XXIV

The wagon trounced and squeaked along the bumpy terrain as Yoreno huddled into the corner, the only spot in the wagon where he could keep himself from falling over from time to time.

Sorika glanced at him, her hair plastered to her face and her lips purple. Yoreno shivered from his own frigid state.

The rains were freezing, and he thought he might lose body heat until he died. But surely these barbarians wouldn’t let that happen?

They had taken the Emblazoned Party captive when they could have had each member executed up on the plateau near the mouth of the dungeon Kilik.

“We—we will get through this,” Sorika muttered, her teeth clattering.

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Yoreno nodded.

His pains had subsided mostly, and now he just wanted to get warm. He moved, sat next to Sorika and put his arm around her. She did the same.

They needed to share body heat.

Surrounding the wagon, the warriors now wore oiled clocks as they marched or rode alongside the wagon. Off down the line, two more wagons wheeled along, pulled by those powerful beasts.

But Yoreno couldn’t make out any of the other’s faces. He could see them in the wagons occasionally as the line turned along the road, the marching warrior’s heads no longer obscuring his view.

“Once they put us in the cells,” he said, shivering out the words. “We need—we need to start—agh!—looking for—a way to escape.”

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“I’m—I’m fine.”

She nodded. “G—good.” She paused, then began again. “Do you thin—think Dell is—“

“He’s fine,” Yoreno said. “He’s a strong kn—knight. Armor.”

“If—If we can’t escape,” she said. “Dantera… we won’t…”

“I know,” Yoreno said.

They would get out of this predicament. No matter what. Then they could go on and find Dantera.

Wherever she was.