Read Online Progeny (The Children of the White Lions) by R.T. Kaelin - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: R.T. Kaelin
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“Wondrous.”
He should have had the sling ready. Digging into his satchel, he pulled it free and unwound it. Feeling Kenders’ hot gaze on him the entire time, he bent over, he selected a round stone and armed the sling. Eyes straight ahead, he set to walking again.
“Nikalys!”
He took a few more steps before he stopped, scuffling his feet on the road. He stared at his boots for a moment. The mud from the village had dried into a crusty, yellow coating.
Kenders persisted, asking, “Are we just going to run away?”
There was another option, one he did not want to mention. He knew Kenders too well. Impulsive, stubborn, a little short-sighted. The moment he shared his idea, she would run with it and never look back.
“Nikalys?” prompted Kenders. “What is it?”
He should keep his mouth shut.
“Nik!”
Lifting his head, he turned to face her. “There’s another option, but it’s sour. Much too sour. I’ve decided against it.”
Kenders’ eyes widened. Jamming her hands on her hips, she asked, “Have you, now? Well, as you don’t get to make decisions for me, how about you tell me what that option is, Lord Nikalys, and I’ll decide how sour it is?”
Her sarcasm dug at him. Annoyed, he shot back, “Fine. We could go to Smithshill and tell the Constables what happened! They’d know how to deal with those mages. Perhaps we could gain some sort of justice.”
Kenders nodded her quick approval at the idea.
“And exactly why aren’t we doing that? That sounds better than hiding in Lakeborough.”
Vexed, Nikalys took a step closer to her.
“ Think , Kenders. If we go marching into the Constables’ office and tell them what happened, there will be questions. Questions about what we saw. Questions about who we saw. Lots and lots of questions about magic and mages .”
The anger drained from her face. “Oh.”
With raised eyebrows, Nikalys nodded. “Exactly. ‘Oh.’ If they get curious—and I’m sure they will when we tell them an entire village was destroyed by a giant water creature summoned by an ijul and nine men walking on the lake—they may discover things we don’t want them to.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.”
“Look, I’ve already lost my mother, father, and brother today. I would like to keep my sister safe.”
“I’m sorry, Nik. Truly, I am.”
Sighing, he reached out and patted the top of her head. “It’s fine. No matter.”
“Still not a barncat, Nik.”
Nikalys withdrew his hand quickly. “Sorry.”
The pair stood in the middle of the road for a few moments, surrounded by trees and silence.
Finally, Nikalys nodded east and said, “Come on, let’s keep moving.”
He turned and continued down the slope, praying she would remain quiet for a time. Thankfully, she did.
As they walked along, Nikalys kept alert, alternating his gaze forward—looking for more rabbits—and behind, searching for any flash of red robes and yellow-white hair. His luck evened out. He never spotted a rabbit or the mage.
Upon cresting a small rise, Nikalys spotted the long, meandering line of the Southern Road that ran east and west. Eyeing the sun, he estimated they had a few hours of light left.
“I think we should head into the trees and follow alongside the road. If we meet someone this close to home, stories could travel.”
Kenders looked over and asked, “What about wolves?”
Wolves were common in the hills surrounding Yellow Mud. Widow Johns had become Widow Johns because of one.
Nikalys said, “We’ll stay close to the road—just not on it. Wolves don’t come close to the road. It smells too much like people.” He spoke with a confidence he did not feel. He was concerned about wolves, too.
After a moment’s hesitation, Kenders agreed. “If you say so.”
Happy they had at least a short-term plan, Nikalys said, “Good. Let’s find a place to camp before nightfall. And keep your eye out for rabbits or we’re going to sleep hungry.”
“You just make
He should have had the sling ready. Digging into his satchel, he pulled it free and unwound it. Feeling Kenders’ hot gaze on him the entire time, he bent over, he selected a round stone and armed the sling. Eyes straight ahead, he set to walking again.
“Nikalys!”
He took a few more steps before he stopped, scuffling his feet on the road. He stared at his boots for a moment. The mud from the village had dried into a crusty, yellow coating.
Kenders persisted, asking, “Are we just going to run away?”
There was another option, one he did not want to mention. He knew Kenders too well. Impulsive, stubborn, a little short-sighted. The moment he shared his idea, she would run with it and never look back.
“Nikalys?” prompted Kenders. “What is it?”
He should keep his mouth shut.
“Nik!”
Lifting his head, he turned to face her. “There’s another option, but it’s sour. Much too sour. I’ve decided against it.”
Kenders’ eyes widened. Jamming her hands on her hips, she asked, “Have you, now? Well, as you don’t get to make decisions for me, how about you tell me what that option is, Lord Nikalys, and I’ll decide how sour it is?”
Her sarcasm dug at him. Annoyed, he shot back, “Fine. We could go to Smithshill and tell the Constables what happened! They’d know how to deal with those mages. Perhaps we could gain some sort of justice.”
Kenders nodded her quick approval at the idea.
“And exactly why aren’t we doing that? That sounds better than hiding in Lakeborough.”
Vexed, Nikalys took a step closer to her.
“ Think , Kenders. If we go marching into the Constables’ office and tell them what happened, there will be questions. Questions about what we saw. Questions about who we saw. Lots and lots of questions about magic and mages .”
The anger drained from her face. “Oh.”
With raised eyebrows, Nikalys nodded. “Exactly. ‘Oh.’ If they get curious—and I’m sure they will when we tell them an entire village was destroyed by a giant water creature summoned by an ijul and nine men walking on the lake—they may discover things we don’t want them to.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.”
“Look, I’ve already lost my mother, father, and brother today. I would like to keep my sister safe.”
“I’m sorry, Nik. Truly, I am.”
Sighing, he reached out and patted the top of her head. “It’s fine. No matter.”
“Still not a barncat, Nik.”
Nikalys withdrew his hand quickly. “Sorry.”
The pair stood in the middle of the road for a few moments, surrounded by trees and silence.
Finally, Nikalys nodded east and said, “Come on, let’s keep moving.”
He turned and continued down the slope, praying she would remain quiet for a time. Thankfully, she did.
As they walked along, Nikalys kept alert, alternating his gaze forward—looking for more rabbits—and behind, searching for any flash of red robes and yellow-white hair. His luck evened out. He never spotted a rabbit or the mage.
Upon cresting a small rise, Nikalys spotted the long, meandering line of the Southern Road that ran east and west. Eyeing the sun, he estimated they had a few hours of light left.
“I think we should head into the trees and follow alongside the road. If we meet someone this close to home, stories could travel.”
Kenders looked over and asked, “What about wolves?”
Wolves were common in the hills surrounding Yellow Mud. Widow Johns had become Widow Johns because of one.
Nikalys said, “We’ll stay close to the road—just not on it. Wolves don’t come close to the road. It smells too much like people.” He spoke with a confidence he did not feel. He was concerned about wolves, too.
After a moment’s hesitation, Kenders agreed. “If you say so.”
Happy they had at least a short-term plan, Nikalys said, “Good. Let’s find a place to camp before nightfall. And keep your eye out for rabbits or we’re going to sleep hungry.”
“You just make
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