Alex found the main road about an hour after the sun came up. The grave robbers had slowed him down, but not by much. He checked the road to make sure nobody was in sight before leaving the woods that he’d been traveling through. Pausing at the edge of the road he looked for any signs of travelers. There were no tracks to be seen, and he guessed that the rain of the previous night had washed all signs of travelers away. He tested the surface of the road with his finger, and discovered that it was much harder than he’d thought it would be. He didn’t want anybody to know that he’d been near, or that he’d even come from the direction of the graveyard. Stories had a way of spreading after all, and he didn’t want any connection to the stories the grave robbers would certainly be telling.
Having discovered that he could walk on the road without leaving tracks, Alex started off to the west. The city of Shinmar was at least three days away, but he wanted to hurry. He didn’t have any fears to drive him, but there was one thing that troubled him. The sky was cloudy and the clouds were growing darker. Alex had no doubt that there was rain in his future, and the idea of walking in the rain or worse—spending a night outdoors in the rain—was something he hoped to avoid.
Alex felt like he was making good time as he walked down the well-made road. At first he spent time looking at the land around him, but the dark clouds made it hard to see very much. He could see the outlines of low rolling hills, what appeared to be a thick forest, and now and then a small river. The weather made everything look dark and old, even unwelcoming. Alex wasn’t worried about the way things looked, but one thing did stick out—there didn’t seem to be any people around. There were no houses or buildings to be seen along the road, and Alex thought this was strange.
There must be farms and villages somewhere , Alex said to himself as he walked, but if there were, he didn’t see them.
Alex paused when he thought it was close to midday, though with the weather it was hard to tell. He was thinking about getting something to eat, as it had been a long night and he was hungry. Looking around for a dry spot to sit and eat, Alex saw something that made his heart sink. A wall of rain was slowly moving across the land toward him.
“Looks like I’m going to get wet before I get anything to eat,” Alex said with a sigh.
He looked ahead, hoping to see a tree that was large enough for him to get some shelter. The only things he could see growing near the road, however, were thick bushes and weeds. He didn’t see any options. He was going to get wet, so he might as well keep walking until either the rain stopped or he found someplace where he could get out of the rain.
Swinging his disguised magic bag around, he was just pulling a heavy, waterproof cloak out of it when he noticed something. What had looked like a small grass-covered hill to his left was not a hill at all, but a small moss-covered building. Quickly putting on his cloak, Alex trotted off toward the shelter he’d hoped for.
A deafening roar of thunder shook the ground under Alex’s feet just as he reached the building’s doorway. He stepped into the building as the rain came crashing down behind him. The rain seemed almost angry that he’d escaped it, and Alex had to smile at the idea. His smile froze, however, when he heard the sound of a sword being drawn behind him. Instinctively, his right hand moved toward his own sword, but stopped before it got there.
“I wouldn’t,” a voice said from the darkness. “Not unless you’re looking for trouble.”
“It seems that trouble has already found me,” Alex replied, turning slowly toward the sound of the voice.
“No, stay where you are,” the voice commanded, “until I decide whether you’re friend or foe.”
“If you’re looking for money you’ll be disappointed,” Alex said. “I have very little, but you are welcome to it.”
“Humph. I’m no thief. What you have is your own, and I’ll not take it from you. Are you alone?”
“I, ah . . . well, yes, I am completely alone,” Alex answered, surprised by the question.
“Well, you look like a good and honest fellow, so I suppose I’ll let you stay. Not the kind of weather to be out in anyway.”
“No, it’s not.”
“You can turn around now if you want. I’ll do you no harm.”
“And I’ll do you none,” Alex replied as he turned to look at the stranger.
Alex was surprised by what he saw. The man looked young, no more than twenty-five, but his voice had sounded much older. It took Alex a second to understand, and when he did, a look of surprise must have shown on his face.
“I’ve always looked much younger than I am,” said the stranger.
“You do look younger than you sound,” said Alex, smiling slightly.
Alex could see more than most people, and it wasn’t hard for him to understand why this stranger looked so young but sounded so old. There was elf blood in this man, though not very much. He didn’t have any magic in him, but he was related, probably several generations away, to the elves. It wasn’t just the relation to the elves that had surprised Alex—there was something more. Alex’s magic allowed him to see this man’s aura, the energy that often gathered around a person. The energy was strong and bright, and while there was no magic in the man, there was certainly some kind of magic connected to him.
“I am Alexander Kessler,” Alex said, remembering the name that Whalen had told him to use. “My friends call me Alex.”
“Judging by the fine sword you carry, I will hope to call you a friend,” the stranger answered. “My name is Joshua, and I am a traveler from Westland.”
“You are a long way from home. What brings you so far to the east? If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”
“A quest of sorts,” Joshua said. He waved his hand at the building around them. “I am visiting the ancient shrines of Jarro. It is something of a family tradition.”
Alex knew that Joshua was only telling him part of the truth, but he didn’t ask any questions. Joshua was already suspicious of strangers, and Alex didn’t want to put him on guard. Alex’s mind continued to try to figure out what other magic was involved with Joshua, but the answer remained just out of reach.
