“There is no difference between practice and real life,” sighed Garth. “What do I have to do to convince you? If I kill you, you will have finally learned that lesson, but I will have wasted my time teaching it. Do you think we are in some park where no bad people exist? We are but a few miles from Toresh where the Dark Riders have a major garrison. Their own practice sessions use these very woods that you are frolicking in and yet you walk around as if there is no danger. There is danger every moment of your life. Never forget it. Never.”
“What did we miss here?” Arik asked as much to break the tension as to hear the answer.
“Look at the tree bark,” Garth explained. “I jumped up and grabbed that branch, but my feet disturbed the bark there and there. You would have trouble following from there, but if you checked surrounding trees you would eventually find where I came down. Enough tracking for now. You boys are due for some more sword practice. Today you two get the chance to kill me. It should be fun.”
Garth turned and headed back towards the campsite leaving Arik and Tedi shaking their heads. Arik watched the way Garth walked as he followed him. The careful, if subconscious, placement of every step. His feet always coming down on the quietest, most solid surface the path provided. Arik wondered how many years Garth had been walking that way. It was so second nature to the man that Arik was sure he did it without thinking.
The afternoon was as full of activity for the boys as every day for the last two weeks had been. While they still had trouble keeping their eyes open during the late dinner, the aches in their muscles were becoming less each day. Garth came into the campsite late for dinner and sat down with a frown on his face.
“Your friends are still looking for you,” he said to the boys. “There are about thirty Dark Riders several miles to the North and your friend, the witch, is with them.”
“Should we leave tonight?” Tedi asked nervously.
Garth chewed a mouthful of rabbit before answering. “Traveling by night is too dangerous unless you know the country well or you are very desperate. Neither case applies here. One of the hardest tracks to hide is a wagon. I think we can avoid any problems with them as long as you two are out of sight when they come.”
“What about their horses?” asked Arik. “They are bound to recognize their horses and saddles.”
“Not necessarily,” Garth stated. “And if they do, I will tell them that I purchased them from a gang of bandits that headed south. Gypsies are known to trade with anyone. If they argue too much, I will offer to sell them back to them.”
“I can’t believe that you are taking this so lightly,” Tedi burst out.
Garth put down his plate and leveled his gaze on the boys. “I take nothing lightly,” he declared. “I do not always seek a fight when there are other ways out of a situation. I do not shun a fight, but it is better to choose when you wish to fight and not let others decide for you. You would do well to remember to face every problem with calmness and logical thought. Emotion can kill you as quickly as a sword.”
“Is there anything that we can do to prepare for tomorrow?” questioned Arik.
“Get some sleep,” ordered Garth. “If all does not go well, you may be called upon to exercise your new skills and I would like you well rested for the occasion.”
The boys nodded and headed off to their blankets. Kalina and Garth sat talking softly for an hour before they, too, retired.
* * * *
Niki was practically falling asleep in the saddle. “Why do we have to keep riding, Fredrik? I’m tired and I want to go to sleep.”
“I want to ride a little longer,” answered Fredrik. “We have been too long without something substantial to eat. If we keep stopping early, we will die of starvation. We need to find a village or small town and the longer we ride each day the sooner we will find it.”
“We haven’t seen so much as a farm since that place you stole the chicken,” Niki complained. “I don’t think anyone lives along this road.”
“You may be right,” admitted Fredrik, “but I thought I smelled smoke a little while ago and I wouldn’t mind some food before I fall asleep.”
They rode on for another ten minutes and Fredrik perked up again. “I know it is smoke this time,” he said hopefully. “If we don’t find some food at wherever the smoke is coming from, we go to sleep anyway, okay?”
Niki didn’t answer and Fredrik led them off the road and onto a small dirt path that led into the woods towards the East. The smell of smoke was still very faint, but Fredrik followed it until it got stronger. Finally, he saw the shape of a wagon far up the dirt path. He thought he heard a slight sound like two pieces of metal tinkling against each other, but ignored it. When he reached the edge of the clearing where the wagon was parked, he dismounted and told Niki to get down and hold the horses. He surveyed the campsite and could not see anyone moving. Other than the wagon, the campsite held a string line for horses and Fredrik could see around a half dozen horses. He thought he could pick out two shapes over by the horses that might be men sleeping.
