The time until they faced Val'esis grew shorter.
In just a few more days they would be leaving, going into the forest once again. Katerin's worries grew, and she doted more and more on the subject each day. She had thought for sure that Sulea would come back through the town by now... where else was there to go on this continent, after all? With each passing day, Katerin found herself growing more fond of the town and the people of O'siaris. It was a simple place, a tight-knit community, and more than once in her days here, she stopped to chat with a farmer or a fisherman simply because they welcomed conversation.
Graiden joined them most nights, eating with them and sometimes even gambling with them, as he was tonight. He had kept a very positive, if still wry and stern attitude since he met Avris, though from what Katerin knew, a stable peace was blooming, and Graiden had been quite hopeful about the future of it.
Jon pulled a dice box from his pocket and shook it. "Shall we see if your lucky streak holds up?" he asked, eyeing Katerin with a challenge.
Katerin cracked her knuckles and set her drink aside, grinning.
After all the dice were gathered, everyone laid out a number of items. From coins to gems to magical trinkets. Jon laid down a shining ruby. Fykes pulled an amethyst from his coat. Arjiah offered a piece of sea glass from the Amerlyian cities. Katerin placed a small sapphire on top and they all looked to Graiden.
His face was scrunched, and he groaned as he pulled a small vial of yellow oil from his pocket. "It's not a gem, but it's worth about the same."
Brazen dropped a scattering of coins and looked to Katerin for reassurance. He truly was no good at the games, but he enjoyed playing. It was not that he did not understand the concept of the coins' value, but that he did not distinguish their individual worth, or hold any worry over losing them.
Fykes constantly gave him coins and gems to keep him playing. It seemed money was no issue for him.
Katerin held up her hand. "Before I take all your belongings," she grinned. "How about a toast? To good friends and new fortunes!"
She won the first round, as she had done quite a few times already. Everyone groaned and piled another selection of items and coins upon the table.
Arjiah won that round.
Graiden sighed, mockingly glaring at the Arjiah. "I was sure I had that one," he said.
"Me, too," Jon sighed. "The luck is with the ladies, it seems."
"If you didn't try to cheat so much you might do better, Jon," Arjiah told him.
"Come on. One more chance to have luck on your side," Katerin said, pouting at them.
Arjiah shook her head with a smile. "I'm going to keep my winnings, for now. You can win them back tomorrow."
Brazen and Fykes already had the coins in their hands, though the coins Brazen held were originally Fykes'. Jon harrumphed before obliging and reaching into his pockets again. Graiden debated for a second, then sighed as Katerin looked at him expectantly.
Katerin clapped her hands and leaned forward as she rolled the dice. This was her night not to worry about what was coming. Val'esis was dangerous, and she worried often about how they might fare facing him, but she could not change her mind now. Her mother had to be here somewhere, and she would turn over every damn rock on the whole of the Ekylid mountain range if need be, to find her.
For now, she was in a beautiful place with wonderful people, the likes of which she had never seen in the city. This strange, ragtag group of people had become her friends over the last month. Jon was an impish man. Full of lewd humor and rakish ideas. She enjoyed his enthusiasm and skewed sense of humor. His bawdy remarks and over-embellished stories.
Graiden was stern and strict, and took things very seriously, but he was honorable and fair. He had a deep sadness to his eyes at times that made her wonder what had made him that way. He cared for his men and every person in this town. He spent his days and long nights doing everything he could to improve their quality of life. He was probably the wisest, kindest person she had met—once she worked her way past the gruff and condescending exterior, that was.
Brazen was strange—foreign to them all and quiet in social situations. He never had much to say except when asked direct questions, but he spent his nights talking her ear off about everything he knew. Which was a surprising amount. He had, over the past few ten-days, helped her dramatically improve her combat skills. He grew less and less alien, and more dear to her every day. He supported her every decision and dissolved her thoughts of worry with simple and straightforward opinions. He was child-like, looking at the world with eyes that had never seen anything different than the era he had been made for. She did her best to teach him, as well, all about magic and the little things he could not comprehend. They made an interesting pair, considering that the knowledge each had was the opposite of the other.
As the evening grew later, their small group dwindled off, to find sleep—or go back to work, in Graiden's case. Then Katerin began wondering about the dreams she had been having over the past few days. It seemed that one came to her almost every night.
