There was nothing whatsoever unusual about Lorhinatom, as far as Denziu could see. They entered the theome with the dawnlight, and worked hard all across it with Choave's blessing singing in their muscles, with the whole caravan complaining jovially about their heavier laden wagons.

It was a boreal theome. There were coniferous trees. The road was excellent, as usual; it stayed relatively near the waterway and so they ran the journey listening to the flowing of the swift river Lorniven.

Oghai traded duties with Ekis, just for a change of pace; Ekis became the runner at the side of the caravan that day, while Oghai stayed with his hands on the tongue of Ekis' flying wagon to pull it alongside Denziu.

"Have you ever traded in necromantic lights from the deep-under?" Denziu took the occasion to say.

"What an oddly specific question!" Oghai answered.

"I'm thinking of setting up a trade route with Ekis!" said Denziu. "The theome under Inrakaveach is named Adenth. There's a tariff bringing goods up from it, but I expect it's worth paying. Have you ever been?"

"I have not. I hope you'll join us next year, if that's how you spend the months between the runs of Choave's caravan! I should like to hear the stories of the place," said Oghai. "Yet why necromantic lights?"

"Oh, they're a curiosity!" said Denziu. "They're like my painted pots, at least in my own head. Exotic, yet still real enough that I can imagine them selling."

"More a real thing than painted pots," said Oghai. "You know, you may want to break away from the caravan on the approach to Evonthe, if you still have any pots in your wagon when we get there. They call it the Museum Theome. That might be the right place to sell your named-and-dated samples of Denxalue history."

"If I could lob anything at you two for chatting, I would!" came a shout from behind them. From gold-scaled Chatulerin! Denziu startled, not expecting to be yelled at by Chatulerin the Calculator, who had chosen a different position in the lineup that day and ended up behind zir.

"Yeah! We haven't all flying wagons!" shouted Omrezen the Hunter, who was pulling next to Chatulerin, "Some of us are working hard today!"

Ekis rushed to the disturbance and was next to Denziu’s side in a moment. "Let 'em talk!" said Ekis, reaching towards Denziu's shoulder as she easily paced the caravan. Dropping back a row, Denziu heard her say in zir defence, "Denziu can't pull that weight, we should be glad our first-timer isn't slowing us down!"

Almost all the dragons in the caravan were pulling their weight that day, huffing and puffing as they pushed themselves to carry a heavy load quickly to avoid overnighting in Lorhinatom. The crates of metal cordsaws filling their wagons made rushing miserable.

"Why are we rushing today?" asked Denziu. "What's so bad about camping in Lorhinatom?"

"It's just strange," shouted Omrezen from the next wagon pair back. "The sun sets here and that's it. You don't see it again until you leave the theome, but it never quite finishes getting dark. That's a bad light. It's dark enough to make mistakes by and bright enough to think you won't! So we want to be out of here before the sun sets."

"We want to be in Rhianasril!" said Chatulerin. "It's got a good forest, lots of lumberjacks, and plenty of beekeepers. We'll have honeyed waffles tomorrow for breakfast, but we'll have to get there first!"

So they set about it with a will, and Lorhinatom proved a small theome swiftly crossed, so that by evening they were lodging at a wood-walled caravanserai in Rhianasril. There was the wreckage of a dome above it, caved in and missing its centre.

They did indeed have honeyed waffles, with bowls of honey-sweetened berry juice the next morning. Choave and Kishka brought in a local that they knew, and the sore dragons were woken the next morning by the smell of the waffles toasting in the caravanserai's kitchens. The waffle cakes were imprinted with a pattern of conifer trees so distinctive that Denziu wondered if the waffle irons were a local artisan good that they might try to carry away. They were delicious of course, slathered with honey just as promised, and the caravanners were abundantly fed that morning with sides of venison sausage and vegetable strata to dig into as well.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Payment for this meal came in kind, as a crate of cordsaws from the caravan were yielded up to the local who had cooked for them. The cordsaws were worth more than just the meal: a crate of beeswax and three jars of honey were also added to the caravan's reserves.

"We trade lumber from Rhianasril," said Choave over breakfast, speaking to Denziu, “And I know a chandler in Atney who’ll take the beeswax for a good price.”

Denziu asked hopefully, "Are we going to spend a day at market in Rhianasril?" The rest of the crew perked up as well.

