I'm jerked back into reality for some reason I can't explain for a few seconds, until lightning cracks across the sky outside the carriage. "Woah," I say. "How long has that been going on?"989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZznBVG3Zo5
"You woke up from the first really loud one," Ama says. "So... maybe 10 minutes, at most? The storm's heading our way and we're running into it, because the nearest stop is maybe 20 minutes out from here at a horse's trot, and if we're lucky we can get there before the storm gets too bad."989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJoMqcQhHl
“Sounds like a plan,” I say, stretching. “Ugh, I have a crick in my neck.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LaDiCxco0
“Want me to massage it out for you?” Klef asks.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBqlMqnJwH
“Please?” I respond, and he cracks his fingers before motioning for me to turn my back to him. As he starts to massage my shoulders, I glance at everyone in the carriage. Ama is reading a book disinterestedly. Hibiscus is reading over a map and talking in low tones to Bobbi on the other side of the carriage through a slot where there isn’t any canvas, probably giving instructions. Flo and Rythe and sitting next to one another, hands linked together. Flo is resting her head on Rythe’s shoulder and they are murmuring to her. All in all, everything seems pretty calm. It doesn’t do anything to make me feel any better, though. “What are we going to do once the storm dies down?” I ask.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwQgmoaW26
“Eh,” Ama shrugs. “Really, it all depends on how bad the roads are. If they’re really bad, I’m going to see if I can scrounge up enough magic to teleport everyone to the next base, though I’d really rather not do that, seeing as how I’ll be down for the count for several days, at least. If they’re not, we’ll keep going until we hit the port in the werewolf territory, which will take about a day once we’re out of the mountains. From there, we might be able to find a teleporter, or we could travel by boat. Really, there are a lot of options in there, and I’m just hoping that the roads aren’t so wet that the horses can’t continue.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOnPDJ14FoX
I nod. “Okay. Sounds like you guys have this all figured out. Sorry I missed out on the discussion.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYz3pQLR1W
“I bet you’re not really,” Ama says with a little smile. “Talking strategy is all well and good, but only when you know what you’re saying. And you’ve said yourself that you’re not a very good strategist.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6u2zURVjS4
I smile slightly. “You’re a little bit scary good at that, you realize?”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKZ5PT98zS
Ama grins. “Ssh. Don’t tell Bobbi I said anything, they’ll kill me.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwa0qB2FM3V
Klef snorts from behind me. “I bet they won’t. They’d never have you to talk with if they did. And besides, what would Luke think?”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Z64fy1Wwm
“Fair point,” Ama says, pointing at Klef. “I like the way you think, Mister Thief.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhl4xmPdGD
“Why thank you, Miss Wizard,” Klef says with a laugh in his voice.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkb4YkiAJs
“Careful not to get too cozy,” I tease. “If you do I might get jealous.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhq65miBIGD
“Nah, you don’t work like that, Ride,” Klef says. “One of the reasons I love you, actually. You’re really nice and even if someone is hurting you, if they’re not about to do major damage and it helps them in the long run, you make sure that they’ll be okay. Even if it means that you’re injured more than you already are.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsRaHkEjRs
“Mm. I’m not sure if that extends to break- ups, though,” I muse. “I wouldn’t know. I was the one who called off my first relationship, and my second one seems to have been going strong for a month now.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVwudY8aI7
Klef laughs. “I love you, Ride. Platonically, romantically. I just love you.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xI0eXZV8Z
“The feeling is mutual, I assure you,” I chuckle. Then I full-out laugh, because Klef has moved from massaging my shoulders. “Klef! Don’t tickle my neck!”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyQnqObs0v
“Aw, c’mon, Ride! Live a little!” he protests, continuing to tickle me.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTq4GPWHIyG
I duck my neck out of his reach and roll onto the floor, swatting his hands away when they reach for my sides. “Stop!” I yell. “Seriously, Klef! Stop!”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4DyuvaSJr
“Okay, okay! I’m stopping!” Klef surrenders, holding his hands up.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0p1R5GnttG
“You’re ridiculous,” I tease, still laughing from the surprise attack.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZTtpqup6l
