“Well now, hang on a minute,” said Sawyer as he pointed at Ariel. “You said we can’t get home without the key, right? And this dark druid guy took it. So we gotta get it back.”
“How? He flew away,” said Geoff as he munched on some strawberries.
“That’s a good question,” said Jane. “Will the people you’re taking us to help us get Geoff’s key back?”
“Eben Silverthorne is a good man. He will help you,” Ariel said.
“Who is he?” asked Jane.
“He is the lord of Silverthorne Village. He commands a garrison there.”
“When I get home dad is going to be angry and ground me forever,” said Geoff. “It’s bad enough I was in his study, but staying out this late too?” Geoff shook his head. “No way he’ll believe this.”
“I think we’re all pretty much grounded when we get home,” said Jane. “I just don’t like making my parents worry about me.”
Sawyer lay on his side in the grass, eating another apple while Geoff picked at the strawberries in his hand.
“I said it before,” said Jane. “We don’t belong here. This world is full of monsters and magic and stuff we don’t understand. We have to get home.”
“I’m scared,” said Geoff. “If we are being chased by orcs, will we be safe at Silverthorne Village?”
“Yes,” Ariel said. She had regained her stoic demeanor. She looked to Jane as if she had steeled herself for something yet to come.
“I have a question,” said Sawyer. “If those orcs are in your forest, why don’t you use your forest magic and get rid of them?”
“I have. This forest can protect itself,” said Ariel. “I will see to them after I take you to Silverthorne Village.”
“Shouldn’t we have dealt with them while you had them tied up in that meadow?” asked Jane. “I mean, what if they’re still out there tomorrow?”
“Have you ever killed before?” asked Ariel, raising an eyebrow.
“No,” said Jane. “None of us have. And I hope we don’t ever have to, either.”
“You should rest,” said Ariel. “Sleep while you can. We have a long way to travel tomorrow.”
“I am tired,” said Geoff, “and my shoulder still hurts a little.”
Another howl came from the nearby forest.
“Man, that was close!” said Sawyer, jumping to his feet.
Jane scanned the darkness beyond the trees surrounding the grove. She didn’t see anything, but Sawyer was right; that howl was much closer than the first one. Ariel stood up and walked along the trees lining the grove. While she was away, Jane whispered to Sawyer and Geoff.
“Guys, what’re we going to do? You don’t trust her, do you? And how are we going to get that key back?”
“No idea,” said Geoff. “But I trust her. If she wanted to kill us I think she would’ve done it by now”
“But what if this Silverthorne guy doesn’t want to help us?” asked Sawyer. “What if we bump into more orcs and Ariel isn’t around?”
“I’m not sure we have a choice,” said Jane. “At least we’ll be in a village with people and not out here in the wilds.”
“That’s true. But what about this war stuff?” asked Sawyer.
Jane shook her head. “Who cares? It’s not my fight. It doesn’t concern us. Let’s get the key and get out of here. Agreed?”
Sawyer and Geoff nodded. Jane felt better now that they had something of a plan, but she had no idea how they were going to accomplish it. How were they going to take it away from the giant? They would just have to figure out the details later.
Ariel returned to the group, “Sleep. There is no danger.”
“Are you sure?” asked Jane.
“Yes,” replied Ariel.
“Sleep sounds good to me,” said Sawyer with a yawn.
Ariel nodded and walked back to her stone bowl. Jane stretched and then lay down in the grass. It’s like lying on a plush bed, she thought. She looked over at Geoff, who was already curled up beside her. She closed her eyes.
The next thing she knew, it was morning and the sun was shining. She sat up and yawned. Sawyer and Geoff were still asleep, and Sawyer was snoring. Beside each of them sat a napkin-sized cloth with a piece of flat bread, cheese, apples, and berries on it. She picked up the bread and took a bite.
“We should be on our way as soon as you finish your breakfast,” said Ariel. “If we hasten our pace we can reach Silverthorne Village by nightfall.”
Geoff and Sawyer required a nudge or two from Jane, but they awakened and ate their breakfasts. They were on their way in no time, but they had a difficult time keeping up with Ariel, who was running.
“Wait,” said Jane after a fast-paced hour. “We need to rest a little.”
She and Geoff sat under a nearby tree. Sawyer, who was also breathing heavily, plopped down beside Jane.
“What’s the rush?” asked Sawyer.
“As I mentioned last night,” said Ariel, “we must arrive in Silverthorne before nightfall.”
“I thought we didn’t have to worry about orcs during the day,” stated Geoff.
“The orcs are dead,” said Ariel. “They never left the meadow.”
Jane looked at Sawyer and then Geoff.
“Did you go back and kill them?” asked Jane.
Ariel shook her head. “No. Before you awakened I went back to the meadow hoping I could find their tracks and determine which direction they had gone.” Ariel squatted beside them. “I found what was left of them still in the meadow. Something had attacked them.”
“You mean to say that all those big orcs are dead? What could do that to them? The wolves? Those orcs were massive!” Geoff said.
“I know you are tired,” said Ariel, “but you can rest at Silverthorne Manor. We cannot delay for much longer.”
