Chapter 16
“HE WAS MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER, ACTUALLY,” Rylan said as we rode to a secondary location. “He kept his most prized possessions away from the house because he was worried about being robbed. Especially once he realized what he had found.”
“And what was it that he found?” I asked, riding Bluebell.
We had gone back to town to gather our mounts and belongings from the inn.
I chose to don my armor once I knew we’d be traveling a few hours to retrieve the map.
Who knew what we’d encounter along the way?
We weren’t really doing great in the avoiding-magical-creatures department.
Anyway, the whole process of packing up, Farrah buying a new horse, and Rylan ensuring he had everything he needed had taken too long for my liking, but Rylan assured us there was a safe place to camp for the night.
“He found the Elder Beast,” he said bluntly. “And the location of a few of the others.”
I sat up straighter in my saddle. “The others, too?”
Rylan nodded. “Yes.”
He rode behind Zig on Carrot, not having a mount of his own.
He had tied a pack behind the cantle, adding even more weight to the already-burdened mule.
His lute was currently strapped to his back.
I’d done my best to hide my grimace when he brought it along, though unsuccessfully if Aven’s snort was any indication. But a deal was a deal.
“How far is this other place?” Farrah called from her newly purchased black mare named Starlight.
“It shouldn’t be long now,” Rylan said.
We’d already ridden out of Ashin altogether, the air clearer the farther we moved away from the mountains.
We thudded over the wide southern bridge, much sturdier than the one we’d found across the Simmer, and I understood why it was the preferred path to travel into the town.
Maybe I should’ve gone with my gut and approached Ashin by the south, instead of worrying about what the facade of Ellinore the Brave would supposedly do.
But… we all had survived. I counted it as a win.
The roar of the Eastern Sea drifted louder as we traveled; in some locations I could even spy the rolling waters and whitecaps. I couldn’t help thinking about my parents. I hoped they were living a quiet, peaceful life. I couldn’t wait for this nightmare to be over so I could join them.
As we traveled, Farrah maneuvered her horse beside mine. “So,” she said, trying for nonchalant but failing, “about this disarming move. Can you show me?”
“Now?” I gestured to my literally being on horseback.
Farrah smiled. “No time like the present.”
“Fine,” I said with a sigh. “Basically, you want to break your opponent’s grip on their weapon.”
“I know! That’s the definition of disarming!”
“Right. So you target their wrist, and you want to make them bend it in a way that weakens their hold and, well, hurts.”
“That’s it?” Farrah asked.
“What do you mean, ‘that’s it’?”
She shrugged. “I thought there would be more to it. I mean, it’s pretty obvious.”
I sputtered. “That’s only the general idea! Putting it into practice is more difficult, and making it fluid takes repetition and—”
“We’re here!” Rylan yelled, cutting me off. We crested a small hill, and he suddenly signaled for us to halt, dismounting Carrot with a bounce in his step. His brown hair fluttered in the breeze coming off the water, and I shivered at the cool air, so different from the atmosphere in Ashin.
“We’re where exactly?” Aven asked, dismounting and holding Mouse’s reins. “This is a pile of rocks.”
“Rocks” wasn’t quite the correct term. The hill was composed of large gray-blue boulders that had smoothed from time and weather, stacked higher than most buildings I’d seen.
I couldn’t decide if it was a natural structure—a mountain worn down over time—or one that had been made by men or creatures.
It could have been either, but it was indeed impressive.
Rylan huffed. “It’s bigger on the inside. I promise.”
From this vantage point the “pile of rocks” appeared to be solid, with no obvious way to enter. Ancients, I hoped this journey hadn’t been in vain.
I hopped off Bluebell and grabbed my tattered cloak from my saddlebag.
Rylan led Carrot to a tree and tied him off on a low branch, before helping Zig down. Zig blushed, or maybe it was merely a flush from the chilly wind. I wouldn’t pretend to know. But I passed off my cloak to Zig and wrapped it around him.
“The armor keeps me warm,” I said when Zig lifted an eyebrow.
He didn’t argue, clutching the cloak close around him. “Thanks. I’m a little chilled.”
Farrah brushed past me and tied off Starlight, the hood of her own cape over her head to ward off the wet wind.
Once everyone had secured their mounts, I decided not to lash Bluebell, giving her leave to wander. She was used to roaming free and wouldn’t go far, especially as there was plenty of long grass in the area for her to enjoy.
Rylan led us around the back of the rock pile. Aven stood close by my side, Zig and Farrah behind me. We walked to a well-hidden spot, and Rylan addressed me.
