Desperately, she piled load after load of hay on top of him, and relief flooded her as the last small part of the man disappeared.
After taking a moment to don a new shirt, she fed each horse oats and said calming words. By the time she finished, the stable stood quiet.
She saddled and loaded four of the animals.
12.
Xan braced his hands on his knees and wheezed. Running sucked.
Far down the road, the stable door opened, and Brant emerged leading a pair of horses. A few seconds later, a second figure, also leading horses, came out.
Who was that?
The moon didn’t provide enough light. He squinted. The gait looked familiar.
Lainey!
Xan grabbed Dylan’s arm. “You dragged Lainey into this? Are you insane?”
“Lower your voice.”
“They’ll execute anyone caught helping me!”
“Don’t you think I’ve considered that?” Dylan pulled from Xan’s grasp. “If you don’t like her being here, you tell her to go home.”
Xan would do just that. He marched toward the stable. Lainey mounted her horse, her face a mask of grim determination. When she neared, words froze on Xan’s tongue.
Her scowl dared him to try to send her away. “Yes?”
“Nothing. Just good to be free.”
“Smart man,” Dylan muttered.
No help for it but to let her tag along for the moment. His best bet was to just get on a horse and go.
Brant had chosen Honey, one of the few horses Xan recognized, for him. That worked. She wouldn’t win any races, but she also wouldn’t throw him off her back.
Dylan hopped onto his horse and followed as Brant and Lainey galloped away.
Xan struggled into the saddle and nudged Honey forward. He wobbled in the saddle until her gait smoothed. Trees blurred past him as the horse hurtled through the darkness, and still, his friends gained distance.
He opened his mouth to yell at them to slow but slammed it shut again.
Instead, he eased back in the saddle. Finding Ashley while escaping Justav seemed impossible. Where would he even start? Did his saddlebags hold the necessary food, money, or clothes? He needed all the help he could get.
On the other hand, his friends had put their lives in danger to get him out of jail, and every second they spent with him put them more at risk. If they got caught with him, nothing could be done to protect them.
Could he really live with himself if something happened to any of them? Especially his sister?
Dylan, lagging the others, disappeared around a bend.
Xan spotted a trail to the left. He tugged hard on Honey’s reins.
Rider and horse crashed into leafy blackness. The forest canopy blocked all but dim shards of light. Leaves and limbs whipped past, imparting vivid reminders of the danger he faced with each stinging strike.
His friends would be fine. All they had to do was hide until Justav left town. Mayor Williamson and Captain Reed would protect them after that.
* * *
Dylan hunched in his saddle as the road flew by.
He rode enough that he could handle galloping, but did Brant have to ride so blasted fast? Had he even considered that Xan had almost no experience with horses?
Dylan looked back to see how his friend fared. Xan still hadn’t rounded the bend. In fact, Dylan no longer heard hoofbeats behind him. Had something happened to Xan? A thrown horseshoe? Or worse, had a guardsman waylaid him?
Dylan kept glancing back.
Xan had expressed a lot of concern about Lainey being with them. He was worried about all of them being executed if caught helping him. Maybe the fool was trying to be noble. Running away on his own.
Dylan fingered his medallion. Where was the profit? Following after Xan risked everything and gained … what?
But what if he weren’t innocent?
The catcher would never give up. Xan was such an inept horseman and completely unsuited to surviving on his own. He’d be caught and would never stand up to questioning. They’d all end up with prices on their heads.
Dylan ducked his head and urged Clover forward.
* * *
The wind whipped through Brant’s hair, and he threw his head back. He lived for shit like running from guardsmen. Danger. Adventure. Speed.
He’d sure showed them up.
The militia had been out all day riding. There were so many fresh tracks even his dad wouldn’t be able to find the right ones. Every man with a decent hunting dog was in the woods.
Hoofbeats closed in on him from behind.
“Brant!”
He turned to find Dylan gaining fast.
“Xan’s not behind us!” Dylan yelled. “I think he’s run off.”
Blasted fool would probably get lost in the woods and end up circling back into town. He tugged hard on Spear’s reins. The animal skidded to a halt and sent a cloud of dust flying. Brant spun him and took off in the opposite direction.
When he caught Xan, he was going to kill him.
* * *
Xan hurtled out of control with not a clue where he went. The trail had disappeared. Honey darted every which way avoiding trees.
A limb snagged his cloak. The fabric ripped.
He hunched against the horse’s neck.
A thin branch caught him across the cheek, and he slapped his hand to the spot. No blood at least. He slowed.
Something sticky draped across his forehead. A web. Xan clawed with both hands. He swayed in the saddle, almost falling, and tightened his legs.
Honey swerved, and he tumbled. He clutched at the horse and caught hold of leather. Safe.
The leather gave way. He fell.
Xan landed back first. Air exploded from his lungs at the same time a wave of pain hit. Paralysis gripped his chest.
He gasped. Nothing happened. Flailing about, he arched his back trying to find any position that would allow him to breathe.
It didn’t work. His body refused to obey his frantic need. Agonizing seconds passed before he tasted sweet air. More time passed before his panic subsided.
