She indicated one small fissure some twenty feet above their heads where weak sunlight spilled in. The pockmarks and splits in the cavern walls had come and gone along their journey, but here, near the end, they were picking up in number, making Jahrra feel as if they walked amid a tube of lace contrived entirely of earth.
Erron came to sit down across from Jahrra, crossing his legs and gazing up at her with curious eyes. She didn’t know the boy too well, only that he was Pendric’s son and had tended to keep a low profile during training sessions in Cahrdyarein.
“Did you really fight with Lord Jaax?” he asked.
Jahrra grinned and gave him a sideways glance. “I did,” she admitted. “When I was a little older than you. Before Jaax became my guardian, I had another dragon warden, Hroombramantu. Jaax would come see us from time to time and on this particular visit, he insisted on taking me out into a great field to test my fighting skills. He got the better of me two times in a row, but on the third attack, I got ahead of his guard.”
Erron nodded, then gazed at the empty fire pit. Something was bothering him, Jahrra could tell, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
“He’s a very large dragon,” the boy continued in a small voice. “He could defeat anyone if he wanted to. He could frighten away the red soldiers.”
And then, it hit her. Erron was worried about his father. Her heart clenched, and she desperately wanted to sit beside him so she could comfort him, but her leg wouldn’t allow her to. Instead, she drew in a deep breath and said, “Erron, look at me.”
He obeyed her, his eyes large and full of emotion. He was pale as well, Jahrra noticed, and he was trying so hard to be brave. Hoping she wasn’t making a mistake, she took a breath and said in a strong voice, “Before we left Cahrdyarein, I made Jaax promise he’d bring your father with him when he made his escape. Jaax and I have not always gotten along, but he has always kept his promises, do you understand me?”
With a quivering lip, Erron bobbed his head. He wouldn’t look at Jahrra after that, but it wasn’t something she could help.
“It will be okay, Erron. I bet Jaax and your father are waiting for us in Nimbronia, and we’ll see them tomorrow.”
The boy nodded somberly, and Jahrra sent a silent prayer to Ethoes that she hadn’t just given him, or herself for that matter, false hope.
Ellyesce arrived back from his excursion an hour and a half after leaving his travel companions. His bow was unstrung and draped across his shoulders, a brace of what looked like squirrels hanging from each end.
“I didn’t sense any trouble for at least fifteen miles out,” the elf said, sounding cheerful.
He removed the bow from his back and sliced the ropes holding the animals so they fell in a heap in front of the empty fire pit.
“And, there were plenty of these little critters running around that it was easy enough to hunt them.”
“What is the weather like?” Whinsey asked, coming over with Erron to hear Ellyesce’s news.
She had taken herself and her son off to a secluded corner to try and clean up a little. Now that Ellyesce was back, Jahrra assumed she was eager to do her part to help the group once again.
Ellyesce cast his emerald gaze in her direction and said, “Fresh snow all about, a foot or more deep, but the sky is bright and clear blue. The final leg of our journey should be rather pleasant tomorrow.”
He turned to Jahrra and pulled out a small knife, offering it to her, hilt first. “Would you like to help me skin the animals?”
“I would be happy to do anything useful,” she complied, accepting the knife. “Oh, and here is your pendant back.”
She found the chain and lifted it from her head, offering it to the elf. “What is this symbol, by the way?”
She still couldn’t see it. The torches had burned down, and the little bit of light spilling in through the ceiling of the cavern didn’t help much.
Ellyesce waited until the chain was around his neck, and the pendant secure beneath his many layers of clothing, before he answered her. “An ancient version of the bloodrose. King Dhuruhn’s sentries would have recognized it as a symbol of the old ways, before Cierryon warped it. They would have let you pass, unharmed, and taken you to speak to the king.”
Jahrra pressed her lips flat and nodded once before starting the messy, but welcome, chore of cleaning Ellyesce’s catch. While she and the elf worked, Whinsey, Erron and Dervit took some of the firewood he’d also brought in and constructed a fire. In no time, the carcasses were roasting over open flame, and Jahrra and Ellyesce were cleaning the mess from their hands.
“So, we’ll be in Nimbronia tomorrow?” Whinsey asked casually, pulling out some patches of fabric she’d been sewing together to pass the empty hours of their journey.
“Yes. I suspect if we leave before daybreak, we’ll reach the city gates by midday.”
She dipped her head solemnly, and Jahrra got the impression she, too, was thinking about Pendric.
Later that evening, Ellyesce pulled out his Astral cards and tempted Jahrra and Dervit into playing a few rounds. Jahrra was eager for the distraction, for the conversation with Erron earlier that day had been lingering in the back of her mind. The boy’s all too real worry over his father’s safety had reminded her that even dragons weren’t invincible.
After a while, Ellyesce left her and Dervit to get some rest so he might be alert during his watch later that evening. Dervit played with Jahrra an hour more, but soon the weariness of sleep called them to their bedrolls. Before drifting off to sleep that night, Jahrra sent one more prayer up to Ethoes, asking the goddess to give Jaax strength and speed so he and Pendric would be waiting for them tomorrow in Nimbronia.
Jahrra woke with a start, her heart hammering against her ribs. A jabbing pain pierced her head and her injured leg ached terribly. Groaning, she rubbed her hands over her face.
“Jahrra?”
Jahrra cracked open an eye and glanced up. Ellyesce leaned over her, his pale green eyes tight with worry.
“Are you well?” the elf asked.
Jahrra sighed and rested her forearm over her eyes. “As well as I can be, I suppose,” she answered without sarcasm.
“We will be moving out in half an hour. Does that give you enough time to get ready?”
Grumbling in discomfort, Jahrra managed to push herself up onto her elbows. She didn’t feel any worse than she had each morning during this trip, but perhaps the knowledge that they’d be leaving the safety of the caves had her nerves wound tighter than usual.
Pushing aside her pointless agitation, she began to rise out of her bedroll, all the while being careful of her leg.
“Yes, I can be ready,” she finally said, answering the elf’s question.
Ellyesce nodded firmly, then moved away to wake their companions.
Jahrra worked as quickly as she could, rolling up her bedroll and packing away her belongings. Phrym was eager to see her when she made her way over to him. The other horses looked sleepy, but curious to see if Jahrra had anything good to offer them. Since she was ready to go early and Whinsey was busy taking care of both herself and Erron, Jahrra took it upon herself to feed and saddle the horses, as tedious as the chore was with her awkward limp. Dervit joined her shortly after that and offered to finish the job for her. The animals were already saddled, so Jahrra handed over the bag of oats without complaint.
As soon as everyone was ready, they started out once again. For the early part of their journey, Jahrra rode beside Ellyesce on his semequin.