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?"768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFJsrJYxuN
"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."768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8m7kuRWbr5
“Sounds like a plan,” I say, stretching. “Ugh, I have a crick in my neck.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgIKKFwmAw
“Want me to massage it out for you?” Klef asks.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfbyWo3UR1
“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.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWtnGSQCBo
“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.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RSRsAu5Sc
I nod. “Okay. Sounds like you guys have this all figured out. Sorry I missed out on the discussion.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRuzTkJ1BW4
“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.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVlhGSnyWNn
I smile slightly. “You’re a little bit scary good at that, you realize?”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9Bm7MOSxp
Ama grins. “Ssh. Don’t tell Bobbi I said anything, they’ll kill me.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWktlRxcPTG
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?”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95lljgjlie
“Fair point,” Ama says, pointing at Klef. “I like the way you think, Mister Thief.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJI143Psbhf
“Why thank you, Miss Wizard,” Klef says with a laugh in his voice.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgL9EOUB2zh
“Careful not to get too cozy,” I tease. “If you do I might get jealous.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZM2BFMhHa
“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.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2BO8EGXRx
“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.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYX4lsTA9Fm
Klef laughs. “I love you, Ride. Platonically, romantically. I just love you.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJ4c6iiemk
“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!”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3n2GMAmS0E
“Aw, c’mon, Ride! Live a little!” he protests, continuing to tickle me.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRoUWJdMnD
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!”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnTuH8uQZA
“Okay, okay! I’m stopping!” Klef surrenders, holding his hands up.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhZdWdytbX
“You’re ridiculous,” I tease, still laughing from the surprise attack.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96HBqyvyt2
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.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3RQWVJQo0
“Don’t be,” Klef groans, rubbing his back. “I’m fine with getting bowled over by you any day.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoytDEi4Z6f
“Flirt,” I laugh. “You’re such a flirt.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAessL8tLk
“Always, my dear,” Klef says with a wink.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBzkM8Vixk
There’s a groan from the other side of the carriage along with a gag. “Do you two mind?” Hibiscus groans.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfepDMZx4n9
“Seriously, we’ve been over this,” Ama adds. “It’s only cute for so long.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RqaySmKrE
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?”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbjeQW7JTD
“I do,” Flo interjects. “Ryhte and I would not shut up the first time we met.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRG16jnJGf
Rythe sighs. “Oh, those were the days. Back when you were fine with my relentless teasing you and flirting in general.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXy0Xw2zGz
Flo rolls her eyes. “I’m still fine with it if you don’t embarrass anyone, but lately you’ve been embarrassing everyone.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33sJmLPRVH
“What’s wrong with that?” they ask.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNKClU0Psa
“Everything,” Flo says. “You need to respect people’s boundaries.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiahqifN13h
Rythe shrugs. “I can’t tell people’s boundaries if they don’t tell me when enough is enough,” they reason.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjIbXrFmTg
“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.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgdYpcg86Z
“Not a thing,” Rythe teases, bopping a finger on Flo’s snout.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmaaFcSzyf
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.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59x71GMsds
She looks up and chews her lip. “Oh, I’d say… 10 minutes? Maybe 5, if Bobbi can convince the horses to go faster.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXrLSTIRtI
There’s the sound of yelling outside the carriage and we pick up speed suddenly. Ama smiles. “5 minutes.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkN7mcDazjV
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.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5BmBaYp8p
Klef blinks once, snapping to attention. “I’m awake,” he says. “I’m awake.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzanJqTOMV
“Barely. How much sleep did you get last night?”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNNymcsoqh
“Ugh. Not enough,” he groans. “I feel like death.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpLrUTmqdp
“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.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPiA93n4KO
Lightning cracks a mile or so behind us, and everyone jumps. Ama groans. “Looks like we’ll be using my magic to teleport. Great.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBPcFFaWRO
Rythe groans in response. “Ugh, but teleporting makes me sick to my stomach.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LYiQi8xBF
Ama shrugs helplessly. “If it helps, I doubt I have enough in me to take us all directly to the base.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QHltaZiDY
“Could you use some of my Sight as sort of a boost?” I ask.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwuncV4sEq
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?”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwV34iksoN7
Ama nods slowly. “I might know how to do it… it might be painful on your end, though.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDWEOV9nkW
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.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7Txnn2KNI
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.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4Jv3Y2fUm
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.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRuEe4LWIyu
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.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ12zrCymQ7
