Camp was silent, so silent that he scarcely dared to breathe as he lay in his bed, straining his ears to hear any hint of noise beyond the walls.<\/p>\n
Nothing.\u00a0 There was nothing to hear, no one was astir except perhaps the sentries on watch, and he\u2019d find a way to slip past them easily enough.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s now or never, and there\u2019s no time like the present, as they say.<\/i><\/p>\n
Phelan took a deep breath and sat up slowly.\u00a0 His side ached, but it was the gnawing, itching ache of a healing wound, not the sharp pain of a wound liable to rip open again.\u00a0 He\u2019d be able to cut out the stitches after a few days on the road, and then all would be well.<\/p>\n
They\u2019ll be safer without me.<\/i>\u00a0 He gathered his things quickly\u2014his backpack, his staff, two pouches of herbs and the first sword that had come from Matthew Astoris\u2019s forge.\u00a0 He tugged on his boots and wrapped himself in coat and cloak.\u00a0 He\u2019d have to travel fast and light.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut where will you go, Wanderer?\u00a0 Where will you wander to this time?\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
He winced at the sound of her voice and shook his head, pressing a finger against his lips.\u00a0 \u00c9riu\u2019s ghost wasn\u2019t amused, her pale brows knitting on her ghostly face.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey care about you, Phelan.\u00a0 Why are you running from them?\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cI have to protect them,\u201d he hissed in a whisper.\u00a0 \u201cLeaving is the only way I can guarantee that they\u2019re not going to pay the price for sheltering me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re targets by themselves, Uncle.\u00a0 You\u2019ve said it yourself.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ll be less attractive ones once I\u2019m gone.\u201d\u00a0 He fastened his cloak around him and tugged up his hood.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t tell them where I\u2019ve gone.\u00a0 Don\u2019t help them track me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI won\u2019t have to,\u201d <\/i>she said.\u00a0 \u201cThe only tracker that could ever hold a candle to Thordin was my mother, and she\u2019s been reborn into one of the Seers.\u00a0 They\u2019ll find you unless you\u2019ve somehow managed to convince Thordin not to help them find you again.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019ll understand why I\u2019ve left,\u201d Phelan said, snuffing the lamp.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019ll leave well enough alone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWill he?\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cI have to trust that he will.\u201d\u00a0 He felt an uncomfortable flutter in his stomach.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019ll understand my reasons and he\u2019ll do what I need him to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d<\/i> the girl\u2019s ghost said.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
He cast her glowing form a glare in the darkness and ducked out into the corridor and the night beyond.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Camp was silent, so silent that he scarcely dared to breathe as he lay in his bed, straining his ears to hear any hint of noise beyond the walls. Nothing.\u00a0 There was nothing to hear, no one was astir except … Continue reading