The Crystal Legacy (Book 2) Read Free Page B

Favriana would only draw attention. By law, all traffic passing Favriana must pass through here for customs inspection. We’ll need to land and get supplies there, anyway.”
    “We could tell the officials we’re from some obscure district west of Hyemka on our way to Hoya for a breeder bull,” Saxthor said. “With no cargo to tax, they shouldn’t detain us.”
    When they tied up at the dock, a city official required they report to the customs house right away. This they did, and after a few short questions about their travel plans and clearance for the boat contents, the officials allowed them to travel within the city. Tournak gave them a quick tour and then selected a quiet inn on the outskirts of town for the night.
    “We should avoid the inner city and the fortress,” Tournak said. “Someone from court might recognize us. We’ll remain in the shadows and glean gossip about the state of the kingdom.”
    That evening, Saxthor and Bodrin joined Tournak in the inn’s tavern room. Tournak shared ale with a merchant from Girdane, at the headwaters of the Nhy in Graushdem. The tipsy man smacked his mug on the table, sloshing ale as he began his tale.
    “Prertsten’s agents are instigating unrest in the dukedoms of Hador and Heggolstockin. I know Dreaddrac’s king is behind Prertsten’s Prince Pindradese. Prertsten wouldn’t start trouble in the neighboring states without Dreaddrac’s approval and backing.”
    The man swayed slightly, jerking back upright only to sway again. He glanced around to see who was listening.
    “Prertsten has always been trouble,” someone said.
    Others nodded.
    The tipsy merchant spoke again. “You see, I normally search throughout the north for unusual merchandise for my shop in Girdane. This season, I’m reluctant to travel further than the mountains of southern Heggolstockin. Goods that used to come south and east from Prertsten, Heggolstockin, and Hador didn’t come this year”
    “Bad year for everyone,” Bodrin said.
    The merchant nodded; others followed.
    “Now, I’m forced to travel south in search of goods,” the merchant continued. “What else can I do? Not only have sources dried up, but also I don’t feel secure in shipping goods. The southern towns, which handle the shipping, are having financial troubles too. That much I’ve witnessed for myself.”
    The man nodded his head, belched, and passed out on the tabletop, snoring within minutes. Two local farmers were grumbling about the strange creatures sighted on Lake Pundar’s northwest shore below the Pundar Hills. They speculated that unknown beasts from central Sengenwha’s Morass Mesas were coming east to the lake in search of food and water.
    A soldier from the fortress above the city slapped his mug down and added his story.
    “A patrol of soldiers checking the lake perimeters ran across just such a creature only last week. It’s been the barracks’ talk since. It was hushed up, but we soldiers know it’s true.”
    In fact, all the talk in the inn was about the bizarre happenings and the region’s declining fortunes.
    The troupe’s sleep was uneasy that night. Tournak woke two hours before dawn and saw a shadow on the room’s balcony. On the second floor, there was no good reason to be there at that hour. Tournak moved to the window and peeked through the curtain’s edge. The shadow was indeed a slight, translucent form, a searching wraith.
    “What is it?” Saxthor asked half-awake.
    Tournak slipped to the bed cupping his hands over Saxthor’s mouth, then Bodrin’s. He nodded toward the window. After it passed by, Tournak whispered to the boys.
    “The wraith’s vaporous form prevents it from doing bodily harm, but it brings death back from the grave.
    “Is it looking for us?” Bodrin asked.
    Tournak shrugged his shoulders. “We must leave at first light.”
    They moved to the shadows in the corner behind the door and waited for dawn. As soon as it was light, they left without