Glimpses of bright forest scrapes, and dark, red-lit rooms, of torchlight and indistinct voices. Her mother was in every one—a passing smile or a glimpse of cloak—and despite Katerin's best efforts, she had no idea of the location of the woman. The fuzzy half-remembered dreams and the small area she could see proved to be more of a headache than useful information. So she had resigned herself to waiting for what came next, hoping her deal with Avris would not leave them rotting on the forest floor, to be food for some twisted serpentine god.
The night before they were to leave, Katerin could not fall asleep. She had a knot of worry in her throat that kept telling her that all of their planning and preparation would not be enough. She gave up on the prospect of sleep and walked to the pier, hoping the cold ocean breeze would relax her enough to sleep. The sea failed to calm her, even after an hour's worth of watching the moon and the stars winking in the sky, so she gave up the attempt and made her way back to the inn.
As she climbed the stairs, she saw a faint flicker of light under Fykes' door. She knocked lightly before she could rationalize it as a bad idea.
"Come in," he said, in a weary and curious tone. She opened the door to see him reclining easily on his bed, head propped up on a pillow. He held a drink and a book in his hands. The book was familiar, a storybook worn around its edges.
She noted firstly that he wore no shirt, secondly that the way he reclined was showcasing his muscular form, and thirdly that she was immediately regretting her decision to visit him. "Sorry, I can go," she said, half turning for the door.
He laughed. "Just sit down." He gestured to the sole chair in the room, which held his boots. "What do you need?"
She frowned. "Nothing. I just can't sleep."
He scrubbed a hand over his face, sitting further upright. "Don't worry. Even I get anxious before a battle. It happens to everyone. A side effect of thinking about it."
She looked at him—shirtless and perfectly relaxed—and snorted. "You look so worried," she said, mocking in her tone.
"I am. But right now I'm not fighting, so I can relax," he said, a small smile curving his lips.
"What's the secret, then?" she asked, leaning back in the chair. "I've been trying to sleep for at least three hours."
"Confidence," he said, as he stretched and stifled a yawn. "Hold some confidence in yourself and those you fight with."
"It's not that I'm not confident in you and Arjiah," she blurted, not wanting to offend him.
He raised a hand. "Stop trying to prepare for everything."
She sighed, her hair falling about her face.
He reached out for her hand and squeezed it. "We have everything we could possibly need to get through this."
"I know..." she began, realizing he was still holding her hand. "I know we do. But I've never planned on getting myself killed before..." She looked down, studying his fingers. They were artist's hands, long and slender, but strong and calloused as well. "I don't want anything to happen to you and Arjiah."
He was sitting up now, just in front of her, looking in her eyes. He released her hand and brushed his fingers across her chin. "We'll be fine. We are going to kick this lizard's ass—then we will find your mother. Don't worry so much."
She nodded, not hiding her smile. "You're right, thank y—" She lost her words as he kissed her. It was just a soft brush of the lips. He smelled like sap and cinnamon, and she leaned into him, ignoring her thoughts.
He pulled back with a laugh and looked at her eyes. "Sorry, but I've wanted to do that for a while," he said, nodding as if proud of himself.
"It's great. I mean fine..." she said, blinking and trying to think, a blush coloring her cheeks.
He scooted away and brushed a stray lock of his hair from his face.
"I really need to go to sleep," she said as she turned and practically ran for the door. No longer knowing how to handle herself and not wanting to embarrass herself any further.
"Hold on," he said, as she reached the door and she froze, forcing the giant grin from her face as she turned.
He held out a small, star-shaped red vial. "It'll help you sleep."
"Thank you." She took the vial and leaned forward, kissing him gently and quickly on the cheek. Then she turned and all but bolted through the doorway, shutting it tightly behind her.
"Goodnight, Katerin," Fykes said with a chuckle as she disappeared. She was so strange, he thought, and he had no idea why she was unlike everyone else. There was something about her—of all the people who had wanted him, she had only come to his room as a friend. He was the one left wanting, it seemed. He sighed, scrubbing a hand across his face.
Everywhere he went, people lusted after him, willing to tell him whatever they thought he wanted to hear. She was more inclined to argue with him than anything else. She did not seem to care how good he looked, or how well he could speak, or how charming he could be.
The things that everyone else saw and wanted, she despised. She was peculiar, and that made her all the more interesting to him.
Fykes said nothing about the previous night when they left the town the next morning, and Katerin was grateful for it, as she had no idea what to say or how to act. He said nothing of it over the two-day journey, though he stayed much closer to her side. They shared small, private smiles that made her heart squeeze, but all the while she silently cursed herself for letting them distract her. His presence was invigorating. She felt she had someone to count on, that she was not entirely alone in this place. Maybe it was not so bad to get distracted by a smile—maybe it was wonderful, as it certainly felt that way.
