The Sworn Knight, Robert Ryan [good beach reads .txt] 📗

Kareste hesitated, but her head lowered slightly as if insadness.

“It’s best we do so straightaway,” the lòhren said softly.

Faran was surprised. “Why?”

“Because we will be followed. The enemy know where we were,so they will seek us there and then try to track us.”

“We can throw them off the trail,” Ferla answered.

“But it will be easier to do so, will it not, if we go ourseparate ways and force them to take the time to discover that, wonder what todo about it, and then finally split their resources.”

Neither Faran nor Ferla had an answer to that. It was truethat it would confuse the enemy and gain more time. And even if they didn’tsplit their resources, it would mean that one group was not pursued. That mightbe Ferla.

“We can’t be sure that they’ll ever even find our trail,”Ferla said. There was little conviction in her voice though.

Kareste leaned on her staff. “Do you want to take thatchance?”

Asana and Kubodin said nothing during this. Whatever viewthey held, they kept to themselves. Probably, they agreed with Kareste. Butthey had no wish to cause anyone to be more upset than they were, which waswhat would happen if the party split now.

But for his part, though Faran did not like it, he agreedwith what the lòhren said. But she had more to add.

“There’s this to consider as well.” Kareste’s sharp gazeseemed to take them all in. “The seventh knight must reach Faladir. Butwhere Faran and I have to go, to the tombs, will be through the heart of theterritory that the enemy will be searching. We will be, at first, at greaterrisk. There’s no need to expose Ferla to this. She can go wider than us,keeping farther away, and swing in around from the west, finally coming intoFaladir from the north, a direction that will likely be less guarded by theenemy.”

That made up Faran’s mind, if it had not already beendecided.

“Kareste is right. I don’t want to, but it’s better to splitup now. We’ll go direct to the tombs, but you can take the safer route around. Youcannot beat the enemy out here. You have to be in Faladir, but first, you mustreach the city. No victory is possible without that.”

Ferla had reached a decision as well. She liked it no betterthan he did.

“You’re right.” She gave a little nod of her head to Karesteas well. “I know you’re right, it’s just not easy to do.”

Kareste seemed to relax. “I know it’s not easy. But it isfor the best, and keep this in mind, as well. Just because we have to part waysnow, it doesn’t mean we won’t join up again later. You know both me and Faran,and Aranloth if he’s able, will be with you before the end in Faladir.”

“I know, but how will we find each other again?”

Kareste smiled at that. “You are the seventh knight, and I’ma lòhren. Trust me, I’ll find you.”

Asana spoke for the first time. “I don’t doubt you’ll findus, but perhaps a meeting place would speed things up?”

Kareste thought a moment about that. “Very well. There isone place I know that will be friendly to you, and they’ll help as best theycan. Find the Bouncing Stone Inn, near the Tower of the Stone itself. Theproprietor is friendly to Aranloth, and perhaps even guesses who he is,although he knows him by the name of Nuatha.”

“What’s the innkeeper’s name?”

“He’s called Menendil, and he’s a man of judgment andability. His family have long been associated with lòhrens.”

The night darkened about them, and they said their finalfarewells, hoping it would not be the last. Faran hugged Ferla long andfiercely, then he spoke to Asana and Kubodin, thanking them for theirfriendship and for their teachings.

“It’s a pleasure to teach those who are willing to learn,”Asana replied.

Kubodin, surprisingly, put an arm around his shoulder andspoke softly.

“We all go into danger, but we’ll help Ferla as best we can.In your place, we’ll do all that you would have done. Set your mind at rest.”

It was a long speech for Kubodin, and Faran appreciated it.The promises of people were like dust on the wind, but the promises of someonelike Kubodin was as iron.

They parted then, and Faran turned as they did so and wishedthe others good luck. He wished he could have said more.

Ahead of him, Kareste walked into the darkness, and hefollowed.

7. Who are You?

Ferla felt as though she had lost a part of herself,but she was not going to show it.

Instead, she moved ahead into the night, head high, backstraight and stride confident. Even though her heart was breaking.

She loved Faran. She had been in love with him back inDromdruin Village. Even as she strode ahead, she also walked through thememories of her life, and she found him always there. Everything that hadhappened recently had only served to strengthen her feelings.

But he did not know that. He did not need to knowthat. It was true enough that he knew her feelings were strong for him, but hethought she looked at him as a brother.

That was not the situation at all, but it was for the bestthat he thought so, at least for the moment. Their lives were entwined, butboth were fraught with danger. It was no time to be sidetracked by feelings andthoughts and secret looks that could distract them from what mattered most justnow. And that was staying alive.

For a moment, she allowed herself to think of what theirlives would have been like had they remained simple hunters. She would havetold him how she felt by now, or rather, she would have allowed him to discoverit over time, leading him to it slowly. Perhaps they would already be married,having sworn their marriage oath together under the shade of the big oak treethe villagers used for the purpose in high summer. Perhaps.

But that life was dead.

Now, she had to draw her attention to the task of stayingalive. At least, for as long as possible. That may not be long. Certainly,every step toward Faladir was