Klef grins and pulls me up so I’m sitting again, just as we hit a bump in the road and I fly forward into him. I grunt as I ram into Klef, and he yelps when he hits the railing on the back of the carriage. I push myself off him and blush. “Sorry,” I say.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡts3cB2228q
“Don’t be,” Klef groans, rubbing his back. “I’m fine with getting bowled over by you any day.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡim1R3NiPoH
“Flirt,” I laugh. “You’re such a flirt.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRDdny2LkS
“Always, my dear,” Klef says with a wink.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFW07lJY3qO
There’s a groan from the other side of the carriage along with a gag. “Do you two mind?” Hibiscus groans.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbIqZgfGf8
“Seriously, we’ve been over this,” Ama adds. “It’s only cute for so long.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzn4GSt1NxA
I look at Klef and he shrugs. “I don’t really know how to stop the banter,” he says. “It just… sort of… happens, you know?”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09DiLr2Y5Z
“I do,” Flo interjects. “Ryhte and I would not shut up the first time we met.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3SvWbNZJ2
Rythe sighs. “Oh, those were the days. Back when you were fine with my relentless teasing you and flirting in general.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzilwHQGmm6
Flo rolls her eyes. “I’m still fine with it if you don’t embarrass anyone, but lately you’ve been embarrassing everyone.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTvQuR8Lz3
“What’s wrong with that?” they ask.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGF1sUclme
“Everything,” Flo says. “You need to respect people’s boundaries.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqpIFg5vR5
Rythe shrugs. “I can’t tell people’s boundaries if they don’t tell me when enough is enough,” they reason.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyqCl7BCLx
“That’s why I’m here. To tell you when your joking has gone to far and you’re making people uncomfortable. Without me you’d be dead of embarrassment.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkB5WOrf1QA
“Not a thing,” Rythe teases, bopping a finger on Flo’s snout.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaQ522YqwU
Flo mock-growls at them with a sly grin, before the carriage lapses into silence. I turn to watch the rain falling. It’s picking up speed at an alarming rate, and wind whips around the sides of the carriage, adding to the feeling that we’re stranded in the middle of nowhere with no hope of weathering out the storm. “How much longer until shelter?” I ask Ama.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgSXpKJhLJJ
She looks up and chews her lip. “Oh, I’d say… 10 minutes? Maybe 5, if Bobbi can convince the horses to go faster.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpG93DEZh5
There’s the sound of yelling outside the carriage and we pick up speed suddenly. Ama smiles. “5 minutes.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76f7VqWnG2
I nod and look at Klef, whose eyes are starting to droop, despite everything going on around us. I nudge him lightly. “Melisma to Klef,” I say quietly.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nrkVO7STP
Klef blinks once, snapping to attention. “I’m awake,” he says. “I’m awake.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1oCn6RW0d
“Barely. How much sleep did you get last night?”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSDdckRjVK
“Ugh. Not enough,” he groans. “I feel like death.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MRk906ytb
“You look a little like it too,” I say. :Your eyes are a bit glassy. Why don’t you try and relax some until we get to our rest stop? After that we can decide who gets sleep and who is taking care of what next.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNiBOMTu87
Lightning cracks a mile or so behind us, and everyone jumps. Ama groans. “Looks like we’ll be using my magic to teleport. Great.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvH6CoV8ZMK
Rythe groans in response. “Ugh, but teleporting makes me sick to my stomach.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUCdIMdUpU
Ama shrugs helplessly. “If it helps, I doubt I have enough in me to take us all directly to the base.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzphNLTUSS
“Could you use some of my Sight as sort of a boost?” I ask.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rVGLprKuo
Everyone looks over at me confused. I shrug. “In my dreams, I think my magic- sensing abilities act as a conductor for the use of magic as well as simply just being able to see magic being used. I don’t know how we might achieve it, but we can try, can’t we?”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0ZDQUOD5X
Ama nods slowly. “I might know how to do it… it might be painful on your end, though.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9nePvStXq
I shrug and give a little grin. “What could possibly go so wrong that I’d never want to try channeling Sight again, short of the world ending or everyone I love dying? If I get a little sick, I get a little sick. It happens.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqxatF4zsk
