Eyes of the Deluti Book One: The Price of Compassion Chpt 1

The Price of Compassion Chpt 3

                                            Chapter Three

                                   Together Again

   From the shadows across the street, Em watched as Navon disappeared inside the stable. ‘Was I ever that young and foolish?’ Maybe he wasn’t foolish, just innocent of the ways of the world. It was such an obvious trap that she had been sure he would realize what was happening and leave Twin Oaks as fast as his feet could carry him. Unfortunately, the setup worked perfectly and he was now in the hands of his enemies.

   What to do? Her orders were clear; observe from the shadows and only interfere if his life was in danger. Her instincts told her these men had no intention of killing Navon and would keep him alive at all costs.

   She watched as four heavily armed men exited the stable and took up positions around the wagons. A small man, with a hood up to conceal his face, was followed by two more men who supported the unconscious boy between them. The leader and one of the men entered the coach. After helping them load Navon into the coach, the other man climbed up to the driver’s seat and grabbed the reins, ready to leave. Em could do nothing here in the village, especially against six armed guards. She would just have to follow until an opportunity presented itself.

   The kidnappers pushed their horses hard all day with only a short rest in the early afternoon. As long as they stayed on the main road through the old forest, Em would be able to keep up. Descended from an ancient race of tree dwellers called the Elintria, she could travel through the trees just as fast as the men on the road as it meandered back and forth through the forest. She would have to attempt a rescue tonight before the road entered the river plains sometime tomorrow.

   As night began to fall, the kidnappers stopped in a clearing alongside the road. There they set up three small tents for the guards and one large tent for the leader and Navon. Apparently the guards were trained to fight in two man teams which meant that they were professional soldiers in someone’s employ. That would make a rescue even more difficult.

   While Em stood hidden behind some brush and watched the men as they set up camp, a wickedly curved blade appeared in front of her face and a large hairy hand covered her mouth. Just as silently the hand and knife disappeared. Em wasn’t afraid, she was seriously irritated. Sebastion was the only person she knew who could see her when she didn’t want to be seen and could sneak up on her that easily. He was an ogre whom she had hoped never to see again. By the time they reached his small camp she had resigned herself to the fact that they would have to work together again.

   “So little one,” he growled. “I be thinking it not so smart you to be rescuing the boy alone, yes.”

   “Sebastion, you big hairy oaf. What are you doing here? And don’t call me ‘little one’.”

   “I just camping here be,” he smiled. “South I going, you to be finding. Lucky, you be finding me.”

   “Don’t tell me you were sent to watch over the boy also?”

   “No,” he chuckled. “I be sent over you to be watching, Em. Sometimes knife in your head bigger be than knife in your hand, yes.”

   “Wipe that dumb smile off of your face Sebastion,” she said glaring. “It’s still only the two of us against six professional soldiers and I have a bad feeling the leader is more than he appears.”

  “No little one. Many, not two,” Sebastion nodded as a number of large grey shapes slipped into the clearing. The largest stopped in front of Em and sat back on his haunches.