Nicholas Raven and the Wizards' Web (The Complete Epic Fantasy)

by Thomas J. Prestopnik

  “Let’s carefully turn him,” Hobin whispered, taking charge. He set his torch against the rock and gently rolled Leo over so that he was now upon his back. His face was pale and bruised on one side when he had fallen.

  Nicholas stared at him in shock, looking at Hobin for an answer. A moment later, Leo’s chest rose as he took a shallow breath, slowly followed by another. His eyes darted beneath his closed lids. Nicholas couldn’t help but smile. His friend was alive.

  CHAPTER 54

  To the Shores of Wolf Lake

  Leo opened his eyes several minutes later. Nicholas and Hobin stared back at him as they knelt close by in the glow of the torches. For a few moments he couldn’t remember where he was or what had happened, at first thinking they were waking him up in Hobin’s cabin to begin their journey. Slowly, the bewildering string of events flooded his memory and Leo closed his eyes again.

  “My head hurts,” he softly muttered. He moved his left arm and winced in pain. “And my shoulder really hurts.” Leo opened his eyes and took several labored breaths, a veil of disappointment upon his pale face. “Maybe you two should leave me here and go on when it’s light. I’ll recover–eventually.”

  “We’ve discussed that,” Nicholas said lightly. “With luck, some deer or a bear might wander by and take care of you until we get back.”

  “Or have me for a meal.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, or that. Can you hold on until then?”

  “I’ll try.”

  “It’s a good sign you can make jokes. Maybe your injury isn’t too serious,” Hobin said. “Can you raise your arm and bend it?”

  Leo did so, very slowly, experiencing a sharp pain as he extended the limb. He lowered his arm to rest it, feeling exhausted after the minor movement. A deep, dull and persistent ache washed over his left shoulder while he remained still.

  “Was that man trying to yank my arm out of its socket?” he muttered, attempting a bit more humor though the severe pain in his voice was evident.

  “Since you can move your arm, I’m hoping you didn’t break any bones,” Hobin said. “But something was damaged in the attack.”

  “Who were those men?” Leo asked. “What did they want? And what happened to the one who attacked you?”

  “They were from the Northern Isles, probably the ones who were following us a few days ago. I had assumed then that they were simply other hikers who we had crossed paths with, but now I realize they had been tracking us. And they were good at it, too. I saw no signs of them since that first time.”

  “They had to have been after the medallion,” Nicholas said, fingering the leather cord around his neck. “Though I don’t know how they could have found out about it.”

  “That has to be the answer,” Leo said, closing his eyes again for a few moments before glancing at Hobin. “But how do you know they’re from the Northern Isles? Did you get a good look at the one who attacked you?”

  “You could say that,” he replied, glancing knowingly at Nicholas. “But we can discuss that later. Right now, you should get some sleep, Leo. It’s still many hours until sunrise. You need the rest after what you’ve been through.”

  “I agree,” Nicholas said. He grabbed the blanket Leo had been lying upon earlier and brought it over. Leo eased his body onto it, wincing whenever his left shoulder moved. Nicholas gave him some water and covered him with another blanket to keep warm.

  “What, no bedtime story?” he asked. But before Nicholas could reply, Leo had already closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

  “That’s the best medicine for him right now,” Hobin said, grabbing his torch and walking to the fire. He added several more sticks and ignited the blaze to a crackling roar. “I doubt our other friend will return, especially after you whacked him in the knees, but we should keep guard until morning. I’ll take the first watch.”

  “Okay,” Nicholas said, joining him by the flames. He lowered his voice even though he was certain that Leo wouldn’t wake up. “So tell me, Hobin–how are you so sure those men were from the Northern Isles?”

  “I’ll show you,” he said, grabbing the torch and leading Nicholas to where he and his attacker had fought. Moments later, Nicholas noted the outline of a body lying upon the ground. A nauseating chill ran through him.

  “Is he…?”

