Free Embers at Galdrilene by A. D. Trosper

the Keepers are the least of your worries. The Benduiren will not stop hunting you.”
    “Why did you call me, Foundling?”
    Vaddoc chuckled. “Apparently, a Foundling is a special type of magic user.”
    Kellinar looked at the Shaderian who poked at the fire with a stick. “How long have you traveled with her?”
    Vaddoc smiled. “Almost a full month.”
    “Do you trust her?”
    Vaddoc’s amber eyes glowed in the firelight when he looked up. “Yes, I trust her.”
    Serena felt the weight of the woman’s violet gaze as she fixed both her and Kellinar with it. “It is fine that you ask Vaddoc’s opinion of me, however, you cannot follow me based on his answer. You have been offered a gift, one more precious than you can begin to imagine. You must accept it or reject it on your own and with the feelings in your own hearts. It must be sincere either way.”
    Emallya turned and looked out into the night. “We are being watched.”
    Serena’s stomach rolled as dread charged through her. What if that thing, that Benduiren, had come back? Vaddoc and Kellinar were on their feet. The Shaderian held a curved sword in each hand. Kellinar started to pull two of his daggers, paused and then let them slide back into their sheaths.
    He stared into the darkness. “I can feel it. I have felt it several times since we left Trilene. Whoever it is, I don’t think any harm is meant.”
    Emallya raised an eyebrow. “How do you feel this?”
    Kellinar looked at the older woman. “The air currents…told me.” Emallya nodded as if air currents that told people things were nothing unusual.
    Serena strained her eyes against the dark, searching the deep black of the night. She saw nothing.
    Emallya raised her voice and called out, “I can feel you hiding there. If I had not been distracted, I would have noticed you sooner. Tell me, do you intend to crouch like a frightened rabbit behind that poor excuse for a bush all night?”
    A small shape separated itself from the night and walked to the edge of the firelight. Serena gasped, this was not what she’d expected and she wasn’t sure she could believe her eyes. How had they been followed? Beside her, Kellinar stood as if frozen.
    The young boy that came out of the night stood as tall as he could and looked straight at Emallya. “I ain’t no scared rabbit. I ain’t scared of nothing.”
    Emallya smiled. “There is nothing that makes you afraid?”
    The boy chewed his lower lip and his eyes shifted to look at the ground in front of his toes. “Well, maybe some things. Like that thing you chased off the road. That scared me,” he raised his eyes to hers again, “but I ain’t afraid of you.”
    “And why is that?” she asked.
    “’Cause Kellinar and Serena ain’t afraid of you.”
    Kellinar sucked in a breath and let it out. “Loki, what are you doing here?”
    “Is that how you are called, young man?” Emallya asked the boy.
    Loki nodded and Kellinar asked again, “What are you doing here?”
    “I had to, Kellinar! Them flaming Keepers raided the Thieves’ Caves looking for you. Everything was crazy. They tried to catch me ‘cause they knew I was your friend and they thought I knew where you was hiding, only I got away. At first I didn’t know where you were and I just was walking. Then later, I seen you ahead of me on the road. So I followed you.” Loki’s voice held some of the fear he claimed he didn’t feel.
    Serena looked at him. “Why didn’t you let us know you were there?”
    “ ’Cause I thought you wouldn’t let me come, that you’d send me back and I can’t go back. They’ll get me.”
    Kellinar ran a hand through his hair and looked at Serena. She shrugged; she didn’t know what to do. She didn’t think they could send him back, but how could they take him with them?
    Emallya walked over and crouched down in front of the boy, looking directly into his eyes. “We will not send you back, young man. Now that you are here, we can do no more