remember you always used to say how great it would be if you had magical abilities. The things you would do. Can’t imagine that you would want to give all that up.”
James sits back a moment and thinks about what Dave said. Does he really want to go back home? Up till now, he thought the answer would be a resounding yes. But after what Dave just said, he now understands what he would be giving up if he went back.
“Thought not,” Dave says. “If you’ll excuse me now, I’m feeling kind of tired.” Lying down in bed, he turns his face to the wall.
James sits there a moment before getting up. “You get some rest, tomorrow we’re heading north.”
Dave doesn’t comment just lies there quietly.
Opening the door, James takes another glance at his lifelong friend and feels like a wall of some kind has grown between them. Saddened, he closes the door and leaves his friend to rest.
As he passes through the kitchen he finds Miko already clearing the dishes from the table. He pauses a moment intending to tell Ezra to go easy on him, but then decides against it. She can always use the help. Arkie has been removed from his chair and is now over in the corner on a pallet nestled with his teddy bear. He often takes a nap there right after lunch.
Leaving the kitchen he heads over to his workshop where he continues working to perfect his automated defensive device. Trying to put Dave out of his mind, he works on making it so the shield will remain active once it’s been activated even if nothing further is flying toward him.
When at last he has it just the way he wants it and has tested it several times, there still remains one small problem. He can sense it while it is active. Of course when it is deactivated, it doesn’t work. So the problem is, if he has it active to protect him, then any mage in the vicinity will pick up on it. The tingling is slight, but there none the less.
He then works on applying several other spells into it that may be useful in different circumstances. Not too many, the more complicated it becomes, the more chance of something going wrong. It takes awhile but he at last gets it pretty much the way he wants.
When he finally leaves the workshop for the night, he takes it with him and puts it into his pack. He intends to take it with him on the way to Ironhold in the morning. It may come in useful. Returning to the house, he finds Dave still in his room. He joins the others in the front room as they spend their evening time together.
The rigors of the day at last begin to catch up with him and he heads off to bed, again the first one. Once in his room, he’s quick to undress and slip under the covers. Worries of Dave and what may be found at Ironhold spin through his mind as he fades away to sleep.
Chapter Nineteen
The following morning dawns bright and sunny. When James leaves his room there’s a slight chill in the air despite the sun having been up for an hour. On the way to the kitchen for his breakfast, he stops by Dave’s room and finds it empty. He worries about his friend until he arrives at the kitchen and finds him there eating breakfast with the others.
“I would like you to take Fifer and Qyrll with you as well,” Illan tells him after he’s taken his seat. “The Empire still wants you. Also, if you’re going to Madoc, there’s no telling what may happen.”
“Sure,” replies James. He glances over to Dave and when their eyes meet, gives him an encouraging smile. Dave’s face breaks into his familiar jovialness which greatly relieves him. Hopefully last night was simply a low ebb in his mood and he’s now out of it.
“Where’s Jiron?” he asks.
Roland nods his head toward the door and says, “Outside with Aleya. Seems they’ve been getting into it since your return.”
“Nothing serious I hope?” he says.
Shrugging, he replies, “Who knows? They’re both in love but too stubborn to admit it. At least Aleya won’t, Jiron wears his heart out on his sleeve for all to see.”
He shakes his head. Then it dawns on him that it’s still early yet and Illan isn’t doing the morning drills with the recruits. “No drills today?” he asks.
Illan shakes his head and says, “They need at least one day every other week away from drills. Keeps them fresh and better able to learn. Half have returned to their homes for a brief visit, the others will have their turn later this afternoon.”
“You’re not keeping yourself too low in the event of an attack are you?” he asks worried. Already they’ve had to fend off two attacks since the founding of The Ranch.
“Shouldn’t be a problem,” he assures him.
For the remainder of the meal, they talk about small things having to do with The Ranch. Tersa tells him that Delia is finding wide demand for her bears and that she can’t make enough.
“Just make what you can,” he says. “Don’t short the customer on quality and they’ll always be back.”
“I don’t,” she says. “It’s just that Delia always wants more than what I’ve done.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he tells her. “Just means the ones you do make will sell all the better.” Finishing up the last bite of eggs on his plate, he stands up and announces, “We’re leaving in ten minutes.”
The others quickly finish what’s left on their plates and proceed to the barn to get the horses ready for travel. James gestures for Dave to accompany him and they head out to the workshop.
“You doing better this morning?” he asks.
“Much,” he replies. “Don’t know what got into me last night.” They walk the rest of the way to the workshop in silence. When James opens the door and enters, Dave adds, “I’ve had bouts of depression ever since I got here.”
“Could be just a reaction from your time in the Empire,” James suggests.
“Probably,” he replies. “I have nightmares almost every night about what happened.” He takes James by the arm and says, “I’m sorry if I haven’t been much of a friend lately.”
Pausing, he turns back to his friend, “Don’t worry about it. If a friend can’t help another out when they’re going through a hard time, what good is he?”
He checks the receiver crystal and finds it still quiescent. It’s unlikely he’ll ever see it active, but you never know. Moving to his desk, he reaches down to the sack of crystals and takes out six and puts them into his belt pouch.
“What do you need those for?” Dave asks.
“Emergencies,” he explains. He also has the automatic shield one as well. He takes a small swath of cloth and wraps it to keep it separate from the others.
By the time they leave the workshop and head over to the barn, the others have the horses saddled and are waiting. James and Dave come over and mount the two ready for them.
“Be back when I do,” he tells Roland. “Not sure when that will be, though I’m hoping before winter sets in.”
“We’ll keep things going here,” he says. “At least the house will be done when you return.”
“That will be nice.” Turning to the others who are coming with him, he says, “Let’s go. Jiron, take the lead.”
As they move out, Jiron moves to the fore with James right behind, Dave on one side and Miko on the other. Behind them ride Jorry and Uther, Fifer and Qyrll bringing up the rear.
Since Kraegan said Ironhold lies in the north of Madoc, they’re going to the more northern pass through the Silver Mountains. With any luck, the war over there hasn’t reached that far and they’ll avoid any and all Empire forces. Once on the other side, he’s hoping to be able to ask the locals for directions to Ironhold.
Keeping a brisk pace, they’re able to make it to the town of Wurt on the shores of Crystal Lake that first night. So far the trip has been uneventful and they stay at the same inn they stayed in that first night back when they were on their way to hide the Fire.
Dave remains cheerful all day, even managing to crack a joke now and then. To James, this is the old Dave, the Dave he remembers from back home. Seeing him act this way eases the worry he’s been feeling for his
