horn and climbed onto his horse.
Leilas couldn't help thinking he was very old for his age, in many ways, much older than she. Wishing she had some of his wisdom and a larger share of his less compulsive personality, she placed her foot in her stirrup and swung into position.
As before, she fell in behind the rest and kept watch to the rear. Again, the feeling of uneasiness crept over her as she rode. Her only comfort was that this time, there was no voice in her mind.
"What is it you think you see, Leilas?" Joshuas's voice spoke in her mind, instantly giving comfort and easing her distress.
"Someone is watching us," answered Leilas, speaking only to him. Joshuas said nothing, but she could feel him probing with his mind.
"I feel nothing. Are you sure?"
"No, it's just a feeling." Leilas said nothing about the voice she'd heard earlier. Perhaps it was just her nerves that made her think she'd heard something, that made her feel as though she was being watched.
"Feelings are not something to be ignored," replied Joshuas. "Let's take a few minutes to rest," he said to Brenth and Queen Daina as he brought the group to a stop. Dismounting, he moved to Leilas's side.
"Follow the feeling with your mind,' He said, placing his hands on hers. Where is our crafter?"
A little surprised that Joshuas was taking her unease so seriously, she tried to focus on the origin of her feeling. Slowly, she felt herself moving outside of their small circle and moving toward the eyes she felt were watching. It was much clearer now, the probing. Following the path of power, she moved closer to the source. With a small gasp she found herself looking up into the eyes of Jayram, through green mists. She wasn’t sure how she knew it was him, but she knew.
Pulling quickly away, she felt the probing cease and saw the mists begin to recede. Grabbing Joshuas' hands to steady herself, she slowly made her way back through the paths she’d traveled until she was back on the road with a concerned Joshuas staring down at her.
"It was Jayram," she told him breathlessly. "He was tracking us with the mists."
Grunting, Joshuas looked into her eyes and seemed satisfied with what he saw. "So much for hoping we might slip through unnoticed. Still, the cave is our best defense tonight. We have a good head start. Even crafters are bound by some laws of nature."
But not bound to the earth as were her mother and brother. Leilas cast a worried glance in their direction. Crafters of the Land could change into animals that could travel swiftly and silently. Their enemies could travel the distance they’d covered in half the time.
"There’s a trick I've used in the past," continued Joshuas, "if you’re willing to try. I'd use it, but Jayram seems to have found you, not me." Leilas waited in silence. If he was looking for a reason why Jayram was able to find her so quickly, she didn't have one. "And if he found you once, he’ll probably be able to find you again. When he does find you, in your mind, show us turning around and backtracking. Cross the stream, continue on the path that follows the trees. Make up scenery, so he believes you’re going in that direction. He won't know it's a lie, until you don't see some landmark he expects you to pass. It may buy us a little time. Brenth can lead your mount so you won't be distracted by where we are really going."
"And when he does realize it's a lie and sends someone after us, what then?"
"We stand, fight and hope we’re stronger. We can also hope that Darryl wearies of the search before they find us. He’s presently angry that we slipped away, but he may decide that his battle was successful enough without our deaths and abandon the search. He can't believe that putting you, your mother, and brother to death is worth spending a great deal of time or energy pursuing. After all, your mother was never a central character in Dirth. Neither was your brother and Darryl can't be very interested in a student from the
Leilas couldn't help thinking he was very old for his age, in many ways, much older than she. Wishing she had some of his wisdom and a larger share of his less compulsive personality, she placed her foot in her stirrup and swung into position.
As before, she fell in behind the rest and kept watch to the rear. Again, the feeling of uneasiness crept over her as she rode. Her only comfort was that this time, there was no voice in her mind.
"What is it you think you see, Leilas?" Joshuas's voice spoke in her mind, instantly giving comfort and easing her distress.
"Someone is watching us," answered Leilas, speaking only to him. Joshuas said nothing, but she could feel him probing with his mind.
"I feel nothing. Are you sure?"
"No, it's just a feeling." Leilas said nothing about the voice she'd heard earlier. Perhaps it was just her nerves that made her think she'd heard something, that made her feel as though she was being watched.
"Feelings are not something to be ignored," replied Joshuas. "Let's take a few minutes to rest," he said to Brenth and Queen Daina as he brought the group to a stop. Dismounting, he moved to Leilas's side.
"Follow the feeling with your mind,' He said, placing his hands on hers. Where is our crafter?"
A little surprised that Joshuas was taking her unease so seriously, she tried to focus on the origin of her feeling. Slowly, she felt herself moving outside of their small circle and moving toward the eyes she felt were watching. It was much clearer now, the probing. Following the path of power, she moved closer to the source. With a small gasp she found herself looking up into the eyes of Jayram, through green mists. She wasn’t sure how she knew it was him, but she knew.
Pulling quickly away, she felt the probing cease and saw the mists begin to recede. Grabbing Joshuas' hands to steady herself, she slowly made her way back through the paths she’d traveled until she was back on the road with a concerned Joshuas staring down at her.
"It was Jayram," she told him breathlessly. "He was tracking us with the mists."
Grunting, Joshuas looked into her eyes and seemed satisfied with what he saw. "So much for hoping we might slip through unnoticed. Still, the cave is our best defense tonight. We have a good head start. Even crafters are bound by some laws of nature."
But not bound to the earth as were her mother and brother. Leilas cast a worried glance in their direction. Crafters of the Land could change into animals that could travel swiftly and silently. Their enemies could travel the distance they’d covered in half the time.
"There’s a trick I've used in the past," continued Joshuas, "if you’re willing to try. I'd use it, but Jayram seems to have found you, not me." Leilas waited in silence. If he was looking for a reason why Jayram was able to find her so quickly, she didn't have one. "And if he found you once, he’ll probably be able to find you again. When he does find you, in your mind, show us turning around and backtracking. Cross the stream, continue on the path that follows the trees. Make up scenery, so he believes you’re going in that direction. He won't know it's a lie, until you don't see some landmark he expects you to pass. It may buy us a little time. Brenth can lead your mount so you won't be distracted by where we are really going."
"And when he does realize it's a lie and sends someone after us, what then?"
"We stand, fight and hope we’re stronger. We can also hope that Darryl wearies of the search before they find us. He’s presently angry that we slipped away, but he may decide that his battle was successful enough without our deaths and abandon the search. He can't believe that putting you, your mother, and brother to death is worth spending a great deal of time or energy pursuing. After all, your mother was never a central character in Dirth. Neither was your brother and Darryl can't be very interested in a student from the
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