SHIELD OF THE GODDESS

CHAPTER EIGHT

JENAN

JENAN FIRST LAID EYES ON FEROS on an afternoon in late spring, when the trader convoy he was traveling with crested the last hill. Jenan was leading his ox near the front of the line. He halted the beast, then joined the other travelers in a cheer, relieved to be at the end of their long journey.

As more travelers arrived at the hilltop, cheers erupted again, until a woman arrived who started crying at the sight of the city. People approached her and offered sympathy, but nothing could console her. Jenan knew why.

Six ninedays ago, raiders had attacked the convoy, killing fifteen people, and taking five children captive. Jenan had been forced to shoot one of the raiders with an arrow to save Drenna, the squad leader of the Arrow Riders escorting the convoy. That raider had died, but others had escaped into a forest with their captives. The next day Drenna sent a rider west to warn Feros, then set off east to track the raiders herself. The convoy had pressed on, even walking at night to arrive at the city as fast as possible. They were halfway to Feros when, after three ninedays, Drenna returned alone. As the days went by, and as the road passed farms and fields, more Arrow Riders came along the road from both directions, but there was no word of the missing children.