“We made a deal,” he said, twisting his fingers nervously. “You’ll keep it, won’t you?”
“I gave my word. You give us the map, and you can follow us on the rest of the quest. And I’ll help you with the details of the other stories.”
At the time I agreed, I’d have done anything to procure this map for Zig.
Now I wished I’d bargained a little harder.
The truths and untruths had accumulated over the years, and detangling them with a bard was practically my own special hell.
But seeing Zig’s slender frame hunched over, his shoulders sticking out as sharp points even in my heavy cloak, hardened my resolve.
“This map better be the best map ever,” I said.
Rylan gulped. “Yeah. It will be. And we’ll go on the best quest ever.”
Debatable, but whatever. “Fine. Lead on.”
Aven suddenly stilled beside me. An icy gust ruffled their perfect hair as they peered around us. “Did you hear that?” they asked, gripping their bow.
I hadn’t.
“Hear what?” I whispered.
Their sharp blue eyes scanned the landscape. “I thought I heard hooves. Maybe voices?”
“Well, I’ve let Bluebell roam, so it could be her.”
“The breeze through the tunnels in the rocks can sometimes sound like murmurs,” Rylan offered.
“And the sea is loud,” Farrah said, spinning her staff in her hands.
Aven’s brow furrowed. “Maybe.” They ducked their head toward me. “Don’t forget what the faery said.”
“I haven’t,” I answered. How could I? “But we’ll deal with it after we retrieve this map.” I patted Aven’s shoulder, and their muscles relaxed under my palm. They nodded in agreement, but their expression remained pinched.
Rylan beckoned us closer. “This way.”
The stone face of the hill wasn’t as impenetrable as it appeared. As we neared, I realized it was a mirage. It was two walls offset to create an entrance, which Rylan easily ducked through.
Aven raised both eyebrows. “Okay. Maybe not just a pile of rocks,” they said when Rylan disappeared.
I nudged them with my elbow, and we followed. Zig and Farrah stayed close behind.
We entered a tunnel where my head brushed the stone ceiling above us, and Zig and Aven had to scrunch to walk through.
My shoulders brushed the sides in places, and anxiety wedged in my throat as we squeezed farther into the cave.
At least with Dave’s place, I knew my dragon friend was on the other side and would help me if needed.
Here, I didn’t know what to expect. In fact, this was a bad idea.
The whole group should not have come in here.
Farrah and Zig, and even Aven, shouldn’t have been subjected to this claustrophobic adventure.
There was a jangle of keys and the creak of hinges as a door opened in front of us.
But I couldn’t see it in the gloom. Thankfully, in just a few more steps, the area widened into a cavern.
Where Dave’s was beautiful and warm, this place was damp and dark.
Here, the walls wept cold water, and with no sunlight to permeate the area, it was freezing.
“Rylan?” I called, unable to make out his figure in the dark.
A small flame bobbed in front of us, disembodied in the black, like the will-o’-the-wisps that led travelers astray. A torch flared to life, revealing Rylan with fire dancing along his fingertips.
“What? How?” Farrah asked as the flames flickered along Rylan’s hand.
“I can do a little bit of magic.” He wiggled his fingers after lighting the second torch. “Surprise!”
I sighed. Leave it to a mage to partake in frivolous pageantry. It was so wrong for one person to be two of the worst things ever at once.
“Great, can you light a fire? Because I’m turning into a block of ice,” Zig said, pushing past me to join Rylan on the far side of the room.
“Sure. Just let me finish lighting the torches.”
As each torch was ignited, more of the space was revealed.
A thick wooden frame buttressed the corners and reinforced the ceiling, and shelves were built into every single spot that could hold them.
It settled my unease slightly, knowing there was more to the area than just a rock formation.
In fact, there was a fireplace as well, with an oddly shaped chimney.
Rylan pulled kindling and wood from a small stack next to the fireplace and piled it in the grate, then lit a fire with some flint.
Zig settled close to it, sitting cross-legged on the floor.
“It’s almost like a gnome dwelling,” Aven said from their place beside me. “Much bigger and built from rock instead of a dirt mound, but close enough.”
“And you’ve seen the inside of a gnome home?”
“Yes,” Aven said. “Haven’t you?” They grinned as they walked away to inspect a shelf.
I pointed to the ceiling above us. “Is that going to hold if there’s an earthquake?”
Rylan smiled so brightly, it rivaled the lit torches. “Yes. It’s bolstered with magic.”
I raised an eyebrow.