Our frups were in full gallop as we sped into the town of Sow. People gazed at me with a questioning look. We moved through the town towards the airfields. It was a five minute ride to the airfield, and once we were there we tied the frups up to posts in front of the building at the field.
I quickly entered the building, followed by the rest of the group. The man inside bowed to me and asked, “May I ask why you are here, my lord?”
“I need a place to rest,” I said, avoiding the man’s question.
“You and your people can rest upstairs. I’ll awake you if anyone comes to the airfield,” the man reported to me and I gave him my thanks.
Linet carried Lukus up the stairs and I followed her. The others slowly made their way up the stairs as well. When I reached to top floor of the building I saw there were three beds, all rather large. I took Lukus from Linet and put him in one of the beds. Elias laid Kaila on the opposite side of the bed. The Swanns laid their daughter in between the other two children.
“Linet, you should rest,” I told her. She looked at me and shook her head no. Her eyes kept closing from exhaustion.
“Both of you should rest, take this bed. I will go downstairs and help the man keep watch,” Elias told us, and walked down the stairs.
I laid down in one of the beds. It was very comfortable, and I instantly felt myself getting extremely tired. Linet laid down next to me and put her arms around me. She fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. My eyes got heavy and soon darkness overtook my vision.
I was standing in a dark void of nothingness. Everything was black; all I could see was black. I heard screams and felt blades slicing and stabbing my body. The pain was unbearable but there was nothing that I could do about it. As soon as the pain had come, it left. The screaming had stopped and was replaced by evil laughter.
“Who’s there?” I asked loudly to the evil laughter. The laughs increased in volume.
A red face started to form in front of me. It was Klid. He laughed in my face and more faces of people I did not know formed in red and added to the laughter. I knew they were laughing at how easy it was to dethrone me.
All the faces vanished in a flash and a new face formed. I did not know the face but I knew of him. “Trene White, it’s Fiv Tar, Duvalian Elder. I’ve dropped off three very important packages inside your ship. One is for each of the children in the room with you. You must insure their survival. They are more important than you may think,” the face of the elder told me.
I snapped awake in a cold sweat. It was dawn of the next day. The sun started to stream through the windows. I look to the other side of the bed, Linet is still sleeping. I turn to the Swanns’. They are sleeping as well. I turn my head to the bed with the children. Kaila is still sleeping but Lukus and the Swann girl were just staring at each other, as if in a trance.
“Linet, wake up,” I whispered to my wife, shaking her awake. I knew what that meant and I could not believe it was happening this soon.
“What is it?” Linet asked me in a drowsy voice.
“Lukus and the Swann girl are looking at each other in only one possible way,” I said, and Linet looked to our son.
“Is it possible?” Linet pondered out loud.
“I wouldn’t doubt it. I’m surprised that it’s happening this early in his life,” I told her and she agreed.
I slowly got out of the bed and made my way over to the Swanns’. I softly shook them awake. I had my finger to my mouth, intending for them to stay quiet. Both of the Swanns’ looked confused so I pointed to the bed with the children in it. When they saw our children staring at each other they gleamed in happiness.
“My lord, does this mean what I think it does?” the man asked me curiously.
“I believe so, Mr. Swann,” I said, trying not to make it noticeable that I didn’t know his name.
“Call me Jimi, my lord. My wife’s name is Patti. We’re honored” the man told me, and I let out a small sigh of relief.
I slowly left the bedside and made my way down the stairs. I entered the lobby of the building and saw Elias talking to the man. They were in a deep conversation when they noticed me. “Good morning, my lord,” Elias wished me.
“Same to you, Elias,” I told him and walked over to the two men.
“Zion and the men did not arrive yet. I’m starting to worry,” Elias informed me and I closed my eyes. I hope that Zion and the men will come. Zion is a good friend and a strong ally. My list of allies is short but my list of foes is now long.
“Just keep an eye out for him,” I ordered and the two men nodded.
I walked over to the window to look at the town in the daylight. There were very few buildings. The road was being overgrown with moss and plants. The buildings were made of a white stone with green vegetation growing in between them.
“Anyways, I heard stories of a sorcerer in the west. I heard that he lives by The Solitary, the man told Elias.
“A sorcerer?” Elias asked questionably.
“Yes, I heard he is in the west out by The Solitary. I don’t know what he is doing, but I can tell it isn’t good. He’s a Logar ally,” the man explained to Elias, and all I could think of is another name to add to my enemy list.
I heard the thumps of hooves on the road before I saw the source. Soon, over a half dozen frups ran by the building and stopped outside of it. The men dismounted the frups and approached the building. I drew my rod out of my pocket and readied it for an attack. The door swung open and Zion Kilimi walked in, bloody but breathing.
Chapter Seven