Part 9 (1/2)
Max removed his things from Starlight, putting them on one of the fresh horses while Tyco rode to the west side of the camp. Finished, he mounted the horse, but Mr. Penna stopped him before he could join Tyco. Eve leaned against Mr. Penna, her head down.
”Maxwell, do you remember that bundle of biscuits that Mrs. Ta.s.si gave you before we left Swift.w.a.ter?”
Max nodded.
”Good, in there you will find a piece of paper declaring you the owner of Evangeline. Whatever happens, do not lose it. Do you understand?”
Max stared blankly at Mr. Penna. Mr. Penna grabbed Max's knee, his voice stern.
”Do you understand, Maxwell? Do not lose that paper.”
Max blinked, then nodded. ”I...I won't lose them. But, I don't understand what you mean by...”
Mr. Penna's voice softened as he relaxed his grip. ”I am sorry Maxwell, but you are about to learn a lot of things that are not very pleasant. The story I told you of the lacarna and the Protectors was only the start. Just remember, your own experiences with Evangeline. Most importantly, be sure to be at the eastern gate in Moenia three days from now to meet us.”
Mr. Penna let go of Max and slapped the backside of the horse causing it to rear up. It dropped back on all fours then broke into a dead run for the opening in the camp wall. As he exited the camp he glanced behind him. Eve waved pitifully at him, her face bearing the same worry and uncertainty that he felt. He saw something else too, something he couldn't identify. Noticing his stare, she stopped waving, turning to Mr. Penna with her head lowered.
CHAPTER TEN.
Two hours of hard riding had begun to wear on both Max and his horse. Even though he had already fallen several lengths behind Tyco, he slowed the horse to a walk. Ahead of him, Tyco turned his horse as quickly as he could and trotted back in his direction. Max's shoulders sagged.
Now I've made him mad.
Looking intently at the ground, Tyco stopped his horse 20 yards short of Max. When Max reached them he bent over to see what had captured Tyco's interest. In the dust he saw a confused mess of hoof prints all around the trail. Farther out, he spotted a large number of prints leading away towards the north.
Tyco raised his head. ”It appears a group of bandits attacked our friends, causing them to split up. Most of the tracks lead north, but a few head towards the next camp. Whoever made for the camp will be riding even faster now. Come on, we need to keep moving if we intend to catch them.”
Max sat up straight. ”We're riding for the camp? What about whoever headed north?”
”Not our concern.”
”Not our concern? But, there's nothing out there. They could be in serious trouble!”
”Max, if we don't reach Moenia before the other riders, we'll be the ones in trouble.”
”I don't understand, Tyco. They didn't seem to mean us any harm. What's the danger?”
Tyco's hand tensed and relaxed repeatedly on the reins of the horse. ”Maxwell, the Children of the Immortals are not friends to the Protectors. They are never to be trusted. Their early departure this morning can only mean that they have ill intentions. I don't want us to find out the hard way what those intentions are, so get moving.”
Tyco turned the horse west and started down the trail. Max sat still, tracing the tracks north out of sight.
”Come, Maxwell!”
Tyco had stopped along the trail and now faced Max. ”When we reach the camp we can send guards back this way to look for the others.”
Max s.h.i.+fted uneasily on his horse. ”It will be dark by the time they get here. They won't be able to follow the trail.”
”Yet another reason for us to keep moving, Maxwell. If we go after them we will be caught out in the dark. We will all be lost. Now, for the last time, move!”
Max nudged the horse to move, but pulled on the right rein, steering the horse in a circle. What do I do? Tyco knows a lot more than I do, and I don't want to be caught out here in the dark either. But, I don't want to leave the others out here, especially Melody.
”Maxwell!”
Wouldn't dad try to help them? That's what always happens in the stories Mr. Penna and the villagers tell about him. I know Eve would go. Eve! What will she say if it's Melody that's out there and I don't try and help. She'd never forgive me.