  Hobin nodded. “I stabbed him before he could stab me.” He rubbed a hand over his face, visibly upset at what had transpired. “I never killed a man before. I never had a reason to in all my life.” He held the torch close to the dead body, its eyes still open. The unshaven man was dressed in a long brown coat and black boots traditional to soldiers from the Northern Isles. A dagger lying on the ground next to the body had markings indigenous to the Isles similar to those on a ring on one of the man’s fingers.

  Nicholas stared at the dead stranger for several moments, both numb and horrified by the sight. A more terrifying thought struck him and he slowly turned his head and eyed Hobin. “Do you think there are more of them?”

  “I hope not, Nicholas. And since we didn’t encounter any signs of others tracking us along the way, I’ll take it as an indication that these were the only two.” He tried to sound confident. “Still, let’s act as if there may be more lurking about. That means the three of us can’t sleep at the same time. One should always be on watch.”

  Nicholas agreed. “And what about him?” he added, pointing to the body.

  “We’ll bury it tomorrow. He won’t be going anywhere,” Hobin stated, a mix of coldness and pity laced among his words. He indicated for Nicholas to follow him back to the fire where he would begin his silent watch for the next couple of hours, needing time alone to think about what he had just been forced to do to save himself and his two charges. Hobin knew it would be a chilly and empty night ahead, wishing more than anything that he were walking in the warm light of day.

  Dawn broke several hours later under ash gray clouds that moved in slowly from the west. When Nicholas opened his eyes, he found himself sitting against a tree and wrapped in a blanket near the dying remains of the fire. His back and neck felt sore. He decided a few more minutes of sleep would do him some good when he suddenly realized that he had drifted off while on watch. Hobin had awakened him two hours ago before going back to sleep himself.

  He jumped up and looked around, his heart pounding. He saw Leo still dozing where they had left him during the night. Hobin was also sound asleep nearby, his head buried in a blanket. He breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone was safe despite him nodding off and letting the fire die out. He added kindling to the glowing embers to reignite the flames and soon had a roaring fire going. Half an hour later, Hobin stirred and sat up.

  “How’d your watch go, Nicholas?”

  “Just fine,” he replied. “No problems.”

  “Good. Our other visitor must still be licking his wounds.”

  “Apparently so. I saw no sign of him last night,” Nicholas said as he fished through his belongings, his back to Hobin. He decided not to tell him that he had slept through the majority of his watch. He prepared breakfast for both of them instead, feeling that that should more than adequately make up for his mistake.

  They let Leo sleep, knowing it would help in his recuperation. After their meal, Hobin fashioned a digging implement out of a large stick using his knife and dug a shallow grave so he and Nicholas could bury the body of the Island soldier. By midmorning they had completed the task, marking the grave with that same stick. Hobin also stuck the man’s knife into the ground next to the marker to indicate who was buried there.

  “If his friend returns, he’s sure to spot this,” he said. He stood and brushed the dirt off his clothes. “But I have a feeling we’ve seen the last of him.”

  “Let’s hope so. But now what do we do? We certainly can’t carry Leo if he’s unable to walk very far.”

  “We’ll get to Wolf Lake and find your wizard. Don’t worry about that,” Hobin replied in a reassuring voice. “We’ll let Leo sleep for
as long as he needs to and then try to hike a few miles. I think we’re entitled to an easy day after the distance we’ve put in already. We could all use the rest.”

  Leo finally stirred shortly after noontime and had something to eat and drink. He felt rested but his left shoulder still throbbed with a dull and persistent ache. If he moved his arm or shoulder suddenly, a sharp pain shot through him. Nicholas and Hobin carried as much of his gear as they could to lighten his pack, but after hiking only a mile, the trio felt as if they were slogging through a muddy swamp and stopped to rest.

  “We’ll never get there at this rate,” Leo said apologetically. “Maybe I should wait here until you return.”

  “We’re not leaving you,” Nicholas said.

  “He’s right,” Hobin agreed. “I won’t abandon one of my charges–especially when you’re paying me for my guidance.” He rubbed his whiskered face, deep in thought before digging out one of Leo’s spare shirts from his pack. “I’ve got an idea.”

