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

and the Guardians watched warily as the boat cut through the water. It was dark and a fog rose over the water making it hard to see more than twenty yards from the water.
    After just a few minutes, Heather was totally lost. She was n’t much of a sailor as she so preferred the woods. It was impossible for her to tell if they had travelled one half of a mile or ten miles, but it didn’t much matter.
    After about twenty minutes, all four of the rowers froze with their oars still in the water. Kapernum’s head whipped around and he looked to the north.
    They all followed Kappie’s gaze northward . The only thing they saw was more fog and dark water. Even though they couldn’t see anything, after a moment they all heard it. There was a grinding noise that was followed by a low slapping of the water, and it was repeated over and over again in a rough pattern.
    It took Heather a moment to realize what it was. Oars, she thought furiously. There’s another boat out here with us! She looked to Kappie, and he held a finger to his lips and then motioned them all to get low in the boat. They obeyed as quietly as possible.
    The first thought that went through Heather’s head was that Enton had been right and this was a trap. But that didn’t make any sense. Kappie looked as surprised by the developments as any of them and she seriously doubted that the man was that good an actor. Still, she tightened her grip on her knife handle and waited. After a moment it occurred to her that this might be the customs’ officials that Kappie had mentioned. She breathed easier that they might not have to fight Kappie and his sailors in this little toy of a boat, but there was still the issue of the other boat.
    Cautiously, Heather raised her head over the edge of the longboat and looked to the north. The fog was as thick as ever and she still couldn’t see much. But she still could hear the oars as they struck the water, but they seemed to be moving away.
    Something poked Heather in the shoulder and she nearly screamed, but just managed to hold it in. She turned angrily and saw that it had been Dagan. Her anger melted away, being replaced with curiosity. He looked worried. He didn’t say anything but he pointed.
    Heather looked the way Dagan had pointed. His finger pointed to the back of the boat where Atock, Aaron, and Agminion were seated. Atock and Aaron were doing like the rest of them and had their heads down. Agminion was sitting up higher in the boat and he had his eyes closed.
    Suspicious now, Heather continued to watch the sorcerer for a moment. She was still trying to decide what to do when the boat gave a silent lurch and began moving through the water again. It moved silently and quickly in the original direction they had been rowing, but it was cutting through the water much faster than before and virtually without a sound.
    Heather looked back at Dagan. The old man hadn’t moved, but something in his posture told her that he had relaxed a bit.
    Not a word was said for nearly a quarter of an hour and then Kappie spoke up. “Whoever is doing that, turn us a bit to the south or we’ll miss the ship.”
    Agminion’s eyes popped open and he sagged in his seat. He was covered in sweat and looked like he had just ran ten miles. He opened his mouth, not to speak, but to suck in huge amounts of air.
    The boat, which had been cutting a quick path through the water, suddenly went limp and just floated on the water.
    “What in the name of the abyss was that?” Enton demanded. He was still tense and looked ready to spring in any direction.
    “That was sorcery,” Dagan answered. He motioned at Agminion, “ A nd quite an impressive performance, I might add.”
    No one replied, but Kappie regarded his nephew with an appreciative glance. “Not bad,” he said finally.
    It took another quarter of an hour to reach the ship. It was a small ship with a shallow draft, which would be necessary to travel in the rivers going north. The deck