direction he’d pointed.
Shandry rolled her eyes. “What’s up with him? He’s generally the sensible one.”
I ignored the jibe. “He’s usually right about these things.”
“So go off with him,” she said, turning away from me and securing Dyster’s reins to a nearby tree.
Now what to do? Stay and help Shandry set up camp, or go find Traz? Had he actually gone to find this shelter he believed was there, or had he just gone off to sulk? I took a deep breath and let it out again.
“I’m going to get Traz,” I said.
“Suit yourself.” Shandry began kicking leaves and stones aside.
I went off in the direction Traz had gone. I couldn’t track him, as that wasn’t a skill I’d even begun to learn. But I had learned how to distinguish individual life vibrations back on Hedra, and I’d practiced most on Traz, so surely I could find him that way now. I unblocked.
The vibrations of the forest here were much like back home on Hedra, but there was a subtle difference, like the scent of an unfamiliar spice. The trees spoke to my heart, luring me on to explore their secrets.
I forced myself to concentrate. I had to find Traz. Where was his vibration in all this residue?
Then, like an almost-forgotten scent, there it was. Just the tiniest thread, and I followed it. Stepping carefully, trying not to make any noise, I moved forward. But it was impossible to walk quietly. Old dead leaves and dried twigs crunched underfoot. Still, I made a game of trying.
I imagined my maejic sinking down into my feet, dampening any noise my steps might make, eliminating all sign of my passing. It didn’t work at first, not while I kept my mind on it. But once I gave up trying, my footsteps grew quiet. It was as if the trying were the thing that interfered with letting the maejic work.
I finally caught up with Traz near a small cliff face. He was leaning against an old stump, hunched over something in his hands. He started when I cleared my throat to announce my presence and he hastily shoved the thing into his pack.
“There,” he said, pointing to an opening in the cliff. “I told you.”
I scowled, first at the cave and then at Traz. “I don’t understand. How did you know?”
He shook his head. “I dunno. I can’t explain. I just knew there was a better spot than Shandry found, and that it was here.”
“Well, it is better,” I agreed.
“So we can go back and tell her?”
“Careful, Traz. She might not like being proved wrong.”
“But Donavah, it’s going to rain any minute now. Or snow. Wouldn’t you rather be warm and dry in a cave than stuck next to a big rock with nothing more than some trees covering us?”
“When you put it that way—”
“Then c’mon. I’ll race you back.”
He made as if to dash off, but I put a hand on his arm to stop him. “Wait, Traz. Walk with me. Look, we’re just getting started on this journey, and we need Shandry. I don’t want to alienate her our first night out.”
“Well, I don’t want to freeze our first night out.” A frown creased his forehead.
“I know it seems hard. But isn’t one uncomfortable night worth it to keep the peace?”
“No! Not when I’m right and you know it! Why are you siding with her, anyway?”
That was a good question. I certainly didn’t fancy spending a wet night out in the open when I didn’t have to. On the other hand, I couldn’t exactly explain to Traz that the last thing in the world I wanted was for Shandry to leave us stranded and go back to Grey.
We walked on for about ten minutes. Without warning, Traz threw out an arm to stop me and froze in place. My senses came fully alert, and I unblocked to try to sense the danger. Traz made a motion with his hand that I somehow knew meant not to move or make a sound. If my heart thudding in my chest didn’t count.
He moved his head around this way and that, though it didn’t seem he was actually looking at anything. He took a careful, soundless step, then another. I
Shandry rolled her eyes. “What’s up with him? He’s generally the sensible one.”
I ignored the jibe. “He’s usually right about these things.”
“So go off with him,” she said, turning away from me and securing Dyster’s reins to a nearby tree.
Now what to do? Stay and help Shandry set up camp, or go find Traz? Had he actually gone to find this shelter he believed was there, or had he just gone off to sulk? I took a deep breath and let it out again.
“I’m going to get Traz,” I said.
“Suit yourself.” Shandry began kicking leaves and stones aside.
I went off in the direction Traz had gone. I couldn’t track him, as that wasn’t a skill I’d even begun to learn. But I had learned how to distinguish individual life vibrations back on Hedra, and I’d practiced most on Traz, so surely I could find him that way now. I unblocked.
The vibrations of the forest here were much like back home on Hedra, but there was a subtle difference, like the scent of an unfamiliar spice. The trees spoke to my heart, luring me on to explore their secrets.
I forced myself to concentrate. I had to find Traz. Where was his vibration in all this residue?
Then, like an almost-forgotten scent, there it was. Just the tiniest thread, and I followed it. Stepping carefully, trying not to make any noise, I moved forward. But it was impossible to walk quietly. Old dead leaves and dried twigs crunched underfoot. Still, I made a game of trying.
I imagined my maejic sinking down into my feet, dampening any noise my steps might make, eliminating all sign of my passing. It didn’t work at first, not while I kept my mind on it. But once I gave up trying, my footsteps grew quiet. It was as if the trying were the thing that interfered with letting the maejic work.
I finally caught up with Traz near a small cliff face. He was leaning against an old stump, hunched over something in his hands. He started when I cleared my throat to announce my presence and he hastily shoved the thing into his pack.
“There,” he said, pointing to an opening in the cliff. “I told you.”
I scowled, first at the cave and then at Traz. “I don’t understand. How did you know?”
He shook his head. “I dunno. I can’t explain. I just knew there was a better spot than Shandry found, and that it was here.”
“Well, it is better,” I agreed.
“So we can go back and tell her?”
“Careful, Traz. She might not like being proved wrong.”
“But Donavah, it’s going to rain any minute now. Or snow. Wouldn’t you rather be warm and dry in a cave than stuck next to a big rock with nothing more than some trees covering us?”
“When you put it that way—”
“Then c’mon. I’ll race you back.”
He made as if to dash off, but I put a hand on his arm to stop him. “Wait, Traz. Walk with me. Look, we’re just getting started on this journey, and we need Shandry. I don’t want to alienate her our first night out.”
“Well, I don’t want to freeze our first night out.” A frown creased his forehead.
“I know it seems hard. But isn’t one uncomfortable night worth it to keep the peace?”
“No! Not when I’m right and you know it! Why are you siding with her, anyway?”
That was a good question. I certainly didn’t fancy spending a wet night out in the open when I didn’t have to. On the other hand, I couldn’t exactly explain to Traz that the last thing in the world I wanted was for Shandry to leave us stranded and go back to Grey.
We walked on for about ten minutes. Without warning, Traz threw out an arm to stop me and froze in place. My senses came fully alert, and I unblocked to try to sense the danger. Traz made a motion with his hand that I somehow knew meant not to move or make a sound. If my heart thudding in my chest didn’t count.
He moved his head around this way and that, though it didn’t seem he was actually looking at anything. He took a careful, soundless step, then another. I
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