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?"842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdOpdBPX6G
"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."842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRx3Z6SyCo
“Sounds like a plan,” I say, stretching. “Ugh, I have a crick in my neck.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbImi7vWg4
“Want me to massage it out for you?” Klef asks.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOhWmB3YuX
“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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QtM8B58cc
“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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfQ4uEND09
I nod. “Okay. Sounds like you guys have this all figured out. Sorry I missed out on the discussion.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEk5F6DIOp
“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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomdSGB3JXA
I smile slightly. “You’re a little bit scary good at that, you realize?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznMcdD1dwn
Ama grins. “Ssh. Don’t tell Bobbi I said anything, they’ll kill me.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdhGzeFusn
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?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BPRAN6Ybe
“Fair point,” Ama says, pointing at Klef. “I like the way you think, Mister Thief.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8BUY1EDd5
“Why thank you, Miss Wizard,” Klef says with a laugh in his voice.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9mQf7WJcK
“Careful not to get too cozy,” I tease. “If you do I might get jealous.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCcDTixp1s
“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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZgSFsbKP8
“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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkR8sNr0k2
Klef laughs. “I love you, Ride. Platonically, romantically. I just love you.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcijaGPZKn
“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!”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38Ji1jZgN5
“Aw, c’mon, Ride! Live a little!” he protests, continuing to tickle me.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFd61liogT
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!”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAVKuaZmckn
“Okay, okay! I’m stopping!” Klef surrenders, holding his hands up.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdPkMKHvNV
“You’re ridiculous,” I tease, still laughing from the surprise attack.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZr9tOckYJh
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTU9MUAnQI
“Don’t be,” Klef groans, rubbing his back. “I’m fine with getting bowled over by you any day.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9NlsGK0LN
“Flirt,” I laugh. “You’re such a flirt.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzggamrMey3
“Always, my dear,” Klef says with a wink.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr29Ulj2gZi
There’s a groan from the other side of the carriage along with a gag. “Do you two mind?” Hibiscus groans.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSj82d0I8Y8
“Seriously, we’ve been over this,” Ama adds. “It’s only cute for so long.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54DUOBOpbq
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?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvT1yMov8S
“I do,” Flo interjects. “Ryhte and I would not shut up the first time we met.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFANKIRy62e
Rythe sighs. “Oh, those were the days. Back when you were fine with my relentless teasing you and flirting in general.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPvRNIxN6P
Flo rolls her eyes. “I’m still fine with it if you don’t embarrass anyone, but lately you’ve been embarrassing everyone.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdcPS6IhJx
“What’s wrong with that?” they ask.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjs04q9myK
“Everything,” Flo says. “You need to respect people’s boundaries.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzui9Hocqw
Rythe shrugs. “I can’t tell people’s boundaries if they don’t tell me when enough is enough,” they reason.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkDYvRrdkO
“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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOfrJkJLKr
“Not a thing,” Rythe teases, bopping a finger on Flo’s snout.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJ0KjefJpS
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonGnT5NsWr
She looks up and chews her lip. “Oh, I’d say… 10 minutes? Maybe 5, if Bobbi can convince the horses to go faster.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eKho5XDQ6
There’s the sound of yelling outside the carriage and we pick up speed suddenly. Ama smiles. “5 minutes.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5WDYVR1QH
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRECdkrWAc4
Klef blinks once, snapping to attention. “I’m awake,” he says. “I’m awake.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLbbAeu8Sy
“Barely. How much sleep did you get last night?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOAndtN2RA
“Ugh. Not enough,” he groans. “I feel like death.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9znuAC8DVS
“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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoS1iDzpTh4
Lightning cracks a mile or so behind us, and everyone jumps. Ama groans. “Looks like we’ll be using my magic to teleport. Great.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc2hWMJyYqR
Rythe groans in response. “Ugh, but teleporting makes me sick to my stomach.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJVgCHHyiU
Ama shrugs helplessly. “If it helps, I doubt I have enough in me to take us all directly to the base.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88xC5wG6oo
“Could you use some of my Sight as sort of a boost?” I ask.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Pf64lWLd8
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?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJ2T0OHqsQ
Ama nods slowly. “I might know how to do it… it might be painful on your end, though.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqeDXHA35u
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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWl6OuETLlR
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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe18DTWZ9lm
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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bA5uPXeLw
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwBJMcrto7
