Theis shook his head and crossed his arms beneath the folds of his heavy cloak. “Boy's not gonna like it.”
“We've no other choice in the matter.” Aurnia wiped a hand across the surface of the dining table. “I don't care whether he likes it or not.”
“Whether or not I like what?” Nevin forced himself to take a deep breath as he and Aidux descended the staircase. Dawn was still a memory on the horizon and already they were making decisions without him. Donald was nowhere to be seen. At least their generous host had seen fit to make himself scarce while Theis and Aurnia rearranged his future.
Despite its relative bulk, the Sharasil rested comfortably atop his right shoulder. If pressed by his two companions as to why he hadn't left the mysterious blade upstairs, he probably couldn't give them a satisfying answer. It just felt...odd, to leave it behind.
“Nevin,” Aurnia said with a manufactured brightness, parting her lips in a shallow smile. A single plate of rye bread and creamy white cheese awaited him at the table. Aidux licked his lips and trotted over to a bowl of raw, red meat one of them had left for him to find.
“Have a seat. We've much to speak on.” She gestured to the chair across from her. With her other hand, she fiddled with a small yellow gemstone, spinning the cube-cut stone in a slow circle on the tabletop with the tip of her index finger. Despite its size, Nevin could plainly see the darkened crack running straight through its core. The stone was pretty, but with such an obvious defect, he couldn't imagine it would be worth much.
He locked eyes with the woman in yellow and took his seat, sliding the blade across the empty tabletop beside his breakfast plate. Aidux ignored them all, sinking onto his haunches and laying into the bowl of meat with abandon. “Sounds like you two have already been talking.”
Theis chuckled at that, an odd sound from the normally stoic warrior. Aurnia shot him a dirty look. “The city wide curfew was initiated the night before the three of you arrived. Given the distance from Comelbough to Elbin, it would be safe to assume this Vincht returned just in time to convince the baron to activate the Breathers in an effort to catch the sword once it crossed within the town borders.
“That you managed to find your way here without crossing paths with one of those monsters is nearly inconceivable. You must have caught Fate in a generous mood. ”
“Then let's just kill Vincht,” said Theis, twirling a hand like he was suggesting a leisurely hike. “Solves more problem than one.”
Aurnia shook her head. “The city's on alert, and there's no way a man with your features would go unnoticed in broad daylight. You're a walking legend, Theis Bane. You wouldn't make it twenty minutes before the guard caught wind of your presence. You can't fight the entire city.”
The man in black snorted, half-drawing his sicklesque blade from its scabbard before dramatically slamming it home. “Think you're grossly overestimating the capabilities of these country rough necks.”
“Maybe, maybe not. Still, I'm not entirely convinced Vincht's death would end the threat. He strikes me as an agent of a much larger agenda. I doubt the baron would go to such lengths to assist him without either having a mutual interest in the outcome, or being strong armed by some external power. In both cases, killing Vincht would have little to no effect.”
“So...what do we do?” asked Nevin before tearing off a hunk of bread with his teeth.
Aurnia folded her hands in her lap. “The fact is, Comelbough doesn't possess the resources necessary to unlock the secrets of the blade, and I'd rather not earn the enmity of an entire province on my way out the door.”
Nevin shifted the hunk of rye bread into his cheek so he could talk. “Wait, you're leaving? When?”
“The sooner the better. With any luck, I'll find a boat heading in the direction of Calibri Grotto or Montes au Buel or even Vadderstrix, and this horrible city will be little more than a stain on the horizon by noon.”
Calibri Grotto? Vadderstrix? “But that's...”
Nevin leaned back in his chair. All three of those destinations were on the far side of the Sea of Calor, days and days of travel by boat. And since the sword wouldn't follow her without his help, that meant...
“You want to take me with you.”
She nodded. “It's not ideal, but Vincht's actions have left us with little in the way of options. We can't stay here, not with Breathers walking the streets. It would only be a matter of time before one got a good enough taste of me or the sword. And I can't properly examine it here. I need books, tools, and...unfettered access to my full repertoire of spells. Even the weakest ritual I know would draw the attention of every Breather within a mile's radius.
“I've no contacts in this province save Donald, and I've already strained him more than I have any right to. My plan is the set out for Fen Quarry. I have friends there, a family of commoners who made a fortune mining precious ore from the mountains west of Vadderstrix during the reformation period in the years after the Hallowed Schism. They're basically the defacto leaders of the town that popped up around the mines.”
“So what?” Nevin raised his hands, frowning. “How is a family of miners supposed to help me?”
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“One of those miners has spent most of his adult life studying magic and its effects on our world. He has access to literature and equipment and spaces designed specifically for containing and directing the type of spells I would need to use in order to analyze the sword. And, if it turns out the best option would be to just lock the blade away to keep it from falling into the wrong hands, he has the resources necessary to see that through.”
Fen Quarry. Nevin racked his brain, trying to remember if the name had ever come up in any of his studies. A mining town west of Vadderstrix? There was a lot west of Vadderstrix, mining towns especially. Something about Ledodis mushrooms, maybe.
