A cloud of arrows soared into the air. Kairu barely managed to duck his head, nearly falling from the saddle to avoid the burning arrowheads. The old man jerked the reins from side to side, forcing the horse to leap from one edge of the road to the other, dodging as best he could. The trees parted, and the riders emerged onto a plain, where Kairu saw a dark strip of ravine ahead, with a river rushing swiftly through its depths. It was one of the narrowest points, but still the sheer drop from one side to the other spanned at least a hundred feet.

  Kairu turned back in horror.

  "Which way? Right or left? There's a river!"

  "It’s fine," came a laugh from behind. "This actually plays in our favor!" The old man was now riding right behind him. "Don’t slow down, ride as fast as you can, and just jump forward—he’ll make it!"

  Their pursuers had already emerged from the forest and were spreading out, trying to cut off their escape routes. Muskets crackled again, arrows flew, and Kairu hunched down, spurring the horse over and over. His knees ached from tension, his heart pounded wildly, he shut his eyes in terror and thought: Aktos save me, what am I doing?! I should turn, turn, TURN!

  The old man laughed behind him. Their pursuers were still not catching up—in fact, the distance between them was growing. But the river was coming fast. The wind whipped in vortexes around the stallion bearing Kairu.

  The ravine, which had seemed distant just moments ago, was now right before them, stretching from one end of the horizon to the other, with the road continuing into the forest on the far side. Kairu stared at it in horror, and a desperate thought flickered in his mind—maybe he should turn, follow the riverbank, and hope for the best? But then again, if the old man had saved him from a burning house and helped him escape pursuit, he probably wouldn’t now send him to certain death.

  Whatever happens, happens.

  Kairu leaned low over the horse’s back, and at the moment the horse launched into a monstrous leap, he shut his eyes.

  He didn’t see the old man’s horse leap into the air a moment later. Didn’t see the old man rise in the stirrups, his cloak billowing like the wings of a giant eagl as he glided forward, turned midair, pulled crossbows from behind his belt, and fired backward a fan without aiming. Finishing the full turn, he dropped the crossbows, and then he did become an eagl for a few seconds, soaring right after Kairu’s black horse as it continued its enormous leap.

  Another dozen agonizing moments passed—Kairu’s heart froze in fear, bracing for a plunge into the rushing waters—until the horse’s front hooves touched ground. A massive stone shot out from under the rear hooves and plunged into the foaming current below. The stallion stumbled, rearing with a desperate neigh, sliding backward on the wet snow. A giant dark bird passed by, and the next second a human figure appeared right in front of him.

  "Jump forward!" the old man shouted. Kairu opened his eyes, realized they were already on land, and rolled over the horse’s head. He tumbled into the snow, sprang up, and grabbed the reins, struggling to hold the horse. The old man helped him, and together they pulled out the stallion, who finally regained balance and slowly got out on solid ground, gently pushing with his legs. Kairu collapsed into the snow, breathing heavily.

  "What… was that?" he asked, gasping. "What kind of horse is that?"

  "I bred them myself," the old man said wearily, leaning against a tree. "I call them Hellsteeds. I only have seven of them, you won’t find horses like these anywhere else. Fine creatures, they’ll get you out of anywhere…" He turned and wiped sweat from his brow. On the far side of the ravine lay about a dozen burning bodies—his last crossbow volley had hit its mark. The remaining five riders milled about, then turned and began riding along the riverbank.

  "They’re looking for a bridge," the old man said with a smirk. "Of course, they won’t dare return to their master with bad news. And he won’t like it at all that someone escaped from Nubel’s house. But they won’t find us now. Let’s go!" he shouted, mounting the horse again. "Get up behind me. We’ll go find a place to rest. Come on, Kairu!"

  "How do you know my name?" Kairu asked, climbing uncertainly onto the horse behind him. The old man rode at a calm pace, letting the stallion rest.

  "Professor Nubel spoke a lot about you… and not just him. Can you really see the future?"

  "I can," Kairu said. Here we go…

  "Amazing," his companion said quietly. "Did Professor Nubel ever tell you where that ability comes from?"

  "Well… sort of. I mean, he said I’m descended from the ancient Nocturns, and that I’m connected to the Lake of Aktida, and all that… but he never really explained where it actually comes from—I mean, what makes people clairvoyant."

  The old man grunted.

  "Nubel spent a long time trying to answer that question, and he actually did answer it, thirty years ago. But apparently, he didn’t think it was time to tell you. Maybe it still isn’t. Besides, it’s not important right now."

  The horse picked up speed, transitioning to a gallop. Trees flashed by, but to Kairu it felt like he was sitting in an armchair—the ride was that smooth.