Ama nods as thunder rumbles overhead. The carriage comes to an abrupt stop and Bobbi ducks into the carriage from the hole in the driver’s side. “The storm is nasty, you guys. We have to get inside, now. I’ll take care of the horses, you guys keep moving.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXvmBEEywB
Everyone jumps out of the carriage with their things and run to an overhang in the mountain, which reveals a cave underneath, fitted with lightbulbs on the ceiling every so often as it continues. I take a few cautionary steps inside and inspect it. “It’s dry, and we won’t get zapped, and I don’t think we’ll get killed. Let’s go inside.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaXIhCHKrG
Klef nods and follows me inside, and Hibiscus and Ama mutter to themselves as they follow after. Flo and Rythe are silent save for their footsteps.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchsV4TM9ea
The cave, for its attempts at being modern, is still woefully primitive. Whereever the lightbulbs fail to work, which is often, 2 candles on either side of the cave on the walls are burning, giving the rocks disfigured and sometimes disturbing shadows. Klef inches closer to me and draws his knife. “I don’t like this, Ride,” he whispers.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLV7VGAPUkh
I shrug. “Eh, nobody’s trying to kill us yet, let’s see where this cave takes us.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3TXPJLR3M
The hall narrows until only 2 people at a time can scrape through together, and a staircase spiralling up marks the end of the cave. “Going up!” Ama yells, walking to the bottom of the steps and taking the lead.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0apQ9DB64
Hibiscus laughs and shakes their head. Somewhere behind us, a horse whinnies. “Well, Bobbi made it inside safe, let’s go up and see what awaits us.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAG9mnCGfL
Klef moves towards the steps in front of us before I can, and I huff but follow behind him as he acts as a shield to me. “I can handle myself, you know,” I grumble.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlT6FdZ4ZfH
Klef looks down at me innocently. “I know, Ride.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYoJExlUu9
I narrow my eyes. “I know what you’re doing. Stop patronizing me.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9ObUCr34w
“Me? Patronize you? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Klef laughs, continuing to move forward and upward.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8X14NMUfi
I growl under my breath until my hearing catches some familiar voices, including Ank. I smile, knowing Klef can’t hear them yet with his ears. I few steps later, he groans loudly. “C’mon, Ride, you should have warned me!”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYq2jvbtiL3
“But you wanted to be my protector so bad, and I didn’t want to hurt your feelings!” I tease.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8XIeEJE58
“What?” Flo asks from behind me.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHwMe59EY0
“Old friends,” I say drily, arching my eyebrows and nodding to Klef. “He’s not been a fan for a few weeks, because they made kid-safe lyrics to their sea shanties for him when he was a young one.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHynNLIHbn
“It’s not that they did that, it’s that they said those songs were the real ones!” Klef calls down.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qrXDzMkDe
“Hey! Is that my favorite thief I hear?” Ank calls. “You’re not still mad at us, are you, Klef?”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMuWuYZuUy
I giggle as Klef pulls a face and glares at me. “This is your fault,” he mutters half-heartedly at me.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0il2et9yEW
“Why, I have no idea what you’re talking about, Treble,” I tease.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDKXmgt4d2
Klef pulls a face but walks up the last of the steps, and I follow. In front of us is a wide open room, set up like a cross between a bar and a tavern, with glass windows overlooking the trail we came up on, and old wooden tables thrown up against it. Ank is standing by the bar, grinning. “Well hello, there, my little thief! No hard feelings?”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5D6rLh2q1
“Oh, there are hard feelings,” Klef says with a smirk, going over and hugging Ank. “It’s good to see your ugly mug again, Ank.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfc1h9mFsIb
“Ugly?!” Ank asks indignantly.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOZWr9BOfi
Klef grins. “Like I said, hard feelings.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFt1bLTL1u
I walk up behind him with a smile. “Long time no see, Ank.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7mrCdux1r
“My favorite death wish girl!” Ank cheers, lifting a glass of some alcohol or another up in my direction, before knocking it back. “It’s good to see you again, Miss Rides. Or is it Missus?”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlvrhyFRV9
“Shut up!” I laugh. “Just Miss, thank you very much.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWmsmFV83z
Ank clucks his tongue. “Shame. I was hoping you had found a man who would treat you right since we met last.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMPAfPWFgM
