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?"931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2QE9iXa8U
"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."931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSkgzubMhJ
“Sounds like a plan,” I say, stretching. “Ugh, I have a crick in my neck.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DIpeqB6xz
“Want me to massage it out for you?” Klef asks.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UkCijPFKV
“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.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwI9AeksoQu
“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.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzQ1FDShYE
I nod. “Okay. Sounds like you guys have this all figured out. Sorry I missed out on the discussion.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyNWgR7fwg
“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.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WwBoth8lS
I smile slightly. “You’re a little bit scary good at that, you realize?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7VmAFTcQv
Ama grins. “Ssh. Don’t tell Bobbi I said anything, they’ll kill me.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BOQygnc5S
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?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUGcXoK5K2
“Fair point,” Ama says, pointing at Klef. “I like the way you think, Mister Thief.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp09i8T0NoZ
“Why thank you, Miss Wizard,” Klef says with a laugh in his voice.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCx3RKcqhrL
“Careful not to get too cozy,” I tease. “If you do I might get jealous.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKrcDavo6r
“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.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfhTDjAIDL
“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.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfuoUPNZkV
Klef laughs. “I love you, Ride. Platonically, romantically. I just love you.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUKe2R6ZyB
“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!”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFF1e4yVXT
“Aw, c’mon, Ride! Live a little!” he protests, continuing to tickle me.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTPaywPUFl
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!”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2JPe4RmRI
“Okay, okay! I’m stopping!” Klef surrenders, holding his hands up.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBobTr9NwL
“You’re ridiculous,” I tease, still laughing from the surprise attack.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6rkTH6e0R
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.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSPVDHA5sZ
“Don’t be,” Klef groans, rubbing his back. “I’m fine with getting bowled over by you any day.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcayvZnZVU
“Flirt,” I laugh. “You’re such a flirt.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeLlepLTkh
“Always, my dear,” Klef says with a wink.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdR7ZGJ2FJ
There’s a groan from the other side of the carriage along with a gag. “Do you two mind?” Hibiscus groans.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrxHKzurp0
“Seriously, we’ve been over this,” Ama adds. “It’s only cute for so long.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4ihNLy1MF
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?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjtSeijlZZ
“I do,” Flo interjects. “Ryhte and I would not shut up the first time we met.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSCpwh0KUl
Rythe sighs. “Oh, those were the days. Back when you were fine with my relentless teasing you and flirting in general.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBh1WzaXHgw
Flo rolls her eyes. “I’m still fine with it if you don’t embarrass anyone, but lately you’ve been embarrassing everyone.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzuKhLf8ww
“What’s wrong with that?” they ask.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EMbgg8Xg7
“Everything,” Flo says. “You need to respect people’s boundaries.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAyxaCBfbD
Rythe shrugs. “I can’t tell people’s boundaries if they don’t tell me when enough is enough,” they reason.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8aAvGF9Rh
“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.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIhDu8t39b
“Not a thing,” Rythe teases, bopping a finger on Flo’s snout.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYRoWXP6Lq
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.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCczJl2b93
She looks up and chews her lip. “Oh, I’d say… 10 minutes? Maybe 5, if Bobbi can convince the horses to go faster.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPgyD65627
There’s the sound of yelling outside the carriage and we pick up speed suddenly. Ama smiles. “5 minutes.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ktI28kpxL
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.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnQPOqesCr
Klef blinks once, snapping to attention. “I’m awake,” he says. “I’m awake.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXx0miaN9Lo
“Barely. How much sleep did you get last night?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAp5l75GSd4
“Ugh. Not enough,” he groans. “I feel like death.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1EhcErLMy
“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.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJPpuc1CRC
Lightning cracks a mile or so behind us, and everyone jumps. Ama groans. “Looks like we’ll be using my magic to teleport. Great.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQy2MKP0g6
Rythe groans in response. “Ugh, but teleporting makes me sick to my stomach.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFNMffBnMe
Ama shrugs helplessly. “If it helps, I doubt I have enough in me to take us all directly to the base.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWn5agM9pK
“Could you use some of my Sight as sort of a boost?” I ask.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAy74FjYVgr
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?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmAZ3FSsK4
Ama nods slowly. “I might know how to do it… it might be painful on your end, though.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoPqiyFjBK
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.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bxvEkhPMs
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.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqhvrY7dGO
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.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIzXDaqFwS
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.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDE91mocq57
