Healers' Call

Life Outside the Castle

Carrick shook Valda awake too soon for her liking, but she only sighed and rolled up her sleeping bag.

"Sorry, but we've got to keep moving in case my father catches up to us," Tevin apologised, eyeing her sleeping bag with curiosity.

"How likely is it that your father will be able to follow our tracks?" Carrick asked grudgingly; still not comfortable speaking with Tevin, but more civil than the night before. At least nobody had been pinned against a tree yet.

Tevin pondered the question, whilst he untethered his horse. "They didn't have any trackers or dogs to help them follow our trail. Plus, my father isn't one to spend much time outside a castle. I think we're safe, but I'd still feel better if we put more distance between us and them."

Carrick nodded his head in agreement. Being captured the moment they had stepped foot into Adiocion had dented his confidence. And he was not keen to have it happen again.

Mauve cursed the skirts she had always thought to be pretty as Carrick helped her onto her horse.

"When I get back to the castle, I'm going to let my seamstress know how awkward these silly things are," she grumbled to herself, tugging the material so it folded neatly in front of her, enviously looking at the simple way the other three mounted.

Carrick and Mauve led the way, since they had the map, whilst Tevin and Valda made up the rear.

It didn't bother her to ride in the back, but she was sure the only reason for the distance between them was because of their distrust of Tevin.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Tevin studying her with a frown.

She swung her head around to look at him. "What?"

He looked embarrassed at being caught staring, but he cleared his throat and answered her. "You really do look like Queen Orlaigh, except for your eyes."

Valda already knew that. Her father always told her how much she looked like her Mom but her eyes were the one thing that she got from him. She knew their blue colour looked shocking against her black skin. Some people from her school had called them creepy, but her Dad had always said they were mesmerising.

"What's happening in Lania? Is my Mom..." She trailed off, not wanting to finish her sentence.

Tevin looked sympathetic. "Lorcan was holding her and Prince Artair in the castle dungeons. He was using them to control the people, almost like hostages. He wants to make the people of Lania too scared to oppose him and it's working."

Valda looked straight ahead until her emotions were under control. The news that her Mom was most likely alive was good, but Lorcan's control scared her more than she wanted to admit.

"How did you know we'd come through that portal? I mean, your father was just waiting there for us." It was terrifying to think how quickly they'd been captured. If Tevin hadn't rescued them, they would have been handed straight over to Lorcan and that would have been the end.

Tevin shrugged. "Lorcan told my father to take his men to that portal. I assumed it was because it's the portal closest to where he thinks the rebels are hiding. My father never said why. I'm not sure even he knew what we were doing there. I was only there in case I could stop them."

Valda was sure Lorcan didn't know she existed, but he must have suspected Carrick and Mauve would use the portals to travel. Or he'd been trying to stop the rebels from gaining access to it. Either way, the portals were out of the question now. The only way she was getting home to her Dad was if she saved Lania first.

Hours passed, and the sun had started to wane in the sky, when Tevin dismounted his horse.

"We need to hunt whilst we still have light unless you've got meals hidden away in those bags of yours." He looked hopefully at their rucksacks, but Valda shook her head.