No one said a word.No one even gave him a side-glance.
“I need to take a breath,” Aramal chuckled.“This is so good.”
“Good to see a man enjoy his food,” Obeda said with a smile.
Ila’s eyes were closed, the glass she held close to tipping.Obeda reached over and gently took it from her hand.
“So, here’s what happened,” Aramal began.
Forterran gestured him on with his spoon.
“The Chosen and the Packmoot gave permission for us to follow the trail of Dust and the marcus to learn of their fates.So we headed toward the path to the Rim,” Aramal started.
Obeda reached for more bread.“I’d thought the Marcusi a myth, legendary protectors of the Blood of Xy.”
“They are real enough, ma’am,” Aramal said.“The marcusi have used that path for years, one of the few that lead to the Rim through the mountains.”He paused to take a sip.“Long ago, the marcusi and the vore combined their mutual needs.To search for those born with the mark of the Chosen and to aid in the defense of the Blood.Both tasks became harder when the Blood started to war with each other and the Chosen became few and far between.”
Forterran snorted.“Wouldn’t put it past Satia to carve the mark into her newborn.”
Aramal shook his head.“The vore are not easily fooled.That’s been tried in the past, and it doesn’t end well.”
“So you started up the mountain?”Obeda prompted.
“Aye,” Aramal said and resumed his tale, eating while talking.Ritathan made grunts of agreement now and then.
Forterran and Obeda focused on Aramal as they ate, asking few questions.Halithe did the same, hearing for the first time his impressions and his and Bright Fang’s view of their journey.Until Aramal reached the moment when they arrived at the Rim.
“Ritathan shot over to one side and started digging,” Aramal said.“I thought he was mad, but Bright Fang joined in, and they uncovered a cache.”
With a dramatic flair, Ritathan reached for the bowl of flowers in the center of the table, shoved it aside, and dropped two items in its place.
A ring and a key.
The gold of the ring and the blue of the stone set within caught the light and sparkled.
“Doubt I would have found it, without my link to the key.”Ritathan said.
“Well, well, well,” Forterran said as he sat back in his chair.
“Which was when Aramal decided to go look over the Rim,” Ritathan added.“And the wyverns attacked.”
“You burnt them to a crisp, I’m sure.”Forterran said dryly.“Did you think to bring back a specimen?”
“I might still have some ash on my shoes,” Ritathan said loftily.
Aramal coughed, covering his mouth.Halithe hide her smile in her napkin.
Obeda tapped on the table three times with her finger.“Behave,” she said mildly.
The men looked sheepish for a moment and reached for their cups.Forterran drank deep, then cleared his throat.“Xyrath has had the battlefield scoured, looking for that ring.”
“Is it magic?”Aramal asked.
Curious, Halithe concentrated on it, invoking her mage-sight.There was a faint glow from the key, but nothing from the ring.
Out of the corner of her eye, something flickered.She turned her head, to see the tent flaring with pure power.
Her breath caught.There was a portal in the tent!
