sunrise.”
He opened the door and left abruptly, leaving the three of them staring at each other.
Ven cocked his head to the side, “If we’re leaving tomorrow, we’re going to need a plan—what do we even do when we get to Riftcity? How are we going to fight Skycity?”
“I think a plan is just what Gero went off to do,” Sylvia said, stretching her legs in front of her. “And we’ll have plenty of time on the trail to talk it over. It’ll take us at least five days to get there. I can make it in four on a good journey, but with the two of you…” she trailed off, the corners of her mouth twitching up into half a smile.
Ven forced a smile, knowing she was trying to make light of the topic.
“Where’s Gero gone then?”
“Can’t be the council—they’re the reason we have time to make the journey out to Riftcity."
“Maybe he has a private council,” Flint said. “Selena has an informal council made up of some working class, some close friends.”
“Maybe,” Ven said gruffly.
Sylvia looked up at the sky window, shocked to see it so dark compared to the moon so bright.
“I’ve got to get back home,” she said. “It’s my birthday dinner and I promised Sonia I’d be back for dessert.”
Ven stood and they both headed for the door.
From his bed, Flint said, “Well, I’ll see you two bright and early tomorrow I expect. Hopefully that Healer will give me some real food for breakfast.” He grimaced at his watery looking dinner.
Ven and Sylvia both chuckled nervously, and said goodbye. As soon as they closed Flint’s door, the older Healer’s figure approached them in the hallway, the light globes casting dim shadows around her face.
“Are you done with him?” she asked briskly.
“For now,” Ven said.
“Good, he needs to get some rest. Goodnight then.”
She swept into Flint’s room, shutting the door behind her. They could hear her clattering about with Flint’s untouched soup, tsk-tsking about his appetite.
Ven dropped his voice closer to a whisper, “I don’t think she’s going to be too happy to hear he won’t be resting much longer. Healers. They always think they know what’s good for you,” he said, elbowing Sylvia lightly in the side.
“Yes, well, I hope he’s up for the trail,” Sylvia said, matching his quiet tone. “Although he did manage to make it here, so the journey back should be bearable. His wounds have been treated at least.”
They reached the entrance hall and silently exited the building. The night air was crisp and a little cool; the lamps twinkling throughout the city could be seen sharply from any distance. Sylvia inhaled the cool night air, and exhaled deeply. She was keenly aware of the little time she had for such peace.
“I’ll walk you back,” Ven said as they reached the lake path. They wound around the lake’s edge until they met up with the path that led by her villa. The dark water at their feet mirrored the sky.
“Are you sure you want to go?” Sylvia asked him suddenly.
“What? To your house? It’s only down—” he started.
“No—Riftcity! Ven, come on."
“Of course I’m going. They’ll be coming for us next. What’s a trip to Riftcity? We’ll find survivors, maybe, but I don’t think we’ll be in any more danger there,” he replied.
A terrible thought suddenly crossed her mind, “What if they come here while we’re gone?” she whispered. Sonia’s face swam up in her mind. Suddenly Sylvia didn’t want to leave.
Ven considered it for a few moments. “Well, here’s what we know: Riftcity was attacked probably a week or so ago, considering the state Flint was in when he got here, it must have taken him a while to get here. Skycity knows we’ve got the threat by now—they probably picked you since you’re our fastest Rider.”
Sylvia could feel her cheeks warming— Ven thought she was the fastest Rider in the city?
He continued,
He opened the door and left abruptly, leaving the three of them staring at each other.
Ven cocked his head to the side, “If we’re leaving tomorrow, we’re going to need a plan—what do we even do when we get to Riftcity? How are we going to fight Skycity?”
“I think a plan is just what Gero went off to do,” Sylvia said, stretching her legs in front of her. “And we’ll have plenty of time on the trail to talk it over. It’ll take us at least five days to get there. I can make it in four on a good journey, but with the two of you…” she trailed off, the corners of her mouth twitching up into half a smile.
Ven forced a smile, knowing she was trying to make light of the topic.
“Where’s Gero gone then?”
“Can’t be the council—they’re the reason we have time to make the journey out to Riftcity."
“Maybe he has a private council,” Flint said. “Selena has an informal council made up of some working class, some close friends.”
“Maybe,” Ven said gruffly.
Sylvia looked up at the sky window, shocked to see it so dark compared to the moon so bright.
“I’ve got to get back home,” she said. “It’s my birthday dinner and I promised Sonia I’d be back for dessert.”
Ven stood and they both headed for the door.
From his bed, Flint said, “Well, I’ll see you two bright and early tomorrow I expect. Hopefully that Healer will give me some real food for breakfast.” He grimaced at his watery looking dinner.
Ven and Sylvia both chuckled nervously, and said goodbye. As soon as they closed Flint’s door, the older Healer’s figure approached them in the hallway, the light globes casting dim shadows around her face.
“Are you done with him?” she asked briskly.
“For now,” Ven said.
“Good, he needs to get some rest. Goodnight then.”
She swept into Flint’s room, shutting the door behind her. They could hear her clattering about with Flint’s untouched soup, tsk-tsking about his appetite.
Ven dropped his voice closer to a whisper, “I don’t think she’s going to be too happy to hear he won’t be resting much longer. Healers. They always think they know what’s good for you,” he said, elbowing Sylvia lightly in the side.
“Yes, well, I hope he’s up for the trail,” Sylvia said, matching his quiet tone. “Although he did manage to make it here, so the journey back should be bearable. His wounds have been treated at least.”
They reached the entrance hall and silently exited the building. The night air was crisp and a little cool; the lamps twinkling throughout the city could be seen sharply from any distance. Sylvia inhaled the cool night air, and exhaled deeply. She was keenly aware of the little time she had for such peace.
“I’ll walk you back,” Ven said as they reached the lake path. They wound around the lake’s edge until they met up with the path that led by her villa. The dark water at their feet mirrored the sky.
“Are you sure you want to go?” Sylvia asked him suddenly.
“What? To your house? It’s only down—” he started.
“No—Riftcity! Ven, come on."
“Of course I’m going. They’ll be coming for us next. What’s a trip to Riftcity? We’ll find survivors, maybe, but I don’t think we’ll be in any more danger there,” he replied.
A terrible thought suddenly crossed her mind, “What if they come here while we’re gone?” she whispered. Sonia’s face swam up in her mind. Suddenly Sylvia didn’t want to leave.
Ven considered it for a few moments. “Well, here’s what we know: Riftcity was attacked probably a week or so ago, considering the state Flint was in when he got here, it must have taken him a while to get here. Skycity knows we’ve got the threat by now—they probably picked you since you’re our fastest Rider.”
Sylvia could feel her cheeks warming— Ven thought she was the fastest Rider in the city?
He continued,
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