I'm jerked back into reality for some reason I can't explain for a few seconds, until lightning cracks across the sky outside the carriage. "Woah," I say. "How long has that been going on?"1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjBXzsJzlk
"You woke up from the first really loud one," Ama says. "So... maybe 10 minutes, at most? The storm's heading our way and we're running into it, because the nearest stop is maybe 20 minutes out from here at a horse's trot, and if we're lucky we can get there before the storm gets too bad."1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnasu5r3QRz
“Sounds like a plan,” I say, stretching. “Ugh, I have a crick in my neck.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNygpzmW99
“Want me to massage it out for you?” Klef asks.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFGonnvluh
“Please?” I respond, and he cracks his fingers before motioning for me to turn my back to him. As he starts to massage my shoulders, I glance at everyone in the carriage. Ama is reading a book disinterestedly. Hibiscus is reading over a map and talking in low tones to Bobbi on the other side of the carriage through a slot where there isn’t any canvas, probably giving instructions. Flo and Rythe and sitting next to one another, hands linked together. Flo is resting her head on Rythe’s shoulder and they are murmuring to her. All in all, everything seems pretty calm. It doesn’t do anything to make me feel any better, though. “What are we going to do once the storm dies down?” I ask.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5YK1Qztog
“Eh,” Ama shrugs. “Really, it all depends on how bad the roads are. If they’re really bad, I’m going to see if I can scrounge up enough magic to teleport everyone to the next base, though I’d really rather not do that, seeing as how I’ll be down for the count for several days, at least. If they’re not, we’ll keep going until we hit the port in the werewolf territory, which will take about a day once we’re out of the mountains. From there, we might be able to find a teleporter, or we could travel by boat. Really, there are a lot of options in there, and I’m just hoping that the roads aren’t so wet that the horses can’t continue.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUMVHfTVjw
I nod. “Okay. Sounds like you guys have this all figured out. Sorry I missed out on the discussion.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMwbvJGjHE
“I bet you’re not really,” Ama says with a little smile. “Talking strategy is all well and good, but only when you know what you’re saying. And you’ve said yourself that you’re not a very good strategist.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrGQRCm5JHT
I smile slightly. “You’re a little bit scary good at that, you realize?”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLU0alPMiY
Ama grins. “Ssh. Don’t tell Bobbi I said anything, they’ll kill me.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zbsn0s5Eo
Klef snorts from behind me. “I bet they won’t. They’d never have you to talk with if they did. And besides, what would Luke think?”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgJVstbkG8
“Fair point,” Ama says, pointing at Klef. “I like the way you think, Mister Thief.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZzqBkbxIX
“Why thank you, Miss Wizard,” Klef says with a laugh in his voice.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIGI05tMHM
“Careful not to get too cozy,” I tease. “If you do I might get jealous.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5yNg3pdvZg
“Nah, you don’t work like that, Ride,” Klef says. “One of the reasons I love you, actually. You’re really nice and even if someone is hurting you, if they’re not about to do major damage and it helps them in the long run, you make sure that they’ll be okay. Even if it means that you’re injured more than you already are.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8O0EkpGBe
“Mm. I’m not sure if that extends to break- ups, though,” I muse. “I wouldn’t know. I was the one who called off my first relationship, and my second one seems to have been going strong for a month now.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPnMN8DYxZ
Klef laughs. “I love you, Ride. Platonically, romantically. I just love you.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAeUSGsabj
“The feeling is mutual, I assure you,” I chuckle. Then I full-out laugh, because Klef has moved from massaging my shoulders. “Klef! Don’t tickle my neck!”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37uzuiR0Tf
“Aw, c’mon, Ride! Live a little!” he protests, continuing to tickle me.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfEuMLOssy
I duck my neck out of his reach and roll onto the floor, swatting his hands away when they reach for my sides. “Stop!” I yell. “Seriously, Klef! Stop!”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfivW1JASJj
“Okay, okay! I’m stopping!” Klef surrenders, holding his hands up.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EEM2DW50s
“You’re ridiculous,” I tease, still laughing from the surprise attack.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVM8i5cUtdA
Klef grins and pulls me up so I’m sitting again, just as we hit a bump in the road and I fly forward into him. I grunt as I ram into Klef, and he yelps when he hits the railing on the back of the carriage. I push myself off him and blush. “Sorry,” I say.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoOWkprC7o
