Night Calls the Raven (Book 2 of The Master of the Tane) (67 page)

Ranse shook his head in agreement. “No. Calandra, I am afraid will fall just as Haykon did. If not for those dragons we might stand a chance.”

Jack pulled at his beard. “Even then, I doubt we could hold off an army that size indefinitely. There are too many of them and too few of us.”

Ranse glanced to the west, staring at seemingly nothing through the trees. For long moments he walked along in silence before half whispering to no one in particular, “There is one place where we might make a stand.”

*     *     *

Dor, Tam, Thane and Jne walked at the rear of the refugees who plodded on in stunned silence toward Calandra and their hope for survival. None of the people of Haykon had ever really believed that such a great army had been gathered to fight against them and none, certainly, had believed their dear city would be so easily destroyed. Many were still in shock from the destruction brought on by the dragons, and whispers had already spread about the Tjal man who had ridden one to the ground where it had strangely turned to dust. Many claimed he was a sorcerer, cast away by the Tjal to roam the country alone. Others claimed he had actually brought the dragons and was a spy for the enemy. A few said he was one of the feared Chufa of old, returned to wreak his evil havoc once again upon the people.

Thane tried to ignore the whispers and strange looks. He could have easily announced that had it not been for him, they all might have died, but he knew it would only spread more rumors. No, he just did his best to ignore it. The ignorant would always remain so until they decided to cast off the shackles of superstition and prejudice that held them to their state.

He glanced down at Tam still feeling the stabs of pain to his heart he got whenever she was near. She looked up at him and smiled, grabbing his arm and squeezing it tightly. “Are you still glad you stayed?” He asked.

Tam looked at him for a long moment, holding his eyes in her own. “I am not happy with any of what has happened to us,” she replied. “But I am glad to have you safe and with me again. I am glad that we are able to do something to help our people even though it may be in vain and none of them may ever know what has happened here. And I am glad, Thane,” she smiled even brighter, “that you are my friend.”

Thane couldn’t help the smile that broke out on his face. Though it pained him to never have her as his own, he couldn’t deny the sunlight she brought to his life when she was near. “As am I,” he whispered, and then turned his gaze back to the long road ahead and wondered what waited for them at the fabled city of Calandra.

In the distance a raven cried out and then took wing just as the sun dropped below the mountains far to the west, giving the world over to night as it made its call to the land.