The World Above by Cameron Dokey

Author:Cameron Dokey [Dokey, Cameron]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Published: 2010-06-03T14:30:00+00:00

FOURTEEN

As soon as the decision that we would accompany the band had been made, Robin began to issue a series of orders in a clear, low voice.

This must be Robert de Trabant, I thought. For the others obeyed him without question, moving to do his will at once. Several members broke off from the band to walk ahead as scouts. The rest of us left the path and set off two abreast, walking as swiftly as the diminishing light allowed.

We’re in for it now, I thought. I didn’t think Shannon knew her way through the forest, aside from following the path, and I most certainly did not. We were now completely at the mercy of Robin de Trabant and his band of thieves. I tried to console myself by thinking that if they’d intended to harm Shannon and me, surely they’d have done so by now.

But they still don’t know who I really am, I thought.

Robin now took the lead, with Shannon at his side. Steel and I followed, with the rest of the band at regular intervals behind. Last of all was a single man leading Verité.

How silently they move! I thought. Sure-footed, even in the gathering dark. My own feet felt clumsy by comparison, my body tired and slow, as if the stress of my journey was suddenly catching up with me. Had it really only been two nights ago that I’d slept soundly in my own bed in the World Below?

As if in answer, my toe caught on an unseen tree root. I managed to stifle a cry, but only Steel’s quick grip on my elbow saved me from pitching forward onto my face.

“Thank you,” I said when I was steady on my feet once more. “I’m not usually this clumsy.”

There was a moment’s silence, stretching just long enough that I began to fear that Steel would not reply. Should I try to fill the silence? I wondered. Why does this man care who I am?

“You are more than welcome,” he finally said. “You must be very tired.”

Be careful. Watch your words as well as your steps, my mind warned. He’d made a simple statement, but there were questions hidden in it, traps for the unsuspecting. Why are you so tired? How far have you come?

“Steel is an unusual name,” I observed instead. “Do they call you that for the quickness of your hands or of your mind?”

I felt rather than saw the way his head turned toward me, but it was not yet so dark that I could not see the flash of white teeth as he smiled.

“I think it is your mind that is the quick one, mistress,” he replied. “But to answer your question, all of us leave our former names behind when we choose to live in this place.”

“For your skill with a blade, perhaps,” I suggested.

“Something like that,” he answered. The tone of his voice told me the conversation was over. Though my feet stayed steady, Steel reached to guide me by the elbow as the path began to climb abruptly.

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.