Nicholas and Leo glanced at one another as they gathered their things, grinning at Hobin’s good-natured marching orders.
“Hmmm. Emma from Lake Lily,” Leo curiously commented as he eased his pack onto his shoulders. “I’ll bet he’s told Frank and Gus stories about her.”
Nicholas chuckled as he walked past him. “Maybe. But you heard the man. Get a move on.”
Shortly after noontime the trees began to thin out. The sweet fragrance of wood smoke lingered upon a breeze stirring beneath the cobalt blue sky. And like the parting of heavy drapes in front of a sunny window, the trees in this section of the Dunn Hills opened up around the trio of exhausted hikers, revealing the glittering blue waters on the eastern tip of Beetle Lake. The rooftops of several small houses and shops in the nearest village were visible a half mile away as a haze of blue-gray smoke issued from their stone chimneys. About that same distance farther east of the lake stood Gray Hawk Mountain, covered with leafless trees and towering pines as it watched over its watery companion. Nicholas stopped and let his backpack fall from his shoulders, closing his eyes and deeply inhaling the fresh lake air. He was astounded that he had made it this far, suddenly feeling the many miles that had piled up underfoot.
“This was definitely worth the sore feet and pulled muscles,” Leo said, also taking in the view with awestruck wonder. The sun drifted across the sky behind them, reflecting upon the water’s wavy surface in a glittering dance.
“Didn’t I tell you?” Hobin replied, enjoying the vista himself which he hadn’t experienced in many years. “But just wait until you see the view from atop Gray Hawk. You won’t want to leave.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Nicholas said.
They headed into the nearby village of Pomeroy to buy provisions for the rest of their journey, happy to see some new faces after five days in the wild. Hobin ran into a few people he hadn’t seen in years and quickly caught up on the latest in the area which hadn’t changed all that much since his last visit. And despite his earlier refusal, Hobin carved out half an hour in their schedule for a bowl of beef stew and a cup of ale at a local eatery on the lakeshore.
An hour later the trio was back in the woods, scaling the western slope of Gray Hawk Mountain as if their brief excursion into Pomeroy had been an illusion. The blur of miles over the past five days had again taken root in their minds, and coupled with the heavier packs now loaded with new supplies, the journey to Wolf Lake seemed as if it would never end. As the climb to the summit eventually passed the three-hour mark that Hobin had earlier estimated, slowly turning into four, both Nicholas and Leo wondered if this detour was such a good idea after all.
“Perhaps we should have just hiked on and avoided this climb altogether,” Nicholas said, the growing frustration evident in his voice. “I am so getting tired of seeing a tree in front of my face every second of the day, one after another after another.”
Leo silently agreed, too tired to utter a complaint.
“You didn’t think I steered you wrong when you admitted how beautiful Beetle Lake was when you first saw it,” Hobin said as he continued to lead the way to the top.
“I didn’t,” Nicholas muttered, his head down low. He clambered up a steep incline littered with small rocks embedded among a thicket of scraggly trees which he grabbed onto for support. Leo followed closely behind.
“Then you’ll be twice as happy when I show you this.”
“Show me what?”
Nicholas looked up, pausing in his last few steps before he reached the top of the slope. His face was sweaty and streaked with dirt. He could barely catch a breath. Leo’s condition appeared much the same. Hobin stood above them both, grinning knowingly.
“Show you this!” he shouted, sporting a lively grin while extending an arm through the air. “We’re here.”
“We are?” Leo uttered, his eyes open wide with gratitude.
Hobin urged them forward until Nicholas and Leo completed the last few grueling steps and clambered to the top. At last they were able to stand up straight and feel a cold breeze upon their faces, feeling for a moment as if they had already completed their journey. The top of Gray Hawk was composed primarily of stone and hard patches of moss and lichen. A few stunted trees and some straggly shrubs managed to sprout up here and there on the summit.
