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?"795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJ5GBVmmbU
"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."795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7YnYe5R2F
“Sounds like a plan,” I say, stretching. “Ugh, I have a crick in my neck.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnjPjobPBS
“Want me to massage it out for you?” Klef asks.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAbqyhTxXD
“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.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HxqDEXmkP
“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.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwY3LDi2FsA
I nod. “Okay. Sounds like you guys have this all figured out. Sorry I missed out on the discussion.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QBZBIfWUF
“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.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFhzbc8Vub
I smile slightly. “You’re a little bit scary good at that, you realize?”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGwKrb49FB
Ama grins. “Ssh. Don’t tell Bobbi I said anything, they’ll kill me.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSahkvfZ6X3
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?”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdv4GU5Boa
“Fair point,” Ama says, pointing at Klef. “I like the way you think, Mister Thief.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeF6frvHRST
“Why thank you, Miss Wizard,” Klef says with a laugh in his voice.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiclOG1FACg
“Careful not to get too cozy,” I tease. “If you do I might get jealous.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdi7JCkqV7h
“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.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUFz5NRStO
“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.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4oTuL9Tu1g
Klef laughs. “I love you, Ride. Platonically, romantically. I just love you.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xuHjAJQiz
“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!”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yAAOo9YyO
“Aw, c’mon, Ride! Live a little!” he protests, continuing to tickle me.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxiIr5CI3jl
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!”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWj19LgBi6
“Okay, okay! I’m stopping!” Klef surrenders, holding his hands up.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlYzZLU682
“You’re ridiculous,” I tease, still laughing from the surprise attack.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVR90D1xxY
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.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAHoxhW2nw
“Don’t be,” Klef groans, rubbing his back. “I’m fine with getting bowled over by you any day.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUl4H7DHtBu
“Flirt,” I laugh. “You’re such a flirt.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqlpfjuMcj
“Always, my dear,” Klef says with a wink.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSffGONzFq
There’s a groan from the other side of the carriage along with a gag. “Do you two mind?” Hibiscus groans.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDJ1EHN1Bd
“Seriously, we’ve been over this,” Ama adds. “It’s only cute for so long.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwa7QgxT3x
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?”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTmW25931k
“I do,” Flo interjects. “Ryhte and I would not shut up the first time we met.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiu36y0hGg
Rythe sighs. “Oh, those were the days. Back when you were fine with my relentless teasing you and flirting in general.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHNAjNryxX
Flo rolls her eyes. “I’m still fine with it if you don’t embarrass anyone, but lately you’ve been embarrassing everyone.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4bhblkTGRc
“What’s wrong with that?” they ask.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡju7Nh8nTva
“Everything,” Flo says. “You need to respect people’s boundaries.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡci7LjudLo3
Rythe shrugs. “I can’t tell people’s boundaries if they don’t tell me when enough is enough,” they reason.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbQZ53yy1e
“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.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrcXCuJZ2M
“Not a thing,” Rythe teases, bopping a finger on Flo’s snout.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgiULR2mxx
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.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFXBQhP213
She looks up and chews her lip. “Oh, I’d say… 10 minutes? Maybe 5, if Bobbi can convince the horses to go faster.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rtBnkI42b
There’s the sound of yelling outside the carriage and we pick up speed suddenly. Ama smiles. “5 minutes.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7aY4fPvKR
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.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2qD79msAf
Klef blinks once, snapping to attention. “I’m awake,” he says. “I’m awake.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoE40iwLQE
“Barely. How much sleep did you get last night?”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOjq9b4mF0
“Ugh. Not enough,” he groans. “I feel like death.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmXEH0dvM3
“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.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv18ZFTbZtl
Lightning cracks a mile or so behind us, and everyone jumps. Ama groans. “Looks like we’ll be using my magic to teleport. Great.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhLsMaOift
Rythe groans in response. “Ugh, but teleporting makes me sick to my stomach.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQpcd62iot
Ama shrugs helplessly. “If it helps, I doubt I have enough in me to take us all directly to the base.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghI4aSOAze
“Could you use some of my Sight as sort of a boost?” I ask.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedmlyqt7pI
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?”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVh5WhXAWP
Ama nods slowly. “I might know how to do it… it might be painful on your end, though.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zr2OOpwVD
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.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfuGPGWucD
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.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXxjYiMN2W
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.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDECfODEJQ
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.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyH5WUUfLNM
