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“It’s settled then.” I smile up at him. “When you’re all patched up and good as new, we’ll make them one last visit.”
~
The elders have been waiting outside of the cave.
Someone ran and tattled on our little scandal, drawing the elders out of their dimly lit church cave to gaze upon DaiSzek.
He’s currently sitting upright, facing the tavern, looking unnervingly like a gargoyle.
“Enjoying the view?” I ask as we walk up behind them.
“Incredible,” the old woman says.
“How long has it been guarding you?” the old man to the left asks.
Dessin sighs, already bored. “Since he was the size of my two hands.”
The old man with bushy white brows looks between Dessin and me, parting his lips as if he wants to ask something, then thinks better of it.
“As welcoming as the Nightamous Horde has been, we’re in a hurry to leave.” Dessin’s voice is thick, gruff, and clearly annoyed that his arms are probably sore.
The old woman breaks away from her hypnotic trance set on DaiSzek. “My name is Qilan. My father gave me this when he passed, told me your story, told me that one day I might be one to hand you this,”—her pasty wrinkled hands hold out a rolled-up piece of parchment to me—“a map of the seven forests. And where each ancient colony is located. We’ve marked the ones you’ll need to visit.”
I unroll the aged, yellow-stained map. It’s ancient, beautifully crafted, and detailed. I see the circle in the center of all seven forests, the bare land where the Chandelier City would be now. And within five of the seven forests, a pocket of land is covered in drawings of small hobbles, fortresses, and mystical architecture.
“The Red Oaks and Hangman’s Valley are the only ones that aren’t inhabited by a colony.”
Well, we know the Red Oaks is vacant due to the vanishing colony after the RottWeilen slaughter. “Why doesn’t Hangman’s Valley have a colony?”
“It does. Just not one you can communicate with,” Runa cuts in behind me. “It’s the land of the longest living beasts. It’s where the RottWeilen originated from before they manifested to the Red Oaks to bond with that colony.”
“Fascinating,” Dessin clips, turning to Qilan. “May we go?”
She shakes her head. “I think you’ll enjoy my last gift the most.” The old man with bushy white brows pulls an ash-colored stone from his pocket. It looks like a barnacle from the side of a ship. Dusty and jagged.
“You’ve heard of shades, yes?” Qilan asks.
Dessin and I both shrug, like yeah, kinda, sorta.
“They’re the only bit of proof we have that these lands were once riddled with magic. Shades were once fae or elves. They turned into dark, vengeful spirits that haunt these lands.” She points to the stone that the old man passes to Dessin. “That is a shade stone. The only object that can call to them. So, if you should ever find yourself in dire need of help. Rub the stone until flecks of ash and dust float into the wind.”
Qilan’s black, hazy eyes look back and forth between Dessin and me.
“And help will come.”
9. Nadaskar Slayer
“All that work for a fucking rock.”
It’s safe to say Dessin is in a bad mood even now that we’re on the move again.
“And a fucking map,” I add.
His eyes pinch close as his entire upper body rumbles with laughter. He glances down at me, hugging the map to my chest, smiling smugly to myself.
He laughs again, flashing me his dimples and gorgeous teeth. I sigh at the moment, forcing it to memory, locking it away in a safe place.
“You’re adapting that soldier’s mouth just to throw me off.”
