The lead wagon rolled to the edge of the ravine and stopped.
The driver leaned forward on the bench, peering down the narrow trail that twisted along the side of the gorge. Dust drifted slowly across the slope below. The kind of dry drifting dust that meant the ground would not forgive careless footing.
Behind him the rest of the caravan waited in a long creaking line.
The caravan master rode up beside the wagon, the scar across his cheek pale against windburned skin, and pointed along the ridge.
“Move it twenty paces west first.”
The driver frowned.
“That’s farther from the path.”
“Just do it.”
The wagon creaked forward again, the horses pulling it slowly along the ridge before turning toward the slope.
Aelius watched quietly from the side of the road.
Lucius stood beside him holding the spare horse’s reins. He studied the narrow trail twisting down the gorge as if trying to understand how wagons were supposed to survive it.
The wagon reached the new starting point.
Then the driver guided it down.
The wheels scraped against stone as the wagon turned along the narrow shelf.
For a moment the entire cart tilted toward the open gorge.
Everyone held their breath.
Then the wheel cleared the rock.
The wagon steadied.
The descent continued.
The second wagon followed.
Dust slid down the slope beneath the wheels as the caravan carefully began moving along the ravine path.
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Guards walked beside the wagons now, guiding the horses and keeping the carts from drifting too close to the edge.
Lucius led the spare horse behind Aelius.
The slope was steeper than it had looked from above.
Loose stones shifted beneath their feet.
Aelius watched the ground more than the wagons.
The trail narrowed halfway down the descent.
The second wagon rolled slowly around the turn.
Lucius stepped aside to let the wheel pass.
His boot landed on a patch of loose gravel.
The ground shifted.
Lucius slipped.
The gravel slid out from beneath him and the slope gave way.
For a moment he was sliding toward the edge of the ravine, gravel hissing beneath him as the slope tried to take him with it.
Aelius moved before the slide finished.
He caught Lucius by the back of his shirt and drove the base of his staff into the dirt beside the trail.
The staff bit into the ground.
The slide stopped.
Dust settled slowly around them.
Aelius pulled Lucius back onto the path.
Aelius waited one breath longer before releasing him. Making sure the slope had truly settled.
Lucius climbed to his feet and brushed the dirt from his hands.
“That was stupid.”
Aelius picked up the staff.
“Watch your footing.”
Lucius nodded.
The caravan continued moving.
The drivers kept their eyes on the wheels now.
The trail wound lower along the side of the gorge.
Halfway down the slope the caravan stopped again.
A pile of broken stone blocked the path.
Several rocks had fallen from the slope above and settled across the narrow trail.
One of the guards nudged a loose stone with his boot.
“We could push through that.”
Another guard shook his head.
“Or drop a wagon into the gorge trying.”
The caravan master studied the rocks in silence.
Aelius stepped closer to the slope.
The fallen stones were only part of the problem.
Loose gravel rested higher along the ridge above them. Enough that one careless shove might pull half the slope down with it.
He crouched beside the trail and tapped one of the smaller rocks with the end of his staff.
It shifted slightly.
The guard beside him noticed, a narrow eyed man with a dented iron cap pushed too far back on his head.
“You see something?”
Aelius pointed toward two stones near the edge of the path.
“Move those first.”
The guard frowned.
“That’s not the biggest one.”
“It’s the one holding the rest.”
The man hesitated, then crouched and pulled the rock free.
The moment it shifted the gravel above it loosened.
Small stones slid down the slope and settled harmlessly beside the trail.
The larger rocks rolled aside with them.
The path cleared.
The guard stared at the trail for a moment, then at Aelius.
Then he stood and gestured to the drivers.
“Path’s open.”
The wagons began moving again.
The caravan slowly descended the rest of the ravine.
When they finally reached the bottom the ground widened into a narrow valley.
The road stretched forward again between low hills.
The caravan master walked past Aelius as the wagons rolled back into formation.
He handed him a water skin without stopping.
“Next time you see trouble coming,” he said, “say it sooner.”
Then he kept walking.
Aelius took a drink and passed the skin to Lucius.
Lucius wiped the dust from his hands and followed beside him.
They continued along the road until the sun began lowering behind the hills.
Near evening the caravan crested the final ridge.
The land beyond opened into a wide valley.
Stone walls rose in the distance, thick enough to make travelers believe they were finally safe.
Watch towers stood above the gates.
Smoke climbed into the sky from dozens of chimneys scattered across the city beyond the walls.
Caravans moved along several roads leading toward the gate.
Lucius slowed as he looked at it, as if trying to decide whether the city looked more like safety or another kind of trouble.
“That’s the city?”
Aelius studied the walls quietly.
The frontier had a way of reshaping people who stayed long enough.
The road down the ridge was crowded.
Merchants.
Mercenaries.
Travelers from every direction.
Aelius adjusted his grip on the staff and began walking again.
Lucius followed.
Ahead of them the city gates stood open.
And the road only grew busier from there.
READER EVENT ACTIVE
Follow the story to unlock world milestones.
Comment to shape locations, factions, and techniques.
Review to earn higher tier rewards.
Review all three stories and comment WORLD BUILDER for a rare reward.
