We don't make it far, just circling the castle because Carfron won't tell me where we're going. Solara doesn't know that Carfron's riding with her, so I can't take the lead. I'm hovering nearby with everyone waiting for me, thinking I'm waiting on Solara, who is watching me watch her.
"What," she shouts at me through the pareixer. I can't tell if she's concerned or annoyed, or maybe a combination of both. However, as soon as she asks, she figures it out. "Is he with me?" She turns in the saddle, ready to attack, but quickly settles down and shivers. "Why is he with me?"
"He doesn't like Gretchen."
"Who's Gretchen," she says, annoyed. I point to my hippocampus. "Why me?"
"You're the elf," Dathid says over the pareixer.
"May I speak?" Carfron asks at the same time. He's also talking through the pareixer.
"Did you hear that?" I ask the group.
"What? Dathid?" Solara asks.
"Never mind," I say, relieved they can't. If he could be heard over the pareixer, then he's not in my head. I try to ask Carfron where we're going telepathically, but he doesn't answer. I mumble, "Yes, you can speak." But he doesn't answer. Finally, I touch the pareixer and say, "Yes, you may speak."
Instead, he points. I match his gesture, and we head out in that direction. Once we're going in a general direction it gets easier to communicate with him. We fly in formation with me behind Solara. Gretchen doesn't like the giant butterfly, called a Foven-fij. It doesn't fly straight. It flutters in a zig-zag pattern that makes her anxious. Lenox loved following Solara. He would track the fluttery movements and went in for the kill a few times. He always settled down when he got in trouble, but it was fun and helped pass the time.
But now, I can feel the nervous twitching and uneven breathing beneath me. Patience, I remind myself. We need to get used to each other. I stroke her neck and scratch under her feathers. When I hit a good spot, she stretches her nose in the air and relaxes temporarily until something else freaks her out.
I can't sleep because I don't trust Gretchen to stay on course. Plus, if something scary appears like a fluffy cloud or a little bird, Gretchen freaks. It's nerve-racking and incredibly dull at the same time.
"We need to be done," Dathid calls over the pareixer. "Let's land in the meadow at the top of the second hill."
"No!" Carfron insists.
I ignore him as we coordinate our landing.
Solara's foven-fij and the faeries' elks are worn out and require rest.
We've flown far west. I've never been down this way before. It's hot and sunny. I remove my upper armor, so I can take off my sweater and just wear the t-shirt Albína made for me.
"You can go faster by yourself," Carfron says.
"I'm not going by myself," I answer.
"What," Qince says from behind me. "Oh, your boyfriend."
"You must hurry," Carfron says.
"Why?"
"Why?" Qince repeats. I shoot him a look that, hopefully, lets him know he needs to shut up.
"You must hurry," he repeats.
"Jonah," Qince calls out.
"I need more information. Why do I have to hurry?"
"You must hurry."
I growl in frustration. "You can speak clearly. I've heard you do it. Why can't you just tell me?"
Carfron stares at me with that stupid half-grin I despise.
"Why do you have to hurry?" Jonah asks.
"He won't say."
The rest of the group has crowded around.
"Baliss and Gretchen can continue. If you send back coordinates, we could catch up," Solara offers.
"No, we don't know where she's going. The best way for an enemy to split the group is with speed," Dathid says.
"I think she should go," Qince says.
"You don't get a say. Go make a fire," Dathid snaps. "And you go with him, Faphee."
Faphee, that's her name. How could I forget a name like that? It's oddly appropriate.
"Let's eat and think. We may need to move fast, but we're not going to move faster than we should," Jonah says, following Qince and Faphee to wherever we're making camp.
Gretchen is munching on large mouthfuls of the happy yellow flowers that cover the hillside. I leave her to join the group. I'm upset with her even though I shouldn't be. Riding her is easier than Lenox. She's no work at all, other than her nerves. It's similar to being a passenger on a plane, except for the wind that beats in my ears and eyes when she flies. I also appreciate that she acts more like a unicorn than Lenox. She eats flowers, and she's super sweet and shy. And she's pretty, but I'll never tell anybody that I'm okay with the pink.
I push those thoughts down. I have bigger problems other than hurting Lenox's feelings by moving on too quickly. Carfron's next to Solara. Why won't he leave her alone?
I increase my pace up to catch her. "Did you know Carfron?"
