The Sage Seed Chronicles: The Unraveling by Holly Barbo Read Free Book Online

offered.
“If you’d like, I could check out your team and see if I could
locate the problem. Looks like people are stopping for the
day.”
    She helped the driver pull over under the
trees and unharness the horses. When he got off the wagon Erin
noticed that he was a bit over a head taller than she was and moved
a little stiffly after a day sitting and fighting the team. She
took her time going over each horse and their harnesses then she
approached the driver and explained what she found, concluding
with, “You need to put the Chestnut by the wagon next to the Roan.
He will be steadier if his good eye can see the horse next to him
and not have to see the road. The lead set should be your two Bays.
I could check the harness for rub areas and if you have the leather
I’d mend them. I’ll rub down the horses and care for them for the
night, if you wish.”
    “I’d be grateful, lad. I appreciate your
help. I know my cargo and am of the Miner Guild. I don’t know
horses at all. I thought all I had to do was hitch them up and say
‘giddup’ or ‘whoa’. I haven’t had this much trouble with a team in
all of my travels. It has been frustrating! My name is Lor. What is
yours?” he said holding out his hand. They shook hands briefly.
    “Terran”, Erin said. Lor acknowledged the
introduction with a nod then with a tilt of his chin toward the
horses, said “Take care of them. I’ll feed you dinner and we can
get acquainted.” He gazed at the boy for a moment then turned back
to his tasks.
    Erin stroked the soft furry back of the small
skunk on her shoulder, to wake him then set Tempo down to forage
with a mental request that the skunk to stay nearby and keep an eye
out. Then she led the horses to the river for a drink. When she
came back to camp she tethered them for the night and fed them,
brushing them down as they ate. Thankfully they had not rubbed any
sores which would have made travel difficult. She went over the
tack carefully making sure everything was padded properly for the
next day. Erin was pretty tired herself, being up since dawn.
    Lor had been watching the ‘boy’ work as he
set up camp. When she was finished with the horses she turned to
the small campfire. “You are good with animals, Terran. I see you
travel with a skunk. I hope it doesn’t startle easily because that
would indeed ruin the trip.”
    “Tempo and I don’t have any family but each
other.” said the ‘boy’. “He will mind his manners as long as
someone doesn’t try to harm him.”
    Lor turned to the campfire and dished out
some food for Terran. The aroma coming from the plate made her
mouth water. “Tell me about yourself. How did a lad, such as
yourself, come to be traveling alone but for a skunk as a
companion.” Terran, haltingly, told the story of her father getting
cut working on the windmill and the infection that killed him. She
continued with the tale of her mother dying from grief and his
searching for the relative he didn’t know. As she finished the
story it was nearing second moon rise and the light of the night
altered from the silvery glow that came from Luna to the beginnings
of the ruddier hue that Cear gave off. She was really exhausted and
the shadows showed on her face. Just as Cear crested the hills to
join Luna in the sky she sensed Nuit landing in the tree behind
her.
    “You are tired. Bed down here. We’ll talk
some more in the morning”, said Lor quietly.
    Erin got out her bedroll and stretched out.
She was nearly asleep when she felt, in her mind, a smack of anger
and frustration. The ‘seeker’ had lost her trail and was furious.
The mental slap was strong and ‘loud’ enough to be felt without her
reaching. She jerked in surprise. “What is it?” Lor said, “Are you
alright?”
    “Sorry, I guess my muscles were more tired
than I thought. They just gave me a ‘long day’ twitch. Good night,
Lor”, and Erin pulled her blanket up around her shoulders and
closed her eyes.
    “What was