“I’m going in to see what I can find to eat,” whispered Fredrik.
Niki nodded and tied the horses to a small tree. Fredrik crept toward the wagon, keeping an eye on the two sleeping forms. He successfully reached the back of the wagon without waking anyone and began to ease the door open. The tip of a sword touched his throat from alongside the wagon.
“Don’t you know it is polite to knock before you enter a woman’s wagon?” the steely voice asked.
Fredrik raised his chin and the sword followed it up. He let go of the door to the wagon and raised his hands. “Sorry,” he croaked, “I was just looking for food. I haven’t eaten in days and I am very hungry.”
Garth looked at the boy before lowering his sword and sheathing it. As he started to open his mouth to speak, he caught the glare of a magical projectile screaming in from the woods. He threw himself to the ground and kicked Fredrik’s feet out from under him. Quickly twisting his body as the projectile screamed by overhead, Garth wrapped his muscular arm around the boy’s neck.
“One more mistake like that and this boy’s life is ended,” he shouted. “Come out of the woods so I can see you.”
Arik and Tedi leaped to their feet, their bows ready and arrows nocked. The door to the wagon opened and Kalina stepped out. She looked at the boy carefully and then gazed into the woods as if trying to determine who would be helping the boy.
“Whether you value the boy’s life or not,” she called, “do not use any more magic. There is a company of Dark Riders only a couple of miles away and they have a witch with them. Your magic will call them down here quicker than if you sent a rider to tell them you are here. If you want food, we will feed you. If not, you may leave.”
She nodded to Garth and he released the boy and stood up. The boy rose slowly and looked all around the campsite. He saw the two boys with their bows ready. He saw Kalina standing next to the wagon in a black sleeping robe with her hands on her hips and he saw Garth standing seemingly at ease, or at least as at ease as a predator gets. Garth motioned to the boys with a hand signal and they reluctantly lowered their bows and returned their arrows to their quivers.
For a long moment, nobody moved and nobody spoke. Finally, Garth turned to the boy. “Either eat in peace or leave in peace, but make up your mind,” Garth demanded. “I do not fancy losing sleep while your friend takes the night to decide.”
Fredrik finally made up his mind and waved Niki into the campsite. Everyone watched the redheaded girl lead the two horses into the clearing.
“Tedi,” Garth called, “see to our guests’ horses. They look like they have been ridden since first light. Arik, light the fire and get some coffee going.” Turning to Fredrik and Niki, Garth looked them over before he indicated that they should sit by the fire.
“You could have just asked for food,” Garth commented. “No one but Dark Riders and bandits would refuse you if they had any to spare. Who are you and whe
re are you heading that you travel at night?”
Niki, even though frightened, appeared ready to fall asleep sitting up. Fredrik appeared to be calming down and spoke. “We are Fredrik and Niki and we are from the south. We are traveling at night because we have not eaten in days and I wanted to push on in hopes of finding a village. I smelled your smoke and followed it in to the clearing. I saw no one awake so I thought I would just grab whatever food I could find without waking anyone. It was wrong and I apologize.”
“It was wrong because you got caught, you mean,” Garth frowned. “Your apology is accepted, just the same.”
Kalina emerged from the wagon with plates of cold food for the new couple and they tore into it as if they were really hungry. Kalina watched them eat and looked at Niki’s cloak with interest and suddenly frowned. Garth caught the look, but gave no indication. She looked over at Garth and said, “It would appear that we are becoming a magnet for Collapse children. We need to keep these two from the Dark Riders, as well.”
Fredrik looked up in surprise and then looked over his shoulder at Arik and Tedi. Niki just kept on eating and mumbled, “How does everyone know?”
