Free The Last Talisman by Licia Troisi Page A

moment, rushing Laio out of bed and ordering them both to hurry because it was time to go.
    Once again, they set off, headed south. Their plan was to cross through the Inner Forest on their way to the Land of the Sun.
    Over the course of the days that followed, the impression that had formed in Sennar’s mind on the evening of his rescue was confirmed. Nihal was cold and standoffish and she barely addressed a single word to Sennar throughout the entire journey. They spent their days on Oarf’s back in utter silence. In the evening, they’d set up camp and stare, dumb as fish, into the fire.
    On their fourth day of travel, Sennar decided to say something. The tension had become unbearable.
    He waited until his turn to take over guard duty from Nihal. It was the middle of the night. He had woken up a few minutes early in order to prepare his speech. When the hour arrived, Nihal gave him a simple tap on the shoulder.
    Sennar turned to face her immediately. “What’s the matter with you these days?” As soon as the words left his lips he felt like a complete imbecile. Had he really just spent all that time getting his thoughts in order, only to open the discussion with such an idiotic remark?
    â€œWhat do you think?”
    Sennar lowered his eyes. “I did it for you. …” Excellent … yet another stock phrase. …
    â€œI certainly didn’t ask you to.”
    â€œI did everything I could to reduce the risk. … I’m hardly one to act recklessly. You know that.”
    â€œWill you stop already with these pathetic lies!” Nihal shouted. “All that crap about some spell capable of restraining the amulet’s power … You even had to drag Megisto into this.”
    â€œWhat was I supposed to do? You were sick but you didn’t want to stop. I had no other choice.” Sennar was beginning to lose his patience.
    â€œHow is it that you don’t understand?” Nihal sprang to her feet. “Do you know how I’d have felt if you died? Do you have the slightest idea?”
    Sennar stood there with his lips parted, his anger stuck in his throat.
    Nihal turned away. “I don’t want any more deaths weighing on my conscience.”
    These last words pushed Sennar over the edge. Nihal had been completely unpredictable since his journey to the sanctuary. She might have thanked him. He certainly didn’t deserve such cold, hostile words. “Oh, never fear, the last thing I want is to be another useless weight on your conscience. I thought I could help you, but I guess I’m nothing but a burden. But you can rest easy. Unlike someone else I know, I’m in no rush to get myself killed.”
    The smack of Nihal’s palm against Sennar’s cheek echoed through the silent forest.
    The sorcerer was frozen in place, dumbstruck. Nihal, meanwhile, struggled to choke back her tears. Only then did he understand the sheer magnitude of the lie he’d told her. But there was no time to ask her forgiveness. Nihal had already turned away and stretched out on her straw mattress.
    The following morning, her travel companions still asleep, Nihal decided to consult the talisman. After her exchange of words with Sennar, she’d passed the night without sleep.
    She closed her eyes and saw something luminous that burned like a thousand suns. It must be the sanctuary. Then she saw a mountain sunrise. She seemed to be looking at the view from a rooftop: an immense, flat surface, surrounded by high peaks. A plateau. And at last, a direction. They needed to go east. She reopened her eyes.
    Shortly after, they ate their hasty breakfast, climbed onto Oarf’s back, and headed off for the last destination within friendly territory. After the next sanctuary, things would get more complicated.
    After six days of flight, they reached Makrat. Laio had insisted they make a stop in the capital of the Land of the Sun to visit the Academy, where he and Nihal