Nicholas inhaled the cool, crisp air as if drinking the finest ale he had ever tasted. He set his pack down and walked toward the center of the rocky summit, and then slowly turned around to take in the glorious panoramic view of the surrounding mountains, trees and lakes, basking in silent awe. To the west lay the blue expanse of Beetle Lake, sitting like a brilliant gemstone among a cushion of green velvet. The Five Brothers stood proudly in a line to the northwest, the tip of each mountaintop sun-splashed and wind-burned as they kept their silent watch. The vague outlines of more distant mountains were visible here and there among a sea of trees that made up the majority of Nicholas’ view. But as he turned, scanning from the northeast to the east, he noted a stretch of pale and hazy blue beyond the greens and browns of the woodland, knowing that the Trillium Sea lay in that direction. As he remembered walking along its cold and lonely shoreline while attempting to rescue Ivy, a tinge of melancholy infused his heart while he imagined the massive body of water separating him from one so dear.
“I take back every unspoken curse that passed through my mind on our way up here,” Leo said, standing with his arms akimbo and gazing across the sun-soaked horizon. “The view is amazing, don’t you think, Nicholas?”
He turned to Leo when hearing his voice upon the edge of his drifting thoughts. “Yes, it is.”
“There are the Five Brothers.” Hobin delightfully pointed out the range of mountaintops as if he had created them himself. “We’ll make our way between the farthest two mountains on the right which will lead us directly to Wolf Lake. You can see parts of that body of water between the peaks.” He removed another map from his pack and carefully spread it open upon the ground so the constant gusts of wind wouldn’t rip it from his hands and carry it away. This particular map depicted the exact same view they were now observing.
“Your lines are incredibly accurate now that I can compare them to the real thing,” Leo said as he looked over his shoulder. “How long does it take you to draw a map?”
“Hours upon hours,” Hobin replied, “which then add up to days upon days. But I enjoy doing it. I always make detailed sketches atop each mountain I climb to aid me in my work, but there’s no time for that today. I just wanted to show you some of the results of my years of travel through the Dunn Hills.”
“You should be proud,” Nicholas said. “If you show your work to King Justin, I have no doubt that he would have his royal scribes create copies for the Citadel library and perhaps hire you to create maps of Arrondale.”
“I would seriously consider that,” he replied, putting the map away. “After I guide Leo back to your capital, I’ll be happy to speak to the King if he’ll grant me an audience.”
“King Justin met with the likes of Nicholas and me, so I’m sure he’d be delighted to talk about mapmaking with you,” Leo said. “He’s quite an amiable fellow for a king–not that I’ve met any others, mind you. I think you two would get along just fine.”
“Then I look forward to it. Now we must be off this mountain before darkness settles in,” he said.
“Or bad weather approaches,” Nicholas added, pointing out a section in the far western sky. A distant bank of ashen clouds was slowly drifting their way, its forward edges brushed with sunlight. “Rain tonight?”
“Or maybe snow,” Hobin commented. “The weather can be very fickle in these parts. But we’ll get what we get in spite of our wishes or complaints. Let’s go.”
They hiked down Gray Hawk Mountain, happy with a quicker descent after the grueling climb up. Even though they planned to travel to the northwest to reach two of the Five Brothers, they stayed on the western slope for a time as it was the easie
r course. Hobin told Nicholas and Leo that their next climb would seem much less difficult now that they had the first one under their belts.
“Next climb?” Leo asked. “First let me recover from this.”
“It won’t be during this journey, though I wish I had time to take you up one of the Five Brothers,” Hobin replied. “That would be a sight worth seeing. But if ever I’m in Arrondale surveying for the King, I could always use a few reliable assistants. Something to think about, especially if the pay is good.”
“I might take you up on your offer,” Nicholas said. “It’d be fun to take a break from working as a bookkeeper in Ned Adams’ gristmill–that is, if I ever get my old job back.”
“You will,” Leo assured him. “Once Ned and the others learn what Carmella told us about the murder, they’ll realize you’re innocent. And it might be fun helping Hobin map parts of Arrondale. A break from selling apples would be nice. It’s about time my brother picked up some of the slack and learned the business.”