Their travel through the forest was not too difficult. The giant trees swayed to the breeze, and the birds sang beautiful songs. Greens, browns, and yellows made the world colorful, vibrant, and no longer as confusing as it once was. They made quick progress to the shrine, and when they arrived, they noticed the area seemed much larger than their last visit—the stench was stronger and the earth more acidic. They set up a small, hidden camp in a place they hoped would be far outside the lizard-folk's perceptions, should they arrive early.
"We should check out the inside of the shrine," Katerin said, in between bites of her food.
"There might be enough space inside to surprise them, and we won't end up fighting in the muck."
Fykes agreed, giving her a slight nod.
Arjiah shrugged. "We can still fight outside. There is plenty of cover."
"Wait," Katerin said, pulling the masks from her bag and handing them out. She laughed as she offered one to Brazen.
"I don't need air," Brazen said as he looked at the mask. Speaking aloud was an odd occurrence for him, but Katerin had been pressing him towards it, little by little. "But I will wear it, anyway." He tied the mask around his face and Katerin could see the echo of a smile in his strange eyes.
"Looks great on you," Fykes said, patting him on the shoulder.
In the few ten-days since she had awakened him, Brazen had become much more humanoid in appearance. A shock of dark brown hair covered the top of his head, his nose was more defined, and his skin had lost the look of carved stone and looked much more like skin should. His hands were still too big for his size, and his eyes kept that odd, neon blue, but now at a cursory glance, he would be easily mistaken for human.
Katerin fixed the tie in his mask as Fykes laid a hand on her shoulder.
"She's always prepared," Fykes told Brazen, with a sigh and a shake of his head.
Katerin rolled her eyes and handed Fykes his mask.
"What's wrong with being prepared?" Brazen asked him, looking at him with wide eyes.
"Nothing is wrong with it," Arjiah explained, stepping up and taking her mask.
"No, it just takes the adventure out of everything," Fykes said, a lecturing yet light tone to his voice.
Brazen pondered quietly. Showing Katerin his confusion, and she voiced one of his thoughts.
"It's not a great adventure if you die," she said.
Fykes laughed. "Yes, it is! The best heroes are remembered after their deaths," he reasoned, waiting for her to debate it.
Brazen frowned, "Why?" He looked at Katerin. If they aren't known while they live, then what good do they do?
She sighed. "I don't fancy dying here... I don't look good in white."
Fykes snickered.
You can do a lot of good, even if no one knows of it, she told Brazen.
"Are you ready?" Fykes asked, tightening his armor and checking his sword belt.
"I'm going to wait at the edge of the clearing," Arjiah told them, as they began walking.
"You should join us. The more we smell like the area the harder we'll be to notice," Fykes reasoned, grinning at her.
She gave him a disbelieving look. "It's a risk I'm willing to take. And if I'm out here, I can alert you if they show up early."
Katerin grimaced at her words. "I hope that doesn't happen."
As they found the edge of the clearing, Arjiah patted her shoulder and took a step back, "Good luck."
Katerin resisted the urge to take a deep breath as they neared the small stone shrine. The masks were helpful, but even with them, the stench was enough to make her stomach roil. Brazen seemed unbothered by it, though he watched her warily—as if she might expire from the bad smell. The interior of the building was simple. It was a single room, with a graven image of the lizard's god covering the far wall, and it looked like a larger version of the one she had seen in the earthen hut not so many days ago. With a bloodthirsty visage and a curved knife in its hand, the lizard-folk god was carved on a raised platform, with a long, inlaid table just below it.
Fykes' features twisted as he stared at the thing, and Katerin paled. Bloodletting tables were rare things, and for good reason. Under the table were half a dozen compartments that held bronze cups and ceremonial knives, bones and teeth that had been cleaned were strewn at the foot of the statue. They were from a range of creatures, animal to humanoid in an array of sizes.
"Next time we have a date, you should let me pick the place," Fykes said, looking around with his eyebrows raised.
Katerin scoffed. "Do you really consider this a date?"
"I've already bought you dinner," he said, his eyes showing his grin even as the cloth hid his face.
She shook her head with a chuckle, Brazen, can you see anything hidden here? she asked, using their strange mental link. It had become a habit by now.
Brazen walked around the room, studying it without any distraction. Katerin felt along the base of the statue and all along its sides.
"I doubt we could set up a good ambush here," Fykes said, scanning the corners.
