The misty rain fell through the trees. The leaves, while mostly green, were beginning to turn. Every now and then, a larger drop would form, and Thia would feel it hit the top of her head. The hood of her coat kept her dry.
She tilted her neck, trying to work out the kinks. They’d left Almair days ago, and her body missed the bed back at The Green Frog. This is what I need to do, where I need to be. Jinaari was right. It’s time we brought the fight to Lolc Aon. He’s arrogant, but he’s also my best chance at having any sort of normal life.
Her hands were encased in soft leather, supple enough for her to manipulate the magic but kept them warm and dry. The old cloak was replaced by a hooded coat made of dark gray wool. No more trying to keep folds of fabric around her, struggling to find the opening at the end of wide sleeves. This fit snugly against her body, even with the new chain shirt underneath her tunic.
And then there was her pack. She had no idea where it came from, or how it worked, but she’d been able to stuff everything Caelynn bought for her, including two pair of boots, and it wasn’t full. There was no weight to it, either.
“We’re almost there,” Jinaari told them. “Stay close. This entrance isn’t normally guarded but it wouldn’t surprise me.”
Thia swallowed, trying to keep the fear down. He’d said he knew a different route that led down to Byd Cudd, and she believed him. The plan was built on the idea that they’d get into the mountain and down to the city, without being found. Get in, take care of Lolc Aon, maybe Herasta, and get out. The whole time, making sure that she wasn’t taken prisoner.
Don’t go there, she thought. It doesn’t do me or anyone else any good to dwell on the ‘what if’ possibilities. Trust Jinaari and Adam. One’s going to keep them from getting close enough, the other will get me out if they do.
Jinaari’s hand flew up, and she stopped. “Wait here,” he said. As he walked forward, his back to the rocky cliff to her left, she noticed the others edging closer to her. Surrounding her. Her heart began to race. A series of whistled notes echoed in the forest, and she relaxed.
“Come forward,” Jinaari called out. “They’re friendly. Or so he says.”
The tone of his voice was enough to warn her. Whoever he’d found wasn’t going to be someone she wanted to see. Adam looked past her, nodding once to Caelynn. The elf silently retreated, blending into the surrounding trees. Thia quickly lost sight of her.
“Just in case,” Adam said, his voice low.
Pan walked next to her. “Just in case what?”
Adam scowled at the young man. “Just in case whoever Jinaari found isn’t as friendly as they say they are.”
“Oh.”
They rounded the bend and saw Jinaari standing in front of a crack in the rock, barely wide enough for him to pass through. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at it. That had to be the entrance he talked about.
The paladin turned and looked at her. “We have company.” Stepping aside, she saw Alesso leaning against the entrance.
“Priestess,” he nodded at her. “I’m glad to see you’re alive and well.”
She looked at Jinaari. “What is he doing here? I thought you said he was seen heading back to Dragonspire?”
“Ask him.” He crossed his arms, staring at the other paladin. “He won’t answer me.”
“I owe you my life, priestess,” Alesso said. “Until that debt is repaid, I will stay by your side. You cannot stop me. I’ll follow, or you can let me join you. The choice is yours.”
“I don’t want you here, Alesso. None of us do. You owe me nothing. Please,” she said, exasperated, “just leave me alone. Your sister needs you more than I ever will.”
“She’s safe. A convent of nuns devoted to Hauk took her in. They specialize in caring for those who were brutalized by the Fallen, helping them reintegrate into the surface world.” He stepped forward. Instinctively, Thia took a step back as Jinaari raised his arm in front of her protectively. “I can’t leave. I tried,” he hesitated, “I really did. I took Ashynn to the Sisters, was going to stay there, help her. But every single time I looked at her face, priestess, I felt ashamed. I almost traded you for her, after you healed me. After you brought me back from the brink of death. I considered repaying that kindness by handing you over to the Fallen. I never made it back to the chapterhouse. I cannot call myself a paladin of Garret until I repay this debt. I will keep you safe, trust me.”
“You expect me to trust you?” she stared at him. “You just admitted you almost turned me over to the Fallen!”
“But I didn’t.”
“Was that because you thought better of it,” Jinaari asked, “or because I showed up?”