“Kind of like he is now?” Nicholas asked with a smirk.
“I hope so,” he replied.
“You two can mull it over,” Hobin said as he eased his way down a stony slope covered by a blanket of decaying leaves that crunched underfoot.
“Do you think your father would mind you taking time off from the family business?” Nicholas asked Leo.
“I don’t see why not. It’d only be temporary. I still want to cultivate my own orchards. What worries me is how Megan would react!”
“Good point,” Hobin replied. “Until you settle any matter with the woman in your life, then it’s simply not settled.”
“And would that advice come from your past relationship with Emma?” Leo playfully inquired. “You can tell us.”
“From that and commonsense.”
“I’m sorry things didn’t work out between the two of you,” Nicholas said.
“Things were working out between us just fine,” Hobin remarked, his eyes fixed on the ground ahead as it slowly leveled out.
“Oh? I just assumed that something happened between the two of you. Something that hadn’t been settled, as you put it.”
“That probably would have been best, Nicholas, parting on a point of contention. But fate had another surprise in store for us.” He slowed down as he approached a quartet of tall pines among a swath of maple trees. A gurgling stream flowed behind them over a series of mossy rocks.
“What happened?” Nicholas asked, assuming that Hobin had stopped to tell them his life’s story. He and Leo gazed at him in eager anticipation of a narrative both heartfelt and tumultuous.
Hobin shook his head as he ground the tip of his boot into the soil. “As I told you boys, I have no intention of telling you anything more about Emma and me. So don’t take this as a personal insult because it’s not, but–it’s just not any of your business.”
“Got it,” Leo said. “So then why are we stopping here?”
“Because it’s time to change course. I just want to get my bearings first.”
Nicholas nodded. “Right. That makes sense. Verify directions. No talk of Emma.”
“Now you’re catching on,” Hobin said, slapping him on the shoulder. He pointed beyond the pines to the northwest. “Now our path takes us that way. We’re more than halfway down Gray Hawk, and as the terrain has leveled out, we can make our turn toward the Five Brothers. We’ll head for the narrow valley between the last two mountains on the east end of the chain.” He looked up at the dimming patch of blue among the treetops. “No clouds yet, but the light is fading. Let’s travel for another hour if we can, then we’ll camp for the night. With luck, we’ll be passing between the mountains in about a day and a half.”
“If exhaustion doesn’t kill us first,” Leo muttered. “I’m starting to feel like I’m in the Cashua Forest again. And let me tell you, I didn’t like it much the first time.”
“But you didn’t have an expert guide like me with you then. That would have made all the difference.”
They made camp in the deepening twilight, and after a brief meal around a crackling fire, they were soon fast asleep. The trio awoke the next day to dreary, leaden skies. The air felt colder and sharper. Occasionally light snow flurries would dance upon the air between the creaking trees. Their sixth day of hiking through the woods passed uneventfully, and by nightfall, once again exhausted and bleary-eyed, they made camp and built a fire before enjoying a meal of venison, potatoes and hot tea. It tasted like a feast.
“By this time tomorrow, or nearly so, we will have passed between two of the Brothers depending on our pace,” Hobin said.
“And once we’re through?” Leo asked.
“Then it’s less than a day’s journey to Wolf Lake where you can consult with your wizard friend, assuming he’s still living there.” Hobin looked up, his face reflecting the wavering flames. “But you’d better be prepared for the possibility that he’s not. Be ready for bitter disappointment. You were given no guarantees.”
“We’re not even sure that Frist is alive,” Nicholas said. “Tolapari hadn’t seen him in years. This could all be for nothing.”
“Then definitely don’t get your hopes up,” Hobin uttered as he finished his meal. “You’ll only fall that much harder afterward.”
They turned in soon after darkness. The clouds that had plagued them throughout the day continued to sail slowly overhead, obscuring the stars and the black, moonless sky. The orange-red glow from the fire cast dancing shadows upon the tree trunks and branches, sputtering and popping throughout the chilly night until it slowly consumed its fuel and reduced itself to glowing, hot coals. An owl called in the night as a small herd of deer weaved quietly through the distant trees.