“Don’t be,” Klef groans, rubbing his back. “I’m fine with getting bowled over by you any day.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWaZwaVgx8
“Flirt,” I laugh. “You’re such a flirt.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7cWDwKrB9
“Always, my dear,” Klef says with a wink.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiItdJp5md2
There’s a groan from the other side of the carriage along with a gag. “Do you two mind?” Hibiscus groans.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOVog7ln9s
“Seriously, we’ve been over this,” Ama adds. “It’s only cute for so long.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6h6yip0g1
I look at Klef and he shrugs. “I don’t really know how to stop the banter,” he says. “It just… sort of… happens, you know?”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16asDFRStJ
“I do,” Flo interjects. “Ryhte and I would not shut up the first time we met.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnfsseQeZi
Rythe sighs. “Oh, those were the days. Back when you were fine with my relentless teasing you and flirting in general.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdX9v6P0kl
Flo rolls her eyes. “I’m still fine with it if you don’t embarrass anyone, but lately you’ve been embarrassing everyone.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPriLkeEVe
“What’s wrong with that?” they ask.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyljrEo0m7v
“Everything,” Flo says. “You need to respect people’s boundaries.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsz47O2BUsc
Rythe shrugs. “I can’t tell people’s boundaries if they don’t tell me when enough is enough,” they reason.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYoQeOhWnk
“That’s why I’m here. To tell you when your joking has gone to far and you’re making people uncomfortable. Without me you’d be dead of embarrassment.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoDDGmFXvs
“Not a thing,” Rythe teases, bopping a finger on Flo’s snout.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmtNIZSMe0
Flo mock-growls at them with a sly grin, before the carriage lapses into silence. I turn to watch the rain falling. It’s picking up speed at an alarming rate, and wind whips around the sides of the carriage, adding to the feeling that we’re stranded in the middle of nowhere with no hope of weathering out the storm. “How much longer until shelter?” I ask Ama.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeg4g0Ycly
She looks up and chews her lip. “Oh, I’d say… 10 minutes? Maybe 5, if Bobbi can convince the horses to go faster.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBaonJU3ar
There’s the sound of yelling outside the carriage and we pick up speed suddenly. Ama smiles. “5 minutes.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyF2ImyTVtc
I nod and look at Klef, whose eyes are starting to droop, despite everything going on around us. I nudge him lightly. “Melisma to Klef,” I say quietly.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxPBBIV8gK
Klef blinks once, snapping to attention. “I’m awake,” he says. “I’m awake.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeE9JstGArP
“Barely. How much sleep did you get last night?”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOET7HIuFH
“Ugh. Not enough,” he groans. “I feel like death.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdtVaEseIg
“You look a little like it too,” I say. :Your eyes are a bit glassy. Why don’t you try and relax some until we get to our rest stop? After that we can decide who gets sleep and who is taking care of what next.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1xwmqrby6
Lightning cracks a mile or so behind us, and everyone jumps. Ama groans. “Looks like we’ll be using my magic to teleport. Great.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1G09qzHspB
Rythe groans in response. “Ugh, but teleporting makes me sick to my stomach.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWop3C97LZQ
Ama shrugs helplessly. “If it helps, I doubt I have enough in me to take us all directly to the base.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ184ky4XmKU
“Could you use some of my Sight as sort of a boost?” I ask.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIFJidYjRg
Everyone looks over at me confused. I shrug. “In my dreams, I think my magic- sensing abilities act as a conductor for the use of magic as well as simply just being able to see magic being used. I don’t know how we might achieve it, but we can try, can’t we?”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunGsSQIQHv
Ama nods slowly. “I might know how to do it… it might be painful on your end, though.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwR1a9Z7Bu8
I shrug and give a little grin. “What could possibly go so wrong that I’d never want to try channeling Sight again, short of the world ending or everyone I love dying? If I get a little sick, I get a little sick. It happens.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpsYGYR72Gb
Ama nods as thunder rumbles overhead. The carriage comes to an abrupt stop and Bobbi ducks into the carriage from the hole in the driver’s side. “The storm is nasty, you guys. We have to get inside, now. I’ll take care of the horses, you guys keep moving.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIOLpjM2sw
