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?"935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNsHdV0y2M
"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."935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dASPry1IM
“Sounds like a plan,” I say, stretching. “Ugh, I have a crick in my neck.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9RcjmbrDL
“Want me to massage it out for you?” Klef asks.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdrDMmyXAG
“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.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIG4Nj1c0GJ
“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.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjqWPZoJcb
I nod. “Okay. Sounds like you guys have this all figured out. Sorry I missed out on the discussion.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFUGoLAV2e
“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.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhck946sE8f
I smile slightly. “You’re a little bit scary good at that, you realize?”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuszps9Dspp
Ama grins. “Ssh. Don’t tell Bobbi I said anything, they’ll kill me.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1sVz3f2w9
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?”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXM1am8ywJ9
“Fair point,” Ama says, pointing at Klef. “I like the way you think, Mister Thief.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafnfKkpJZC
“Why thank you, Miss Wizard,” Klef says with a laugh in his voice.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFRDXtgAhR
“Careful not to get too cozy,” I tease. “If you do I might get jealous.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1m7NG25PpF
“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.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡec8Svsdm06
“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.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSoSRm76tfj
Klef laughs. “I love you, Ride. Platonically, romantically. I just love you.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVO2uzLrEc
“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!”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJdUdBIuRg
“Aw, c’mon, Ride! Live a little!” he protests, continuing to tickle me.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAaoS3gM2p
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!”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhK9Ps7N1N9
“Okay, okay! I’m stopping!” Klef surrenders, holding his hands up.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VISsbUWuf
“You’re ridiculous,” I tease, still laughing from the surprise attack.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OTXc6qCsD
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.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9zCXO85tu
“Don’t be,” Klef groans, rubbing his back. “I’m fine with getting bowled over by you any day.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqkOwIOR0Ia
“Flirt,” I laugh. “You’re such a flirt.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nFAzyi8sw
“Always, my dear,” Klef says with a wink.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6PixksXGO
There’s a groan from the other side of the carriage along with a gag. “Do you two mind?” Hibiscus groans.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfy1OPAKoQQ
“Seriously, we’ve been over this,” Ama adds. “It’s only cute for so long.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyxleqPPEa
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?”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNS4Yc30AYZ
“I do,” Flo interjects. “Ryhte and I would not shut up the first time we met.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNZ5l8VqpE
Rythe sighs. “Oh, those were the days. Back when you were fine with my relentless teasing you and flirting in general.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksZchrHuHH
Flo rolls her eyes. “I’m still fine with it if you don’t embarrass anyone, but lately you’ve been embarrassing everyone.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxkOrKV1tI
“What’s wrong with that?” they ask.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3JeI39li5
“Everything,” Flo says. “You need to respect people’s boundaries.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23QotPgSWo
Rythe shrugs. “I can’t tell people’s boundaries if they don’t tell me when enough is enough,” they reason.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7rycv4gRS
“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.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7tp2BHJcT
“Not a thing,” Rythe teases, bopping a finger on Flo’s snout.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWayeSMu71
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.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqfeOlWw1m
She looks up and chews her lip. “Oh, I’d say… 10 minutes? Maybe 5, if Bobbi can convince the horses to go faster.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVirsNr1KkM
There’s the sound of yelling outside the carriage and we pick up speed suddenly. Ama smiles. “5 minutes.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kpOYFtCaz
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.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzVI99ZFYz
Klef blinks once, snapping to attention. “I’m awake,” he says. “I’m awake.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi931oDessb
“Barely. How much sleep did you get last night?”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwuBvSgy3C
“Ugh. Not enough,” he groans. “I feel like death.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9LSoZdS0H
“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.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPjxUS8ygM
Lightning cracks a mile or so behind us, and everyone jumps. Ama groans. “Looks like we’ll be using my magic to teleport. Great.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbf66jhxaQA
Rythe groans in response. “Ugh, but teleporting makes me sick to my stomach.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGeSZDn1v9
Ama shrugs helplessly. “If it helps, I doubt I have enough in me to take us all directly to the base.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYn7H8OKZe
“Could you use some of my Sight as sort of a boost?” I ask.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQNIimxdF9
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?”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybB3z3sJDx
Ama nods slowly. “I might know how to do it… it might be painful on your end, though.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYNJACTDU3
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.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJF0hVKsOz
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.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrSrI6bk9i
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.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCTZH9DgqV
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.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7le40z8hZ