"Yes. He and I trained together a few times. He was my Ophet Beheer during the ... Sorry, I don't have the English words. Battle? War? No, that's not right. Anyway, we served together."
"Were you friends? Did he like you?"
Solara squishes up her face as if she's arguing in her head and says, "Well, I wouldn't call it friends. I'm a different caste than him, but we did get along. Do you think that's why he chose to ride with me?"
"Maybe, but I was more wondering why he's choosing to walk with you."
Solara's eyes widen. She moves to find him but remembers she can't and gets herself under control. I'm impressed she can do that so quickly. Elves are very good at masking their true feelings.
"Carfron, are you following me?" she asks loudly, similar to the way some people talk to the hearing impaired.
I look at Carfron, but it doesn't seem like he heard her. That makes me angry. "You heard her. Respond."
His eyes widen with surprise. He shrugs his shoulders as if to imply he doesn't know what I'm talking about and stares off into space.
"Don't lie to me. I know you can hear them."
He ignores me. It makes me nervous that he can lie to me. If he's a process of the Orb, why would it lie? Also, I left the Orb in Cromsmead, and we're a great distance from there, so how could the Orb work this far? Would I make him lie to me if I am making him up?
I rest my head on Jonah's elbow. He swings his arm up and lays it across my shoulders. "I'm scared," I whisper.
"You are strong and brave. You will prevail."
Prevailing is an interesting choice of words. I've learned from experience that I may emerge victorious, but the cost of the win is steep. I don't want to go through that again, even if success was guaranteed.
We all work to make camp. There are no trees for miles, but it's a hot day, and we're eating the supplies we brought, so there's no need for a fire. I relax alongside Solara. Qince sits next to me, and my muscles seize as I intensely study a boring yellow flower. Why am I sweating?
"It's amazing how you can control your hippocampus," Faphee says as she takes a seat next to Solara. Have you ever ridden one before?"
Faphee makes me nervous, too. I'm sure the armor and weapons aren't helping. It's just, she's so pretty. There's no way she could be a decent human being; I mean faerie. Her long gold hair is curling ever so slightly down her shoulder in an effortlessness that would take a team of hairdressers hours to do, and she's crazy tall. And she's nice, which makes me the bad person, which makes me dislike her more.
"No, they're actually easy to ride," I say.
"That's not what I heard," Faphee says. "They're supposed to be extremely fast and easily spooked. But she's very calm."
"That's Agatha's way. She calms everything around her," Dathid says.
My heart stops. My mouth fell open, so I shut it and hope no one could read the shock on my face. Did Dathid just give me a compliment? Maybe he meant I put everything to sleep because I'm boring. That makes more sense. I'm not a calm person. There's just no way I could relax anything around me.
I press my hand to my face. My cheeks are burning. Oh no! I'm blushing. Please don't let anyone notice. I clear my throat, which is a big mistake because everyone turns their attention to me. Now I have to say something. "She came to me that way. She's mellow and sweet. It's probably a rumor that they're tough. You know, to make those royal riders seem more accomplished or something." My words trail off because my face might burst into flames.
Thankfully Solara changes the subject to guard watches and rotations. They won't let me take a watch, so I leave to help Jonah.
"You must hurry," Carfron says.
"I know." I sigh. I'm tired.
"You must hurry, now."
"Why? Why do I need to hurry? Why Carfron?"
He looks as if he's thinking of a reason. "You must hurry."
I approach Jonah who's sitting amongst the yellow flowers. The picture makes me smile. It's where a soul like his belongs. However, I don't think many humans would agree with me.
"Maybe we should hurry," I say after I take a seat next to him.
"If you think so," he says. "Baliss can make the trip. Who do you want to ride him?"
"You, of course," I can't believe he would even ask that.
"Carfron doesn't care for Gretchen or me. How would he tag along?"
I hadn't thought of that.
"Dathid can ride Baliss," Jonah says. "He's the best choice for a defender. Solara's a better shot, but I'm not sure of her dragon riding abilities. We could ask her."
"You ride Gretchen. Carfron and I can ride Baliss."
"Does he mind Baliss?"
I turn to Carfron, but he's acting as if he didn't hear Jonah. "I know you heard him. Answer the question."
"I cannot talk to him," Carfron says.
"Can you ride him or not?"
"Yes, that's a good plan. You must hurry."
"He's good with it. I think we should go now."
"Alright, let's go."