Chapter 16 Return to Torinth
The following morning, they began their journey back to Torinth.
They had been traveling for some time but Kort had remained silent for hours. He kept recalling in his mind what had transpired the evening before. He had been sure that Master Ladris would be safe once they were with him. And that was his mistake, he thought. They had all felt safe, and that made him overlook the open window. Fool! He kept telling himself.
Revik rode up beside Kort. He looked at the bounty hunter. But the bounty hunter paid him no heed. They rode side by side for some time in silence before Revik spoke.
“We all forgot about the open window,” Revik said. Kort looked at him in bewilderment. It was as though Revik could read his mind.
“I can see that you blame yourself for what happened,” Revik continued. “But the dart that killed Master Ladris did not come from you.”
Kort’s gaze returned to the road. Revik was right, he thought. Still, it was his nature to engage in self-reproach. This was his way of teaching himself in order to avoid committing the same errors. There will come a time when their lives may depend on me and I will not fail them, he vowed silently.
“Let us not waste our energies on feelings of regret or self-doubt,” Revik said. “Instead, we should devote our minds to the threat we now face.”
Misara had a dazed look since they began the journey back home. But Revik’s words appeared to have broken her melancholy momentarily.
“Yes, the threat is real,” Kort spoke finally.
The others became silent. But where is this threat coming from? Kort wondered.
“First, we’ll need to see Durem,” Kort said. “He has to know the danger we now face.”
They all agreed.