The Destiny Detour

The Weapon

Rosaliy

While Rosaliy was still panicking over the missing divination stone, footsteps padded up the stairs behind her. She barely had the presence of mind to press herself against the wall and let Dalor rush by.

"I don't remember leaving you open," he mumbled to the door while pushing his way into his workroom.

He was in too big a hurry to stop to second-guess the careful locking of magical supplies he may or may not have done, so he disappeared into his magical mess. Rosaliy was about to slip closer when she heard raised voices downstairs. She detoured to the stairway.

"The pearl couldn't just disappear!" Iketa yelled. "What do you mean the pearl disappeared!"

Rosaliy could not hear the response, but what excuse could the poor guard give? The pearl had disappeared in front of his eyes.

Iketa cut him off in the middle of whatever excuse he was mustering up. "Tell Dalor to hurry up on that divination stone and watch out for sabotage. As soon as the night shift arrives, put everyone you have on that room."

Did Dalor have a way to track the stone now?

The man asked Iketa a question just as a long, trembling shudder cascaded down Rosaliy's spine. Her ears and the translation magic sloshing around in her body picked out "where" and "going."

"I'm going to make sure Issabeth can't use that pearl even if she gets it," was the answer. Iketa could have made the words, "I'm going to the market to buy cheese" sound threatening, so an actual threat was chilling.

Rosaliy was torn between finding out what Dalor was doing and getting to the palace as quickly as possible. Since Dalor could patch together a plan to locate the divination stone or the pearl at any moment, Rosaliy felt like the frantic escape plan was the smartest. If she could get the pearl to Issabeth before Iketa arrived, Dalor would be no match for the High Sorceress.

Unfortunately, Rosaliy only had a vague idea of the direction of the palace, and it was dark outside. She had to trail Iketa and her bobbing light through the dense jungle, hoping things that liked to nibble on bare toes did not awaken at night.

Iketa burst out onto a main road. Rosaliy's heart beat faster as she dodged a townsworth of people going about their business. But they were oblivious to the trouble brewing and oblivious to Rosaliy, so the sandy, warm, well-lit streets were welcome to her feet. There was so much disconcerting cheer in the air around her. Hardly two people passed each other without a greeting and short chat about family or how the tweaks to the ice furnace were working out. A few of them tried to greet Iketa, but they were answered with no more than a distracted wave.

Rosaliy wished she had time to learn more about the Flifary. So few people had a chance to visit the mysterious island, and she was standing right here. Sure, conditions were not ideal, but at least she could stare at their dark skin, flaming red hair, and intricately wrapped layers of wispy clothing without being rude since none of them could see her. As reward for her invisible impertinence, she was nearly knocked flat by two women crossing the street with a vat of water between them.

Rosaliy hopped around them and scrambled to keep up with Iketa. By the time they reached a street that would obviously lead to the palace, Rosaliy realized she would never outpace the swift Iketa. Even at a run, she would only reach the palace seconds ahead. Who knew what she would find there? Surprise was Rosaliy's best defense and weapon at the moment. Iketa was tough, but Rosaliy was invisible. Rosaliy could always tackle her, although she hoped a better plan would present itself before that point.

As they approached, Rosaliy could see more of the sprawling palace through gaps in the lofty trees ahead. Now what? Before she could cobble together a plan to find Drake or storm the prison, Iketa slowed, hearing voices up ahead. Rosaliy heard her own name and snatches of conversation strongly implying Iketa was interrupting a break-out. In hindsight, a warning would have been helpful, but now seemed like the time for a well-placed tackle and some attention-grabbing yells.