Falan Nogal and his friend Serin were escorted to the front of the caravan. Lady Casen and Leisa rode to the front as well. Leisa found herself glancing behind her shoulder. Were there really bandits behind them?

Jasen flashed her a quick grin. She returned it before focusing her attention on the lady mage. “My lady?” She asked tentatively.

“What is it, child?” She seemed to be in a better mood than last night. A good sign.

“Would it have not been wise to ask those men to accompany us on the road—at least for a time—in case there really are bandits behind us?”

The mage cocked an eyebrow pensively.

“It would have been logical,” Leisa added.

“Perhaps,” the lady mage said slowly, “but we can take care of ourselves, child—at least we can here, before we cross the border.”

A mage could send a pack of bandits for the hills on her own, though Leisa didn’t know for certain. There were certainly many stories about the power mages could wield, but those were only rumors, and she had only seen the mage use her powers on a few occasions. Perhaps she uses them more often than I think. It wouldn’t be hard for a mage to use her powers surreptitiously. Sorela didn’t seem to care about hiding her power when she had cooled her bath water. Or did she snap at Leisa about the towels to keep her from seeing too much? Leisa shook herself. “We can still use their swords, my lady.”

Sorela waved away a buzzing insect. “And we can still find other swords.”

“And if we don’t?”

The lady mage turned toward Leisa. It was difficult to keep her eyes level with the woman. She felt them on her still when she turned to look at the head of the small column of men surrounding the wagons.

“We will, child,” the older woman said as Captain Caldren and two of his men rode up beside them.

“My lady, I am sending outriders to make sure the column remains safe.”

Didn’t they have to maintain their disguise? Maybe the captain was more concerned about safety.

Lady Casen nodded. “Very good, Captain.”

The greying man, though still very fit for his middle years, returned the nod and rode off toward the rear with his two mounted men-at-arms.

Even though autumn was upon them, and sure to get much cooler as they progressed north, the rising noon sun made Leisa warm. She took off her cloak and bundled it onto the back of her saddle. The lady mage had done the same not an hour before. Both women wore riding dresses, though the lady mage’s was decidedly much finer than her own. “I’ve never been to the north,” she said, more to herself than to the Sorela.

They rode on in silence. “Keep on your guard, child,” Sorela finally said. “Nelothar and Solen are at war because high lord Nightkar sent raiders into Solen.”

“Why would he do that when he knows what would happen?”

The lady mage looked thoughtful. “Nelothar is strong. It may be that they did not expect king Dalthan to retaliate.”

Leisa frowned. “But why raid another kingdom?”

A hint of a wry smile touched the mage’s lips. “For the gold of course. It is well known that lord Nightkar wishes to make war on the Dar’nithie. He believes that all the northern kingdoms that fought before should rally under his banner once more.

The Dar’nithie ruled the island kingdom of Dar’nathine. They had tried to invade the continent long before Leisa had been born, and Nelothar had taken the brunt of the attack. Many of their cities were captured and occupied, though Leisa didn’t know for how long before the invaders were finally driven back. “Does he need the gold for ships?”

“The high lord of Nelothar has many ships, child. What he needs are numbers. For lord Nightkar to invade Dar’nathine he would need armies, much larger than would flock to his banner during these times.

Mercenaries and sells words, Leisa thought.

“I think he did not expect a war from king Dalthan, and now he is paying the price. We are all paying the price,” the mage said. “It is likely young lord Jalen is being held hostage. If it is so, lord Nightkar will demand a hefty ransom indeed.”

Leisa found herself frowning again. “But wouldn’t that cause lord Warfink to go to war with him as well?”

“It would, though lord Nightkar cannot risk a war on another front, so it is likely he will disguise young lord Jalen’s captors as Dalthan’s men so he can gain an ally against him.”

“If lord Jalen was taken by Nightkar.”

“Lord Nightkar,” lady Casen corrected, “yes.”

The lady mage seemed about to continue when a horse neighed loudly. By the time Leisa looked over her shoulder, horse and rider were already on the ground and other riders were having trouble keeping their own mounts under control, except for Jasen—he was actually a very good rider.

Mounted guardsmen, as well as the men on foot, bared steel or knocked arrows as they glanced wildly into forest on both sides.

“Something is wrong,” lady Casen said, wheeling her horse, her eyes wider than Leisa had ever seen. “Stay close to me, child.”

“My Lady!” Captain Caldren shouted as he made his way toward them. “We’re under attack!” Then he turned, shouted toward the guardsmen. “Stand firm! Stand firm!”

Eyes wide, heart hammering, Leisa tried to lower herself over her saddle as far as she could to present a smaller target. She unsheathed her slim sword.

She couldn’t see anyone!