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?"918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFW0jDhvAsV
"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."918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Oxy88wnmZ
“Sounds like a plan,” I say, stretching. “Ugh, I have a crick in my neck.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUO5WujIZx
“Want me to massage it out for you?” Klef asks.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGawUCYDX0u
“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.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcReTJ987Op
“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.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡViRyT0pp5Q
I nod. “Okay. Sounds like you guys have this all figured out. Sorry I missed out on the discussion.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkpDQuCdFv
“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.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZmAjmuKiA
I smile slightly. “You’re a little bit scary good at that, you realize?”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ17W9j3eNB
Ama grins. “Ssh. Don’t tell Bobbi I said anything, they’ll kill me.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29ZoGMOFhq
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?”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhEAbDXGIL
“Fair point,” Ama says, pointing at Klef. “I like the way you think, Mister Thief.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvMmgE4INZ
“Why thank you, Miss Wizard,” Klef says with a laugh in his voice.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfK13NHdzih
“Careful not to get too cozy,” I tease. “If you do I might get jealous.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3JzOMqY20
“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.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvxNfU77kd
“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.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UXkd1gDx8
Klef laughs. “I love you, Ride. Platonically, romantically. I just love you.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3PVu7luSb
“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!”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdhL8OlmhM
“Aw, c’mon, Ride! Live a little!” he protests, continuing to tickle me.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Juzk2XQWd
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!”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7z8NlzqVoj
“Okay, okay! I’m stopping!” Klef surrenders, holding his hands up.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8DavBuNgp
“You’re ridiculous,” I tease, still laughing from the surprise attack.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5fLEXgZ0N
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.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBWUkX3m1V
“Don’t be,” Klef groans, rubbing his back. “I’m fine with getting bowled over by you any day.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGya7CwGlUg
“Flirt,” I laugh. “You’re such a flirt.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iD0Zv0Juw
“Always, my dear,” Klef says with a wink.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmMXNOSAja
There’s a groan from the other side of the carriage along with a gag. “Do you two mind?” Hibiscus groans.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQl3qwdrA3
“Seriously, we’ve been over this,” Ama adds. “It’s only cute for so long.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xYETweckM
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?”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7rC2bgUFt
“I do,” Flo interjects. “Ryhte and I would not shut up the first time we met.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKrjYZBfz3
Rythe sighs. “Oh, those were the days. Back when you were fine with my relentless teasing you and flirting in general.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZx7Z0TuFP
Flo rolls her eyes. “I’m still fine with it if you don’t embarrass anyone, but lately you’ve been embarrassing everyone.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzauUjB5mb
“What’s wrong with that?” they ask.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslLqVjkKdz
“Everything,” Flo says. “You need to respect people’s boundaries.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJfy5OLARh
Rythe shrugs. “I can’t tell people’s boundaries if they don’t tell me when enough is enough,” they reason.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZGxYkZWmC
“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.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQM8JBl7Wt
“Not a thing,” Rythe teases, bopping a finger on Flo’s snout.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgusY5FRMA0
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.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRNpz11OAs
She looks up and chews her lip. “Oh, I’d say… 10 minutes? Maybe 5, if Bobbi can convince the horses to go faster.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRSH79w607Z
There’s the sound of yelling outside the carriage and we pick up speed suddenly. Ama smiles. “5 minutes.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QIS4G07jk
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.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzz6YiaQ6K
Klef blinks once, snapping to attention. “I’m awake,” he says. “I’m awake.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIneRU4ZjO
“Barely. How much sleep did you get last night?”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsr0AcrBd4S
“Ugh. Not enough,” he groans. “I feel like death.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0bQqwA2wv3
“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.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRehaKAHuF
Lightning cracks a mile or so behind us, and everyone jumps. Ama groans. “Looks like we’ll be using my magic to teleport. Great.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUHEtbb4a4
Rythe groans in response. “Ugh, but teleporting makes me sick to my stomach.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XFY4y4pOl
Ama shrugs helplessly. “If it helps, I doubt I have enough in me to take us all directly to the base.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfvQloVHIv
“Could you use some of my Sight as sort of a boost?” I ask.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPzY3O3smL
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?”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUafJPfIzDF
Ama nods slowly. “I might know how to do it… it might be painful on your end, though.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRi1wQ1XuxB
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.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBptK0fSZM
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.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkBQBGRm0I
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.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqU9gR1AOWI
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.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1jqirz5sN
