20. Setbacks
Luke
The bustle of activity in the camp stopped as I stepped off the wagon. An uncomfortable silence descended, blanketing everyone. Breaking the stillness Cathy rushed forward and hugged me hard. “Luke!” she exclaimed, chastisement and relief filled her voice simultaneously. “Never do that again! You gave us such a fright!”
Rowan glared at me with narrowed eyes. “You finally decided to get up then,” he growled, “You know it’s not really fair for the rest of us – we’ve been up for hours getting ready to leave.”
“I’m sure you have,” I retorted snappishly. I stretched and stepped down from the wagon looking at the half filled packs that littered the ground.
“Well,” he asked snidely, “Are you ready to leave yet?”
“Are you?” I replied, gesturing towards the half-pack camp from the night before. Rowan responded by glowering at me. I smiled slightly – our relationship hadn’t changed much. We still wound each other up but I didn’t think it bothered either of us so much anymore. It was more a form of needling each other good-naturedly now than actual dislike.
Cathy broke any tension that was forming by calling out to me from the fire pit. “Luke! Come get some breakfast so that I can pack this food up!” I grinned and hurried over. She gestured to a half-filled pack and bent over some other supplies, stuffing them into another pack. I rummaged through the bag quickly and emerged with a slightly squished bun.
“Thanks!” I sputtered with my mouth full. Cathy nodded and I finished filling the pack before throwing it on the wagon.
Munching on the bun, I walked over to the other side of camp where Bridget and Carla were taking down tents. As I gathered up a bundle of tent poles and threw a bundle of tent poles in the back of the wagon, Carla shot me a nasty glare. “We’ve got this covered, thanks,” she snapped, “Why don’t you go help Jesse and David?” Beside her, Bridget winced.
“Carla…” she muttered under her breath, shooting me an apologetic look. I shrugged and turned away, looking for Jesse and David. I found them over by the horses with Reynold, grooming and tacking up the horse for the long trek that day.
“The wagon’s a nuisance,” Jesse grumbled as I walked over, “We should ditch it and put the spy up on a horse – we’d find Rory a lot faster!”
“Why?” I asked curiously, picking up a brush.
“Well,” Jesse replied, “The wagon is bulkier than the horses so we have to stick to highways or major roads which makes the trip longer and more tedious. Also, it’s much easier to track a wagon. It’s bigger and leaves behind more evidence and wagons get noticed you more. Furthermore, the wagon attracts the unwanted attention of thieves and bandits… as well as spies. And we really don’t want to be noticed.”
“Don’t worry,” Rowan’s voice came from behind us and we all jumped since none of us had seen or heard him approaching. “We’re going to ditch the wagon in the next town – and get a couple more horses. We’ll stock up on provisions there as well.” He beckoned to me. “I need to talk to you as soon as you’re done here, Luke,” he said. Then he turned and walked away as silently as he’d come.
“I wish he wouldn’t do that,” I exclaimed when I was sure he was out of earshot.
“Do what?” David asked.
“Sneak up and startle us like that,” I said, “It scares me out of my skin every time!”
The other three burst out laughing and glanced at each other with sly grins. “Yeh’ll get used to it,” Reynold teased me, “Now let’s git these ‘ere hosses geared up and ready to go!” Still chuckling we quickly tacked up the rest of the horses and harnessed the last two too the wagon.
Ray waved me off to find Rowan as the other two went to see whether anything else needed to be done. “Most o’ it’s done already,” he said, “By the time you speak with Rowan, we’ll be done.”
Rowan was helping Francesca get into the wagon. He sat her down on a side bench and jumped as he turned and saw me. “Elements! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” he gasped. I laughed and clambered up into the wagon, navigating my way through the various packs that had already been stowed in the box.
“Sorry,” I grimaced, “I didn’t mean to spook you.” Rowan’s head jerked in a nod and he passed me some witch-weed before beginning to braid it into Francesca’s black hair.
“I need you to locate Rory,” Rowan said, “I’d like a bearing before we set off today.”
