“You are alone,” Yolinda whispered while holding her mug of coffee to her lips. “Where are the others? What has happened?”
Fredrik acted like he was having pleasant conversation with a stranger. “They rode out last night and are waiting for us north of here. I can’t explain it all now, but if your business in Melbin is complete, I would suggest that we leave.”
“Is everyone all right?” Yolinda demanded.
“Niki has been drugged to keep her from using magic,” Fredrik explained. “She was unconscious when she left. Everyone else is okay.”
“Be ready to leave in fifteen minutes,” Yolinda whispered. “I will get the ingredients needed to help Niki. We will meet you at the stables for the Bosun’s Chair.” Yolinda placed her coffee mug on the table and disappeared out the door of the inn.
Fredrik finished his breakfast and went to his room to gather his belongings. He removed the red velvet suit and dressed in a gray woolen tunic and matching breeches. Carrying his gear down to the stables, he paused to inform the innkeeper that he was leaving. When he reached the stables of the Bosun’s Chair, Mikal was waiting for him holding both his black stallion and Yolinda’s white mare. Yolinda hurried along the alley and mounted without a word. Silently the three rode through the streets of Melbin and out the North Gate.
When they were well away of the gate, Garth demanded an explanation of the events of Melbin. He told Fredrik to start at the beginning and leave nothing out. Fredrik was just finishing his tale when they left the coastal highway and headed for the sea. “I think I know the cove that Tanya is speaking of, although it is not a particularly safe spot to wait,” Garth commented.
Garth was pleased to see that Arik was at least alert to the danger when the young warrior jumped down from his hiding spot in the rocks to welcome them. “I guess everything went okay,” Arik smiled at Fredrik.
Arik led them into the cove to where Niki was stretched out on a blanket. Kalina quickly dismounted and knelt at the girl’s side to examine her. “Get a fire going and put some water on to boil,” she demanded.
“This is not a safe place for a fire,” Garth cautioned. “Can it wait until we find a more suitable place?”
“No,” replied Kalina. “The drug can be very harmful, especially if they were not careful administering it. The fact that she was about to be executed could be enough reason for them not to care how much they used. I must get some tea into her.”
Kalina removed a parcel from her pouch and handed it to Tedi. “Mix half of this into a tea and see that she drinks all of it. Return the unused half,” Kalina ordered.
Kalina went to her horse and removed the long, canvas wrapped package and laid it on the ground. Stopping, she unwrapped the Sword of Heavens and picked it up. Holding it out from her she started to rotate in a circle and finally stopped when it tingled.
“It is as much west as it is north,” Garth surmised.
“Yes,” replied Kalina dryly, “and you want to take us further north.”
“The children are getting better every day,” Garth explained, “but they are hardly ready to battle the world. The delay of a week will not matter in the course of the Prophecy and they will be one week better trained for it. Besides, if we let the situation in Alcea totally crumble, the Prophecy can not be fulfilled. Remember, one of them is supposed to lead Alcea to greatness. How can that be accomplished if Alcea doesn’t exist anymore?”
“So, the children will be better trained, will they?” Kalina snorted. “And you expect me to believe that your plans won’t get them killed in Alcea? We could have lost them all for only one day in Melbin and there is no one there who particularly cares if they live. In Alcea, everyone will want them dead.”
“If you are so opposed to my plans,” Garth stated, “I will go to Alcea alone. I know what must be done and I will have it done.”
“And abandon the Children of the Prophecy,” mocked Kalina. “I think not. You have waited all your life to get your hands on them. You will not leave them now.”
“I will find you wallowing your way across Targa when I am done,” Garth smiled.
“Let us not fight about this, Garth,” Kalina sighed. “We will talk about it later.”
Kalina wrapped the sword back up in the canvas and went to check on Niki. Garth wandered down to the surf and removed his boots to let his feet feel the cool saltwater wash over them as he paced along the beach. A barefooted Tanya appeared alongside him and Garth shivered as he realized how complacent he had become about the children’s presence.
“Something is troubling you, warrior,” Tanya suggested. “I have never seen you two have a harsh word for one another. Is it because of the difficulties we got into in Melbin?”
“No,” confided Garth. “The Alcea Rangers performed admirably in Melbin. I am proud of all of you, not just for using your abilities well, but because you worked as a team. I learned some very disturbing information while in Melbin and feel that the problems in Alcea need to be addressed now. Kalina feels that we must hurry to fulfill the Prophecy and she has a point. Even though the Rangers are not yet battle worthy, every day we delay is an opportunity for Sarac to get at you.”
Tanya reached down and plucked a shell from the surf, letting the water rinse the sand from it. “Can’t the problem in Alcea wait for us to return from wherever we are going?”
“I don’t know,” admitted Garth. “The situation may wait, but some very good people will die in the meantime. They are friends and people whom I admire, as well as being influential to affairs in Alcea. When it comes time to place the heir upon the throne, they would be good people to have alive.”
“You will work it out, warrior,” Tanya chirped as she sprinted across the sand to a blanket against the rocks.
Garth turned around and headed back towards his boots. He looked and saw that Kalina had Niki sitting up, drinking tea. He picked up his boots and strode across the sand towards the rest of the group. Niki was talking and Garth deduced from the smile on Kalina’s lips that Niki was going to be all right. He sat down on somebody’s blanket and dusted the sand off his feet before putting his boots back on. Tedi was missing from the group and Garth assumed he was on sentry duty.
Kalina got Niki up and walked her back and forth to assure herself that there was nothing wrong with her. Once she was satisfied, she ordered the campfire extinguished and announced that they would be leaving in five minutes.
Everyone got their belongings packed back on the horses and mounted up. Garth let Kalina lead while he pondered which way he would go when they got to a road that led westward. They rode for half a day before the road westward appeared. Kalina halted at the crossroads, but the children kept on going. Kalina started to say something, but Arik cut her off.
“The Alcea Rangers are bound for Alcea,” he proclaimed. “It is about time that we saw what we are fighting for. If you and Garth don’t hurry along, you will miss dinner.”
Kalina looked dumbfounded as Garth caught up to her and he just shrugged his shoulders and grinned. Kalina shook her head in dismay, but Garth saw the corners of a smile appearing on her lips. “You orchestrated this, didn’t you?” she accused.
“This was not my decision,” he chuckled. “Our Rangers are becoming more of a tight-knit group than either of us would have suspected. I only mentioned my concern to Tanya because she asked what we were arguing about. I do think they have a valid point about seeing what they are fighting for, though.”
“You would,” laughed Kalina. “It is funny to have two strong-willed people ignored by a group that we still call children. You better move along, I do not intend to miss dinner.”
For the rest of the day they rode on, and nobody mentioned the incident at the crossroads. Arik chose the campsite and Garth watched with amusement and pride as the Rangers efficiently set up camp and started dinner and practice as if this was their daily routine. The episode in Melbin, without Garth and Kalina to guide them, had melded them into a working team, dependent on each other and seemingly independent of anyone else. Garth knew better, but it filled him with admiration for the five of them.
Kalina mixed the rest of her concoction into a tea for Niki, while Garth went to observe the practice sessions. Arik and Tanya were using the bolas that Tanya had purchased in Melbin. The pair of balls attached by a strong cord was thrown at the legs of a person or animal. If thrown properly, the weight of the balls caused the cord to wrap around the legs and fell your opponent. They were using a pair of sticks for the practice and were getting better with each throw.
Fredrik and Tedi were battling with the new staffs acquired in Melbin and Garth had to admit that the staffs