Alesso’s jaw tightened but he didn’t answer.
“That’s what I thought. Thia,” he kept his attention on Alesso as he spoke to her, “We need to talk this over.”
“Yeah,” she breathed as she started to step back. Jinaari followed her, glancing over his shoulder at the other man. Alesso’s gaze never left her, but he didn’t try to approach them.
The four of them stood close together. “He’s not going to respond to anyone but Thia. And that’s limited, too, since he said he’d follow you no matter what. You won’t be able to tell him to just go away. What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know,” she said, her voice low. “I don’t trust him, especially after what he just said. I don’t want him anywhere near me. Jinaari, you’re the one that makes these decisions, not me. How can we get rid of him?” She looked past him as Caelynn joined them.
He shook his head. “I don’t know that we can, not for a while anyway. If he’s determined to do this, I’d rather have him traveling with us than causing problems I can’t see. First things first. Thia, you’re going to have to tell him he must listen and respond to all of us, not just you.”
“Why me?” she asked, her eyes wide.
“Because you’re the one he owes the debt to. He didn’t even want to talk to me when I found him, only asked if you were nearby. I don’t want him to sit out a fight, waiting for you to tell him to act.”
She looked past the group at the brown-haired paladin. Closing her eyes, she sighed. “Is there some way we can guarantee he won’t be anywhere near me? He scares me.”
“Definitely,” Jinaari replied. “One of us stays with you at all times, even when we’re sleeping. I’ll put him on the watch rotation with one of us. He doesn’t sit one by himself.” He looked back at her. “You’ll have to be firm. Spell it out for him. I’ve known him too long. If he can find any sort of loophole, he’ll exploit it.”
Thia took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I suppose I can always tell him new instructions as we go along. Let’s get this over with.” Nervously, she led the group back toward the cavern entrance. “The only way you can stay with us, Alesso, is if you listen to everyone, not just me. If Caelynn asks you a question, answer it. If Adam says it’s your turn to make dinner, do it. Especially Jinaari. You fight when he does, follow every single order he gives you. Got it?”
Slowly, he nodded. “I understand, priestess.”
“One more thing,” she continued, looking him in the eyes. “You do not stand, sit, or sleep next to me. Ever. Once we go inside, I don’t even want you talking to me. I don’t trust you, Alesso.”
“I will change that.”
“Not likely,” she muttered under her breath.
“Caelynn, you’re up here with me. Pan, you and Thia follow. Adam and Alesso, you bring up the rear.” Jinaari nodded at each of them in turn. “Adam, some light would be good.”
“You’ve got it,” he replied. The gauntlet on Jinaari’s right hand began to glow. “Will that work?”
“It should. I’ll let you know if I need more.” He stared at Alesso. “We’re going in now. Stand aside and wait for Adam to enter before you do. Got it?”
Alesso nodded, stepping away from the entrance.
Thia approached the crevice, her heart beating rapidly. She could make out Jinaari and Caelynn as they continued down into the darkness. Lolc Aon was in there, waiting. Swallowing her fear, she whispered, “This is what I have to do. Jinaari won’t let them take me.”
“Be careful where you place your trust, priestess,” Alesso whispered. “His Royal Highness has more secrets than you could ever imagine.”
She turned her head, glaring at him. “Thia? What’s wrong?” Pan asked from behind her.
She shook her head, “Nothing,” she replied. I can do this, she thought. I need to do this. Before she could back out, she walked into the cave.
The walls were rough, untouched by tools. She kept her eyes on Jinaari, watching as he turned when the passage narrowed. The vibration of small feet, thousands of them, echoed in the narrow walkway. “What’s that sound?” she asked.
“Probably just centipedes, other bugs,” Caelynn answered her. “We’re disturbing their nests.”
“No scorpions, though?”
“Not here. We’re too close to the surface,” Jinaari said. He turned around and looked her in the face. “Lolc Aon isn’t called the Scorpion Queen without reason. We’ll need to be careful, the closer we get.” He smiled for a moment. “Just don’t push on any loose bricks and you’ll be fine.”
Thia laughed. “You’re the one who told us to check the wall.”
