The Seer by Rowan McAllister (reading comprehension books .TXT) 📕

Fara back to town for supplies and simply go around in hopes of finding better luck farther north. But that was about the only other option left to them if the waterways were being closely watched. He sure as hells didn’t want to risk a night crossing with pain priests nearby. Just the thought made him shudder and his stomach clench.

“Lead the way, Fara,” Shura said with a soft smile.

Daks shot a quick glance to Ravi. The man was worrying his lower lip, and a deep V had formed between his pretty eyes, but he didn’t say anything. He merely fell into line behind them as they moved to gather the horses and followed Fara upriver.

Crossing the Kun was not particularly pleasant. At least the river was still shallow and slow-moving, despite the icy snowmelt, so he only got wet up to his waist leading Horse over the rocky bottom. His chest tightened and his hands clutched convulsively on the reins the higher the water climbed, but luckily Shura was the only one who seemed to notice—because she was the only one craning her neck to check on him every five seconds. They were all shivering by the time they reached the far side, but the lure of solid ground and the possibility of a good, hot meal and a roof to sleep under tonight egged him on.

The family’s house and barns weren’t difficult to spot, once they reached the edge of the trees. The large stone-and-wood structures perched on a hill far enough from the river to be safe from floods, but close enough for easy access to the water for their crops. Despite Fara’s obvious faith in Maran’s family, she didn’t argue when Daks recommended she approach them on her own while they kept hidden. They were far enough from Reyan that there shouldn’t be any guard presence, but given their luck so far, he wasn’t taking any chances.

The woman was all smiles when she finally returned, easing the last of the tightness in Daks’s muscles that he hadn’t been able to work out through pacing the riverbank.

“They’ll help,” she said brightly, her cheeks flushed. “They recommend we wait until after dark and the extra laborers they’ve brought on for planting season have gone home. They’ll put us up in the house to avoid being seen by anyone outside the family. We’ll have plenty of hot food, beds, and warm water to wash in.”

Her enthusiasm was contagious. He found himself smiling along with Shura. He cut a glance to Ravi, who seemed oddly silent, but the man had his hood pulled forward and his head bent, so Daks couldn’t see any part of his face.

“I guess we wait, then,” Daks said into the silence, his smile fading a little.

AS FAR as they were from town, they still heard when the temple bell rang at sunset for evening prayers. Even in this overly-pious kingdom, farmers and other workers weren’t expected to travel to the temple at dawn and dusk, but they did have to stop whatever they were doing and sing one of the hundreds of interminable hymns the Brotherhood had concocted.

Daks hadn’t noticed much in the way of prayer from Fara before, probably because they’d been a bit preoccupied with running, but he saw her draw a little away from the rest of them now. He shot a glance at Ravi, but the man remained still and silent where he’d propped himself against a tree to wait.

Finally, Fara rejoined them, her face alight and smiling again. “We should be able to go now. The workers will probably have headed home before the bells to sing with their families.”

Daks didn’t need to be told twice. He hopped to his feet and went to gather Horse’s reins while Shura and Fara collected the other two. The women had almost crossed the dirt road outside the tree line when Daks realized Ravi wasn’t with them. He swung around to find Ravi still sitting at the foot of the tree.

“Ravi, what are you waiting for? Let’s go,” he called.

“I can’t,” came the muffled reply.

“What’s wrong?” Shura said, coming back to him.

“I don’t know.”

He handed the reins to Shura and walked back to stand over Ravi’s huddled form. “Are you hurt?”

“No.”

“Then what?” he asked, losing patience.

“You know what,” Ravi said with equal harshness, seeming to fold in on himself even more. “People? A house full of people I’ve never met? What do think is going to happen when I get near them? In case you’ve forgotten, there’s two pain priests only a few miles away. If something happens, do you want to take the chance they won’t find out?”

Daks grimaced and dragged a hand down his face. Ravi was right. He’d been so focused on a hot, hearty meal—with maybe some blessed ale to wash it down—a soft bed to sleep in, and the chance to clean up that he’d forgotten all about Ravi’s little Vision problem.

“Daks?” Shura called from where he’d left her.

“It’s fine,” he replied. “We’re just going to have to alter the plan a little.”

He dropped to one knee, grimacing at the pull on his wound. When Ravi finally met his gaze in the fading light, Daks murmured, “We won’t go in the house. We’ll keep clear.”

Ravi shook his head. “There’s no reason you all can’t. I can wait outside, in the barn maybe. You need to get that taken care of,” he said, nodding to Daks’s ribs. “I’ll be fine on my own.”

Daks’s lips curved. “What happened to not letting me out of your sight until you’re safely out of Rassa?”

Ravi rolled his eyes, but his lips twitched. “I doubt you could sneak away on me. I’ll stick with the horses to make sure, though.”

“Come on,” Daks said, only wincing slightly as he rose to his feet again. “We’ll figure it out once we get closer. I’ll scope out one of the buildings farthest from the house and leave you there while we talk to the family. We’re