Excerpt: Dark Journey

Keep quiet, now. Sir Gavin Whitewolf’s voice boomed in Achan’s mind. We’re being hunted.

Perfect. Achan crouched lower in the boat and stared over the edge into the inky blackness. He could hear Sparrow’s ragged breathing but could not see the boy’s face. Inko, who sat in the back of the boat, made no sound. Water gurgled around the wooden craft, slapping against the sides every few seconds. Something scratched the side facing the shore. The darkness that shrouded everything made it impossible for Achan to know if the noises were sue to Sir Gavin and Sir Caleb’s movement or something else.

Mosquitoes buzzed around his head. A sharp itch signaled one was biting his cheek yet Achan didn’t flinch. He sucked in a deep breath of stale, cool air. He blinked. He thought he saw light. He blinked again.

Sweeping torch flames faded into view, casting a golden glow onto some kind of barge. At least twelve men stood shadowed in the vague light. Achan shuddered a sigh. He wanted to bloodvoice to Sir Gavin, but he’d been warned again and again that his ability lacked control. If he tried, he’d likely give them away.

Sir Gavin must have sensed his apprehension. Achan, stay still and don’t speak.
Achan closed his eyes and breathed a prayer to Cetheria, god of protection, asking her to keep them safe. He didn’t know why he bothered. Cetheria never seemed inclined to answer his pleas, although he hadn’t left an offering in months.
The barge passed before them. Men’s muffled voices broke through the eerie silence, but Achan couldn’t understand the language they spoke. The yellow light was enough to tint the blue cloaks of New Kingsguard Knights green. Esek’s men. Sent to bring him back.

No one moved until long after the torches faded from sight.

Sir Gavin was the first to speak. “A hand, Achan.”

Achan sat up, braced himself, and felt for Sir Gavin’s hand over the side of the boat. He pulled the old knight up, rocking the boat and sloshing the water beneath it.

“Where are you, Caleb?” Sir Gavin asked.

“Here.” Sir Caleb voice came from the back of the boat.

Achan and Sir Gavin pulled him up.

“I’m getting too old for this, Gavin. I’ve got leeches on me. I feel them sucking.”

Achan wrinkled his nose. “Can you get them off?”

“The ones I feel. The ones I can’t see, however…”

“We need to make camp,” Sir Gavin said. “We’ll have to wade inland a bit. Esek’s men will continue to patrol the lake. We might have to go by foot from here.”

“But we’re on the wrong side of the lake,” Inko said.

“We’ll all get leeches.” Sparrow’s voice was a bit high-pitched.

Achan smirked. “What? The herbalist has no use for leeches?”

Sparrow’s voice came flat now. “I told you. I’m no a barber.”

“We’re on the wrong side of the lake,” Inko said. “We’re supposed to go north.”

A brief silence settled over the boat. Achan propped his elbows on his knees and set his forehead into his palms, waiting for the conversation to resume. He’d only known Inko and Sir Caleb for two days. Inko risked nothing, trusted no one, and questioned everything. Achan shivered. Sir Caleb was up for pretty much anything.

The Evenwall had left Achan’s clothing damp. Now, under the cloud of Darkness, he shivered. They left Mahanaim with very little gear. What would they do come night? How would they even know when night?

Sparrow echoed Achan’s thoughts and he wondered if the boy had read his mind. “I feel as though my blood is freezing.”

“Just wait ’til we reach Ice Island,” Caleb said. “It’s so cold there you’re beard will frost.”

Achan laughed. “Hear that, Sparrow? You best get started on that beard now or you will have nothing to warm that precious pink face.”

“And your beard is so much better?”

“I’ve never tried for a beard, but I’m sure I could grow one. You on the other hand haven’t even the fuzz of a peach on your chin.”

Inko exhaled a deep breath. “Gavin, assure me you have more of a plan than traipsing across Darkness unguided?”

Sir Gavin sniffed in a long breath. “We’ll stop in at Mirrorguard for aid and directions.”

“Mirrrorguard?” Achan spun around on the bench, rocking the boat. “Is not Lord Eli loyal to Prince Gidon?” He cleared his throat. “I mean, Prince Esek?” Would he ever get used to the fact that the man he thought to be Prince Gidon Hadar was actually Esek?

“Don’t call him prince,” Sir Caleb said. “He’s a fake and doesn’t deserve the respect.”

Achan had no desire to offer respect to Esek. “But Lord Eli traveled with Esek’s procession to Mahanaim.”

Sir Gavin answered. “Apparently, Esek’s behavior toward Lady Kati on the journey left Lord Eli chagrined.”

Achan smirked. The false prince had monopolized the young lord’s wife who rode in his litter to avoid the blistering sun.

“Still,” Sir Caleb said. “Lord Eli is fond of wealth. He will go where the coin is heaviest.”

“Do not be so certain,” Sir Gavin said. “We might win him yet.”

“Are you certain we want to?” Sir Caleb asked. “Besides Esek, I’ve never met a bigger buffoon.”

“We need to cross Arok Lake and go north,” Inko said. “The longer we linger, the more time we allow those Kingsguards to box us in.”

Sir Gavin said, “We cannot cross Melas Marsh without—”

“Can we discuss this later?” Sir Caleb asked. “I’d really like to get these leeches of me.”

“Back into the water, then,” Sir Gavin said with a sigh.

The men eased over the side back into the lake. The boat jerked forward. Sparrow fell off his bench into Achan’s lap and squeaked like a mouse. Achan laughed and felt for the boy’s arm to help pull him up, but Sparrow swatted at Achan’s hands and scrambled away.

“How do they even know where they’re going?” Sparrow asked.

“They know what they’re doing.” But Achan wasn’t so certain. Still, he’d rather be with Sir Gavin that anyone else. With the exception of Prince Oren, his uncle. Achan had only discovered the truth about his identity this morning. All his life he thought he was a stray, a slave without any family to claim him. But Sir Gavin had taken him before the Council of Seven and proved the truth: Achan was the real Prince Gidon Hadar, heir to all Er’Rets.

It was very unsettling.

The knights towed the dory inland through branches that scratched Achan’s arms if he wasn’t careful to sit in the center of his bench.

“We’ve taken it as far as we can,” Caleb said. “Why don’t you all climb out?”

“This is insanity. How can you even know where you’re headed? For all you know you’re wading in a circle.

“I’ve tied my tether to Gavin. Each of us will loop the rope around his wrist. That should be enough to keep us together. Achan?”

Achan was hungry. He swung his leg over the side and lowered himself into the water. His feet sank in the mucky lake bed. The water rose to his chest. He had expected it to be cold, but the sensation seemed to magnify without light. A winter’s chill clapped onto his body like mud. He instantly began to shiver wondering if leeches were attaching themselves to his flesh this moment.

A clammy hand clapped onto his shoulder and something pressed against his chest.
Sir Caleb’s voice spoke just above his head. “Take the rope. There should be a knot.”
Achan felt for the rope Caleb held to his chest until he found the knot. He clutched it tightly in his right hand and released the boat with his left.

“Vrell, you next,” Caleb said.

“How deep is it?”

Too deep. Sparrow’s head only came up to Achan’s chest. Even if the boy managed to tiptoe in the muck, only to top of his head would stick out. “I’ll carry him on my back.”

“Your Highness, that’s no job for you,” Inko said.

Achan gritted his teeth at the title. He was not comfortable being called such a formal name. He reached out for the boat and turned his back to it. “Just get on, Sparrow, before I change my mind. And you’ve got to hold the rope.”