Towers [BOOK ONE]

Chapter Ten

The four of us sat in a circle around the hypnotic campfire, our faces bathed in its warm glow. Crickets sang into the darkness, their soft, shrill voices echoing over the thin sheet of snow that blanketing the ground. We had traveled a day and a night, and now the Middling Mountains were before us--an ominous, majestic, mist-shrouded presence that promised dangers to come.

A lonely wind blew, ruffling the flames and stirring my hair. Channing's scarf ends fluttered.

Lily's heavy sigh broke the silence.

Channing turned to her. "So," he said. "You mentioned that you were good at dancing."

Nodding, Lily replied, "Yes. And I can prove it!" She stood. "Come on, dance with me."

I burst out laughing at Channing's stricken, confused expression.

"Wh-what?" he stammered, paling.

She stood, gesturing impatiently. "Up. You can dance, can't you?"

"Of course not!"

"I can teach you. Up!"

He stood.

"That's better." She took his hands, lacing her fingers with his. "It's easy. Just follow my movements. Bird! Could you sing something?"

"Gladly."

I began, softly at first, then gradually louder. My voice was like a ray of moonlight, high and clear, ringing through the darkness as I sang a song of shadow and sunrise and springtime and rain.

Lily led Channing, laughing sweetly whenever he tripped on her feet or she on his. She skipped on her toes, hair flouncing, looking as graceful and carefree as a fairy maiden. Channing, on the other hand, was hardly elegant as he did his best to match her flowing movements, but somehow it felt right. Their faces were happy.

Emmy clapped her hands in time to the music, and I sang rhyme after rhyme, my words echoing softly into the darkness.

~~~

I was jolted awake by the sound of Lily shouting.

I sat up, as did Channing and Emmy. It took only a moment for me to spot Lily standing with her fists raised, facing away from our camp. I gasped; a dark silhouette, veiled by the early morning gloom, stood before her.

What was going on?

"Who are you?" Lily demanded. "Why have you been following us?"

Chills traced cold paths down my arms. The three of us stood.

"Answer me!" She narrowed her eyes. "Don't make me fight you. And yes, I can, I've got two older brothers and they've taught me to be the fiercest girl in our village!"

No, Lily, no, I thought desperately. She might have been brave, but there was no way she could find this mysterious enemy. What if he harmed her--or worse? My eyes darted to side; should we make a run for it? Was that even possible?

The stranger took a step forward. "Don't worry," he said in a dark, muffled voice. "I'm...a friend."

"Prove it!" Lily yelled.

The man raised his hand, and for one terrible moment I thought he would strike her. But he was only pulling off the scarf he wore. He tossed it aside, then looked at Channing. "Really, brother? Am I that forgettable?"

Channing's jaw dropped. Without the scarf, the stranger's voice was now recognizable. "Caleb?"

"Who did you think it was? Of course it's me!"

Relief overwhelmed me. I rushed to him and hugged him tight. "You're the one who's been following us?" Thank goodness.

"Indeed I have, blue jay," he said, ruffling my hair. "I almost didn't survive the Sea of Sorrows. Had to throw the boatman into the water--he tried to drown me."

Lily put her hands on her hips, tapping her foot. "Who is this, exactly?"

Channing grinned. "This," he replied, "is my older brother, Caleb. We're trying to save Dessa--the girl he's courting."

Recognition crossed Lily's face. "Wait. Caleb? You told me about him, Bird, and how he hid in a tree for three days or something."

Caleb gave me a disapproving look. I smiled innocently and shrugged.

"Why did you follow us?" asked Channing.

"Come now, you didn't honestly think I'd let you march off to save my Dessa on your own?" He rolled his eyes, smiling wryly. "Never."

I had never been so happy in my entire life.

Lily clapped once, sharply, as if coming to a decision. "Very well then. The four companions shall become five." Her eyes sparkled, and she swept a hand through the air, suddenly fascinated by a whimsical thought. "Caleb, the dashing warrior; Bird, the lovely songstress; Emmy, the runaway princess; Channing, the noble knight; and Lady Lily, their legendary leader. Fearless, bold, and true, the far-famed adventurers embark on a desperate quest--not only for love, but for life, for liberty, for justice, and for the good of everyone in the land."

She was surprisingly poetic with her words. They came naturally, each dramatic phrase flowing smoothly and seamlessly into the next. Never once did she stutter. I could easily picture her as a wandering wordsmith or storyteller.

Dropping the theatric voice, Lily clasped her hands behind her back and smiled. "Sir Caleb, I should hope that your manners are good, because we lack them utterly."

Caleb smirked. "I invented bad manners."

"Did you, now?" Lily rolled her eyes. "I'll argue with you about that later. In the meantime, the night is growing old, and we'd best be off, unless we wish to waste any more time."

None of us did. "I won't be able to sleep," I told them, "not after a fright like that."

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Bird," Emmy confessed.

"Then it is decided. We shall be off ere daybreak." Lily's eyes sparkled mysteriously as she let her voice fall to an ominous, ghostly tone. "The Middling Mountains await."