The Rogue Knight Read Free

isn’t an attack dog,” Mira said. “I have to direct it.”
    Joe nodded. “I hit the rider’s horse with an arrow. I’m not sure how much damage it did. We can’t let him escape. He could round up reinforcements. I should go after him.”
    â€œHow’d they make the autocoach run wild?” Twitch asked.
    â€œThey must have reshaped it somehow,” Jace said.
    â€œBut Declan made the coach,” Mira murmured. “It would take quite a shaper to hijack a Grand Shaper’s work.”
    â€œMight have been shapecraft,” Cole said. “If shapecrafters can mess with the shaping power itself, who knows what else they can do?”
    â€œThey organized Mira’s power into Carnag,” Twitch said. “Why couldn’t they tamper with a semblance?”
    â€œWhatever their skills, those were no ordinary soldiers,” Joe said. “You just met some Enforcers. And one of them is getting away. I can’t let that happen. He probably won’t go to the legion or any regular authorities, but there may be others of his kind in the area.”
    â€œWe’re splitting up?” Jace asked.
    â€œFor now, yes,” Joe said.
    â€œWe follow the road?” Twitch checked.
    â€œIt will take you to Carthage, on the border between Sambria and Elloweer,” Joe confirmed. “Honor’s star has held steady in that direction. If danger forces you to abandon the road, Mira knows how to follow the star.”
    Cole glanced at Mira, who had turned her gaze to the sky. To help guard the precious secret that Mira’s mother could mark the location of her five daughters, only Mira and Joe knew what Honor’s star looked like. If that information ever leaked to the High Shaper, the girls would be doomed.
    â€œAm I just flustered?” Mira asked. “I don’t see it.”
    Joe looked skyward in the same direction she was peering. “Oh, no,” he muttered after a tense pause. “You’re right. The star is gone.”

C HAPTER
    Â 2 
    STARLESS
    â€œW hat does that mean?” Mira cried.
    Cole felt horrible for her. That star was her one connection to her endangered sister. Mira’s panicked eyes studied the section of sky where the star should be.
    â€œCould mean lots of things,” Joe said, his voice deliberately calm. “Might mean your mom was worried about enemies using the star. Might mean your sister has been rescued.”
    â€œWhat if it means she’s . . . ?” Mira whispered, covering her mouth.
    â€œI’m sure that isn’t it,” Joe said. “We can’t let this sink us. I have to track down whoever is slipping away. You go to Carthage. There’s a fountain with seven spouts on the Elloweer side. If I don’t catch up to you on the road, look for me there every day at noon. Lay low. If I’m more than three days behind you, I’ll be either dead or captured.” Joe glanced at Cole, Jace, and Twitch. “Watch over her.”
    Joe turned and dashed up the hill.
    Mira continued to stare at the patch of sky. Following her gaze, Cole saw many stars. But he knew the one she yearned to see was not among them.
    â€œDon’t linger,” Joe called down to them as he charged up the slope. “There’s no telling who else might be headed this way.”
    â€œHe’s right,” Twitch said.
    â€œWhat about our stuff?” Jace asked, dipping his head toward the crippled autocoach. “At least the money!”
    â€œGood thought,” Cole said.
    â€œYou two grab what you need,” Twitch said. “I’ll get Mira out of sight. We’ll wait for you up the road.”
    â€œFine, shoo,” Jace said, waving a hand. “You too, Cole, if you want.”
    â€œI’ll stay with you,” Cole told Jace, then glanced at Mira. “See you in a minute.”
    Twitch took flight, and Mira used her Jumping Sword to leap halfway up