The sweet coppery smell of blood was so thick that Math could taste the metallic tang on his tongue. He and Brand lugged their burden down the narrow path. There was barely room for three abreast, so Arik stumbled down the middle while Khel and Brand did their best to fend off branches and kick through underbrush. They pushed on for a good mile before they stopped to catch their breath, though they didn’t set down the afflicted twin.

“What the hell was that?” Brand cursed.

“I don’t know,” Nyla replied. “Aleida said they had some foul sorcery. That must have been it.”

“It looked like a lake of living blood! It had to be the same thing that attacked Arik,” Brand said.

“You’re probably right,” Nyla agreed. “How is he?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what it did to him. He’s alive at least.”

“I don’t think we’re being pursued,” Khel said from behind them.

“Even so, I don’t think we should stop yet,” Nyla advised.

“I agree,” said Khel. “Let’s keep moving for a bit. We need to put some distance in. Here, let me take an arm for a while.” He moved to relieve Math of the injured man, ducking his own head under Arik’s brawny arm. Then they set off down the path again, intent on putting as much distance as they could between themselves and the overrun village.

It wasn’t as much as they’d hoped, unfortunately. Arik slowed them down. Math and Khel tried repeatedly to work Brand into their rotation so that he could rest, but he wouldn’t hear of it. Eventually they gave up and just relieved each other every mile or so. The ground around them was soft and open. Nobody wanted to camp any place that would be easy for the kobalds to dig up underneath them while they slept. They pushed on, hoping to find some rocky ground, but had no such luck. They managed to cover a few more miles, but the sun dropped low in the sky and they knew they’d have to use the remaining daylight to find a camp site.

They moved off the trail and found a suitable patch of semi-open ground that was sheltered by a couple large trees. Math and Brand lowered Arik gently to the ground. He was conscious enough to help himself down, though he groaned as he did. They propped him up against a tree and Brand threw his own cloak over his brother.

They hadn’t grabbed bedrolls or blankets, so they were in for a cold night. On the upside, the elders, instincts and custom intact, had grabbed small shoulder bags when the evacuation alarm had rung. They had a couple days’ worth of hardtack, dried fruit, and jerky, after splitting it up a little to share with Math, Khel, and Thea. But they would need to find some way to supplement, and soon. The trail hadn’t wandered too far from the river, so water was in reach, and Khel and Nyla were able to get there and back to camp and fill water skins for everyone before dark.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

They were all on edge to be sleeping on the open dirt. They set overlapping shifts so two people would be on watch at all times. Nobody wanted to risk a fire with the possibility of enemies nearby, so the rest huddled together in the open, exposed to the chill night air. They nibbled at their light supper as they talked softly.

“What’s the plan, then?” Brand started off bluntly.

“Well, looks like we have to find the key and bring it back,” Khel answered.

“And then what? You heard Aledia, she doesn’t know what to do with it,” Brand said.

“You have a better idea?” Khel replied. “We can’t really sit and do nothing and let the Beast burn the world, can we?”

“But we don’t even know if getting this key will stop that. Let her do it herself. She’s the one that wants it.” He looked at his brother, concern obvious on his face. Math knew that was the source of his resistance.

“You don’t have to come with us. In fact, none of you do,” Khel said, looking between Brand and Nyla.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Nyle chimed in.

“I don’t – “ Brand began.

“God damn, quit your whining,” another voice cut in. Arik was still leaning back, propped up on a couple of packs, but his eyes were slightly open as he watched the conversation. “You know you’re going. And so am I.”

“No way! You can barely walk!” Brand protested.

“So what are you going to do, leave me here on the side of the road? I’m going,” Arik replied. “I’ll be fine.” As if to demonstrate, he gingerly pushed himself to his feet. Brand jumped up to grab an arm, but Arik smacked his hand away. “Gotta piss. You gonna hold it for me?” Arik shuffled slowly to the trees, stumbling once but catching himself. Brand sat down rather than moving to help again.

The group was quiet for a minute. Math broke the silence first. “So where is this key?”

“It’s underneath Vulcan’s Furnace,” Nyla answered. Math looked at her blankly until she continued, “It’s a burning mountain in the Eastern Wall to the north of here. The Dragon is chained beneath, and that’s where the key will be.”

“Wait, it’s not the mountain that burned half of Berendale?” Thea asked. “I thought that’s where the Kobali came from, and the Beast was stirring up the fire beneath.”

“The Beast is stirring up the fire beneath the whole Wall. The Kobali may worship and serve the Dragon, but they live elsewhere as well.”

“How far away is it?”

“About a week’s walk,” Arik answered as he shuffled back to the fire.

“More than that, at the speed you’re walking,” Nyla frowned.

“I’ll walk just fine,” the red-haired giant replied as he sat down and pulled a blanket back over him. “I’m going to sleep.”

“You’ve been sleeping all day,” Brand teased, but his brother had already closed his eyes and did not answer.

“That’s a good idea,” Khel said. “I think it’s time to get some sleep. Nyla, start the first watch with me.”

Nyla nodded. The rest of them crawled under their blankets. Math found himself pressed up against Thea. The warmth of her body near his was pleasant, but it was more than warmth that filled him with the urge to pull her closer. In the back of his head the memory of his fallen brother drowned out the pull of the woman next to him. He drifted off to sleep and had restless, conflicted dreams.