Hobin opened his eyes to blackness, startled awake. The cold, clammy air felt oppressive as he wavered between consciousness and the remnants of a pleasant dream on the shores of Lake Lily. Then he heard it, the softest of sounds, as if the sole of a boot were carefully pressing down upon a patch of frosted and decaying leaves. He raised his head, detecting the movement of murky silhouettes near where they had stored their packs. He opened his eyes wider, trying to separate reality from imagination. As his vision slowly adjusted to the darkness, he noted the faint glow of the Bear Moon, not yet at third quarter, buried behind thick clouds high above. It provided just enough light to help him realize that the shifting shadows were the outlines of two people and not remnants of lingering sleep. He sat up, realizing they were about to be robbed–or worse.
He threw off his blanket and sprang to his feet, emitting a bloodcurdling call that instantly awoke Nicholas and Leo. The mysterious intruders spun around and unsheathed metal daggers in the darkness. Hobin did likewise as Nicholas and Leo sat up, each ripped from a deep sleep while still swimming in a fog of confusion.
“Intruders!” Hobin cried in the darkness. “Two of them!”
Suddenly an explosion of yellow, red and orange sparks shot in the air as Hobin jammed a few sticks into the pile of glowing embers left from last night’s fire. The flash of pyrotechnics illuminated the area for an instant, allowing Nicholas, Leo and Hobin a glimpse of the enemy and the cold glint of their knives. As the woods succumbed to darkness again, one of the two men rushed at Hobin while the other headed toward Nicholas. Leo, on the opposite side of the fire, leaped over the embers to assist his friends.
The voices of Hobin and his assailant were distinguishable in the darkness as they struggled in hand-to-hand combat, their boots searching for a foothold against the slippery leaves on the hard ground. In that same moment, Nicholas saw the second man barreling toward him before the light had dimmed. He grabbed a large stick of firewood and raised it low above the ground, swinging it blindly at the man as he approached. A painful scream arose as the attacker stumbled forward. Nicholas had found his mark, cracking the piece of wood directly below the stranger’s knees. But as the man cried in pain, he lunged at Leo who had hurried forward at that same moment, yanking him bac
kward by the arm and tackling him to the ground, the full weight of his body upon him. Leo cried out in agony and then went silent. His assailant scrambled to his feet and dashed through the woods, his legs searing with pain and his mind in chaos.
Then something that sounded like a dry, choking gasp was audible in the darkness just beyond the glow of the fire that had come alive once again. Just as quickly, an eerie silence again enveloped the area. Nicholas looked around, still holding the piece of wood, his heart pounding, his breathing erratic. The muscles in his arms throbbed with the painful vibrations from the damage he had done to the man who had fled.
“Leo?” he called, fearing the worst. “Hobin?” Nicholas grabbed one of the now-burning sticks Hobin had shoved into the embers and held it aloft as a torch, dispelling the gloom. “Are you two all right?”
A moment later a shaken voice quietly replied.
“I’m fine,” Hobin answered as he slowly stepped out of the shadows and approached the fire. He also grabbed a flaming stick and held it up, highlighting the horror in his eyes and the blood and dirt upon his face. “Are you hurt?”
“No,” Nicholas said, catching his breath. He looked around, sweeping the torch through the air. “Leo, where are you? Are you okay? Answer me.”
Hobin moved to one side to help search in the darkness. “Leo?”
“I think he’s over there,” Nicholas said, pointing past the fire. “The man who tried to attack me went after Leo just after I hit him.” He hurried forward. “He should be–”
Nicholas froze when seeing a body sprawled upon the ground next to a large rock. He and Hobin rushed toward it, dispersing the shadows with their light. When he leaned forward, Nicholas could see that it was Leo, lying face down with his left arm extended underneath his chest at an awkward angle. Nicholas could hardly catch a breath when he saw his friend lying there. His blood ran cold with anguish and fear.
Nicholas Raven and the Wizards' Web (The Complete Epic Fantasy) Page 86