Free Gorinthians by Justin Mitchell

pausing long enough
for him to examine. In one afternoon, everything he knew was
changing. Not only had he grown up at the Mountain from the time he
was born, all of his ancestors on record had been born and raised
there as well. None of them had seen outsiders either and, in a few
days, he would become an outsider. The thought of leaving Li behind
made him feel like he had swallowed a rock that sunk to the bottom
of his stomach.
    As Celdic walked slowly
behind Tarya Selindria and Terrance, Thistledown jumped down from
Terrance's pack and waited for Celdic to catch up.
    "Do you mind?” Thistledown
entreated, looking up at Celdic.
    "Sure,” Celdic replied
dully, bending down to one knee for Thistledown to scamper up to
his back and perch behind his head.
    "Why so glum?” Thistledown
pried curiously. "You have an adventure ahead of you; people and
places very few of you have had the chance to experience. Not to
mention the most gifted guide in the known world at your
service."
    They were far enough behind
the other two that Celdic felt he could share some of his thoughts
without anyone overhearing. He did not want Tarya Selindria to know
how badly he was taking the sudden departure.
    "I never thought I would
have to leave Li behind,” Celdic complained morosely. "I always
thought we would marry eventually."
    Thistledown laid his finger
along his nose slyly and said quietly, "Oh, but she will be joining
us, as well as the other two. You see, Terrance left a Suggestion
on them when they left. They will be meeting up with us in three
days."
    Celdic looked at him in
astonishment. "He couldn't have done that with Tarya Selindria
standing there! She would have noticed."
    Thistledown shook his head
ruefully, "You will soon learn that there is quite a bit that
Terrance can do that you wouldn't have believed
possible."
    They rounded the bend in the
trail that led to the gates where a small pile of equipment and
packs lay. Terrance spoke briefly with one of the Guardians, who
tapped his fist to his chest and sprinted into the city. Tarya
Selindria was questioning one of the other Guardians, who looked
more uncomfortable by the second. When she finished the
interrogation, she stalked back to where they were scowling so
blackly that Celdic did not dare ask her what she had asked the
Guardian.
    "Captain Jorbran will be
back with your supplies in a few minutes.” Terrance said as he
rejoined the group.
    Tarya Selindria did not
bother responding. Instead, she studied Terrance closely as if he
were some kind of puzzle. Judging from the expression on her face,
it was a puzzle that did not smell very nice. “I will be back in
half an hour. There are several items that I will need to bring
along.”
    Terrance nodded as Tarya
Selindria turned and moved quickly toward the road to the Rajan
Gardens. Her small cottage was near the border.
    Celdic and Terrance did not
talk as they waited for Tarya Selindria to return. Terrance made
his way up and down the wall talking with various Guardians and
some of the watchmen. Captain Jorbran glanced at Celdic every few
minutes, his eyes seeming to know secrets about Celdic. He found
himself counting the bricks in the wall until Tarya Selindria
returned half an hour later, with a small bag hanging from her
shoulder. Terrance rejoined them, instructing Selindria to put the
contents of her bag into one of the packs that he had
prepared.
    "You said you are called
Terrance," Tarya Selindria remarked, watching him as she
transferred her possessions from her pack to the one that he had
prepared.
    "That’s correct," Terrance
acknowledged easily, as he begun to inspect the packs one last
time.
    "Are you claiming to be the
same Terrance that founded Chasel Ri’ Aven?" she asked, doubt heavy
in her tone.
    "I have made no claims,”
Terrance replied, stopping to look at her with his intense eyes.
"There is a bond that was created of which every human descendant
of the Mountain land is a recipient. There is no need