Exiled (The Never Chronicles) by J. R. Wagner

Author:J. R. Wagner
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2012-06-04T21:00:00+00:00

— 21 —

A PROPHETIC JOURNEY

March 1886, India

James, age three

Stuart and Margaret, mounted on their respective geldings, appeared in a flash of light. Margaret's expression was one of absolute terror. She clung to Noch's neck, her eyes tightly shut. Stuart, on the other hand, looked completely at ease and pleased with himself. He lowered his arm, which had been wrapped tightly around his wife's waist, as he surveyed his surroundings.

They had arrived in a clearing surrounded by dense forest. A tiger, previously enjoying its fresh kill, looked up in surprise at the sudden and inexplicable arrival of the uninvited guests. It quickly lifted the carcass and ran off into the vegetation.

“Right, then,” Stuart said, expecting his wife to release the white-knuckled grip she had on her horse and open her eyes. When it became apparent she was not intending on releasing Noch anytime in the near future, he spoke.

“Margaret, my dear. All is well. We are here.”

Slowly, reluctantly, she lifted her head and opened her eyes. She let out a breath.

“Where?” she asked.

“India. Northern India to be precise.”

Margaret looked around, searching for clues to their location. To her dismay, she could have been in any clearing in any jungle in the world. She didn't want to believe they had traveled by magic. She had no choice but to accept that they had, a moment ago, been just outside the cottage of Tabitha Ogilvy.

“How do you know we've gone where we were supposed to?” she asked.

“I've been here before,” Stuart replied.

“You've spoken with the Seer? Why didn't you mention this?”

“No. I've traveled here previously. One cannot transport to a place they haven't physically been—unless of course they're traveling with someone else, as you are. It's one of the eight unbreakable laws of sorcery,” replied Stuart pensively.

Margaret nodded, remembering everything her husband had told her before they left. In the brief conversation, he had told her that the Seer, whose name nobody knew, had summoned her. Someone summoned me? she thought. Margaret asked what happened if someone ignored this so-called Seer's summons.

Both Stuart and Tabitha looked aghast. “That is not an option,” Stuart said sternly.

“Shall we?” Stuart asked, turning Archos toward the edge of the clearing.

Margaret nodded, hesitantly turned Noch, and followed. They continued through the jungle for several hours. Margaret couldn't discern any trail and wondered how her husband knew where they were going.

Finally, the dense jungle thinned and a heavily trodden trail appeared beneath them. As the miles passed, the trail became wider and eventually was wide enough to fit a carriage. After a few more miles, the vegetation lining the road receded. They crossed over a rickety wooden bridge. Beneath twisted a muddy stream, its banks so overgrown with plant life not a speck of dirt could be seen. Margaret watched as a jonquil leaf floated under the bridge with the current. When she lifted her head, she spotted the first sign of human habitation since their arrival. Two small shacks stood sentinel on either side of the road ahead.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.