“Clearly you have no problem killing,” said Damos with a wave of his hand to indicate the fallen rebels. “Why does this bother your stomach?”
“You didn’t even give him a chance to explain himself. You just beheaded him,” Burchard snapped, his throat still burning. He prayed he wouldn’t throw up a second time.
The centaur crossed his arms across his chest, nostrils flaring. “The outcome would have been the same. However, I am not sure why he turned to ash.”
Burchard stood up. “My father told me Walter Pell had been confirmed dead.”
“I will have to make some inquiries about this. I am not familiar with Walter Pell or the Firebirds. From what I gathered they are part of Etria’s history and not related to the druids or centaurs,” Damos said.
“Now what?” Ruschmann asked, walking over to Burchard’s side.
Burchard shrugged. If he had his way, they would finish their scouting assignment. They were already going to get back to Alderth Castle later than expected from this delay at Leosor Hollows. But besides “helping” Damos get his comrades back, he had no idea what would happen next.
Damos was having a hushed conversation with the other centaurs when Jade jumped off the top of the fence and strolled over to Burchard and Ruschmann. Burchard stared at the fence, wondering how long Jade had been perched there. If she was there during the whole fight and I didn’t even notice, I really need to work on paying better attention to my surroundings. Good thing she’s on our side, or she could have easily put an arrow through me during the fight with Walter Pell.
“I was in a tree protecting Damos’s back while he undid the spell,” Jade explained.
Burchard blew out his breath in relief. “Everyone in the camp is dead. The centaurs are freed. Can Ruschmann and I go?”
Jade glanced over her shoulder at Damos before returning her attention to the two squires. “I believe so. As we said at the campfire, we only waylaid you so that you could help us free the centaurs. Since that task is complete, I see no reason why you would not be permitted to leave.”
Burchard clamped his mouth shut, bristling at her choice of words. Permitted. As though we are under their command. Ruschmann gave his arm a squeeze—a silent warning, Burchard mused.
“If you could let us know sooner rather than later if we can go, that would be much appreciated,” Ruschmann said in a clear voice that carried across the camp.
Damos seemed to have heard the words since he turned away from the other centaurs and came over to the two squires.
“My apologies. Yes, you can leave if you would like. Just be warned, Walter Pell might have been stationed here, but this was not the only rebel camp under his control. There are others in the vicinity of the hollows,” Damos said.
Interest piqued, Burchard wished that his map wasn’t back at the druid camp. “Do you know where they are?”
Damos shook his head, sending his hair fluttering around him. “No, those camps are not as permanent as this one and move around fairly frequently.” The centaur then reached into a pouch at his waist and pulled something out, offering it to Burchard. “A token of our gratitude. I owe you a debt for your help. I would not have been able to free them without your distraction.” Damos bowed.
Burchard took the object without looking at it. He would have time to examine it later. “You do not need to owe me anything,” he said.
“It is the way of my people, the druids, to repay our debts,” Damos explained.
“Very well then,” Burchard replied, then bowed. Ruschmann bowed a moment behind him. “We shall take our leave.”
With that, Burchard and Ruschmann departed to retrieve their gear and horses from the druid camp.
12
An hour later, Burchard and Ruschmann were just mounting up at the druids’ camp when Jade appeared. Burchard peered around her, wondering if the others were coming too, but she seemed to be alone.
Jade’s dark brown hair was trying to escape from its braid; loose strands framed her face. She walked over to Burchard. “I wanted to say it took a lot of courage for you to keep fighting against Walter Pell and the rebels, even when you were so outnumbered.”
Burchard felt his face heat up. “We are trained to face the enemy regardless of the odds.”
Jade shook her head in disagreement. “Not many fourteen-year-olds would have held to their training when faced with those odds. Anyway, I wanted to give you this.” She held out a small paper-wrapped package.
Burchard took it hesitantly. “A gift?”
Jade shrugged. “If you want to call it that, then I suppose it is a gift. It’s just a token of my friendship.”
Eyes narrowed, Burchard unwrapped the paper. He could feel her eyes on him as well as Ruschmann’s burning into his back. Burchard didn’t like that Jade had chosen to single him out. Inside the paper was a bracelet woven from some kind of hair. The black strands weaved between red ones. As he gazed at the bracelet, it dawned on him that there were two bracelets that matched and that the hair was from Chip’s and Cricket’s tails.
“This is for Ruschmann too?” he asked.
Jade smiled. “Of course. I just thought you might like something to represent your friendship. The two of you are well suited for each other.”
Burchard nibbled on his lip, not sure how to respond. “Uh, thank you.” He gave her a slight bow, then slid the first bracelet onto his wrist before turning and offering the second one to Ruschmann. “We really must be going now.”
Jade took a step back, giving them room to mount. “Good fortune on the rest of your trip,” she said softly and then melted back into the trees.
The squires exchanged a look and then clucked to the horses and headed out. They decided to retrace some of their steps so that they could skirt around the rest of Leosor Hollows before finding a deer trail that seemed likely to lead them northeast.
Letting Ruschmann take the lead, Burchard pulled the token that Damos had given him out of his pocket. It was an intricately designed circular piece of metal. In the center was a large tree, its branches spreading across the top half. Around the base of the tree was a wolf, an elk, a large cat, and a unicorn. Bringing it closer to his face, Burchard realized things were also inside the branches of the tree. An owl and hawk and some other winged creatures he could not identify. In the bark of the tree were swirling designs.
“Ru, this medallion that Damos gave me,” Burchard started, not sure what else to call the metal piece in his hand. “The craftmanship on it is unreal.” He urged Chip up beside Ruschmann’s horse and handed it over for his friend to study, before scooting Chip farther away. He had to admit the horse was getting better about being in close proximity to Ruschmann’s horse without biting horse or rider.
Burchard watched as his friend examined the medallion. He didn’t raise his eyes from his inspection while speaking. “Did you catch that Damos called them druids? Have you ever come across mention of a druid before?”
Tapping on his lip with his finger, Burchard considered the question. Typically, when he was reading about people from different lands, he was specifically looking for information on fighting styles and weapon preferences. The term druid did not feel familiar, but it was possible he’d come across it before.
“I’m not sure,” Burchard replied.
