Adventurers Wanted, Book 4: Sands of Nezza (13 page)

“Telling stories, Skeld?” Alex asked as he and Rallian walked back into the camp a few hours later.

“He was pressed into it,” said Virgil, getting to his feet and bowing to Alex.

“Our friends wanted to know more about you,” said Skeld. “You don’t need to worry; I’ve left out the best parts.”

“Then I fear your storytelling has been long and boring.” Alex laughed.

“Long, but not boring,” said Virgil. “I appreciate the time and the privacy you granted us, Master Taylor. We have discussed the matter at length, and there is one matter that remains unsettled between us. You have given aid to our company when it was most needed. We are in your debt and would offer you payment for your kindness.”

“As you wish,” said Alex, bowing to Virgil. “Such payment is customary between adventurers, Rallian. You don’t need to look so concerned.”

Rallian nodded and took a seat beside the fire.

“Master Taylor,” Virgil began, “as leader of this company, I offer you one half of all rewards we may receive for this adventure. Further, though we have not found any treasure yet, I will add one half of any secondary treasure we might gather on this adventure. Lastly, we have decided that each member of this company will make an additional payment to you. These payments will be a private matter between you and each of us. Are these terms acceptable to you?”

“You are most generous,” said Alex, bowing to Virgil and the rest of the company. “Perhaps too generous. I cannot accept. Instead, I will ask one quarter of any rewards your company receives for Rallian’s rescue, and only an equal share in any secondary treasure gathered. As for any additional payments, I will discuss them with each of you as time permits. Are my terms acceptable to you?”

“Now you are too generous,” said Virgil. “You have saved our lives and rescued the prince. Surely, one half of our promised reward is a small thing compared to what we owe you.”

Alex looked around at the company. “Very well. I see your minds are made up on this point. I will accept one half of all rewards. But I will insist on only an equal share in any secondary treasure—no more. Anything more, I will discuss with each of you as time allows.”

“Agreed,” said Virgil, looking relieved.

“I told you he would try to get out of it,” Skeld said to Virgil.

Alex hadn’t really expected to make any money on this adventure because he hadn’t signed an adventurer’s bargain or agreed to follow Virgil as the company’s leader. He was only here because Skeld had needed his help. Now he was deeply involved in a new adventure—an adventure that none of his new friends were aware of.

“Prince Rallian,” Virgil said, turning to face the prince. “We were hired by Lord Talbot to search for you. He and some of the other lords of the north wanted to know if you were still alive. I believe our duty now is to take you to Lord Talbot.”

“I see,” said Rallian thoughtfully. “And if I choose not to go north to Lord Talbot at this time?”

“We will not force you to travel with us,” said Virgil, his eyes moving from the prince to Alex and back again. “We only ask that you accompany us. If you wish to go elsewhere, we will do what we can to assist you.”

“Master Taylor has advised me to seek Tempe the oracle,” said Rallian. “I think his advice is good. As he will also be traveling in that direction, I would ask that you and your company join us in our visit to the oracle. Once that is done, I will be in a better position to decide my future.”

“Master Taylor is wise,” said Virgil. “We will travel with you to the oracle. If, after your visit, you wish to go north to Lord Talbot, we will be happy to accompany you there. If you wish to go some other way, then we will do all that we can for you.”

“You are most kind,” said Rallian, bowing.

With their plans made, Dain began cooking their midday meal. Alex took a seat beside Skeld, intending to ask him what stories he’d been telling. He didn’t get a chance because the rest of the group started asking him questions about his first adventure as soon as he sat down. As it turned out, Skeld had told the majority of the story but had left out a great many details. Alex found himself retelling the story almost from the beginning.

When it was almost time for their evening meal, Alex had only gotten as far as the bandit attack that he and his friends had faced in Vargland. He was starting to lose his voice and said he would have to finish the story another time. Normally, it wouldn’t have taken so long to tell the story, but everybody kept interrupting and asking him questions.

“You have met elves, then?” Rallian questioned, a look of wonder on his face. “They are real and live in other lands?”

“Yes,” said Alex. “Are there no elves in Nezza?”

“We only have stories of them,” said Rallian. “But like many things here, they are stories for children. They say the elves live in the mountains of the far north and in the far west, beyond the desert. I’ve always hoped the stories were true, but I’ve never heard of anyone seeing an elf in Nezza.”

“Elves are hard to see unless they wish to be seen,” Dain said. “With all the wars in Nezza, I am not surprised that no one has seen an elf for many a long year.”

“There is little magic of any kind in Nezza,” said Alex.

“True enough,” said Skeld. “It took us more than a week to summon the geeb we sent to you.”

“And he would not return when I asked him to,” said Alex.

They all fell silent for a time, waiting for Dain to finish cooking their meal.

“You look troubled, Alex,” Virgil said once Dain began handing out plates of food.

“I am,” Alex admitted. “There is little information about Tempe, and I’m not sure how we should start looking for her.”

“I can help you with that,” said Virgil. “I once knew an adventurer who claimed to have met Tempe. He said there was a river flowing into the desert, and if a person followed the river, he would find Tempe.”

“Did he say how far into the desert the river flowed?” Alex questioned, remembering his dream from the night before.

“He did not, but as long as there is a river to follow, we should be fine,” said Virgil.

