The Godling Chronicles: The Sword Of Truth Part 5

"There, up ahead," Lee directed, pointing to a sign that read The Fated Bandit. "I've instructed the innkeeper to have our meals brought to our room. I've told him that I'm a horse merchant traveling with my son. Don't speak unless you must; your accent gives you away."

Gewey frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you sound like a farmer from Sharpstone. Your father may have educated you somewhat, but you don't sound like the son of a wealthy merchant."

Gewey's face soured. "There's nothing wrong with the way I sound," he said, offended.

"Look, boy," Lee said. "You'll stay in the room and not come out. We need to keep you out of sight until you're well enough to travel, so stick to the plan for now. The first person that hears your voice will immediately see through our story, so if you must speak, keep it short."

They tied their horses to the hitching post and Lee went inside. Gewey stayed with the horses to watch their belongings. It wasn't long before a young boy came from around the back of the building and began unpacking the horses. Gewey wanted to help, but he stopped himself; a spoiled merchant's son wouldn't offer to lend a hand. Lee walked outside and gave the lad a copper coin.

"See that our horses are well taken care of," Lee ordered, then turned to Gewey. "Let's go. Our meal is waiting."

The inn was as clean as the inns in Sharpstone, though a bit larger. The common room was filled with travelers of all sorts-merchants, pilgrims, and even a pair of lords from the south. To the delight of the gathered crowd, a flutist had taken up residence in the corner, playing a jaunty, well-known festival dance. Serving maids were running about as the innkeeper barked orders to a thin, blond-haired youth. Gewey breathed in the air and smiled. This was a welcome change from the woods and trails. Lee led him up the stairs and down a hall to their room. It was small, but accommodating. Two beds lined opposite walls and a bra.s.s washbasin sat in the corner, already filled with hot water. On a small table were two plates piled high with roast mutton and spring peas. A loaf of hot bread steamed in the center, and two cups of honeyed wine sat beside each plate. Gewey's mouth watered at the prospect of his first hot meal in days.

A few minutes later there was a knock at the door. It was the young blond lad from the common room. He had brought up their belongings, and he informed them that the other boy had seen to their horses. Lee thanked him and pa.s.sed out yet another copper piece.

"Throwing quite a bit of money around," Gewey observed. "Don't you think that will draw attention?"

"It would be noticed more if I didn't," Lee replied. "Like I said, we're supposed to be wealthy horse merchants. That type likes to show off." Lee paused. "And don't try to lecture me, boy. Of the two of us, I'm the one who has been more than twenty miles from Sharpstone."

"I didn't mean anything by it," said Gewey. "I just..."

"You need to understand the danger we are in," Lee interrupted. "Right now, we're exposed. Until you're healed, you must not question even the smallest thing I say."

Gewey nodded, and then stripped off his clothes to wash up. To his embarra.s.sment, Lee insisted on helping him and changing his bandages. After they were both washed, they sat down to eat. The food was still hot, and Gewey moaned with satisfaction as he took the first bite.

Gewey felt recharged after a wash and a hot meal, and he asked Lee if they could go down to the common room and listen to the music. Lee angrily repeated his earlier warning about the danger they were in. "Besides," he said. "You still need to heal."

"I don't see how a few minutes of sitting in a corner and enjoying myself could put us in danger," Gewey protested. "Besides, I feel much stronger now. I promise I won't say a word to anyone!"

Lee looked as if he was ready to strangle the boy. "There will be no further discussion," he said through his teeth. "In the morning, I have to pretend to be interested in horse trading, and I expect you to stay in this room at all times. Understand?"

Gewey didn't answer and eased himself down onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. Lee unpacked a few things, set his sword next to his bed, and went to sleep. Gewey stayed awake for a while, thinking about home.

The next morning he woke to find Lee already dressed and breakfast waiting on the table.

"I checked your wounds while you slept," Lee said. "It looks as if you'll be ready to travel in just a few days. You're healing twice as fast as I'd hoped."

"Great," yawned Gewey. "I don't want to be stuck in this place any longer than I have to."

"In any case, I'll be back by dark," Lee said, clearly not looking forward to playing the role of a merchant. Lee's discomfort made Gewey feel a little better.

"What should I do?" asked Gewey.

"Stay here and b.l.o.o.d.y heal," Lee growled as he walked out the door.

