I'm picking up the pace again. And, could y'all please review? I don't know what happened with ch9, it has only one review. We're almost to the end. Wow.

Chapter Ten: Seamus' Plans

Halt buried his face in his hands. "What did I do?" His breath was haggard.

Will paced on the opposite of the fire. "I should've seen it."

He pivoted and started back. "This was his plan all along."

Halt looked up. "It's my fault. I was sulking about and now . . . It's my fault."

Will paused. "No it's not."

Will began pacing again. "He'd planned this. He wanted to capture us. . ." Will tapped his chin. "But,why didn't he just take us this morning?"

Will was at a loss.

Halt stared at his hands forlornly.

~A~A~A~

Gilan forced his eyes open.

Horace was lolled over beside him.

Seamus sat to a table on the opposite wall. To Gilan's right was a door.

Seamus glanced up from his plate. "Oh, awake are you?" he shovelled another bit in. "Don't mind me, I'm just finishing breakfast." he scraped the last of the food into his mouth and chewed slowly before swallowing. "Your Halt will be here soon."

Seamus leaned back in his chair. "I have to say. You are all gullible. It took less work than I thought to get you to do what I wanted."

Then Seamus pulled out a knife and began sharpening it.

Gilan kept his eyes on Seamus. Seamus wouldn't know it. But he wasn't the only one planning ahead.

~A~A~A~

Will hadn't stopped rushing around and pacing all morning. "And then we'll. . ." he muttered, striding away. He grabbed something and hurried back the other way. "But we'll need. . ."

"Will." Halt sat on a log on the opposite side of the fire.

Will paced some more. Then took off for something else. "I could. . . No– wait."

"Will." Halt said louder.

Will's head snapped up from the parchment he was now scribbling on.

Halt's face seemed to have aged twenty years since the night before.

"Yes?"

Halt's shoulders sagged. "I've made a mess. I got Gilan and Horace captured."

Will started to tell him otherwise.

Halt cut him off. "Let me have my say. You were right the other day. It wasn't better, not telling you. And I've been so caught up in this, I lost focus. I'm sorry."

Will paused. Halt wasn't the type to apologize often. Or say these sorts of things. It was unnatural.

"I forgive you. I guess. I'm not sure yet.

But we've got to get Gilan and Horace out of there."

Will strode over to Halt and sat beside him. "I have an idea."

"Oh, no." Halt said under his breath.

~A~A~A~

Seamus sighed. Where was Halt? He glanced out the window beside him, above the table. It was long past when he had figured Halt was likely to attack.

Seamus shook his head.

The tall ranger hadn't quit staring at him, the knight had awoken and was glaring at him as well. The tall one had figured out Seamus had been manipulating things.

It didn't really matter what the tall ranger thought he'd discovered. As soon as Halt came and was captured, and the boy was captured, they'd begin dying.

The tall one would die second. The knight first. They were less important.

Seamus grinned as an image of their approach last night came to mind. So full of hope of winning.

He then imagined Halt's face after they were all killed. The two images were a nice contrast.

The determination of winning; the begging for death.

Seamus glanced out the window again.

He sat up straighter. A short cloaked man was approaching on the shaggy horse Halt rode.

Seamus could just make out Halt's dark beard.

Seamus stood and smiled.