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?"819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVp0Tnd1Fbt
"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."819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFY2OioTmc
“Sounds like a plan,” I say, stretching. “Ugh, I have a crick in my neck.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zXyXUUFtD
“Want me to massage it out for you?” Klef asks.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImuV8bEdwr
“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.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSYMVd25Ym
“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.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6R3sh0yoio
I nod. “Okay. Sounds like you guys have this all figured out. Sorry I missed out on the discussion.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPao2DKgSQ
“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.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqpsNhYQMa
I smile slightly. “You’re a little bit scary good at that, you realize?”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriBpn5gOet
Ama grins. “Ssh. Don’t tell Bobbi I said anything, they’ll kill me.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7Xir884fB
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?”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCQn3DeQdf
“Fair point,” Ama says, pointing at Klef. “I like the way you think, Mister Thief.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYtLKwlB75
“Why thank you, Miss Wizard,” Klef says with a laugh in his voice.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvuQyyANOw
“Careful not to get too cozy,” I tease. “If you do I might get jealous.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixlEgMqeZz
“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.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1XyZgKH2K
“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.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7esp47BooZ
Klef laughs. “I love you, Ride. Platonically, romantically. I just love you.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QVwRukYEn
“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!”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTy1RmsSuL
“Aw, c’mon, Ride! Live a little!” he protests, continuing to tickle me.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1eoxeMGYX
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!”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDeQWIHcRA
“Okay, okay! I’m stopping!” Klef surrenders, holding his hands up.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbEfuR6kmf
“You’re ridiculous,” I tease, still laughing from the surprise attack.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIB3kUAGSLr
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.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQGerKrxoQ
“Don’t be,” Klef groans, rubbing his back. “I’m fine with getting bowled over by you any day.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PjhzlOcsx
“Flirt,” I laugh. “You’re such a flirt.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrANw9HvFfr
“Always, my dear,” Klef says with a wink.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SOL4BgYIX
There’s a groan from the other side of the carriage along with a gag. “Do you two mind?” Hibiscus groans.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKiuDiWcZB
“Seriously, we’ve been over this,” Ama adds. “It’s only cute for so long.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZYypQnt90
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?”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6rng2dSVj
“I do,” Flo interjects. “Ryhte and I would not shut up the first time we met.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbrQDHqXwQ
Rythe sighs. “Oh, those were the days. Back when you were fine with my relentless teasing you and flirting in general.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLxuRCUAUh
Flo rolls her eyes. “I’m still fine with it if you don’t embarrass anyone, but lately you’ve been embarrassing everyone.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbBzPQmMzx
“What’s wrong with that?” they ask.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKo3pltlKK
“Everything,” Flo says. “You need to respect people’s boundaries.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJYIfZ07kP
Rythe shrugs. “I can’t tell people’s boundaries if they don’t tell me when enough is enough,” they reason.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAI3wOQdDF
“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.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GsH1tuzAY
“Not a thing,” Rythe teases, bopping a finger on Flo’s snout.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzoPM1yzqW
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.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUG30eFvAnM
She looks up and chews her lip. “Oh, I’d say… 10 minutes? Maybe 5, if Bobbi can convince the horses to go faster.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTd468AiTwl
There’s the sound of yelling outside the carriage and we pick up speed suddenly. Ama smiles. “5 minutes.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxP9U8yyWph
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.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkOz9whTAa
Klef blinks once, snapping to attention. “I’m awake,” he says. “I’m awake.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClpM5tXpQu
“Barely. How much sleep did you get last night?”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tWtMlFhNZ
“Ugh. Not enough,” he groans. “I feel like death.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5dEOnRxDn
“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.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5pMBeFaF9
Lightning cracks a mile or so behind us, and everyone jumps. Ama groans. “Looks like we’ll be using my magic to teleport. Great.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlbyxpRTkB
Rythe groans in response. “Ugh, but teleporting makes me sick to my stomach.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8lHfiKjOy
Ama shrugs helplessly. “If it helps, I doubt I have enough in me to take us all directly to the base.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWWXP4TG1Y
“Could you use some of my Sight as sort of a boost?” I ask.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4ciGRyO2Q
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?”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5b69ZsHuJk
Ama nods slowly. “I might know how to do it… it might be painful on your end, though.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCO7JslYfsw
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.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiihqXfwxoE
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.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc22FwUxMwd
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.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2r2RfwL9f
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.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmppNNEewZS
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.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5EmLGFb3b1
I shrug. “Eh, nobody’s trying to kill us yet, let’s see where this cave takes us.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXUTllthA6
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.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoU72YgzQd
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.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNtzwmQr5q
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.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxafjvEb4lh
Klef looks down at me innocently. “I know, Ride.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3K5xujFWrO
I narrow my eyes. “I know what you’re doing. Stop patronizing me.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjv56Fe6Q1
“Me? Patronize you? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Klef laughs, continuing to move forward and upward.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydasGaSkD6
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!”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoDMPigphJ
“But you wanted to be my protector so bad, and I didn’t want to hurt your feelings!” I tease.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpPZQv2RFo
“What?” Flo asks from behind me.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5Cofrwbw0
“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.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29v2uUnu6A
“It’s not that they did that, it’s that they said those songs were the real ones!” Klef calls down.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhtGXtsLXV
“Hey! Is that my favorite thief I hear?” Ank calls. “You’re not still mad at us, are you, Klef?”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjx5YhBrHyz
I giggle as Klef pulls a face and glares at me. “This is your fault,” he mutters half-heartedly at me.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24Ep753VtR
“Why, I have no idea what you’re talking about, Treble,” I tease.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGChksCGCl
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?”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmiKzZfxf0
“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.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEGEWZKZHX
“Ugly?!” Ank asks indignantly.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡun0Z4dvy3Y
Klef grins. “Like I said, hard feelings.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHxwLOg3vp
I walk up behind him with a smile. “Long time no see, Ank.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZuymiB3oL
“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?”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYL24tjGQoo
“Shut up!” I laugh. “Just Miss, thank you very much.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdbSUNNTGo
Ank clucks his tongue. “Shame. I was hoping you had found a man who would treat you right since we met last.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiSBnOWw8p
“I never said I was still looking, I just said I wasn’t married,” I point out to him.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWecY4U6Sc
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?”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRuat1a5Hk9
“Depends on your definition of settling,” I say vaguely. “Half you crew wouldn’t seem to think so.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcm4vwu2uhl
Cheers erupt around the room. I hold up a hand. “And Geo treats me right.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzVzrAI5cO
The other half starts cheering, and Ank shakes his head at me. “You, my dear, are devious to the extreme.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzDYzHAF7K
“Thank you,” I say with a curtsey. “I’m glad you think so highly of me.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzb5r6oQ0ur
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.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8wKrAKuqw
I sigh. “Yeah, sure, fine. Tell ‘em.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEGHudP5ED
“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!”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttmVsrtR25
I nudge him as soon as the room erupts again. “Did you have to phrase it like that?”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgpfWr4xiR
“Did you have to say Geo?” Klef retorts.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJe3Ta1teHq
I roll my eyes. “You. Are. Ridiculous.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzdjLEBYma
“Thank. You,” Klef says, turning and leaning towards me with a smirk.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4wyMGbOkA
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?”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bIjh0xxFe
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.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluaTex7NDj
I nod. “You’ve got it, ma’am.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8lQo2vXd2
She nods and leaves, and I take a shallow sip, coughing slightly. “Strong,” I rasp. “But it’s not bad.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgJL4ff1fX
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.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKUqbIIBfV
I nod and laugh a little. “Thank you for the offer, I’ll keep it in mind.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJyekKyOxi
Klef’s lips twitch a bit as he sits next to me. “Can I have a sip?” he asks.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbWnfF3n6q
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.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL65H72AaFS
“That’s something alcohol will do, yeah,” I say, taking another sip.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡft2kAgZwhM
Klef glares at me and sulks on the counter, waving to the bartender. “Could I have a root beer, please?” he asks.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcCkiF39j3
I grin. “Aw, how cute. You’re still asking for soda as a grown adult.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzb9rHjrVES
Klef sticks his tongue out at me. “Root beer is good, no matter your age.”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAu6L9XUo8
I shake my head and take another sip of my rum. “Agree to disagree,” I mutter.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPEyPq5mCx
Ama walks over and sits next to us at the bar. “You two know what we’re doing next?” she asks.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi954iAP3GF
“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?”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcR4nly8B6
Ama nods. “Maybe you have thought this through more than I originally assumed you did,” she admits.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7RsvN3BrZ
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?”819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdAXTsaxkH
Ama smiles.819Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQwzb7Gffj
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