He nodded, then turned around again. Her mood lightened. I should’ve died that day. Everyone has secrets. Jinaari is no different. That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t trust him.
After about two hours, the corridor opened. “Everyone, take a break and eat something,” Jinaari said. “We’ve got several hours of walking before we rest tonight.”
Thia shrugged off her pack, dropping it on the floor. Kneeling next to it, she rummaged around inside, searching for the packets of food Adam had given everyone. Pan sat across from her, munching on an apple. “Where are you from, anyway?”
“A village called River Run. You’ve probably never heard of it. I think there were maybe thirty people who lived there. Outside of taking care of those who couldn’t make it to Almair before the city gates closed, few stopped,” she said.
“I think a small village would’ve been great to grow up in.”
“What about you?” she asked.
“My family’s from Cirrain. It’s halfway between Almair and Dragonspire. It’s not small, but not as big as either of those cities.” He took another bite. “Your family’s from there, then? River Run?”
“I guess. Papa didn’t talk about where he was from. We didn’t have any other family in the village. It was just us.” She paused. “Why do you want to know?”
He shrugged. “Just making conversation. Ash told me I needed to help you, but not why. The more I know about you, the better chance I have to figure out what to do. You guys don’t talk much when you walk, do you? I mean, I get why you put the one guy in the back. I don’t think any of you liked him coming along. Why is that?”
“Ask Jinaari or Adam,” she replied curtly. “Pan, do you always talk this much?”
“Not always. I don’t talk in my sleep that I know of. And I actually talk more when I’m drunk. Jinaari wouldn’t let me have any more ale until I’d convinced him to let me join you guys. He’s scary, isn’t he? I mean, all that armor and the sword and all. Is he really all that good at using it or is it just for show?”
“I’m that good,” Jinaari replied.
Pan jumped, and Thia couldn’t help but smile. She’d seen the paladin approach them and wanted to see what the newcomer did. “Oh, um, that’s good to know,” he stammered.
“We’re moving again. Care to join us or did Ash tell you to wait for some reason?”
Thia stood up, trying hard not to laugh, as Pan scrambled to his feet. “Catch up with Caelynn,” Jinaari instructed him. “I want to talk to Thia for a moment.”
She waited for him to walk away before she looked at him. “What’s wrong?”
“I was going to ask you that,” he said, his voice low. “How are things with you? Adam told me that Alesso said something to you when we came inside.”
“Some nonsense about how I shouldn’t trust you. Said you had your share of secrets, called you ‘His Royal Highness’. He must really hate you or something.” His face shifted, becoming hard. “What is it?”
“Alesso’s got a big mouth,” he muttered. “He’s playing mind games, trying to scare you. You know me well enough to trust me, right?”
She nodded.
“That’s what matters. Anything else is a distraction, nothing more. He and I have competed against each other for over a decade. It looks like he thinks you’re another prize he wants to win.”
“What do you mean, ‘a prize’? I’m terrified even being this close to Byd Cudd, and it’s going to get worse the closer we get. How is protecting me a competition? I’m a nervous wreck!” She let out a sigh. “I don’t need him trying to prove something to me . . . you . . . himself . . . whatever. I just need this to be over.”
“Soon enough,” he said. “I’ll make sure the watch schedule’s consistent so you know who’s on when. Don’t keep things bottled up. If you need to talk, we’ll figure it out where the rest won’t hear. The fight won’t be easy. I need to know your mind is where it needs to be when it happens. Whatever you need to ask, I’ll answer. Got it?”
“Okay. It’s just . . . I didn’t need the added stress of him watching every single move I make. It was bad enough when you were gone. There’s no reason for him to be here this time. He’s watching me, too. I can feel it.” She leaned against the wall. “When he was around before, I knew where I stood. He hated me and didn’t want to be there. Something’s changed, and I don’t believe his explanation one bit.”
“Neither do I. Adam will stay in front of him, help maintain the distance. If you’re okay with it, whoever’s done with watch when Caelynn starts can sleep in the tent with you while she’s up. That way, you won’t be left alone.”
“You don’t think he’d try anything like that, do you?” she asked, horrified.
“I don’t, no. But I promised I’d take care of you, Thia. Keep you safe. And I intend on doing just that.”