Minutes later, the five of them sat under a large pine. Day-old rainwater dripped from needle and branch. Fog rolled through the evergreens. Or perhaps it was a cloud. After all the climbing, it certainly seemed to Justin as if they were high enough to be in the clouds.

Justin eyed the soldiers. The dark-haired one hadn't brought any tea-or hay-only a bag of supplies, some dried, salted meat for Leah, which she hadn't touched, and a pair of barb-tipped spears longer than the soldiers ...