If everything he'd learned since arriving in Comelbough was true, he couldn't find the fault in her logic. The Sharasil was clearly a magical object, which meant no amount of non-magical inquiry would yield the answers needed to free himself from the bond. And if these 'Breathers' could really sniff out magic, and were as dangerous as everyone made them out to be, it would only be a matter of time before they discovered their hiding place.
He chewed the skin of his lip. Theis and Aurnia. How much could he really trust them? Despite laying down a good story about ancient wars and mysterious letters, Aurnia had done little to answer the question of why she was really doing this. Vagueness and conspiracy wrapped up in a history lesson, with a dash of misdirection for good measure.
And Theis...Theis had hidden the sword with Ishen for a reason. Why then, after over a decade, would he retrieve it at the request of some woman he'd never met? And now that he'd done as he was asked, why still did he hang around?
While Nevin didn't think they were openly lying to him, he suspected they weren't being completely honest, either. At least he knew one thing for certain; as long as he and the blade were bound to one another, his two companions would keep him safe. For the time being, that would just have to be enough.
He shot Theis a knowing look. “Then I guess it's time to get smart or die stupid.”
The man in black shrugged. “Got somewhere more important to be?”
No. I guess I don't.
Nevin reached out and scratched Aidux between his tufted ears. The cat arched gratefully into his hand and purred. “Let me be clear on one thing. I'm not going anywhere without Aidux, so whatever plan you have in mind, it had better include him as well.”
Aurnia plucked the small yellow gem from the tabletop and deposited it within one of the myriad folds of her dress. “I hadn't even considered the alternative. Donald is loaning us a wagon. We'll have to keep the cat hidden until we make it onto whatever ship will have us, but I don't foresee any problems with him tagging along. Greater Delphine is a much more understanding place than the Lancowl Barony. His presence will be viewed more as a curiosity than a threat.”
She stood. “As long as he doesn't stray too far from your side, that is.”
Nevin followed suit, leaving most of his breakfast untouched. “Wait, we're not leaving now? What about Donald? I need to thank him for all his help.”
“The sooner the better. By the time we arrive, the harbor will be filled with merchant and shipping vessels. Many will be making the final preparations for a long voyage. They won't dawdle. It's perfect sailing weather and the seas are calm. They'll be eager to make water, and I don't want to miss an opportunity to join them.
“And don't worry about Donald. In his mind, he got far more from our visit that we did from him. He was glad to help.”
Nevin nodded reluctantly. He wished he could give the big man a warm hug before they all set out, but he understood that time was of the essence. He'd need to grab his pack, but beyond that, he was ready to leave at a moment's notice. “Do you think they'll be okay letting two people and a cat-”
“Three and a cat.” Theis stepped out from his place on the wall. “I'm coming, too.”
Aurnia's yellow dress billowed outward as she spun around, a furious scowl distorting her normally expressionless face. “You are not. We have enough against us without the company of a wanted man attracting even more of the wrong kind of attention.”
The man in black shouldered past her to stand by the door. “And what makes you think you can stop me?”
She followed right on his heels, standing on her toes to shove an accusing finger into the warrior's chest. “You're not a stupid man, Theis Bane, but you're fooling yourself if you think you can tag along without bringing the entire might of the Lancowl constabulary down on our heads before we even reach the port.
“Frankly, I was surprised at your return this morning. You've done as I've asked and brought me the sword. You have no further obligation to remain. Why not just go back to wherever you've been hiding? The world forgot you once. It can do so again.”
Theis slapped her hand aside. “You won't last the day without my help. Barely survived the night. Had I not been here when the Breather-”
“Yes, and had you retrieved the blade before some random child stumbled upon it, I would have made it out of this horrible city long before Vincht and the Baron could have rallied their forces. I wouldn't have needed to make special accommodations for a boy and his cat. I would have no one to worry about beyond myself.
“You're a walking complication, and one that's outlived its usefulness. Don't make this harder for us than necessary.”
The man in black turned to Nevin, his eyes vibrating angrily. “Well? You want me gone, too, boy?”
Nevin grit his teeth. “I told you already. Stop calling me 'boy'.”
A reaction, spoken in haste and without thought. As soon as the words left his lips, he regretted not saying something different.
With an incredulous snort, Theis shook his head. "That's about to be the least of your problems."
He ripped open the door and strode out into the morning. The slamming door made Aurnia flinch. She took a step back and placed a thin hand to her chest. Aidux crowded up against Nevin's leg.
“He didn't even say goodbye.” The cat mrowed plaintively, his ears wilting like flowers in a drought.
“That man,” Aurnia began, shaking her head. She smoothed the ruffles of her dress to compose herself. “The very definition of a loner. You were likely gone from his mind before the door closed behind him. So put him from your head and gather your things, Nevin. We leave in five minutes.”
And just like that, Nevin knew he'd traded one chaperon for another. Swallowing back the rising lump in his throat, the young man begrudgingly ascended the stairs in search of his pack.
Goodbyes were beginning to seem a rare gift.