The Orchard of Hope by Amy Neftzger Read Free Book Online Page A

body odor, ” Megan replied solemnly, as if
she knew his thoughts . “ Especially around someone with a
sensitive nose. ” She stood up again and stepped away from him as she studied
his confused expression. “ I think you ’ re ready. ”
    “For another
lesson? ” Nicholas wasn ’ t sure he wanted another lesson like the last one,
especially if he had done so well with this one. He was afraid that
Megan would increase the difficulty level as well as the pain. She
might break something on him to see if he could fuse the bones back
together without help.
    “Not with me.
You should be training with Moss. ”
    “Who ’ s
this Moss you keep mentioning? ”
    “Someone who
uses real dragons instead of trained fire
lizards, ” Megan
replied. She turned to walk away but then paused to respond without
looking back, “ Y ou ’ ll
love him.”

Chapter
    Five
    First Lessons

    Kelsey, Roland and Maggie made
their way down the mountain and out into an expanse of prairie.
They were surrounded by tall grass everywhere except on the narrow
dirt path they were following. The grass tickled as it brushed
their arms, shoulders and cheeks.
    The hooded figures they had spotted
in the forest were still following them at a distance. Kelsey kept
watch on them and saw that they had grown in number. What started
as a pair of reapers had quickly blossomed into a group of five,
and then a few hours later, three more individuals had joined the
black-hooded figures. All of them were dressed alike. Now the sun
glinted off the row of scythes poking up above the thick grass and
shrubs. The tips of the scythes were all that could be seen above
the tall grass, and there were too many to count.
    “Should we
worry about them? ” Kelsey asked.
    “Yes, ” Maggie replied with
conviction.
    “Not yet, ” Roland answered at almost the
same time.
    “Not yet? ” Kelsey asked.
    “I said ‘ yes, ’” Maggie said with
urgency .
    “Roland
said ‘ not yet, ’” Kelsey explained. “ Maggie, please let me
talk with Roland and don ’ t interrupt us.
I ’ ll need you
to be quiet for a few minutes. ”
    “OK. I suppose
even conversations in your head take time, ” Maggie answered. “ Let me know when
you ’ re done
talking to yourself. ” She shrugged and turned away to look at the scenery, but
the glint of sunlight on the rows of scythes distracted her, and
she couldn ’ t
help looking back at them over and over.
    Kelsey was about
to respond to Maggie ’ s comment but realized it would be useless. If Maggie could
neither see nor hear Roland, then she had no reason to believe he
existed. Instead, Kelsey let the matter go.
    Turning to Roland, she asked, “Are
they dangerous? ”
    “They can be.
But this group is keeping its distance, so I ’ m not too
worried. ”
    “Y ou ’ ve
seen this before? These crazy people follow you
sometimes? ”
    “More often
than I would like. ”
    “What do they
want? ”
    “Mostly just to
be near me. ”
    “Why? What do
they want with you? ”
    “I ’ m not sure they know what they
want,” Roland said. “Their desire is to get close to me, but I
don ’ t think
they know the reason for their attraction. They could have chosen
any famous or powerful figure, but these people have chosen to
admire and follow me. ”
    “Are there more
of them in other places? ” Kelsey asked.
    “Yes,
thousands. ”
    “You have
fans? ” Kelsey
mused aloud and then thought for a moment. She had never seen
anything like this. Then she realized that people who worship Death
probably don’t see him the same way that she did. She glanced over
Roland ’ s plumed
hat and debonair attire and then back at the tips of the scythes
poking up above the tall grass. Occasionally she could see part of
a black hood flapping in the breeze.
    “They see you
as someone dressed like them, don ’ t they? ” Kelsey asked. “ They see you wearing
a black cloak with a hood that obscures your face, and you’re
carrying a giant scythe.