30. Keelan

Chapter thirty

Keelan

I reined in my horse and called for the others to stop, giving Sil a few minutes to try to reacquire view of the cart.

It didn't take long.

"The only thing headed to Irina's Seat right now is a carriage, and it's right where we'd expect our cart to be. My best guess is they swapped vehicles wherever they slept last night. They're moving just as slowly as before, so I don't think they know we're watching."

We resumed our trek to the village.

The first time a group of men in military uniforms approached from behind I was so startled I nearly drew my sword. We pulled off and let the men pass, earning a salute in return. It seemed the Kingdom's call was being heeded in all corners of the country, as three more groups passed before Irina's Seat came into view .

"That scattering of buildings is the town? It sure doesn't look like much." Sil raised a hand to shield her eyes.

Atikus squinted. "We'll stick out in a town that small. How should we play this, Keelan?"

"We could probably pass through, and no one would care, but we need to figure out what's going on and find our Healer. Asking questions will get everyone's attention, so I think we've got to be as quiet as possible and try not to be seen. We should find some place to lie low until dark, then find a way in."

Sil pulled to a stop and turned to face me. "Give me a little time with the eagle to scout the town before we trot in. We're totally blind right now."

"Right. We're about a half hour out. I would guess we've been spotted by whoever is manning the gates. Let's turn off here and make them think we're headed somewhere else. Maybe they'll forget about us."

We found a handful of trees thick enough to disguise our presence and made camp. The rolling hills helped, but the trees would better hide us from anyone using a spyglass. Sil assumed her usual cross-legged pose and closed her eyes. This time, she remained still for more than an hour, then blinked her eyes open.

"We were starting to get a little worried there, kiddo." I smiled.

"Keelan, Atikus, I saw her!" Sil's eyes darted between us. "I saw the Healer. They had just pulled up to what looked to be the Children's main building when I flew past. Two robed men got out of the carriage and walked her into the building. She looked unharmed."

I sat beside Sil. "That's a relief. What else did you see?"

"I got a good look at the town, as well as the building. The village doesn't have much organization. It's just scattered buildings with a small market at one end of the street, but the structure they walked her into is something else. That thing is huge .

"The front face looks like solid stone with a set of double doors at the center. There were no windows or markings. The sides were completely bare, no doors or windows, but the back had several sets of doors, as well as a few long windows that overlook the lake. The back wall stands about fifty paces from the shore, and there's a dock. Most of the vessels looked like local fishing boats, but there were a couple that had a crest on the side. I couldn't get the eagle low enough to make it out, though."

"Did you see anyone coming in or out of the back doors?" I asked.

"Yeah. A couple of masked figures went back and forth. One pair was unloading boxes from a boat and carrying them inside, probably supplies."

"Anything else?"

"No. There wasn't much to see. The townspeople were going about their normal business, not even glancing at the Children as they passed by. I didn't see anyone who looked like an outsider or traveler. Now that I think about it, there weren't any soldiers either. Given all the activity headed east, doesn't that seem weird?"

I nodded. "It sounds like everyone's avoiding that village."

Atikus waded into the conversation. "It wouldn't be that unusual for people to avoid connections with Irina. Think about it. The town is called her ‘seat' and sits against a lake bearing her name. Fontaine has always been the Kingdom's capital, but Irina used this area as her staging ground during the war. Local legend, combined with the presence of the Children, may scare people away."

"Irina was a thousand years ago. You think that still holds?" I asked skeptically.

Atikus's brows rose. "Never underestimate the power of a myth, especially one born from the reality of a great war."

"Whatever it is, we've got to get into that building. Unless either of you has a better idea, we need to get our hands on two robes and masks. Sil, you and I will go inside while Atikus guards the rear and readies our escape. One of those boats should get us across the lake to Cradle. I wish we had some idea of the inner layout."

"When we get there, if I can find a mouse or rat, I might be able to get a look inside," Sil offered. "Their sight isn't the best, but it's more than what we have now."

"All right. Let's try to get some rest. We'll need to be at our best tonight."