Legends Lost: Galdin

Legends Lost: Galdin (Book 2, Chapter X)

Note: This is the 29th chapter in my fantasy novel, Legends Lost: Galdin. There are 52 chapters total and I will post 1 chapter every Friday.  But if you wish to read the entire book now, it is available for purchase on Amazon, iBookstore, Kobo, B&N, and Smashwords.  

 Chapter X

Reunited

 Galdin wiped the sweat from his neck as he took the lead.  Tami wavered on her feet a bit from the intense heat of the midday sun.

"Here," said Galdin, handing her his canteen with the last of their water.

Tami popped off the cork taking a small sip.  "We should conserve our water."

"Just drink it," said Galdin, "We'll find more."

"I'm not so sure.  I thought we would have reached the river by now, but it's as if it's eluding us."

"Rivers don't move," said Galdin.

Tami laughed.  "Have you ever been to the Changing Woods?"

Galdin hadn't and he had no desire to ever enter that place.  He took off his vest and stuffed it in his pack.  The unusual heat drained his strength.  They were still in the lower hills of the mountains, having traveled south down them to avoid the barbarian army.  Never had they been this warm and certainly not this early in the year.

"What drives you so?" asked Tami.

Galdin stared at her as her question caught him by surprise.  "I'm not sure what you mean."

"Don't play coy with me," chided Tami, "You know perfectly well what I mean.  Why are you so intent to reach MurDair before the next full moon?  And what does that man from the prison want with you?"

"What did he want with you?"

Tami looked at her feet.  "I was caught practicing magic.  Apparently the barbarians do not like those who practice magic."

"They like them well enough to use them," said Galdin, "There are rumors of a sorcerer helping them.  Perhaps they thought to use you as well."

"You still have not answered my question."

"My sister heads to MurDair as we speak.  We were forced to split up and I am to meet her there by the next full moon.  If I fail to show, she will continue without me."

"Continue where?" asked Tami, her curiosity piqued.

"None of your concern," answered Galdin.  "When we reach the fairies' home, I am leaving you there."

"They do not live there anymore," said Tami.

Galdin faced her.  That was news to him.  The fairies had always lived in the northern part of MurDair.  "Where did they go?"

"No one knows for certain," answered Tami, "I searched for them after my parents died.  But all I found was an empty place with only one fairy.  She told me that the queen had ordered them to leave the lands of Tesnayr before the darkness came.  She said that I should do the same."

"Where is she?"

"I never saw her after that," Tami said, "But the fairies are here no more.  In a way, I am the last of their kind and yet I am only half a fairy."

"Is there any place you can go?"

"With you," said Tami.

"No."

"Why not?"

"You are just a child—"

"I'm nineteen!"