  Moments later, Hobin gently tied the shirt around Leo’s arm, neck and shoulder, fashioning a sling of sorts to keep his left arm from jostling too much during the hike. Leo walked a few steps to test it out, happy to report that it greatly helped him.

  “It still aches like mad, but the sharp pains have diminished now that I can keep my arm still.”

  “Maybe I can help with that, too,” Hobin said as he rummaged though his pack again. “I almost forgot about some of the supplies I’d purchased from a local apothecary last time I visited Red Lake. He sold me yoratelli leaves which are supposed to ease pain in the muscles and joints when steeped in hot water.” He pulled out a folded piece of cloth from the bottom of his pack containing about three dozen, small green leaves with pointed tips. “Now’s as good a time as any to try them out, don’t you think?”

  Leo grinned. “Who am I to argue with an apothecary from Red Lake? My specialty is apples.”

  While Nicholas started a fire and heated some water, Hobin crushed two of the leaves into a cup. After they filled it with the steaming liquid, a soothing and minty aroma filled the air and reminded them of happier times. Leo took the cup with his good hand, sniffed the concoction and took a sip, grimacing.

  “It’s not awful,” he said, “but this yoratelli definitely smells better than it tastes. Still, I’ll give it a try.” He slowly drank the medicine, happy to finish the last few drops.

  “Hope it helps,” Hobin said as Nicholas doused the fire with water from a nearby stream. “When you’re ready, we’ll move on.”

  “Let’s go now,” Leo said. “I’ve held us up long enough. I’ll let you know if you got your money’s worth from that apothecary.”

  Less than an hour later, Leo reported that the pain in his shoulder had greatly subsided, allowing him to increase his hiking speed. Nicholas and Hobin also noted that the tension in his face had disappeared. Leo looked like his old, cheerful self again, confirming to them that he wasn’t just pretending to feel better.

  “Worth every one of those eight copper half pieces,” Hobin remarked with a cheery laugh.

  Nonetheless, they stopped for extra breaks along the way, allowing Leo to rest as often as possible. And they made camp for the night earlier than usual, about an hour before sundown, which enabled them to enjoy a more leisurely meal and gather additional wood for a larger fire. During this time, Hobin and Nicholas told Leo about the fate of the second attacker. But what they didn’t tell him was that they planned to keep a secret watch for one more night just as a precaution. After Leo finally went to sleep, Hobin took the first three-hour shift and allowed Nicholas to get some rest, promising to wake him for his turn. They planned to alternate in three-hour increments until sunrise. Nicholas agreed and quickly dozed off, awaiting his turn on guard.

  There were no surprise visitors during the night. Nicholas was glad to see the first glimmer of daylight in the southeast when he completed his second round on watch. Neither he nor Hobin planned to reveal to Leo that they had lost valuable sleep to keep their vigil, knowing that he would have raised a fuss for not being included. But he was none the wiser during breakfast, again feeling an agonizing pain in his shoulder.

  “I’ll fix up another brew of the yoratelli leaves,” Hobin said. “That’ll keep you going all day. By the time we make camp tonight, we should be passing between the peaks of the last two Brothers. We’ll arrive at Wolf Lake tomorrow.”

  “I hope so,” Leo said, his words labored and weary.

  And though he assured the others that the pain in his shoulder wasn’t severe, Nicholas and Hobin believed otherwise, observing his glassy-eyed stare and tense facial muscles. But an hour later, after drinking a second cup of the yoratelli brew, Leo perked up and his pain lessened substantially. They continued hiking for the rest of the day as if he had never been injured at all. An hour before sundown, as on the previous night, they made camp, having nearly passed through the region between the two easternmost peaks of the Five Brothers. By then the clouds had thinned, allowing the nearly first quarter Fox Moon to lend a subtle glow from above as twilight deepened. After a quick meal, the trio retired to their warm, fur lined blankets and varied dreams. As they had passed the previous night without incident, Hobin and Nicholas agreed that a second night on watch was unnecessary.

