Read The Sword and The Seven Stones: Diamond Page 7

  Chapter 7

  They started out a couple hours later. The cats didn’t let up until the dawn. They were all exhausted and as Jordon put out the fires, Nelvil and Churil cleaned up the campsite. No one spoke as they got all their things together. Reed was gone and Gavin and the men were still trying to get it in their heads that he wouldn’t be riding with them. Alman felt the most responsible because it was his quest that he had to complete and as he looked down at the sword, he now knew that it wasn’t about the sword at all. He now knew that he was sent on this quest for a reason. The old man said that someone close to him would die. Was that Reed, his father, or Harry? Gavin brought his horse up to ride alongside of him. “It’s not your fault. We go into situations knowing our lives may be in jeopardy. This is what we train for. It was a freak accident. You can’t take the blame.” Gavin rode with him for another half hour, then went back to see how Jordon was doing. Reed and Jordon had been as close as brothers. He knew that he would be taking it hard but Gavin knew that because Jordon tripped, he felt even more at fault because Reed reached out to get him but he got caught by the cat instead. Gavin didn’t say anything but just stayed by his side.

  Jordon watched as Alman and Gavin talked. Reed wouldn’t have died if they hadn’t been on the quest to bring the prince home. They were told bits and pieces but there was more to the truth that he needed to know. His best friend was gone. They had been friends since they were kids and they always wanted to be guards for the palace. When they were picked by Gavin to be guards of the King, both Reed and he celebrated. They always thought that the best they could do was lower guard. Their families were so proud. They had been guards for almost ten years. They suffered the battle scars but they usually laughed about them after. Now he was traveling to the west forest and he didn’t even know where the cats took his friend. He didn’t even have a body to bring back to the family. Gavin came back and rode beside him. Jordon knew that it was a possibility to die in battle but he really never thought they would actually die. He always thought that one day they would both be sitting down, telling their children of the fierce battles they fought together. He didn’t even realize that Gavin had rode back to be with him. “Jordon, how are you doing?” Gavin asked. Jordon just nodded and looked straight ahead. He could still hear the screams in his head from Reed as the cats took him away. Gavin looked back at Churil and Nelvil. He knew that they would take care of him. He went over to Harry. “Are you okay?” Harry had seen the cat’s paw reached out and grab Reed’s vest. Reed didn’t have chance. The power of the cat took Reed off his feet and then it took him. One second he was there, reaching for his friend and the next he was gone. Harry had been a pampered friend to the prince and never had to see the violence that others had talked about. Now he was front row to it. Now he thought back to the stories the men would have in the great hall and at the time he thought he was worldly because he sat with these powerful men but now that he witnessed firsthand what they were talking about, he knew that they were not telling everything in those stories. He looked over at Gavin and Gavin felt sorry for the young man. It wasn’t a nice way to make your way into manhood. Harry’s choice to stay with his friend was also a choice to put his own life at risk.