The Veredor Chronicles: Book 02 - The Journey West by E J Gilmour Page A

provided fertile soils for farming and grazing of cattle. The river dwellers considered themselves to be true Vastorians, an ancient people with a distinct culture.
    Eben stepped onto the west ern bank of the river and the others followed.
    ‘I hope Quade got away alright,’ said Red, staring back across the wide river.
    ‘I’m su re he’ll be fine. Swiftwing is amazing; he can outrun any Skathean horse,’ said Eben.
    ‘I hope so,’ said Red .
    ‘We should move on,’ said Cassiel. ‘We still have an hour or two before sunset.’
    They followed the course of a dusty and well-trodden road that led beside the river. As dusk approached they moved away from the shore and set up camp a few hundred yards in the hinterland. Red built a small fire and prepared a meal.
    ‘W e could have met an ill fate without the help of the Desert Knights. We were very fortunate to gain their assistance,’ said Cassiel. ‘The Skatheans seem desperate to stop you taking the Sword of Light to Faircastle.’
    ‘Thank goodness we’re beyond their reach now?’ said Red assuredly.
    ‘ I don’t think we are safe yet,’ said Cassiel, shaking his head. ‘They may be able to cross the river somewhere. Dillon said the further we go north the safer we will be. The Skatheans will not dare to follow us further once we cross the border of Irvaria.’
    ‘How much further is the border?’ asked Eben.
    ‘A few days if we move quickly,’ replied Cassiel.
    ‘Then we should move as quickly as we can. I’m tired of this game of cat and mouse,’ said Red. ‘We always seem to be running away from something. I look forward to the day they are running from us.’
    ‘As long as we don’t meet too many of them at once I believe we will have the upper hand,’ said Eben confidently.
    ‘You a re probably right,’ said Cassiel. ‘But the Skatheans know what we are capable of. Surely they will only attack us if they believe they can overwhelm us. We should remain cautious.’
    T hat evening they took turns keeping watch.
    **
    The following day they moved quickly north along the river r oad, and as noon approached they came upon a small river settlement. A group of ten mud huts surrounded a stone landing where two small barges were moored. As they approached several villagers quickly gathered staffs and spears and stood ready to defend their settlement.
    ‘ We mean you no harm. We’re just passing through,’ said Cassiel calmly.
    ‘F ind another way around our village,’ said a young Vastorian man. ‘Everyone who comes out of the south is evil these days. We doubt you are any different.’
    ‘We are not a threat to you ,’ stated Cassiel.
    ‘We don’t care what you are,’ said the young villager with a sneer.
    Eben cau ght sight of a large group of barges drifting down the wide river. More barges followed and within a minute there were dozens. The villagers turned around and watched the river as the barges came closer and floated by.
    ‘It’ s an army from Irvaria,’ said Cassiel gladly. ‘Look, they are flying the banner of their kingdom. They must be going south to challenge the Skatheans.’
    Eben could see the red flags flying high with a depiction of a white dragon. The barges were full of armoured soldiers.
    ‘That shoul d keep the Skatheans from bothering us,’ said Red happily.
    ‘I dare say you may be right,’ said Cassiel .
    Before long the barges had all passed out of sight. The villagers turned back to face them.
    ‘If you’re against the Skatheans you’re on our side,’ said the young man. ‘All the river settlements from here to Irvaria have opposed the Skatheans since they arrived in Vastoria.’
    ‘The Skatheans are our enemies too,’ said Red. ‘We fought them in Ortaria.’
    ‘ We have tried to stop them from taking control of our settlements for months. They hope to turn us all into their slaves by dividing our people. They didn’t expect our bonds to go so deep. We won’t turn against our brothers for