seems to like it here and the locals don’t mind.”
“So lost as in the lost forest and not lost its way?” Tallia said.
Tov laughed again. “Probably both, who knows.”
“Are there lots of these around here?”
“No, she is the only one I have ever seen. Bit of a mystery really.”
They carefully sat down again with the ape still sat in the middle of the table. She moved to sit directly in front of Tallia who tried to remain calm as it’s dark orange eyes studied Tallia’s face.
“Hello,” Tallia said
Hello thought the ape which Tallia heard quite clearly in her head.
Tallia’s eyes flew open wide and surprise crossed her face. “You can understand me?”
The apes face scowled at her and thought can you hear me?
“Yes, I can.”
No one has ever done that before.
“I can hear peoples thoughts as well.”
Poriya leant over and whispered to Tallia, “Are you talking to it?”
The ape turned to look at him and Poriya pulled back away from it.
“Yes,” Tallia said.
“Tov is looking over here wondering what’s going on. Best you don’t, we don’t want people knowing,” he whispered.
“Oh yes, okay.”
Who is he? Is he your father? the ape thought.
“No,” Tallia whispered trying not to move her mouth. “I can’t talk now.”
Why not?
“Later, in private, I promise,” she whispered and glanced over her shoulder at the bar and Tov who was wiping the bar with a cloth slowly while trying to listen in on their conversation.
Zantalth: The magic is returning Page 10