Ghostwalker (Book 1) (15 page)

Kendril switched his gaze to the left side of the trail. “Follow this road.”

“I meant
after
that.”

The Ghostwalker looked over at him.

“Look,” Maklavir began, his voice still low, “Jade’s in trouble. I don’t know what kind of trouble, but it must be something serious indeed.” He gave another anxious look behind him, but Jade was oblivious to their conversation. “That man she recognized, the one with the eye patch?”

Kendril’s lip curled slightly. “What of him?”

“He wanted Jade
alive
, Kendril.” Maklavir tilted his head. “He could have killed her right there in the stable if he had wanted.”

The Ghostwalker shifted the rifle in his arms. “What’s your point?”

Maklavir gave a soft sigh. “I guess I don’t really have one. She claims to have no memory of
anything
before two days ago, right?”

“More or less.”

“All I’m saying is that we don’t know what we’re getting ourselves involved in. It’s possible we’re in over our heads.”

“You think?” Kendril shot back sarcastically.

“Still—” Maklavir began.

Kendril suddenly shot a hand up, silencing the diplomat. His head snapped around to look behind them.

Maklavir followed his gaze. “What is it?”

“Horses!” the Ghostwalker exclaimed, grabbing Simon’s bridle. “Everyone off the road, now! Move!”

Jade turned, but the sloping road crested at a hill about fifty yards away, and she couldn’t see beyond it. She pulled Veritas towards the grass and trees off to the side of the road, following Kendril as quickly as she could.

Maklavir followed behind them with one hand on the hilt of his sword. He glanced back up the road uncertainly.

“I say, Kendril,” he said, “I don’t see any—”

Kendril made a motion for him to be silent, then pulled him into the trees. “Get down,” the Ghostwalker ordered. “Hurry!”

And then, suddenly, they all heard it. From over the rise, unmistakable in the clear cold air, came the sound of galloping hoof beats.

Jade pushed Veritas down as soon as they were far enough into the trees. The horse obediently complied. Simon stood around looking confused until Kendril pushed him into some bushes well out of sight. Maklavir dove into the low underbrush by Jade’s side. By now the sound of galloping hoof beats echoed through the air, getting louder and louder.

Kendril slung his rifle off his shoulder and aimed it towards the road, steadying it against the trunk of a nearby tree. Jade watched him out of the corner of her eye, then hesitantly reached for the pistol in her belt. She pulled it out and flicked back the lock with trembling hands.

Mere seconds later two riders appeared over the rise, their horses foaming at the mouth. They pounded down the road, flying past the group’s makeshift hiding spot and disappearing around a bend, mud flying in their wake.

For a moment none of the three travelers moved, waiting and watching the road.

Jade glanced over uncertainly at Kendril.

The Ghostwalker put up his rifle, returning her gaze. “I’ll check it out. Stay here.”

Jade nodded, her throat dry.

Kendril slipped through the bushes, heading down towards the now-empty road.

Maklavir slowly took his hand off the hilt of his sword.

Jade’s eyes followed Kendril’s movements as the Ghostwalker moved out towards the road, rifle at the ready. He scanned the path in both directions for a few minutes, then returned to where she and Maklavir were hiding.

“Either of you get a good look at the riders?”

Jade shook her head. “No. Do you think they were the men who were after us?”

Kendril shifted his weapon slightly. “I don’t know. They could have been. They went by pretty fast. I couldn’t make out their faces. Anyway, they’re long gone now.”

Maklavir got to his feet, stretching his legs. “Well they couldn’t have been following our tracks very well at that speed,” he said hopefully. “They looked more like they were trying to get somewhere in a hurry.”

“Yeah.” Kendril looked back towards the road. He didn’t sound convinced. “I don’t like this. We don’t know what’s ahead of us. Or behind us for that matter.”

Maklavir grabbed his horse’s bridle. “I’ve no doubt there’s danger out on the road, but if we stay here in the forest we’ll run out of supplies before long. This route is our best bet. If we can make it to a good-sized town near Calbraith or Llewyllan, we might be able to get some help.”

“Neither is exactly close,” said Kendril doubtfully. “Llewyllan must be at least a week’s journey east of here. Calbraith is even farther.”

