Secrets and Guardians: Devious Intentions by H. Chambers (summer beach reads txt) 📖

Bella did not want to head straight back to Riftdale. Despite persuading Nathe to do exactly that, she felt as if she had to wait at least one night in case Lowe returned. The troupe talked for a while, if they left in the morning and made good time they would not be that far behind Nathe. Ebblin and Ghale were as worried about Lowe as Bella. Breaker wanted to spend a bit of time with the dogs and Burrell, Decker and Jed had no opinions on the matter.

It was late the following morning when they set off. Ghale took one of the wagons with Decker and Burrell tied up beside him. Breaker took the other with Jed, looking very small and timid sitting next to him. Breaker didn't bother to tie up Jed. Bella and Ebblin rode and the other two horses followed behind. Ebblin and Ghale had spent a fruitless evening in the forest looking for any signs of Lowe and the others. Bella had unnerved Jed, Burrell and Decker by sitting in front of them and laying out tarot cards, her face becoming more unreadable as she went on. Only Breaker seemed to be in a good mood, he loved Snapper, but had always wanted a big strong dog, now he had four.

Later that day they crested the brow of a hill, Bella gestured to the rest to stop. Climbing down from her horse, she slowly began to walk ahead. Her steps began to falter and then she dropped to her hands and knees. Ebblin was first to get to her, but she pushed him away. Rising to her knees she focused on the valley before her, she didn't move for quite a while. Suddenly she dropped forward back onto her hands.

'This is where it all starts,' she said almost choking on the words.

Ebblin helped her to her feet. Bella was a fortune teller, a tarot card reader she had, up until now only ever seen glimpses of an individual’s future and that person had to be there in front of her. What she had just seen and felt made her feel physically sick. If this was the sort of thing Lowe experienced, no wonder she was so often afraid and haunted by nightmares.

'What did you see?' asked Ebblin gently.

'Death,' said Bella.

Remounting her horse they carried on down the valley. It did not take long for the dogs to discover the bones and remains Nathe's party had eaten the night before. Bella did not want to stop.

Jed, Burrell and Decker had been brought up in Thantos, where anything to do with witches, wizards, and unearthly creepy stuff was met with the sword, the noose or burning, or all three. Because of this they had learned a disproportionate fear of such things. After seeing those wood demons and then now with Bella confirming their suspicions that she was indeed a witch, the three were beginning to feel very uncomfortable. Jed was beginning to view Breaker differently, was he a demon? The way he had power over his dogs. Burrell and Decker were having similar fears, Ghale and Ebblin were identical apart from Ebblin's scar on his right cheek, were they ghouls sworn to serve Bella?

Bella and the troupe arrived at Riftdale only a few hours after Nathe. They were met by two rather flustered men. One was well rounded and despite the cool evening, had beads of sweat across his brow. The other looked like a long haired skeleton. Bella couldn't help but picture them eating together, every time the skinny one turned his head the large one pinched his food. The image made her smile at both of them, which seemed to fluster them even more.

'Good evening, you must be Bella,' said the large one. 'I am Bowles and this is Haber,' he added.

'I'm sorry, but we are all in a bit of shock with the news Nathe brought us,' said Haber. 'Nathe said you would probably want to stay with your wagons but told us to get him as soon as you arrived,' continued Haber, looking nervously at the dogs.

Bella looked around. 'We'll camp over there, close to the forest,' said Bella and watched as relief crossed over their faces.

The men were obviously not used to all these strangers arriving and really didn't know what to do with them.

'Oh good, I'll have someone bring you out some food,' said Bowles.

It was Aharen and Caleb who arrived first, Ebblin and Ghale were still busy seeing to the horses. As they approached the dogs began to growl. Breaker, who had tied them to one of the wagons told them to shut up.

'Wow! That was impressive,' said Caleb as he saw the dogs instantly obey Breaker.

'It's a gift,' smiled Breaker.

'We can assume by the dogs and the three tied up over there you had no problems, but what about the Princess?' asked Caleb.

'Now that's a story that should definitely be told over a drink, if you believe those three,' said Breaker looking across at Jed, Burrell and Decker.

'We'll take them off your hands and put them with the others. Nathe and Eldin want to talk to you anyway,' said Aharen.

Bella walked up beside them. 'How are they taking the news?' she asked.

'Depends on who you talk to,' said Aharen shrugging his shoulders.

After Caleb and Aharen left with the captives, they finished making camp. Two boys arrived, each carrying a tray of food, followed by an older boy bringing a jug of mead.

'Thank you,' said Bella. 'Just put them down there,' she added pointing to a low table.

The older boy hovered, obviously wanting to talk to her.

'Well, what is it?' Bella asked kindly.

'When Glint went missing the other night, I thought it was because he was a coward and had run away,' began Will.

'And now you've been told he rode through the night to help rescue Princess Ami,' said Bella.

'Yeh, but what I don't understand is how did he know?' asked Will.

'You'll have to ask him when he gets back,' said Bella. 'There are those in life whose bravery is not judged by how many people they kill, but how many people they save. Glint would put his own life in danger to save others, he may not be a great fighter but no one should question his bravery.'

Will put down the jug and headed back.

'You were a bit hard on the lad,' said Ghale.

'I know, but when I think of Glint, I worry about him,' said Bella.

'Have you seen something in his future?' asked Ghale.

'No, but Lowe has, when she said he would be her friend, that was reason enough to worry!' laughed Bella.

The troupe settled down to eat and just as they were finishing Nathe and Eldin arrived. Bella was genuinely pleased to see Eldin but noticed he looked tired and distracted. When he sat with them he told them of the task Aberrling had set him, a task he increasingly felt was impossible. Bella told Eldin what had happened since they had left Nathe and the others. When she told Eldin about her 'vision', Nathe enquired as to where exactly it had happened.

'We camped overnight in that same valley, Caleb and I both had the same nightmare, which sounds very similar to your vision,' he said.

Everyone went quiet. Eldin had just told them he thought it was impossible to win a head on battle with Kerdred and now Bella and Nathe claimed to have 'seen' just that. Worse still Bella had described her vision as 'dire' and Nathe had called his dream a nightmare.

Eldin broke the silence. 'It's getting late, you must be tired. I would like to come and talk with you again tomorrow.'

They all agreed to meet again mid-morning.

Eldin lay back on his bed, a large book resting on his chest. He had been reading a story about Thantos, long, long ago, when wizards ruled and magic reigned. It had been a time when anything had seemed possible. That was until the wizards in their arrogance tampered with the very fabric of nature and the Mid World was let loose on the land. Eldin loved stories like this, as a child his mother would tell him scary bedtime stories and tell him if he wasn't a good boy the Mid World creatures would come and get him. Some nights he would lie in bed with the covers over his head, too frightened even to let his elbow stick out. He was sure one lived under the bed, he could often hear it; his mother had said it was probably a mouse, but she wasn't certain. Eldin smiled to himself, he hadn't thought about his mother for many years. Her sudden death had changed everything. He had loved her so much, it had been an unbearable time, but now, now the memory of her gave him comfort. He realised that he had never let himself love anyone else since.

He already knew the end of the story of the wizards, everyone in Daranel did. Mothers told the stories, bards told the stories, puppeteers told the stories and actors performed both tragic and comedy versions. Over time the stories had taken on a life of their own, in Thantos they were banned. In fact in Thantos anyone even taking about