Beyond the Glow

Chapter 36

Once again, my night was anything but restful. My mind is filled with thoughts of the night before, worries about my Father, wondering about the village, I toss and turn for hours before I can finally sleep. By then, the lamp had stopped moving, and I guess Len made it the the town and had found a place to sleep for the night. 

Eventually, I had drifted off, and now, awake, I walked around the lamp, giving Father a strand of magic, and heading to the wall. His condition hadn't changed from the night before, but at least he wasn't any worse. 

I step through the barrier, blinking in the sudden darkness. I wait for my eyes to adjust, blinking in the dim amount of light I can see, coming from a window on the far wall where the curtains are pulled almost all the way shut, but a little crack in the center lets in a slight bit of sunlight. Beside me I can hear snoring, and I walk over to the window, pulling the curtains to the side to let in a bit more light. 

On the side of the room I came from is a bed, and a small table beside it where my Lamp sits. On the other wall is a door, but other than the window and a small basin full of water for washing your face, the room is empty. Len is collapsed in the bed asleep, and I turn, looking out the window below. Under the window is a little sign swinging in the wind, and there are more all down the street. Great, shops, it shouldn't be too hard to find the provisions we need before leaving. 

My stomach grumbles again, reminding me of last nights promise. Breakfast first. I step back, letting the curtains drop back down to keep from waking Len. Going back to the bedside table, I lift my lamp, returning it to my neck. Leila did say that keeping it out in the open like this was dangerous, it was so easily recognizable. But I can't bear to change it.

I still have Leila's lamp, and I look at it glint in the weak light from the window on it's new place on my wrist. I put it there after I picked it up, as I watch, the engraved lamps shimmer slightly, and I smile weakly. Don't worry, I'll get you back. I look over at Len, still asleep. We'll get you back.  

Rubbing my lamp, I summon a drawstring bag from the inside, It appears in my palm, and I open the top to make sure everything is still inside. The bag is filled with small golden coins, and I pull one out, weighing it in my hand. The coins are solid gold, and ancient, the old currency of kings. They're sure to be worth a fortune. More than enough to pay for provisions. 

I head for the door, my hand on the knob when I pause. Slowly, I turn back to the bed, and lean over tentatively. Pecking Len on the cheek gently. I stand back up, my cheeks heating up, and jump back as he sighs, shifting his weight. I relax, and turn around, opening the door and leaving. 

Outside the room, I'm in a hall with worn wood floors and two other doors. There's a window at one end of the hall, and a set of stairs on the other side. I head to the stairs, descending to the first floor, startled to see just one other room with a red haired woman sitting at a table looking bored. She sits with a tray in front of her, playing with an orange, rolling it back and forth on the table. 

She looks up eagerly when the last stair creaks under my weight, her face falling at the sight of me. "Oh." She says, sitting back down, and I freeze, my foot hovering over the step. 

"Oh?" I echo. "Were you expecting someone?" The woman glowered, slumping back in her chair, and flicking the orange steadily. Thwick. Thwick. Thwick. 

"I was waiting for someone yes," She says annoyedly, "And I will admit that yes, it was not you that I wanted to see." She narrowed her eyes. "When did you even rent a room here? I was down here all night, I don't remember you." 

"Oh," I can feel my heart beat faster, Len brought me in in my lamp last night, so of course it would look strange if I just left, but never came in. "I came in extremely late last night." I fib, trying to make it look natural. "I remember you, you must have been really tired to forget me."