“Hey,” said Sawyer, “maybe whatever killed those orcs is after us now.”
“Come on, guys,” said Jane. “We better get going. I want to get back to civilization.”
They continued for most of the day, taking quick, regular rest breaks with Ariel’s approval. The forest seemed to be serene and pleasant. At one point a small herd of deer darted by. Looks like they’re going to Silverthorne Manor too, thought Jane. She also noticed the trees were much smaller now. She started to see some dead trees the farther they traveled from Ariel’s grove. The trees thinned out and the terrain became rockier.
Geoff slipped on a rock and took a small tumble downhill. The others stopped.
“Geoff, are you okay?” asked Jane.
“Yeah. I’m fine. Just slipped.”
He got up and brushed himself off. Jane and Sawyer walked down to Geoff as Ariel scanned the horizon.
“I thought I was the only clumsy one here,” said Jane with a smile.
“You sure you’re okay?” asked Sawyer.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. No problem,” said Geoff.
They started back up the hill but something caught Jane’s attention.
“Hey, guys,” she said, pointing at the ground. “Look at this!”
Sawyer and Geoff went to see what Jane had found.
“Wow! That is huge!” said Geoff.
“Hey, Ariel, we found something,” said Sawyer, motioning for her to come have a look. She joined them and crouched to study it.
“What do you think made that track?” asked Jane. “A bear?”
Ariel shook her head. “Wolf,” she said.
Chapter Eight
The Tattered Man
“No way!” said Jane as she looked at large clawed footprint.
“There aren’t any wolves that big!” Jane looked at Sawyer and Geoff for agreement. They only shrugged. Jane put her foot next to the deep impress
ion Ariel was examining.
“I can get three of my feet in that footprint,” said Jane.
“That’s a big wolf,” said Geoff. “It must be as big as a horse. Are you sure it’s a wolf track?”
Ariel nodded and continued to study it.
“Look at the size of those claws,” said Sawyer. “I hope we don’t run into the wolf that made that track.”
“Yeah. Me too,” agreed Geoff.
Ariel stood and took a few steps in the direction they were headed. Jane thought she heard Ariel say “What are you doing? Why are you here?” under her breath.
Jane walked over to Ariel and stood behind her. A shiver ran down her back. She swallowed before asking, “Ariel, are we in danger?”
A few seconds passed, then Ariel looked at Jane and smiled. “No. The wolf that made this track is far away by now.”
“Good,” said Sawyer. “One less thing to worry about trying to kill us in the middle of the night.”
Jane, however, was not convinced by Ariel’s answer. Ariel had smiled for the first time, but the tone in her voice indicated the elven druid was worried.
Jane looked into Ariel’s green eyes for a few seconds. The emotionless expression had returned. Now she doubted whether she could trust Ariel. What reason did she have to help them? She had saved them the night before, but why? Ariel looked worried but had composed herself quickly after seeing the large wolf track.
“Come,” said Ariel. “We should go. We have a long way to travel yet before nightfall.”
They resumed their trek. Sawyer walked behind Ariel, trying to start a conversation, while Geoff walked with Jane a few paces behind.
After a while Geoff looked at Jane. She saw from his expression he was concerned about something.
“Jane,” he said quietly, “that giant wolf track was headed in the same direction we’re going now.”
Jane nodded. She had noticed that, too. Sawyer appeared to be too interested in Ariel to notice.
“Geoff,” whispered Jane, “what do you make of her? Do you really think we can trust her?”
Geoff thought for a moment. “I don’t know now. I think maybe yes, but I’m not sure. Why not?”
“I’m starting to get a little worried. I know she saved us from those…those…what did she call them? Orcs?”
Geoff nodded.
“And she fed us last night, but I don’t think she is being completely honest with us. She keeps to herself mostly.”
“Jane, what if no one can help us get home? What if we’re stuck here?”
Jane’s heart sank. It never occurred to her they might be in this beautiful yet dangerous world for the rest of their lives.
“Oh, Geoff,” she said. “Don’t even think that. We’re going to get home. Soon.”
They marched on for a few miles before entering another forest. Ariel found some blackberry bushes along the way and they all ate their fill while they sat and rested.
“We will need to quicken our pace if we hope to arrive at Silverthorne by nightfall,” said Ariel.
“I thought we were moving at a pretty good clip,” said Sawyer. “You mean we may be walking in the dark again?”
“Are we still being hunted?” asked Geoff.
Ariel stood and surveyed the forest ahead of them. “No.”
Jane studied at Ariel. She had ignored Sawyer’s attempts to start a conversation, and now when she did speak she said very little. Jane was a little apprehensive by her short answer; she expected more of an explanation. What is she not telling us, she thought. Maybe Ariel didn’t want to upset them. Or was it something else?
Soon they were trotting, trying to keep up with Ariel, who looked about more and paid closer attention to their surroundings as they moved through the forest. Their rate of movement increased as the sun began to set. Ariel stopped long enough to wait for them to catch up to her and to cast another spell to mask their trail.
Jane’s feet and ankles were aching. She also noticed she was winded. She held up a hand. “Wait. I need to rest. I can’t go on.”