  "What happened to Nubel?" Kairu finally asked.

  The old man was silent for a few seconds.

  "Nubel is dead. They killed him and burned down his house to destroy all his work."

  "But…"

  "That’s enough. We’ll talk more when we get there… You’re lucky I found you in time."

  The old man fell silent. The horse slowed to a trot. They were now riding through a deep forest, with no trail in sight. The sky was overcast, and darkness had fallen. Somewhere deep in the woods, an owl hooted.

  A flicker of light appeared behind the trees. After pushing through some bushes, Kairu and the old man emerged onto a narrow forest road. On the other side stood a small, one-story tavern. The sign was too worn to read. The old man led the horse into the yard, dismounted, and walked toward the entrance. Kairu followed, looking around.

  At the door stood a sleepy innkeeper with an axe. A short, chubby man in a worn gray apron, balding and stubbled, he looked around warily. When he saw the old man, he lowered the axe and smiled warmly:

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  "Ah, it’s you. You gave me a fright… Back already? Well, come in."

  The old man stepped inside. Kairu cautiously followed. Inside, it was quiet, only a loud snore came from the far corner, where a beggar in rags slept with his head on a table. The innkeeper bustled over, pulled up a table and some stools, and asked, glancing at Kairu:

  "Not alone tonight? What will you be ordering?"

  "Two mugs of hot grog," the old man ordered, "and a room for this young man. He’ll stay here for now…"

  "What?" Kairu protested. "Hey, I’m not planning on staying here…"

  "Be quiet," the old man cut him off. "Barry, understood? I’ll be away for a while tomorrow. Make sure he has food and drink."

  "All right," Barry bowed. "Anything you wish."

  Yawning, he turned and headed to the storeroom. The old man looked at Kairu, who was still stunned, sighed, and said:

  "I suppose you have a lot of questions."

  "Yes," Kairu agreed. "You’re right. Who are you, really?"

  "I am Professor Petros," the old man said with a smile.

  Kairu gave him a skeptical look.

  "It’s true. You’ve intrigued me greatly. So, in order to continue my research, which is directly connected to your ability, the first step was at least to make sure you stayed alive. And that’s not easy now. You made a huge mistake agreeing to join the expedition. Now they’ll be hunting you. To several people in Aktida, you’re nothing more than a research subject."

  "What do you mean…" Kairu began, but Petros interrupted him:

  "Haven’t you figured it out yet? The expedition was a bait. Yuffilis described you to Nubel, and he realized that after tasting adventure, you would definitely want more. And that’s exactly what happened. He offered you cooperation, didn’t he? Promised that you will get a lot of money, that you will travel the whole world?"

  Kairu nodded, dumbfounded.

  "And it never once occurred to you why, out of millions of Alvens in Aktida, Nubel chose a sixteen-year-old village boy who barely knows how to handle a weapon, has no concept of history or archaeology, and whose abilities are completely useless in practice?"

  Kairu was silent. Now he was beginning to understand what had happened.

  He’d been used. And he hadn’t known a thing.

  "Nubel was a clever man," Petros said contemptuously, "but he made one miscalculation. He underestimated Saelin."

  "Why was he killed?"

  Petros sighed heavily.

  "I warned him, but… he trusted in old friendship. And besides, the diamond’s magic had already begun to affect him. Nubel wasn’t a bad person, but he had one terrible flaw—vanity and ambition in excessive measure. Many years ago he decided that he was treated unfairly, so he harbored a grudge and decided to play his own game. But he underestimated the risk. He did not realize that by mounting an expedition for the diamond, he had crossed someone far more cunning and powerful than he."

  "But who wants the diamond so badly?" Kairu asked.

  "Saelin, who else! And he got it. When I realized his goons had already taken the Lake of Aktida, I sent someone to help your friends and rushed to rescue you myself. That’s why I arrived so late. A little longer, and I wouldn’t have been able to save you. Saelin doesn’t yet know whether the Seer survived the massacre, but he’s watching me and will soon figure out that I’ve kept one ace up my sleeve.

  "I’m sure Nubel showed him the diamond. And Saelin’s heart, already consumed by years of hatred, envy, ambition, and countless failures, immediately knew the diamond was what he needed to complete his quest. And Saelin is a man of action. He contacted his people, and they stole the diamond for him. Now, we can only wait and see what tomorrow brings. In this time of uncertainty, I doubt even you can glimpse that far ahead."

  Petros paused.

