Chapter 108

“Come on, Klyar, there’s nothing here, and I want to sleep in an inn. I’m sure you would prefer a stable to a clearing, too, so get moving.” No matter what Frank did--snapping the reins, digging his heels into the bay’s flanks, even dismounting and attempting to pull the horse down the road--Klyar refused to take another step, his eyes showing the whites, his ears pinned back, and his breath coming from his nostrils in sharp snorts. The horse was terrified, and Frank once again searched the area around them for any indication of what he was reacting to. Eventually, he saw something.

In the middle of the road about twenty paces ahead, three figures appeared. They did not come from the forest, and they did not come from the direction of Torkeln--they just appeared, much as Telantes had the first time Frank saw him. These three were not Debaduta, however. The man was dressed in clothing that Frank had only seen in history books. He had on bright red trousers that clung to his hips but th