The Grim Wanderer by James Wolf Read Free Book Online

slowly pulled away.
    ‘See you in a few days, Logan,’ Hirandar said as the wagon moved off, and Taem was sure a knowing glance flickered between them.
    ‘Let’s go then,’ Hirandar strode off towards the mountains to the east, with Taem following close behind.
     
    Hirandar and Taem had kept to a fast pace all day. It was now late in the afternoon and the fine weather had held throughout. As they headed towards the Dredgen Mountains, Taem had watched the land around them change from maintained farmland to unkempt wilderness. Taem had wondered all day, as the mountains loomed ever larger under the glorious sun, what purpose could the Wizard have in taking him to the wild Dredgen? Taem had not been told by his elusive teacher, so he knew better than to ask. He knew the only answer he would get would be a mysterious “Be patient!”, or “Wait and see”.
    There was no longer a trail to follow, so the companions cut eastwards through the grasslands. They had stopped only for Taem to shoot a rabbit for dinner. Taem found the countryside tranquil, with only the song of an occasional bird or the crunch of their boots on the earth disturbing the silence. The quiet had given Taem time to think. What would become of him in the outside world? Would it be how he pictured it from reading books, and what Hirandar and Logan had told him?
    The companions left the woodland for the plains once more, when dusk set in.
    ‘I’m tired,’ Hirandar stopped walking, and looked up at the twilight sky. ‘We’ve come far enough today, let’s stop and camp, before it gets too dark.’
    ‘This is a good spot,’ Taem walked over to a bare area of flat ground, underneath the boughs of a tall beech tree. The surrounding land was open, but he knew that the tree would give them some shelter if it were to rain. Taem removed his pack, leaving it under the beech, and scurried about collecting up pieces of dry wood with which to make a fire. In no time he had a healthy blaze alight. He skinned the rabbit with his knife, and splayed it over the fire using sticks planted in rock piles. Hirandar sat leaning against the trunk of the beech, resting after the long walk. Taem was carrying both their provisions in his pack, but he was still amazed at how the old woman could match his pace. With all the campsite tasks completed, Taem sat down cross-legged away from the fire. He relaxed his muscles and closed his eyes.
    Imagining a sword in his hands, Taem could feel the comfort of its leather grip and the weight in his arms. From within his meditative thoughts, he proceeded to defeat adversary after adversary.
    A flash and a bang exploded right in front of Taem’s face. His eyes shot open. Taem threw himself into a backwards tumble. He rolled and sprang up onto his feet, pulling his knife from his belt. Was someone attacking them? Alert for danger, Taem looked out into the dark. It was a clear night. The full moon and the glowing embers of his fire combined to light up the campsite. Taem heard nothing untoward. He smelt the inviting, succulent aroma of the roasted rabbit, and saw the Wizard chuckling at him. Realising the source of the flash, Taem relaxed.
    ‘I wish you wouldn’t do that!’ Taem scowled at Hirandar.
    ‘How else am I supposed to wake you?’ Hirandar snapped her fingers, and there was another flash over Taem’s head. The Wizard laughed again.
    ‘I believe a tap on the shoulder would suffice,’ Taem said dryly.
    ‘Oh, come, my boy,’ Hirandar grinned, ‘laughter is the most priceless gift!’
    ‘I suppose so,’ Taem’s grimace softened into a smile, ‘I’ll remind you of that the next time you’re on the receiving end of one of Edar’s pranks.’
    ‘Quite right too,’ Hirandar handed Taem half of the rabbit on a wooden plate.
    ‘Thank you,’ Taem mumbled, as he devoured strips of tender meat. ‘How do you have so much energy? You’ve marched all day like a soldier, without stopping once…’
    ‘You were wondering how