Paladins of Shannara: The Black Irix (Short Story) by Terry Brooks Read Free Book Online Page A

Farshawn and his Rovers had not come this way before. Railing and Mirai
     had traveled the Borderlands while conveying spare parts and salvage to customers,
     but had not gone farther north.
    Railing favored coming up from the Rainbow Lake, following the corridor that snaked
     between the Wolfsktaag and the Dragon’s Teeth to the Upper Anar, and then continuing
     on through Jannisson Pass east of the Skull Kingdom and its dangers and straight along
     the western edge of the Charnals to the Northland city of Anatcherae—much the same
     route his grandfather Penderrin had taken while searching for the tanequil all those
     years ago. From Anatcherae, once resupplied, they could continue on to their destination.
    But Skint had thought differently.
    What they needed most, he declared, was a guide, someone who was familiar with the
     Charnals and could help them find the ruins of Stridegate, where it was said the tanequil
     might be found. There were few who could do that, and he was not one. In point of
     fact, he knew of only one man who could help them with this, one whose loyalty and
     knowledge they could depend upon. And even he would need persuading.
    His name was Challa Nand, and he made his home in the Eastland town of Rampling Steep.
     But finding him would require that the company fly
Quickening
east of the Charnals and through the Upper Anar. It would necessitate abandoning
     the western approach to Stridegate and finding one that came in from the east. Challa
     could show them, if they were able to persuade him to their cause.
    Railing knew he could rely on the ring given to him by the King of the Silver River
     to show them the way, but using it would mean either telling them about his meeting
     with the Faerie creature or lying about where he had gotten the ring. The ring could
     always be a backup if the need arose; the better choice was to keep it a secret for
     now.
    So he agreed to Skint’s proposal, and the others went along, all of them keenly aware
     that they were in unfamiliar territory and needed to reduce the risks they would encounter.
    Now here they were, on their way to Rampling Steep, anchored at the northern edge
     of Darklin Reach not far from where the Rabb River branched east into the Upper Anar.
     If he listened closely, Railing could hear the murmur of the river’s waters as they
     churned their way out of the mountains on their journey west to the plains and from
     there to the Mermidon. It was a distance of hundreds of miles, and it made him wonder
     if anyone had ever followed the river all the way from end to end. He supposed Gnome
     or Dwarf trappers and traders might have done so at some point, but he doubted that
     any had ever made a record of it.
    “What are you doing?”
    Mirai Leah was standing next to him. He hadn’t heard her come up, hadn’t realized
     she was there. He shrugged. “Can’t sleep.”
    “Standing out here isn’t going to help. You need to get some rest. Are you all right?”
    He gave her a quick glance. Her hair was rumpled, and she was yawning. “You look like
     the one who ought to be sleeping.”
    “I would be if I weren’t worried about you. What’s bothering you, Railing?”
    He could have given her a whole raft of answers, starting with how he felt about her
     and what it would mean to him if he caused her harm. But all he said was, “Nothing.
     I just couldn’t sleep.”
    She draped an arm over his shoulders. Her touch made him shiver. “How long have we
     known each other?”
    “Seems like forever. Since we were pretty small, anyway. I still remember when your
     parents brought you for your first visit. They came to see Mother. I didn’t like you
     then. You were kind of bossy.”
    “Not much has changed. I’m still kind of bossy. So when I ask you what’s bothering
     you, it’s because I know something is. So what’s up?”
    He brushed his red hair back and faced her. “Leaving Redden is eating at me. I can’t
     stand it that I’m