Rilen and Roran appeared from the shadows and moved toward me, each dressed in black from head to toe.
They stood on either side of me as Master Dorian entered through the door of the dining room.
Twisting his lip, he shook his head at the twins.
“Always have to be dramatic?”
“We’re protecting her from you,” Roran said. “Your temper has been off the charts, dear mate. She has no power.”
“So forgive us if we’re being dramatic, but she’s the Breaker of the Spine, and she needs to be protected.” Rilen nodded at his brother.
“Noble but useless. Let’s go. We need to see this if what you say is true.” Master Dorian motioned to the exit.
Rilen headed out but stopped right next to Dorian. “Keep your temper in check. We will defend her.”
Snorting, Master Dorian pointed him out of the room and motioned for me to follow at the same time.
With a deep sigh, I headed for the door behind Rilen. Roran and Master Dorian followed immediately behind us.
Four horses were waiting for us in the stables, and we quietly mounted up. We turned in a direction I didn’t expect. Out of the city, out toward the farms and forests surrounding the city.
We rode for nearly two hours at a not-quite-a-trot pace, and I figured we had covered two and a half leagues. It was all in silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.
Finally, Rilen pointed us off to the right, to a small road with a sign that said Dumorae. I knew it was a small town where the keeper for the nearby forest lived.
But we didn’t go all the way to the village.
Rilen turned left and pushed through a small thicket of what looked like blackberry bushes. It wasn’t when one brushed my hand.
They were silk. False leaves. Fake cover.
This was a secret trail.
A small glimmer of light lit the trail ahead of us, distinctly looking like something Rilen conjured. It was enough to light the way and low enough to the ground not to attract attention.
The horses continued for about ten minutes when Rilen brought us up. He hopped off and motioned for us to do the same.
Once again, on the left, was a false patch of foliage, this one of fern and rhododendron. We led the horses in and tied them to a tree.
Another path led away from the horses, and the light once again hugged the ground and showed us the way.
“Can you tell me what’s going on?” I whispered.
Roran spoke quietly from behind. “We found a splinter group of the rebels in the city. They’re far more subtle than the one who tried to kidnap you at the dance.”
Master Dorian’s voice carried from behind Roran. “I have not been here yet myself, but the twins tell me this is a viper’s nest.”
“So that’s why the sword?”
“Your sword, yes,” Roran said. “We will only call ours if we need them. You don’t have enough power to do that, and no one has shown you. Best to have it on you.”
Yet another jab to my powerlessness.
I let it go. None of the three of them had scowled at me since we’d left the temple dorm. I took the trade-off.
In the distance, I could see the flicker of a campfire, and a few moments later, the crackle of wood and a lot of male laughter.
Rilen extinguished his light, and I knew we had to watch our step. Even though they were loud, we didn’t want to startle them.
