The Lost Ranger by Dan Michaelson & D.K. Holmberg

Author:Dan Michaelson & D.K. Holmberg [Michaelson, Dan & Holmberg, D.K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ASH Publishing
Published: 2023-07-23T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

We headed into the swamp. Daylight was already starting to shift, which wasn’t a good time to be leaving Bastrop and making our way into the channels, but we didn’t have much choice in the matter. If the Sundered were following us, we needed to make time as quickly as possible. Everybody was generally quiet, though there wasn’t much to say anyway.

Grellum had found us on the docks before we left and had been insistent that he come along. Davond had tried to push him away, but Grellum had a way of convincing others to do things. He was strong, even though he couldn’t see much, and was actually pretty good in the swamp, so when I agreed that he should come along, Davond had consented rather than arguing.

Veela had been talking quietly to Davond, looking over the pile of swords that we brought onto the raft, eyeing them up with curiosity. She had lifted one, and it made me a bit nervous that she might be forced to have some sort of a connection to the blade, though it was possible that she couldn’t have one, as she didn’t have some natural tether connection.

“It seems like it’s getting dark,” Grellum said, looking over at me.

“It is getting dark,” I agreed.

“Is this safe?”

I understood his concern. We didn’t often go into the swamp in the dark, and doing so now… Well, I knew that it was probably a mistake, but what choice did we really have?

“It’s as safe as anything,” I said.

There was a faint splash and he spun, looking toward it.

I rested one hand on his arm.

“You have Veela, Davond, and even me here.”

“What do you mean even you?”

I shrugged. “I know that you are going to get more from me than you get from the other two. Besides, Veela is the most skilled raft runner in all of Bastrop.”

“She doesn’t have you beat, Neb.”

I wasn’t so sure about that, but at this point, it didn’t matter.

We kept going, with the light fading. When Davond got to his feet, frowning, I followed the direction of his gaze until I realized there were strange shapes along the trees nearest us. He squeezed the whipstone pole more tightly, glancing over at Veela and catching her gaze.

I reached for the tether sword. I felt foolish doing so, but it had proven useful so far. It would be better if I had one of the whipstone poles, as I felt much more comfortable with that than I did with a sword.

“What are those?” Grellum asked.

I didn’t have an answer. Davond didn’t say anything, probably because he didn’t have an answer, either. The creatures that were coming in our direction were long, almost snakelike, but had six legs and a strange, blunted head.

They hissed as they moved, much like a snake, but that wasn’t the most disarming thing about them. There was a strange energy to the way they slithered and moved toward us, and I couldn’t help but feel as if they saw us and were fully aware of our power.

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