The Third Kingdom

She lifted her arms a little. “So what are we going to do? We have to head north if we’re to get to the north wall. You saw it through the viewing port. The barrier that runs between a gap in the mountains is to the north. That gap in the mountains isn’t very wide and there doesn’t seem to be another way in. We have to go north if we are going to get into the third kingdom. This is the only path that heads in that direction, at least for part of the way, and then we’ll have to go through uncharted woods.”

“That’s exactly why I don’t like walking up this path into the trees. It makes a perfect place to ambush any unsuspecting traveler”—Richard looked down at the concern on her face—“in order to try to steal their soul.”

Samantha rubbed her arms as if having a sudden chill in the damp but warm air as she contemplated people who would try to eat them alive to get at their soul.

“They have just as much chance of that as our pigs have of becoming human by eating that fellow’s head.”

Richard huffed a chuckle of agreement.

She peered up expectantly. “Then what are we to do? We haven’t really even begun the journey. We’ve only been walking for a short time. We have a long way to travel.”

Richard flicked a hand to the field off to the left of the path. It was mostly dirt with a few clumps of weeds here and there. Whatever had been growing in it had been harvested and the ground plowed in preparation for planting another crop.

“Let’s cut through this field. Maybe we can find a trail used by animals to go through the woods. Deer runs often make a usable path, then at least we wouldn’t have to fight our way through dense brush.”

“All the way?” she asked, incredulous. “You think we should follow deer trails all the way north? Lord Rahl, deer trails usually run hither and yon. Deer aren’t looking to make time and get somewhere. They just wander around looking for forage.”

Richard was nodding as she was talking. “I know, but what I’m thinking is that if someone is lying in wait, they would be right up there, waiting to catch anyone unsuspecting who follows the trail into the woods. I’m thinking that if we can make our way through the woods and around the path for a while, then we can finally catch back up with it farther north, in a few hours, maybe, and then make time on the regular trail.”

“But if someone is waiting in ambush on the trail, they could be waiting in ambush all along the trail.”

“Possibly, but if these half people are as desperate for souls as Naja says, then they wouldn’t want others to get the first chance when people follow the trail north into the woods. They have probably already learned from the planted fields and animals that people live here, and they have probably been watching, so they know that very, very few people travel north like this.”

“So? What good does that do for us?”

Richard rested the palm of his left hand on the hilt of his sword, still surveying the lay of the land, looking for an opening they could use.

“Well,” he finally said, “if their pickings are slim, if there are few souls for the taking, then they aren’t going to want to leave those souls to other half people who are waiting right at the trailhead. If the first in line caught anyone happening by on the trail, then there wouldn’t be anyone left for other half people lying in wait farther north. It seems to me that half people would be eager and want to be first to get any soul.”

Samantha nodded as she thought it over. “That makes sense. They would be jealous of others getting first chance at any souls, so they would all want to be right here, like a pack of hungry wolves, where they can hide in the woods at the beginning of the trail north.”

“That’s what I’m thinking.” Richard turned, looking back the way they had come. “I bet that fellow back there by your animals got the idea that he would wait even closer. He probably thought that he would get first pick of the souls living here. By the looks of him, he was desperate and not a very clear thinker. Being alone like that didn’t give him as good a chance at success as some of them working together to overpower people.”

“Well then, it seems that you’re saying that you expect them all to be waiting just up ahead.”

She started to lift her hand to point. Richard pushed her hand down.

“Don’t point. If there are half people out there, they will be watching us.”

Samantha was looking alarmed again. “So, what do we do?”

“I think we should try to go around them and pick up the trail farther north.”

“Maybe we should wait until dark, so they wouldn’t see us doing that. I mean, if you’re worried about pointing where we are thinking of going because they might be watching us, they will certainly be able to see where we head off to skirt the trailhead unless it’s dark out.”

“That certainly makes the most sense, and I’d rather wait until dark, but there’s two problems with that.”

“Like what?”