Everyone jumps out of the carriage with their things and run to an overhang in the mountain, which reveals a cave underneath, fitted with lightbulbs on the ceiling every so often as it continues. I take a few cautionary steps inside and inspect it. “It’s dry, and we won’t get zapped, and I don’t think we’ll get killed. Let’s go inside.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunrXSl39V2
Klef nods and follows me inside, and Hibiscus and Ama mutter to themselves as they follow after. Flo and Rythe are silent save for their footsteps.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7P2iF090cX
The cave, for its attempts at being modern, is still woefully primitive. Whereever the lightbulbs fail to work, which is often, 2 candles on either side of the cave on the walls are burning, giving the rocks disfigured and sometimes disturbing shadows. Klef inches closer to me and draws his knife. “I don’t like this, Ride,” he whispers.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRfyWBYjGl
I shrug. “Eh, nobody’s trying to kill us yet, let’s see where this cave takes us.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIxyDl37cr
The hall narrows until only 2 people at a time can scrape through together, and a staircase spiralling up marks the end of the cave. “Going up!” Ama yells, walking to the bottom of the steps and taking the lead.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VqvwcdGzd
Hibiscus laughs and shakes their head. Somewhere behind us, a horse whinnies. “Well, Bobbi made it inside safe, let’s go up and see what awaits us.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyumVxIgYzE
Klef moves towards the steps in front of us before I can, and I huff but follow behind him as he acts as a shield to me. “I can handle myself, you know,” I grumble.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDgoRoAcWj
Klef looks down at me innocently. “I know, Ride.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKl31LC1IO
I narrow my eyes. “I know what you’re doing. Stop patronizing me.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAl30ceBH5W
“Me? Patronize you? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Klef laughs, continuing to move forward and upward.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr29BcFn0PY
I growl under my breath until my hearing catches some familiar voices, including Ank. I smile, knowing Klef can’t hear them yet with his ears. I few steps later, he groans loudly. “C’mon, Ride, you should have warned me!”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCeyduou9zp
“But you wanted to be my protector so bad, and I didn’t want to hurt your feelings!” I tease.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mDnSp0CSa
“What?” Flo asks from behind me.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6ytMLvMd0
“Old friends,” I say drily, arching my eyebrows and nodding to Klef. “He’s not been a fan for a few weeks, because they made kid-safe lyrics to their sea shanties for him when he was a young one.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrz8NffAsTn
“It’s not that they did that, it’s that they said those songs were the real ones!” Klef calls down.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEAlmet8vo
“Hey! Is that my favorite thief I hear?” Ank calls. “You’re not still mad at us, are you, Klef?”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdFgMjQgwf
I giggle as Klef pulls a face and glares at me. “This is your fault,” he mutters half-heartedly at me.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50VnilPttu
“Why, I have no idea what you’re talking about, Treble,” I tease.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7In1t65Vf
Klef pulls a face but walks up the last of the steps, and I follow. In front of us is a wide open room, set up like a cross between a bar and a tavern, with glass windows overlooking the trail we came up on, and old wooden tables thrown up against it. Ank is standing by the bar, grinning. “Well hello, there, my little thief! No hard feelings?”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIwQyqFk5i
“Oh, there are hard feelings,” Klef says with a smirk, going over and hugging Ank. “It’s good to see your ugly mug again, Ank.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKlUEkonEr
“Ugly?!” Ank asks indignantly.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWXhDftBXV
Klef grins. “Like I said, hard feelings.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR86VxWR5kb
I walk up behind him with a smile. “Long time no see, Ank.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOn6e0ot2S
“My favorite death wish girl!” Ank cheers, lifting a glass of some alcohol or another up in my direction, before knocking it back. “It’s good to see you again, Miss Rides. Or is it Missus?”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyJ2NVyTK4
“Shut up!” I laugh. “Just Miss, thank you very much.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUo7sOd6fI0
Ank clucks his tongue. “Shame. I was hoping you had found a man who would treat you right since we met last.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw92V5dqLCa
“I never said I was still looking, I just said I wasn’t married,” I point out to him.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFIYvGbFYr
