“Yes,” Lyra sighed, regaining her composure. “It is hard to imagine such beauty. The city seems so small from up here.”
“Indeed, it will be impossible to spot Antello from this distance,” Syman agreed. “I am going to walk up the trail a bit and see if I can tell how far we have to go up before it starts back down. We might be better to turn around and take our original trail back to the road. I am sure that whoever had the campfire last night is long gone.”
Lyra nodded as Syman left and returned to gazing at the vista before her. The people of the city were rousing from their night’s slumber and she watched them move busily about like tiny ants. The sun’s reflection off the buildings kept moving ever so slightly and the people and horses flitted from light to dark as they traversed the streets. Somewhere down there is Antello she realized, suddenly afraid for him. What was it that spooked him so? Was he in danger or did he sense danger for Lyra? A sense of darkness fell over her just as the shadow of a cloud fell over Gatong and she knew that they must hurry to meet Antello, or perhaps, rescue him.
Syman returned at a run and Lyra turned to meet him.
“We stopped just short of the summit,” Syman panted, “and the watchtower that sits upon it. It is crawling with Imperial Guards.”
“Is that bad?” questioned Lyra. “I mean why should we be afraid of Imperial Guards? They will protect us from the raiders at least.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” offered Syman. “Antello is no fool and he obviously did not want us to pass the Imperial Guards at the gate. I do not pretend to understand what is going on, but I think we should avoid everybody until we talk with Antello and that includes the Imperial Guard. There is no way past them other than returning the way we came and that is what we are going to do.”
Lyra looked deeply into Syman’s eyes trying to read whether it was fear or concern that lurked within them. Finally, realizing that his caution was probably well founded, she shrugged and went to pack the horses for the trip back down the mountain.
The journey down the trail was quicker in the daylight than it had been the night before and within a couple of hours, they were past the site of the campfire and approaching the road south of Gatong. Mindful of the watchtower atop the mountain, Syman found a concealed waiting place that offered a good view of the road and they settled in to wait for Antello to come out the gate.
A couple of hours passed before they finally saw Antello and when they did, he was not coming from the city, but from the south. Quickly, they mounted and made for the road, turning south when they reached it. Syman and Antello ignored each other as they passed on the road, and Syman and Lyra continued south until the city was out of sight. Syman dropped a shiny coin on the ground and led Lyra into the woods until they found a small clearing. There they waited for Antello to show up and they did not have to wait long.
“I thought I would never find you,” greeted Antello. “That was my fourth run over the road this morning and I really didn’t want to have to do it again.”
“Sorry,” apologized Syman, “we had trouble finding a safe way around the city. What is the matter with us entering Gatong? Did Walak get to speak with the Imperial Guard about the raiders?”
“Oh he got to talk with them alright,” frowned Antello. “He was already talking to them by the time I reached the gate. When they found out he was from the Academy, they dragged him off to be interrogated.”
“Well that is what he wanted,” interjected Lyra. “I don’t see why that bothered you so much. It makes sense that they would want to investigate such a massacre.”
“No, no, no,” Antello shook his head. “They already knew about the massacre. They were taking him into custody as an accomplice. “
“An accomplice?” Lyra scowled. “Whatever would make them think he was an accomplice?”
“Whoa,” interrupted Syman. “You are not making sense, Antello. Start from the beginning and go slowly. Tell us everything that happened.”
“I am trying to,” sighed Antello. “Okay, when I got to the gate, Walak was off his horse and talking to the Imperial Guards. He appeared to be arguing and they dragged him off right before my eyes. Nobody paid any attention to me riding in and I immediately dismounted and went to the first street merchant I saw. I asked her what the commotion was about and she started telling me about the terrible massacre at the Academy. When I asked her if the person they dragged off was one of the raiders, she told me that he had just admitted to leaving the Academy with the killer and that he was arrested.”
Lyra started to interrupt and Antello held his hand up to stop her. “I asked her what she meant and she pointed to a poster on the backside of the gate. She told me that Walak had just admitted to leaving the Academy with the terrible killer who was pictured on the poster. The picture was of you, Lyra. You are wanted for the massacre at the Academy.”
“Wha…at?” Lyra stuttered. “You can’t be serious, Antello. How can they think a young girl killed all those people?”
“And how did they get a picture of you?” questioned Syman. “Think about it for a moment. The raiders are searching high and low for you, Lyra. By making up some story about the young female wizard who blew everyone away with her magic, they now have the Imperial Guard hunting for you.”
“Precisely,” Antello continued. “That was why I signaled you to get away from the city. After I warned you, I spent the night trying to find out more information. I thought at first that Walak would set them straight and they would take down the poster. Instead, it appears as if Walak told them everything he knew about your plans. The docks were swarming with Imperial Guards asking if you or anyone who looked like Syman or me had inquired about passage. I started keeping to the shadows after that. Thankfully, Walak’s description of us would fit a lot of people. I hung around a tavern next to the south gate for most of the night and tried to listen to any talk from the Imperial Guards. I didn’t learn much more except that a runner was sent out with the poster to every town between here and Alamar.”
“So they even know where I am headed,” stated Lyra. “Walak has certainly been a big help to the raiders. There is no way we can get to Alamar through the raiders and the Imperial Guard. I might as well give myself up and explain what really happened.”
“No,” shouted Syman. “That is pure foolishness. Don’t you see it yet? The Imperial Guard cannot protect you from the raiders. Do not underestimate their reach. They would not have arranged for the Imperial Guard to hunt you if they did not already have a way to get you from the Imperial Guard. They have thought this through very cleverly. The Imperial Guard would have to transport you to the capital and the raiders would think nothing of ambushing the Imperial Guard to get you in their hands. They want you very badly and they will stop at nothing to get you. Turning yourself in would be the same as slitting your own throat.”
“I agree,” added Antello. “We will find a way to get to Alamar. At least we know enough to avoid the Imperial Guard now. We might have gone straight to them if we had not found out about the poster. Syman and I will get you there like we promised Rhodella. I know we can do it.”
Lyra hugged them both and cried. Maybe with friends like Syman and Antello she could make it, but she wasn’t sharing information with anyone else again.
Chapter 5
Temiker
The old man stood in the shadows of his darkened home and peered out of the windows. He watched as another black shape flitted from tree to tree, outlined by only the light from the night stars. The city was long dark and the residents lay in various stages of slumber, awaiting the dawn to trudge onward to their daily tasks. Not so with Temiker, for he was accustomed to the nighttime hours. In fact, it was during the lonely stillness of the night that Temiker’s bursts of inspiration arose out of the silence. If it were not for his students at the magic school he founded, Temiker would sleep the day through and arise at dusk as the night owl he felt himself to be.