powerful enemy is captured, they will try to possess them. I cannot allow that to happen to Silas.”
“Is that what is happening to Kaden?” Julian asked.
Garland nodded. “It is. But we planned it that way.”
“You what?” Julian was stunned.
“Since Kaden and I planned The Reckoning, we knew that Silas would probably have to be killed and the other would be captured. But whoever was captured, would convert to the Stühoc’s side and gain access to information, and ultimately their medallion.”
“But that could take months!” Julian said.
Garland shrugged. “Possibly. Perhaps not. The Stühocs are not the most patient beings in Marenon. If Kaden has not been killed, then we think that he could be ‘converted’ within six months. That way, he would soon have access to everything and we will hopefully have the medallion shortly after.”
“And what if he is actually converted?”
There was a long silence. Then Garland spoke. “It is certainly a possibility, but that is the devotion that Kaden has to The Reckoning. And if the Stühocs decided to use him as a ransom instead of converting him, Kaden is prepared to die for the cause.”
Julian couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It was hard to take in. How could one live all those years, knowing that their life might one day lie in the hands of the Stühocs? Julian wondered if he could ever have such courage.
Garland placed the medallion of Timugo in its designated slot and instantly another sixth of the map, directly below the section of Farlaweer, was illuminated. The middle of Marenon shown brightly in the room while the sides of the map remained bare. The two of them searched for several minutes looking for any sign of flying sarians when they finally spotted them soaring through the Midland Pass. They noticed that a storm had been brewing in the middle of Marenon. Garland willed the map with his mind to move in on Silas and the others. A look of determination and anger was spread across Silas’ face. He was tired and Garland could see it. He felt sick for what he had put the boy through because he knew Silas had never asked for any of this. Now he was walking into something that put the entire cause in danger.
Garland placed his hands on the table in front of him and watched as the dark clouds flashed and the rain fell. Silas and the others were soaked to the bone, having to wipe at their eyes every couple of seconds. The sarian’s feathers were being weighed down heavily. They would tire soon and have to land. After a long moment, Garland turned away from the map and looked at Julian.
“That storm has slowed them down,” he said. “They are a day’s flight ahead of us. If we travel now and don’t stop, we can possibly reach them before they get to Mudavé. We’ll be cutting it close. The rain could stop soon, so we should hurry.
Julian nodded. He never seemed to get a break from these adventures.
“I’ll tell Nalani where we’re going,” he said.
Garland nodded, feeling uneasy about the situation. They were out of time and the fate of the Dunarians hung loosely by a thread.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The group had made camp late into the night. The sarians were too exhausted to keep going and their riders were more so. The torrential downpour that had occurred in the afternoon had slowed them considerably, Alric had said.
They settled in a ravine somewhere in the foothills of the Reemlock Mountains, not daring to make a fire for fear of being found by a lurking Stühoc or something else that might get the inclination to attack them. Lorcan had a hard time falling asleep. He was shaking more and more the closer they came to the Stühoc city. Inga tried to comfort him and she even used her magic to try and calm his nerves, but nothing worked until his tired body took over and put him to sleep.
While the others slept, Silas’ sprinting mind kept his eyes wide open. The sounds in the night were haunting and his thoughts raced. He wondered why Lorcan was so terrified of the Stühocs. He had fought gallantly with him in Timugo. What was different here?
By this time tomorrow Silas would be deep in Stühoc territory. He knew nothing of where he was going and knew even less about what he would face. For all he knew he wouldn’t even make it into Mudavé, and he feared that if he