“Well, we are the ones who need to influence change,” Anders said, thinking of what Tarron had told him.
“You’re right on that point,” Max said.
“Do you know where I can find some more food?” Anders asked. “These nuts are good, but I could use some more variety in my sustenance.”
“A group of people still packing up on the north end might have something,” Max shrugged.
“Come on,” Anders said, placing his hand on Max’s shoulder. “Tell me about the thing between you and Britt.”
“Did Kirsten tell you about that?” Max asked. “She was being strange about it for a few weeks but seems to have lost interest lately.”
“She didn’t have to tell me. I saw it with my own eyes. And, yes, I think someone’s perceptions can be altered under the effects of goblin poison in their veins. She’s got her eye on Bo for sure.”
Max nodded and looked around. “What about Zahara? Isn’t she coming with you, too?” he asked.
“She’s off hunting deer in the woods. She’ll join us in a few hours.”
“So, it’s just like old times then? You and me wandering through the woods looking for some food.”
“So it would seem,” Anders said with a smile. He and Max walked toward the sound of the last remaining soldiers in camp preparing to move out to Brookside.
***
Saltwater sprayed up from the crashing ocean waves surrounding Rough Water Bay. The mid-morning light beamed down, bringing with it the danger of being seen by unwanted eyes. Maija’s heart raced as she continually looked over her shoulder for one of the three dragonriders they’d seen hours before. If they were suspicious enough to make multiple passes while Maija and Raffa hid, they might be diligent enough to return.
Do you think the riders we saw were sent to escort the orcs? Maija asked Raffa as they flew low along the coastline.
They were flying high and to the south. It would make more sense that they were going to the location of the crystals the others spoke of, he replied.
I don’t want them to follow us. What if they were just pretending to fly south because they knew we were there and trying to make us think they didn’t see us?
Why would they do that when they could easily kill us? Three trained riders against one in training; it’s clear who would win.
I know, but part of me is beginning to think we could escape. We’ve faced two dragonriders now and lived.
Just barely at that and we had help. I only fought one dragon at a time. I don’t think I could handle three dragons with riders. You were right the first time in having me turn back.
I don’t really feel comfortable right now, knowing the riders might be following us up the coast.
What else can we do? I’m making sure to keep my senses alert in case we detect a magic user’s mind.
Me, too, but I’m not that good at it yet, at least not as good as Anders. I think we should go off course for a while, try to shake them off our tail, Maija said.
But they might not even be following us, Raffa argued.
If they are, though, we’ll be leading them directly to all of those people returning to Brookside. Let’s head out over the water for a while. If they are following us, they might think we’re heading to the Rollo Islands.
If you think that’s best? Raffa said.
Maija stayed low to Raffa’s neck as they banked left over the ocean. Though the sun was out, Maija still shivered from the autumn air. I’ll have to get a traveler’s cloak when we return to Brookside, she told herself. For the next several hours, Maija steered Raffagaun far enough offshore that they were out of sight of land. As the sun rose higher, it became more difficult for her to decipher which direction they were flying. Chilled morning air turned to hot humid swells the longer they flew. Maija wished she trusted herself enough to have Raffa climb to a higher altitude where the air wasn’t quite so warm. She knew from their time spent at the Everlight Kingdom training grounds, however, that it was easier to lose an unwanted follower if they flew closer to the ground. With less skilled sorcerers, such as herself, Maija could lose a pursuer among the many other forms of life in the surrounding area closer to the surface. If they climbed higher in the sky, their location would be more obvious to a rider trying to track them. Even over the ocean, the numerous fish and sea creatures living near the surface could help cloak a lesser trained sorcerer.
Soon Maija noticed the sun was directly overhead. She felt that Raffa had been angling too far to the west. I think we might have lost them, she said, looking around and only seeing extended ocean along the horizon. Let’s go back toward shore.
I need to climb to be sure. There’s been something pulling at my mind in the distance and I can feel myself drifting toward it. I keep having to re-assess where I am in direction and I need to make sure we’ve been heading in the right direction, Raffa said.
Maija hadn’t wanted to gain too much elevation, but after their detour out over the ocean, she didn’t know if it was even possible for someone to have followed them given how lost they had become. Yeah. Take us higher. If we go high enough, we’ll eventually see land, she agreed.
Raffa turned skyward and began climbing. The sudden change in pitch nearly threw Maija, but she held on. As they flew farther from the water, Maija searched the horizon for a brown or green mass. As they climbed, she saw some dots speckled in a line out beyond where they’d been heading.
Are those the orc ships? she thought.
Those ships couldn’t have come this far that quickly, Raffa said.
What are they then?
As Raffa continued to gain elevation, Maija saw a large landmass taking shape to her left. What’s that? she asked pointing. Did we fly so far west that we’ve discovered a new land?
That’s not likely as I’m slower than Zahara and she said it took her more than an entire day to make the Rollo Islands from the Plains. I’m positive that I haven’t strayed too far to the west.
That must be the Bareback Plains, she reasoned.
I’ll keep climbing to be sure, Raffa said.
He continued to climb so high that Maija was beginning to struggle breathing. The air stung her skin and she shivered uncontrollably. Okay Raffa, you were right, that it is the Plains, she said.
Raffa dove quickly, the whole while Maija continued to pay close attention to the direction of the expansive grasslands. Somehow, Raffa hadn’t made much progress flying to the north
Raffa,you felt something pulling you, south? she asked.
