case they need to leave quickly. Not good for the
horses, but necessary.
“Do you think we’re catching them?” Cassie
asks while they’re eating.
“Who?” James responds. “The slavers?”
Cassie nods her head and says, “Yes.”
“I would think so,” he answers, nodding his
head. “They have lots of people walking while we’re riding, even
though we are taking a more roundabout way we have to be gaining on
them.”
They sit there in silence for the rest of
their meal. When they’re done, they all settle down and get ready
for sleep. James lies there and stares up at the sky as it
continues to darken into full night.
“James?” he hears Delia say.
“Yeah?” he replies.
“Where’re you from?” she asks.
“A long ways from here and probably won’t be
back for quite a while,” he replies. “Why?”
“Just curious is all,” she answers.
“Is everyone there mages?” Cassie asks.
“No, there are actually none there,” he
says. “I may be the first.”
“You’re the first one I’ve ever met,” she
says.
“Do I live up to your expectations?” he
asks, amused.
“No,” she said, “you’re nice.”
James laughs then sobers up and asks, “Are
all the mages here mean?”
Tinok says, “Most people believe them to be.
All you ever hear about is how mages ruin things and hurt people.
Seeing what you’ve already done, it’s not hard to understand why
that is.”
“It’s all perspective,” James says, “plus
most tales of how mages help won’t be believed and only the
interesting ones are told again and again. Those tend to be the
ones where they are not very nice.”
“Suppose you’re right,” he concludes.
“Maybe we should all be thinking about going
to sleep,” Jiron’s voice cuts through the night. “We have lots of
ground to cover and people to find.”
“You’re right,” James agrees. Turning over,
he tries to find a comfortable spot on the ground. I hate sleeping
on the ground! Eventually, he’s able to drift off to sleep.
The morning dawns beautifully and James
wakes up stiff and aching due to another night spent on the hard
ground. After getting up, he rummages through his backpack and
comes up with some food for breakfast. While he eats he begins
walking around the camp, trying to work the kinks out of his
muscles.
It doesn’t take long before they’re all up,
eaten, and ready to ride. Once everyone is mounted, they continue
south, hoping to find where the slavers are heading. At one point
during the morning, James takes out his compass and locates the
general direction of where the slavers are. The needle points off
to the southeast, more east than south. We’re gaining on
them , he thinks to himself. Putting his compass away, he
continues on, beginning to feel much better about the possibility
of a rescue. Just hang on Miko.
They don’t travel much further before a
running man appears from the east. Behind him, two fast moving
riders are in hot pursuit, racing to intercept the man.
“We must help him,” Delia cries.
Jiron and Tinok glance at one another and
with a cry, they kick their horses to a gallop as they ride to aid
the fleeing man. James and the girls follow behind at a safer pace,
keeping an eye to the east for any other pursuers.
One of the riders aims a crossbow at the
fleeing man, and James sees the man’s pace falter as he’s struck by
the crossbow bolt. Stumbling, he loses his balance and hits the
ground.
The riders, so intent on the man they are
chasing, they fail to notice Jiron and Tinok until they are
practically upon them.
Riding straight for them, Jiron and Tinok
jump from their horses and each grabs one of the men, dragging them
to the ground. When they hit the ground, they roll and come to
their feet quickly, knife blades flashing in the sun.
The two riders get to their feet quickly and
draw their swords as the two teens advance upon them. James sees
Jiron divert a thrust of the man’s sword and then strike
horses, but necessary.
“Do you think we’re catching them?” Cassie
asks while they’re eating.
“Who?” James responds. “The slavers?”
Cassie nods her head and says, “Yes.”
“I would think so,” he answers, nodding his
head. “They have lots of people walking while we’re riding, even
though we are taking a more roundabout way we have to be gaining on
them.”
They sit there in silence for the rest of
their meal. When they’re done, they all settle down and get ready
for sleep. James lies there and stares up at the sky as it
continues to darken into full night.
“James?” he hears Delia say.
“Yeah?” he replies.
“Where’re you from?” she asks.
“A long ways from here and probably won’t be
back for quite a while,” he replies. “Why?”
“Just curious is all,” she answers.
“Is everyone there mages?” Cassie asks.
“No, there are actually none there,” he
says. “I may be the first.”
“You’re the first one I’ve ever met,” she
says.
“Do I live up to your expectations?” he
asks, amused.
“No,” she said, “you’re nice.”
James laughs then sobers up and asks, “Are
all the mages here mean?”
Tinok says, “Most people believe them to be.
All you ever hear about is how mages ruin things and hurt people.
Seeing what you’ve already done, it’s not hard to understand why
that is.”
“It’s all perspective,” James says, “plus
most tales of how mages help won’t be believed and only the
interesting ones are told again and again. Those tend to be the
ones where they are not very nice.”
“Suppose you’re right,” he concludes.
“Maybe we should all be thinking about going
to sleep,” Jiron’s voice cuts through the night. “We have lots of
ground to cover and people to find.”
“You’re right,” James agrees. Turning over,
he tries to find a comfortable spot on the ground. I hate sleeping
on the ground! Eventually, he’s able to drift off to sleep.
The morning dawns beautifully and James
wakes up stiff and aching due to another night spent on the hard
ground. After getting up, he rummages through his backpack and
comes up with some food for breakfast. While he eats he begins
walking around the camp, trying to work the kinks out of his
muscles.
It doesn’t take long before they’re all up,
eaten, and ready to ride. Once everyone is mounted, they continue
south, hoping to find where the slavers are heading. At one point
during the morning, James takes out his compass and locates the
general direction of where the slavers are. The needle points off
to the southeast, more east than south. We’re gaining on
them , he thinks to himself. Putting his compass away, he
continues on, beginning to feel much better about the possibility
of a rescue. Just hang on Miko.
They don’t travel much further before a
running man appears from the east. Behind him, two fast moving
riders are in hot pursuit, racing to intercept the man.
“We must help him,” Delia cries.
Jiron and Tinok glance at one another and
with a cry, they kick their horses to a gallop as they ride to aid
the fleeing man. James and the girls follow behind at a safer pace,
keeping an eye to the east for any other pursuers.
One of the riders aims a crossbow at the
fleeing man, and James sees the man’s pace falter as he’s struck by
the crossbow bolt. Stumbling, he loses his balance and hits the
ground.
The riders, so intent on the man they are
chasing, they fail to notice Jiron and Tinok until they are
practically upon them.
Riding straight for them, Jiron and Tinok
jump from their horses and each grabs one of the men, dragging them
to the ground. When they hit the ground, they roll and come to
their feet quickly, knife blades flashing in the sun.
The two riders get to their feet quickly and
draw their swords as the two teens advance upon them. James sees
Jiron divert a thrust of the man’s sword and then strike
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