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.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxF8yYMb8a
I shrug. “Eh, nobody’s trying to kill us yet, let’s see where this cave takes us.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfJIP1RL48
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.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWT1pGe14mS
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.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayB7LCOp3R
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.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02XknSFhlp
Klef looks down at me innocently. “I know, Ride.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaSldGy1K4
I narrow my eyes. “I know what you’re doing. Stop patronizing me.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUF9FtAfeID
“Me? Patronize you? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Klef laughs, continuing to move forward and upward.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hoWgy77Nd
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!”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIr2UvcpDhj
“But you wanted to be my protector so bad, and I didn’t want to hurt your feelings!” I tease.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQxHdBobbN
“What?” Flo asks from behind me.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PrrKrsHCu
“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.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyL77iAi6V5
“It’s not that they did that, it’s that they said those songs were the real ones!” Klef calls down.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVnZsVhfcH
“Hey! Is that my favorite thief I hear?” Ank calls. “You’re not still mad at us, are you, Klef?”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWct4r1czO
I giggle as Klef pulls a face and glares at me. “This is your fault,” he mutters half-heartedly at me.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhoit3OJpn
“Why, I have no idea what you’re talking about, Treble,” I tease.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yYcIbx2eh
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?”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXItGOjCdh
“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.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNdaWd8d30
“Ugly?!” Ank asks indignantly.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmGHT3BrEt
Klef grins. “Like I said, hard feelings.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YoagOC32T
I walk up behind him with a smile. “Long time no see, Ank.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWvG0NIkQm
“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?”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGeBMmxuVUG
“Shut up!” I laugh. “Just Miss, thank you very much.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGHQqo8hgy
Ank clucks his tongue. “Shame. I was hoping you had found a man who would treat you right since we met last.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2sf9eoUD4
“I never said I was still looking, I just said I wasn’t married,” I point out to him.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3Op9e1CO2
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?”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYUFPN3M06
“Depends on your definition of settling,” I say vaguely. “Half you crew wouldn’t seem to think so.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDLzE8DWNr
Cheers erupt around the room. I hold up a hand. “And Geo treats me right.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43yR5kk0KC
The other half starts cheering, and Ank shakes his head at me. “You, my dear, are devious to the extreme.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFghB8Zo2P
“Thank you,” I say with a curtsey. “I’m glad you think so highly of me.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpnT2tPd0Ty
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.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8WclEhyZW
I sigh. “Yeah, sure, fine. Tell ‘em.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGumut0QGXN
“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!”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrFuCBu8zV
I nudge him as soon as the room erupts again. “Did you have to phrase it like that?”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡohVBjaxWqy
“Did you have to say Geo?” Klef retorts.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjH4SLEvrR5
I roll my eyes. “You. Are. Ridiculous.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSh7YTRjr2
“Thank. You,” Klef says, turning and leaning towards me with a smirk.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RRLFVCuG3
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?”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2W3MymSnZ
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.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYEbtOkOxr
I nod. “You’ve got it, ma’am.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AHrSkCBUS
She nods and leaves, and I take a shallow sip, coughing slightly. “Strong,” I rasp. “But it’s not bad.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOhJtsIUinM
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.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUUrXyp1ks
I nod and laugh a little. “Thank you for the offer, I’ll keep it in mind.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDCN8tnOGK
Klef’s lips twitch a bit as he sits next to me. “Can I have a sip?” he asks.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrqoKrGc8a
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.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRG2WI1uRX
“That’s something alcohol will do, yeah,” I say, taking another sip.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4bE4UCAxG
Klef glares at me and sulks on the counter, waving to the bartender. “Could I have a root beer, please?” he asks.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgm3w4Jq0Zm
I grin. “Aw, how cute. You’re still asking for soda as a grown adult.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoWBqHirot
Klef sticks his tongue out at me. “Root beer is good, no matter your age.”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoHCoY2nk8
I shake my head and take another sip of my rum. “Agree to disagree,” I mutter.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbF6D02Ja52
Ama walks over and sits next to us at the bar. “You two know what we’re doing next?” she asks.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsd5poAoMAA
“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?”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5lmvfOzfZ
Ama nods. “Maybe you have thought this through more than I originally assumed you did,” she admits.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ey3hMQsc9
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?”795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhzG3JLuzY
Ama smiles.795Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8MNrEaLXk
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