her before sunset. There’s no going back to the village for either of us.”
His face showed no surprise but the ready smile melted away. “Have a seat, Theda. The rabbit is nearly ready. Was it your stomach I heard echo through the trees or an angry bear?”
She smiled in spite of herself and sat on the opposite side of the fire. Sharing intimacies with a near stranger wasn’t her way, but she’d fled her home with next to nothing and couldn’t pass up his hospitality. “It was me you heard…sir.”
He laughed, a cackling sound that suited his aged face. “Sir, eh? Been a while since I’ve been called sir . I guess I can give you my name since I’m sharing my supper and you don’t seem to remember it. I go by Albain. I used to be Albain of Ilstred, but now I’m Albain of the Road. And you? Where did you hail from before that miserable little fishing village? Your beautiful mother and you stuck out easily enough.”
She fought a grimace at the mention of her mother. “I’m of the road now too, I suppose. I’ve never been to Ilstred.”
He nodded as if she’d given him a complete answer, before stirring the fire with the end of his staff. “Ilstred is part of Halstrid, the human kingdom to the north. Is that where you’re headed?”
“I’m not certain. Are you headed that way?”
He shook his head, frowned as if in thought, then shrugged. “I don’t remember. I guess it’s as good a place as any. I’m human so maybe I should be among humans. Out here in the Rim, there’s all manner of creatures. Some humans who have been here too long even seem to forget what they are. Don’t you think?”
She frowned at the fire and considered it. “Perhaps. If they’re lucky.”
He nodded again. “I know a trick or two to getting through these lands. You stick with me and we’ll get you north. Mind traveling with an old man for company?”
She wasn’t certain she wanted company, but was too polite to say so before sharing his food.
He chuckled as if he’d heard her thoughts and leaned forward to turn the rabbits. “Looks done to me.”
He pulled them off and handed one whole skewer to her. She didn’t argue. Her empty belly was more than ready for whatever he had to fill it. Albain ate his portions slowly, entertaining her with tales of the kingdom of Halstrid. Hearing about her father from a stranger’s lips fascinated her and she listened in silence. Soon the food was gone and her eyes were drooping.
“Sleep now, my dear, and in the morning we’ll head north. We’ll walk through the gates of Halstrid together.”
She slumped over and her eyes closed with the vague thought that maybe she should be more wary of this strange man.
Chapter Five
Kephas patted his horse as he walked beside him. Though the Kevan weren’t known as great breeders, they still raised spectacular creatures. Triton was no exception. The solid black stallion had a moderate temperament and was large enough to carry him, even in gargoyle form. The stallion allowed Kephas to lead him at a slow pace, but he nearly trembled with restlessness.
“Easy now, strong one,” Kephas murmured. “We still have plenty of miles to put beneath your hooves before this deed is done.”
They’d been traveling for days and had long left Pastel behind. It had taken an effort for Kephas to continue on through the strange land and not stay a while to explore its secrets. The lone Pastelle he’d met before leaving home had prepared him for their exotic looks, but nothing could’ve prepared him for their lack of inhibition. It seemed very little was considered taboo in Pastel.
Now he was in a swampland that separated the Pastel border from the Outlands. Known as the Bogs of Tristitia, no one knew how they came to be. There was evidence this land had been a desert long ago, but not even the oldest wizard knew what caused the changes to the land. Creatures who thrived in the wet environment were all that dwelled here now for more than a
His face showed no surprise but the ready smile melted away. “Have a seat, Theda. The rabbit is nearly ready. Was it your stomach I heard echo through the trees or an angry bear?”
She smiled in spite of herself and sat on the opposite side of the fire. Sharing intimacies with a near stranger wasn’t her way, but she’d fled her home with next to nothing and couldn’t pass up his hospitality. “It was me you heard…sir.”
He laughed, a cackling sound that suited his aged face. “Sir, eh? Been a while since I’ve been called sir . I guess I can give you my name since I’m sharing my supper and you don’t seem to remember it. I go by Albain. I used to be Albain of Ilstred, but now I’m Albain of the Road. And you? Where did you hail from before that miserable little fishing village? Your beautiful mother and you stuck out easily enough.”
She fought a grimace at the mention of her mother. “I’m of the road now too, I suppose. I’ve never been to Ilstred.”
He nodded as if she’d given him a complete answer, before stirring the fire with the end of his staff. “Ilstred is part of Halstrid, the human kingdom to the north. Is that where you’re headed?”
“I’m not certain. Are you headed that way?”
He shook his head, frowned as if in thought, then shrugged. “I don’t remember. I guess it’s as good a place as any. I’m human so maybe I should be among humans. Out here in the Rim, there’s all manner of creatures. Some humans who have been here too long even seem to forget what they are. Don’t you think?”
She frowned at the fire and considered it. “Perhaps. If they’re lucky.”
He nodded again. “I know a trick or two to getting through these lands. You stick with me and we’ll get you north. Mind traveling with an old man for company?”
She wasn’t certain she wanted company, but was too polite to say so before sharing his food.
He chuckled as if he’d heard her thoughts and leaned forward to turn the rabbits. “Looks done to me.”
He pulled them off and handed one whole skewer to her. She didn’t argue. Her empty belly was more than ready for whatever he had to fill it. Albain ate his portions slowly, entertaining her with tales of the kingdom of Halstrid. Hearing about her father from a stranger’s lips fascinated her and she listened in silence. Soon the food was gone and her eyes were drooping.
“Sleep now, my dear, and in the morning we’ll head north. We’ll walk through the gates of Halstrid together.”
She slumped over and her eyes closed with the vague thought that maybe she should be more wary of this strange man.
Chapter Five
Kephas patted his horse as he walked beside him. Though the Kevan weren’t known as great breeders, they still raised spectacular creatures. Triton was no exception. The solid black stallion had a moderate temperament and was large enough to carry him, even in gargoyle form. The stallion allowed Kephas to lead him at a slow pace, but he nearly trembled with restlessness.
“Easy now, strong one,” Kephas murmured. “We still have plenty of miles to put beneath your hooves before this deed is done.”
They’d been traveling for days and had long left Pastel behind. It had taken an effort for Kephas to continue on through the strange land and not stay a while to explore its secrets. The lone Pastelle he’d met before leaving home had prepared him for their exotic looks, but nothing could’ve prepared him for their lack of inhibition. It seemed very little was considered taboo in Pastel.
Now he was in a swampland that separated the Pastel border from the Outlands. Known as the Bogs of Tristitia, no one knew how they came to be. There was evidence this land had been a desert long ago, but not even the oldest wizard knew what caused the changes to the land. Creatures who thrived in the wet environment were all that dwelled here now for more than a
Similar Books