“But surely there must be
towns
that are closer.” Maklavir gestured with his hand towards the road. “If this
is
the road to Calbraith, then it must pass by some kind of habitation.”

Kendril sighed. “I don’t think this is the main road to Calbraith. None of these surroundings look familiar.”

“These woods are huge. There’s nothing to say this road doesn’t lead us out, even if it’s not one of the main thoroughfares.” Maklavir shaded his eyes, looking up towards the shimmering shape of the sun through the trees. “It seems to be heading consistently east so far. That’s a good sign.”

“I agree,” admitted Kendril. “Perhaps if we—” his sentence was cut short as he caught sight of Jade.

She was staring, pale-faced, at both of them.

“My dear girl!” exclaimed Maklavir. He had noticed her as well. “Whatever’s wrong? You look as though you’ve seen a ghost!”

Jade blinked, as if waking from a dream. “I—I’m sorry. I’m all right. It’s something you said. Llewyllan…Calbraith….” She looked at them helplessly. “I
know
those names. I’ve heard them before, I think…I—” Her voice cut off. “I’m sorry, I really don’t know what’s come over me.”

“You recognize the names?” Maklavir leaned forward suddenly, giving the girl a hard look. “Llewyllan? That means something to you?”

Kendril sighed. “My, a geography lesson. This really
is
helpful.” He crossed his arms, looking over at Maklavir.

The diplomat was staring at Jade with an odd expression.

Kendril raised his eyebrows. “What is it, Maklavir?”

The diplomat shook his head, as if awakening from a dream himself. “Nothing, nothing. My mind running away with me, that’s all.” He put a hand on Jade’s shoulder. “At least you’re starting to remember some things, my girl. That’s an encouraging sign.”

“Yeah, well we need to figure out what we’re doing from here,” broke in Kendril once more. “Do we stay on the road?”

Jade passed her hand over her eyes, as if bringing herself back to reality. “Yes…yes I think we should.” She looked at Kendril. “Maklavir is right. If we can find a town, we might be able to get some help. I think we should continue east, at any rate.”

“I agree,” said Maklavir quietly. He still seemed a little shaken by something. “Those riders may not have been the bounty hunter’s men. Even if they were, they don’t seem to have seen us.”

“It’s what they may be doing
ahead
of us that worries me,” said Kendril. “We may be walking into an ambush.” He sighed. “Still, I think you’re both right. It’s this or nothing.” He grabbed Simon’s bridle roughly, pulling the poor mule away from a juicy plot of grass. “We should stay off the road from here on out, though. We can travel in the woods off to one side. It will be slower, but safer.”

Jade nodded. “That sounds good,” she said. She started to say something else, but stopped. Her face flushed slightly.

“All right,” said Kendril, “let’s get going. And keep a sharp eye out, both of you.” He turned, leading Simon through the tumbled bushes.

Jade was silent a moment. Her gaze followed Kendril. She turned back to Maklavir. “I can take Veritas, if you like.”

“No,” said the diplomat pleasantly. “I think I can handle him for a while.”

She glanced back in the direction that Kendril had taken. “Okay. I think I might walk up front with Kendril for a while, then.” She looked back at Maklavir, and her face flushed a bright red. “And take Simon, I mean.”

Maklavir smiled. “That sounds marvelous.”

Jade turned, following after the Ghostwalker and his mule.

The diplomat watched her for a moment, his brow knitted into a frown. “Let’s hope my mind
is
running away with me,” he said quietly to himself.

Chapter 11

The going proved to be much more difficult in the forest. The three travelers once more found themselves tripping over tree roots and getting slapped by branches. The sun continued to shine brightly above, but the shade cast by the trees continued to deny them even that small bit of warmth. The road was always on their left, sometimes clearly visible, and other times lost behind a curtain of foliage. Jade found herself wishing from time to time that they might just risk the open road again. It had certainly been much easier.

Kendril continued to keep his rifle at the ready, and kept glancing nervously out at the road whenever it was visible. They saw no one else, however. Only the cold wind blowing through the trees and the occasional chirping of a half-frozen bird kept them company.

Jade stumbled as they walked, slipping on a slimy rock.

Kendril quickly reached out a gloved hand and caught her by the arm before she fell. “Easy,” he said. “Watch your footing.”

