Free Lunatic by Ted Dekker Page B

jitters and made his way to the small porch area, ducked down behind a tall plant. So far, so good.
    The sound of movement inside. His heart sped up. He'd have to wait. Not good-each passing moment the stiffness in his joints worsened and the subtle pain grew more pronounced.
    He glanced at his hands and arms.
    No cracks yet.
    But how long? When had day one started for them-in the other world or here? Maybe Silvie had been right.
    Maybe coming back for Darsal before finding a lake was so much foolishness.
    At last the sounds beyond the wall stilled. Johnis tried the door. Open. He ducked behind a couch made of reeds and wood, down cushion and blanket thrown over it. Wiped his palms and darted across the open hallway into the room on the left and behind the door, waiting. Window on the far wall. Three small grass mats were on the ground-beds. A few toys strewn about. A large trunk holding their possessions.

    The next room had to be the mother and father's, judging by the large bed made of bark.
    A trunk rested on the far side of the bed. Of course. What woman in her right mind would put it near the window where some strange albino could take clothes out of it?
    Silvie was waiting. He looked around, then crossed the room and lifted the lid. Horde clothes.
    No time to be choosy. He grabbed two tunics, two pairs of pants, and a cloak similar to what the woman had been wearing. Different color, though. Rummaging, he found ajar of morst and stuffed it in his pocket.
    He closed the trunk, heart pounding.
    Thomas had trained them for this.
    Well, probably not this.
    Johnis wrapped the two sets of clothing and the morst into the cloak and tucked the whole thing under his own cloak, then slipped back toward the window. He climbed out and ducked down. Clothing in hand, he made his way back around the house and into the woods.
    "Hurry up already."
    Johnis spun around to see that Silvie had gone on her own mission and returned with a sack. She eyed him and dropped the bag. "Some passable food, drinking water, a couple small blades."
    Johnis nodded, though he found himself oddly irritated at her for running off when he'd told her to wait. Still, she'd spared them valuable time.

    "Good," he said. "We need to change. The cloak is yours." He untied the bundle and tossed her the smaller set of clothes and the cloak.
    They quickly changed into the hooded cloaks, then put morst over their exposed skin and into their hair. Silvie pocketed the jar. "Avoid eye contact."
    "Why?"
    "Are your eyes white?"
    She was being a bit sassy, wasn't she?
    "Fine. Try to keep up."

arak stood outside the door leading to the war room for a minute, composing himself, unwilling to let his mind linger too long on Jordan's eyes. Finally he took a long breath and pushed open the door. The officers were already inside, waiting.
    He scowled at Cassak when he entered the officer's war room. "You're useless."
    "I told you that you didn't want to know," the captain replied. "You shouldn't have gone into that dungeon."
    He had needed to see for himself Had to look his brother in the face and know what he'd sentenced them to. But nothing could have prepared him to see Rona so completely brutalized and his brother so violently angry. His anger and remorse had nearly ruled him.
    It was well he left the cell, before Jordan's gaze could divide soul and spirit and plant seeds of treason in his heart.

    Teeleh, what have I agreed to do to them?
    "Fine. Is everyone here?" He scanned the room, knowing the answer. Two throaters-their chief, Warryn, included-were present. Warryn had a smirk on his face when Marak entered.
    Marak gave the man a long, cold stare that silenced the room. Warryn returned it, but broke off first. Marak leaned on one knee. He motioned his second. "Tell me something worth hearing. First, the escapees from the palace."
    "Our scouts are all over the place," the second replied. "The gates are sealed off. We started with the city, then moved around the lake. They