The Guided Journey (Book 6) Read Free Page A

that you had won!” Killcen crowed.
    “We all thought the same thing,” Odare insisted.
    “You have a great story to tell, I am sure,” Stillwater said.
    “It is mostly a tale of the many hearts of human and elven women who have suffered unrequited love with you, while your own heart has pined for me, I am confident,” Dewberry said.
    “He’s been enchanted, enthralled, with me since the first time he saw me at the healing spring,” she told the others.  They began to climb off of him, floating a few inches upward, and making room for him to raise himself up and dust himself off.
    “In fact, he tried to take me to his bed on that very first meeting,” she spoke confidentially to Odare.  “I imagine he tried similar tricks with you?”
    “I saw the temptation in his eyes, even when they were black eyes,” Odare answered, her fingers stroking her chin.  “But he had other women, larger women with him , usually.  He had both a human and an elf maiden.  The human was very pregnant, though I do not believe the child was his.”
    “Her child was born.  He was born the very night you carried Canyon away.  She named her son Canyon to honor him,” Kestrel told them.
    “Aaah,” the small companions all said in unison, touched by the gesture.
    “And there was another female with us,” Kestrel told them, making his three companions stare at him in confusion.
    “There was not, unless you kept a secret, invisible woman with you.  Did you hide someone from us?” Odare asked in mock indignation.
    “She actually hid herself.  Hiram was a woman, dressed as a man,” Kestrel revealed.
    “Your reputation preceded you?” Dewberry asked tartly.
    “Tell us about your adventure.  Tell everything that happened,” Stillwater spoke up, and was supported by a chorus of agreement.
    “Though there’s not a lot to tell,” Kestrel had decided he didn’t want to relive all the details of the entire adventure, “I thought that we might travel someplace to go over the story.”  He longed for a journey to a spot that was filled with memories, someplace he hadn’t visited in a long time, and felt a spiritual need to visit.
    There was silence on the part of the imps.  Kestrel sensed that something had made them uneasy.
    “My husband,” Dewberry said.
    “The king,” Odare needlessly clarified.
    “Was unhappy one day not long after our friends had brought Canyon home,” Dewberry continued.
    “I don’t think he liked his supper,” Killcen explained.
    “And so, in a fit of foolish anger, he forbade any of us to carry humans or elves or gnomes, until such time as he chose to lift his commandment,” Dewberry finished.
    “It’s stupid,” Stillwater affirmed.
    “Stupid, but it is his rule,” Dewberry suffered the pain of supporting her husband.
    “I understand,” Kestrel said patiently.  “I was going to suggest that we go to the healing spring, but I know that none of you would want to disobey your king.”
    The faces in the air all turned to look at one another.
    “I’ll go,” Stillwater volunteered immediately.
    “Me too,” Odare added.
    “I will tell the king where he can find us if he wishes to forgive us for breaking the rule,” Dewberry said.  “I’m sure he’ll forgive us.  I expect he’ll come join us as soon as he finishes his ceremonies.
    “Are you ready to go?” she asked Kestrel, as the imps began to close in upon him.  They were as eager as he was to revisit the waters where they experienced such pleasant times.
    “No, not yet,” Kestrel told them.  “Let me go get some water skins so I can bring the water back for my people to enjoy.”
    “You are being a tease, Kestrel- tormentor!  First you promise, then you refuse to carry out!” Dewberry scolded him.
    “Come with me and we’ll go get the skins,” Kestrel told them.  He entered his room, passed through it, then walked down the hall to the kitchens, and startled the staff when he brought his entourage of flying