Chosen Ones Read Online Free PDF Page B

say. When the path was even and Julia didn’t need to concentrate so much on the terrain she wondered about her brother. There was something odd in his eyes, she thought. Something new. For lack of a better word she cal ed it determination, but she thought, when she cast a sideways glance at him, that it was something more than that. But then the terrain would change again, and she would need to focus on her steps instead of pondering the many mysteries of Peter. And so they walked on, the castle always ahead, going more slowly now that the sun was high in the sky and beating down on them.
    They reached the mountain pass in the early afternoon. The woods ended suddenly, as if someone had drawn a line beyond which trees were not permitted to transgress. Ahead of them were meadows, verdant with al kinds of grains, trees, and flowers. There was no sign of birds or any animals. In England, Peter thought to himself, surely pastures like this would be fil ed with cows and sheep, grazing contentedly on this rich grass, perhaps peering at them through gates as they passed. Or maybe plough horses would be tossing their heads, ready to begin work in the fields. Yet al that met his eye was a vast expanse of golds and greens, stretching far into the distance.
    The plain ahead of them was divided up like a checkerboard into fields, each surrounded by hedges studded with bright flowers. The heads of the golden grain swayed gently in the warm breeze in some of these fields; others were dotted with al kinds of fruit trees, their branches heavy with the rich and ripening fruit. Julia gave a little cry of delight at the sight of them and, casting aside her walking stick, found the energy to run.
    In later years Julia would try to describe that fruit and never quite managed it. None of it was like anything she’d ever had in England—the flavors were richer and deeper, the colors bolder, and the juice infinitely more refreshing. They ate until the liquid ran down their faces and hands and stained their tunics, and then they looked at each other and laughed.
    It was the first that either of them had real y laughed since arriving in Aedyn, and it felt absolutely magnificent. Nothing was particularly funny, but the relief and pleasure at finding the fruit was simply beyond compare. They laughed until the tears came, until they had to hold their stomachs for fear of bursting. And it was when the laughter had passed and they were lying on the ground, grinning at each other, that Julia heard the stream.
    She would likely never have heard it had there been noises from animals, but in the clear air the sound was unmistakable. She sat up and stared.
    “Is that—Peter, is that water?”
    “Where?”
    She listened very hard.
    “Over there.” She pointed over her shoulder to the left. “Beyond that line of trees. I’m…yes, I’m certain it’s a stream.”

    Peter was on his feet and bounding towards the trees in seconds, Julia fol owing close after him.
    They didn’t need water quite as desperately as they had before they’d found the fruit trees, but they were both stil thirsty and a long walk remained ahead of them.
    They fel upon the stream like a lion on its prey.
    The water was cold and clear and they drank until they could drink no more. And then Julia splashed Peter—an accident, she insisted—and Peter splashed back, and soon both of them were drenched through. They lay back on the bank of the stream, letting the hot sun dry them. They spoke of nothing in particular—school, friends, their father—
    and then they fel silent for a long moment.
    “I wonder what we’l find at the castle,” Julia said, final y breaking the silence.
    “A way home, perhaps?” replied Peter dryly. “I daresay we’l find someone there who can explain al this to us—how we got here and why we’re here and how we can get back to Oxford.”
    “You don’t—” Julia paused. “You don’t think there might be work for us to do here? Some reason