Ryl maintained his watch over the area. His mindsight indicated no sign of the phrenics. His heart went out to the man, who was inevitably grieving such a profound loss. He'd done right by his child. He'd chosen to stand by her side, accepting that his love was worth far more than any gold the Kingdom could offer.
“For what it's worth, my friend, you made the right decision by her,” Ryl said breaking the silence.
“There was only truly one choice to make,” Rolan responded immediately.
Ryl cast his eyes downward for a moment as unwelcome memories streamed into his mind.
If only his family had shared the same sentiment.
“If only no one was made to choose,” Ryl said quietly.
Chapter 13
The conversation, though brief, turned to lighter subjects as they awaited the arrival of Andr and the phrenics. Rolan soon fell into an uneasy slumber. He'd done what was needed to protect his child to the best of his ability. Ryl was thankful that fate had allowed for his timely arrival.
Without his help, a child would have been without a father.
The Stocks would have had another tribute.
He looked down at the sleeping girl curled up against her father's side. She was so young. So innocent. How could anyone knowingly cast a child into the life that was forced upon them in The Stocks? Yet the harshness of life inside was nothing compared to the devastating cycles that would follow their Harvest.
Ryl's body warmed as the heat spread through him. His solid resolve was hardened further, forged into an unbreakable purpose.
The Stocks would fall. The tributes would be free.
He would see to it.
The afternoon progressed quickly. The sun tracked slowly across the sky above them, inching toward its eventual rest in the west. Daylight was beginning to fade when Ryl noted the first of the glowing signatures in the outer reaches of his mindsight. A second winked in to view shortly after.
Ryl rose quietly, gently waking Rolan from his brief slumber.
“They're nearly here,” he said quietly.
Rolan nodded briefly, shifting to give his body the leverage to lift the sleeping child into his arms. Faya grumbled quietly at being disturbed, yet settled back to sleep with her head on her father's shoulder. Ryl collected the pack containing their belongings before leading the pair from the cave.
The glowing signatures of the phrenics had paused nearing the extent of Ryl's vision. He guessed that they waited at the edge of the forest. As the low rumble of the river faded in the background, he noted the distinct absence of noise and life from the woods. The still of the afternoon was eerily quiet. He paused, focusing again on the sight of the phrenics at the forest's edge.
They remained still where they had stopped.
Ryl plotted the easiest course for the group toward the position of his companions. His mindsight illuminated more details the closer they approached. He could clearly identify the pair who had come. It was Kaep and Vox.
“I can see them, father,” Faya announced sleepily as they slowly crossed the uneven ground of the thinning forest.
The openings between the trees were growing steadily wider, however, the rocks and foliage seemed to choke off the ability to travel in a straight line.
“How many do you see, Faya?” Ryl quizzed the youngster.
“I see two, though they are still some distance off,” she replied confidently.
“Good. Very good,” Ryl replied, turning his body around, reaching out to tussle her hair. “There are few that can see at such distance. What can you tell me about them?”
He exchanged a sincere glance with Rolan. The father was beaming at the praise of his daughter.
“Like you, they glow with a yellow light, though not as bright,” she answered. “They look to be sitting, though they are still very blurry to me.”
Ryl was astounded by the amount of detail that the child was able to describe. In his readings, and in the knowledge inherent in the alexen that flowed within his blood, there were few cases of mindsight developed to a point of comprehending form and features. Ryl, like the other phrenics in Vim, relied on the glowing orbs to determine the location of his phrenic companions. His senses were advanced over those who inhabited the hidden city, as his mindsight provided enough subtle differentiation to comprehend their signatures, much like seeing a face. To him, no two were alike, and given time, he could tell them apart readily. The thought of being able to determine their posture, as Faya could, astounded him.
His quizzing of the child would have to wait. It wasn’t long before the faint traces of conversation filtered through the trees. He could clearly make out the voice of Andr in the distance. Though he knew the phrenics had noted his coming, he focused, sending a wave of calm over the group that waited at the forest's edge.
They paused, remaining inside the shadow of the trees. Their companions were now clearly visible through the gaps in the woods. Andr, Kaep, Vox and Geshill waited patiently on their horses, their eyes readily searching their surroundings for any sign of danger. The phrenics were the first to acknowledge their approach. Kaep slid gracefully off her horse as they broke from the edge of the trees.
“Trouble has a way of finding you, Ryl,” she said quietly as they approached.
“So, too, does opportunity,” he smiled as he turned, ushering Rolan and Faya forward. The introductions were brief. Faya stood wide eyed taking in her unique view of the surroundings. Her large, blue eyes darted from speaker to speaker. In the moments of pause, she dedicated her inner sight to studying the forms of the phrenics; her unseeing eyes carefully cataloging every feature.
The light of the day was fading fast as the sun dipped below the horizon many miles to the west. Their apprehension of encountering another group of hunters still lingered as they hastened to mount their horses, eager to return to the relative safety of
