“There were talk of magic used to defeat King Harold and his army at the battle of the Silent Sea,” Barker said. “Mayhap someone be using a bit of magic even now, to slow us down or divert our path.”

While they could no longer see the river from their present position, Humphrey could still hear the roar of water as it tumbled over rocks and rushed madly down the hill. “If one were strong enough to use magic to change the flow of yonder river, they must know something of our whereabouts, else why bother to disrupt the Welling,” Humphrey said, then looked up through the treetops at a nearly cloudless sky. “The Little Sister will be full tonight. If the sky remains clear we may travel after she rises.”

“Aye,” barker said as he scratched at his beard.

“We will rest until moon rise and then continue,” Humphrey told him. “No fire tonight,” he added, then moved over to tell Bruce and Isabelle of their plans.

Night had fallen and Calibex paced through the mud of a small campsite upstream from the crossing at Richford. A group of heavily armed soldiers stood just beyond the firelight and watched him in nervous silence. The angry wizard whirled as he heard a horse gallop toward them.

“What word?” he nearly shouted as the rider pulled his mount up close to the fire.

“None, Lord Wizard,” the soldier announced. “Our sentries have seen nor heard naught of any travelers moving in this direction.”

Calibex wanted to scream in frustration but could not do so in front of his soldiers. He turned from the rider and stared into the crackling fire, his fists clenched at his sides. “Where are they?” he growled through clenched teeth. “In a vision I saw them stop at the edge of the river and they should have been here by now to reach this ford.”

The rider cleared his throat. “Lord Wizard,” he said tentatively, “mayhap those you seek turned toward the hills to search for a crossing, rather than looking to Richford.”

“Of course,” Calibex said softly. “It must have been that cursed meddling knight,” he hissed.

“If that be the case, they then be a full day ahead of us, my lord,” the rider added as he attempted to control his nervous horse.

Calibex slowly turned back toward the rider and even though he now had his back to the fire, his eyes glowed a deep red within the shadow of his cowl. “A full day ahead of you, aye,” he whispered. “Begone!” he shouted and the rider kicked the sides of his horse and quickly rode from sight.

The wizard began a soft chant as he faced the forest and his arms lifted slowly from his sides; long fingers curled as if talons. As the chant became louder the fire seemed to leap and grow larger on its own and the already frightened soldiers moved farther back from the flames. As Calibex shouted out the final words of his spell he thrust his arms up toward the sky with clenched fists. Several of the soldiers gasped as the sleeves of his robe fell back and firelight seemed to reflect from patches of scales on the wizard’s arms.

As the fire reduced its size to what it was before the spell began, only the crackle of flames could be heard. Then somewhere in the dark woods a deep-throated howl erupted and the sound sent shivers down the spines of those who heard it. Shortly after that a second howl responded to the first and then another and another was heard. Soon a chorus of snarls and growls surrounded the fire and at least a dozen yellow eyes could be seen reflecting light from within the forest.