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.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxbsDDEabW
I shrug. “Eh, nobody’s trying to kill us yet, let’s see where this cave takes us.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYdxsnM4zW
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.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0KO1v7M3e
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.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBjIBh5hBf
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.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1m96rezRF
Klef looks down at me innocently. “I know, Ride.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5e5T3liEDj
I narrow my eyes. “I know what you’re doing. Stop patronizing me.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBcyPxIFbh
“Me? Patronize you? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Klef laughs, continuing to move forward and upward.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcLTT3o6TW
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!”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmOrzYepJm
“But you wanted to be my protector so bad, and I didn’t want to hurt your feelings!” I tease.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BwWJWOgdK
“What?” Flo asks from behind me.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ctKJbjRm8
“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.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESIBGi6aIh
“It’s not that they did that, it’s that they said those songs were the real ones!” Klef calls down.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqSma19whQ
“Hey! Is that my favorite thief I hear?” Ank calls. “You’re not still mad at us, are you, Klef?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWpsUGq32M
I giggle as Klef pulls a face and glares at me. “This is your fault,” he mutters half-heartedly at me.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3uxEQO2ci
“Why, I have no idea what you’re talking about, Treble,” I tease.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkr4Ac3T7YR
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?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡak8eMe0HxS
“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.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxJx2D230n
“Ugly?!” Ank asks indignantly.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhONprmkgaa
Klef grins. “Like I said, hard feelings.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUZhBYtHPZ
I walk up behind him with a smile. “Long time no see, Ank.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡibeTVcFGNt
“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?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEeTw1AEfy
“Shut up!” I laugh. “Just Miss, thank you very much.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiM1eClz25P
Ank clucks his tongue. “Shame. I was hoping you had found a man who would treat you right since we met last.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxWQzenNlH
“I never said I was still looking, I just said I wasn’t married,” I point out to him.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8sJ0I9e5h
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?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjIRwVbjiA
“Depends on your definition of settling,” I say vaguely. “Half you crew wouldn’t seem to think so.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qojFJWys1
Cheers erupt around the room. I hold up a hand. “And Geo treats me right.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeePS1e2VPY
The other half starts cheering, and Ank shakes his head at me. “You, my dear, are devious to the extreme.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnilmii3EPC
“Thank you,” I say with a curtsey. “I’m glad you think so highly of me.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPhrfGF7XP
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.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepF8EtYTCq
I sigh. “Yeah, sure, fine. Tell ‘em.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzM4E35mZw
“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!”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXMVSRqoCU
I nudge him as soon as the room erupts again. “Did you have to phrase it like that?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5ODQIsyU8
“Did you have to say Geo?” Klef retorts.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJVRPO3FqL
I roll my eyes. “You. Are. Ridiculous.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMI2KU0ACd
“Thank. You,” Klef says, turning and leaning towards me with a smirk.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoHbJi0Ugg
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?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulogQQPJ4p
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.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIda2lA8ri
I nod. “You’ve got it, ma’am.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Y4PAwRq29
She nods and leaves, and I take a shallow sip, coughing slightly. “Strong,” I rasp. “But it’s not bad.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7N7lVl0OE
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.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJwYJwWt3t
I nod and laugh a little. “Thank you for the offer, I’ll keep it in mind.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SIAAgkvrj
Klef’s lips twitch a bit as he sits next to me. “Can I have a sip?” he asks.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJ36IwIBpZ
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.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZzfN8cioB
“That’s something alcohol will do, yeah,” I say, taking another sip.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU13ALF9vaw
Klef glares at me and sulks on the counter, waving to the bartender. “Could I have a root beer, please?” he asks.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBR0BQ9ISzv
I grin. “Aw, how cute. You’re still asking for soda as a grown adult.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nPqlvWXmk
Klef sticks his tongue out at me. “Root beer is good, no matter your age.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡia6EWflzC0
I shake my head and take another sip of my rum. “Agree to disagree,” I mutter.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjdzNE6YJj
Ama walks over and sits next to us at the bar. “You two know what we’re doing next?” she asks.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjx3Yvk2jgG
“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?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ101PGKa9pl
Ama nods. “Maybe you have thought this through more than I originally assumed you did,” she admits.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUq0gGE2cda
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?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzb2ps8lJGe
Ama smiles.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufZYgnTSVv
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