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.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKqCzadMdH
I shrug. “Eh, nobody’s trying to kill us yet, let’s see where this cave takes us.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPMU63Zd0Z
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.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9TNFLRili
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.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe55rd6QN4p
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.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6GdaBZbZc
Klef looks down at me innocently. “I know, Ride.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9huT0SGkt
I narrow my eyes. “I know what you’re doing. Stop patronizing me.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkeqzxowQc
“Me? Patronize you? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Klef laughs, continuing to move forward and upward.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv36MgKLoh7
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!”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgovqbQbLGI
“But you wanted to be my protector so bad, and I didn’t want to hurt your feelings!” I tease.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIViITKt0Rx
“What?” Flo asks from behind me.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13CQVLvVYo
“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.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLydO2KRj6
“It’s not that they did that, it’s that they said those songs were the real ones!” Klef calls down.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbe444A6ujE
“Hey! Is that my favorite thief I hear?” Ank calls. “You’re not still mad at us, are you, Klef?”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXkcTCq2XD
I giggle as Klef pulls a face and glares at me. “This is your fault,” he mutters half-heartedly at me.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzePGK2oenG
“Why, I have no idea what you’re talking about, Treble,” I tease.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQMA7AzBOi
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?”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JB08Swg8k
“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.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5XOAB6nTv
“Ugly?!” Ank asks indignantly.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVbf92bUIw
Klef grins. “Like I said, hard feelings.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyR5SL32dXr
I walk up behind him with a smile. “Long time no see, Ank.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfleUqV3bhM
“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?”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGna5f0jaD
“Shut up!” I laugh. “Just Miss, thank you very much.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYj3xqRs1F
Ank clucks his tongue. “Shame. I was hoping you had found a man who would treat you right since we met last.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0VvEKbJri
“I never said I was still looking, I just said I wasn’t married,” I point out to him.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DzwZ5N5jZ
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?”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgOXu8IyqT
“Depends on your definition of settling,” I say vaguely. “Half you crew wouldn’t seem to think so.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7exA09Juib
Cheers erupt around the room. I hold up a hand. “And Geo treats me right.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdWnE78hW2
The other half starts cheering, and Ank shakes his head at me. “You, my dear, are devious to the extreme.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTK2Wrnw3h
“Thank you,” I say with a curtsey. “I’m glad you think so highly of me.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpv5l8groR
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.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tUzmJjat1
I sigh. “Yeah, sure, fine. Tell ‘em.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36JKl1SXNz
“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!”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJk52SLMnBH
I nudge him as soon as the room erupts again. “Did you have to phrase it like that?”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡty8F8IkHui
“Did you have to say Geo?” Klef retorts.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2YBpaxVK8
I roll my eyes. “You. Are. Ridiculous.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJbPx6q4LD
“Thank. You,” Klef says, turning and leaning towards me with a smirk.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5LeZsJnQW
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?”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicVnq5sM0A
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.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAUCKznuxb
I nod. “You’ve got it, ma’am.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05TplpvyQO
She nods and leaves, and I take a shallow sip, coughing slightly. “Strong,” I rasp. “But it’s not bad.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDmeHp7jWg
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.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDtF4Do00Z
I nod and laugh a little. “Thank you for the offer, I’ll keep it in mind.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBoFLH4PBfm
Klef’s lips twitch a bit as he sits next to me. “Can I have a sip?” he asks.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAXbV7UCtX
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.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaq5UZYQP5Z
“That’s something alcohol will do, yeah,” I say, taking another sip.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIKYh1mXPg
Klef glares at me and sulks on the counter, waving to the bartender. “Could I have a root beer, please?” he asks.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2EWEqw1Zh
I grin. “Aw, how cute. You’re still asking for soda as a grown adult.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3Dm6JAeGt
Klef sticks his tongue out at me. “Root beer is good, no matter your age.”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHexleVK8YN
I shake my head and take another sip of my rum. “Agree to disagree,” I mutter.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3YHvZNpE2
Ama walks over and sits next to us at the bar. “You two know what we’re doing next?” she asks.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8d321RqDp7
“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?”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61j2tlW1Bq
Ama nods. “Maybe you have thought this through more than I originally assumed you did,” she admits.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUcuTgjHWT
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?”935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6qRrAogoF
Ama smiles.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0Z5seLpsK
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