“Well, I was just looking for a dry spot where I could have something to eat,” Alex said, changing the subject. “If you are willing to share your shelter, I am willing to share my food. You are welcome to join me if you like.”
“I was just thinking about going to find something to eat. If you have enough for both of us, I will gladly join you.”
Alex laughed at the reply and pulled off his cloak. Swinging his magic bag off his shoulders, he pretended to rummage around inside it to find some food. He was careful not to let Joshua get a good look at the disguised magic bag, just in case. In less than a minute Alex and his new friend Joshua were sitting on the floor of the ancient shrine, eating a meal of bread, cheese, and dried fruit that Alex had provided. Joshua ate hungrily, as if he hadn’t had anything to eat for several days. Alex didn’t say anything, but it did make him wonder. Joshua was nervous of strangers, careful, and didn’t appear to be eating as often as he might. There were many possible reasons why Joshua was this way, but Alex knew that it wasn’t the time to ask.
Alex and Joshua didn’t talk as they ate. Alex had many questions that he wanted to ask, but most of them would make him sound like a stranger to this land. He didn’t want anyone to know that he wasn’t from Jarro, so he kept his questions to himself.
“I’m traveling to Shinmar,” Alex finally said as he was finishing his meal. “I hope to meet my uncle there, and then sail to Midland.”
“Why are you traveling to Midland?”
“My uncle is a cloth and fur merchant. He’s training me as his apprentice, and he has business in Midland.”
Joshua didn’t say anything for a time, but he looked as if he was considering what Alex said. Alex wondered if Joshua might suspect that he wasn’t really an apprentice cloth merchant, but he really couldn’t tell.
“I was planning on going to Shin
mar as well,” Joshua finally said. “I’m on my way home, and Shinmar is one of the largest ports here in Eastland. I doubt, however, that I will find a ship that will take me all the way to Westland.”
“Well, if not all the way to Westland, perhaps we can travel together to Midland. I know we’ve only just met, but I think I would like to get to know you better.”
“You may regret it,” Joshua said more to himself than to Alex.
Alex gave Joshua a hard look, but didn’t say anything. Joshua simply acted like he hadn’t said anything at all. He got up, brushed the crumbs off his pants, and walked to the doorway.
“The rain is letting up,” Joshua said. “Give it a few more minutes and we’ll be able to travel without getting too wet.”
Alex put away what was left of the food, folded his heavy cloak, added it to his bag, and then slipped the knapsack over his shoulders. He walked to the doorway as well, watching Joshua as he moved. There was a sad look on Joshua’s face, a look of some great trouble or loss. Alex didn’t know why exactly, but he felt in his heart that he needed to help Joshua.
“Help him?” the voice in the back of Alex’s mind asked. “You know nothing about him or his troubles, and you have your own business to deal with in this land.”
Alex ignored his O’Gash, and simply stood watching the land as the clouds parted and the afternoon sun broke through. Without a word Joshua and Alex started off, and Alex wondered how much he could learn about Joshua if he remained as tight-lipped as he had been so far.
“I’ve not traveled this road before,” Alex said after several minutes of walking. “Do you know how far the next town is?”
“Six, maybe seven miles,” Joshua answered. “We should get there before it gets too dark.”
“It would be good to spend the night indoors, if possible,” Alex said, trying to get a conversation going.
“Indoors is not always better than out,” Joshua said and fell silent once more.
It was clear that Joshua was reluctant to talk, and Alex was willing to live with the silence. His mind, however, went back to the question of why—why was Joshua being secretive? Why had he drawn his sword when he had first appeared, and why did he make sure Alex was alone before putting his sword away? Alex could see that Joshua was troubled, maybe even afraid, but he couldn’t see any reason why. Still, his O’Gash was right. He knew almost nothing about Joshua, and until Joshua chose to tell him more, there was nothing Alex could do to help him.
Joshua walked fast, as if some great need pressed him forward. Alex was able to keep up without any trouble, but this was one more thing that made him wonder about his companion. They came to a small town before the sun had gone down, and it didn’t take long for them to find a tavern to spend the night. Once the arrangements had been made, Joshua went right to his room.
“I’ll be leaving at first light,” Joshua said as he turned to close the door of his room. “If you are up and ready to go we can travel together. If you prefer to sleep later, then I will thank you now for your kindness and wish you luck in your travels.”
“Kindness?” Alex asked.
“You shared your meal with me, and I thank you.”
“A small enough kindness. I’ll be ready at first light.”
Joshua didn’t say anything more. He closed the door to his room behind him, and before Alex could even open to door to his own room he heard Joshua wedge a chair under the doorknob.
A strange thing to do, Alex thought as he closed his own door. He really must be afraid of something.
“Or someone,” his O’Gash added.
The next morning, Alex was waiting just outside the tavern when Joshua turned up. Joshua looked surprised to see him there, but he flashed a smile and nodded. They started off without a word, but before they had left the town Alex handed a small bag and a leather flask to Joshua.
“What is this?” Joshua asked, looking into the bag.
“You didn’t take time to eat anything, and I thought you might be hungry,” Alex said.