I nodded, concentrating on braiding the witch-weed into Francesca’s hair properly. “Is there a map I could use?” I asked.
“Over there,” Rowan said, jerking his head towards a pack in the corner of the wagon. I set my handful of witch-weed on the bench beside Francesca and walked over to the pack to pull out the map sitting at the top. I spread the map on the ground in the limited remaining floor space and began looking for the link Rory and I had forged between us the night before.
Finding the link, I started to concentrate. I closed my eyes and turned the direction I sensed she was. South, but where? I traced my finger along the map, finding the place where we were by instinct. Keeping a finger there, I used my other hand to pinpoint where Rory was. “There,” I announced.
Rowan was by my side instantaneously. “She can’t be there,” he laughed incredulously.
“Why not?” I asked, opening my eyes. I glanced down at where my finger was. “Oh.” My finger was placed on the River of Amara, just where there happened to be a huge waterfall.
“Oh, is right,” Rowan snorted, “Are you sure you weren’t holding the map upside down?”
The jibe at my intelligence hurt and my eyes flashed angrily. I was sure the Trace had worked. “Of course I’m sure!” I snapped, “She’s south of us – and so is that waterfall!” I closed my eyes again, pinpointing where Rory was and placing a finger where I sensed her. There! It was the same place. “There’s no mistake. Come on, let’s get going,” I insisted.
With a sigh, Rowan moved away and ordered the rest of the camp to move because we were leaving in half an hour. “I don’t know how she could be on a waterfall,” he grumbled coming back over to me, “But your judgment in this matter is better than mine – therefore we’ll go with your instincts…” He left his sentence hanging deliberately.
“She could be in a cavern behind it,” I quipped.
“Yes, but that scares me,” Rowan murmured turning to look at me with worried eyes, “What type of fortress does Jake have if it’s behind a waterfall?”
“She’s not in his camp anymore,” I replied with certainty, “Or anywhere near him for that matter. She’s somewhere else – and she’s safe and resting.”
“How’d you know that?” Rowan demanded, “The Trace only helps find her location and I’m sure you didn’t contact her again!”
“I don’t know,” I said with a start. I somehow just knew that her escape attempt had succeeded and that she was somewhere safe. I shook my head in bewilderment. “Too much is happening that I don’t understand.”
Rowan glowered at me funnily for a moment. Then he grunted, “You’d better go help pack the rest of the camp. I’ve got to take over guard duty.”
“No need,” Ray said from behind us. “Everything is ready the go.” Rowan and I turned to see everyone gathering around the wagon. I glanced out from the wagon’s cover and was amazed to see that no trace of our camp remained – it was though we had never stopped here.
The company gathered in a loose circle around Rowan Francesca and I. “Ok,” Rowan said, clapping his hands together. Quickly he began to list off everyone’s tasks and duties for the day. He calmly ignored me. I fumed knowing he was doing it to spite me. “Ray,” he continued, “I want you to drive today and Cathy – Could you guard Miss Medici? Alright?” He gazed around the semicircle looking for any protestors. “Everyone mount up!”
Sighing I mounted a horse – I’d really hoped that he would put me on the wagon today. Still… it was annoying that he hadn’t assigned me any job. Urging my horse in front of his, I stopped abruptly; almost making him crash into me.
“What!” he hissed.
“You forgot to tell me what I was supposed to do,” I reminded him, “So what are your orders?”
He paused a moment, thinking. Probably something difficult, I thought angrily. “Scout ahead with Bridget,” he ordered – an unfair job considering how little terrain I knew. I didn’t bother protesting though because I knew it wouldn’t change anything. “Oh and here,” he continued, tossing me a quiver of arrows and a bow. “Defense. You might need it.”
I let my horse move out of his way and fell back beside Bridget. Out of everyone I had met so far on this journey, I liked her the most. “Hey!” I greeted her, smiling, “Rowan wants us to scout ahead.”
