the wilderness, dressed like a male dwarf and carrying a sword. A lump formed in her throat. All she wanted right then was to be home.
Her legs ached by the time the Gold Wizard decided they could stop. Austyn looked nearly asleep on his feet. They huddled together under a bush to spend the night. Reina woke first, her beard askew and feeling dirtier than she ever had before, even through all their time in the woods. She straightened up and scratched under the beard. It was broad daylight, a warm day. They had to get going again!
She shook the Gold Wizard, who mumbled he’d be up in a moment. Reina scowled at him and went to wake Austyn instead. The fake beard had come off in his sleep, and his face looked so young, so innocent. Reina bent and kissed his cheek. He didn’t wake. She smiled down at him, wishing he didn’t have to take part in this, that he could just be a regular boy. But so long as he was involved, she would be too. She gently woke him.
Austyn gave a little gasp and wrapped his fingers around hers. “The shadowsoul’s still following us.”
Reina tried to look reassuring. “Well, we’ll just keep going, and it’ll never catch us.”
After several hours of walking, they came over a hill and below them stretched a huge, winding blue strip of river. About twice as wide as the river in the forest, this one appeared too large and deep to ford. Reina stopped dead. “How are we going to get over that?”
“Oh, we’ll take a boat.” The Gold Wizard seemed unconcerned.
Reina frowned at him. “Do you have money for that?”
” I am the Gold Wizard and I have the Chosen One with me. They’ll give us a ride across.”
“I thought we were trying to stay disguised to keep away from spies!”
“Well, I’ll be careful whom I ask.” He strode off down the hill like he knew everything. Reina wanted to throw her bag at him. She didn’t trust his judgment one bit. If he wasn’t careful, he’d lead the Red Wizard’s minions straight to them. She hurried after him, determined to keep him from doing anything stupid.
The Gold Wizard headed for a town on the banks of the river. Reina and Austyn stuck close to him. Carts and people walking fast filled the streets, and stall merchants yelled out their wares. Reina had never been in a town this big before. It was a bit overwhelming, and she became surer than ever that in such a place, people wouldn’t be inclined to help them without coin. Did they really care who the Gold Wizard was? Papa had always said townspeople did nothing without coin.
Suddenly, the Gold Wizard grabbed her by the shirt and pulled her into an alley. Annoyed, Reina jerked free. While they might be hidden for now, if he started making them stand out, their disguise wouldn’t last for long. “Hey, stop that!”
The Gold Wizard motioned to her to stay quiet. “Dark Minions!” He pointed to the street, and Reina noticed a group of soldiers in red capes. One turned towards her, revealing he had no face, only a black fog under the hood. She shuddered. “If they see us, they’ll know who we are,” the Gold Wizard whispered.
“We shouldn’t have come here,” Reina whispered back. “It’s too dangerous.”
The Gold Wizard didn’t answer. He gave the Dark Minions another look and turned away. “We’re going this way.” Reina followed him down the alley. They reached another street, this one going down to the docks. The Gold Wizard started down the road, staying close to the buildings. In single file, Reina and Austyn followed. People swarmed across the docks as well, loading and unloading boats. Reina stared at all the chaos of people, crates, and animals. She didn’t know how they’d find a boat to carry them in this chaos.
“Hey!” a grating voice called out. “You there, halt.”
Reina looked over her shoulder. A Dark Minion floated towards them. For the first time, she noticed they had no feet. Their red cloaks just hovered a couple of inches above the
Her legs ached by the time the Gold Wizard decided they could stop. Austyn looked nearly asleep on his feet. They huddled together under a bush to spend the night. Reina woke first, her beard askew and feeling dirtier than she ever had before, even through all their time in the woods. She straightened up and scratched under the beard. It was broad daylight, a warm day. They had to get going again!
She shook the Gold Wizard, who mumbled he’d be up in a moment. Reina scowled at him and went to wake Austyn instead. The fake beard had come off in his sleep, and his face looked so young, so innocent. Reina bent and kissed his cheek. He didn’t wake. She smiled down at him, wishing he didn’t have to take part in this, that he could just be a regular boy. But so long as he was involved, she would be too. She gently woke him.
Austyn gave a little gasp and wrapped his fingers around hers. “The shadowsoul’s still following us.”
Reina tried to look reassuring. “Well, we’ll just keep going, and it’ll never catch us.”
After several hours of walking, they came over a hill and below them stretched a huge, winding blue strip of river. About twice as wide as the river in the forest, this one appeared too large and deep to ford. Reina stopped dead. “How are we going to get over that?”
“Oh, we’ll take a boat.” The Gold Wizard seemed unconcerned.
Reina frowned at him. “Do you have money for that?”
” I am the Gold Wizard and I have the Chosen One with me. They’ll give us a ride across.”
“I thought we were trying to stay disguised to keep away from spies!”
“Well, I’ll be careful whom I ask.” He strode off down the hill like he knew everything. Reina wanted to throw her bag at him. She didn’t trust his judgment one bit. If he wasn’t careful, he’d lead the Red Wizard’s minions straight to them. She hurried after him, determined to keep him from doing anything stupid.
The Gold Wizard headed for a town on the banks of the river. Reina and Austyn stuck close to him. Carts and people walking fast filled the streets, and stall merchants yelled out their wares. Reina had never been in a town this big before. It was a bit overwhelming, and she became surer than ever that in such a place, people wouldn’t be inclined to help them without coin. Did they really care who the Gold Wizard was? Papa had always said townspeople did nothing without coin.
Suddenly, the Gold Wizard grabbed her by the shirt and pulled her into an alley. Annoyed, Reina jerked free. While they might be hidden for now, if he started making them stand out, their disguise wouldn’t last for long. “Hey, stop that!”
The Gold Wizard motioned to her to stay quiet. “Dark Minions!” He pointed to the street, and Reina noticed a group of soldiers in red capes. One turned towards her, revealing he had no face, only a black fog under the hood. She shuddered. “If they see us, they’ll know who we are,” the Gold Wizard whispered.
“We shouldn’t have come here,” Reina whispered back. “It’s too dangerous.”
The Gold Wizard didn’t answer. He gave the Dark Minions another look and turned away. “We’re going this way.” Reina followed him down the alley. They reached another street, this one going down to the docks. The Gold Wizard started down the road, staying close to the buildings. In single file, Reina and Austyn followed. People swarmed across the docks as well, loading and unloading boats. Reina stared at all the chaos of people, crates, and animals. She didn’t know how they’d find a boat to carry them in this chaos.
“Hey!” a grating voice called out. “You there, halt.”
Reina looked over her shoulder. A Dark Minion floated towards them. For the first time, she noticed they had no feet. Their red cloaks just hovered a couple of inches above the
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