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I looked one way, then the other, but couldn't see how he could tell. Nothing in the landscape suggested a change between Spring and Summer. Nothing but a tingle as I took a couple of steps forward. Magic?
I signed my confusion to him.
He shrugged. "It’s an invisible line. No one knows why it’s there, just that it is."
"Whatever you're saying about me, it's probably true," Ryze said. He clearly knew we weren't saying anything about him, but couldn't resist the joke.
I glanced at him and then signed, "The sky is blue," in a way that suggested we were actually gossiping about the High Lord.
Tavian laughed. Out loud he said, "That's accurate."
Ryze looked completely unconcerned that we might be plotting his assassination right in front of his face. Did anything worry him for long?
"Here's where we keep our eyes out for Summer Court patrols," Ryze said. "They're inclined to shoot first and not leave anyone alive to ask questions later. Which is very unreasonable, if you ask me."
"I don't think Cavan is asking you," Tavian said.
"That's even more unreasonable," Ryze remarked. "I'm very wise."
"Cavan is a dumbass," Vayne said. "He only inherited because he was the only heir."
"I was the only heir," Ryze said dryly.
Vayne smirked. "Are we going to stand around and talk about it or get the hells out of here?"
Ryze said something about throwing Vayne into a swamp, but led the way south toward the capital.
28
Khala
"How much further is it?" I signed to Tavian. I glanced over at him, keeping half an eye on the ground so I could follow the conversation without tripping.
"It's an hour walk from here," he gestured back. "As long as we don't step on any serpents or run into border patrols."
"Can Ryze open a portal to Garial?" I asked.
"Technically, yes, but without knowing who might be around, it's too much of a risk. He might open a portal right in front of a group of soldiers. Or in the middle of a cook fire."
"What would a fire do to the portal?"
"Nothing unless we stepped out into it," Tavian signed. "Which we wouldn't do, because we're not stupid. The point is, it's hard to know the ideal place when you open one to a city. Out here, it's less risky."
"Unless you step on a serpent," I signed.
"Unless that," he agreed. "But a serpent would slither away the moment they saw the portal."
"Is it possible to open a portal on top of someone?" I asked.
"I've never known it to happen." He frowned. "Although, it would account for a lot of sudden disappearances."
"What else can our magic do?" I hadn't had a chance to get into details with Ryze since my portal failed.
"Ryze can make it snow out of nowhere,” Tavian replied. “That one's fun. He can make a sword or arrows out of ice. That's particularly useful if there's plenty of water around. He never needs to run out of arrows. Not to mention how many times pulling an arrow out of someone has actually killed them. Melting it out of them does the same thing."
I winced. That sounded painful but definitely useful.
I watched Ryze's back speculatively. How often did he need to use any of those? I recalled his considerable skill with the bow the day we met. Of course, he had a few hundred years to practice. Would I be as good when I was his age? Was an ice arrow more difficult to hit a target with than one made from wood? I'd have to ask him later to show me how.