She looked surprised but pleased. “Oh sure,” she grinned, “You’ll keep me safe from all the wild animals won’t you?” I gaped at her struggling to think of a suitable response. She cackled. “Wait, that’s right!” she laughed, “It’ll be the other way around because you don’t have defense training yet!”
Laughing she urged her steed into a gallop. I followed hot on her tail. We quickly overtook the rest of the party and passed out of their sight. When we’d traveled several kilometers, we slowed to a walk. I yawned. “Well this is exciting,” I commented with mock excitement.
“Well,” she hesitated, shooting me a sidelong glance that had slyness written all over it, “Not really. But I’m here with you so I guess it could be exciting.” Her expression darkened rapidly. “But Luke, we don’t even know where we’re going.”
“We do,” I replied quietly.
“Yes,” she acknowledged, turning to me with her bright blue eyes. Worry, nervousness, and doubt shone in her eyes. “But how do you know? How can you tell that we’re going in the right direction? Everything lies on your shoulders. Whether we succeed, or convince her to come back. How do you stand it?” On the last question her voice rose shrilly and I looked at her in astonishment. Usually so strong and proud; the outer layers of her persona had been stripped away revealing what was behind them.
My heart twisted out to her and I gripped her hand tightly. “I can hold that burden.” I said softly, but strongly - letting passion ring through my voice, “because Rory needs me and I know I do not have to bear the burden alone.” The words were all show but I hoped it didn’t show in my face. The truth was I’d never thought about what I was doing. I’d been so focused on Rory that I hadn’t thought about. I’d started this quest to find out who I was. Instead, I had found a life, friends – people who felt like family.
Bridget looked at me solemnly. “You owe no debt to Rory, yet you are persistent in trying to find her. Why?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted, “She rescued me – that counts for something – it’s a debt in a way. But really, from the moment I first set eyes on her I’ve felt like I’ve found a part of myself that I never knew was there… And she’s the only one who can tell me who I am and why I’m here.”
“The first one is easy,” she teased, suddenly brightening, “You’re Luke. You’re friendly, compassionate, a good friend… and lousy at getting revenge!”
“Hey!” I laughed as she took off down the trail, “Get back here!” I kicked my mount after her, urging it around the bend and skidded to a halt. Bridget was in the middle of the trail. A group of men circled her. They hadn’t seen me yet but she had. Frantically she motioned me to leave. Go, she mouthed. And, helpless to do anything lest I made the situation worst, I turned my horse and galloped back towards the rest of the group.
I almost missed them. I was going so fast I was blinded by wind and horror. Slowly I saw Rowan looking at me in surprise. “Luke! What’s wrong?” he cried but I was barely able to understand him, “Where’s Bridget?” At the mention of her name, I snapped out of the daze I’d been in since she’d been seized.
“She’s been captured.” The words flew out of my mouth, barely coherently. “She took off down the trail and when I turned the corner a group of bandits had seized her.”
“How many?” Rowan demanded.
“I don’t know – about eight – but there could have been more.”
Rowan spun his horse around, “Cathy? Reynold?” he asked, “Are you two okay here all by yourself with Francesca?” Cathy nodded her face white. “Good, everyone else let’s go!” And then he took off like the wind. A few hundred meters away from the bend in the trail where Bridget had been apprehended I slowed and dismounted. Rowan did the same behind me.
“It’s right around that twist in the trail,” I whispered. Rowan nodded and motioned for us to stay where we were. He crept to the bend and slowly looked around it. A minute later, he came back.
“They’re not there!” he hissed angrily. He looked at me, “We need to find them and fast. This could jeopardize our entire mission!” A couple of days ago I would have insisted we continue on looking for Rory. Now all I could think about was rescuing Bridget. I got Rowan’s point about Bridget – this would only slow us down – but I also knew Rory had escaped and was somewhere safe. She could wait while we rescued another one of her friends. For now, Bridget was the more pressing concern.
“Rory’ll live” I urged him, “Right now Bridget needs us.”
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