He looked around. Honey had vanished. His means of getting to Ashley and away from Justav. His precious saddlebags. His survival. Gone.
Xan had to find the horse but didn’t know which way she had run. He buried his face in his hands. Shameful tears flowed.
“Stop it! Get up, idiot. For Ashley.”
He stood and checked himself. Other than a tender spot on his back to go with the ones on his sides, nothing hurt. No gaping wounds.
A dark shape caught his eye. One of the saddlebags. It must have been the leather he’d grabbed. He moved into a small clearing that allowed enough moonlight through for him to see and opened the bag, hoping for something to help him survive.
“Paper!”
He pulled out fists of unbound pages. His hands roamed the bottom of the case for coins, a hunk of cheese, anything. Nothing.
Xan sank to the ground and angled the first page to catch the pale light. He barely made out words in Master Rae’s handwriting.
“My letter? I’m a master apothecary?”
He had three years left as a journeyman. It wasn’t possible that he was ready. But Master Rae wouldn’t declare it if it weren’t true. Xan’s vision blurred as moisture formed.
With so many foreseeable difficulties in his future, though, he had a hard time comprehending the possibility of settling down somewhere as an apothecary. Did he even want that life anymore? No matter how respected he became or how vital a role he played in a community, any noble could uproot the life of an ordinary citizen on a whim. His imprisonment had taught him that well.
Xan carefully tucked away the letter and examined the rest of the stack. Judging by the frayed edges, most had been torn from book bindings.
He stood to move the top page into brighter moonlight.
Alexander,
Time and age have sapped much knowledge from my old mind that may h
ave been of use to you, and the nobles long ago burned any books containing real magic instruction. However, I have access to a few bindings they overlooked. I’ve taken notes where time permitted and given you the source material where it did not. I hope this information proves adequate should you choose this course.
Rae
Xan shook his head. That irritable, crotchety, wonderful old man. He carefully placed the page on the bottom of the stack and examined the next one.
Behind him, dead leaves crunched. Limbs and bushes rustled. He leapt up. Maybe it was Honey.
The noise grew closer and got louder. And louder. Many leaves crunched. Many limbs and bushes moved. No one horse could produce such a commotion.
Justav!
Xan froze. If he ran, he’d likely trip and hurt himself further. What to do? There was a branch on the ground. Maybe he could use it to fight.
It crumbled in his hands. Couldn’t he even pick out a good stick in a forest full of them? And he thought he’d be able to get away from a catcher and rescue a girl? Idiot!
He discarded another as too small before finding one that might work. If it were Justav, Xan wasn’t going to be taken without a fight.
Instead, Brant broke into view. He looked ticked. Lainey and Dylan followed, their expressions no happier.
“No!” Xan threw the stick at Brant. It missed hitting anything by several feet. “Get away from me!”
“You are not going anywhere without me.” Lainey’s quiet hurt battered at him.
Brant grabbed a rope hanging from his saddle.
Xan wasn’t going to win an argument. His friends were too determined. No amount of pleading or cajoling would work. Not unless he told them the truth.
Magic would give him power and control over his life. It would also bring hate and condemnation. Would his friends run in fear?
That would be for the best. It would keep them safe. But could he bear them feeling that way about him?
He exhaled sharply. “There’s something you need to know.”
Silence stretched as he paused and his friends looked at him expectantly.
Xan swallowed and spit out the words. “I’m not innocent.”
Brant’s mouth dangled open. Dylan sat tense in his saddle, hands gripping the reins ready to bolt. Moisture glistened in Lainey’s eyes. None of them spoke.
“You selfish, rads-infested asshole,” Dylan finally said. “The catcher will never let us live now, not after breaking out an actual mage. Like it or not, we’re in this together.”
13.
Xan shook his head. Everything seemed to come so easy for Brant. Girls. Fighting. Horses. He’d just put two fingers in his mouth and whistled, and Honey had come running.
“Now that you’ve led us into the middle of the forest, genius, what’s your plan?” Brant said.
Xan scowled. It had been for his friends to run far and fast in the opposite direction. Brant only saw the excitement. Lainey felt she’d be abandoning him. And Dylan somehow was convinced the safest course was for all of them to stay together.
Since he couldn’t get rid of them, he owed them an explanation. “I have a quest.”
Brant’s eyes twinkled. “This, I’ve got to hear.”
“Yes,” Dylan said. “Please. Let’s hear your newest idea for getting us all killed.”
Did he have to be so negative about everything? But he had put his life on the line already, and Xan owed him big.
“I have to rescue a girl from catchers.”
Brant grinned. Dylan frowned.
“The girl from your dreams?” Lainey said.
“She’s real.” Xan stared at his sister. If anyone would understand, it would be her. “And she needs my help.” The story of the last three weeks, minus the embarrassing parts, tumbled from him.
“Okay,” Brant said, “I’m in. Where is she?”
Xan hunched his shoulders. “That’s the thing. I don’t know.”
Dylan waved his hand to get their attention. “Let me make sure I got it. You want us to find a girl somewhere in the three kingdoms. That’s an enormous area. You know that, right?” He paused and stared at Xan.
