Destroyers and the Dragons

Page 38

      "What does it matter he is dead, as is my mother and sister," I say not wanting to cry.

     "Who was he?" Evergreen demands.

     "He was Dirk, Chief of the Mare tribe, Leader of the united clans," I mumble. "My uncle Marion is Chief of the Mare tribe now." I glance from my feet to Pines face and see something that might be surprise or maybe even hope.

     "It could work, but how would you explain it to the people?" Pine asks and I realize I am forgotten. I slide past them and into the night. I find a quiet place and take over for the guard who's exhausted. I sit with needle and thread and watch the woods as my hands work and my mind wanders. Someone taps me on the shoulder and I jump pulling my dagger and turning at the same time.

     "Sorry, I didn't hear you approach," I say as the boy that joined us from the first keep smiles at me.

     "It is okay, you seemed quite lost in thought," he says. I recognize him from one of the keeps.

     "Will you inherit?" I ask unable to keep my curiosity in check.

     "If I survive this trek back to the Kings castle," he says smiling at me.

     "Then may luck be with you," I say.

     "Spoken like a true warrior," he says shaking my hand. "Go sleep." I nod, fold the cloth, thread and needle into their pouch on my armor and return to the tent. Pine and Evergreen are sitting at the table studying the maps and notes.

     "If we have to attack them it will be almost impossible to break through the walls," Pine says.

     "Not exactly, they have two places where land covers the moat. Here and here. This one will be guarded, but the one in the back is only used by a few of the families that forage in the surrounding forest," I say.

    "So what?" Evergreen snaps.

     "I could sneak across this one, make my way to the front and open the main gate, like I did for you once already," I say.

     "But you won't know their schedule," Evergreen protests.

     "I won't have to, their attention will be focused outside of the keep and I'll be inside. By the time they notice I'm in there I'll have the gate open. Then you'll just have to get to me."

     "It's too risky," Evergreen snaps.

     "No it's perfect," I protest. "Pine your opinion."

     "I think it might work, but I'd like to send you in with more than just yourself," he says.

     "We'd stand out then and they'd focus on us and we wouldn't be able to get the gate open."

     "Just listen to me," he says and lays out a plan. I sleep soundly that night and wake in the morning as we brake camp again. We head farther down the road for half a day and then take a right fork in the road. We march quietly knowing that we'll soon be at the keep. I pace after we've set up camp within sight of the walls. Evergreen pulls me against his chest as I turn to continue my pacing.

     "Are you going to be okay?" he whispers against my hair.

     "I've never tried to jump a wall," I say looking up at him.