Free First Comes The One Who Wanders by Lynette S. Jones Page A

to ignore. Opening her eyes, she glanced behind her, knowing that something was out there. She couldn't see anything. Still, she knew it was there. Joshuas' appearance at her side, confirmed what she felt.
    "They caught up with us more quickly than I thought they would. Still, I think we have some time before they reach us. We need to find a place where we can defend ourselves."
    He seemed almost to glow in the darkness that had descended on them as he stood next to her. Leilas couldn't help but appreciate the symbolism. He'd been her champion all day, her knight in shining armor. Casting a critical eye at the man before her, she amended the thought, at least he was shining.
    "They won't attack while we are together," she said, not quite knowing how she knew. "Is there somewhere we don’t have to ride single file?"
    "There's a small meadow about a quarter mile up the road and off to the right. It would give us a little more advantage than being pinned on a road three feet wide."
    "I know the spot," Queen Daina broke into the conversation. "It's a good place, filled with light power."
    She urged her mount into a trot with Brenth close behind. Joshuas mounted quickly and tapped his heels into the sides of his horse. Once again, Leilas brought up the rear, hoping she could defend them if the need arose.
    The wolf attacked as soon as Joshuas disappeared around a turn in the pathway, before Leilas could cast a ward to keep him from springing. Her horse reared in fright and she found herself on the ground with a red-eyed wolf holding her leg in his mouth. "Prene warda, forten pahrak, eshra drayk", grunted Leilas between gasps, as she twisted away from the snapping jaws as best she could. She choked out the words of protection and strength, pushing against the chest of the hairy beast as it crawled nearer her throat. She'd barely regained her feet when another wolf sprang from the darkness of the trees toward her. Waving her hand in a circular motion, her fingers together and held upright, she pushed her circle of protection out around her. "Mord deignet."
    The wolf fell to the ground wounded. Leilas knew she should kill this evil crafter who was threatening her and her family, but she couldn't bring herself to kill a person who was lying helpless on the ground. Instead, she turned her attention to the wolf that was transforming in front of her.
    "Trien leifar." Although she could see that her words had affected the magik, it hadn't stopped him. His transformation was almost complete. If he managed to transform and regained his ability to speak, she would have a much more difficult time in banishing him.
    "Treienda revios." The last vestiges of beast vanished and the man bent over in pain, blood spurting from his mouth. Leilas closed her eyes against the sight. It was too hard to watch what her words had done. It didn't matter that she'd done this to save her family, or that these men were evil. This memory would haunt her.
    Turning to see how much damage she'd inflicted on the man who'd attacked her first, she was just in time to see Joshuas run his sword through the man's heart. She wondered if killing affected him the same way it affected her.
    "Just because you're a magik, doesn't mean you have to use your powers every time you meet another magik," Joshuas said bitingly. "A sword works just as well and it doesn't call as much attention to yourself. Your little show probably attracted every evil creature within twenty leagues. This isn't the school where you're protected by other more powerful magiks. Out here you live or die by your ability."
    Leilas was taken aback by Joshuas’ censure. She'd only done what she'd needed to do. "I didn't have time to pull my sword. They were on me so quickly."
    "That's another thing. Didn't Gidron teach you to sense the presence of other magiks? How could those magiks have gotten so close before you recognized they were here? It seems to me, your teaching has been woefully incomplete." Joshuas