grabbed his horse by the reins. “Get off. Go rest. That’s an order.”
“I’ll not do it,” Ben said. “No offense, Dragon, but I know when I’m ready.”
It had been almost a week and in that time Ben’s fever had broken and his belly had mostly healed. I still hadn’t spoken with Brenwar and had said very little to Bayzog or Sasha. But I’d made my intentions clear. I was going after Kryzak.
But now Ben wanted to come along.
Everyone gathered around. Bayzog, Sasha, Brenwar and I sat on our horses watching Ben. He was tormented. Garrison was dead. A Man who’d pretended to be our friend had betrayed us, and it had almost cost Ben his life.
Ben’s face became long and downcast.
“I should have just let him be,” he said. “I should have walked away, but he was just, so… ”
“Evil,” Sasha said.
Ben nodded.
I felt sorry for him. I think we all did. He’d killed a Man whom he’d come to trust as a friend―only to be betrayed.
“You did the right thing,” Sasha said. “His deception led to Shum’s death. Ben, more people could have died if you hadn’t stopped him.” She rode over and patted his back. “I’m grateful.”
Ben didn’t even look at her .
“ The Legionnaires were going to hang me!”
It was true. The Legionnaires were a brotherhood , sworn to give their lives to one another and never to harm one another.
Ben had known that, but he’d gone after Garrison anyway. It was a brave thing. Risky too.
G iven Sasha’s abduction and Garrison’s evil magic totem, Ben had been spared. But humiliation followed. His helmet, sword and armor were gone. His bow and arrows as well. He was an outcast like me now.
“Ben,” I said, releasing his reins. “Let’s go, shall we ?”
He sat up in his saddle. “You’re letting me go with you after Kryzak?”
“No, I’m letting you go as far as I let you.”
Brenwar harrumphed and took the lead.
I kn ew I needed to talk with him, but there would be plenty of time along the way. Plus, I needed to find the right words to say. It would have to wait.
It was morning when we left, and Brenwar led us in a zigzag north of the village.
Bayzog made his way along my side for a chat. His violet eyes were tired for a change , and I knew the loss of Shum had shaken him.
“You look like you might yawn,” I said.
“Me? Not ever,” he said, offering a smile. “How are you feeling, Nath?”
“Well enough. And you?”
“I’m not sure what we’re doing?” Bayzog said.
“We’re looking for Kryzak,” I said. “And the best way to find him is to find the poachers. At least now we have the advantage of knowing who is in charge of all this.” I gave him a hard look. “You don’t have to come along, Bayzog. I think you, Sasha and Ben should go back to Quintuklen. Brenwar and I can handle this.”
“You and Brenwar aren’t even speaking.”
I smiled.
“I don’t miss the nagging. You don’t plan to fill in for him , do you?”
“Come now, Nath,” Bayzog said. “Do you know so little of me? We’ve all been through much the past few days. I think it’s time we stopped and talked things out for a change. Right now I’m not so sure what we’re doing―or rather, if what we’re doing is best.”
“It’s best for me,” I said . “That’s all that matters. I need to save Dragons. You need to save yourself from me.”
“You need us, Nath.”
“You mean what’s left of us? Shum died, remember. Ben almost died and so did yo u and Sasha. Not to mention Brenwar. What would you have me do?”
He grabbed my arm, narrowed his eyes and spoke through his teeth.
“Slow down and think, will you? Perhaps they set another trap. An ambush perhaps. We need more caution and less action. We need council.”
Council. Elves loved councils and long meetings. So did Dwarves, for that matter, but I wasn’t going to bite on any of it. No, all he wanted to do was talk me out of doing what I wanted. I was going to save the Dragons,
“I’ll not do it,” Ben said. “No offense, Dragon, but I know when I’m ready.”
It had been almost a week and in that time Ben’s fever had broken and his belly had mostly healed. I still hadn’t spoken with Brenwar and had said very little to Bayzog or Sasha. But I’d made my intentions clear. I was going after Kryzak.
But now Ben wanted to come along.
Everyone gathered around. Bayzog, Sasha, Brenwar and I sat on our horses watching Ben. He was tormented. Garrison was dead. A Man who’d pretended to be our friend had betrayed us, and it had almost cost Ben his life.
Ben’s face became long and downcast.
“I should have just let him be,” he said. “I should have walked away, but he was just, so… ”
“Evil,” Sasha said.
Ben nodded.
I felt sorry for him. I think we all did. He’d killed a Man whom he’d come to trust as a friend―only to be betrayed.
“You did the right thing,” Sasha said. “His deception led to Shum’s death. Ben, more people could have died if you hadn’t stopped him.” She rode over and patted his back. “I’m grateful.”
Ben didn’t even look at her .
“ The Legionnaires were going to hang me!”
It was true. The Legionnaires were a brotherhood , sworn to give their lives to one another and never to harm one another.
Ben had known that, but he’d gone after Garrison anyway. It was a brave thing. Risky too.
G iven Sasha’s abduction and Garrison’s evil magic totem, Ben had been spared. But humiliation followed. His helmet, sword and armor were gone. His bow and arrows as well. He was an outcast like me now.
“Ben,” I said, releasing his reins. “Let’s go, shall we ?”
He sat up in his saddle. “You’re letting me go with you after Kryzak?”
“No, I’m letting you go as far as I let you.”
Brenwar harrumphed and took the lead.
I kn ew I needed to talk with him, but there would be plenty of time along the way. Plus, I needed to find the right words to say. It would have to wait.
It was morning when we left, and Brenwar led us in a zigzag north of the village.
Bayzog made his way along my side for a chat. His violet eyes were tired for a change , and I knew the loss of Shum had shaken him.
“You look like you might yawn,” I said.
“Me? Not ever,” he said, offering a smile. “How are you feeling, Nath?”
“Well enough. And you?”
“I’m not sure what we’re doing?” Bayzog said.
“We’re looking for Kryzak,” I said. “And the best way to find him is to find the poachers. At least now we have the advantage of knowing who is in charge of all this.” I gave him a hard look. “You don’t have to come along, Bayzog. I think you, Sasha and Ben should go back to Quintuklen. Brenwar and I can handle this.”
“You and Brenwar aren’t even speaking.”
I smiled.
“I don’t miss the nagging. You don’t plan to fill in for him , do you?”
“Come now, Nath,” Bayzog said. “Do you know so little of me? We’ve all been through much the past few days. I think it’s time we stopped and talked things out for a change. Right now I’m not so sure what we’re doing―or rather, if what we’re doing is best.”
“It’s best for me,” I said . “That’s all that matters. I need to save Dragons. You need to save yourself from me.”
“You need us, Nath.”
“You mean what’s left of us? Shum died, remember. Ben almost died and so did yo u and Sasha. Not to mention Brenwar. What would you have me do?”
He grabbed my arm, narrowed his eyes and spoke through his teeth.
“Slow down and think, will you? Perhaps they set another trap. An ambush perhaps. We need more caution and less action. We need council.”
Council. Elves loved councils and long meetings. So did Dwarves, for that matter, but I wasn’t going to bite on any of it. No, all he wanted to do was talk me out of doing what I wanted. I was going to save the Dragons,
Similar Books