"I know. Not enough cover." She paused as she moved her hand across the space she had just crossed She waved them both to her side with hurried motions, moved over, and looked at the statue and the table. "This moves," she said, staring at it stubbornly.
"There's no lever to open it, that I can see," Fykes said.
"There's nothing," Brazen added.
She chewed her lip. "But there is. Help me move it."
They tried pulling it out of the wall and pushing to each side. It did not budge an inch.
"Katerin... this isn't working. There's nothing here," Fykes said, panting from the strain of trying to heave a statue around.
She frowned, and studied the wall, as they took a moment to catch their breath. She walked up to the front of the table, grabbing the edges of the shelves, and pushed. After a look, they joined her. And the statue and table sunk back into the wall, looking as though it was nothing more than a relief carving. She grinned proudly at them. "I told you so," she said, looking at the stairs.
I knew you were right, Brazen told her, smiling, and she just shook her head at him.
"Ladies first," Fykes said, as he stepped into the stairway.
Katerin snapped her fingers and a few small lights appeared to guide them, bobbing in the air.
The stairs were narrow and slick, pockmarked and crumbling in places. A sticky green substance ran in rivulets down from the ceiling, hissing as it dripped into the stones below. The same, burning acrid smell filled the place and grew stronger as they descended. The bottom of the stairs revealed nothing except a few old, broken barrels and more slick stone. Sconces lined the walls, but none were in use. Across the way, a crudely carved archway led into another hall.
Fykes walked quietly, his footsteps making little sound as he entered the hall and kept moving. It ended in another unremarkable room, but this one had another hall. That it split off in two directions, he looked down the left hall and raised his eyebrows.
"Left is always right," Brazen said, as Fykes patted him on the shoulder with a grin the size of Luminya.
Katerin sighed internally, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. They had been spending far too much time together, it seemed. As they scurried down the hall, Katerin noticed a rune carved into the wall. She grabbed Fykes by the shirt, letting out a squeak. "Let me get rid of that," she told him, pointing.
His eyes widened and he shuffled backward, letting her pass him in the narrow hall, his hand caressing her back as he passed.
She ignored the shiver down her spine and focused on the rune. It was not so much an alarm as something designed to hurt them. She pulled her dagger and looked back at them before scoring across the stone, disabling its magic, or so she hoped. She pushed one toe forward, letting it cross the line the ward would trigger. Nothing happened, and she let out her held breath. "Alright. It's gone," she said, wiping the sweat from her face.
Now the smell was worsening. The next room they found was much larger, with carved pillars from floor to ceiling. The only exit she could see was a door at the far end. And of course, it was locked. Brazen and Fykes both tried breaking it, but Katerin realized it was not just a physical thing, someone had spelled it closed.
"This is going to be loud," she told them. She grasped the lock in her hand and spoke under her breath, incanting a phrase to shatter apart the arcane energy that held the lock solid. It sounded as if a thundercloud had settled just above them. She winced at the sound, and waited a moment for the ringing in her ears to pass. The lock lay open in her hands and she dropped it to the floor.
The room beyond was tiny. Wide enough for maybe two people to walk. Inside were a number of chests. Ranging from simple and wooden to small silver jewelers' chests. Fykes popped open one of the chests and found an assortment of gems and coins inside. Another contained teeth and small figurines with yet more gemstones.
"An odd place for a collection," Fykes said.
"But it isn't likely to be touched here." Katerin knelt and studied a small animal figurine carved from a semiprecious stone.
You dare disturb my home? The voice boomed in Katerin's mind and she froze, a sinister chill running down her spine.
Fykes dropped a ruby he was holding, and Brazen scanned the room, his head tilted to one side.
That is not wise, small ones.
Katerin had heard anger before, and this was it. The voice was deep, intimidating even though she lacked a face to put to it. It had a certain serpentine hiss that made her skin crawl.
Fykes hauled her to her feet and kept her behind him,his eyes wide.
"We need to go," he said quietly. He pulled her out of the room and down the hall.
Run, run, run—the voice taunted them.
As they ran free of the hall into the pillar-filled room, Fykes stopped abruptly in his tracks. Katerin ran into his shoulder, Brazen just behind her.
Fykes inadvertently stepped back. He had not seen it at first, because of the deep shadows covering the wall the exit was on, but then those shadows shimmered as Katerin's floating lights glistened across scales that were thick, black, and sinister. Fykes caught a glimpse of something glistening white—a long, sharp fang.
But you won't get out. A growling laugh echoed between their ears and bounced down the corridor.