Page 42 of Keeper of the Word
After a day’s search,they’d found clues. Tolvar hadn’t slept in two days; he didn’t need sleep, he told himself. He had his clues. They’d found a trail of bootprints and the remnants of two camps. The fatigue was worth it.
“These could be anyone’s camps, sir,” Joss had argued, but she was wrong. Tolvar knew it was Crevan and about seven men, he’d theorized. Crevan’s group was following them. At least, they had been. It seemed their trail headed east, now, away from them.
“Lord Wolf, what are we doing?” Hux questioned while Tolvar searched through what was left of the second camp, hunting for more clues. “We are now behind an entire day’s travel. I thought it was imperative that we return to that boring excuse for a capital. Save the world and all that.”
“We must find him, Hux. You saw what happened to Elanna. We have to protect her. And that man who attacked her said there was a great scheme. I’ll not have Crevan out there planning some new evil. Who knows what he conspires this time?”
“We do not actually have proof he’s alive,” Hux said. “Elanna could have misheard or remembered it wrong. Someone else could fancy himself a fox.”
The term “fox” was the most important clue of all. Crevan had attempted to hide it but had harbored jealousy that Tolvar had been granted a knight’s title and he had not. But years ago, he’d offered a joke between the two brothers that since Tolvar was the Wolf, then Crevan, with his red hair and slouchier build, would coin himself “the Fox.”
“Nay. Nay, 'tis Crevan.” Tolvar sniffed some half-burnt leaves from an old cookfire. “Besides, you heard Elanna last night say what she recalled. SheSawhim. A red-headed man with a scar.”
“Because he’s the only man in the realm with red hair?” Hux smirked. “Ormayhap ’tis someone else. She knows not what Crevan looked like.And,though it pains me to be the voice of reason, I might point out she also shared the warning from thestars—Do they always speak in riddles? —to stay on the path or find doom or something poetic like that.”
Tolvar was not listening. Couldn’t listen. Crevan was out there, and hewouldstop him this time before more people got hurt, or worse. Elanna might always carry scars from that terrible night. The thought made his chest tighten. He continued rummaging through the bleak remains of the camp.
“Damn it, Tolvar, I ne’er wish to give reason a tone, but you’re acting crazed.”
“If we leave in one hour’s time and ride hard, we may be able to catch up to them.” Tolvar studied a handful of dirt mixed with ash. “This is last night’s camp.”
Hux folded his arms. “You’re pledged to take Elanna to Asalle.”
“And I will. After I track and kill Crevan.”
“Take it from me. A man obsessed with rage and revenge turns toward dark paths.”
Tolvar snorted. “I worry not that I’ll turn to a life of thievery, Ravyn.”
Hux gave a sad smile. “I’m afraid that when filled with rage, we often lack control to make better choices.”
Tolvar scanned the eastern horizon. “We’ll leave Elanna with Joss and seven others. You and I and the rest will ride upon the hour.”
“See what I mean? You leave Elanna guarded with only half our force. What sort of decision is that? What if this is a trap?”
“Youwouldknow about such notions,” Tolvar scoffed, referring to the episode in which Hux had Sloane kidnapped. He peered through a spyglass he removed from his satchel.
“But what if? I shall stay with Elanna.”
“Be my guest, Ravyn. And ’tis not a trap. I can see the dust of their steeds.”
Chapter
Seventeen
TOLVAR
’Twas not a trap. In fact, ’twas nothing.
Despite that, when they rode into yet another abandoned camp, Tolvar ordered his men to search for signs of direction. Nothing. They combed the area. Nothing.
Nothing, except more bootprints. One was definitely Crevan’s size. And a few scraps of walnuts. Crevan’s favorite.
Who is the sly one now?
“M’lord, ’tis been two hours now,” Gus broached later. “We should return soon before it grows darker.”
’Tis after dusk already?
