A Voyager Without Magic by Guy Antibes

Author:Guy Antibes [Antibes, Guy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-12-04T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

~

A fter another day of pursuing the wagons, Sam realized the tracks were getting fresher. He rode between the two Wollian commanders just before the column would have to stop for the night.

“I’ve been counting their camps,” Sam said. “We are closing in.”

Ahman had a worried look on his face. “Our expedition is crossing into Mandrim territory,” he said. “I’m not sure we can go on.”

“What?” Sam said without thinking. “We can’t turn back.”

“I have nearly thirty men to think about. The Mandrim are the best warriors outside the Lashakan clans.”

“But you have to think about Wollia! There has to be a Polistian or more than one among them. Don’t you need to find out?”

Ahman didn’t respond to Sam but looked away. Commander Ilsur looked off into the distance. “There has to be something we can do,” Ilsur said.

“Why not let some of us scout ahead?” Sam said. “Desmon, Banna, and I can go ahead. We don’t represent Wollia,” Sam looked ahead at Desmon, “not officially, anyway.”

Ilsur turned to Ahman. “That might not be a bad idea,’ he said. “You can wait just up ahead with your men, and I’ll take my two constables along with them.”

“You are taking a big risk, Ilsur,” Ahman said. Any trace of his arrogance was wiped from his face.

“I am willing. Why don’t you call a rest, while a few of us do a little scouting?”

Ahman stroked the tiny beard on his chin. “I suppose the men could use a big meal, now that we are close to the thieves.”

Ilsur nodded. “Good. We will join you and then depart in darkness.”

Sam rode up ahead to explain to the others how the plan had devolved.

Desmon looked back. “Ahman has his family to consider,” he said.

Sam could see through Desmon’s comment. The commandant was showing cowardice. “Think of him as our rear guard.”

“One that won’t budge from the camp until they wait a day or so before retreating back to Rakwall.”

“Ilsur is joining us.”

Desmon looked at Sam. “There is a reason Ilsur is aligned with me, and Ahman is not. Ilsur has the will and the loyalty to keep up the chase.”

Banna grunted. “And what worth will that loyalty be when we are caught by the Mandrim?”

“Are you going to stay behind?” Desmon asked Banna Plunk.

She glared at the spy. “I have my reasons for continuing. They have nothing to do with Wollia.”

Sam knew what her reasons were. They had everything to do with stopping Viktar Kreb. If the dictator was so intent on conquest, how could she possibly hope to stop him, even with all the gold she had stolen? Gold made poor weapons unless used to bribe one’s enemies or create questionable allies, he thought. Either way, she continued to walk a perilous path. The emergence of green pollen might make that path a more difficult one.

Once they had reached a clearing by one of the myriad streams running through the grasslands, they ate a meal, tasteless to Sam, despite the spices, before moving ahead.

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