“Halfdan?”

“I see you’ve left me for last. I’ve had some experience with this kind of thing,” said Halfdan with a sigh. “I was on an adventure once where we faced a similar problem, and I’m not proud of how we solved it. I did not vote to kill our prisoners, but I did not speak up to set them free either. I still see their faces in my nightmares. I would save the rest of you from living with the regrets and doubts that I live with. I say let them go. Let them go; we will face whatever trouble may come of it. If we kill them, we will have to live with it for the rest of our lives.”

“You would risk our adventure and possibly our lives to set these men free?” Val questioned.

“I would,” Halfdan answered firmly. “I know the price that must be paid for killing without cause.”

“Enough,” said Bregnest. “I have heard what you have to say, now I will hear what our captives can say for themselves. Halfdan, Andy, cut them free and bring them here.”

Halfdan and Andy hurried to do as Bregnest said. Alex hoped that Bregnest would choose to set the men free. Bregnest had said something about another way, a way that the other members of the company might not accept. After hearing what his friends had to say, Alex hoped that Bregnest’s other way would work.

“Well,” Bregnest said when the three soldiers were standing next to the fire, “you’ve heard us talking. You know the decision we are trying to make and what your fate might be. Do you have anything to say that might influence our decision?”

“Lord Bregnest,” one of the soldiers said, taking a step forward. “We have also talked. We all know you by name and by reputation. We have heard the stories of your adventures, the tales of what you have done for Athanor, and the rumors of good deeds you have done in secret. We can offer little to convince your friends that we mean you no harm, but we are soldiers of the house of Domina, sworn to protect the people of Athanor. As men of honor we offer to you, Lord Bregnest, the rowshak el cal.”

“A great offer,” Bregnest replied. “And the only one that could save your lives. As a lord of Athanor, I will accept your oath and call on the members of my company to witness it.”

“What is a rowshak el cal?” Sindar questioned as the three soldiers dropped to one knee in front of Bregnest.

“The words are as old as Alusia,” Bregnest answered. “I’m not sure of the exact translation, but it means a soul oath. They will take an oath on their souls not to betray us and to do as I ask. If any of them break their oath, the other two will hunt him down and kill him in the most painful way possible. If the others fail, then their family will take up the task, hunting the betrayer and his family to extinction.”

“A powerful oath,” said Halfdan. “I will be honored to act as witness.”

“Words,” Val said in a sour tone. “They may mean the words now, but will they remember them when they are free and safe?”

“Words are what make a man,” Bregnest replied. “What is honor, Val? It is saying you will do something and then doing it. Honor is keeping your word, and adventurers are not the only people with honor.”

“I . . . I’m sorry. I’ve trusted before and been betrayed,” said Val. “I do not trust so easily anymore.”

“Form a circle around us,” Bregnest commanded the group.

Alex and the others obeyed, and Bregnest held out his left hand, palm up. Each of the soldiers placed his right hand on top of Bregnest’s left, and then Bregnest put his right hand on top of them all.

“Make your oaths,” said Bregnest.

The soldiers spoke softly in unison. Alex understood most of what they said, except for the words from the ancient language of Alusia. As the soldiers finished speaking, Bregnest said a few of the ancient words as well, accepting their oaths.

But before Bregnest could release the soldiers’ hands, Alex stepped forward. He put his own right hand on top of Bregnest’s, and the words came to him as if he had always known them.

“I bind your oaths to you with a wizard’s seal of magic and with hope. For as long as you keep the oaths you have sworn this day, good fortune will follow you and yours. In the instant you betray this oath, all that you hold dear will wither and rot before your eyes.”

Alex felt a surge of power rush through him as he finished speaking, and he knew that Bregnest and the soldiers felt it as well. Alex lifted his hand and returned to the circle.

“So be it,” Bregnest said after a moment of silence. He released the soldiers’ hands.

Alex thought he should feel tired or dizzy because the magic he had just done was powerful, but he didn’t. If anything, he felt more alert and awake than ever, full of energy and magic, ready for whatever lay ahead of them.

After a few minutes, Halfdan started cooking breakfast. The three soldiers sat to one side of the fire while Alex’s friends put away their blankets and tended to the horses.

“Alex, are you all right?” Sindar questioned in a soft voice as he walked up beside him.

“I feel wonderful,” Alex answered. “Maybe too good.”

“That was some powerful magic,” Sindar said. “Vankin told you that magic was like a bowl catching water and that there are limits to how much magic you can use. I would think you are getting close to your limits after sealing the oath like that.”

“So would I,” said Alex. “I’ve done less magic before and felt dizzy or tired afterwards. The morning I lost the rabbit—the one I’d created out of a rock—I felt a little tired then. It didn’t last long, but after using my magic, I felt like sitting for a bit, like I needed to catch my breath. But this time I don’t feel tired at all. I feel like the bowl has instantly been refilled and I’m ready for anything.”

“Strange,” Sindar said in a thoughtful tone. “I think, before you use any more magic, you should send a message to Vankin. He might be able to explain what has happened, and I’m sure he will want to know about your bowl being filled again so rapidly.”

“You are right,” said Alex. “I’ll write to him tonight when we make camp.”

The rest of the morning was spent putting packs together for the three soldiers to take with them. Having no horses, they would have to walk, and it would take them some time before they would reach a town or city. Bregnest gave each of them a small bag of money so they could buy more food when they reached a town.

“What would you have us tell Kappa when we return?” one of the soldiers questioned.

“Only that you were attacked by goblins and managed to escape,” Bregnest answered.

“He will ask about you and your company, Lord Bregnest,” the man went on. “How would you have us answer?”

“Tell him that you did not see us,” Bregnest replied. “Tell him that you don’t know how we could have escaped the goblins when most of your company was destroyed.”

“As you wish,” said the soldier with a bow.

After the midday meal, the soldiers said good-bye and wished the company good luck before heading south. Alex and his friends followed the goblin path for most of the afternoon, turning more to the north a few hours before the sun set. If they were lucky, Alex thought they might be able to make their way through the woods and reach the road in two or three days. But how long it would take them to reach the Tower of the Moon was still a mystery.

Chapter Ten

Centaurs’ Woods

It was late afternoon on the third day when Alex and his friends found the main road, and after riding north for a few miles, Bregnest had them set up camp for the night.

Alex had started to worry as they traveled. He was worried about the time it would take them to find the Horn of Moran and return it to Alusia. He was worried about his magic, too. Was it right that he felt full of magic and not tired or drained in any way? He had written a long letter to Whalen, explaining everything that had happened and exactly how he had felt, but so far Whalen had not written back.