reasons. First, they didn’t know enough about the dreams to be
certain they were real, and second, there were only the two of
them and they might be placing themselves in real danger by
going.
“So why not do something that might ease those concerns,”
the Highlander finished. ‘ ‘Why not go east and find Walker Boh.
You said the old man told you the dreams had been sent to
Walker as well. Doesn’t it make sense to find out what he thinks
about all this? Is he planning on going? The old man was going
to talk to him, too. Whether that’s happened or not, Walker is
certain to have an opinion on whether the dreams are real or
not. I always thought your uncle was a strange bird, I’ll admit,
but I never thought he was stupid. And we all know the stories
about him. If he has the use of any part of the Shannara magic,
now might be a good time to find out.”
He took a long drink and leaned forward, jabbing his finger
at them. “If Walker believes in the dreams and decides to go to
the Hadeshom, then you might be more inclined to go as well.
There would be four of us then. Anything out there that might
cause trouble would have to think twice.”
He shrugged. “Even if you decide not to go, you’ll have
satisfied yourselves better than you would have by just hiding
out here or somewhere like here. Shades, the Federation won’t
think to look for you in the Anar! That’s just about the last place
they’ll think to look for you!”
He took another drink, bit off a piece of fresh bread and sat
back, eyes questioning. He had that look on his face again, that
expression that suggested he knew something they didn’t and it
amused him no end. “Well?” he said finally.
The brothers were silent. Par was thinking about his uncle,
remembering the whispered stories about Walker Boh. His un-
cle was a self-professed student of life who claimed he had vi-
sions; he insisted he could see and feel things others could not.
There were rumors that he practiced magic of a sort different
from any known. Eventually, he had gone away from them,
leaving the Vale for the Eastland. That had been almost ten years
ago. Par and Coil had been very young, but Par still remem-
bered.
Coil cleared his throat suddenly, eased himself forward and
shook his head. Par was certain his brother was going to tell
Morgan how ridiculous his idea was, but instead he asked,’ ‘How
do we go about finding Walker?”
Par looked at Morgan and Morgan looked at Par, and there
was an instant of shared astonishment. Both had anticipated that
Coil would prove intractable, that he would set himself squarely
in the path of such an outrageous plan, and that he would dismiss
it as foolhardy. Neither had expected this.
Coil caught the look that passed between them and said, “I
wouldn’t say what I was thinking, if I were you. Neither of you
knows me as well as he thinks. Now how about an answer to
my question?”
Morgan quickly masked the nicker of guilt that passed across
his eyes. “We’ll go first to Culhaven. I have a friend there who
will know where Walker is.”
“Culhaven?” Coil frowned. “Culhaven is Federation-
occupied.”
“But safe enough for us,” Morgan insisted. “The Federation
won’t be looking for you there, and we need only stay a day or
two. Anyway, we won’t be out in the open much.”
“And our families? Won’t they wonder what’s happened to
us?”
“Not mine. My father is used to not seeing me for weeks at
a time. He’s already made up his mind that I’m undependable.
And Jaralan and Mirianna are better off not knowing what you’re
about. They’re undoubtedly worried enough as it is.”
‘ ‘What about Wren?” Par asked.
Morgan shook his head. “I don’t know how to find Wren. If
she’s still with the Rovers, she could be anywhere.” He paused.
“Besides, I don’t know how much help Wren would be to us.
She was only a girl when she left the Vale, Par. We don’t have