14. Chapter 14

Chapter fourteen

Day Seventeen

T he next morning, when I wake up, I decide to let the boys sleep a little longer. Normally, I wouldn't venture out on my own like this, but I just want some fresh air and a little extra time to practice.

Dawn barely breaks through as I reach the back of the lodge, where I'm surrounded only by our horses under a makeshift shelter, hay, and an empty cart. It's kind of Corvu to get me a rapier to protect myself with. Buckling up properly, I unsheathe it and practice my footwork, lunges, and retreats. Corvu told me it's important to keep distance from my opponent, but just as important to strike when the opportunity arises. The dry dirt kicks up small dust clouds as I lunge forward and pull back. I'm actually starting to enjoy the idea of swordplay, and I realize my fantasy novels didn't have enough of it included. I should also ask Gecko to teach me how to use a bow and arrow. Archery is unique for him, and he's genuinely skilled, so I doubt anyone would be better at showing me what to do. I wonder if the slingshot is a common weapon here. Corvu uses one, and so do the twins.

Thinking about Bella and Luca, I trip over my own feet—a dash of purple smoke escapes my hands, then the cart explodes! Seeing a faint purple light, I look down at my chest. The amulet is glowing. Scrambling to get up, I hastily look around. I hope no one saw that, but with so many houses around, how can I be sure?

We needed to leave. Now.

I run back into the lodge, up the stairs and into the room where Corvu and Gecko are, shutting the door a little too loudly. Luckily the man that had taken over Corvu's bed continues to snore. Gecko stirs and rolls off our bags, Corvu is turned around facing where I would have been and has a momentary panic when I'm not there beside him, but remains just as concerned when he sees me by the door.

"We should go." I whisper loudly. WIthout question the boys start grabbing their backpacks and throwing mine over to me.

As we begin to descend the stairs Corvu asks me,"What happened? Why are we in a hurry?" I don't answer until we're outside and around the lodge where we can saddle up the horses while talking.

"I think I accidentally used the amulets power, I don't know if anyone saw it, so I think we should just leave."

"Wait." Corvu comes around the horse to meet my eyes, "You were able to use it? How? What happened?" Without answering in words I point to the nearby cart, which was now shattered and mostly just splinters in the dirt. "Never mind, I don't want to know." He returns to his horse to finish preparing.

Before I have the chance to finish saddling my horse, I hear footsteps approaching. Turning around, I see a man, or somewhat a man, standing beside me. Past his long brown wavy hair and bright blue eyes, I notice short pointed ears—he has to be an Elf of some kind. His chiseled chin would make the girls in my college class absolutely swoon. He wears a black cloak with bright blue markings around the collar and boots to match. The whole setup really suits him. He takes a few steps toward me, and I instinctively back away.

"My," he begins, a smirk barely hidden, "what a misfortune that a stone such as that should fall upon your neck." He continues to get closer when Corvu comes around the front of my horse, poking his sword into the stranger's back.

"I think you're lost." Corvu states.

"Oh no, I know where I am." The man turns around to face Corvu. Gecko comes to Corvu's side with a small dagger in hand, the one he mostly used to cut up fruit. "I am Talon Luc'k Galanodel, and I shall ask you once and once only to sheath your weapons." The name alone shocks the boys and they immediately do as he asks. What are they doing?

Whilst slightly bowing Corvu responds, "I'm sorry, my Lord." Lord?

"Oh, it is quite alright, I don't expect everyone to know who I am by my face alone, although it would be nice." Turning back toward me I stand perfectly still as he places a hand under my chin to lift up my face. "Now, as I was saying, it's dangerous for you to carry that amulet around." So someone did see me blow up that cart. That's awkward. Letting go of my face he begins to walk away. "You do have a choice, though." He remarks, stopping to overlook the exploded cart, "If you like you can hand the amulet over to me and you can go about your lives, or you can keep going on your path and probably die, you might not, but you probably will."

"She has us to protect her." Gecko more or less hisses at him. Talon laughs, in the kind of way you expect someone to laugh when they're trying to make you believe the joke you just told them was actually funny when it wasn't.

"Poor child. He seems delusional. My condolences." Normally it was Corvu that said those kinds of things to Gecko and thought it was funny, now Corvu just seems pissed.

"Unless you're planning on escorting us, we have a long journey to make to the Capital." Corvu simply says. Talon looks him up and down a couple of times.

"If that is your desire. My men and I were simply told to prevent the Orc tribe from getting too close. I assume now that we have bumped into you on the way, they will only be a day's ride behind." Turning to me he very directly states, " It's clear you do not understand our customs so let me give you a piece of advice. There is a reason everyone stays clear of Tricksters and I would suggest you do the same. An escort of a Trickster and a Pixie is hardly a strong party."

