Free The Mage of Orlon: The beginning by Gene Rager Page A

and probably after you have killed us. ”
    “ No, I will behave, I promise. ”
    The look on Nate ’ s face looked like he was actually considering this. Lela glared at Nate.
    “ You are not even thinking about letting her go, are you? We are in Cravenwood, remember? Everything here is trying to kill us. She will lead us into a trap and leave us for dead! ” Lela snapped.
    “ Your right Lela, she will betray us the second she gets the chance. So if betrayal is what she wants, let us play a game. ”
    Nate tied the nymph ’ s wrists and hoisted her up against a tree.
    “ The game is simple, only one rule. ” Nate said with a grin.
    The nymph looked around it did not look good for her plan on escaping.
    “ What is the one rule? ”
    “ Survive. ”
    Terror seized the nymph, this was the cursed forest and she was a water nymph. Out of the water too long and she would die, that is if something didn ’ t come along and tear her apart before that.
    “ I can help you really! Please, don ’ t leave me here! If you want to kill me, let your girlfriend do it. She looks like she can handle a blade. Please, give me a warrior ’ s death! ”
    Lela and Nate stopped. Lela spun around and threw the knife the nymph had held at Nate ’ s throat. The knife hit the rope above the nymph ’ s hands dropping her to the ground in a heap.
    “ Go, and never approach us again, if you do, we will leave you for the forest to kill. ” Lela hissed through the cool air.
    “ I can ’ t leave without trading you something. I wronged you, and you were within your rights to leave me for dead, but you are letting me go. It doesn ’ t make sense. You could command me to be your slave until I paid back the debt I owe you, but you are just letting me go. I have something that would be useful to you, please take it. ”
    The nymph produced a small pouch and placed it on the ground. As she backed away from the pouch she turned and started for the water. She called over her shoulder, “ It ’ s sleep powder, just toss it on whoever you need to and they fall asleep for three hours. ”
    As Lela approached the pouch she stopped, eyeing the parting gift suspiciously, “ Why didn ’ t you use this on us in the beginning? You could have won the fight, killed us both, and had our property. ”
    “ There is only enough for one person in that pouch, yes I could have put one of you asleep, but the other one would have finished me off while I was dosing the other. And where is the fun in that? ” With a quick jump the nymph disappeared into the brook.
    Lela picked up the pouch and returned to Nate. Nate looked at Lela.
    “ There are some strange people in this realm. ”
    “ Tell me Nate, would you have left her there? ”
    “ No, I just wanted scare her enough not to try something else. ”

Chapter 16
    Nate and Lela walked the rest of the day, until finally fatigue and nightfall forced them to make camp. As they were sitting around the campfire Lela decided to warn Nate of the obstacle in their way.
    “ Nate, we have to cross through the lost village of Santrose. ”
    “ Okay, why do I have a feeling there is a reason you are telling me this? ”
    “ There are rumors of an archer that haunts the village. ”
    “ A ghost archer, terrific. So what is the story behind this little snag in our plans to get to Lex? ”
    With a deep sigh Lela began Santrose ’ s ill-fated history.
    “ Santrose was a very prosperous village before the Dark Queen tried to take it over. Santrose was a market town, anything a person could ever want this village could make it or get it. People from all around came to this town for special herbs, hard to find items anything that they could not get in their own village they could get at Santrose. ”
    “ The Dark Queen ’ s forces began to lay siege to this magnificent village, but having access to hard to get items meant the village also contained really strong magic. As it turns out the village was built on a stock