The Third Apprentice by Lana Axe Page A

I’d hate to be eaten in my sleep.”
    Taren nodded. “I’ll
take the first watch. I’m not tired at all.”
    “That’s because
you’re full of sugar,” Zamna replied, lying down on his bed. Without another
word, he rolled over and fell asleep.
    Taren peered into
the dark woods, wondering what other creatures might come awake at night. So
far, they had seen only a few squirrels, and the birds had made their presence
known through song. Briefly, Taren wondered if any elves might live nearby, but
he knew it was not the case. The elves who once inhabited this land had left
ages ago.
    Nearly four hours
passed while Taren sat in the darkness. When he felt he could no longer keep
his eyes opened, he knelt next to Zamna to wake him. The moment he placed a
hand on the assassin’s shoulder, he regretted it. Zamna sat upright, his dagger
finding its way into his hand. Before Taren knew what was happening, the
La’kertan was on his feet prepared for a fight.
    “Oh, it’s you,” he
said, putting his dagger away. “Next time, don’t touch me. Just make a noise or
say my name.” He slipped the dagger back into its sheath.
    Taren nodded, his
mouth hanging open. Curling up on his bed, he forced himself to close his eyes.
Zamna could have killed him, or at least done him serious harm. He made a
mental note never to touch a sleeping assassin again. In that line of work, he
supposed it would be a reflex. Surely a killer would have to deal with people
seeking revenge, and what better time to do it than when the assassin was
sleeping.
    After the fright Taren
just had, he didn’t feel much like sleeping, but he knew he had to try.
Tomorrow would bring another long day of walking through dense forest, and he
needed to get some rest. He sat up briefly to retrieve a potion from his pack.
Selecting a vial full of deep-amber liquid, he took a small sip and replaced
the stopper. That would be plenty for a few hours’ sleep.
    Zamna sat near the
fire, his knees pulled close to his chest. He no longer heard the howling of
wolves. Instead, a single owl hooted a warning to an intruder, and the crickets
chirped so loudly, they were becoming obnoxious. Morning could not come soon
enough for him. He was anxious to be clear of the forest, even knowing a desert
awaited them.
    This forest was not
nearly as thick as the jungles on his island home of La’kerta, but it brought
back more memories than he cared to have filling his thoughts. He found himself
preoccupied, which could prove dangerous in unfamiliar surroundings. Once they
were clear of the forest, his mind would be more at ease. At least then he
could focus on the task ahead without his mind bringing up images of his past.
    Taren awoke to the
sound of Zamna calling his name. Though he hardly felt he had slept at all, the
sun was shining, and it was time to resume his long march. Slowly rising to his
feet, he pulled a strip of dried beef from his bag and chewed it. He offered
one to Zamna who reluctantly took it and placed it in his mouth.
    Chewing with a
grimace, Zamna forced himself to swallow. Too bad he had eaten all the crickers
two days ago. They provided more protein with a better flavor. Today he was
determined to find some animal worth eating. If not, a squirrel would have to do.
    Taren placed his
bag over his shoulder and paused, staring at the trunk of a tree. The slightest
movement of a leg revealed a fuzzy, gray-brown spider clinging to the bark. Its
body was nearly as large as Taren’s head, and its eight legs wrapped easily
around the circumference of the tree. It held its position steady, aware it was
being watched.
    Noticing where his
companion was looking, Zamna said, “It doesn’t taste as good as it looks, I can
promise you that.” Taren paid him no heed, so he added, “It’s venomous, and I’d
recommend staying away from it.” Seeing his companion still had not budged, he said,
“It can jump three times its body length, and it will attack prey much larger
than