The day pa.s.sed slowly as Gewey tried to occupy himself. At first he tried listening to the sounds of the town, but unlike the harmony of the forest, the sounds of Gath were confused and chaotic. He wasn't able to stand it for more than a few seconds.

When sunset came and Lee hadn't returned, Gewey began to worry. After another hour pa.s.sed, supper and hot water were brought to the room, but he was too anxious to eat. Just as Gewey had finally decided to go looking for Lee, he burst through the door, breathing heavily.

"What happened?" asked Gewey. "Where have you been?"

"It seems our presence has been noticed," Lee answered. "I spotted someone following me through the streets, but I think I lost him."

"Could you tell who it was?"

"No. But whoever it was moved so fast that I almost didn't notice him until it was too late. It took more than an hour before I was sure I wouldn't lead him back here."

"What do we do?" asked Gewey.

"I've already sent for the horses," said Lee. "I hate to have you travel before you're healed, but I don't see any other choice."

Gewey looked at Lee rea.s.suringly. "I'll be fine. There's barely any pain at all."

"Still, I don't want you doing too much too soon." said Lee, and sat down at the table. "We have some time before the horses are ready, so we might as well eat before we go."

They ate and packed, finishing just as the blond youth from the inn came to inform them that their horses were ready and waiting. They gathered their things and left. Loading the packhorse, Gewey couldn't help but feel exposed and vulnerable. He kept expecting something to happen, but the night was quiet. They mounted their horses and slowly made their way west, out of town. As they pa.s.sed the last building within the town limits, Gewey could swear he saw a shadow moving behind him, then ducking out of sight.

Chapter 6.

"Aren't we leaving the road?" Gewey asked after they had ridden a while.

"No," said Lee. "We're still being followed, and I plan to catch whoever it is."

Gewey smiled. "Good, I hate running."

Lee threw the hood of his cloak over his head. "Maybe so, but if I tell you to run, you do it."

Gewey's smile vanished. "I'm not running if it means leaving you behind," he said with determination.

"You'll do as I say," Lee shot back. "If danger comes, I can handle it much better if I don't have to watch you."

"I don't need watching," Gewey protested.

"For now, you do," said Lee. "Until I've had time to train you, you're a liability in a fight. But don't worry; your time will come soon enough."

Gewey didn't like being thought of as a liability, but he could hardly argue; the last time he fought, he was nearly killed.

They rode on until they found a decent spot to camp. Lee lit a fire and told Gewey to get some sleep.

"Aren't we a bit out in the open?" asked Gewey.

Lee was changing into a black shirt and a set of black leather trousers. "Like I said, I intend to find out who's following us. You try to get some rest. I'll be nearby." Lee disappeared into the darkness.

Sleeping in the day for so long made it hard for Gewey to do so at night, so he stared at the small fire listening to the crackle of the dry branches. Morning came and he still hadn't slept. His wounds felt much better, though. In fact, when he reached under the dressings, he could feel that they were almost completely healed. He wondered if there would be a scar. The wounds on his arms had already turned light pink, and the one in his chest had closed and was well on its way to being no more than a minor irritation.

Lee appeared out of the nearby brush, looking stern and focused. He unpacked their breakfast and checked Gewey's bandages.

"Amazing," said Lee. "You seem to heal more quickly by the minute. I can't wait to see how powerful you'll become."

"Did you see anyone last night?" asked Gewey.

"Yes, but whoever it was moved off before I could catch him," Lee said, and spat angrily. "From now on we stay on our guard. This one is fast, and knows how to move without being seen."

"Shouldn't we get off the road?" Gewey asked. "Maybe we can lose him."

Lee shook his head. "We won't be able to lose him there; he's too good, too fast. And though they don't look like they'll be a problem much longer, your injuries will slow us down... No, we need to catch him...and kill him."

This sent a chill down Gewey's spine. When he had watched Lee kill the bandits, it was fast and furious; he hadn't had the time to consider what was about to happen. This time they were planning to capture and kill someone. Somehow it felt different-calculated, vicious.

"How do you plan to catch him?" Gewey asked.

"I don't know," Lee admitted, squatting down to pick at the gra.s.s. "It's four days until we reach the next town. I have until then to figure it out. That is, unless he attacks us first."

