Chapter 5
“Are you ready?” Durga asked as she handed over a cup of tea.
Yasmin bowed her head in thanks and accepted it. “Not really.”
“I like your honesty.” She laughed.
Yasmin drank the tea as her mind wandered.
She wanted to ask Durga to tell the children that she would return.
She and Sameer had come up with a plan. If anything were to happen to her, he knew what to do.
She hated that she couldn’t send word to them, but she didn’t trust any of the elves around her.
Durga might be nice, but she had known nice before, and it hid a soul as black as pitch.
She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that it took her a moment to realize she had missed some of the discussion. Yasmin smoothed a hand over her hair to tuck a flyaway strand behind her ear.
“…isn’t going to be an easy journey. Shaldorn is located on one of the highest mountains within the Dangerous Peaks,” Durga said.
Her gaze briefly met Yasmin’s before moving to the Sun Elf.
“Because of the inclement mountain weather, it will be better to cut across the plateau before heading into the mountains.”
That was at least two days of hard travel across some of the thickest rainwoods of Shecrish. But she was right. It was better to limit their time in the mountains. There was more than just weather to worry about once they began climbing the peaks.
Yasmin looked at the Sun Elf. So, this was Ravi.
He had changed out of his lavish attire from the night before and now wore a short-sleeve tan shirt with no collar and buttons down the front.
The garment lay softly against him, showcasing thick neck sinew and even bigger arm muscles.
Deep brown breeches were tucked into well-worn boots.
The top portion of his golden hair was tied behind his head, and he kept his eyes on the woman speaking, never once looking Yasmin’s way.
“Yasmin?”
She started, her gaze jerking to Durga. “Aye?”
“I asked if you had everything you needed for the excursion.”
“The items will make the trip bearable.”
“We’ve packed as much food as possible,” Durga continued. “I didn’t want to weigh down your pack. The coat we supplied took up a lot of room.”
Nothing would keep them warm once they reached the Dangerous Peaks, but Yasmin kept that to herself.
The Wood Elf sighed and flattened her lips. “Yasmin, as you may have guessed, this is Ravi. Ravi, Yasmin. It’s nearly dawn. You should be off. Good luck to you both. Remember, you both gave me your word.”
Yasmin didn’t budge. Ravi still wouldn’t look at her.
It was bad enough that she was being forced on this excursion.
Now, she learned it was with someone who hadn’t even bothered to speak to her before now.
She stared at him, daring him to look her way.
Finally, those copper eyes met hers. The disdain reflected there was palpable.
“You both gave your word,” Durga repeated.
Yasmin adjusted the strap of her pack on her shoulder. “I gave my word to you, just as Ravi did.”
She had known she would be taking an elf and had been prepared to hide her hatred and get the job done. But for some reason, Ravi rubbed her the wrong way. Perhaps it was his unconcealed contempt.
Durga cleared her throat. “You two are to watch each other’s backs. That’s the only way this will work.”
“I’ll do my part,” Ravi said after a stern look from the woman.
That hard gaze swung to Yasmin. She thought about the knife in her boot. She would be prepared for any double-cross. “I’ll do my part.”
“Great,” Durga said with a too-bright smile.
Yasmin looked from the woman to Ravi before turning on her heel and walking into the rainwood.
The thick vegetation and soaring trees soon enveloped her.
She didn’t wait for Ravi as she pointed herself northeast and began walking fast. They had a lot of ground to cover, and there was no use dawdling.
She heard a rustle behind her. Unable to help herself, she glanced over her shoulder and spotted the Sun Elf five steps behind her.
He didn’t look her way. At least he wouldn’t bombard her with conversation.
Silence was her preferred way to deal with elves.
It wasn’t as if they needed to talk. Neither wanted the other on this journey, and it was best to just get their excursion over with as quickly as possible.
Yasmin kept to the path as much as she could. Her stride was steady, and since her legs were shorter, she would set the pace. She was leading, after all. That made her grin. Was that what galled the Sun Elf? He didn’t seem the type who played a supporting role to anyone.
They had been traveling for about an hour when the rain began.
She didn’t slow. She was surprised to find that her jacket and pants were waterproof, keeping her relatively dry.
She’d find out about the pack later, but if the clothes were treated, she surmised the bag was, too.
However, that didn’t stop the water from dripping from her head, down her neck, and then rolling between her shirt and skin.
It helped to cool her from the oppressive humidity, though.
Yasmin didn’t stop until the sun was directly above her.
At least the rain had halted. She looked at the small pool of water and dropped her pack near one of the catalpa trees.
Some of its tall, narrow roots protruded from the soil.
She sat on one and rolled her head from side to side to stretch her neck.
She spotted Ravi near a tree, far enough away that she’d have to shout to talk to him.
Yasmin sent up a silent prayer of thanks and dug into her pack for food.
The bag had done a good job of keeping the water out. She rubbed the material between her fingers. She couldn’t imagine how much it had cost. If she returned, would she get to keep it? She’d demand it because then she could sell it and have enough coin to feed them for days. Maybe even a week.
One of these days, she would figure out a way for the children to have as much food as they wanted. She recalled what it was like to have hunger gnawing at her belly. It still happened, but it had been worse as a child. Or maybe she was just used to it now.
She dug out the food she had wrapped in the napkin and devoured everything within.
She was still hungry, so she sniffed a piece of dried meat before taking a bite.
It was delicious. She tried to hide her surprise.
She’d had plenty of dried meat before, but this was unlike anything she had ever tasted.
Yasmin closed her eyes and savored the perfectly mixed spice-to-meat ratio.
Maybe she could ration how much she ate so she could bring some back to the kids.
They should be able to know what great food tasted like.
It would be a treat to make up for her having to go away.
Yasmin went through her piece quickly. Too quickly, actually.
She had to fight against grabbing another.
At this rate, she wouldn’t have any for the children.
Her gaze covertly slid to Ravi. Unless she took some of his.
It would be easy once he slept. He’d probably never miss it.
It wasn’t as if she’d let him starve. If it came down to him needing it, she’d hand it over.
She drank deeply from the water flask. There were plenty of sources of water on the plateau.
Between the many lakes and rivers, they would never be without.
She rose and walked to the pool. The water was clear, allowing her to see the various fish swimming beneath the surface.
They didn’t pay her any mind as she knelt near the edge and lowered her flask to refill it.
She saw the shadow of a krelite rising toward her and quickly stepped back.
It wasn’t a predator exactly. Mainly because it wouldn’t eat her.
It just wanted to play, but in doing so, it could hold her underwater until she drowned.
The krelite couldn’t distinguish between a Sea Elf and anyone else. It just saw a playmate.
As she stood, she looked up and found Ravi watching her. His eyes lowered to the water as the krelite returned to the bottom. Only then did he refill his flask.
She said nothing as she readied herself.
Once the straps to her pack were looped around her arms and it rested against her back, she glanced at Ravi to find him waiting.
They set off again. A grin formed when she heard the ruckus of some cooroda.
She looked up to find them swinging from tree to tree, howling and chattering excitedly.
They were harmless. Well, unless someone had catalpa fruit.
They were a particular favorite of the cooroda.
It was only then that Yasmin heard the sounds of the rainwood: the sway of leaves from the breeze. Water dripping after the rain. The loud and various bird calls. The cries of the cooroda mixed with other animals. The rainwood was a beautiful place, but there were lethal threats, as well.
Like the elf behind her.