by Alex Cannon
CHAPTER 17
Range thought he saw something up ahead. He ignored it and said nothing to his colleagues.
“We must continue northward,” he said.
They broke their mid-afternoon break and began walking again. This was the second day they had been traveling after the death of Zoë.They were perhaps a day-and-a-half from Rommel.The day was much cooler than prior, and the wind continued to kick directly into their faces. The smell of a fireplace burning wafted by routinely. They kept their heads wrapped, their faces pointed toward the ground and their hands stuffed deeply into their pockets.The pale sun was almost completely covered with clouds that continually raced to the south.
The road was nicely packed here, and the trees on either side were getting thinner.The rattling wind knocked leaves off the rattling trees and flung them out into the road before the weary travelers.Dying grass sprigs were evident through the green, signaling the changing of the season.
They were coming upon the lip of a very shallow valley running to the east and west.Trees scantily clad the ground below them. The road went through the flat valley and came out on the north side; it was like a thin brown noodle leading away from them.
Although quite far off, it looked like a large group of mounted men heading their way on the road.The group was just entering the opposite side of the valley.
“Do you see them?” Rolin yelled over to Range.
“Aye. Why would a group that large be heading south?” He already knew.
“Perhaps another group hunting for the Swords?”
They had passed men in small parties making bold statements about the three Swords of Saddig.Most were certain they knew the best place to look.Sterlin always laughed after the hunters passed by.”Such great hunters!” he would say.”They can’t even smell a Sword right under their noses!”Range wished the man would shut his mouth.
“What do you think we should do?” Sterlin said pulling his horse up.
“There’s far too many of them. We need to hide,” Range said. He knew those men were coming for the Sword. Zoë still chased through his head on an hourly basis. He was trying to put it behind him, but it was proving a greater thing than he.
“The trees are scarce around here,” Sterlin said, looking about.”We would need to begin looking now if we were to find a suitable spot to hide.”
“Aye, so let us begin. But I want to find a place where we can see the road. I want to see who it is who comes south with such a force of men,” Range said.
It took them a while to locate an adequate spot to hide. Rolin opined that the large group would just ride past with nary a glance.But Range had a sinking feeling about this group.Something was buzzing around the back of his head that said Beware!
“I smell something. Do you smell it?”Sterlin said quietly.No one answered him.
They had found a small grotto almost covered up by a tall variety of dried summer stalk plants.Once they had walked the horse behind the stalks, Range and Rolin moved up toward the road to catch a glimpse.They were within a stone’s throw of the road and were well covered by the thick green bush, its shiny leaves and bright red berries. The bush partially hindered the wind as they dropped on their stomachs.Range blew into his hands. He was already sick of being cold.