Sorrows of Adoration Read Online Free Page A

a
journey back to Endren in the morning. We’ll see you back there in
a few days’ time.”
    The Prince nodded, and
the two horses were made to hurry off down the path.
    I noticed Jarik had
been laden with several packs, no doubt of supplies and gear for a
trek by foot through the woods. I offered to carry something, since
he was clearly being quite kind by allowing me to join him, but he
refused, saying I must still be exhausted.
    “In the morning,
perhaps if you’re up to it you can carry a portion of the gear. For
now, we must hurry to get far off the path and find a safe place to
camp for the night,” he said.
    The trees were thick on
either side of this part of the path, but Jarik said the western
side would be easier to follow eventually, since the road lay at
the western foot of the mountains after this valley. We hurriedly
entered the woods, Jarik in the lead.
    The darkness was thick
and blinding in amongst the trees, and I felt very afraid. I was
able to follow Jarik only by the sound of him walking in front of
me, occasionally whispering to be careful of a low branch or
warning me of a root I might have otherwise tripped over. Though I
was still tired from my earlier journey, fear and adventure filled
me with new energy, so I was able to keep up with his pace rather
well.
    I lost track of how
long we walked or what direction we travelled, but we eventually
came across a rocky ledge with a hollow beneath it. Jarik suggested
that we hide out in the hollow until the light of day, and I had no
reason to argue. He apologized that he didn’t wish to make a fire,
but I assured him that I understood it was only logical to not
attract such attention. He placed some rocks over the pack that
held food, and we each took one of the blankets I had carried and
wrapped ourselves in it. He bade me to crawl into the hollow first,
so I nestled myself against the rock tightly to allow him as much
room as possible. He positioned himself at the mouth of the hollow,
sitting upright, drawn sword in hand.
    It may sound silly, but
seeing a man like that, ready to defend both me and himself, gave
me great peace. I no longer felt afraid. The bandits would no doubt
chase the Prince, and for him I worried, but for us I no longer
feared. I was able to fall asleep quickly and deeply, and my poor
exhausted body was glad of it.
     

Chapter
2
     
    THE CRY OF a bird in a
tree overhead woke me, and I found myself stiff, sore, cold and
completely disoriented. I sat up, thinking I was in my cot, and in
doing so bumped my head soundly on the rock above me.
    Jarik was already
awake, searching amongst the food pack for something edible for
breakfast, and saw me bang my head. He leaned over to me and asked
if I was hurt. I remembered where I was and all that had happened,
blushed as I rubbed the small bump growing under my hair, and said,
“I’m fine. I forgot where I was.”
    “I know the feeling. I
almost rolled over onto my own sword last night. Wouldn’t that have
been heroic, to escape a pack of bandits only to impale myself in
my sleep?” he asked, chuckling. I smiled at his good humour and
gladly accepted the food he handed me. It was preserved meat on
slightly stale bread, but I had not eaten in so long that it was a
feast to me.
    “Your name is Jarik?” I
asked as we gathered the packs to head off.
    He looked at me
strangely for a moment—I assumed because he had forgotten that both
Gilaela and the Prince had spoken his name the night before—and
then nodded. “I’m the Prince’s cousin,” he said as I emerged from
the hollow.
    Realizing such a
relationship meant he too was royalty, I started to kneel. He
stopped me and said, “None of that now. I don’t need it, and we
don’t have time for such things.” He handed me a very light pack to
carry and started down the slope of the valley.
    I told him I could
carry more, and he said that he wasn’t about to ask a lady to
travel across rugged terrain as a packhorse.
    “I’m