Kalina had been watching their reactions closely and just smiled. Arik and Tedi stared at the redheaded witch whom Garth and Kalina had just welcomed into their campsite and Garth strode out of the clearing to fix his trip line without anyone noticing.
Fredrik and Niki finished all of the food that Kalina brought out. Garth started a pipe as he sat and watched them finish up. Kalina made another trip into the wagon and came back with blankets for the visitors.
“We may be having visitors tomorrow,” he began. “The Dark Riders that Kalina mentioned are only a few miles north of here. We may have to wake you early so that we can arrange to hide you. They do have a witch with them and any use of magic, no matter how small, could result in death for all of us. Will you listen to my orders in the morning?”
“We have little choice,” sighed Fredrik. “There are Dark Riders to the East and to the West and I know that we cannot survive the trip back south. If you are correct about Dark Riders to the north, we are stuck with you or you with us. We will not resort to magic unless our lives depend on it.”
“So, you are both magicians?” Garth asked.
Fredrik shrugged. “I have been told that you should not submit to interrogations when you are tired,” he chuckled. “Now, I know why. Yes, we both have the ability and, yes, we will behave.”
Garth nodded. “Then you should both get some sleep. You look like you can use it.”
After Fredrik and Niki were settled in their blankets, Garth and Kalina spoke in private. “Let me guess, the cloak has a spell on it?” Garth asked.
Kalina nodded. “The same type of spell that I detected on the necklace. You did get a good look at the cloak didn’t you? Including the burn marks?”
“I saw it,” Garth said. “This has turned into quite a fishing trip. The Dark One would be thrilled to know where we are right now. In fact,” Garth smiled, “he would give almost anything to know.”
“There is something else,” Kalina added. “The boy has the ability to gather the power. He was doing so when you held him. That ability is very rare. I do not know if she possesses it, as well. If she does, she wasn’t using it tonight.”
Chapter 12
Discovery
Tedi rose early and looked around in the pre-light darkness of the campsite. He was sure that he had heard something, but nothing seemed amiss. Suddenly, he heard it again and looked towards the sound. Someone was doing something just outside the clearing. Gently, he nudged Arik awake and held his finger to his lips. Arik took a few moments to acclimate himself to his surroundings in the dark. Slowly the boys tiptoed towards the sound, always keeping the trees between them and the mysterious person in the woods.
Arik, who was the quieter of the two boys, used a hand signal to tell Tedi to stay back and continued slowly forward. After gaining a few more trees, Arik stiffened and shook his head. Cautiously, Arik turned around and retraced his steps back to Tedi. He signaled for Tedi to follow and led the way back to their sleeping areas. “It’s Garth,” Arik whispered, “and he is digging graves. He is just finishing the second grave, but I can see two more outlined in the dirt.”
“We have to tell the newcomers,” Tedi whispered. “Maybe with their . . . their powers, they can help us escape.”
Arik nodded his head in agreement and the boys headed across the clearing to where Fredrik and Niki were sleeping. The first light was already appearing when the boys reached Fredrik’s side. Gently, Arik shook him and held his finger to his lips so Fredrik did not shout.
“We have trouble," Tedi said softly. “Get your friend up quietly and quickly.”
Fredrik half rolled and half crawled the short distance to Niki’s blanket and simply put his hand over her mouth. Niki’s eyes popped open widely and she stared up into Fredrik’s face. When Fredrik was sure that she understood his warning, he withdrew to a sitting position.
Niki sat up and looked around and saw the other two boys. “What is going on?” she whispered.
“Garth is digging four graves,” Tedi explained softly. “We may need your special talents to get us out of here before he discovers that we are awake.”
“Are the Dark Riders really camped close to us?” Fredrik asked softly.
When Arik nodded his head, Fredrik continued, “That would not be a good idea. Kalina is correct that they would detect us if we cast anything major or more than one minor spell. We should just sneak off and hope to lose them both.”
“You will never lose Garth by sneaking off,” Tedi assured the newcomers. “He can track the wind through the branches of a tree by the scent it left behind. And for some reason, I expect that he would follow us until he found us, no matter how long it took.”
