Free The Lifesaving Power: Goldenfields and Stronghold by Jeffrey Quyle Page A

somewhere,” Bethany replied, wishing that she didn’t have to talk about the topic.
    “ Let’s not talk about Alec any more, okay? I’ll let you know when I want to say something about him,” she told the small group. “I’m going to dinner with Tritos tonight. Did I tell you? What do you think I should wear?” And so she stunned and then cajoled her friends into closing off conversation about the healer ingenaire, and they talked about less painful topics.
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 6 – A Rainy Road to Stronghold
     
     
    Alec awoke in mid-morning, as the Current Rider continued to move downstream from Stronghold, its sails down, relying on the current and the rudder to direct its path back towards safety after an uneventful night of cautiously sailing in the dark.
    “ We’ve got some rations left to go around, sir,” Lieutenant Inspir said respectfully to Alec as he offered him some toasted bread and ham. “We’ll have fish before the hour is out as well,” he nodded towards the prow of the ship where three men were hanging lines in the water.
    “ Is Parlton available?” Alec asked.
    “ He’s catching some sleep himself, right now,” Inspir answered. “He was up until sunrise helping to maintain our course in the river channel. I’m taking the watch now while he rests.”
    Were there only the two officers left, Alec wondered. He knew the captain had been killed, and two other lieutenants must have died back at the yard as well. Only Inspir and Parlton would be available to command the deck, making for long shifts for the two men. Of course there were regrettably few men left to oversee, and fortunately none of those who had sailed in the first place were troublemakers by the standards of river sailors. Two officers would be enough to take the crew back to safety, he was confident.
    Alec realized that he wasn’t going to go back with them. He was going to get off the ship soon, and try to find some way to return to Noranda. He realized that even after all this time he didn’t know exactly who she was. He had thought of her as someone special during those long ago days in the carnival, but now ater so many months apart he didn’t really feel he knew her very well, and he knew she wouldn’t know anything about his life and trials.
    He missed Ari. He missed having someone to tell him what to do. He would give anything in the world to have Ari make decisions and give advice and provide friendship and happiness.
    Was he really supposed to be the protector of the crown? Was he supposed to have the knowledge to find, support or guide the rightful head of the Dominion? He didn’t even feel comfortable planning his own future, let alone making such grand plans for the whole nation. Alec began to laugh out loud at the remarkable twists his life had taken, and heads turned to see what amused him. He walked back to Inspir. “Tonight, could you drop me off on the bank with Walnut? I have unfinished business at Stronghold, and I’m not going to leave until I get it done.”
    “ Alec, the folks there aren’t going to welcome you back, do you think?” Inspir asked with a cocked eyebrow. “What do you want to do back there, anyway?” he asked with real curiosity.
    “ I took a ride on the Current Rider to get to Stronghold because I need to do something there,” he vaguely gestured back. “I always expected to leave the ship once we got to Stronghold,” he admitted.
    “ We’re lucky to have had you when we did,” Inspir replied after a long pause. “What is it you’ll do up there?” no longer questioning whether or not Alec would still return to the hostile city. “Is it something for Natha?”
    “ No, it’s not for Natha,” Alec replied without answering.
    “ Do you think they’ll recognize you? We could cut your hair for you,” Inspir suggested helpfully. “Would you like that?”
    Alec thought about the long, unruly hair that got in his face and streamed over his shoulder. It had