Beyond the Vale: The Vale Trilogy Book Two by Jen Becker

Author:Jen Becker [Becker, Jen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jen Becker
Published: 2021-07-31T04:00:00+00:00

25 – Return to the Vale

The whole Natlet camp rode with them. Eldin fretted at first, afraid their progress would be slowed by a thousand people, but the Natlet moved swiftly when called for, and they were no slower in company than she and her small party had moved.

After three days of travel, the Natlet pitched camp in a wide clearing. The sky was leaden and the air thick and heavy with coming rain.

Relke looked south through the trees with her lips pursed. “We are due north of Visgaerd now. About ten miles. My people will remain here, and tomorrow we will cross into the Vale.”

Eldin swallowed and shared a long look with Anuk. She had felt elated to finally reach home, but now that home was within reach, nerves began to flare. Many things could go very wrong with the plan.

It started to rain before they had the tents up, and they were all damp and irritable when they gathered in the Elders’ large tent for supper.

“What troubles you, Eldin?” Tyron asked as she sat staring into the fire.

“We have come very far, and I have looked forward to going home now for months. I am just realizing how much more we still must do before we can truly go home. And we are following the advice of the Kosaka and the Jeat Senung Mson despite the danger they both have warned us of.”

“We would not have set you all on this journey if we thought you would fail. And the only alternative is not to fight at all. I do not believe that is what you want.” Tyron cocked her head and smiled.

Eldin nodded. She believed they would succeed, and she silently prayed the cost would be one she could bare.

Anuk leaned over and whispered, “El?”

“I’m just tired of having my course mapped out for me by things outside of my control and understanding.”

She left the Elders’ tent a short time later, tired of the conversations. Everyone was discussing mundane things. Rontil and Tyron knew they would part ways in the morning and were immersed in discussion over some smaller spirals on the Jeat Senung Mson and their meaning.

Anuk started to rise when she moved to the tent flap, and she gave him a slight shake of her head. She wanted to be alone. He sank back into the cushions that surrounded the fire, but his brows furrowed in concern.

The storm had intensified while they had been eating supper with the Elders, and she was wet to her skin when she arrived in the small tent she shared with Anuk. She lit the lamp with a small pull from one of the Jeats in her pocket and sighed. They would have the Vale around them tomorrow but not be able to draw from it.

She shucked off her wet clothes, hung them from one of the tent poles to dry, and pulled fresh garments from her pack. She shimmied the small folding table from a corner and spent a moment leveling it at the end of her bedroll.

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