Ama wolf whistles from over by the windows, and the rest of our entourage are walking their way over to either us or Ama. Ank raises his eyebrows. “Didn’t settle, did you?”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhxzoS8nXJ
“Depends on your definition of settling,” I say vaguely. “Half you crew wouldn’t seem to think so.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBL0LFppAkZ
Cheers erupt around the room. I hold up a hand. “And Geo treats me right.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSAe2352QK
The other half starts cheering, and Ank shakes his head at me. “You, my dear, are devious to the extreme.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgzjbNMnGo
“Thank you,” I say with a curtsey. “I’m glad you think so highly of me.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyV1EuiRxg7
Klef ribs me and says, “You know, what’s the harm if we tell ‘em? You know everyone on Melisma is going to know in about a month anyway. Well, anyone who cares.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8S8ch26rjX
I sigh. “Yeah, sure, fine. Tell ‘em.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QE0bWppSM
“Hey guys! Rides is a liar! She’s not going out with Geo! She’s going out with me!” he yells into the room. “I am a very happy trophy boyfriend!”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxkXYEfV32
I nudge him as soon as the room erupts again. “Did you have to phrase it like that?”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTjWdGirGo
“Did you have to say Geo?” Klef retorts.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTxMn3HyA0
I roll my eyes. “You. Are. Ridiculous.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWL5vRCod8z
“Thank. You,” Klef says, turning and leaning towards me with a smirk.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw84v3GbC1r
I shove him backwards just enough that he hits the bar counter before hopping on one of the stools and waving to the bartender. “Hey bartender? What do you recommend for a traveller who means business?”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5kpIs7rfN
The aging woman walks over, taking the glass she was polishing and fills it with something from one of the barrels in the back. “Rum,” she says. “Don’t drink it all in one go if you’re not used to it, you’ll find yourself waking up in a pool of your own vomit tomorrow morning, and you’ll be the one to clean it up.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOAhhRGXtJ
I nod. “You’ve got it, ma’am.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6nc8gCbUo
She nods and leaves, and I take a shallow sip, coughing slightly. “Strong,” I rasp. “But it’s not bad.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwgPq92Ehq
Ank smiles. “You sound like you have potential for drinking contests. If you ever feel like entering one on my ship, I’d be happy to train you.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINdjGS6UFD
I nod and laugh a little. “Thank you for the offer, I’ll keep it in mind.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZW8SVtCZv
Klef’s lips twitch a bit as he sits next to me. “Can I have a sip?” he asks.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhAwqkuuZG
I pass it over and he takes one, immediately staring to hack when he tries to swallow. I burst out laughing, taking the glass back as Klef desperately gasps for air. “It burns!” he exclaims.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0DNnsaPiK
“That’s something alcohol will do, yeah,” I say, taking another sip.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA63VmB9oUc
Klef glares at me and sulks on the counter, waving to the bartender. “Could I have a root beer, please?” he asks.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0zFNLM6VR
I grin. “Aw, how cute. You’re still asking for soda as a grown adult.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EdTDlPCD8
Klef sticks his tongue out at me. “Root beer is good, no matter your age.”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYU568jJX4
I shake my head and take another sip of my rum. “Agree to disagree,” I mutter.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8P3nvzTwh
Ama walks over and sits next to us at the bar. “You two know what we’re doing next?” she asks.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLl1YTJQop5
“Well a little break never hurt anyone,” Klef says, shrugging and nabbing his rootbeer off the counter. “And you could probably use some time to prepare your teleportation powers, whatever that entails. So I figure we rest for a bit, and then when we’re all ready, we try your teleportation powers. Does that sound reasonable?”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayVXs9yuH7
Ama nods. “Maybe you have thought this through more than I originally assumed you did,” she admits.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RVvAiFEDq
Klef lifts his root beer to her and smiles. “It’s okay, we all make mistakes sometimes. Let’s just get this show on the road. I’ll buy you a drink, if you want?”1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7zHHVqzOf
Ama smiles.1216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oE90IzdLM
1234 copyright protection1212ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3l42tQ03W 尼

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