Avarom And The Red Queen by J. L. Stewart

Author:J. L. Stewart [STEWART, J. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781463442194
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Published: 2012-01-12T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

Calob knew this was no game.

The stable boy knew he was actually running for his life. Compared with all the other times when a patron or Ashmat would chase him to the door of the Arber Inn, Calob would just laugh knowing for sure his life was in no real danger. That by teasing a patron or two, let alone disobeying Ashmat was no reason for a death knell. Actually in retrospect Calob rather enjoyed being chased. It gave him the opportunity to hone his fleeting skills and the ability to remain hidden for long periods of time.

A skill he was putting to good use right now—for not far behind him was someone actually and literally trying to kill him. Every attempt to lose his pursuer has failed. If he were in Servitica, Calob would have merely cut down an alley or a darkened street to evade his pursuer. Yet, this was not Servitica. Nor was the person behind him spouting empty threats. Calob was in the middle of a forest with death stalking his every move.

“Come back here, you damnable brat!” You’ll not escape me!”

Calob stopped and turned for a moment. His eyes danced about in all directions into the forest about him in the hopes of seeing his pursuer while his lungs gathered much needed oxygen through a dry and panting mouth. Suddenly a branch was hacked down by a sword and the angry sweaty face of Xian was seen.

“I see you!” Xian bellowed, pointing his blade in the direction of Calob.

The stable boy wasted no time in gathering his breath and wits to continue running. Like a rabbit in pursuit, Calob slid under branches, scurried through shrubbery and leaped over fallen trees. Every trick he ever taught himself or learned from others on how to evade capture was applied during his plight. After a while he did not even bother to look back for fear it would slow him down.

“Why do you flee, Calob? Why not make it best for the both of us and die like a man?”

Finding a secure spot on a small hill, Calob stopped to catch his breath and pick up a small rock. Securing the rock in the leather pouch of his sling, Calob laid in wait for his pursuer. The stable boy clenched his teeth in an effort to conceal his heavy breathing from the arduous run he just undertook as not to give away his position.

“Come, Calob. Time grows short. We’ve played this cat and mouse game for the better part of the morning.”

“Then let us end it, Xian,” taunts Calob, poised in his hidden position. The stable boy was careful only to let his voice carry and not any other sound. “I am here.”

A moment of silence passed which Calob deduced that his pursuer was using that brief moment to try and pin point his location.

“And here I am,” Xian said, appearing out of a nearby bush.

Calob was startled at how close his adversary was but gathered his wits in time to twirl the sling and let the rock fly.

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