A Shifter's Tale

Crossing Paths

~49~

I awoke mid-morning the following day and found Mystery waiting for me on the stairs. His eyes were beginning to darken again but I did not feel like being a donor anymore. He would have to prey on some other unsuspecting victim.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked pleasantly as he accompanied me back to the ground floor.

“Very much so,” I replied politely.

Hunter was sitting at the table opposite Anthreft when we entered, both eating platefuls of food. A third plate of bread was waiting for me beside them and I sat down to eat after a quick greeting. Hunter appeared to be in good spirits; he looked healthier and the gleam had returned to his amber eyes. His ripped tunic had been replaced with a black shirt and he no longer appeared so thin.

“Do you have a plan to return to the Academy?” Anthreft asked me.

“Prince Dalines is waiting for us on the other side of the mountains,” I told him. “He will escort us as far as the bridge and give us permission to pass. One of the watchmen at the Severn is a friend of the Academy and will help us cross.”

Anthreft nodded thoughtfully and finished his breakfast before standing and taking the now empty plates into the kitchen. I glanced up at Hunter and he grinned down at me. I was glad that he appeared to be in good spirits.

Anthreft returned a moment later with two scrolls, placing one on his lap and spread the other across the wonky table, using our cups to keep the edges from rolling back up. Mystery stepped up and peered at the paper over our shoulders; we were looking at a detailed map of The Peek. Anthreft pointed to a dot on the paper that was labelled Meirall.

“There are no roads connecting this village to the pass, nor the pass to Caduin,” he said. “Do you know why that is?”

It was Hunter who answered. “Because beyond the range there is nothing. At least, it was rumoured to be wasteland.”

“This land is not ruled by anyone, that’s why it isn’t marked on any map,” Anthreft added. “The Princes rule the west side of The Peek and the rest belongs to the Council, except this half of the island. Even I can’t say why, but my guess is that the range makes it easy to defend.”

I scanned the map, counting the number of settlements marked on the land beyond the mountain range. Villages were numerous along the coast and just two cities existed; one directly south of Meirall and the other to the far west, nestled in the centre of a large forest. An army could be gathered from the inhabitants with ease.

“If that were so,” Mystery pointed out, “each of the islands would be just as easy to defend. The bridges limit the rate of a charge, surely?”

“Aye, but the mountains also limit the use of arrows,” Anthreft told him. “But you’re right; the bridges should have made it easier to defend. I can’t tell you exactly why this portion of land has been left free of rule; perhaps the Council believe it’s nothing but wasteland.”

“But that doesn’t explain why the Prince does not claim the land for himself,” Hunter said.

“Not, it does not,” Anthreft agreed, but said nothing more.

Hunter changed the subject. “We just need to head south to reach the pass,” he said, tracing the imaginary path on the map with his finger. “And then head west to Caduin and we can-”

“No, stay away from the villages,” Anthreft interrupted sharply. “Villages are easy to monitor and you never know when a Breeder may show up. You will be safer in the confines of cities and citadels, but I would keep away from them too, when you can. Only enter a settlement when you are in dire need of food.”