Trials Read Free Page A

Lancer.”
    “He’s a Rogdonian Lancer. That eases my mind,” Kayti admitted.
    “So… we have a Healer, a Usik and a Lancer… shouldn’t be a problem, though they make a rather strange company…” Hartz said.
    “We can find out about their doings tomorrow,” said Komir. “It’s late now. Let’s rest and get our strength back.”
    “Kayti, you’ll take the first watch, then Hartz and then me,” he ordered.
    Kayti smiled and shrugged, “I still think you don’t need to give me the first watch every time… that sort of chivalry isn’t necessary… but if you insist…”
    Hartz smiled and winked at her. And that upset Komir.
    “You’re right. I’ll take the first watch today and you’ll have the last,” he said. Komir could not forgive her for lying to them. He would remind her at every opportunity.
    Kayti accepted with a nod. Her intense, steady gaze made Komir realize that she had caught the drift of the not-so-subtle accusation.
    Hartz looked at them and shook his head. His big eyes clearly showed the bitter sadness his heart felt.
    Komir grabbed his bear-skin and wrapped himself in it. He watched the Usik tend to Aliana and then make sure Kendas was resting without pain. Komir’s spirit, more restless than usual, began to relax. The night chill tried to get under his Norriel bear-skin, but was unable to. His head would not stop spinning with so many unanswered questions swirling round, tormenting him. He had found the bearer of the glittering brown medallion. He knew he was on the right path, the one which led to his destiny. That encounter, chanced or foretold (he did not know which of the two) corroborated the fact. Aliana and he were doomed to meet. So Amtoko had felt, so the medallions had shown, and so it had occurred. But why? And now what? Which is the path to follow? Which is the next move? What has treacherous fate in store for us?
    Komir had no answers for these questions, nor did he have any intuition as to what course he should follow. But for some unknown reason, he was certain he was going in the right direction. Too many unanswered questions… I don’t like this at all… makes me very nervous… He looked at the camp, where they all slept in the shelter of the cave and the warmth of the fire. That night would bring no answers: he would have to wait till morning before he could begin to unravel the next steps towards his destiny, whatever it might be.
    The night passed uneventfully, and with the new dawn the adventurers began to stir. Hartz set out to hunt full of energy, confident of catching something good to feed the company. Kayti offered to continue her watch and protect the two convalescents, who were still asleep. Asti went in search of wood for the fire, while Komir decided to explore the surrounding area and see if he could find a stream to replenish their water reserve.
    At mid-morning a cool breeze caressed Aliana’s face, prompting her to wake up and enjoy the sight of blue sky above them. The Healer opened her eyes at last and looked around worriedly.
    “What’s happened?” she said anxiously. “Kendas?”
    Asti, who was tending to the Lancer, hurried to her side.
    “Kendas good. You healed.”
    Aliana calmed down at the sight of Asti’s face and the sound of her voice. Her heart was still pounding from a horrible nightmare in which a green-eyed demon had betrayed her in order to steal her Ilenian medallion. She was soaked in sweat, her body ached all over and she was quite disoriented, but gradually she became focused. Those were the consequences of a healing carried too far, but she had had to do it to save Kendas. The wounds were so severe she had feared she was losing him. Luckily, Kendas was a healthy young man with a strong body.
    Still, towards the end of the healing she had nearly lost her own life in her struggle against death. She had spent all her healing energy, and as a last resource, desperate to save the Lancer, she had done something forbidden