The Tales of the Wanderer Volume One: A Book of Underrealm (The Underrealm Volumes 4) by Garrett Robinson (elon musk reading list TXT) 📕

Yue still looked dour, but she said, “And safe enough. Do not worry yourself.”

“Not for a moment,” said Dryleaf. But the relief on his face gave lie to the words.

I looked to Nikau. “Were things well on the march?”

“Well enough. We did not press ourselves as hard as you did. But we missed you.” He put a hand on Yue’s arm. “Nothing is as fun when all the most interesting folk have left.”

Yue could not restrain a grin, and she scratched the back of her head. Dryleaf’s smile widened as he spoke. “Well, here we are, reunited. What fresh dangers do we expect to face now?”

I gave a glance at Yue. “Kun is sending Mag and me to scout for the Shades,” I said. “Once we have pinpointed them, he will bring the rest of the force north to wipe them out.”

“Into the hills, you mean?” said Dryleaf. “I spoke with Lieutenant Zhou while we have been marching west to catch up with you, and he told me the lay of the land.”

“They should be easy to find,” I said. “Especially with the wounded we left them with after our last scrap.”

Dryleaf’s face grew worried. “That is good. But take care that you do not grow overconfident. I know one reason we brought them to bay here was so that the landscape would give them no advantage. But our enemies are wily and may yet have tricks up their sleeves.”

“We will be careful,” said Mag.

“Too careful, in some cases,” muttered Yue.

Dryleaf’s head turned towards her quizzically, but when she said nothing more, he let it be. “Good, good. You should take Oku with you when you go. The poor boy has been frantic with boredom during our march.”

“Gladly will we do so, now that you have a chance to rest,” I said. “Oku, tiss.” The hound darted to my side and sat, looking up at me expectantly.

“Rest, yes,” said Dryleaf, sighing. “I will treasure the next few hours in my tent. But give them a happy ending, and come back to me safe.”

“Safe and victorious,” said Mag. “That is a promise—or as close to a promise as one can give in war.”

A shadow passed over Dryleaf’s face, but if doubt was in his heart, he did not speak of it before we left him.

From the moment we started our trek north, I could see the truth of what Kun had told us about these hills. They were gentle and easy, mere ripples in the land, like a slightly rumpled blanket. I chose to climb them as we went, rather than sticking close to the trail the Shades had left in the wet ground. It slowed us, but it gave us a better vantage point to see the land around us, and hopefully to spot the Shades from afar.

Their course wound through the dips, and the furrow they had cut in the land was easy to see: a black slash of mud through the shoots of new grass. We advanced as quickly as we could. Three soldiers in each squadron held torches aloft—one in the front, one in the back, and one in the middle, lighting the way for their fellows. Hallan held the front torch in my squadron, so I stayed a good several paces away from him to keep my eyes sharp in the darkness. We climbed over one hill and down the other side to an open space through which our enemies had passed. As we crossed the Shades’ trail, Oku ran back and forth across the black swath in the land, sniffing at their steps. A drizzle began to drift down upon us out of the sky.

“Hold,” I said. Our squadrons stopped at once. “Jian, Chausiku. With me. Hallan, you are in charge of Black Squadron until I return, but listen to Mag.”

“Albern,” said Mag, frowning. “Where are you going?”

“To the top of the next hill.” I pointed to the marks. “They stopped here for a while before pressing on. I would guess they sent out scouts looking for a better place to camp. Once they found it, they did not go too much farther before stopping overnight.”

“I should come with you,” said Mag immediately.

“No,” I said. “Jian and I are quieter. And if we encounter the enemy, we will not be fighting, but running back to you.”

“Then I can help cover your retreat.”

“Mag, no. I am going ahead, and that is that. We will signal you to follow if we find them.”

Her mouth worked. But I could see she did not wish to have an argument while the Shades could be getting farther away, especially not in front of our squadrons. I turned to Jian and Chausiku again.

“Come on.” Oku padded up to my side, but I held out a hand to stop him. “Kip, boy. Stay with Mag.” He whined and sat back on his haunches.

We crept up the hill, the mud helping to keep our footsteps muffled. When we neared the top, I held out a hand to tell them to slow down. We approached the summit at a crawl.

Nearly an hour had passed, and the sky kept lightening in the east. I was trying to use that to our advantage. We crept to the top of the hill on our bellies, and I followed the track of the Shades’ progress.

There. I pointed so that Chausiku and Jian could see it, too. Outlined against the grey sky far away, I could see a figure. It was only a black silhouette from this distance and with so little light to illuminate it. But as we watched, a cloak fluttered, the motion making it stand out clearer against the sky.

“A sentry,” I said. “A posted one, not a rear scout. That means they are camped just over that hill.”

“Should we eliminate them?” said Jian at once.

“It might raise the alarm,” I said. “Better to bring the others forwards and form a plan together. Jian, go