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.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVUNtO66q0
I shrug. “Eh, nobody’s trying to kill us yet, let’s see where this cave takes us.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjMt19oFNM
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.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNnhkL5C5P
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.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXlTvVldxA
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.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoPdYQI76x
Klef looks down at me innocently. “I know, Ride.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDEnwh2eUE
I narrow my eyes. “I know what you’re doing. Stop patronizing me.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ddClni85H
“Me? Patronize you? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Klef laughs, continuing to move forward and upward.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwD0358iVg
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!”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkie6aD3Bd5
“But you wanted to be my protector so bad, and I didn’t want to hurt your feelings!” I tease.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1YtCqB1SM
“What?” Flo asks from behind me.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01dpvdSAI0
“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.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKbgeV1Saz
“It’s not that they did that, it’s that they said those songs were the real ones!” Klef calls down.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRk91X0jZD
“Hey! Is that my favorite thief I hear?” Ank calls. “You’re not still mad at us, are you, Klef?”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjpRmGS4xO
I giggle as Klef pulls a face and glares at me. “This is your fault,” he mutters half-heartedly at me.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJYrBzNG1g
“Why, I have no idea what you’re talking about, Treble,” I tease.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYmfIPdRR2
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?”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAo6CMUN5Sm
“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.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hC9I7rmip
“Ugly?!” Ank asks indignantly.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq29zExjrII
Klef grins. “Like I said, hard feelings.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMofQXup5FL
I walk up behind him with a smile. “Long time no see, Ank.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGwCvqMAho
“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?”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQltVOhxQXk
“Shut up!” I laugh. “Just Miss, thank you very much.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SXuRboB5L
Ank clucks his tongue. “Shame. I was hoping you had found a man who would treat you right since we met last.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9wxWLSZ2I
“I never said I was still looking, I just said I wasn’t married,” I point out to him.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWXf0VAKJG
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?”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwR5bACZsqz
“Depends on your definition of settling,” I say vaguely. “Half you crew wouldn’t seem to think so.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTZNU7Kw5Z
Cheers erupt around the room. I hold up a hand. “And Geo treats me right.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMbJwKiMg0
The other half starts cheering, and Ank shakes his head at me. “You, my dear, are devious to the extreme.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9f6ovq4f1o
“Thank you,” I say with a curtsey. “I’m glad you think so highly of me.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6xyds0iv7
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.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzzo8J2eu3
I sigh. “Yeah, sure, fine. Tell ‘em.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qAp0ZhBNo
“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!”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBeso2SsIo
I nudge him as soon as the room erupts again. “Did you have to phrase it like that?”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1WRZVqs1b
“Did you have to say Geo?” Klef retorts.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0ZpOCZzRH
I roll my eyes. “You. Are. Ridiculous.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxM6kVYrhfk
“Thank. You,” Klef says, turning and leaning towards me with a smirk.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJY9UjaAb1
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?”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkAXuHmsil
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.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9xAnVAEVp
I nod. “You’ve got it, ma’am.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LvkLuJXpn
She nods and leaves, and I take a shallow sip, coughing slightly. “Strong,” I rasp. “But it’s not bad.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkG1q44xAOP
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.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPu4tuK6Wck
I nod and laugh a little. “Thank you for the offer, I’ll keep it in mind.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKykUnvSHcf
Klef’s lips twitch a bit as he sits next to me. “Can I have a sip?” he asks.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKETLyTDJE
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.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWiX0sdYdo
“That’s something alcohol will do, yeah,” I say, taking another sip.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYn7P8nDw5r
Klef glares at me and sulks on the counter, waving to the bartender. “Could I have a root beer, please?” he asks.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjbnw7PeUk
I grin. “Aw, how cute. You’re still asking for soda as a grown adult.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxnBhPDT2R
Klef sticks his tongue out at me. “Root beer is good, no matter your age.”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEs0flAOLyL
I shake my head and take another sip of my rum. “Agree to disagree,” I mutter.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdqeopPUB4
Ama walks over and sits next to us at the bar. “You two know what we’re doing next?” she asks.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJuulj0gyE
“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?”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv0dkSZFDYH
Ama nods. “Maybe you have thought this through more than I originally assumed you did,” she admits.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwN2iviEh04
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?”918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfYALMckqi
Ama smiles.918Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPG3wuSVuwt
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