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZH1bXaNqcw
I shrug. “Eh, nobody’s trying to kill us yet, let’s see where this cave takes us.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0nYyLM5w7
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2V6tFfAKd
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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqswxGpjMIu
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnMCwbZFOi
Klef looks down at me innocently. “I know, Ride.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgk3kR0EyBf
I narrow my eyes. “I know what you’re doing. Stop patronizing me.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7mXN3OfMq
“Me? Patronize you? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Klef laughs, continuing to move forward and upward.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYk00g26Y6
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!”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtff4wnARmG
“But you wanted to be my protector so bad, and I didn’t want to hurt your feelings!” I tease.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxyArUw3XW
“What?” Flo asks from behind me.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhFaN8lUem
“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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlK4EA1ROy
“It’s not that they did that, it’s that they said those songs were the real ones!” Klef calls down.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWDJxg3aYK
“Hey! Is that my favorite thief I hear?” Ank calls. “You’re not still mad at us, are you, Klef?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjf6aLBYNc
I giggle as Klef pulls a face and glares at me. “This is your fault,” he mutters half-heartedly at me.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckrKbXsGDG
“Why, I have no idea what you’re talking about, Treble,” I tease.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVsOPXXIPO
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?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlCzIodRk9
“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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZm4TQ9C0qu
“Ugly?!” Ank asks indignantly.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMb9TxrzNV
Klef grins. “Like I said, hard feelings.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GMU86gFpJ
I walk up behind him with a smile. “Long time no see, Ank.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKydDHMLbX
“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?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChzLHygJHG
“Shut up!” I laugh. “Just Miss, thank you very much.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYCK4iAhaS
Ank clucks his tongue. “Shame. I was hoping you had found a man who would treat you right since we met last.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKUkdVpOvy
“I never said I was still looking, I just said I wasn’t married,” I point out to him.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RPF4FhyMT
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?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykBjpJqHQB
“Depends on your definition of settling,” I say vaguely. “Half you crew wouldn’t seem to think so.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfnbAaYVru
Cheers erupt around the room. I hold up a hand. “And Geo treats me right.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTRbslQVZ6
The other half starts cheering, and Ank shakes his head at me. “You, my dear, are devious to the extreme.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtt2XHbC2Uq
“Thank you,” I say with a curtsey. “I’m glad you think so highly of me.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvz4LjLmuXS
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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHzMQIihO0
I sigh. “Yeah, sure, fine. Tell ‘em.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1NCaIZYnF
“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!”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi25GGAeOqr
I nudge him as soon as the room erupts again. “Did you have to phrase it like that?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtVxXR85qg
“Did you have to say Geo?” Klef retorts.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGz98mERss
I roll my eyes. “You. Are. Ridiculous.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJ4CjoGnHq
“Thank. You,” Klef says, turning and leaning towards me with a smirk.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwU2YHttRfj
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?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2v6uJ5uLT
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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPZ6sECIem
I nod. “You’ve got it, ma’am.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9SFMyTbvi
She nods and leaves, and I take a shallow sip, coughing slightly. “Strong,” I rasp. “But it’s not bad.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oA4Fubt1C
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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSFftzP4Gm
I nod and laugh a little. “Thank you for the offer, I’ll keep it in mind.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFzaQAEcGE
Klef’s lips twitch a bit as he sits next to me. “Can I have a sip?” he asks.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvx7asEsqz
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uXxL3P71B
“That’s something alcohol will do, yeah,” I say, taking another sip.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYNVOjxscq
Klef glares at me and sulks on the counter, waving to the bartender. “Could I have a root beer, please?” he asks.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyU8OK74gS
I grin. “Aw, how cute. You’re still asking for soda as a grown adult.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bhVU56rma
Klef sticks his tongue out at me. “Root beer is good, no matter your age.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6Hsqpo0P4
I shake my head and take another sip of my rum. “Agree to disagree,” I mutter.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFXBNTNEgI
Ama walks over and sits next to us at the bar. “You two know what we’re doing next?” she asks.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72Bu0hDZl2
“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?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidL16szkxP
Ama nods. “Maybe you have thought this through more than I originally assumed you did,” she admits.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlD6WbMegaC
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?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqLReDyQAO
Ama smiles.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxjssBNPRe
Penana
search
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
