Read Online The Prophecy by Hilari Bell - Free Book Online

hate myself when I cry. But I can’t seem to help it.” He turned away.
    “I have an idea,” said Lysander. “Suppose we follow the stream. It will flow into something else eventually, maybe even the stream that crosses the road. We’ll have water, and if we’re lucky with snares, or perhaps catch a fish or two, we’ll have food for about four days. We’d make it. All we have to do is follow the stream.”
    “Unless it flows into a lake with no outlet. Or in a circle.”
    Lysander opened his mouth to say that a stream couldn’t flow in a circle, then shut it.
    “But I’ll bet,” Perryn continued, “that if the stream flows out of the forest, the trees won’t let us follow it.”
    “If you have a better idea, then by all means share it.”
    “I think I do,” said Perryn hesitantly. “The unicorn tracks don’t seem to be moving. I think that’s why the trees planted themselves so thickly in that one grove, because they had to cover them up.”
    “So?”
    “There are unicorn tracks all over this wood. And they’re creatures of magic, so they might be able to defeat the magic of the forest.”
    “Dragon’s teeth!” the bard exclaimed. “You still want to hunt unicorns? We only have enough food for a few days!”
    “Others have been lost in this forest,” Perryn pointed out. “Some of them must have followed the stream. Has anyone ever escaped?”
    Lysander began to reply, but evidently no one had, because he stopped.
    “All I’m saying is that we ought to try something different,” Perryn continued. “Something that hasn’t failed already.”
    “Catching a unicorn to lead you out would certainly be different.” The bard thought it over. Perryn waited.
    “Very well,” said Lysander finally. “We’ll spend two days trying to catch a unicorn. But if we haven’t succeeded by then, we try the stream while we still have some food. We need to spend the rest of the night here, though. I’m so tired I’m reeling. Agreed?”
    “Agreed.” Perryn nodded happily. “I have an idea for a trap already.”
    “Good.” Lysander yawned. “Because if we should catch a unicorn, and it won’t lead us out, something that large could extend our food supply for a long time.”
    Perryn’s outraged yelp was answered by a snore.
     
     
    LATER THAT NIGHT , PERRYN CREPT AWAY FROM THE sleeping bard. Catching a unicorn might work, but perhaps there was a simpler way. It wouldn’t hurt to try.
    “Mirror of Idris, I am Perryndon, Prince of Idris. Show me the way out of this wood.”
    Perryn held his breath—surely this was something he needed to know!
    The mirror flickered. Then, as if Perryn’s hope had willed it into being, an image emerged.
    He was looking down from the battlements of Idris Castle, and the army was marching out below him. They were leaving to fight the Norse!
    As if following Perryn’s desire, the mirror focused on the man who rode at the head of the column, and Perryn’s heart swelled with pride.
    Grave and commanding, the king was talking to a man who rode beside him, nodding respectfully. King Rovan’s armor was better made than that of the men who followed him, but no gold adorned it, and it showed the scars of mending. The king might drink too deeply, but he served his kingdom well, standing against the Norsemen summer after summer, defending us all.
    No wonder he was so disappointed in his scholarly son. He deserved—
    “The king should be allowed to concentrate on important matters.” Cedric’s voice rose softly from the mirror as the image spun and shifted to the master of arms, who stood on the battlements watching the king ride off to war. The head of the palace guard stood beside him. “If you should get word of the prince, come to me before you send any messengers to His Highness. He shouldn’t be distracted from the campaign. Do you understand?”
    “Yes, sir,” said the guard.
    The vision faded, leaving Perryn chilled with fear—but exasperated as well. How many