“What do you think, Erron? Would you like to hear about Jahrra’s and Dervit’s adventures?”
The boy, who had been nestled in close to his mother, nodded vigorously. Jahrra had been too distracted by Dervit’s unease earlier that she hadn’t noticed Erron’s. He looked just as frightened and nervous about being stuck in a cavern as the limbit did, and probably missed his father more than anything. Ellyesce’s suggestion was a good one. It was just too bad he’d made it when he did. She was certain Dervit was about to tell her something. Oh well. Perhaps he’d remember to do so later.
Dervit gave Ellyesce a nervous smile, but said, “Alright.”
For the rest of that day, Jahrra and Dervit traveled side by side, trading recollections of their journey so far and doing a splendid job of distracting Erron. He leaned forward in front of his mother, stretched out on their horse’s neck like a cat as they plodded along. Jahrra swiftly got lost in her own story and soon forgot about that gnawing fear regarding Jaax and the others. She told Erron and Whinsey stories about her childhood in Oescienne and about all her adventures with Gieaun and Scede. She painted them a vivid picture of Hroombra and everything he had taught her. She even regaled them with the escapade into the Wreing Florenn when she’d hunted down the dreaded witch, and the time she’d knocked a scale free of Jaax’s finger.
“Truly?” Erron asked with wide eyes. He had seen Jaax in Cahrdyarein, but he had been quite frightened of the large dragon.
“I did,” Jahrra said with a smile, “and he had it put on a pendant for me.”
She pulled out the chain she kept tucked beneath her shirt and showed it to him. The granite-like scale caught the flickering torchlight and sparkled slightly, reflecting back green, gold, copper and blue.
“Wow,” Erron murmured, entirely taken by the scale.
“That is quite a prize, indeed. And, a rare gift,” Whinsey commented.
Jahrra glanced up to find the woman smiling at her. There was an odd look in her dark eyes, but Jahrra couldn’t place it.
“It’s a constant reminder that I once outmaneuvered a dragon,” she added, before tucking the scale safely back beneath her tunic.
And so, they traveled this way for the remainder of the day, with Dervit telling his stories next. Later that afternoon, Ellyesce called an early halt, claiming they were nearing the exit point closest to Nimbronia.
“I’d rather we approach the city in broad daylight and not under the shadows of night. The dragon king of the Creecemind has many spies and has most likely heard news of Cahrdyarein’s plight.” The elf’s eyes darkened. “The city’s sentries will not view travelers in the night as benevolent.”
Jahrra was just as grateful. The long days of travel had taken their toll, and whatever spell Ellyesce had cast to help her injured leg was starting to wear off, despite her relative pain-free start to the day. When she dismounted Phrym a few minutes later, she couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath of pain. Immediately, Dervit was by her side.
“It’s your leg, isn’t it?” he asked, his tone heavy with remorse.
Jahrra clenched her teeth but shook her head. “Not your fault,” she reminded him. “And it only really started bothering me a few hours ago.”
“Here,” Ellyesce called from across the cavern, “you’ll have to use this for the rest of our journey.”
He pulled a length of secured cloth from his saddlebags and began to unfurl it, revealing a crooked stick. Ellyesce tossed it to Jahrra and, leaning most of her weight against Phrym to take it off her leg, she caught the makeshift crutch with both hands.
“There is a fissure in the cavern a quarter of a mile up. I’m going to see if I can get an idea of what is happening on the surface, and maybe even scrounge up some firewood and something to eat. Whinsey, you are in charge while I’m gone.”
Pendric’s wife nodded, the dark curls of her hair bouncing a little. Even after several days spent in this gloomy, dank tunnel, she had manage to stay mostly grime-free.
“Dervit, Erron, see if you can get a spot cleared out for us to sleep tonight. And build a fire pit as well. When you’re done with that, tend to the horses.”
Dervit and Erron both nodded, getting to work right away.
Ellyesce turned to leave but Jahrra called after him.
“And am I to sit here and do nothing?”
There was a bite to her tone, and Ellyesce couldn’t help but smile a little. He nodded his head, and when Jahrra took a breath to argue, he held up a hand.
“You have already put too much pressure on that leg. You must rest it. The physicians in Nimbronia are some of the best in Ethoes, but they aren’t miracle workers. If you damage it too much, you will end up crippled.”
The prospect of never walking, running, sword-fighting, or even riding again convinced Jahrra to shut her mouth and lower herself onto a nearby shelf of rock.
Ellyesce smiled. Well, that had been easy. He turned and pulled his cloak from one of the saddle bags, then retrieved his bow and quiver.
“I shouldn’t be more than two hours,” he promised. He took a step forward, then paused and turned back to face his traveling companions.
“Should I not return by tomorrow morning, keep following this cavern for another handful of hours. When it begins to curve sharply to the right, you need to continue on straight through the smaller tunnel. That cave leads to the exit. From there, you must take the trail up the mountain. This will bring you to the southern gates of Nimbronia. Tell them who you are and show them this.”
Ellyesce reached into the front of his shirt and drew out something on a long, thin silver chain. He lifted it over his head and threw it to Jahrra. She caught it and glanced down at the metal pendant dangling on the end. It was difficult to see in the dim light provided by the torch Whinsey held, but she thought she caught the familiar outline of a flower.
“Put that somewhere safe,” Ellyesce insisted.
Jahrra nodded and looped it over her head, tucking the pendant away with her dragon scale.
“I’ll just keep an eye on it for you,” she said, not letting herself think anything could happen to Ellyesce.
It had taken her a long time to finally trust him, but now he was as dear to her as her old friends back in Oescienne and Lidien. She regretted momentarily losing confidence in him when she had dreamt of that memory, but like so many other things, it was in the past.
After Ellyesce left, Jahrra was forced to sit back and watch the others work while she rested. Although she understood she would help no one if she tried to aid them while injured, sitting still made her restless. Fortunately, Phrym kept her company by nipping at her jacket and nudging her with his nose, looking for treats.
“Enough, Phrym,” she said lightly, rubbing her hand down his forehead. “There can be no treats until we reach Nimbronia, and there might not be any there, either.”
In time, Whinsey, Erron and Dervit managed to clear out a nice camping spot for them, complete with a sizeable fire pit constructed of stones the limbit and small boy had scavenged from the cavern. Deciding she had been sitting for long enough, Jahrra took up her crutch and limped over to another rocky ledge closer to the campsite.
“These caverns go on forever,” Erron said in a rare spate of loquaciousness.
“Caverns can do that,” she said, smiling at the boy. “But, we don’t have to worry about getting lost in them. Ellyesce has kept us on the shallowest layer. You can tell by the occasional cracks in the outer walls.”