“Even so,” Niki interrupted, “if we got enough of a lead on him, we could use magic to stop him cold once we were away from the Dark Riders and their witch.”
Arik smiled and nodded his head. “That just might work,” he agreed.
Just then, the door to the wagon opened and Kalina stepped out. She looked around the campsite and her eyes stopped on the four children. “It is good to see the four of you getting along so well,” she commented,” but it is time to start the day. Arik, get the fire started. Tedi, get water for coffee. Has anyone seen Garth this morning?”
Four quickly shaking heads met Kalina’s blue eyes. “Very well,” she said. “Fredrik, observe Arik and the fire so you will know what to do in the future. Niki, you can help me with the food.”
Arik quietly started building the fire and Tedi nervously grabbed buckets and headed off towards the stream. Niki followed Kalina as though she was going to be prepared for cooking instead of the breakfast. Fredrik walked over to Arik and whispered, “We will have to play along until the right moment and breakfast will be welcome if we have to spend days on the trail trying to shake Garth. He can’t really do anything until all four of the graves are done, anyway, and you said he had completed only two.”
Kalina and Niki quickly had breakfast going with more of the strange, large eggs and slabs of bacon. The smell of the campfire and the cooking bacon lured Garth out of the woods and he came over and sat by Kalina. The four others huddled together on the other side of the fire and everyone ate in silence.
Finally, Garth put his empty plate down and looked across the campfire at the others. “Today is going to be an unusual day,” he began. “As you can see we are eating earlier than normal and there will be no practice sessions. Arik and Tedi, you two have a special task ahead of you. I need you two to finish digging some holes for me, very large holes.”
Tedi and Arik looked at each other with their mouths hanging open. “I am not feeling well today,” Tedi quickly blurted out.
“Perhaps it was something we ate or the effects of the magic last night, but I don’t feel really well, either,” Arik got out.
G
arth looked at the two boys suspiciously as well as the almost concealed grins of the other two children. Something was going on with the four of them that he did not understand, but he would not allow it to get in the way of the plan he had for them this morning. “It is unfortunate that you two do not feel well,” he said slowly, “because it will make the digging appear worse than it really is, but make no mistakes, you two will finish the digging if it kills you.”
Niki leaped to her feet, spilling her plate and her second helping of food on the ground. Placing her hands on her hips, she glared at Garth and Kalina. Fredrik slowly rose and placed his hand on her shoulder, but this time it was in a show of support rather than a reprimand.
“Niki is right,” Fredrik stated clearly. “We both have powers that we would prefer not to use right now because of the Dark Riders, but we will if we have to and damn the consequences. You are not going to order Arik and Tedi to dig their own graves.”
Arik and Tedi also rose and placed their hands on the hilts of the swords they had managed to get on while doing their breakfast chores. Kalina stood with a smile on her lips, but Garth rose with a scowl on his face.
“They are not digging their own graves,” Garth said flatly, “they are digging yours. I have already finished theirs. If you children are quite finished with your mutiny, I will describe my plan.”
The scene around the campfire appeared frozen and nobody spoke. Niki, who would have already attacked by now, felt patience and reassurance from Fredrik’s hand on her shoulder. Arik and Tedi knew the minute they drew their swords, Garth would strike them down. They had been practicing two on one with Garth for several days now and they knew they were not even close to being ready to take him on.
“The Dark Riders will most certainly be here this morning,” Garth continued. “If any of you are seen, we will have to do battle and destroy them all. The graves that you speak of are holes for you to hide in. I have already cut strips of wood to hold canvas over the holes, so that the dirt piled on top of you will be very thin. You will be able to easily get out if something should happen to Kalina and myself. I have cut long reeds for you to breath through and the excavated dirt will be spread evenly over the ground just before I reposition the horses to ring the area. The Dark Riders will not give it a second glance.”
Sapphire of the Fairies, Book 1 of Sword of Heavens Page 14