Gran finally broke the silence.
“Pull over to the side,” she said. Magnes did as instructed, pulling steadily on the reins until the wagon slowed to a stop. He set the hand brake, then turned to face Gran. She pushed past him and before he could ask if she needed any help, she had swung down off the wagon to the road.
Not for the first time, Magnes found himself surprised by the old elf woman’s vigor. She moved a few paces down the road and stood perfectly still, staring toward the city. In the moon’s cold light, her hair shimmered like silver-washed bone. It had come loose during the altercation at the yard and now hung down her back past her waist. Her slim body and flowing hair transformed her figure into the semblance of a young girl, yet an aura of immense power crackled about her like a mantle of lightning.
She turned in a slow circle, as if scanning the four directions, then walked quickly back to the wagon.
“I sense no pursuit, but there’s a large group of people just ahead,” she said. “I can’t tell who or what they are. They could be soldiers or a caravan of traders.”
Fadili fidgeted beside Magnes and for the first time in many hours, he spoke. “Perhaps we should wait here until sunrise.”
“Perhaps we should,” Magnes agreed. He climbed down and ducked underneath the wagon to rap on the undercarriage. The secret panel slid open and Seijon’s head popped out.
“What’s happening?” he asked breathlessly.
“We’ve decided to wait here until morning,” Magnes explained. “There’s a big group of people on the road just ahead and we don’t want to risk an encounter.”
Seijon slithered out of the hole to the muddy road. Ashinji emerged a few moments later, moving slowly, his hand pressed to his lower back.
“If we’re careful, we should be able to stay behind them,” Gran said. She laid a hand on Ashinji’s arm and spoke a few soft words in Siri-dar. Ashinji nodded and allowed Gran to take his head between her hands. She closed her eyes and a few moments later, Ashinji’s eyes fluttered closed as well. They remained thus for the space of several heartbeats, then Gran’s eyes opened and her hands fell away.
Ashinji sighed deeply. “Shiha, ” he whispered, which Magnes recognized as the Siri-dar word for “thanks.” It seemed to him that his friend’s pain had been eased.
Ashinji turned to face Magnes. “We need to take the shortest route north-preferably northwest-but there’s the problem of the Soldaran Army blocking our way.”
“Yes, and traveling by the main roads is risky, even though it is faster,” Magnes replied. “I think our only choice is to head northeast, toward Amsara. I know a less traveled route and there is a small road-a path really-that veers off the main road just south of the Amsara border and heads west. It bypasses the castle by a few leagues and ends up at the southern edge of the Eanon Swamp. You’ll have to skirt the swamp, unless you know a way through…”
“There are those of our people who do know ways through what we call the Shihkat Fens, but I’m not one of them,” Ashinji said. “No, we’ll have to go around.” He sounded weary and resigned.
“Eventually, we must try to get horses,” Gran said. “Fadili will have to leave us soon, and then we’ll be on foot. Without horses, this journey will take too long. We wouldn’t make it to Sendai in time.”
“I still have some money which I’ll gladly give to you,” Magnes offered. “It’s not a lot, but we should be able to bargain with a farmer or two for some nags.” He looked up at the moon’s position. “We have a few hours before the sun comes up. You all try to get some sleep; I’ll keep watch.”
Magnes settled on the front bench of the wagon to await the sunrise, while the others found what space they could in the back. Soon, the chirp of crickets and the slow sounds of people sunk in slumber were all that disturbed the quiet of the night. Magnes felt tired, the kind of tired that comes from an emotional as well as a physical place. Tonight had been harrowing, and yet, they had managed to win free with the help of an ally and a huge amount of luck.
Just how much longer our luck will hold…that doesn’t bear thinking on right now.
His thoughts turned to Jelena.
My little cousin…a princess!
He tried to imagine her joy when she and Ashinji were reunited.
Gods, how I wish I could be there to see that…to see you, dear cousin, and hold you in my arms once again, but I know it’s not possible, at least not for a very long time. I swear on my life, though, I’ll do everything I can to see that your husband gets home safely to you and your child.
He turned his eyes heavenward.
“Please,” he begged to any gods who might be listening, “ let us all come through this and be together again some day! Is that too much to hope for?”
The gods, if they heard, did not answer.
About the Author
Leslie Ann Moore has been a storyteller since childhood. A native of Los Angeles, she received a doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of California. She lives and works in Los Angeles, and in her spare time she practices the art of belly dancing. Griffin’s Daughter is her first novel.
