Six Will Stand (First Draft)

Chapter 29

Josh.

Josh sat bolt upright in bed in a cold sweat.  What now?

Come find me.  I have something you want.

Josh rolled his eyes.  He knew he couldn't ignore the voice, but he really wanted to at the moment.  He wanted to actually get a decent night's sleep.  Where?

In the alley near the blacksmiths' shop.

What, are you trying to be creepy?

There was a slight pause.  Then, A little.

Sighing, Josh threw off the covers and got out of bed, strapping his scabbard to his side.  Even though he had plenty of weapons on his person, he always wanted his trusted sword with him.  As he was about to leave, he heard his brother say, "Where on earth are you going at this hour?  It's after midnight."

Josh stopped walking, hesitating for a moment before replying.  "Out."

Caleb rolled over to face his brother.  "You're not going to tell me?"

"No," Josh said slowly.

After a short moment, Caleb shrugged.  "Whatever.  Wake me if you need me."  With that, he turned over and quickly fell back asleep.

Josh bit his lip, but continued toward the door.  He was glad of his brother's trust in him, but sometimes Caleb could seem a bit...well...unconcerned.  Then again, the boy was still recovering from an unwind spell, so Josh had to cut him some slack.

Josh quietly crept out of the house, careful not to make any noise and wake anyone up.  Dalgon had informed the twins about Manaki's little show earlier, and Josh had to admit that he was nervous about what Manaki might have said.  And if the others believed it.  Nevertheless, he had to push that out of his mind for now.  He had no idea what to expect, so he should most definitely be on his guard.

As Josh wandered through the deserted streets of Sina, the torches were his only light to walk by, and the city was dimly lit and eerily silent.  The cobblestone path beneath his feet was well worn, constantly trampled by horses, carriages, and even just people.  Josh inhaled, and he could smell the sweet aroma of the bakery, the scent of burning iron from Erin and Myst's blacksmith shop, and the fragrance of flowers and greenery from the front of every house and store.

Josh smiled slightly, as his boots made clicking sounds on the cobblestone.  Memories flooded back to him.  He may have only lived here for two years, but considering he never really stayed in one place for over a month, it was a significant two years.  Some of his old friends were travelers like him, now, so he didn't see them very often.  Others, like Myst and Erin, had taken up their parents' businesses and now ran shops of their own.  Some had packed up and moved to other cities, both as close to Village Rose to as far as Jiwalti, the other side of Kanar.

Sighing, Josh turned and continued walking.  He needed to clear his head.  Again.  Fai might've thought stress wasn't hard to handle, but his life didn't depend on protecting one of the three most wanted dead in Kanar right now.  Or for the last fifteen years. 

Josh, Caleb, and Riv had always playfully speculated on why three teenagers were charged with the most powerful charges in Kanar, but they all knew the truth.  They weren't idiots.  If kids with the blessing of both Ilya weren't fighting on your side, you wanted them dead.  Period.  No one had expected the three to live at all, much less for fourteen or sixteen years.

"So, you decided to show up, huh, Joshua?"

Josh groaned inwardly at the sound of that voice.  He knew that voice well.  "Gale?"