Max sighed. I hope this doesn't mess up my chances of getting into the Protectors.
When the horse once again reached the tracks that led north, Max pulled him left, loosened the reins and kicked him forward. Behind and to the side he heard Tyco yell for him to stop. Max pushed the horse even faster, followed by a string of obscenities from Tyco that quickly faded from the growing distance.
The numerous footprints made the trail easy to follow allowing Max to keep the horse running as fast as he could. His mind racing with the possibilities of what might await him once he caught up.
Nearly an hour later, with the horse slowed to a weary trot, he entered into a narrow canyon. Rounding a corner, he found the bandits. Startled, Max jerked back on the reins, causing the horse to rear up. Max wrapped his arms around its neck to keep from sliding off. When the horse dropped back to all fours, he grabbed the reins and spun it around, leading it back behind the corner. Holding his breath, he stopped the horse and waited to see if anyone came after him.
A minute or two went by before Max convinced himself that the bandits had not seen him. He let his breath out in a gust.
That was stupid.
Max dismounted the horse, this time carefully sneaking up to the corner. With his nerves on end, he poked his head around. A hundred yards out, he counted the backs of at least fifteen bandits in a half circle facing towards the canyon wall. There, with her back pressed against the wall, stood Melody. Trapped, she was trying to inch her way towards a large crack to her left. Max scanned the rest of the area, but saw no sign of the diggers.
Turning his attention back to Melody, he tried to find what kept the bandits from attacking her. She kept one empty hand stretched out towards them and used the other to feel along the stone wall behind her. Yelling, one of the bandits threw a rock at her. To Max's surprise, it only made it a short distance before bouncing back, flying past the bandit who threw it.
Max focused in on the area a short distance in front of the bandits. He caught a s.h.i.+mmer in the air. Squinting as hard as he could, he made out a slight disturbance surrounding Melody ten feet out from her body. Max stood dumbstruck. He had never seen anything like it. As he watched in awe, Melody took a step sideways. The barrier flickered out for a brief second, prompting all of the bandits to throw rocks. Melody froze in place, the rocks bouncing off the renewed barrier. Max shook off the initial wonder at the spectacle, realizing he had to do something quickly before the barrier disappeared for good.
Max weighed his options. I could creep up from behind, taking as many of the bandits out as I can before they notice me. Ahh, but I'm horrible at sneaking, and I can only take one, maybe two, before they catch on and overwhelm me. Although, that might give Melody enough time to reach the cave.
I guess I could charge in and try to reach Melody before the bandits could react. I could protect us as we made our way to that crack. It looks about four feet wide. There, at least, the bandits would have to fight me one at a time. But, the bandits would eventually wear me down, not to mention I've only practiced fighting with Tyco. I haven't actually done it.
Wait! I know, I can try the trick Eve and I have done on occasion. Max studied the bandits surrounding Melody. ”Yep, that will have to be it.”
Max walked back to the horse, patting it on the shoulder. ”I hope you're ready for this.”
Max mounted the horse and led it back to the entrance of the canyon. Swinging the horse back around, he took a deep breath then let it out.
”Well, here goes.”
Max tightened his hold on the reins and gave the horse a hard kick to the sides. Startled, the horse bolted forward. Rounding the corner, Max steered the horse straight for Melody. A smile appeared on Max's face.
This is going to work.
A heartbeat later the smile faded away. The barrier! If I hit that...
Max shouted at the top of his lungs. ”Melody, the barrier!”
Melody jerked her head in his direction, along with all of the bandits. Dropping her hand, the barrier dissipated a split second before Max and the horse would have smashed into it. Ignoring the near miss, Max leaned left, reaching his hand down. Melody realized what Max had in mind and grabbed his wrist as he pa.s.sed by. In that moment, Max realized two other pieces of his plan that he had overlooked. One, Eve was lighter and much more agile than Melody. Two, he and Eve had practiced several times before getting the maneuver correct.