“I never said I was still looking, I just said I wasn’t married,” I point out to him.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaeEsd2ERH8
Ama wolf whistles from over by the windows, and the rest of our entourage are walking their way over to either us or Ama. Ank raises his eyebrows. “Didn’t settle, did you?”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVMmrUgSCJ
“Depends on your definition of settling,” I say vaguely. “Half you crew wouldn’t seem to think so.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡas2ziDOYdi
Cheers erupt around the room. I hold up a hand. “And Geo treats me right.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYz6UZPHwq
The other half starts cheering, and Ank shakes his head at me. “You, my dear, are devious to the extreme.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Qq3IVqh6C
“Thank you,” I say with a curtsey. “I’m glad you think so highly of me.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwaTUQ5KJq
Klef ribs me and says, “You know, what’s the harm if we tell ‘em? You know everyone on Melisma is going to know in about a month anyway. Well, anyone who cares.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgWSPHkFDB
I sigh. “Yeah, sure, fine. Tell ‘em.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCscFAyYCL
“Hey guys! Rides is a liar! She’s not going out with Geo! She’s going out with me!” he yells into the room. “I am a very happy trophy boyfriend!”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBEZXExl7W
I nudge him as soon as the room erupts again. “Did you have to phrase it like that?”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXKCixZuih
“Did you have to say Geo?” Klef retorts.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzN702lIuHa
I roll my eyes. “You. Are. Ridiculous.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxK4MfLX44S
“Thank. You,” Klef says, turning and leaning towards me with a smirk.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5Q9QEVjwl
I shove him backwards just enough that he hits the bar counter before hopping on one of the stools and waving to the bartender. “Hey bartender? What do you recommend for a traveller who means business?”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbY7YjthEH
The aging woman walks over, taking the glass she was polishing and fills it with something from one of the barrels in the back. “Rum,” she says. “Don’t drink it all in one go if you’re not used to it, you’ll find yourself waking up in a pool of your own vomit tomorrow morning, and you’ll be the one to clean it up.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWw41uHpev
I nod. “You’ve got it, ma’am.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOeag8Qsvp
She nods and leaves, and I take a shallow sip, coughing slightly. “Strong,” I rasp. “But it’s not bad.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOurjjgANzL
Ank smiles. “You sound like you have potential for drinking contests. If you ever feel like entering one on my ship, I’d be happy to train you.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksHJEKP8O9
I nod and laugh a little. “Thank you for the offer, I’ll keep it in mind.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3vgLDX4JJ
Klef’s lips twitch a bit as he sits next to me. “Can I have a sip?” he asks.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuO2x6ebdF
I pass it over and he takes one, immediately staring to hack when he tries to swallow. I burst out laughing, taking the glass back as Klef desperately gasps for air. “It burns!” he exclaims.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcp0yMAJHX
“That’s something alcohol will do, yeah,” I say, taking another sip.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ibM4G1Ipm
Klef glares at me and sulks on the counter, waving to the bartender. “Could I have a root beer, please?” he asks.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5J1NDdVYt
I grin. “Aw, how cute. You’re still asking for soda as a grown adult.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqypgzGBHQ0
Klef sticks his tongue out at me. “Root beer is good, no matter your age.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcjBIxQfJe
I shake my head and take another sip of my rum. “Agree to disagree,” I mutter.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4nvdYkxCJ
Ama walks over and sits next to us at the bar. “You two know what we’re doing next?” she asks.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgFvd01nLW
“Well a little break never hurt anyone,” Klef says, shrugging and nabbing his rootbeer off the counter. “And you could probably use some time to prepare your teleportation powers, whatever that entails. So I figure we rest for a bit, and then when we’re all ready, we try your teleportation powers. Does that sound reasonable?”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmAc6ev7UO
Ama nods. “Maybe you have thought this through more than I originally assumed you did,” she admits.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CzW5zQm9c
Klef lifts his root beer to her and smiles. “It’s okay, we all make mistakes sometimes. Let’s just get this show on the road. I’ll buy you a drink, if you want?”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuN2cYh3hir
Ama smiles.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOyrLyDnsj
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