High The Vanes (The Change Book 2) Read Free Page B

We must go.”

    “I hope you are right. This dyke, whatever it is, had better live up to your expectations.”

    We set off, again at a killing pace, deep into the forest where the path led. Soon the trees began to block out the daylight. We kept to the path by extending our left arms and veering to the right when we struck a tree. At the darkest point we could see daylight neither behind us or before us. It seemed the forest went on for ever.

    Eluned grasped my arm in the dark. “I hear them.” In the silence of the forest I could just make out a faint sound far behind us.

    “We must hide, Eluned. Into the forest.”

    “I fear we will lose the path should we do so.”

    “It’s a risk we have to take. Come on. We don’t need to go too far. It’s dark enough on the path. They will never see us under the trees.”

    Stumbling and crashing into the trees, which seemed to grow closer and closer together, we plunged into the utter darkness of the forest. We clung to each other, totally blind and, very soon, totally lost. Eluned stopped, throwing her arm around me, her face close to mine.

    “‘T he children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness.’ Lady, I am afraid.”

    I felt rather than saw her raise her face.

    “‘The wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.’ Lady, aid us. We are in peril.”

    The sound of the vagabondi engine was coming nearer. Even though we had stumbled what seemed to be a far way into the forest, it sounded close. Something suddenly disturbed the edge of my vision. At first I thought it was a trick of the darkness, but as I continued to stare I saw it again.

    “There’s a light,” I whispered, pointing uselessly.

    “I see it not, my lady.”

    “Wait. There! There now, again.”

    “Oh, my lady. It is the crwydwyr. They have a light. We are lost. ‘Let me not be ashamed, O Lady, for I have called upon thee.’ They will find us. I am truly sorry, my lady. I have failed you.”

    I put my fingers to her face, feeling the wet tears run down her cheeks. She took hold of my hand and kissed the fingers. We had to do something. We could not simply stand here in the forest and wait for the vagabondi to find us. To do whatever evil to us they wished. I shuddered.

    With Eluned still clutching my one hand, I put out the other. Inches away, I felt the rough bark of a tree. I ran my fingers over it. It was wide, much wider than those we had encountered so far. I pulled away from her.

    “No, my lady,” she screamed. “Stay. I cannot lose you now.”

    “Keep holding my hand, Eluned. I think there may be a way.”

    Keeping my free hand on the tree I followed the trunk around until I felt a thick branch striking out.

    “We can climb this tree, Eluned. Maybe the light will not find us if we are not on the ground. Here, climb up onto this branch. Leave your bags at the base. We can collect them later.”

    I pulled up her hand, still clutching mine, until it was holding the top surface of the branch.

    “Now, pull yourself onto the branch. When you are up, feel for the next branch up. There will be one.”

    With difficulty, Eluned scrambled up onto the first branch. As she let go of my hand to grip the branch she whispered, “Stay with me, my lady.”

    “I’m right behind you. Keep going.”

    I felt her stand, shivering, beside me and reach upwards. She found another branch.

    “There is another, my lady. You were right.”

    “Climb it, then. Quickly!”

    I could see the light clearly now as I looked back into the forest. It was flashing from side to side as the roar of the engine increased.

    Catching on, Eluned quickly scaled another two branches. As I pulled myself up onto the fourth I told her to stop. I sat back on my haunches as best I could, pulling Eluned down with me. She began very quietly humming as we perched there. Occasionally the humming turned to words in a language that I did not understand.

    The light and