Read Online Prophecy, Child of Earth by Elizabeth Haydon - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Haydon
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lands north of the Avonderre-Navarne border. Ashe said the lair of Elynsynos lay within the ancient forest, northwest of Llauron's domain and the vast Lirin forest of Tyrian, so they would be following the sun, then the Tara'fel River northward.
When they reached the conjunction of the foothills and the rocky steppes that those hills became at the mountain's threshold, Ashe suddenly directed her into a thicket of evergreen trees. Rhapsody followed quickly, hiding herself from sight, all but unable to see him.
'What's the matter?'1 she whispered at the dark branches, thick with fragrant needles beginning to soften with the new growth of early spring.
'There's an armed caravan within sight," he answered in a low voice. "They're heading toward Ylorc."
Rhapsody nodded. "Yes; it's the fourth-week mail caravan."
'Mail caravan?"
'Yes, Achmed established an four-week cycle of caravans that travel between Ylorc, Sorbold, Tyrian, and Roland. Now that there is a working trade agreement between the Bolg and Roland, he thought it made sense to make sure that messages and deliveries were escorted by soldiers from Roland to assure that they don't fall prey to the unexplained violence that has been around for so long.
'A contingent arrives on the same day of each week, and if for any reason that were not to happen, whichever post was expecting the caravan would go out in search to make certain they were safe. It takes two cycles, or eight weeks, for each individual caravan to complete the whole circuitous route between Roland, Tyrian, Sorbold, and Ylorc. It has been working very well so far." And Llauron has been making excellent use of it to badger me about sending him information , she thought to herself. So far she had shared very little. She also didn't mention that the most sensitive information was entrusted not the soldiers of the caravan, but to birds. Achmed had developed a whole squadron of avian messengers who carried the most important missives through the skies to their destinations. Llauron made use of avian messengers as well.
Ashe said nothing. Rhapsody waited for a few moments, then, hearing no further comments, turned to leave the thicket.
'Wait."
'What's the matter'now, Ashe?"
He was still hard to see within the darkness of the branches. "We'll need to wait here. I thought you understood that if we were going to travel overland together, we would need to remain out of sight."
Rhapsody drew her cloak a little closer. "Well, of course, when we're vul nerable in the wide fields, or in unfamiliar territory. But that's just the mail caravan."
" Always . No exceptions. Understood?"
His tone annoyed her; there was a gritty edge to his voice she had not heard before. It served to remind her how litde she actually knew him, and underscored why Achmed and Grunthor had objected to her going with him in the first place.
Rhapsody sighed, some of her confidence evaporating into the chilly air.
'All right," she said. "We'll wait for them to pass. Let me know when they're out of sight."
C,'hey crossed the steppes and the wastelands to the Krevensfield Plain, heading northwest to avoid all but the outskirts of the province of Bethe Cor-bair and the city itself entirely. The traveling was difficult, the terrain rough and hard to cross in the muck left by the rains of early spring that were falling consistently.
Rhapsody found herself stuck in the mud more than once. Ashe had offered his assistance but had been politely refused while she freed herself, muttering under her breath.
The comfortable familiarity that had begun to grow between them in Ylorc seemed to have disappeared now that they were alone together. Rhapsody had no idea why, though much of it seemed to be due to Ashe's unpredictability.
At times he was pleasant enough, joking with her or passing the time when they were encamped in reasonable, if insignificant, conversation. Other times she got the sense he was brooding, angry even; he would snap at her
When they reached the conjunction of the foothills and the rocky steppes that those hills became at the mountain's threshold, Ashe suddenly directed her into a thicket of evergreen trees. Rhapsody followed quickly, hiding herself from sight, all but unable to see him.
'What's the matter?'1 she whispered at the dark branches, thick with fragrant needles beginning to soften with the new growth of early spring.
'There's an armed caravan within sight," he answered in a low voice. "They're heading toward Ylorc."
Rhapsody nodded. "Yes; it's the fourth-week mail caravan."
'Mail caravan?"
'Yes, Achmed established an four-week cycle of caravans that travel between Ylorc, Sorbold, Tyrian, and Roland. Now that there is a working trade agreement between the Bolg and Roland, he thought it made sense to make sure that messages and deliveries were escorted by soldiers from Roland to assure that they don't fall prey to the unexplained violence that has been around for so long.
'A contingent arrives on the same day of each week, and if for any reason that were not to happen, whichever post was expecting the caravan would go out in search to make certain they were safe. It takes two cycles, or eight weeks, for each individual caravan to complete the whole circuitous route between Roland, Tyrian, Sorbold, and Ylorc. It has been working very well so far." And Llauron has been making excellent use of it to badger me about sending him information , she thought to herself. So far she had shared very little. She also didn't mention that the most sensitive information was entrusted not the soldiers of the caravan, but to birds. Achmed had developed a whole squadron of avian messengers who carried the most important missives through the skies to their destinations. Llauron made use of avian messengers as well.
Ashe said nothing. Rhapsody waited for a few moments, then, hearing no further comments, turned to leave the thicket.
'Wait."
'What's the matter'now, Ashe?"
He was still hard to see within the darkness of the branches. "We'll need to wait here. I thought you understood that if we were going to travel overland together, we would need to remain out of sight."
Rhapsody drew her cloak a little closer. "Well, of course, when we're vul nerable in the wide fields, or in unfamiliar territory. But that's just the mail caravan."
" Always . No exceptions. Understood?"
His tone annoyed her; there was a gritty edge to his voice she had not heard before. It served to remind her how litde she actually knew him, and underscored why Achmed and Grunthor had objected to her going with him in the first place.
Rhapsody sighed, some of her confidence evaporating into the chilly air.
'All right," she said. "We'll wait for them to pass. Let me know when they're out of sight."
C,'hey crossed the steppes and the wastelands to the Krevensfield Plain, heading northwest to avoid all but the outskirts of the province of Bethe Cor-bair and the city itself entirely. The traveling was difficult, the terrain rough and hard to cross in the muck left by the rains of early spring that were falling consistently.
Rhapsody found herself stuck in the mud more than once. Ashe had offered his assistance but had been politely refused while she freed herself, muttering under her breath.
The comfortable familiarity that had begun to grow between them in Ylorc seemed to have disappeared now that they were alone together. Rhapsody had no idea why, though much of it seemed to be due to Ashe's unpredictability.
At times he was pleasant enough, joking with her or passing the time when they were encamped in reasonable, if insignificant, conversation. Other times she got the sense he was brooding, angry even; he would snap at her
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