Healer of Sakkara

Chapter 13 - Hunted

By mid-morning, the chill had long departed and sweat dampened Galen's shirt. The air hummed with the buzz of insect wings, and a warm breeze rustled the late summer leaves.

Galen felt better, though the weariness lingered—as if he'd been sick in bed for a week and only just recovered. His muscles felt weak and watery, and even the leisurely pace his companions set left him winded.

They were headed north, which Galen knew because the 'woodland' was only a mile wide, but stretched nearly twenty miles in length, separating the farmlands from the river towns. Dern was near the southern end of it, and if they were going any direction but North, they'd have reached its edge long ago.

He focused on putting one foot in front of the other and kept his mind blank, avoiding thoughts of his father and his friends. Eventually, he knew he would have to give his situation some thought, and decide on a course of action. Would he allow himself to be led meekly to whatever fate this 'Order' had planned for him, or would he attempt an escape?

At the moment, he knew he wouldn't make it ten paces if he tried to run. All it would do was put his captors on guard, and probably make things more difficult and painful for himself. Besides, there was nowhere to run.

So far, his new 'companions' had treated him with something like kindness—giving him food and water and walking slowly for his sake. He would be a fool to give them a reason to alter their approach, so he did his best to keep up and keep quiet, even when his vision blurred and a bout of dizziness made him miss a step and fall.

He picked himself up, fell again, and then a broad, brown arm slipped around his back beneath his shoulders and supported him.

"Sev," Iksthanis called, his deep voice booming softly through the quiet trees. "Time for a break."

Up ahead, Sevhalim looked back and paused. At his side, Rea frowned.

"The hide-away is only another three miles or so," she said. "We oughtn't to waste time."

Galen said nothing but couldn't help leaning on the arm holding him up. Sev raised his brows in a question, and in his peripheral vision, Galen saw Iksthanis shake his head.

"A few minutes of rest won't set us back much," Sev said decisively. Rea scowled but made no reply.

As the others flopped down to sit by the side of the path, swigging from water flasks, Iksy helped Galen to a shaded spot at the base of a young pine as Sev came over to check on him.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Galen nodded, shut his eyes, and leaned back against the tree. "Just a little tired," he said.

"Galen!"

His eyes snapped open, and he fought to focus on the blurred outline of a person, who shook him roughly.

"Wake up!"

His vision cleared and he saw it was Sev, and that several hours had passed. It was now late afternoon, and the others were up and alert, and—alarmingly—had their weapons drawn.

"What is it?" Galen rubbed his eyes and forced himself to sit up a little straighter.

"Hunting party," Sev replied in a whisper. "A dozen men, at least, coming this way and moving fast. They'll be on us in under ten minutes, and they have dogs."

Suddenly wide awake, Galen let himself be pulled to his feet.

"What do we do?" he asked.

Sev looked at him appraisingly, then shook his head. "We could fight, but I'd rather not, and we can't outrun a pack of dogs. We'll have to hide."