Page 28 of Flameborne: Fury
When the two men stopped to talk to others alongside the trail, I backed away and looked for a quiet route through the trees, nearer the edge of the clearing where I thought I’d seen more fires.
I had to climb two more trees, and huddle in the muddy shadows of one for a full fifteen minutes when the forest pulledback from the clearing in a strange little cove I didn’t see and I almost stumbled right into two guards, seated on stumps on the edge of the trees, bored, but awake.
One of them turned in my direction like he’d heard something, and both of them stopped talking. But thank God they were either instructed not to leave their positions, or they were too lazy to explore, because neither of them moved.
Neither did I. For some time. Not until they relaxed again, snorting and laughing together, and I could be sure that they made enough noise to cover the sound of my steps if I misplaced a foot.
An hour into my reconnaissance I made it far enough around the clearing to peer into the trees where I thought I’d seen other fires, and sure enough. Now that I was on the ground level, it was clear there were dozens more fires here.
Dozens.Multiple.
A chill raised the hairs on the back of my neck until I remembered this was an exercise. My goal was to remain unnoticed, to gather intelligence, and to retreat and bring the information to my superiors.
I had crouched down, measuring how far the fires stretched and trying to focus on how I could accurately count them without being discovered, when the rain started.
‘There’s more to find here, Akhane, I’m going closer. You keep resting.’
‘Please, be careful, Bren!’
Her tone sounded so desperate, I instinctively turned my head in her direction, though she was too far away to see.‘Akhane? What’s wrong? You sound like you’re hurting?’
‘I’m not in pain,’she said.
‘Then, why—?’
‘I don’t like being away from the herd. But don’t worry for me, Bren. Focus on your task. I’ll be here when you’re finished. And we’ll return home to show them what you’ve done.’
I smiled into the dark.‘Yes, we will.’
A fat drop of rain plopped right onto my nose and I ducked my head, adrenaline flooding my system because it startled me. But a moment later, I huffed under the noise of the rain, now pattering the trees above, and took a deep breath. This was actually going to help, as long as I didn’t slip.
I just needed to focus.
So, I did.
I spent two more hours circling wide enough to make an accurate count of the fires and tents.
I noted every weapon and strange piece of equipment and passed those mental images on to Akhane so she could help me draw them accurately.
I found two banners and one flag, and drew close enough to catch a glimpse of an unfamiliar sigil on the coat of a dozing guard.
When I was confident I’d found enough to be useful in war, I slipped back through the forest, running wide so I could move freely. I finally found the gully higher up the land, so I had to follow it back to Akhane.
As I walked along the creekbed, the rain intensified. The water flowing at the base of the gully had grown from a trickle, to a small stream. But it was no matter. Now that I’d done reconnaissance without being discovered, we were practically home free. Akhane could get me out of there before the water became a problem.
I imagined flying directly to the Keep and reporting to Donavyn, pretending to look at him without any emotion. Pretending my heart didn’t thud in my chest as I passed him the parchment where I’d written everything I learned.
I prayed that in that moment, all I’d see in his eyes was pride. Not that dark, shuttered distance. Or worse,regret.
I was so deeply engrossed in my imagined triumph, that it wasn’t until I was almost at Akhane’s side that I realized something was wrong.
She’d remained exactly in the place where I left her, hidden from the woods above by the high sides of the gully and the overhanging trees. But she weaved, shifting her weight back and forth from one leg to the other and swinging her neck. Her mouth was open and she panted. And her scales…
Her scales glowed and pulsed with such a bright light I feared one of ourenemiesmight catch sight of her in the distance, even in the dark.
“Akhane!” I rushed to her and laid my hand on her side, hissing when she felt warm. “What’s happened? Are you sick? Why didn’t you tell me?”
‘No, no,’she hurried to assure me, but she was still panting and sometimes the rain drops that reached her skin sizzled.‘I am well, Bren. Only, my body feels so tight. And hot. I am… I amdriven.Can we return home now?’
