saw three horses tied up at the edge of the clearing. They were laden with heavy packs that Lorit assumed were the provisions for their journey.
"Princess," Edaro said as they emerged from the woods. "You made it out safe." He looked up at Lorit and held out his hand. "You must be the Wizard Lorit."
"Yes, I am." Lorit took his hand. He was strong and stout and had a grip like a blacksmith's. "Thank you for your help."
"Do you know where Prince Ghall has been taken?" Ukina asked.
"I learned that he was kidnapped by a Priest of Ran. Rumor has it that they are headed to Relynn."
"Relynn, that's where Chihon was taken." Lorit's heart raced. Maybe they would reach there in time to save Chihon from whatever fate they had planned for her.
Edaro reached into the pack of the nearest horse and pulled out a large leather case. He withdrew a map, rolled it out before the fire and showed Lorit where Relynn lay. It was almost as far North as the Ice Father, and would be a good week's ride. At least the path to Prince Ghall and Chihon lay in the same direction.
"When can we get going?" the Princess asked. "I don't want to wait until morning. My father will have his men out in force. I want to get as far away from here as I can before they learn that Lorit is gone."
Edaro looked at ground, then back to the Princess. He started to speak but stopped. He rolled up the map and placed it in the pack, then turned slowly back to the Princess and drew his sword. "I'm afraid that's not possible, Princess. With your brother gone, you will be the Queen. If something were to happen to you, the throne will be up for grabs. A certain noble family has been paying me to keep an eye on you. When they heard that Prince Ghall was gone, they felt it was time to act."
Edaro advanced towards the Princess; his sword swayed from side to side as if clearing his path. "It's nothing personal, Princess, but they paid me handsomely and promised me even more if I could arrange an accident for you"
"How can you do such a thing?" the Princess asked.
"I was going to take you somewhere I could ransom you, but since you're not alone ..." He started for her, glancing back at Lorit as if judging him a threat. "Go ahead," Lorit said. "I'm not going to stop you. I'd kill her myself if I didn't need her help."
"Stop him," the Princess screamed. "If I die, so does Chihon."
Edaro took another step towards the Princess. The moonlight glinted off the sword as he prepared to strike. The Princess cowered in fear, holding her arms up to fend off the blow.
Lorit had already gathered his power in preparation for the spell he would cast, and raised a barrier around the Princess. He raised his staff and projected as much menace in his voice as he could muster. "Leave the Princess alone." He shook his staff at Edaro. "Do not make me kill you."
As much as he despised what the Princess had done to Chihon, he had to protect her. She was right - anything that happened to her also affected Chihon. He could not let her be killed.
Edaro laughed and continued towards the Princess. Lorit looked for an opening. He didn't have enough magic to stop the man, but perhaps he could slow him down. "Prohibere ubi sunt," he said and dropped to the ground, staff in hand. "Prohibere ubi sunt," he repeated commanding the man to freeze in place.
He slid the staff between Edaro's legs and twisted it, throwing him off balance. Edaro tumbled to the ground. Lorit jumped up and attacked the bodyguard with his staff, thrusting and jabbing as the Wizard Gareb had drilled into him.
Edaro rolled away from Lorit's blows and clamored to his feet. He came at Lorit swinging his sword wildly. Lorit could hear the sound of the blade as it whistled through the air. He backed away to stay out of its reach.
"Te sunt telis inermes" he commanded his attacker to drop his weapon and stay where he was. Edaro slowed but he kept on coming. Lorit backed away, hands in the air, staff at the ready when his heel caught a root
"Princess," Edaro said as they emerged from the woods. "You made it out safe." He looked up at Lorit and held out his hand. "You must be the Wizard Lorit."
"Yes, I am." Lorit took his hand. He was strong and stout and had a grip like a blacksmith's. "Thank you for your help."
"Do you know where Prince Ghall has been taken?" Ukina asked.
"I learned that he was kidnapped by a Priest of Ran. Rumor has it that they are headed to Relynn."
"Relynn, that's where Chihon was taken." Lorit's heart raced. Maybe they would reach there in time to save Chihon from whatever fate they had planned for her.
Edaro reached into the pack of the nearest horse and pulled out a large leather case. He withdrew a map, rolled it out before the fire and showed Lorit where Relynn lay. It was almost as far North as the Ice Father, and would be a good week's ride. At least the path to Prince Ghall and Chihon lay in the same direction.
"When can we get going?" the Princess asked. "I don't want to wait until morning. My father will have his men out in force. I want to get as far away from here as I can before they learn that Lorit is gone."
Edaro looked at ground, then back to the Princess. He started to speak but stopped. He rolled up the map and placed it in the pack, then turned slowly back to the Princess and drew his sword. "I'm afraid that's not possible, Princess. With your brother gone, you will be the Queen. If something were to happen to you, the throne will be up for grabs. A certain noble family has been paying me to keep an eye on you. When they heard that Prince Ghall was gone, they felt it was time to act."
Edaro advanced towards the Princess; his sword swayed from side to side as if clearing his path. "It's nothing personal, Princess, but they paid me handsomely and promised me even more if I could arrange an accident for you"
"How can you do such a thing?" the Princess asked.
"I was going to take you somewhere I could ransom you, but since you're not alone ..." He started for her, glancing back at Lorit as if judging him a threat. "Go ahead," Lorit said. "I'm not going to stop you. I'd kill her myself if I didn't need her help."
"Stop him," the Princess screamed. "If I die, so does Chihon."
Edaro took another step towards the Princess. The moonlight glinted off the sword as he prepared to strike. The Princess cowered in fear, holding her arms up to fend off the blow.
Lorit had already gathered his power in preparation for the spell he would cast, and raised a barrier around the Princess. He raised his staff and projected as much menace in his voice as he could muster. "Leave the Princess alone." He shook his staff at Edaro. "Do not make me kill you."
As much as he despised what the Princess had done to Chihon, he had to protect her. She was right - anything that happened to her also affected Chihon. He could not let her be killed.
Edaro laughed and continued towards the Princess. Lorit looked for an opening. He didn't have enough magic to stop the man, but perhaps he could slow him down. "Prohibere ubi sunt," he said and dropped to the ground, staff in hand. "Prohibere ubi sunt," he repeated commanding the man to freeze in place.
He slid the staff between Edaro's legs and twisted it, throwing him off balance. Edaro tumbled to the ground. Lorit jumped up and attacked the bodyguard with his staff, thrusting and jabbing as the Wizard Gareb had drilled into him.
Edaro rolled away from Lorit's blows and clamored to his feet. He came at Lorit swinging his sword wildly. Lorit could hear the sound of the blade as it whistled through the air. He backed away to stay out of its reach.
"Te sunt telis inermes" he commanded his attacker to drop his weapon and stay where he was. Edaro slowed but he kept on coming. Lorit backed away, hands in the air, staff at the ready when his heel caught a root
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