“Wellthis is about as exciting as watching ink dry.Whatwill we do to pass the time?”Avlynraised a brow at me.
“Don’tworry,Ibrought some more exercises for you, too.”Theirface fell. “Gods, it’s like basic training all over again.”
Thehours passed easily.Junhad brought his small harp with him.Ihad found it outside our door a few days prior with nothing but a note that said, “Aguide for the storm.”Ihadn’t understood but it had madeJunchuckle.Hearinghim play even a few casual tunes on it brought me so much joyIcompletely ignored the mapsIwas supposed to be studying to listen.Occasionally,Avlynwould huff as they overextended their well of magic and needed to take a break to recover, but the princess sat in perfect concentration the entire time.
“I’venever seen her focus this long.Godsknow she couldn’t do it during sword training.”
“Thisis different,”Toriresponded, and we all jumped. “Thisis like the best puzzleI’veever had.EverymoveImake causes a reaction, a countermove.It’salmost like a sword fight, andIneed to learn to read my opponent the same way.”Therewas a soft fizzle and the amber light on the page in front of her winked out of existence as the ink of the page floated away,leaving an unmarred white page behind.Shegave me a cocky smile. “LookslikeIwon this duel.”
Shelooked over atJun. “Youwere always better at puzzles than me; you would be great at this.”
Hestrummed his harp, looking thoughtful. “Iam good at it.Ijust didn’t want to make you look bad.”Shecrumbled up the paper and threw it at him.
“Youdid well.Butthat was a basic enchantment, and it took you over two hours.Wewon’t have that kind of time inKoron.”
Herface grew hard, but she nodded. “ThenI’llhave to get better.Doyou have more?”
“Don’tworry,Princess;Icame prepared.”Iopened my sack to show her a dozen more scrolls.Adeep, rumbling laugh cut through my mind.Ihad almost forgotten about the dragon carrying us across the continent.
Wehave a great distance more to travel.Bestget to work.
Thesun was hittingthe horizon whenIfeltAbraxasbegin to descend from the sky.Theprincess had burned through half the scrollsIhad prepared.Shehad gotten a bit faster, but she was sweating, and it was clearly tiring.Herteeth were grinding as she worked on a particularly complex one.
“Giveit a rest,Princess.Wedon’t want you burnt out,”Avlynadvised.Theyhad stopped practicing hours ago and had been napping beside me, their leg pressed up against mine.
“I’vealmost got it,” she huffed, more sweat appearing on her brow.Alook flashed across her face, andIrealized she must have been talking withAbraxas. “Focuson flying, domineeringreptile.”
Iheard the deep rumblingInow recognized asAbraxas’ draconian laughter.Myseat left the floor of the carriage as he took a much more aggressive dive, andIscreamed, clinging toAvlyn.
Torishouted something at him, butIdidn’t hear it because allIcould focus on wasAvlynwrapping their arm around me and pulling me close.
Iflushed and looked up to seeJungiving me a veryTorismirk from across the carriage.Idid somethingIhadn’t in centuries and stuck my tongue out at him in a rude gesture.Helaughed and gave me a soft smile of encouragement.
Onlya few moments later, our movement slowed dramatically, andIfelt the soft impact of the carriage on the ground. “Oh, thank the gods.”
Iscrambled towards the door, but it opened beforeIcould reach it.Abraxasstood outside looking disgustingly smug. “Youare very welcome,Pallas.”
Junlaughed behind me and helped me out of the carriage.Ihadn’t noticed it as we had descended, but the air here felt sticky and wet, and my neck immediately started sweating.Ilooked around to see our landing location was a small clearing in a deep jungle.Huge, broad-leafed plants fought against even taller trees that towered over all of us, their canopies blocking the sun.Evenwithout the direct light, it was sweltering, andIfound myself panting.
Besideme,Juntook a deep breath, pulling that moist air into his lungs. “Gods,Imissed this.Itfeels almost like—”Hepaused and looked over atTori, but she was helpingAvlynunload something off the carriage. “Home.”
“Webest get a move on before the evening rains hit us,”Abraxassaid, looking up at the clouded sky.
“Itwould go faster if you would help us unload,YourMajesty,”Avlyncalled from the carriage.
“Aking does not lower himself to such menial tasks,Commander.Thatis whatIbrought you along for.”
Avlynrolled their eyes. “HowIalways get stuck with all you royals,I’llnever know.”Iwalked over to them, the thick layer of leaf litter crunching under my feet.
“HowcanIhelp?”
“I’vegot it.Ijust like to give him a hard time.Noneed to strain yourself,” they said with a jovial smile.
“Iwon’t break,Avlyn.”Iheld out my hand to take hold of the trunk they held in front of them.
Thesmile reached their eyes. “No, you certainly won’t.”Theylet go of the trunk and bid me to follow the rest of the crew.
Myfeet sunk further in with the added weight, butIfollowed afterJuninto the thick of the jungle.Hegrabbed the handle on one side of the trunk, and we swung it between us as we continued to walk in silence.Well, our silence.Theforest around us was alive with life, birds in every shade flying from tree to tree, and creatures rustling the leaves unseen.