“True, but rivers that flow into deserts do not always flow out again. With all the trouble Lazar and Magnus have been making, the river may no longer flow into the desert at all.”

“But the riverbed would still be there,” said Virgil. “That at least would be a guide.”

“Perhaps,” Alex agreed. “I just wish we had more information.”

Alex could see that his own troubled thoughts were now bouncing around Virgil’s mind. The
Adventurer’s Handbook
didn’t say much about Tempe and nothing at all about a river running into the desert. In fact, the book advised people looking for Tempe to take plenty of water with them. It was possible that the adventurer Virgil knew had never even been to Nezza, so looking for a river flowing into the desert might be a complete waste of time. Still, Alex had dreamed about the river, and Tempe’s name had come to him before he woke.

The next morning, Alex was the first one awake again. He wandered away from the group and stood looking west. He was taking a chance going into the desert, but he thought the rewards would be worth any risks.

“Where do we start our search?” Virgil asked over breakfast.

“There is a wide valley leading into the desert a few miles north of here,” Alex said, remembering the landscape he had flown over as a raven. “It is as good a place as any to start looking.”

“And if there is no river?” Virgil asked.

“Then we will find another way,” Alex said with confidence. “I’m sure we’ll find a way into the red lands. Whether Tempe will speak to us when we get there, I cannot say.”

“You mean she might refuse?” Rallian asked, looking from Alex to Virgil.

“Oracles speak only to those they wish to speak to,” said Alex. “But I believe she will speak to us.”

“Then let us begin our search,” said Virgil, sounding bolder than he looked. “If Alex thinks the oracle will speak to us, I believe that she will.”

Once everyone had finished eating and packing, Alex led the group north toward the valley. Virgil and Rallian walked on either side of him.

The valley Alex had seen was actually farther away than he’d thought. By the time they reached the edge of the valley, it was well past midday. Virgil and the rest of his company were nearly worn out, and Dain set about fixing them a hurried meal.

Alex wanted to press on as soon as possible, but he knew he should let his friends rest. He walked toward the edge of the valley alone. It was as if something was calling to him from the desert—a strange voice that he could only feel and not hear. He stood at the edge of the valley and saw what looked like a dried-up riverbed cutting through the red lands.

Something strange caught his eye, and he blinked to make sure he was seeing clearly. Places along the riverbed were shining in the sun. It looked like there might be some water in the dry riverbed after all, but only in spots. As he watched, the shiny spots seemed to move from place to place.

At the end of the hour, Alex got the others on their feet and pressed forward. He had great hopes that the river he had seen shining in the sun would lead them to the oracle.

The ground between the edge of the valley and the river was crisscrossed with dry gullies and covered with large broken stones. Between the difficult terrain and the weakness of Alex’s companions, it was nearly dark before they reached the banks of the river.

“The river is dry,” said Cam, his voice dry and raspy.

“Mostly dry anyway,” Skeld added as he walked toward a small pool of water. “It can’t have been dry for long though, this water is still fresh.”

Alex followed Skeld to the pool and examined it. He didn’t think it was the same one he’d seen from the hills above the valley. He had seen movement, and, as far as he knew, puddles did not move.

“Strange,” Rallian commented as he looked up and down the river. “These pools are fresh, but the rest of the river is dry. I would say the pools were from the rain, but rain is scarce in western Nezza this time of year.”

“If it was rain, the rest of the riverbed would not be so dry,” said Dain.

“Something’s not right here,” Alex said as he looked around.

“You sense something?” Virgil asked.

“I do,” said Alex.

Alex didn’t know how to explain what he was thinking and feeling to his companions, so he chose not to speak at all. He stood watching the dry river as Dain cooked their evening meal and the others made camp. Alex felt like he was waiting for something, but he didn’t know what it could be.

After the meal, Alex returned to watching the river, trying to understand what he was feeling. Something was going to happen, he was sure of it. There was magic at work here, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was or why it was here.

“You should rest,” Rallian said to Alex as the rest of the company were rolling into their blankets. “You have done more than any of us. Surely you need rest more than we do.”

“I am fine,” said Alex. “But I’ve forgotten—I’m carrying your blankets.”

“The others have provided,” said Rallian with a slight bow. “You are distracted, and they have been most kind.”

“Then rest, my friend,” said Alex without looking away from the riverbed. “Our journey may be a long one, and you will need all of your strength.”

The empty river filled Alex’s mind. For a moment, he thought he must have been falling asleep, because he thought he saw water flowing in the river. He blinked and saw only the dry sand.

“Please,” said Rallian at last, “you need to rest. Without you, I don’t think any of us will see our homes again.”

“A sad thought,” said Alex, turning away from the river for the first time all evening.

“Perhaps so,” Rallian agreed. “But I will feel better if I know you are resting with the rest of us.”

“As you wish,” said Alex, bowing to Rallian and rejoining the company. “Perhaps sleep will help me find what I am looking for.”

Rallian seemed to relax as Alex rolled himself into a blanket.

Alex, however, did not go to sleep. He lay awake for a long time, thinking about his plan to find the oracle. Then he thought about what was happening in Nezza. He also thought about what Magnus might be up to and tried to imagine what he would do if he were Magnus.