The Crown Of Yensupov (Book 3) by C. Craig Coleman

Author:C. Craig Coleman
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2014-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

6: Pain and Sorrow

Emotionally drained, Saxthor and his companions trudged along the edges of pastures and over rolling hills, seeking refuge for the night. As the afternoon wore on, it seemed they moved slower, finding no shelter, but sighted no orcs either.

After the recent disasters, Saxthor didn’t want to remain out in the open, exposed to passing wraiths. I don’t want to tell the others, but the second wraith that hovered over us must’ve followed our scent, he thought. How else could it have found us so fast out on the plain? If the sorcerer-king is sending wraiths with super-sensory abilities, the troupe is in for more trouble in the immediate future.

At dusk, they sighted what appeared to be a gully down between two rolling hills.

“It can’t be much protection, but it looks like the best we can find in the fast fading light,” Saxthor said. They hurried down the sloping land and discovered an area, where erosion dug out a small ravine deep enough to hide them.

“There’s even a dry ledge for us to sleep on,” Tonelia said. “If we don’t have a campfire, we shouldn’t be visible to prying eyes.”

They scurried into the ravine as night swallowed the last light. Tonelia pulled dried fruits and jerky from the packs without much enthusiasm and passed them around. Although not hungry, the men took the offerings with polite smiles.

“When do we get to Sengenwhapolis, Saxthor?” Tonelia asked, her exhausted tone sorrowful. She was repacking the knapsacks, as was her custom soon after they ate.

“I don’t really know, Tonelia.” She is preparing to escape fast if that becomes necessary, he thought. Exposed in the countryside, it’s quite possible we’d have to make an unexpected escape. Half his mind was on the survivors and half was on those gone. He brought his thoughts back to the living, hoping to cheer the others up.

“We should be there in a few days, two weeks at most, I should say. Bodrin, are you going to buy this nice lady a new outfit when we get to Sengenwhapolis?”

Bodrin came out of his memories and smiled at Tonelia. He gave her a little squeeze.

Tonelia looked at Saxthor and forced a tender smile. With one hand, she swept her hair back over her right ear and set Bodrin an exaggerated pose.

“He sure is, aren’t you, big boy?”

Bodrin blushed and looked at Saxthor, not Tonelia, “I don’t know; she never wears that special outfit I bought her in Hador.” He then winked at Tonelia, who exaggerated huffiness.

“Well if you two would take us somewhere besides caves and mudflats, I just might have a chance to wear that outfit.”

“She has a mind of her own,” Saxthor said. “She isn’t afraid to speak it, and we’re not afraid to work it.” The three grinned then laughed. It felt good to chuckle again. Then Saxthor caught sight of Tournak staring over the ledge.

“What is it, Tournak?”

“Maybe you’d better not laugh so loud.”

Tournak was watching the horizon against the rising moon. They ducked down and rose to the ravine’s edge just above their heads.

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