I watched the ships drift slowly in and out of Caerhold Bay, bound for the Ashkara ports. I was happy to have the city behind us. I didn’t know what the others thought.
I turned back toward the burned-out campfire. Everyone except Lea was still asleep on their bedrolls. Lea sat cross-legged on hers, the map rolled out across hers lap, studying it intently. Her long hair nearly brushed the parchment.
Alfie stirred. He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. When his gaze met mine, I said, “I guess we survived our first night.”
He smiled faintly and sighed. “Yeah. I guess we did.”
Without looking up, Lea said, “There will be many more. This map is complete madness. There’s no proper road to our destination. We’ll have to figure this out as we go. Fun? Yes. Easy? No.”
I said dryly, “You have a wide definition of the word ‘fun.’”
Ox began to stir next, stretching his shoulders with a quiet grunt. “Hey, guys. You’re up early.”
“Long nights make for a long journey,” Lea said, still focused on the map.
Raven’s bedroll lay close to Ox’s. Ox placed a large hand on Raven’s shoulder and shook him gently. “Up and at ’em, little guy.”
Raven blinked awake and sat up slowly, rubbing his lower back. “Oh. Hey.” He winced. “First night without my bed was horrible.”
“Get used to it,” I said flatly. Then, turning back to Lea, “There’s a path right over there. Can’t you make heads or tails of the map yet?”
“That’s the problem,” Lea replied. “The map is vague, and we’ve known nothing but Caerhold our entire lives. The map only points west, over the sea, to Ashkara’s ports. Eldmere barely exists on parchment.”
She tapped the map in frustration.
“The road east is undefined. There appear to be three provinces. Elmere, ours. Leafmere, a massive forest with unclear borders. And Eastreach, far to the west. There’s a large inland lake there and what might be a mountain range beyond it.” Lea’s voice rose slightly. “There’s another port city marked on the western coast, unnamed. Beyond that, islands. And scrawled near them: The Silver Tower???”
She exhaled sharply. “It’s like the map itself is asking us why we’re bothering.”
Alfie asked carefully, “Do you think we should rethink this?”
“Absolutely not!” Lea snapped, finally looking up.
I nearly shouted, “You’ve got to be kidding me, Alfie!”
The back door of Murph and Mathilda’s house swung open.
A tall, curvy human woman stepped out, dressed head-to-toe in red. Her lips were painted a deep crimson, her smile wide and knowing. She carried a large black cauldron tucked under one arm, steam rising from it as she muttered, “Ouch, ouch,” under her breath. In her other hand, she balanced a cutting board stacked with tin plates and food threatening to slide off.
Mathilda, I thought.
Ox rushed forward. “Let me help you.” He took the cauldron from her bare-handed, without so much as a flinch, and carried it to the fire pit.
Mathilda adjusted the cutting board on her shoulder with practiced ease. Yes. Definitely a barmaid.
“Alright, alright,” she said brightly. “Figured you’d need something warm in your bellies before you hit the road.”
I leaned toward Alfie and whispered, “Are we really going to eat this?”
He met my gaze steadily. “Murph isn’t dirty. He’s disorganized. Mathilda definitely isn’t.” He paused. “You didn’t see the second floor. That’s her domain. Immaculate.”
Then, he said louder, “Come on, everyone. Eat. Could be a long day.”
I rolled my eyes but joined them by the fire.
Mathilda dealt the tin plates like cards. She spooned thick porridge onto each, added generous slabs of butter that immediately began melting, then placed three slices of hot bacon on top. Finally, she broke a baguette into five large pieces and handed one to each of us.
The butter oozed through the porridge like lava.
“Cool!” Raven laughed.
Mathilda smiled at him. “I’ve never heard that laugh so early in the morning. What a delight.”
Ox slung an arm around Raven’s shoulders and ruffled his hair.
“So,” Mathilda said, once we’d started eating, “before Murph passed out snoring like a beast and robbed me of a peaceful night, he mentioned you’re taking a little journey.”
Alfie nodded. “I suppose he told you about Father.”
She took Alfie’s hand gently. “He did.” She sighed. “You know there are other options than chasing a myth.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
Alfie glanced around at us. None of us spoke.
“Mathilda,” he said carefully, “do you know how many people in the pub talk about the Silver Tower?”
“That doesn’t make it real,” she replied, patting his hand.
Ox spoke then, slow and steady. “We’re not chasing treasure. We just want to know if it exists. If it’s there. If it’s real.”
She studied us for a long moment. Then she laughed. “Well. Looks like you don’t need mothering.” She pointed at Ox, Alfie, and Raven. “Grab the plates. Help me clean up.”
With our gear packed and bellies full, Murph and Mathilda stood on the porch as we set off.
“Be careful,” Mathilda called, waving a pink handkerchief.
“Have fun!” Murph added. She swatted him. He overacted the pain and winked at us.
We walked in silence for a while.
“Half a day’s walk before we have to decide,” Lea said.
“Decide what?” I asked.
“Which direction to go.”
“And if we choose wrong?”
Raven said quietly, “Why do I think the decision will be made for us?”
As dusk was settling in, I was scanning the road ahead and I saw her.
A teenage girl stood barefoot in the middle of the path. Mud smudged her white blouse. The hem of her shorts was frayed.
“Hi,” she said cheerfully.
“Hi,” Raven replied.
Her expression hardened. “Drop everything. Packs. Bedrolls. Weapons.”
I laughed. “No.”
A branch snapped to my left. A rock flew from the brush and struck Ox in the temple.
“Ouch.”
“Now!” the girl screamed.
Rocks rained down.
Raven vanished instantly. Lea’s hands ignited with sparks and flame.
“Not yet, Lea!” Alfie called.
He called in my direction “Edie, help Ox. He’s bleeding.” I pushed my hand to the sky and sent a healing ray down to Ox’s temple.
Alfie sprinted toward higher ground.
“No, idiot! There are two up there!” I yelled at him.
This was a mess.
I scanned frantically. Ox was circling, trying to find Raven.
“Ox!” I shouted. “Stop looking for Raven. Crack some skulls!”
A body tumbled down the slope. Alfie had kicked one attacker straight into the path.
Unfortunately, it was the biggest one.
“Great move, Alfie!” I yelled.
Another teen raised a stone behind him. Alfie turned just in time and punched her in the nose. She fled, sobbing.
Raven appeared in front of the bigger one. “Dammit.” Then vanished again.
“Raven, quickly. Behind him.” Alfie said. Raven disappeared, reappearing behind the burly teen.
Raven pulled his dagger, putting it to the thug’s throat. “Running would be a good option for you now.” The hoodlum scrammed.
Heat flared beside me. Lea’s magic surged.
“Not yet,” I warned. Lea was starting to glow with flame and sparks. Too late.
“Lea,” I could hear Alfie call, “Take backfield, and then blast. Not before.”
It was too late for Lea to consider either my or Alfie’s direction.
Fire and lightning exploded outward. Brush ignited. Screams filled the air. Bodies scattered.
Then silence.
We regrouped, hands on our knees, breathing hard.
“That didn’t go according to plan,” Alfie said.
“What plan?” I snapped.
“That was fun,” Raven grinned.
I turned on Lea. “Rein it in. If you singe my hair again, I’ll kill you.”
“Noted,” She said calmly.
“Easy, Edie,” Alfie said.
Ox’s voice cut through it, low and steady. “Settle down.”
I did.
Raven pointed ahead. One path was clean and pleasant. The other scorched, smoking, littered with burned cloth.
“I think I see our decision.”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “Obvious.”
We sighed and turned toward the scorched trail.
I looked around, disgusted at all of them. “We make camp here.”