gear and mount his horse when Lee returned, dressed in a soft leather travel outfit and a black wool cloak. He carried a long sword sheathed in a plain brown scabbard. Lee walked up to Gewey’s horse and attached the sword to his saddle.
“I’d invite you in, but time is short,” said Lee, and he climbed onto his horse. “You’ll have the pack horse in tow for now. If we meet anyone we know along the way, we’ll say you’re accompanying me as I visit relatives in the north. People will get suspicious after a week or so, but Millet has instructions to keep the deception alive as long as possible.”
“Where are we going?” Gewey asked.
“West,” answered Lee, and pulled the hood over his head.
Gewey pressed the issue. “West where?”
“Save your questions for now,” he replied. “We’re too close to home, and I won’t risk drawing attention. Believe me, boy; what I have to tell you is worth waiting to hear.” Lee checked up and down the avenue, and seeing no one, urged his horse on, heading north.
“I thought we were going west,” said Gewey.
“Don’t be stupid,” replied Lee irritably. “If anyone sees us, they need to see us heading north. There’s a river crossing used by smugglers not far from here, but we can’t be seen making for it. It’s the long way around, but there’s no choice. Now be quiet, we have a lot of distance to cover before dawn.”
To Gewey’s relief, they met no one along the way. The cold night air kept him from dozing off. The moon was new, and there was not a cloud in the sky. Gewey looked up at the stars and searched out the constellations his father had taught him when he was small. Posix, Goddess of the Dawn, shined brightly in the darkened sky, and Gewey thought about the nights that he and his father had spent stargazing.
“Gewey,” Lee said suddenly, shocking him to attention. “Dismount.”
Lee and Gewey led their horses into the woods on the west side of the road. The forest in this area was thick and treacherous. Gewey could barely see a thing, but Lee seemed to know exactly where he was. The ground was rough and uneven, and Gewey tried not to curse aloud as he tripped over roots and walked headlong into low hanging branches.
It was nearly dawn, but the thickness of the trees blocked out the light. The air was still and damp, and the only sound he heard was that of their footsteps and the heavy breathing of the horses.
“We’re here,” Lee said.
Gewey nearly ran into Lee’s horse. At first, he couldn’t see where “here” was, but then he spotted dim light shining ahead where the forest opened into a small clearing. As they entered, Gewey could see that it was at most half an hour past sunrise. The soft grass was drenched in morning dew, and Lee began unloading the pack horse and setting up camp.
“We travel at night and rest in the day for the time being,” said Lee. “It’ll take a couple of days to get used to, but I don’t want to risk being seen for now.”
Gewey found his own pack and pulled out the loaf of bread. He offered some to Lee, but he refused.
“At least we won’t need a fire,” Gewey joked, plopping down on a blanket.
Gewey munched on the bread, watching as Lee finished setting up camp and checking the horses. He’d thought of everything; they had blankets, pots, rope, food, and even a small tent in case of bad weather. Gewey wondered how Lee had prepared in such a short time.
When Lee finished his preparations, he pulled out a small sweet cracker from one of the bags and sat across from Gewey.
“Well…” Lee paused. “I guess it’s time to tell you want you want to know.”
Gewey leaned forward, determined not to miss a single word.
Chapter 3
“I guess the best way to start is by telling you a bit about my life, and how I came to live in Sharpstone,” Lee began. “Despite what I have told you, I was
“The Temple sent us both to the city of Hazrah, north of the Razor Mountains. Though I think my mother would have preferred they hadn't, I was made an acolyte so I could stay with her.'
“For the first three years we lived in Hazrah, I hardly saw the city past the Temple doors. I hated it there and longed to leave. One day, Lord Dauvis Nal’Thain came to the Temple looking for a personal attendant. His last attendant had been killed, defending him from an assassination attempt. The High Priestess was reluctant to provide assistance, but could not refuse a lord, especially one as powerful as Lord Dauvis. She told him that he could pick an acolyte, as long as he agreed to pay all his wages and compensate the temple for the loss. She invited Lord Dauvis to stay the night so he could observe us at work, at a banquet in his honor.
“None of the others wanted to be chosen, but I was eager. Temple life was dull, monotonous, with endless days of cleaning and scrubbing, and endless nights of prayer and fasting. At the banquet, I did everything I could to be noticed, but Lord Dauvis barely looked at me. I remember how upset I was that night. I just knew I’d be stuck at the temple forever.
“The next morning, to my great surprise, my mother woke me early and told me to pack my belongings, that I had been chosen. I think it was the first time I had ever seen tears in her eyes. She helped me pack without a word, and led me to the office of the High Priestess.
“When I entered, Lord Dauvis was standing alone at the back of the room. He wasn’t a very tall man; though I was only eleven years old, I stood nearly as tall as he. What he lacked in height, however, he made up for in girth. Though the man must have weighed three hundred pounds, he moved with surprising agility.
“My mother put her hand on my shoulder, whispered ‘Farewell,’ and left the room. It was the last time I was to see her.
“Lord Dauvis looked me up and down and grunted. ‘I expected more,’ he said. I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me or to himself so I kept quiet.
“‘What’s your name, boy?’ he asked.
“‘Lee Starfinder,’ I replied. I did my best not to sound afraid.
“Lord Dauvis explained what my duties would be. Mostly, they consisted of running messages, doing chores, and seeing that his meals were ready on time. All of that was fine by me. Anything was better than rotting away at the Temple, and from the sound of it, the work for Lord Dauvis would be a lot easier as well.
“The High Priestess was waiting for us at the entrance. She bowed to Lord Dauvis and asked that he send regular reports of me. He nodded, and thanked her for her hospitality. She gestured towards me and said, ‘Do not dishonor this temple boy, or I will know about it.’ I remember smiling with excitement as I walked out of the temple doors for the last time.
“Life with Lord Dauvis was harder than I had thought it would be. He was unmarried and had no children, so I spent every waking hour attending his needs. For five years, I ran his errands, arranged his schedule, and saw to his meals. I don’t think I stopped moving for more than a minute, but to tell you the truth, I loved it. I was living life outside the Temple. Hazrah was a bustling metropolis that breathed a life of its own, and my duties frequently had me traveling to nearby towns and villages. I learned more about the world in one month, under the service of Lord Dauvis, than I had in my entire life. As I got older, he gave me more responsibilities. Eventually, I acted as his proxy during minor business deals and spoke in his stead at meetings with local politicians.
“I think I would have been happy to live out my life in service to Lord Dauvis, but the Gods had other plans. When I was sixteen, the two of us were traveling to Pendleton-a village two days ride to the west- to mediate a labor dispute, when suddenly our coach was attacked. Apparently, the mayor was afraid that he would be caught pocketing gold intended for village construction. His plan was to make it look like bandits had robbed and killed us, stealing all the accounting records and making any investigation impossible.
