Free Into the Wastelands: Book Four of the Restoration Series by Christopher Williams

Enton did his job.
     
    It took them nearly four hours to reach the spot on the lakeshore where Kapernum’s men were supposed to be. Kapernum stopped them about fifty yards from the shore in several short and stunted trees. The two trees leaned towards each other and their tops nearly touched. Waist high bushes grew all around, adding to the area’s natural concealment.
    “Why are we stopping so far away?” Mikela asked. “If they don’t actually land, will we see them?”
    Kappie didn’t answer immediately, ins tead he stood staring out to sea for several moments. Finally, he turned and looked back at the Guardians. He motioned for them to sit or kneel, so that the bushes would help hide them. “First, they will land. Secondly, the government of Aramonia very much likes to tax arriving goods and they frown upon anyone who avoids those taxes.”
    “Customs officials,” Agminion added helpfully. “They cover the lakeshore. If they spotted us out here, they would at the very least want to question us, and I doubt they could fail to recognize us.”
    Kappie glanced up at the night sky. “We don’t have long, within the hour.”
    With a movement of her head, she motioned for Atock and Aaron to keep an eye out the way they had come. Damn Enton! s he thought furiously, he’s got me paranoid about this trap idea of his.
    Just as Kappie had said, the longboat hit the shore just over half an hour later. It was a rather smooth landing , as the waves were virtually nonexistent. Two men jumped into the shallow water from the bow of the boat and pulled it up higher on the beach by two ropes. Two more men remained in the boat.
    Heather rather expected for Kappie to jump from his place of concealment and march straight for the boat, but he didn’t. Instead, once the boat was secured, he stood up and stared. The funny thing was that he stared not at the ocean or the spot where the boat had landed, but north and south along the shore line, and westward away from the lake. “What are you looking for?” Heather asked, trying hard not to tense up.
    “Customs officials are crafty,” he answered. “Some times they will wait in the shadows until the smugglers have their cargo unloaded and then they will sprin g their trap. At the very least the smugglers are guaranteed to lose their cargo.” His eyes still scanned the shoreline.
    “I don’t understand,” Heather admitted, “there isn’t any cargo. All we have to do is make t he boat and then get it back into the water.”
    “Yes, I know,” Kappie said, giving Heather a patient smile. “I’m trying to be careful though. My mother might not mind if something happened to me, but she would not like to lose her favorite grandson.” His eyes twinkled as he spoke, and Agminion scowled at him. “But I see no signs of anyone following us, or any sign of trouble.” He nodded to the boat, “ L et’s go.”
    The didn’t need to be told twice. With Atock and Aaron as the rearguard, they quickly covered the distance to the boat. As they neared, Kappie gave a most unusual whistle. It was a long whistle followed by two more short whistles and Heather guessed it was a message. Hopefully, it was the all clear signal.
    The two men on shore greeted Kapernum and he responded gruffly.
    “Hurry,” Kappernum said to the Guardians. “In the boat.”
    Cassandra and Mikela were the first two to climb aboard but the others followed right on their heels. Atock and Aaron were the last and they kept their eyes on the two sailors on shore.
    As soon as they were all aboard, the two sailors pushed the front of the boat hard, but for a moment it wouldn’t budge. They continued to strain and slowly the boat pushed away from the sandy shore. They continued to push until the water was above their belts and then they grabbed a hold of the side and pulled themselves in.
    The four sailors put out oars and begin to pull quickly, but it seemed that the boat moved painfully slowly.
    It was slow going