The Outcast (Summoner #4)(47)

“Wait…,” Prince Harold said, staring at the rebel as Rotter gagged him once again. “You didn’t kill him?”

“Cor, what he must think of us, eh?” Rotter said, shaking his head with a rueful smile.

Arcturus felt a wash of relief flood through him. Yes, these rebels had wanted to capture him, maybe even end his life. But after hearing them speak, seeing they were real people … he could not have wished such a fate upon them.

“Rotter makes for a great actor, don’t you think?” Sergeant Caulder laughed. “We used to do this with the new recruits, only we’d pretend it was punishment for falling asleep on watch. Works every time!”

“’Course, the blood was a new addition,” Rotter said, grimacing as he rolled up his chain-mailed sleeve to reveal a shallow cut there. “I drew the damned short straw.”

“You scared the living daylights out of us,” Harold said. “We thought you were…”

“Slaughtering a man in cold blood?” Rotter asked, his eyebrows raised.

“I thought it was revenge,” Arcturus said, feeling a twinge of guilt. “Your friends … the rebels killed them.”

Sergeant Caulder twisted his hands, his eyes downcast.

“I blame nobody but myself for that,” the man said. “Maybe if I had—”

“There was nothing you could do, Sarge,” Rotter interrupted, “There were too—”

“Silence,” Sergeant Caulder said, holding up his hand.

“I’m sorry, I…,” Rotter began, a hurt look on his face.

“Quiet, I said,” Sergeant Caulder snapped, standing. He cocked his head to one side and peered into the darkness.

“Can you hear that?”

Arcturus strained his ears. There was a sound beyond, deep in the black interior of the cave. High pitched. Almost like … howling.

“We have to go,” Sergeant Caulder growled, snatching up the cleaver. “We have to go now!”





CHAPTER

26

“LET’S GO, LET’S GO!” Rotter shouted, shoving them one after another through the gap.

“What about the rebels?” Alice asked, stumbling as her sister dragged her out of the darkness.

“Leave them, they’ll only slow us down!” Sergeant Caulder yelled.

Arcturus grabbed Elaine’s hand and pulled her through. He caught one last glimpse of the two rebels, trussed up in the gloom, then he was blinking in the dawn light.

It was all so green. Bright sunlight filtered through the leaves of the canopy, catching the motes of dust that floated in the air. Vegetation surrounded them, a tangled snarl of branches and viridescent fronds, growing from the black earth beneath. Birds squawked and trilled in the distance, signaling that it was early morning still.

“Where now, Sergeant?” Prince Harold emerged behind Arcturus.

“We split up,” Sergeant Caulder said, shading his eyes from the brightness. “It will confuse the dogs, and they’ll spend time deciding which path to follow.”

“Are you serious?” Edmund asked. “There are too few of us as it is.”

“We’ve no choice,” the sergeant replied. “It’s our only chance.”

“Where are we even going?” Alice asked. “We’re in orc territory now.”

Arcturus was hardly listening. He needed Sacharissa, danger be damned. She was straining within his consciousness, eager to return to the real world.

It took but a moment for him to unravel his summoning map and bring Sacharissa into existence. Then his face was buried in her fur, hugging her for dear life.

She nuzzled against his chest, whining. Arcturus resolved he would not infuse her until this was over. She was the only one he could truly trust: especially after what their captive had said—he would not be the only one wondering why the rebels were after him.

“Let’s head deeper into the jungles,” Sergeant Caulder shouted, throwing his voice toward the crack they had come out of. “We can hide near the mountain pass.”

Then he leaned in, beckoning them closer.

“We’ll go east around the mountain, then head north to Corcillum,” he whispered.

“I’ll take Edmund, Josephine, Harold and Sergeant Caulder,” Zacharias said, shoving Elaine away from him. “Come on, let’s move.”

Arcturus clenched his fists, and looked at what was left … only him, Alice, Rotter and Elaine. Definitely the weaker of the two groups, with Alice the only summoner with any experience, and Elaine without a crossbow. Sacharissa whined, sensing his anguish. At least Rotter had a sword.

“I’ll stay with Alice,” Edmund said in a low voice, stepping away from Zacharias with a look of disgust.

Sergeant Caulder peered into the sky, staring at the mountains above them. Arcturus realized they had emerged from the range’s southern side.

“We’ll hug the mountain’s side; it should lead us back to Hominum’s territory,” Caulder said, half to Rotter, half to Prince Harold. “You go a bit deeper and angle around.”

“Do you think they’ll even follow us in here?” Prince Harold asked. “This won’t be what those men signed up for.”

“Does it matter?” Zacharias snapped. “They’ll be here any minute—we have to go.”