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.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxqiuIlTa6
I shrug. “Eh, nobody’s trying to kill us yet, let’s see where this cave takes us.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwdF9PD8r3
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.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIY1gs6hrdz
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.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNvYVs8F6Q
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.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCEzRcyvUp
Klef looks down at me innocently. “I know, Ride.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1aGSk1aYo
I narrow my eyes. “I know what you’re doing. Stop patronizing me.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5cRd4JCuyT
“Me? Patronize you? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Klef laughs, continuing to move forward and upward.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKJGn6OfZj
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!”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrWv5grEUZ
“But you wanted to be my protector so bad, and I didn’t want to hurt your feelings!” I tease.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIpj51mbQf
“What?” Flo asks from behind me.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgX0VlGdDA
“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.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pkQ3fcgsc
“It’s not that they did that, it’s that they said those songs were the real ones!” Klef calls down.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHaBvDfHtTg
“Hey! Is that my favorite thief I hear?” Ank calls. “You’re not still mad at us, are you, Klef?”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUeyY0rUlx
I giggle as Klef pulls a face and glares at me. “This is your fault,” he mutters half-heartedly at me.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2jUJfYRf1
“Why, I have no idea what you’re talking about, Treble,” I tease.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GNFVwVMEl
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?”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUYKpYse9e
“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.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFqCWc8QUH
“Ugly?!” Ank asks indignantly.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsagaBtkwD3
Klef grins. “Like I said, hard feelings.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhbxOkGZTT
I walk up behind him with a smile. “Long time no see, Ank.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcjQ9rqbF7
“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?”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfMA2u8hBF
“Shut up!” I laugh. “Just Miss, thank you very much.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcB03Vlbm3k
Ank clucks his tongue. “Shame. I was hoping you had found a man who would treat you right since we met last.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42nrHCQFDv
“I never said I was still looking, I just said I wasn’t married,” I point out to him.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRHy5yuAQn
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?”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eQwL7JBSh
“Depends on your definition of settling,” I say vaguely. “Half you crew wouldn’t seem to think so.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlET27n8sW
Cheers erupt around the room. I hold up a hand. “And Geo treats me right.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFAzzLaDgN
The other half starts cheering, and Ank shakes his head at me. “You, my dear, are devious to the extreme.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICSuF3PqJP
“Thank you,” I say with a curtsey. “I’m glad you think so highly of me.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIcTzSxxrK
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.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNeVikP49nQ
I sigh. “Yeah, sure, fine. Tell ‘em.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRjriGaWYg
“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!”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5BOUwrMFN
I nudge him as soon as the room erupts again. “Did you have to phrase it like that?”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt27limNDhb
“Did you have to say Geo?” Klef retorts.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bK2WYFPCR
I roll my eyes. “You. Are. Ridiculous.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcgLohwbkm
“Thank. You,” Klef says, turning and leaning towards me with a smirk.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWLXIdhPlw
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?”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfZ43FFXDo
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.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj99U3wKoEd
I nod. “You’ve got it, ma’am.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmluIhMcTU
She nods and leaves, and I take a shallow sip, coughing slightly. “Strong,” I rasp. “But it’s not bad.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWw2PcmTiOP
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.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnaMOz5PbLA
I nod and laugh a little. “Thank you for the offer, I’ll keep it in mind.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxylIUh5X2
Klef’s lips twitch a bit as he sits next to me. “Can I have a sip?” he asks.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjw4OzIxoS
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.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OdCjGarmC
“That’s something alcohol will do, yeah,” I say, taking another sip.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkt5YZM5Lv9
Klef glares at me and sulks on the counter, waving to the bartender. “Could I have a root beer, please?” he asks.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtcByoSKY9
I grin. “Aw, how cute. You’re still asking for soda as a grown adult.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJunZm8B2B
Klef sticks his tongue out at me. “Root beer is good, no matter your age.”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2xkTsBn8t
I shake my head and take another sip of my rum. “Agree to disagree,” I mutter.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqQUkP6DVa
Ama walks over and sits next to us at the bar. “You two know what we’re doing next?” she asks.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8dTKu9C4x
“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?”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupPYlW655p
Ama nods. “Maybe you have thought this through more than I originally assumed you did,” she admits.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3CdGnHQuz
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?”768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡep2GBuDeRK
Ama smiles.768Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsbP6aq3Ob
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