The Lost and the Hounds (Book Three of the Ranger and The Thief series)

Chapter One

MJ stared out at the sea before him, thinking of Lynn, and how he had let her down. The Genovesans had a long lead and they had followed them until they reached a dead end, the narrow sea.

"By the direction if the wind, and the speed, they should be about a week before they reach Arrida." Will said. His grandfather had a little experience with sailing, since he had had a few journeys in his life time, where as MJ knew almost everything there is to know about sailing from growing up on the sea.

"Willy will be here in three days. She could be dead in three days!" MJ growled, now glaring at the water before him. Will let out a sigh and placed a hand on his grandsons shoulder.

"We'll get her back, Mik." He said.

***

Two weeks before

"Who's Lynn?" Emmy asked as Willy stuffed a few extra shirts into his pack. He glanced up at her.

"Lynn is one of our friends. She came home with us from Celtica and became my brothers apprentice." He said.

"So you know her well?" She had a hint to her voice that Willy couldn't tell if it was curiousity or jealousy.

"Yes." He said standing. He proceeded to head towards the docks. Emmy disappeared, so he shrugged it off and continued on his way.

Emmy ran up to the great hall as quickly as she could and grabbed a pack, stuffing it full of apples and meat, then she hurried to her room and grabbed travel clothes. She then slung her pack over her shoulder and began to run down to the docks, desperate to board Wolfwill before the Hounds did. She needed to get on unnoticed.

"Where do you think you're going?" Her uncles loud thunderous voice boomed. She froze and slowly turned to face him, biting her lip with nervousness.

"Um, with the whole capturing, it made me want to go visit my mam. With the boys being gone for who knows how long they'll be gone, so I thought I'd go help out with Astra." She said. He furrowed his eyebrows, and then gruffly nodded. He always had a soft spot for Emmy's little cousin, Astra.

"Yes, that is for the best." He said. She smiled and kissed his bearded cheek before running off towards the docks.

***

"Now don't push her too hard, if you do, certain things can go wrong that can demast you and even pull you under, so be careful." Hal gave Willy some last minute advice as they were headed towards the dock. Wolfwill was moored next to Wolfwind and she bobbed up and down in the gentle current. "And last of all, Be careful." Hal stopped Willy and placed both if his hands on his shoulders to look him in the eyes. "I mean it Will Jr. Genovesan assassins aren't people to toy with. Find Lynn, and get out of there as quickly as possible. No poking around. Leave that to your Grandfather." Hal said. Willy nodded sternly and Hal ruffled his hair.

"Good. Now go prepare your ship." He said. Willy nodded and continued to walk back to the ship, leaving Hal to watch him.

Willy was almost to Wolfwill when A sudden blond figure appeared next to him and fell into step with him. With a smile on her face, Emmy matched Willy's stride. Willy stopped abruptly and glared at her.

"What are you doing?" He asked, clearly annoyed.

"I'm coming with you. Obviously." She smirked, tugging on her pack straps. Willy closed his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh before opening them again.

"Em, I'm gonna say this once. Go home. We don't need you, we don't want you, and you'll only get in the way. Lynn is dear to us all, and we can't have you screwing up this mission." He said rather harshly. Emmy felt her cheeks redden, but she held his angry glare, even as she felt the tears begin to form.

"What is the meaning of this?" Roared an all to familiar figure in Hallasholm. Svengal. He walked up to them and glared at Willy after seeing that Emmy was on the verge of tears. "Will? What do you do to our little Emmy?" He asked bitterly. He wrapped an arm around Emmy's waist and pulled her close to himself as the first tear landed on her pale skin. She broke her gaze from Willy and turned into Svengals chest.

"Nothing, Uncle. He did nothing. He just made me realize how much of a fool I have been." She said, trying not to let her voice crack. She noticed Willy tense up at the sound of her words and shaking voice, as if he had just come out of a trance.

"Emmy..." He began.

"Just save it Will!" She snapped. She turned back to Svengal.

"Take me home, uncle Svengal. And I Don't believe I will return this time." she said glaring at Willy. Svengal nodded and took her hand, leading her up to the great hall.

"Emmy, wait! Emilia!" Willy called after her, but she refused to meet his gaze, and was soon lost from sight.

***

Emmy sat on her bed, staring her hands and questioning her goals and thoughts as she repeated the words Willy had said to her. Was she really that worthless? Did she really not mean anything to him? She was just finally starting to feel excepted by the hounds when that Rangers apprentice had to go ans get herself captured! She blamed Lynn for it. She was the reason Willy had raged at her. She could die for all she cared.

But if she died, then it's possible Willy and the others could be walking straight into a trap. Do I really want Willy dead? Willy, and Quint, and Javat, and all the others? She thought to herself. She bolted up out of bed and grabbed her pack.

"Of coarse not!" She said aloud. She ran to her door and pulled on the handle, suddenly feeling dread start in the pit of her stomach. Locked? But why? She pounded in the door, the hard oak wood making a loud thumping noise.

"Let me out!" She yelled.

"You are in there for a reason, Emilia." She heard her uncle call.

"Uncle Erak! This is unfair! Let me out!" She yelled.

"You will stay there until your mothers man comes to escort you back to your village." He said. She stared at the ahead of her.

"But they need me!" She cried. She heard footsteps fade and she could tell her uncle was no longer there. she let out a frustrated growl and looked around the room for an escape route. She spotted the window in the corner and rushed over to it, throwing it open and using a few colourful words that her mother would not approve of as she saw her window was on the south side, overlooking part of the harbour. It was a sheer drop into the water, and she, like many Skandians, never learned the art of swimming. She glanced down, noticing a small ledge near the bank. If she could reach the ledge, she would be able to jump to the back without touching the water. But the problem was, How to get to the ledge...

She rushed around the room, looking for something stable that would hold her weight. She finally spotted the drapes hanging over the window. It took several tugs before she tore it off the wall. She tied one end to the window sill and stood on the sill, taking the other end in her hands.

"Here goes nothing." She mumbled. Then she jumped.

***

Hey! Excited for the new book? Emmy and Lynn will be a huge part in this book. Please comment and vote, and give me feedback so I can know what you guys do and don't like. Love all of you!!

~Avis