Choave shrugged. "Aye, we will, but don’t expect to sell much.”

The delivery may have been downbeat, but hearing that they’d have a day off of traveling still struck a cheer from the sore dragons at the breakfast that morning.

Choave smiled, but didn’t comment. He said instead, “They’ll buy equipment from Inrakaveach, but Rhianasril is actually a bit poor without a land god guiding it.”

"Game meat and honey, it’s a great place for a break! Give the marketing a rest and don’t even bother," called Orachu the Unambitious. He was leaned in over the table, his head low and his tail flat on the ground.

"Even Orachu is hurting after the rush through Lorhinatom!" said Denziu, stunned.

Choave nodded. "Yes, we're all sore today, but we aren't going to fall apart.”

When they had all finished their waffles and drinking bowls, Choave said, “You can all disperse for the day. Go hunt in the woods, if you’re not too sore!”

Omrezen roared, leaping to her feet. “Finally, a good hunting spot!”

Mosdrao stood from the table with less vigour, but said, “I’ll join you!”

Lorvaza laughed and said, “These people won’t buy enchantments from me. With all my charms protecting me, I’d say I’m only a little sore. Mind a third?” She walked over towards Omrezen, who nodded and turned. The three dragons walked away together.

“Barbarians,” said Lorma, shaking her head. “We’re perfectly able to eat vegetables.”

Sharisen licked one of her teeth, and shot a glance at Honom, who nodded. The two stepped away from the table in silence.

Ekis and Oghai were bundled together after the meal, both of them looking bright and fresh. “We’re hunting, too!” said Ekis.

“On our own,” said Oghai.

“At our speed!” said Ekis, puffing up her chest and flaring her earfins. The two of them took off at a sprint.

To the dwindling crowd still at the tables, Denziu said, “I’m going to set up in the market. Without a land god to protect them, the dragons here might be very interested in Tekagoli Luck Charms.”

Orachu, Kishka, and Chatulerin muttered about how they weren’t likely to go anywhere, and Denziu nodded in commiseration, for zie was hurting too. Still, zie saw a market opportunity and was determined to try it. A poor and godless theome might not buy zir pottery, but they might buy zir luck charms. Zie walked from the caravan, stretching sore muscles.

The town at Rhianasril was one of the smallest that Denziu had seen. Nobody had laid a proper road, so Denziu walked on stony paths between narrow wooden buildings of a single story each. Some of them had shingles out front proclaiming different trades. Denziu ignored them, seeking the open market space. There had to be one.

The local butcher at least seemed prosperous; Denziu passed a brick storefront whose windows were translucent glass in many small pieces, the edges of which fit together in a slashing claws pattern, both faced together towards a door. Being only a day from Raldrani, Denziu imagined that they must sell all manner of meat products in their neighbouring city, and the trade route lead dragons all year round to refresh their supplies here.

Denziu ducked inside briefly and found where Honom and Sharisen had gone. Zie waited until they’d completed their purchases, then bought a heart of venison. Travelling with Lorma hadn’t made a vegetarian out of zir just yet.

Not far from the butcher, Denziu found the market’s heart. There were stalls here selling forest produce like Taithorkey’s market, but there were no spice traders at this one, and the bonework was much rougher. The market was sparse and there was no difficulty getting a good, central place to open up.

Denziu didn’t bother unwrapping any of the pots this time, but set out zir box of Tekagoli charms and zir warming tiles. There weren’t many of the warming tiles left. Still, they drew interest. They warmed the air for passers-by. People came over to the unexpected warmth by Denziu’s wagon, and asked about it. Unfortunately, Denziu couldn’t turn a profit at a price that the locals would pay.

“Guard your Fate with Tekagoli charms,” zie suggested to passers-by who couldn’t buy a warming tile. “Baggil the Seer saves lives! Trust in her!”

It worked! There was no strong local prejudice against Tekagol here. They were far enough from all of Theoma’s Tekagoli Luck Beacons. Denziu told many local dragons about how they were protective charms for humble dragons, and would be perfect for the lumberjacks and apiarists of Rhianasril. Zie set a modest price and sold the rest of the box!

Blessedly, they paid in silver. Denziu still had the ivory coins zie’d accepted in Taithorkey.