Secrets at the Keep (Kingdom of Denall Book 2) by Eric Buffington Page B

we’re trying to go south.” Then Mylot looked at Bethany suspiciously. “Why are you asking what I think we should do?”
    “What do you mean?” She was sitting casually in her saddle and patiently waiting for an answer.
    Getting tired of her games, Mylot narrowed his eyes. “It’s just not like you to ask me a question unless it is some kind of test. Why do you now care what I think?” He punctuated his words by pointing with his index finger.
    “Who said I care what you think?” She countered. “I really don’t. I just want you to start thinking.” She tapped his head with her finger. “The faster you learn, the faster I don’t have to babysit you anymore.”
    Suppressing his urge to throttle the woman, he answered as calmly as he could. “So you know what we need to do?” he asked through gritted teeth.
    “Of course,” she replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
    “Then why are you not just doing it, and showing me. I can learn by watching you,” Mylot said in a raised voice, struggling not to yell at her.
    “I won’t always be here with you. You need to learn how to think. So answer the question. What are we going to do?”
    Mylot thought for a moment. “Can we cut off the road and go south?”
    “Good thinking. There are two paths leading south, one is up ahead, probably very close to the krydox. That is the path we were going to be taking. The other is back about six miles, it is seldom used and usually overgrown.”
    “Do we need to use the paths or can we just cut through the fields and trees?” Mylot asked, pointing out into the open field on the south.
    “If we were in dire need we could try to cut across, but while it looks clear now, it often runs into a swamp, bog, or dense field of wild briars. The swamps are more likely, especially when we get closer to the lake. It is usually best to use the trails.”
    “All right, let’s go back; we can make up six miles pretty quickly…” Bethany began to laugh as she kicked her horse forward. “What?”
    “Who are we?” Bethany asked over her shoulder.
    Mylot urged his horse forward and answered after he was riding side by side with her. “Well, you are an obnoxious woman, and I am…” Mylot was cut off by a slap across the face he didn’t see in time to stop. Mylot clenched his jaw and fought the urge to press his hand to his red cheek.
    “We are the King’s Guard!” she said sternly. Then she softened slightly, “we are commissioned to protect his people. Don’t you get it? Our job is to fight for the people who cannot do it themselves. We put our lives at risk to protect those who are weak or defenseless. What if an unsuspecting traveler was injured or killed by that animal, what if a family passes by this way today or tomorrow? Pretty much everyone going from Omer’s realm to Lexingar will use this route. We need to remove the threat or people will die.”
    “Okay, I get it.” Mylot responded with an exasperated sigh.
    Smiling, Bethany added, “Besides, I like krydox meat.” Mylot looked at her with a shocked expression. Nobody hunted krydox for its meat. It was a tough muscled creature that was rarely ever seen. When they did come out of the wilds they were hunted down and killed. They were pests like sand dragons in the desert, or drams in the north. They were dangerous but relatively rare as people killed them whenever they were found near civilization.
    “Quick question. How are we going to fight a krydox with swords?” he asked tapping the weapon at his side.
    “No little mouse, you are going to watch and learn and I am going to fight it with my hunting knife. I only use my sword when it’s a challenge.” Bethany kicked her horse forward and tossed her hair, as if being carefree while attacking a krydox was a perfectly normal thing to do. Mylot shook his head at how ridiculous she was acting, and followed close behind.
    They continued down the road, Bethany in front acting casual and calm with