quicker than if you sent a rider to tell them you are here. If you want food, we will feed you. If not, you may leave.”
She nodded to Garth and he released the boy and stood up. The boy rose slowly and looked all around the campsite. He saw the two boys with their bows ready. He saw Kalina standing next to the wagon in a black sleeping robe with her hands on her hips and he saw Garth standing seemingly at ease, or at least as at ease as a predator gets. Garth motioned to the boys with a hand signal and they reluctantly lowered their bows and returned their arrows to their quivers.
For a long moment, nobody moved and nobody spoke. Finally, Garth turned to the boy. “Either eat in peace or leave in peace, but make up your mind,” Garth demanded. “I do not fancy losing sleep while your friend takes the night to decide.”
Fredrik finally made up his mind and waved Niki into the campsite. Everyone watched the redheaded girl lead the two horses into the clearing.
“Tedi,” Garth called, “see to our guests’ horses. They look like they have been ridden since first light. Arik, light the fire and get some coffee going.” Turning to Fredrik and Niki, Garth looked them over before he indicated that they should sit by the fire.
“You could have just asked for food,” Garth commented. “No one but Dark Riders and bandits would refuse you if they had any to spare. Who are you and where are you heading that you travel at night?”
Niki, even though frightened, appeared ready to fall asleep sitting up. Fredrik appeared to be calming down and spoke. “We are Fredrik and Niki and we are from the south. We are traveling at night because we have not eaten in days and I wanted to push on in hopes of finding a village. I smelled your smoke and followed it in to the clearing. I saw no one awake so I thought I would just grab whatever food I could find without waking anyone. It was wrong and I apologize.”
“It was wrong because you got caught, you mean,” Garth frowned. “Your apology is accepted, just the same.”
Kalina emerged from the wagon with plates of cold food for the new couple and they tore into it as if they were really hungry. Kalina watched them eat and looked at Niki’s cloak with interest and suddenly frowned. Garth caught the look, but gave no indication. She looked over at Garth and said, “It would appear that we are becoming a magnet for Collapse children. We need to keep these two from the Dark Riders, as well.”
Fredrik looked up in surprise and then looked over his shoulder at Arik and Tedi. Niki just kept on eating and mumbled, “How does everyone know?”
Kalina had been watching their reactions closely and just smiled. Arik and Tedi stared at the redheaded witch whom Garth and Kalina had just welcomed into their campsite and Garth strode out of the clearing to fix his trip line without anyone noticing.
Fredrik and Niki finished all of the food that Kalina brought out. Garth started a pipe as he sat and watched them finish up. Kalina made another trip into the wagon and came back with blankets for the visitors.
“We may be having visitors tomorrow,” he began. “The Dark Riders that Kalina mentioned are only a few miles north of here. We may have to wake you early so that we can arrange to hide you. They do have a witch with them and any use of magic, no matter how small, could result in death for all of us. Will you listen to my orders in the morning?”
“We have little choice,” sighed Fredrik. “There are Dark Riders to the East and to the West and I know that we cannot survive the trip back south. If you are correct about Dark Riders to the north, we are stuck with you or you with us. We will not resort to magic unless our lives depend on it.”
“So, you are both magicians?” Garth asked.
Fredrik shrugged. “I have been told that you should not submit to interrogations when you are tired,” he chuckled. “Now, I know why. Yes, we both have the ability and, yes, we will behave.”
Garth nodded. “Then you should both get some sleep. You look like you can use it.”
After Fredrik and Niki were settled in their blankets, Garth and Kalina spoke in private. “Let me guess, the cloak has a spell on it?” Garth asked.
Kalina nodded. “The same type of spell that I detected on the necklace. You did get a good look at the cloak didn’t you? Including the burn marks?”
“I saw it,” Garth said. “This has turned into quite a fishing trip. The Dark One would be thrilled to know where we are right now. In fact,” Garth smiled, “he would give almost anything to know.”
“There is something else,” Kalina added. “The boy has the ability to gather the power. He was doing so when you held him. That ability is very rare. I do not know if she possesses it, as well. If she does, she wasn’t using it tonight.”
Chapter 12 Discovery
Tedi rose early and looked around in the pre-light darkness of the campsite. He was sure that he had heard something, but nothing seemed amiss. Suddenly, he heard it again and looked towards the sound. Someone was doing something just outside the clearing. Gently, he nudged Arik awake and held his finger to his lips. Arik took a few moments to acclimate himself to his surroundings in the dark. Slowly the boys tiptoed towards the sound, always keeping the trees between them and the mysterious person in the woods.
Arik, who was the quieter of the two boys, used a hand signal to tell Tedi to stay back and continued slowly forward. After gaining a few more trees, Arik stiffened and shook his head. Cautiously, Arik turned around and retraced his steps back to Tedi. He signaled for Tedi to follow and led the way back to their sleeping areas. “It’s Garth,” Arik whispered, “and he is digging graves. He is just finishing the second grave, but I can see two more outlined in the dirt.”
“We have to tell the newcomers,” Tedi whispered. “Maybe with their
… their powers, they can help us escape.”
Arik nodded his head in agreement and the boys headed across the clearing to where Fredrik and Niki were sleeping. The first light was already appearing when the boys reached Fredrik’s side. Gently, Arik shook him and held his finger to his lips so Fredrik did not shout.
“We have trouble,' Tedi said softly. “Get your friend up quietly and quickly.”
Fredrik half rolled and half crawled the short distance to Niki’s blanket and simply put his hand over her mouth. Niki’s eyes popped open widely and she stared up into Fredrik’s face. When Fredrik was sure that she understood his warning, he withdrew to a sitting position.
Niki sat up and looked around and saw the other two boys. “What is going on?” she whispered.
“Garth is digging four graves,” Tedi explained softly. “We may need your special talents to get us out of here before he discovers that we are awake.”
“Are the Dark Riders really camped close to us?” Fredrik asked softly.
When Arik nodded his head, Fredrik continued, “That would not be a good idea. Kalina is correct that they would detect us if we cast anything major or more than one minor spell. We should just sneak off and hope to lose them both.”
“You will never lose Garth by sneaking off,” Tedi assured the newcomers. “He can track the wind through the branches of a tree by the scent it left behind. And for some reason, I expect that he would follow us until he found us, no matter how long it took.”
“Even so,” Niki interrupted, “if we got enough of a lead on him, we could use magic to stop him cold once we were away from the Dark Riders and their witch.”
Arik smiled and nodded his head. “That just might work,” he agreed.
Just then, the door to the wagon opened and Kalina stepped out. She looked around the campsite and her eyes stopped on the four children. “It is good to see the four of you getting along so well,” she commented,” but it is time to start the day. Arik, get the fire started. Tedi, get water for coffee. Has anyone seen Garth this morning?”
Four quickly shaking heads met Kalina’s blue eyes. “Very well,” she said. “Fredrik, observe Arik and the fire so you will know what to do in the future. Niki, you can help me with the food.”
Arik quietly started building the fire and Tedi nervously grabbed buckets and headed off towards the stream.
