The Path of Giants, B.T. Narro [the speed reading book .TXT] 📗

she was mistaken. There was another sorcerer who had been captured as well. Charlie was tied up to a tree the farthest from everyone.

Eden’s heart sank. It was probably because of the information she had provided to Valinox that he knew Charlie was a metal mage. Otherwise Charlie might’ve been locked up like the others and he could’ve freed himself at the right time.

Valinox had mentioned just earlier that others might be coming. Eden had to assume that meant Jon, Remi, Kataleya, and most likely Leon and Jennava. There were bear traps hidden all around the outskirts of the encampment as well as strings pulled across the bases of trees, designed to trip people charging in. Valinox surely meant to kill the prisoners as soon as the others were sighted. But if they could be on their way, then why wasn’t Valinox in the air looking for them?

Sure enough, Valinox soon went invisible. He was too far for Eden to feel the enchantment, but she had to assume he was taking himself above the forest to watch for the other sorcerers.

They’ll all be killed. She was overcome by panic as she tried to figure out what to do.

She kept her back flat against the tree, facing toward the rest of the forest and away from the army as she took a few deep breaths in hopes of calming down.

She thought she felt something. Someone was nearby, cloaked with invisibility.

It was Valinox. He had seen her spying, and now he was coming to grab her. He would probably have her killed.

There was no point in running. All she could do was try to come up with a lie.

He was close now. She could see the invisible silhouette walking right up to her.

“Meet me fifty yards west,” whispered a woman with a strained voice.

She gasped. It wasn’t Valinox.

Eden nodded stiffly, her breath stolen from fear. She felt the invisible woman moving off, and Eden soon lost sight of her.

Eden inhaled deeply as she realized who the voice must belong to. She checked her surroundings, then watched the forest floor as she moved as swiftly as she could. She stepped in between traps and over a tight string. Eventually she was in the clear with many trees between her and the encampment.

She looked around for Eslenda. The elf suddenly appeared about ten yards away. She motioned for Eden to come to her.

Wait. Eden didn’t move. Hadn’t Eslenda visited the king since Eden’s betrayal? She must know the truth about Eden. She looked the other way as she considered making a run for it.

But if she ran, that would mean leaving the king’s sorcerers to fend for themselves. She was not going to let that happen.

She found her courage and walked the rest of the way to Eslenda. The elf had on a thick tunic, black, with the hood down. She showed Eden a disapproving look.

“Explain yourself, traitor,” Eslenda demanded. “Why are you spying on this group?”

“Valinox knows I’ve turned against him. He left me near Gourfist. He expected me to die.” She spoke confidently. “I made it back on my own thanks to this.” She held up the Induct stone.

Eslenda took it from her hand. The elf looked around quickly for anyone watching, then peered closely at it. She motioned like she was going to toss it away.

“Don’t, you stupid elf!” Eden grabbed her arm.

Eslenda already had a disapproving look, but now the lines on her face deepened even more. She handed back the Induct stone.

“Your mind has been warped by dteria.”

It was true. Anger had taken control of Eden’s actions when she thought the elf would take away her stone. Even though she could never win a fight against the elf, she had been ready to hurt Eslenda if she’d thrown the stone away. Eden hadn’t realized until then just how strong her instinct was to protect the stone. Now she couldn’t imagine parting with it.

“My mind may be warped,” Eden said. “But I plan to use everything I’ve got to help the sorcerers, and I think you’ve figured this out. That’s why you haven’t killed me already.”

“No, I haven’t killed you because you would make noise, dark mage.”

It tore at Eden’s heart to hear her entire identity summed up with those two words. “I’m not like the others with Valinox. I’ve only been using dteria for a little while. I was scared when Valinox approached me long ago and convinced me to help him. I didn’t know there would be so much strife. I didn’t know there would be so much death. I want to make up for the damage I’ve caused. If you don’t let me help today, all of the king’s sorcerers might be killed. They are coming to rescue those who were captured. You must know that, don’t you?”

“I have assumed such, yes. I wait for their strike. It’s you that causes me indecision. Tell me something, dark mage. Can you feel Valinox’s enchantment like I can?”

“Yes, but it’s not like yours. I have to be closer to feel his.”

“His enchantment is very strong. What does he have with him, do you know?”

“A gem from Nijja herself. It maintains his invisibility for him.”

“Did you see him get this from Nijja?”

“I did.”

The elf muttered something in her language. She looked off toward the encampment, not that she could see anything from here.

“You were with this group. You pointed at me for them,” Eslenda accused. “They shot at me.”

“I’m sorry for that.”

“They missed. Was it on purpose?”

“Yes, they wanted you to tell the king so that he would send an army into the forest and they could be killed. They planned to take Koluk after. Did the king ever send in men?”

“No. He figured out the trap. Are there other enchanters in their group who can detect me?”

“No.”

“Fine. I have decided I will allow you to fight with me. We will strike together. What weapons do you have?”

“Um.” Eden was pleased but a bit surprised. “I don’t have any weapons.”