Brix looked as if all the air in his body left. His shoulders sagged, and his head hung to his chest.
Camilla placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, Brix. They would have found out sooner or later. What difference does it make?”
“None at all,” Robin confirmed. “Except that, it gives us a time to run. A head start. We’re rested and leaving now. It’ll be light soon, and we can travel slowly until then.”
“What if they traveled all night?” Camilla asked, glancing over her shoulder.
“We can always hope,” Robin said with a smile. “If so, they’ll be too tired to keep up with us today.”
Brix attempted a smile and failed. He looked at Robin. “You’ve never told us where we’re going.”
“Remember seeing Bear Mountain? The one with the white peak? Just to the south of it is a small pass no one knows about. There are no roads and no trails, but my man from long ago told me about it.”
“So we go searching for that pass as fast as we can. What then? The King’s men will just follow our tracks.” Camilla stated, as she started rolling her bedroll into a tight bundle and tying the rope around both ends. “They’ll catch up with us one day. We should set a trap.”
Robin placed the sling for her bedroll over her shoulder and said, “Listen to me. Both of you. I just said too much. Forget what I said about that pass. It’s a secret only a few know, and I shouldn’t have said anything. If we’re captured, our story is that we were going to climb the north side of the mountain.”
“Why would we do that?” Camilla asked.
Robin smiled in the faint light. “Because we will all tell them there are dragons roosting up there. We were taking you there to choose a dragon of your own.”
“That’s crazy!” Camilla snorted. “Dragons like to be warm.”
“Up there is where the volcano has so much heat it melts rocks. The dragons love it there. When you tell a lie, tell a big one if you want it to be believed. If we all stick to that story, we’ll be fine. Now, let’s get our feet moving.”
Brix fell in last. “Is it all about dragons?”
Robin answered, “No. Dragons are just like any other animals. Each has its place in the world. Sheep, horses, goats, even mice all have a purpose, and they don’t decide what is right or wrong. They just exist. Men are what it’s all about, Brix. Men. Some good, some evil, and most are just like the animals—they have a purpose and live for reasons they don’t decide.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Your father is a spinner of ropes and twines. What did his father do before his heart gave out a few years ago?”
Brix said, “He was a spinner, too. A good one.”
“Was that good or bad?”
Brix marched along a few steps before answering. “Neither.”
“Exactly. Your grandfather was a good spinner in life, but his position in the world was not bad or good. He may have done some good things, and he might have done some bad. But overall, he was just living his life as ordained, like any bird, fish, or cow. The only difference is a man can decide to be good or bad.”
Brix stumbled along in the darkness before speaking again. “I think I see. And you’re telling us to lie about the dragons on the mountain to keep us from telling them about where we’re really going. But that has me wondering. Where are we really going and why?”
Robin called over her shoulder, “Those are questions I’ve been trying to keep from you and for now; it suits my purpose of keeping it that way. If things work out as I hope, we’ll all know those answers in a day or two. If I’m wrong, there are other options.”
“But you won’t tell us,” Brix persisted.
“I have never liked people who give up too easily, nor do I like those that never give up. Which are you going to be, Brix?”
Camilla laughed at Robin’s response and said, “The sun is coming up. The stars are already fading.”
Robin said, “Right you are, little girl. Now we’re going to see what the two of you are made of. I suspect the King’s men are close behind us, and believe me when I tell you that none of us wants them catching up with us.”
The words chilled Camilla. She picked up her pace until she stepped almost on Robin’s heels. Robin smiled at her as she increased her pace, with another glance at Brix.
Robin never slowed as she led the way up the side of one pine covered hillside and down the other. The path had long ago faded into nothing, but around mid-morning, they stumbled on another leading roughly in the right direction. When crossing a stream, they paused long enough to scoop water into their mouths, then jogged to catch up again. Each of them ate from their stores in their bedrolls. Camilla passed apples to them.
There was no time for breaks or talking. Robin kept an eye on them, urging them to move faster a few times.
As they climbed the slope of another small mountain, Camilla pulled to an abrupt halt. Brix almost ran into her from behind.
Robin turned. “What is it, child?”
“My back itches.”
“You feel it?” Robin asked.
“Think of it like spiders walking all over my mark. An itch I can’t reach to scratch.”
Brix had listened to them talking and said nothing. He glanced behind them a time or two, as if fearful the King’s men were right behind, and checked the sky. He saw a red dragon so high it was hidden by clouds, part of the time. “Is that what you’re talking about?”
“Yes,” Camilla said, not sure of what else to reveal, but feeling guilty for not telling Brix everything. The dragon continued on its way, flying with long, easy flaps of its wings. It flew out of sight.
“You knew it was there before you saw it?”
“Yes.”
“Can you tell it what to do?” Brix asked, seemingly accepting her word without question.
“I know nothing about dragons or what I can or cannot do. I know my mark tells me if a red dragon is near, and I know it hurts if there is a danger. I think.”
Robin said, “Camilla, keep moving. If you have anything to add, do it while we’re walking, unless we’re in trouble.”
Brix fell into line and tried to keep up as they crossed an area with a shallow swamp that smelled of sulfur. “What if a black dragon or a green one is close to where you are?”
“I’m just like you,” Camilla said. “I feel nothing.”
“Not like me. You’re special. What happens if you tell a red dragon that is flying past you to turn left? Does it do it?”
Camilla thought about it before answering. “I never tried. What do you want me to do, stand out in the open with a red dragon above and shout for it to turn while hoping it doesn’t eat me?”
Robin snorted a laugh. “I like your attitude, but Brix is making a good point. If you ‘feel’ a red dragon, can it also ‘feel’ you?”
“How am I supposed to know that? But I’m getting the feeling you know more than you’re saying,” Camilla huffed as she tried to keep up with the older woman. Shouldn’t Robin be the one lagging behind? She’s old.
A few steps further and Robin said, “There are things I know, or have been told. Some may be true, but there’s no use speculating right now. You’ll learn all you want in a short while, and maybe some you don’t want to know.”
Camilla’s spirits lifted. For the first time in memory, she walked with friends. They were trying to protect her and help her escape. The two of them could probably slip back to Nettleton, and avoid any punishment and live as they had before, yet they stayed with her. It felt good.
Then it didn’t. They risked their lives for her and what had she done for them? Endangered them as if they owed her their lives. The more she thought, the more she realized how selfish she had become with her only two friends. Should I run away from them?