Chayse crouched behind a wild tangle of brush with Stonebender. They peered between spring buds and leaves at a camp in the upheaval of moving. Marley touched his shoulder, his mouth twisted as if he had eaten something bitter, his brow raised in askance.
Chayse shook his head, he shrugged, his hands spread in bewilderment. The last time he saw the camp it only consisted of six or seven nilmorg. Now the camp bristled with a score of battle ready nilmorg, a pack of rsakmorg handlers, and three dark cloaked humankin on horseback. Covertly they made their way back to where Mek and the dragonkin waited.
“Looks to be a few more than an advanced scout party.” Marley said as they all retreated to a less exposed location.
“They apparently …show more content…
Stylized, to be sure, but not far from the truth.”
“Are all the mages at the academy Norfall’s men?” Glyf asked
“Not all, but most have thrown in their lots with his plans and sorting out who is who could be a deadly initiation into academy politics,” Marley speculated, scratching his beard, a thoughtful look on his face.
“We won’t be there long enough for politics, still, a couple inside allies would be a nice circumstance to find ourselves in,” Jayf said coming round to join the conversation. “Could you tell which way the band is headed?”
“If I were a betting man, I would bet on them heading the same way we are headed.” Marley said, looking back toward the dismantled camp.
“But you are a betting man, Marley, so what are we going to do?” Jayf asked.
Stonebender scowled and pulled at his beard. “As much as I would like to harry and bedevil the band unto their deaths, we have a mission that requires our speed and …show more content…
The group turned as one, waiting for him to continue. Thysl cleared his throat and said, “They did not torch those docked in the bay. I cannot see them razing a smaller private dock in an out-of-the-way cove. I know just such a cove and just such a boat.”
Marley frowned, but nodded at the same time. “Hefldeep’s sloop? Are we enough to sail ‘er even as a skeleton crew?”
“Ordinarily no, but I am a windsinger and Aunt Hefldeep has not lived as long as she has without always planning for one desperate day.”
Chayse met Marley’s gaze straight on. “I was never a sailor, my ears made me an ill omen for any ship except my father’s. But I know my way around a boat and can pull a rope or mend a sail a sight better than most bandy-legged sailors. Would there be a problem with Mek’s and my size?”
Jayf chuckled and said, “No, neither Mek’s large size nor your pointy ears will cause us
Chayse shook his head, he shrugged, his hands spread in bewilderment. The last time he saw the camp it only consisted of six or seven nilmorg. Now the camp bristled with a score of battle ready nilmorg, a pack of rsakmorg handlers, and three dark cloaked humankin on horseback. Covertly they made their way back to where Mek and the dragonkin waited.
“Looks to be a few more than an advanced scout party.” Marley said as they all retreated to a less exposed location.
“They apparently …show more content…
Stylized, to be sure, but not far from the truth.”
“Are all the mages at the academy Norfall’s men?” Glyf asked
“Not all, but most have thrown in their lots with his plans and sorting out who is who could be a deadly initiation into academy politics,” Marley speculated, scratching his beard, a thoughtful look on his face.
“We won’t be there long enough for politics, still, a couple inside allies would be a nice circumstance to find ourselves in,” Jayf said coming round to join the conversation. “Could you tell which way the band is headed?”
“If I were a betting man, I would bet on them heading the same way we are headed.” Marley said, looking back toward the dismantled camp.
“But you are a betting man, Marley, so what are we going to do?” Jayf asked.
Stonebender scowled and pulled at his beard. “As much as I would like to harry and bedevil the band unto their deaths, we have a mission that requires our speed and …show more content…
The group turned as one, waiting for him to continue. Thysl cleared his throat and said, “They did not torch those docked in the bay. I cannot see them razing a smaller private dock in an out-of-the-way cove. I know just such a cove and just such a boat.”
Marley frowned, but nodded at the same time. “Hefldeep’s sloop? Are we enough to sail ‘er even as a skeleton crew?”
“Ordinarily no, but I am a windsinger and Aunt Hefldeep has not lived as long as she has without always planning for one desperate day.”
Chayse met Marley’s gaze straight on. “I was never a sailor, my ears made me an ill omen for any ship except my father’s. But I know my way around a boat and can pull a rope or mend a sail a sight better than most bandy-legged sailors. Would there be a problem with Mek’s and my size?”
Jayf chuckled and said, “No, neither Mek’s large size nor your pointy ears will cause us