"I will be fine." I grumble without meaning to. From around the building two men in armored uniform approach, their shiny silver armor accented with gold trim.

"Sir," One begins, the sound of his voice muffled by the helmet he wore, ", we've been sent word that the Orcs are circling the towns and taking an indirect route to the city. They are travelling through the night."

"Oh I see," Talon ponders, a hand at his own chin, ", then I suppose we best track them down." He goes to step toward the knights but ceases, turning to Corvu once more. "Try not to kill her, won't you? It would be a shame." And without another word he takes off, around the building and out of sight. That was a seriously strange encounter to have. Although I suppose in one way I'm glad that the person to see me use my powers was some kind of Lord. What would a Lord need more power for when they already have an army? Sidetracked in my own thoughts, I don't notice Corvu approach me.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"Of course? He didn't even have a weapon on him, I could have taken him." I snicker, knowing even without a weapon I was still pretty useless with mine.

"He's a Druid, he doesn't need a weapon."

"Oh." I wonder if Druid's were the same thing I was familiar with. For now I would have to assume they were. Whenever I wrote one into my stories, they were always capable of great healing and seer-like abilities. I never made mine violent or particularly capable of battle though. Ignoring the fact I just say, "We should get going, if the Orcs really are circling round, we need to beat them there, right?" Without verbally responding he nods.

I'd be really happy with at least one peaceful day.

It's lunchtime, and although I understand the boys don't eat that regularly, my stomach refuses to cooperate. That's when I notice a bush with berries nearby. It would be better to source new food rather than eating through our non-perishable rations. The berries in question are ones Gecko has already told me are safe to eat. If they are purple with spiky leaves, they're safe, but if the leaves are straight, they're poisonous .

"Hey," I say, "I'm just gonna grab some of those." I point toward the bush as I stop my horse. At least I'm finally getting used to riding. The others stop and wait for me but don't really say anything. Gecko decides to get off his horse and help since there are a few bushes around the area.

We don't grab too many berries before I feel the ground shaking. I recall a similar feeling from when Gecko and I encountered my first Shorg. I really hope it isn't another one. I look toward Corvu, who has pulled the horses into the trees instead of staying on the path. Using a hand signal, he suggests we 'get down' as he stands up against a tree.

Thud. The ground shakes again. What is that? I lean down into the bush to try and hide myself. Gecko dashes up the nearby tree—and that boy can really climb. I try to peer through the bush to see where the vibrations are originating from, but I see nothing.

Muffling a scream, I watch in horror as the tree to my left is pulled from the ground, roots and all. Through the gap that now exists in the canopy, I finally see what Corvu is worried about. And there is no way I can mistake this Daemonaria for anything else. It is a giant. A real giant. Although he looks somewhat like a human, his hands are abnormally large, proportionally bigger than the rest of him. He seems to be pulling out trees and collecting them in a sling.

His face reminds me of one of the staff members my boss fired a few months back, a man in his thirties with a beard that spread from ear to ear under his chin but no mustache. The giant has weird bone piercings through his cheekbones. That looks painful. Or are they just horns similar to how rhinos have them? Moving further into the bush, I use my hands to part it in order to get a better look. He has painted himself with black powder to create circular markings up and down his body.

There are a lot of stories about giants; in some cases, they're friendly, and in others, they want to grind bones to make bread. I look over at Corvu, who is trying to pull the horses out of sight. He seems frightened. I guess that means giants aren't that peaceful. As the creature leans down to pluck another tree out of the ground, my heart sinks.

Gecko .

I want to scream or tell him to jump, but he is already well aware of what the giant is about to do. Scrambling up higher into the tree to avoid being crushed by the giant's hands, Gecko gets squashed in with the branches, and the giant puts the tree into his sling with the others. I look over at Corvu, who puts a finger to his lips, signaling me to stay quiet. What are we supposed to do? That thing could probably kill us with a mere flick of the wrist. How are we going to get Gecko back?

As the giant collects one more tree, he turns and begins to walk back in the direction he originally came from. I watch carefully. He is fast.

"Come on!" Corvu yells, already mounting his horse and attaching the reins of Gecko's to his own. I almost trip trying to get up in a hurry, but I manage to mount my horse easily this time.

We take off in the direction of the giant. I haven't ridden a horse at this speed since the first night we got them. It scares me, the feeling like I am going to fly off at any moment.

We strive hard to catch up to the giant, but he is too quick for our horses to navigate through the terrain. Corvu doesn't let up, though. Somehow, he seems to know exactly which direction they went, even though I can't spot the giant footprints or breaks in the trees. I have to trust that, despite their differences, he is trying to save Gecko.