  "To be honest, when I started to understand what was happening, I was shocked—and not much can surprise me," he said. "The web of intrigue around this expedition was more intricate than anything I’ve ever encountered. I had assumed Saelin, like me, was watching Nubel through his own agent, but I thought it ended there. Now I must give credit to Yuffilis—he played his part perfectly. While you were in the mountains, he contacted the right people in Petista, bribed the Mages' Guild’s committee, converted most of Nubel’s money into promissory notes, and gained the trust of academics to use the crystal ball and contact me.

  "Then, when everything was in place, and you returned, the first thing he did, after making sure you were alive and safe, was to officially register the find in Professor Nubel’s name, using a receipt from the Academy of Sciences, and, with the help of Petista’s archmage, legally bypassed all treasure taxes. Dozens of clauses and amendments appeared in the law, allowing Nubel to take full ownership of the diamond. Until then, the expedition had been completely hidden from the state. And, believe it or not, almost immediately after that, several people laid claim to the finding.

  "One of them, I’m sure, was sent by Saelin. Another likely came from the Mages' Guild, alarmed by Nubel’s actions. It turned out Yuffilis was accused of treason. The hotel you were staying in was searched. Naturally, the diamond was well hidden... But it didn’t end there. Thanks to Nubel’s connections, Yuffilis managed to slip out from under surveillance. But there was another spy who discovered the expedition’s goal before it ended. And I don’t know who they are or what they want. That’s what frightens me."

  Petros looked at him seriously.

  "Until now, I’ve been trying to help you in every way… I sent Rita instructions, shipped a crate of my last remaining rifles and ammunition to Petista to make sure you didn’t die. There’s no more of that kind of weapon in the world… except maybe in Saelin’s Citadel… But then I grew wary, Kairu. I hastily relocated the dig site and cut contact with Yuffilis. He was following Nubel’s instructions, still acting on his own and trying to find out who else might’ve learned of our conflict with Nubel and Saelin. It turned out there was still a loose end. A thread we hadn’t cut. That’s why, after sending Viggo and Remiz to a safe place, Yuf will take care of my business. He’ll go to Mainor."

  "Well… how do I find Viggo and Remiz now?" Kairu asked cautiously. "And when can I go home?"

  Petros looked at him in surprise.

  "What are you talking about, boy? Don’t worry about them, they’ve done their part. Now they’ll go home and be hailed as national heroes. In time, perhaps they’ll join me, but not soon. Of course, I don’t plan on keeping you here forever. It’ll be best if by April we reach my excavation camp. You can’t return home now. Believe me, Nubel wouldn’t have let you go easily either. And I need you. I’ve been searching for one intriguing thing for a year now that’s directly connected to you. Don’t worry, I hope we’ll make progress faster now that you’re with me. I’m leaving for a short time, I’ll be back in a week…"

  "Wait!" Kairu jumped up. "What do you mean—you hope? I can’t stay here! I have to go back, I haven’t seen my father in over half a year! Do you hear me? I don’t care about your discoveries, I don’t give a damn about any of this! Why should I wait here while I could visit my village in a week while you’re off traveling?!"

  "Because it’s for your own good," Petros said quietly, standing up too. "Because Saelin didn’t want that diamond for nothing, and something is coming. They’re looking for you. The roads aren’t safe. Understand? That’s it. Goodbye. I must go, I’m in a great hurry."

  Kairu wanted to shout something after him, but Petros had already set down the empty grog mug and headed for the door. Turning back, he said one last thing:

  "You thought that you came back from the expedition with a sack of gold, and that’s the end of the whole story? Wrong. Believe me, now that Nubel is dead, Saelin has the diamond, and you’re with me—it’s only beginning. And who knows when it’ll end. I’ve been waiting almost thirty years myself."

  With that, he shook Barry’s hand, took his travel staff, and left. A moment later, the neighing of the Hellsteed and the clatter of hooves echoed in the courtyard. Kairu was alone. He realized he had to stay. He couldn’t leave. The gelding that he took from the village one year ago was not able to leap over the river…

  Suddenly, he realized the innkeeper had already brought him the grog, and he hadn’t even touched it. Kairu thought for a moment, grabbed his mug, and finished it in one gulp.

  Wow, that was a ride.

  What do you think of the latest turn of events? Is it crazy? Or was it expected all along?

  I also have a more technical question here. You might have noticed that this chapter, just like some others, was split into two parts. In this case, to maintain roughly the same average chapter length, I made a split right in the middle of a dynamic, action-packed scene. Is it ok in terms of reading experience? Or would you prefer this chapter to be a single block of text, 5.2k words long? I have quite some more longer chapters, and I am wondering if I should continue splitting them the same way.

  Meanwhile, we are very close to the end of Book 1.