| Departure
Rift was back home within the hour. Fred and Astra did not know where
he had gone. They had had only the most desultory of conversations whilst
he had been away. Astra was unwilling to tell Fred why she was in Rift's
power. She wasn't sure how Fred would take it. After all, he was the prospective
father of her unborn child or children, and might feel insulted that she
was not willing to risk disinheritance for them. Meanwhile Fred thought
that if Astra would not willingly tell him what was going on, there was
no use pressing the issue.
"We leave now," Rift said. "Saddle up. Just in case, we will leave town
by a different route from the one we used before, and then head back to
the old trail once we are a few miles out of town. I don't suppose that
anyone will be watching, but one can't be too careful."
Arrival
Meanwhile, the Aquilarian rangers had decided to take the risk of entering
Walants and asking if anyone had seen a striking tall red-headed woman.
Being inexperienced in the ways of a town such as Walants, they were less
discreet than they might have been. Unfortunately for them, not long before
they began their inquiries the Burgher had let it be known to his agents
that he was interested in finding out information concerning a certain
Aqualarian woman ans her male companion, believed to be somewhere in Walants.
One of the agents put two and two together, and realised that the three
newcomers were probably looking for the same woman. After all, Aqualarians
were rare visitors to Walants.
-
 As for the missed opportunity...
Go Back
|