“Dylan—”
“Let me finish.” Dylan’s face tightened. “Not only do we not know where she is, but those catchers you mentioned—you know the ones in addition to those chasing us—are surely going to reach her first. If we can find her and if she hasn’t already been hanged, we’d have to get her away from guardsmen. Without any help this time.” He barked a sarcastic laugh. “Sure. No problem.”
Lainey shot Dylan a cold look. “It sounds silly beyond imagining—”
“You should all go home then!” Xan said.
She made a patting gesture. “Calm down. You didn’t let me finish. If it’s what you have to do, I’m in. You’re my brother.”
Dylan wrung his hands.
The clearing struggled to hold Brant as he paced. “Let’s get started.” He turned to his horse.
“Where?” Dylan said.
Brant stopped. “What?”
“You’re about to rush off. Where are you going?”
Brant hesitated.
“You have no idea because we have no idea how to find this girl!”
Xan hunched his shoulders again. “If Justav can sense the dream, I can learn to as well. I can use magic to find her.”
Dylan kicked a tree, and his face twisted in pain. “Learn? As in, you have no idea what you’re doing now? And every time you try ‘learning’ you chance drawing this catcher right to us all the while we’re rushing headlong toward another group of them? Just great!”
“If you don’t like my decision, leave!”
“Fine.” Dylan stalked to his horse and put his foot in the stirrup.
“Stop and think,” Lainey called. “You’re just going to abandon your friends? Pretend like none of this ever happened?”
He hesitated.
“Friends stick together. It wouldn’t be the same without you.” Brant grinned, and his teeth glowed in the moonlight. “Like we always say, if we’re going to jump off a cliff, I’m the one leading.”
Xan couldn’t keep the ends of his lips from curling upward. “I point out the best way to avoid the rocks and follow after you.”
“I shout, ‘C’mon Dylan,’ and jump right in,” Lainey said.
Dylan sighed and lowered his foot back to the ground. “And I say how really, really stupid the thought of cliff diving is in the first place but do it anyway.” He faced them. “We can’t stay here, and we still have no idea where to go now.”
They all turned to Xan, who took a moment to think. “Excluding going toward the tribes, the only two ways out of town are northeast toward Escon and Kaicia or east to Asherton and Dastanar. Three times as many people lay to the northeast, which means it’s three times more likely she’s along that route.”
“Sounds good,” Brant said, “but do we take the high passes or the low road? The mountains cut off a lot of distance, but if they’re snowed in, we’d have to turn back.”
“How much time difference are we talking?” Xan said.
Dylan sighed again. “It’s three days to get to the Shrew’s Fingers. Maybe two if we push hard from first light to sundown every day. It’s too dangerous to travel in darkness once we enter the high country.”
“Call it three days then,” Xan said. “We’ll need to quit riding a few hours before full dark, so I can rest before Ashley goes to sleep.”
Dylan rubbed his temples. “Three days to the passes, two across the range, and another three to meet back up with the low road. The other route would take a few weeks minimum.”
“What are the odds the passes will be clear?” Xan said.
“The mountain tops are already covered, but it’s early in the season. We should have no problem,” Brant said.
“That ‘should’ is a big deal, though,” Dylan said. “If the snow is too deep to get through, we’d have wasted a lot of time.”
Brant
nodded. “The catcher will pick up our trail at some point, too. If we have to backtrack …”
“And what if we take the slow route, and they get through the passes? Justav could end up waiting for us on the other side.” Xan looked to Brant to make the decision.
“Your quest, your call.”
Xan paused. Either decision risked getting his friends killed.
He didn’t know if Ashley would keep dreaming even though he wasn’t asleep to meet her but had to assume she would. The catchers could find her at any time.
“The high passes.” Xan could only hope he’d made the right decision.
14.
Xan wanted to scream. In fact, he would scream if Dylan made just one more snide comment. Neither speeding nor slowing Honey helped, either; Dylan just kept pace to stay right beside him.
“Have you ever heard of the Wizard’s War?” Dylan’s voice dripped sarcasm. “Remember what they taught us about the devastation, how many people died, how many entire towns were turned to blighted spots where even now nothing grows?”
“Please, I’m begging you. Let it go!” Leaving everything Xan knew behind was hard enough.
“I’m going to keep talking until I beat some measure of sense into you. Magic is dangerous. It’s outlawed for a reason.”
If that was the way Dylan wanted it, Xan would show him reason. “The nobles caused the war.”
Dylan looked as if Xan had said the sky was green.
“Remember who wrote the history we learned in school,” Xan said. “You can’t trust everything those books tell you.”
“And, of course, you have access to better information.”
“Master Rae does.”
Dylan threw up his hands.
“Nobles feared the mages’ power,” Xan said, “so they placed more and more restrictions on them. Laws prohibited a magic user from traveling from one town to another without applying for a permit. Outlawed mages getting married, having children. Wouldn’t you rebel under those conditions?”
“The Eagle fought on the side of the nobles. He agreed with the laws.” Dylan called ahead to Brant and Lainey, “Tell him I’m right.”
Rise of the Mages (Rise of the Mages 2) Page 6