The next two nights were the same. Lee set up camp, then scoured the area, hoping to get lucky in finding their pursuer, but with no success. Gewey could see the frustration on Lee's face. He hadn't slept, and the fatigue began to show in his eyes. Gewey urged him to rest for at least a few hours, but Lee ignored his advice.

On the third night, they set up camp and had just began to eat their meal when Gewey saw Lee's neck stiffen and his hand move slowly to the knife in his belt.

"What is it?" Gewey whispered. Lee shook his head almost imperceptibly. Just as his hand reached the handle of his knife, they heard a rustle in the bushes just beyond the light of their fire. Lee and Gewey both jumped to their feet and drew their weapons.

"Peace," said a female voice. "I mean you no ill will."

From out of the darkness walked the elf woman they had saved from the bandits. She moved with such grace and precision that her footsteps seemed to glide over the ground. Gewey stared in awe. She was wearing a shirt and trousers made of fine cloth, which appeared to change color and hue as she pa.s.sed through the fire light.

Her hair was now done in a series of tight braids, tied together by a thin leather strap. Over her shoulder she carried a short bow and a quiver of arrows, and in her hand she held a long knife.

"So it's you who's been following us," growled Lee.

"Yes," she answered. "And with very little difficulty, I must say." Her mouth turned to a sinister grin. "Your clumsy efforts to catch me have kept me quite entertained."

"Those bandits didn't seem to have much trouble catching you," Lee shot back.

The elf woman's jaw tightened. "There were twenty of them before they met me. The six you encountered were all that was left."

"What do you want?" Lee asked. "Why are you following us?"

"What I want is none of your affair," she answered. "I follow you because it pleases me to do so."

"You play a dangerous game, elf," said Lee. "You're lucky I didn't kill you the moment you stepped out of the shadows."

The elf woman laughed. "Bold words, half-man."

Lee's back stiffened. "What did you call me?" he asked, his tone low and threatening.

"I know what you are," she said. "I knew the moment I saw you. Only a half-man can move as you do."

"If you know that, then you know it won't be easy to kill me," said Lee.

"Maybe it will, maybe it won't," she said. "I've dealt with your kind before, but it's not you that I'm interested in-it's your young friend. You're no half-man," her eyes set upon Gewey. "Yet here you stand, when, by all accounts, you should be dead."

"And that's none of your affair," Lee said, before Gewey could answer. "Again I ask you, what do you want?"

The elf woman sheathed her blade. "For now, I want you to come with me. There's something I need to show you." She turned and began to walk away.

Gewey started to follow, but Lee grabbed his collar and pulled him back.

"You think I'm a fool?" Lee snapped. "You must, if you think I'll follow you blindly into the night."

The elf paused. "You may have strength, half-man, but I believe the instincts of your young companion are better. But if you need a.s.surance..." She turned to them and got down on one knee. "I swear by the angels of the night and the guardian who watches the souls of my kin that I mean you no harm." With that, she rose.

"I'm going with her," said Gewey. "I don't think she wants to hurt us."

Lee grumbled and nodded. "Very well," he said, putting away his weapon. "I know nothing about the oaths of an elf or what your people now hold sacred, but you're right about one thing. I do trust his instincts. But know that if you betray us, it will be the last thing you do."

"As you say," the elf laughed, then led them north into the nearby woods.

Lee walked directly behind the elf, his hand never leaving the hilt of his sword. Gewey followed, trying to keep himself from gawking at the silhouetted figure of the elven woman moving through the forest. He thought back on the tale Lee had told him about the war.

'How could man make war on such beautiful people?' he wondered.

They walked for several minutes until they came to a steep hill.

The elven woman stopped and turned.

"Before we go on, I must ask you a favor," she said.

"What favor?" asked Lee.

"I wasn't speaking to you, half-man," she said.

Lee glared at the elf. "You will speak to..."

"What is it I can do for you?" Gewey asked, cutting Lee off.

Lee was furious.

The elf looked straight into Gewey's eyes. "If what I have to show you is of value, I want you to allow me to accompany you."

"Out of the question," Lee a.s.serted. "You have no business with us. If you feel in our debt for saving you, I release you from your obligation."

"It is not for you to release me from anything," she replied. "You know nothing of my motives, and I will tell you nothing except that I will not harm you. I will follow you with or without your permission. All I ask is that you let me do so openly."