Dragonlands(196)

"No," Fi said, a toothy smile on her face. "We're going to hang on as tightly as we can while the cart rolls down the rails."

"Down?" Tressa asked, gulping. She'd seen how tall the buildings stood. Fi said there were ten more caverns. They couldn't be lower than the city she saw.

"Yes, down. It's gradual, though. It's not as if we're diving off the top of a cliff. These carts work well most of the time."

"Most of the time?" Tressa’s heart thumped.

But Fi didn't answer. She yanked on the lever and the wheels began to roll. "Hang on tight!" She gripped the sides of the cart.

Tressa mirrored Fi, her knuckles white as the cart tipped down, picking up speed with each breath. She wanted to ask Fi how long it would take, but the air whizzing by them stretched her lips thin.

Instead, she closed her eyes. But that was even worse, not being able to adjust for the turns or dips. Her stomach heaved and Tressa opened her eyes again. The cart dipped down, then slowed, moving across a level surface. "That wasn't so bad," she lied.

"Good, because we've just started. Hold on, Tressa!"

The cart picked up speed. Wind rammed down Tressa's throat. She leaned forward, ducking her head below the edge of the cart, trying to avoid some of the air stabbing at her face. Fi shrieked, her arms in the air, and Tressa squeezed her lips together, afraid she’d throw up. How anyone could find this fun was beyond her understanding. It was worse than dangling in the air, hanging from a dragon's talons. Worse than being trapped in a boat rocking in the sea. This was beyond comparison to anything she'd ever faced.

After too many agonizing breaths, the cart slowed down again. Not wanting to be fooled a second time, Tressa stayed bent over, her head resting on her knees.

"It's over. You can sit up now." Fi rubbed Tressa's back.

Tressa opened her eyes and slowly rose. The cart rested against a wooden block. The tracks disappeared up a hill behind them.

"How does it go back?" She wasn't ready to stand, knowing her knees were still too wobbly. Conversation might stall Fi, even if only for a few moments.

"I'll hook it here." She pointed to a series of ropes strung on the wall. "Then someone at the top will pull it back up to the first landing. They'll hook it to another rope and it'll get pulled to the top. We were lucky we didn't have to call the cart ourselves. It takes forever."

"What's so wrong with stairs?" Tressa asked as she stood, her legs shaky.

"If we used stairs, we wouldn't even be at the first landing yet. It would take us a whole day to climb down here."

"How far down are we?"

Fi shrugged. "Farther than either of us can imagine. Come on. It's a long walk, but I think we can catch a ride."

Tressa grabbed Fi's arm. "I am not getting in another cart."

Fi smiled. "This is better. Much better. I promise."

They exited the cramped tunnel and entered a small room. Two guards, dressed all in black, stood with crossed lances before a doorway glittering with diamonds.

"Princess Fionette," the man on the left said.

Tressa raised an eyebrow. Princess? Fionette?

"I brought a friend home with me." Fi stood up straight, her shoulders back. Though she stood a head shorter, she stared at the guards as if they were beneath her. "Let me pass."

"Your great-uncle isn't happy with you," the guard on the right said. "Beware."

Fi smiled, relaxing a bit. "Thank you."

The two guards clanked their lances together, then parted them. The door opened on its own.

"Come on, Tressa," Fi said, slumping again, morphing back into the odd girl Tressa had met back in Ashoom.

Tressa had spent moons making her own decisions. Daring people to follow her or remain behind. For the first time she was the one following blindly. It was disconcerting, but she wasn't about to argue. The exhaustion was coming back. As was the upset stomach, though whether that was due to her illness or the ride in the cart, she wasn't sure.

Fi guided Tressa down a quiet path until they came upon a bald man with a cart on two wheels. The cart resembled a settee with a footrest. Two long poles flanked either side, the wheels underneath.

"Think you can handle riding on this for a bit?" Fi asked Tressa.

Tressa cautiously followed Fi up onto the seat. The man bowed, then picked up the two poles, and ran down the street. Tressa meant to watch the buildings go by, to see the different taverns and the people exiting them. She wanted to absorb every moment in this wondrous place, but exhaustion screamed for her attention. She closed her eyes, letting the unfamiliar sounds wash over her.

Fi tapped Tressa on the shoulder. "You won't want to miss this view. Trust me. You'll only appreciate it the first time."