“Thanks,” she said. Simon grunted behind her. She pulled on the bridle. “He seems to want something.”

Kendril brushed a low-hanging branch out of his way. “He wants a c-a-r-r-o-t.”

“A what?”

He sighed. “A c-a-r-r-o-t. I can’t say the word. He knows what it means. I gave him my last one this morning.”

“Ah, I see.” Jade tried to peer through the trees to her left, but she couldn’t see the road. Maklavir was a few yards behind them with Veritas, humming quietly to himself. Jade looked back over at the Ghostwalker walking silently beside her.

“I think it’s starting to warm up a bit,” she commented.

Kendril didn’t take his eyes off the forest ahead of them. “Not much.”

Jade brushed back a few strands of her hair, then laughed.

“What?”

She shook her head, smiling. “I was trying to start a conversation. I think you just killed it.”

Kendril looked over at her, a half-smile forming on his face. “What should I have said?”

Jade avoided a brown puddle. “Something fresh and invigorating.”

“Fresh and invigorating?” Kendril glanced up at the sky. “All right, give me a minute here. Fresh and invigorating. That’s a tough one.”

The young woman gave a soft laugh. “Surely you can think of something?”

He looked back at her, his face changing slightly. “I can think of one thing.” He paused for a moment.

“Well now you’ve got me curious.” Jade smiled. “Are you just going to leave me hanging?”

The Ghostwalker smiled. “No. Perish the thought.” He looked away. “Your hair is very beautiful. That’s what I was thinking.”

She stared at him, suddenly self-conscious. “That wasn’t what I was expecting you to say,” she said quietly.

Kendril gave a crooked grin. “There, you see? I’m full of surprises.” He readjusted the rifle in his hands. “Your eyes are beautiful as well.” He turned his head towards her, as if appraising her. “You are a very beautiful woman, all in all. I thought so the moment I first saw you.”

Jade seemed to suddenly find her voice. “What, you mean when I was unconscious and tied to a tree?” she laughed. “I hardly think I was a picture of beauty.”

“Quite the contrary. Dirt and a little bit of smeared blood can do wonders for a woman’s complexion.”

She lifted one hand to her head mockingly. “You make a regular habit of rescuing beautiful damsels in distress, I suppose?”

Kendril glanced towards the road again. “You’d be the first, actually.”

Jade pulled the blanket further up around her neck. “The first damsel you’ve ever rescued?”

“The first
beautiful
damsel. The rest were quite ugly.”

She laughed, then gave Simon a brief scratch on the nose. The mule snorted happily. She looked over at Kendril.

“So,” she said lightly, “surely there have been other beautiful women in your life. Ones you haven’t rescued,” she added, then stopped abruptly.

A sudden shadow of pain passed over the Ghostwalker’s face. He quickly looked away.

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly. Her stomach felt sick. “I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t mean to—”

Kendril turned his head away, his face hidden from view. “Forget it.”

Jade opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She felt a burning in the back of her throat.

“I say,” came Maklavir’s voice from behind them, “I hate to interrupt, but does anyone else hear that?”

Kendril and Jade both stopped.

“Water,” said Kendril after a moment’s silence. “A river?”

“And not far ahead, by the sound of it,” Maklavir responded.

Kendril took his rifle in his hands and wedged his way through two bushes. Jade followed quickly after him. Maklavir hesitated for a moment, then deftly tossed Veritas’ bridle over a low-hanging branch and followed his two companions as well.

Simon, left alone for the moment, immediately began chomping on a clump of clover.

Tripping and sliding his way down a short incline, Maklavir tumbled to a stop next to Jade and Kendril, who were already crouching in some bushes next to the road. The diplomat brushed some dirt off his sleeve, then kneeled down next to them.

They were only a few yards away from the main road, which stretched off to the west, disappearing over a small rise. To the east it wound down to the banks of a large river, no more than a hundred yards or more from where they were hiding. The tree line stopped well short of the flowing water, and the area near the river’s edge was grassy and clear. The road continued over a large stone bridge, passing into the tangled forest on the other side. An old stone mill stood on the far bank next to the bridge. Over everything was heard the gurgling of the swiftly moving current, the water splashing softly around the stone arches of the bridge.