“Are you always so kind to strangers?” Joshua asked, taking a bun out of the bag Alex had given him.
“No, not always. Only to those who I can see need the help.”
“You think I need help.”
“I think you’ve had a hard time here in Eastland, and you don’t want to talk about it. I don’t know what your troubles are, and if you don’t want to talk about them, that is your business. That doesn’t mean, however, that I can’t lend a helping hand, or offer a little kindness.”
“You’re a good man, Alex Kessler, and I hope you won’t have to pay for it.”
“Pay for it?”
“An old saying from Westland. ‘Good men always pay for their kindnesses.’ I hope it proves untrue for you.”
Joshua was more willing to talk as they walked that morning. He was still guarded in what he would talk about, however, saying very little about himself or his home. He was willing to talk about his travels and the places he had been since starting his quest.
“Midland is an interesting place,” Joshua said as they went along. “They have great caravans there that travel all around the land. It is said that some people live their whole lives as part of a caravan, always traveling and never having a fixed place to call home.”
“I’ve heard something of the caravans,” Alex said.
“They aren’t what you think, and maybe exactly what you think at the same time. There are traders and merchants of all kinds, but there is so much more. They have actors and acrobats, magicians and fortune tellers, even exotic animals that most people never hear about, and fewer still ever get a chance to see.”
“It sounds exciting. I would like to—”
“Stop and be recognized,” a voice broke in before Alex could finish.
Alex and Joshua both stopped in their tracks. Five men on horseback moved out of a small wooded area to the right of the road, and barred their path. Joshua looked worried but determined. Alex wasn’t sure what to think, as Whalen hadn’t warned him that he might be stopped in the road by what looked like soldiers.
“Don’t reach for your weapons,” the man who had first spoken said. “We don’t want any trouble, but we are ready for it if you try anything.”
Alex looked at Joshua and then back at the men in the road. Joshua’s worry had turned to fear, and Alex didn’t know what he was going to do. Deciding that he’d better do something himself, Alex took a deep breath and called back to the men in front of him.
“Who are you? What do you mean by stopping travelers on the common road? By whose authority do you stop us?”
“We mean no harm,” came the answer. “We need only learn your names, nothing more. As for authority, well, we outnumber you so that should be authority enough.”
“Bandits?” Alex whispered to Joshua.
“No—worse than bandits,” Joshua answered.
“I think I can take the three on the left, if you can deal with the two on the right,” Alex said, his eyes studying the men in front of him.
“A good plan, if there were only five of them,” Joshua said, jerking his head toward the road behind them.
Alex took a quick glance, and found that six more men had appeared behind them. There were too many to fight, at least too many to fight without using magic. He thought about what he could do, what he might have to do. Joshua’s fear was growing, and Alex could see that he was desperate not to be questioned by these men. He had to do something, and he had to do it now.
“We run,” Alex whispered. “The gully to the left of the path, just ahead. You go first, I’ll be right behind.”
“What? I . . .” Joshua seemed lost, but then he understood what Alex was saying.
With a half-smile and a slight nod, Joshua broke into a dead run. Alex was less than a step behind him, and they both jumped over a low fence beside the road that had clearly been put there to keep people from falling into the gully.
“Stop! After them!” the leader of th
e group shouted.
As he fell into the gully, Alex let loose the smallest bit of magic. The horses of his pursuers all reared and turned suddenly, as if spooked by something in the brush. The sudden confusion gave Alex and Joshua a few seconds’ head start, but Alex knew it wouldn’t be enough. Instead of running, Alex had another idea. As soon as he and Joshua were in the gully and out of sight, he grabbed Joshua from behind and dragged him down into a series of thick bushes and small trees.
“What? Why? What are you doing?” Joshua stammered.
“Quiet,” Alex commanded. “Don’t speak and stay as still as you can.”
The noise of horses crashing through the trees and bushes was soon all around them. Alex and Joshua didn’t make a sound or move a muscle. Alex, however, realizing the trouble they might be in, worked a little more magic. He sent his thoughts along the gully, kicking a rock here and there, snapping a branch, making noises that these men would have to follow. It wasn’t long before the noise around them faded, and Alex got on his knees and took a quick look around.
“We should give them a few minutes before we move back to the road,” he whispered.
“Back to the road? Are you mad?” Joshua whispered back.
“They are off in the trees looking for us,” Alex said. “We can move faster on the road than we can off it, so while they’re busy looking, we’ll get away.”
“Maybe,” Joshua said more thoughtfully. “So long as there aren’t more of them on the road, waiting.”
“We’ll be more careful. Now, while we let them get a bit of distance, why don’t you tell me who they are?”
“How should I know?” Joshua asked, but the look on his face gave him away.
“It was all too clear that you were afraid of them. You were willing to fight them if there was any chance of winning. You know who they are. Don’t bother pretending that you don’t.”
“Yes, I know who they are,” Joshua admitted after a moment of unhappy silence. “Or at least I know who they serve.”
“Tell me.”
“They are the servants of the lord of Conmar. I should say, the so-called lord of Conmar.”