  The following morning dawned cold, gray and breezy, marking the ninth day since they had left Woodwater. After breakfast they moved on. Leo refused another dose of Hobin’s brew, despite his obvious pain. He wanted to see how far he could hike without it. But by midmorning he relented as the soreness in his shoulder grew unbearable. By noontime they had entered an area beyond the northern slopes of the Five Brothers, having at last cleared the passage between the two easternmost peaks. In this spot the trees had thinned and allowed a view of the surroundings. When Nicholas turned and gazed south from where they had traveled, he could see the forested slopes of the two peaks, gazing up at both in awe. Each was several hundred feet higher than Gray Hawk Mountain.

  “Now that I can see the peaks up close, I really do want to climb them,” he said to Hobin, admiring their beauty. “Unfortunately we won’t have the time.”

  “Or a fully able member of the party,” Leo joked. “Maybe some day we can return–by an easier route, of course.”

  “It’s a difficult climb, but worth the effort,” Hobin said as he eased the pack off his tired shoulders. “And as long as we’ve stopped, we might as well have lunch here. You won’t find a better view until you get closer to the lake in a few hours.”

  They ate a cold meal and rested for a few minutes before resuming their trek. And under four hours later, just as Hobin had predicted, the choppy, bluish-gray waters of Wolf Lake slowly came into view through the distant trees. They hurried to the shoreline situated on the edge of the woods as a light snow flurry descended from a billowy fleet of dirty, gray clouds.

  “There aren’t any villages on this end of the lake,” Hobin said, throwing a hood over his head. Nicholas and Leo were similarly attired. “There are a few on the western edge, but we won’t be going near them. Our path will take us to a small island on the water several miles west and about a half mile off the shoreline. You can just make it out from where we’re standing.” He pointed at the island. Nicholas and Leo craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the wizard Frist’s dwelling through the finely blowing snow.

  “Tolapari mentioned he had guided Frist there to make his final home,” Nicholas said, barely able to see the dark dot upon the water. He shoved his gloved hands into his coat pockets for extra warmth. “He also said that Frist used to roam about the Dunn Hills and climb these very mountains just like you, Hobin. Do you think there’s a bit of wizard’s blood in your veins?” he lightly added.

  “I don’t have the patience or composure of a wizard. We both just happen to appreciate the beauty of this area, that’s all.”

  Nicholas chuckled. “Patience, maybe. But composure? That doesn’t describe either Vellan or Caldurian. From what
I’ve learned, they’re two of the most out-of-control wizards I’ve ever heard described. You’d be a better wizard than either of those two by far.”

  “I thank you for that compliment, Nicholas, but being a wizard is not one of my goals in life,” Hobin replied. “I have enough to do without dabbling in magic.”

  “Still, I think you’d be a great one, don’t you, Leo?”

  “Hmmm?” he replied, looking up while leaning against a tree. He hadn’t been paying close attention to their conversation, and both men could see right away that he was in pain again.

  “The medicine is wearing off,” Hobin said. “I’ll crush three leaves next time.”

  Leo shook his head, his face strained. “I don’t want any more. I just want to get to the island. When we arrive, maybe I can sleep for a day or two.” He glanced helplessly at Nicholas. “I don’t know how I’m going to get back home in this condition.”

  “We’ll figure something out,” Nicholas replied, detecting a tinge of fear in his friend’s eyes, certain that Megan and his family were foremost on Leo’s mind. “First let’s have something to eat before we leave. There’s still time to get to the island before nightfall, right, Hobin?”

  “Just barely,” he said, “providing we don’t stop for any more breaks. But you’re almost at the end–and to think you made it all this way from Morrenwood.”

  “From Kanesbury and Minago,” Nicholas corrected him. “And a few side trips included. I can’t believe the miles we’ve traveled. These were some of the most grueling.”

  “If you plan to reach the Trillium Sea, there are plenty more punishing miles ahead, Nicholas. Let’s eat and move on so we can first end this journey,” Hobin said, rummaging through his backpack. “As there’s no time to build a fire, what’ll it be, gentlemen? Cold strips of venison or cold strips of beef? Your choice.”