darkness on his chest, and the laughter of the voice echoed in his head. It took him a few minutes to calm down enough to get up and pour himself a cup of old wine. He barely tasted it as he quickly drained the cup. Just as he was about to pour another, he heard a horse galloping up to the house. Fear gripped him and he scanned the room for a weapon. The small knife he used for work was still in his pack in the barn, and his axe was in the shed on the side of the house. He spotted a carving knife on a shelf next to the cupboard and snatched it up. The hoof beats stopped, and at once there was a bang at the door.
“Gewey, open up.” It was Lee Starfinder.
Still gripping the knife, Gewey crept to the door and cautiously pulled it open. There stood Lee Starfinder, covered in sweat and still wearing his silk nightclothes. In his right hand he held a small sword. Gewey backed away from the door.
“Come with me,” commanded Lee. “We need to leave.”
Gewey stood in silence, unable to move.
“No time to lose your wits, boy,” said Lee, pushing past him. He scanned the house. “Nothing that can’t be left behind, I suppose.”
Gewey snapped out of his stupor. “Leave behind?” he cried. “What in blazes are you talking about?”
Lee looked impatient and a bit on edge, not to mention odd in his nightclothes.
“Do you have a saddle?” asked Lee.
“A saddle?” Gewey replied. “Why do I need a saddle?”
“Please don’t ask stupid questions.” Lee caught Gewey by the arm and pulled him towards the door. “If you have a saddle, get it. If not, I guess you’ll ride bareback. My horse can’t carry us both.”
Gewey snatched his arm away from Lee’s grasp. He leveled his eyes and straightened his shoulders, his fear replaced by anger. There was no way he was leaving without some sort of explanation. Lee noticed Gewey’s posture and grinned slightly.
“That’s the attitude we’ll need in the days to come,” said Lee. He motioned for Gewey to sit. “I hope you can appreciate that every minute we delay puts us both in greater danger. And if you hadn’t noticed, I am in a hurry.” Lee gestured to his own attire.
Gewey nodded and sat in a nearby chair. Lee closed the door but did not sit. Instead, he walked to the window and stared into the night.
“The dream you had tonight was real,” Lee began. “The voice you heard was that of the being that is casting the world into darkness. Now that he knows you exist, he’ll stop at nothing to find you.”
“Why me?” asked Gewey. “Who am I?”
“Don’t interrupt, boy,” scolded Lee. “Like I said, he’ll do anything to find you, but I won’t let that happen.”
“You’re not making any sense,” said Gewey. “How could you know about my dream?”
Lee sighed, turning away from the window. “What does it matter?” he said. “The very fact that I do know should stop your arguing. You must come with me now, before it’s too late. Something evil is coming for you, and if you don’t hurry, it
Lee could see the confusion on Gewey’s face and softened his tone.
“Gewey, I know what was in the letter, and I know you probably have a million questions. I promise that when we’re safely away, I’ll answer as many as I can. Your father trusted me, and I would ask that you give me the same trust-at least for now.”
“He was
“Yes, he was,” said Lee. “He loved you, and that’s all you should care about. What difference should it make that you were not of his blood? It wasn’t blood that bound him to you. It was love, and trust me when I say, that means a lot more.”
Gewey felt ashamed. “I’m sorry,” he offered meekly. “It’s just that I don’t understand why he never told me.”
Lee walked over and placed his hand on Gewey’s shoulder. “I’m sure he had his reasons. And considering what happened tonight, I’m grateful he didn’t.”
Gewey looked up at Lee questioningly.
“Please just get ready,” said Lee. “When the dawn comes, we’ll talk.”
Lee gently pulled Gewey to his feet.
“No need to pack,” said Lee. “I have clothes and provisions at my estate being readied as we speak. I need you to saddle your horse now.”
“I don’t have a saddle,” said Gewey. “Never needed one. Besides, my horse has never been ridden; she’s a bloody work horse.”
Lee pondered the situation, then spun around and headed to the door. “I guess you have time to pack a few things after all,” he said as he opened the door and headed in the direction of the barn. “But be quick.”
Gewey did as he was told. He got dressed and packed a few clothes, personal items, and the last loaf of bread in the house. Once packed, he looked around, doused the flames in the fireplace, and turned off the lanterns. He had just grabbed his wool jacket when Lee burst through the door.
“Good, you’re ready,” said Lee. “Let’s go. Don’t worry, if we need anything else, we can pick it up along the way. I’ve left word with my staff to take care of the farm while we’re gone, so don’t worry about that.”
Gewey nodded curtly as they stepped outside. Apparently, Lee had been planning this for quite some time. Lee stowed his sword in the wagon and wrapped it in a blanket. Gewey’s horse, not accustomed to being handled by a stranger, stamped nervously. Lee’s own horse had been tied to the back of the wagon. It wore no saddle; Gewey suspected that Lee was in too much of a rush to bother with one.
“I suppose it will look less conspicuous if both of us ride into town on your wagon, rather than racing in on horseback; that is, if they don’t notice I’m wearing nightclothes,” said Lee. His tone was excited, and his movements were graceful and quick. Gewey marveled at how fast Lee could get things done. “Throw your pack on the wagon and let’s go.”
Gewey calmly obeyed. He still wasn’t satisfied with the reasons Lee had given for such a quick departure, but he did know that whatever was happening, the dream was
“Stop thinking about it,” Lee scolded as he climbed up beside Gewey.
“What do you mean?” Gewey responded, startled. ‘Surely Lee can’t read my mind,’ he thought.
“You know what I mean, boy,” said Lee. “If you think about him, he may be able to find you. Until we figure out how he located you in your dreams, we must be cautious.”
Gewey didn’t reply. Instead he focused his thoughts on the sound of his breath and the movement of the wagon. It was three miles to Lee’s estate, which was situated just north of the village, next to the river.
It took them a little more than an hour to get there. Several roads had been built leading to Lee’s home; this was more than the village council deemed necessary, but since Lee was willing to both pay for construction himself and use local labor, they raised few objections. It did, however, lead to rumors about his eccentricities. Some folks had even said that he had built tunnels, but Gewey had always ignored such gossip.
Lee’s estate was built across fifty acres-a small property for a man of his apparent wealth. But the land was among the finest in the area, with most of it dedicated to the keeping of his many horses. The house itself looked modest from the outside. It was adorned simply in northern fashion. The single story dwelling had been built mostly of stained cedar with cherry inlay surrounding each window, and the roof was made from red tile imported from the north. Symbols of the Nine Gods were carved into the stone driveway that led from the main avenue to the front door. Although no blooms could currently be seen, a well-tended garden had once dominated the front yard; at its center stood a statue of Gerath, patron god of Sharpstone. Three horses waited in front; two were saddled, and one was packed full with supplies. The large oak door was already open and Millet, one of Lee’s servants, stood just inside. He was holding a small box wrapped in silk cloth.
Lee stopped the wagon and leapt down. He retrieved his sword from the cart and placed it in its scabbard, attaching it to his saddle. He walked up to Millet and took the box, whispering something in the servant’s ear. Millet disappeared into the house.
“Saddle up,” Lee said to Gewey. “I won’t be a moment.”
Lee turned and ran into the house while Gewey grabbed his belongings. He’d barely had a chance to stow his