She sat on a moss-covered boulder, breathing heavily. Geoff plopped down beside her. Because he was smaller, he had a particularly difficult time trying to keep up. Even Sawyer was needed a rest, and he was accustomed to physical activity.
As they sat and gathered their breath, Ariel joined them.
“At this pace, we will not make it to Silverthorne before sunset. Rest awhile and we will continue.”
“I’m thirsty,” said Geoff between breaths.
Ariel handed him a leather flask filled with water.
“Take a drink and pass it to the others,” she said.
“What’s the hurry?” asked Sawyer, who was lying at the foot of a large oak tree.
Ariel glanced at Sawyer and walked away, ignoring his question.
At that moment something snapped in Jane. Her nostrils flared and she felt her cheeks getting warm as she stood up.
“Hey,” she said louder than she intended, “you’ve been ignoring Sawyer all day and you keep pushing us to run I don’t know how far through the forest with no rest to speak of. Why are you pushing us so hard?”
“Hey, Jane, chill out,” said Sawyer. “It was a question. That’s all.”
Jane, offended by his remark, faced Sawyer and put her hands on her hips.
“No, it was a good question. Geoff and I’ve been wondering about that all day, among other things.”
“What other things?” asked Sawyer.
“Well, what’s going to happen when we get to Silverthorne, for one. Why are we rushing to get there? Are they going to be able to help us? Will they help us? And why do we need to get there before nightfall? I mean, if something isn’t chasing us, then why are we killing ourselves to get to Silverthorne before it gets dark? What happens after sunset?”
“Are you not in a hurry to return home?” asked Ariel with her back to Jane, scanning the forest.
“Yes,” said Jane, “but do they have a key and an archway thing in Silverthorne?”
“No,” said Ariel.
“Then why the heck are we going there?”
Ariel did not answer, which infuriated Jane.
“Well? Are you going to answer me or not? Why don’t you call us by our names? And what do you have against humans anyway? You say that word with such distaste.”
Ariel whirled on Jane, her eyes flashed, “Take care how you speak to me, Jane.” Jane stepped backward, matching each step forward Ariel took toward her. “You humans are little better than orcs! You have no respect for each other or each other’s property. You seek to rob, cheat, betray, and steal from anyone for whatever you covet. You eagerly lie and twist the meanings of words to suit your own selfish needs. You care nothing for the elderly and downtrodden, always seeking an abundance of riches to fill your own coffers.
You have no regard for nature. You hunt and kill for sport, seeking to adorn your homes with bits of animals as trophies. You cut down entire forests to build your towns and castles, never caring a moment for the wildlife you disturb. You war with anyone, especially yourselves. Throughout the ages, whenever there was a war, a human was behind it and why? For nothing but power and glory or riches.
This realm is on the verge of war because a human lord seeks more power and more lands. Many will die because of the greed of one man. So, to answer your questions, I push you humans to move faster so we can reach the nearest human village before dark because you will be safer there than in the forest. I do not know if they can or will help you, nor do I care. What was it you said? Oh yes. ‘It’s not my fight.’
And yes, you are being stalked. You are being stalked by a monster. A werewolf. That is what made the tracks you found and that is what stalks you. That is what killed the orcs. I d
id not speak of this because you are only children and I sought not to alarm you. However, I am a druid and rank among the leaders of my order and I will not be spoken to in such a disrespectful manner. As I said, humans — little better than orcs. Now have I answered your questions, Jane?”
Jane stood perfectly still. She was speechless. She had never received such a tongue lashing. She swallowed and in a softer tone asked, “Then why are you helping us?”
Ariel took a deep breath before answering. “Because you saved the unicorn. I assure you that had you not done so I would have left you to whatever fate awaited you. I have decided to give you safe escort to people who may help you. Perhaps the local lord will help you find your key and an ‘archway thing’ as you call it. For now, this is the best I can do. There are other more pressing matters that demand my attention. Perhaps one day I will come for a brief visit.”
“Why…why would a werewolf hunt us? What did we do?” asked Geoff.
Ariel turned away from Jane, looked at Geoff, and shook her head.
“Other than being an excellent source of food? I do not know. It is said that the beast hunts those who are good and innocent.”
Jane, Sawyer, and Geoff were silent. Ariel’s harsh words had caught Jane off guard. She didn’t expect Ariel’s reaction; all she wanted were answers to her questions. She stood there not knowing how to respond.
“Hey, Ariel,” said Sawyer, “people…are like that where we come from, too. But I don’t think any of us are greedy or selfish.”
Ariel said nothing. She walked a few yards away then turned around.
“Come. We have an hour or two left before it gets dark. We will not make it to Silverthorne tonight. We should look for shelter.”
Jane looked at Sawyer, who met her gaze and then looked at Geoff. Then he followed Ariel. Geoff got up, gave Jane a quick smile, and joined Sawyer. Jane took a deep breath and tried to steady her trembling hands. She looked over her shoulder at the darkening forest behind her and then she fell in line behind Geoff.
Wizard's Key (The Darkwolf Saga Book 1) Page 9