Free The Guided Journey (Book 6) by Jeffrey Quyle

upon the ground.
    “What have you done to them?” Amjay asked from across the water.
    “It’s not ‘to’ them; it’s ‘for’ them,” Kestrel answered.  “One of their greatest joys is visiting this spring and falling asleep and dreaming in the waters of the pool.  I put them in, and then I pull them out after a while.  They’ll wake up in a bit, and then take us all back to your village.
    “We might as well get your sons out of the water too,” he added, as he lifted the last imp, then turned and started to cross back to where the boys sat on the rocks.
    He guided the two boys one at a time to the bank where their mother waited, and lifted them up to her, so that she could pull their clothes over them, while Kestrel tried to discreetly climb out nearby, and pull his own pants on hurriedly, while he faintly saw the imps starting to awaken and get dressed.
    There was a massive migration of imps across the water minutes later, as Remy and Pont were called out of the spring.
    “Shall we return you to your elf village, Kestrel-dream-giver?” Mulberry asked, as she reached Kestrel first.  “That was so refreshing!”
    “Yes, please take the lady elf first, then the young elves, and I’ll go last,” Kestrel instructed.
    “I can travel alone this time?” Amjay asked after she had started to edge towards Kestrel.  “I thought there was some reason I had to travel with you.”
    Kestrel grinned.  “ We can be together again if you like; the pleasure would be all mine.”
    She arched an eyebrow, then motioned for the imps to take her home, which they promptly did.
    “Why don’t we just sleep here, with this family?” Remy asked when they all returned to the small house on the edge of the village.
    Kestrel glanced at Amjay for just a second, as he considered the suggestion.  She had not issued the invitation; the house was too small, they were strangers and had no right to impose, he told himself.  “We’ll have a good time out in the forest,” he responded, just as he saw the woman start to speak.  “You boys need to practice being elves; when I was in the guard I slept in trees all the time.”
    “Are you sure?” Amjay asked hesitantly.
    Kestrel looked at her again, directly, and he too hesitated.  “Yes, I’ll take the boys out.
    “Here’s a water skin for you,” he added, pulling one of the straps off his shoulder and handed it to her.  “We’ll be back tomorrow morning in the village square.  Come see us,” he told her.
    “We liked the spring!” one of her boys said.
    “It felt nice,” the other agreed.
    And with that Kestrel and his two young companions were out of the house, and trott ed along the road that quickly became a narrow trail in the woods as it left the village and entered the surrounding forest.  They didn’t go far before Kestrel brought them to a stop and sent the boys up separate trees, as he picked one for himself, and they settled in to a sound night’s sleep.

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 5 – Mushroom Market
     
    Kestrel and the boys awoke after sunrise, on an overcast day that promised to release spring showers at some point.  They trouped into town, and went to the tavern, where they ate breakfast and waited for the nurses to arrive.  Shortly after they received their toasted acorns and forest greens, the nurses came down the stairs, each carrying a large bag of the medical supplies that they had made Remy and Pont carry for them.
    “What’s the point of coming here to treat this village if all you’re going to do is sit in the tavern and drink?” Parisse asked as the two set their bags down by the door.
    “She’s asked a sensible question, you know,” Jacquie added with pursed lips as the two sisters looked at the trio in disapproval.
    “Let’s move a couple of tables out into the square,” Kestrel suggested to the boys.  “Remy, you hold the door open.  Pont grab that end of the table,” he directed, and within five minutes they had