As we headed out into the night, Chase accompanying us, I shivered. The temperature had dropped and a moist chill was setting in, the scent of cedars and fir drifting on the wind. I couldn’t help but wonder why Chase had been added to the group, and I wasn’t thrilled that Bran would be tagging along yet again.
Speak of the devil, as we exited the Barrow, I glanced to the right and there, leaning against the door, was Bran, a sly gleam in his eye. He saluted to me, in an almost dismissive manner, but said nothing. I stared at him for a moment, then turned and—without a word—crossed to the carriage.
SUNDAY PASSED ALL too quickly. I was packing for the trip—and it was difficult to pack for a trip that I didn’t know the length of—trying to fit the necessities into my pack. Delilah was sitting on my bed, one leg folded on the bed, swinging the other over the side. She handed me underwear that she had rolled into a neat ball.
“Rozurial went with Smoky to retrieve the Maharata-Verdi. While Menolly went with him to hide it, there’s no reason for secrecy now. At least he thought to put a Trace on it when they left it there, so he shouldn’t have a problem finding it.” She flopped back on the bed, stretching her arms over her head. “Enjoy your mattress tonight. It will be the hard ground after this until we find the diamond.”
“I’m not looking forward to that.” I didn’t add that I wasn’t looking forward to any part of the trip. Everything was too chaotic. I wanted to just take the crown and settle down quietly. “I wish we could just destroy all of the seals and be done with it.”
“You know that’s not possible. It’s too dangerous.”
“I know, but I can dream, can’t I?” I paused, then pushed my pack aside and stretched out beside her. “Do you know why Chase is going?”
Delilah didn’t even bat an eyelash. “Nope. I wish I did. It’s not like we’re going to Elqaneve, even though I know he’s hoping for a chance to see Sharah. She hasn’t told him yet, has she? That she’s expected to bear a full-blooded heir.”
I shook my head, staring at the ceiling. “I don’t think so. If she did, surely he would have said something. The dude’s got an even quicker temper than Smoky, I think.” Pausing, I snorted. “Maybe not, but he’s not that far behind.”
“I know he took the day off to spend it with Astrid before he has to leave. I wish Menolly could come with us, but it’s just too dangerous. If we got caught somewhere without shelter and she was in the sunlight—”
“Not only that, but we’ll make faster time by day. More of the dangerous creatures come out at night. We have to make quick, steady progress.” I paused, closing my eyes. “Delilah?”
“Yeah?”
“What if Yerghan really does show up? The history books all say there’s no one to beat him at the sword. And he’s had a thousand years down in the Sub-Realms. He’s bound to have grown stronger. Who knows what kind of powers he possesses?”
“I don’t think we can cross that bridge till we come to it, but I will tell you this: regardless of his powers, if he shows up Smoky and Shade will whale on his ass. Two dragons against one warrior? I wouldn’t worry about it.” Delilah stretched and yawned. “I suppose I’d better head to my room and pack. Shade said he’d do most of it, but you know men. They never know what’s important and what isn’t. He’ll probably put lace bras in there and forget all about undershirts to keep the chill away.”
At that, I laughed. I waved her off to her own room and finished my packing. Smoky and Trillian had already pulled together their packs. It suddenly occurred to me that there would only be Morio, Vanzir, and Menolly here to look over the land. But Aeval had promised to send extra guards to keep an eye on Hanna, Iris and her mother-in-law, Maggie, and the babies. That would at least give me some comfort. And Nerissa would be here.
I stuffed the last pair of panties in my pack that I had room for, and then set it on the floor next to those of the men. I propped my staff against the wall and laid out my traveling clothes—a spidersilk skirt in black, a plum tunic woven of the same material, a black cloak—though I chose not to take the unicorn cloak with me. No sense in alerting people to who I was or what I might have with me. I opted for boots with a half-inch heel and good tread that would help me while climbing up a mountain side, because the Tygerian Mountains were a huge sprawling range of peaks that rivaled the Swiss Alps. They made the Cascades look like foothills. Mount Tyger was the tallest, and about one-third of the way up was where the main monastery was for the Order of the Crystal Dagger. If we had to go there, well—I wanted to be prepared.