“I see your taste in travel companions has improved,” said Lee, smiling widely.
“How did you find me?” Gewey asked.
“Luck, combined with a bit of skill,” Lee answered, laughing and slapping Gewey on the back. He turned to Dina. “So you’re the one who helped my young friend. Celandine, right?”
“Please, call me Dina,” she said. “And you’re Lee Starfinder.
Where are your companions?”
“I see you and your husband decided to join us,” said Minnie as she passed by with a tray of wine. “And found a friend I see!” She disappeared into the crowd.
“Husband?” Lee exclaimed, bursting into laughter. “You’ve been busy.”
“It’s not funny,” Gewey objected. “Anyway, where’s Kaylia and Millet?”
“Kaylia’s in her room,” Lee replied. “And Millet should be here tomorrow. But I don’t think we should talk here.”
Lee led them to the room where Kaylia was staying. She smiled brightly when Gewey entered, but that smile vanished when Dina followed behind. She regarded the other woman with open suspicion.
“I see we have yet another traveler,” Kaylia noted. “I take it she’s the one we saw at Salmitaya’s camp?”
“You saw us escape?” Gewey asked, surprised.
“I think we need to slow down,” said Lee. He proceeded to tell Gewey and Dina the events of the past few days.
“I would have given anything to hear Sister Maybell cast out that witch,” Dina said once Lee had finished. “She was right not to return to Kaltinor, though. Salmitaya would have killed her.”
“Since we arrived, we’ve just been waiting,” Lee continued.
“Kaylia hasn’t enjoyed it too much. I don’t think she’s ever stayed at an inn-too many humans for her taste.”
Kaylia looked at Dina. “You don’t seem surprised to discover I’m an elf,” she said coolly. “I assume Gewey told you. It makes me wonder what else he’s told you.”
“There have been many surprises in the last few days,” Dina replied. “One more doesn’t shock me.”
“I told her nothing,” Gewey asserted. “Give me a little credit.”
“From the look of things, you have a story to tell as well,” Lee said.
“Yes,” Kaylia agreed, still eying Dina warily. “So it seems, and I would love hear it.”
Dina told her story all the way up until the rescue of Gewey, at which point Gewey took over. Lee and Kaylia listened intently to every detail. When Gewey got to the part about Felsafell, Lee and
Kaylia both sat up straight, paying close attention. Gewey left out the details of what the old man had said, preferring to save that for a more private conversation with Lee. When he was finished, Lee got up, laughing.
“My boy,” he said. “You have had some adventure. Worthy of one of my tales.”
Kaylia wasn’t amused. Her eyes turned back to Dina. “I take it you intend to accompany us?”
“I intend to do what I set out to do,” Dina responded. “Nothing has changed. I will deliver Gewey to the temple as I was instructed.”
Abruptly, Lee’s tone became serious. “You may go where you wish,” he said. “But I have no intention to deliver Gewey into the hands of anyone unless I have good reason to do so. And so far, you’ve been rather vague as to who sent you.”
Dina lowered her head and took a deep breath. “I was sent by the High Lady of Valshara. I am a novice in the Order of Amon Dahl.”
Lee eyes widened. “That’s quite a claim. Do you intend to back it up?”
Dina reached in her shirt and pulled out a thin silver chain with a small white medallion hanging on its end. Engraved on the medallion was a man in a hooded robe holding a dagger in one hand and a ring of laurels in the other.
“That could be a fake,” Lee said.
“The image could be faked,” Dina acknowledged, “but not the metal.”
Lee reached out and took the medallion in his hand. It was hot to the touch and burned his fingers, causing him to quickly withdraw in pain.
Dina smiled and held the medallion firmly in her hand. “Each of us is bonded to the Order by this symbol. No one can touch it who has not received the blessing of Amon Dahl.”
Lee stared in wonder. “I thought your order was destroyed.”
“We haven’t been around for two thousand years because we’re fools,” Dina boasted. “The Beast of Angraal tried to destroy us and many died, but we were able to escape with the Order intact.”
“How many are left?” Lee asked.
“Not many,” she answered sadly. “But we have never been dependant on numbers. When we get to Althetas, I’ll contact the
Order and they’ll take us to the temple. Once we get there, Gewey should be safe.”
“Althetas is four weeks on horseback,” said Kaylia. “Twice that as we travel now. We should leave now and send Millet and Maybell somewhere safe.”
“I’m not abandoning them,” Lee shouted, his temper flaring.
“They’re known to our enemies, and I’ll not leave their safety to chance.”
Dina looked displeased. “You don’t understand,” she said. “Gewey must go with me, and me alone. I cannot bring anyone else.”
“My friends go with me or I don’t go at all,” Gewey stated with resolve. “That means all of them, and I don’t care if it takes us a year to get there.”
“Very well,” Dina said after a long moment. “You don’t leave me with much choice.”
“It’s settled, then,” Gewey declared. “We leave as soon as Millet and Maybell arrive.” He touched Lee on the shoulder and whispered, “I need to speak to you in private.”
Lee nodded his head in agreement. “The boy and I must talk alone,” he said to the others. “Dina, I think your ‘husband’ may feel more comfortable staying in my room tonight.”
Kaylia raised an eyebrow at Gewey with a slight smile on her face.
“You told people you are married?”
“It was Dina’s idea,” Gewey muttered, feeling every bit as uncomfortable as he sounded.
Dina wore an amused grin. “It seemed like the thing to do at the time.”
“Well then,” Kaylia said. “We wouldn’t want people wondering why a husband and wife who came together didn’t stay together.”
“Good point,” Lee added, barely able to contain his amusement.
“I’m sorry, Gewey. The life of a married man can be tough.”
“This is not funny,” Gewey growled.
“It’s not meant to be,” Lee replied. “Kaylia’s right, though. If you said you’re married, you have to keep up the ruse, at least until we’ve left here. Don’t worry, I have an extra blanket in my pack-assuming you’ll be sleeping on the floor, that is.”
Dina sauntered over to Gewey and slipped her arm around him.
“Yes, he will,” she teased.
Gewey turned bright red and pulled away from Dina. “That’s enough,” he protested, trying not to stutter. “Lee, I need to speak to you now.” He grabbed Lee’s arm and pulled him from the room.
Lee took Gewey to his room and locked the door.
“That was not funny,” Gewey hissed.
“It’s just one night,” Lee chuckled. “You’ve survived being kidnapped by agents of the Dark Knight; I’m sure you can survive one night alone in a room with a beautiful woman.”
“You mean to make me go through with this?” Gewey asked, incredulously.
“Amusing or not, Kaylia makes a good point. We don’t want to raise unwanted questions. Better for you to leave with people thinking that a young couple was just passing through. But that’s not what you wanted to talk to me about, is it?”
“No, it isn’t,” Gewey said. He proceeded to tell Lee about the details of their encounter with Felsafell and what the old man told him on the porch.
“He is a strange one,” Lee remarked.
“You’ve met him?”
“Many years ago,” Lee answered. “I had heard of a crazy old hermit who lived in the Spirit Hills. It was said that he could speak to the spirits and that they told him the future, so I sought him out.
I must have wandered those hills for five days before I found him.
Well, to be honest, he actually found me.”