Carnival Souls

Edge of the Forest

Genzel roused them early the next morning, or as near to morning as Owen could guess. He still wasn't used to this whole Ebb and Flow things and went mostly by whether he was hungry or tired.

I wish I had a watch.

It was another odd thing about the carnival; there were no clocks anywhere to be found. He supposed it was because things that were dead didn't need to keep track of time.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes, feeling the exhaustion weigh on him like a winter coat. All he wanted to do was wrap himself in its warm embrace and fall back asleep.

"Rise and shine," Genzel barked. He shuffled about their campsite, kicking dirt over the last embers of their fire. "You've got yerselves a long day ahead of you."

As Owen began rolling up his sleeping mat, it occurred to him that Genzel seemed to be talking about him and Lira separately rather than the traveling party as a while. He shouldered his pack while Genzel none-too-gently coaxed Lira awake. She grumbled under her breath and rolled over, only conceding when Genzel began poking her with his walking stick.

"Aren't kelpies night spirits?" mumbled Lira from under her blanket. "Why are we up so early?"

"Because we are going separate ways," said the old carver. "Now get up before I dump yer sorry behind in the river."

Owen wouldn't out it past Genzel to follow through on his threat. Apparently, Lira didn't either for she sat up and stretched her arms over her head.

"Where exactly are we separating to?" asked Owen. He wasn't so sure he wanted to go wandering around the Spirit World without a guide. Lira turned her head, looking much more awake.

"You two will head upstream to find Zabaria. I've ne'er been there, but her garden or whatnot is suppose to be near the source of this river."

"And what about you?" demanded Lira. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going downstream to Lake Anima," said Genzel, pointing in the direction with his gnarled staff. "There's usually a kelpie or two hanging 'round there. Oncer yer done, ye can follow the river back down and meet me. If we're lucky, Bebinn will be none the wiser."

"Why don't we all go together?" suggested Owen. His question was answered with a firm head shake from the old man.

"We save time by splitting up. Gone too long and Bebinn starts to get suspicious. 'sides Zabaria won't want the likes of me there anyway."

"And why's that?" asked Lira, not bothering to hide her suspicion.

Owen instinctively bristled at her blatant distrust of the old man who was trying to help them and whom he had come to like. But it was a valid question. Genzel's shoulders hunched up around his ears at Lira's abrasive tone.

"I've been workin' for Bebinn for a long time. I'm not proud of it, but nothing that can be helped now. Far as Zabaria is concerned, that makes me jus' as bad as Bebinn. It'd be better for ya if I wasn't there."

Lira nodded, tight-lipped, and began shoving her belongings into her pack. But as Owen watched Genzel finish clearing away their marks, he couldn't shake the feelings that the old man wasn't entirely telling the truth.

###

Genzel bid them safe travels and started off at a brisk pace downriver, leaving Owen and Lira to turn in the opposite direction.

"Two roads diverged at a purple river," Lira said with a grin. She seemed to have shaken off whatever bad mood she had woken up in and her green eyes were bright and energetic.