Part 11 (1/2)
”It is not like you to sleep so late. The sun has already risen.”
Eve, still not fully awake, only mumbled. ”Sorry, Mr. Penna.”
”Rough night I presume?”
Eve's tail found its way into her hands. ”Y-Yeah. I was worried about Max and couldn't sleep.”
”Is that it? I thought perhaps you stayed up all night gallivanting about or some such silly thing.”
Eve tightened the grip on her tail, keeping quiet. Mr. Penna looked at her expectantly for several seconds then gave up.
”Well then, if that is what is troubling you, the sooner we get moving the sooner you will see him.” He bent over and held his hand out to her. ”Now then, let us get you some breakfast and be on our way.”
”Kay.”
Eve, finally awake, let go of her tail to take hold of Mr. Penna's hand. He pulled her up with ease. On her feet, Eve pointed at the stick in Mr. Penna's hand.
”Please don't poke me like that again. You scared me. I might have hurt you.”
Mr. Penna gave a hardy chuckle.
”I-I'm serious.”
Mr. Penna laughed harder. ”I am not poking fun at you, Evangeline. I know very well what you can do. This pole used to be twice as long.”
Eve's eyes widened. ”I'm sorry.”
Mr. Penna scratched at his chin. ”How does that old saying go? Oh yes. Let sleeping dogs lie or in time of need and dealing with a lacarnian,” Mr. Penna held the pole vertical, ”use a really long stick.'”
Eve now shared in Mr. Penna's laughter. ”I don't remember hearing that last part before.”
”That, my dear, is why I am the teacher. Now, enough of this silliness. Grab some breakfast and let us be on our way.”
Eve had breakfast while Mr. Penna packed the horses, leaving for the next camp as soon as they finished. They maintained an easy pace for most of the day. Eve even let Spook out of her pocket so the mouse could play atop Starlight. Late in the afternoon they came across a large disturbance on the trail. Mr. Penna studied the area.
”It seems a bit of commotion took place here recently. A run in with bandits perhaps? A large number of hoof prints lead North. Evangeline, are you able to detect any scents with that keen nose of yours? I wonder if these tracks had anything to do with our friends.”
”Maybe.”
Eve walked around the tracks in an ever-expanding arc. Should I tell Mr. Penna about last night? What if he gets mad at me, or worse, hates me for it? I can't tell him, not yet.
After a few minutes she walked back over to Mr. Penna. ”I can definitely smell Max and Tyco. I think I detected a hint of the diggers and Melody as well. Maybe two other groups. One in particular left a rather foul odor.”
”Can you tell who went where?”
”Umm, Max and Melody, and at least one of the diggers, went north followed by the group with the foul odor. The other group, which smelled like the other guards we've met, went after them. The guards, Max and Melody returned and headed on to the next camp. Tyco never went north, he kept to the main trail.”
Mr. Penna smiled oddly. ”Is that so? That is quite a nose you have Evangeline.”
Eve took her tail in her hands and looked down at her feet. Uh oh, too much.
She poked at a few pebbles with her toe. ”Well, some of the scents were layered so I only a.s.sumed they left and came back. M-most of it I just kind of guessed at.”
”Uh huh. Well, at least we do not have to worry about making any detours. Shall we be on our way then?”
Eve released her tail in relief. ”Definitely!”
Without another word, Eve took off at a run to the west. Mr. Penna took Starlight's reins and followed after her. They reached the next camp in the early evening. Before Mr. Penna could stop her, Eve ran straight to and inside the guardhouse, speaking rapidly to the first guard she found.
”Did any other travelers come from the eastern camp yesterday or this morning?”
The guard responded crossly. ”Where's your owner, lacarna?”
Eve started to get frustrated. ”That's who I'm looking for. He got ahead of us and should have pa.s.sed through here already. Have you seen anyone?”
The guard turned to another guard sitting in a corner. ”Marcus, detain this lacarna. She is without her owner.”
The guard in the corner stood and moved towards Eve to grab her arm. Eve jerked away in anger. ”No, wait, that's who I'm trying to find.”
Mr. Penna stepped into the guardhouse. ”Good evening, gentlemen. The lacarna is with me.”
”Do you have her papers?”
”No. I am not her owner. We were separated. The rest of our party should have already come this way. In fact, we think some of the guards from here might have run across them on the trail. His name is Maxwell Laskaris. He may have been with an acolyte and some diggers. Possibly another man by the name of Tyco.”
The guard relaxed. ”Ah, you must be Mr. Penna. One of the diggers never showed, but the rest of your party has been through here. Lt. Biros left yesterday. The rest left early this morning. They mentioned that you would be coming along.”
Eve calmed herself. ”Then Max did arrive safely?”
The guard ignored her. Speaking only to Mr. Penna he relayed the events from the past couple of days. By the time he had finished, Eve had grown very anxious.
”Mr. Penna, if we leave tonight we can catch them before they leave the final camp in the morning.”
The guard still did not face Eve. ”I'm afraid I cannot let you or any traveler leave until morning. We are under strict orders from Sergeant Kallis.”
Eve started to get angry again. ”What do you mean you can't let us leave?”
Growing tired of her outbursts, the guard faced Eve. ”The road is too dangerous. Between the bandit attack and the rumors of a lacarath it would be crazy to travel at night.”
”I can smell the bandits long before they could ever see us and the lacarath attack happened far northeast of here.”
The guard, losing his temper, moved towards Eve, but Mr. Penna stepped between them. ”I can a.s.sure you we plan on following your directive to wait until morning.”
”But, Mr. Penna.”
Mr. Penna turned, his gaze boring into Eve. ”No, Evangeline.”