Wayward Tail: The Mortal Realms Trilogy, Book 1

Out in the Open

"There are two of them," Ori said as the group ran down the mountain. Oriander had given up hope that they wouldn't leave a trail when she saw the large barbarian try to move stealthily through the forest.

"I don't like running from a fight," Throk said.

"How long until we are in the deeper cover of the Howling Forest," Ladon asked between breaths.

Oriander explained that after the descent of the Storm Horns there would be open land for a few miles before the Howling Forest grew thick enough to mask their retreat.

"So our options are to make a stand out in the open, leaving us open to archer fire... or to try to make it to the forest without getting picked off one at a time."

Other than Oriander, Artifax looked most nimble on his feet. He floated from rock to rock and over fallen trees on the way down the last of the hills. In the morning light his scales appeared more pronounced. To the men, they looked as they did having just come out of the magma in the mountain.

"I'm with Throk on this one... let's make a stand out in the open," Artifax said. "What do you know of the men following us."

"One carrying heavy weapons, and one with range." Oriander said without puffing for air.

"How do you know," Ladon asked. "Can you see them?"

"She can," Ori said pointing to raven in the sky.

Artifax remembered how the raven had announced Oriander's arrival to their camp site the night before. He remembered the message attached to its leg. "Who was sending you messages in the Storm Horns," he asked.

"Someone who wanted to know about your progress," Oriander replied.

"Another person trying to kill me," Artifax asked while chuckling. He and Oriander led the group on their run across what was becoming open sky. They had reached the plain. With the obstacles clear, Ladon and Throk caught the two rogues as they sprinted for a small elevated cluster of rocks about a mile from their position.

She looked over at him. "Duke Falconsflight."

That was a strange grouping of words to Artifax. Jameth had been voted in as Duke of Baldur's Gate in the last 9 days. "He has you keeping tabs on me now?"

"Duke's need to keep themselves informed," she said. "If we survive this, I'll let you read the rest of his message.

The group was pulling to within a half mile of their rocky destination when there was a whistling sound in the air, then a thump. Artifax and Oriander turned in time to see Throk collapse, mid run, with an arrow in his back.