“Watch what you say here. And watch what you think. As deadly as the goblins and their ilk are, this is probably one of the most dangerous places in Otherworld.” I used my knee to nudge my mount to quicken her pace. The sooner we were through the Deep and into the mountains the better. But I was curious about the safe place Bran had mentioned. The words “safe” and “Thistlewyd Deep” didn’t exactly go together.
We rode in silence for some time. I wasn’t sure how long—watches didn’t work very well in the Deep, and I couldn’t wear one anyway. My aura stopped them like…well…like clockwork. But the morning gave way to noon before Bran motioned to a side path off trail. He tsked at his horse and turned to the left, heading northwest into the thicket of undergrowth that carpeted the forest floor. Foliage grew knee high here, ferns and brambles, shashka bushes and ivyvine. The forest was a lot like those of the Pacific Northwest over Earthside, coniferous and ancient. The oak groves tended to grow in the Elfin lands, but here, conifers ruled, tall fir and spruce, sequoia and cedar.
We followed Bran for a couple of miles to the edges of a large pond. Once there, he swung off his horse and motioned for us to follow. As we dismounted, a thick fog began to rise up around us, encasing us in a ring of mist.
“The mist will protect us from prying eyes and ears for a while. We’ll rest and eat here, and Venus can tell us what he needs to tell us.” Bran led his mount to the water, letting the animal drink. Delilah and Trillian gathered the rest of the horses and did the same.
Meanwhile, Bran settled by a ring of stones that had been used as a fire pit at some time in the past, although it looked like it had been a while, judging by the state of the charred wood within. He knelt and struck a match to some kindling, settling in to make a tidy little fire. “We won’t be here too long, but the forest will soon grow damp and chill the further we go, so if you want some hot tea or something, I suggest you make it now. After this, we ride until sunset and that’s at least another seven hours.”
“I’ll make the tea,” Shade said. He brought out a pan from his backpack. “I’ve also got a skillet, for when we run out of Hanna’s sandwiches. Which, given the number of us, won’t be long in coming.” He settled in to heat water, while the rest of us formed a makeshift circle around the fire. The ground was damp, so Smoky and Rozurial found several downed trunks and dragged them over for us to sit on.
Chase was looking around, his eyes wide. “I’ve been to Otherworld several times now, but I never expected anything like this.” His voice was hushed. “It’s…beyond words. I can feel the forest. It’s like an animal crouching around us.”
“Wait until we’re in the thick of it, Detective.” Bran walked over to stand by him. “At the heart of the Deep, the magic is so thick it makes those who are head blind nauseated. It’s intoxicating and heady, and very, very deadly if you don’t watch your step.”
Chase shuddered, just enough to tell me he was afraid. But he took a seat on one of the logs and held out his hands to the fire. “I don’t know why I had to come, but I suppose I’ll find out in good time.”
Venus cleared his throat. “Let’s get this show on the road. I’m here because Queen Asteria entrusted me with the location of the Maharata-Vashi. The Maharata-Verdi contains the incantation to awaken the diamond. The Maharata-Vashi contains the location to find the—” Here, he paused, glancing around. “Safe haven or not, I will not speak the actual name aloud here. You need it to find the gem you seek. The reason we came this way is because the Maharata-Vashi rests in a cavern where the foothills of the Tygerian Mountains kiss the edge of Thistlewyd Deep.”
“Do you know what cave? There must be an abundance of caverns in the Tygerian range.” Smoky reached in his pocket and pulled out a pipe, which he filled and began to smoke. He never smoked in the house because smoke bothered both Delilah and me, but when he was out at his barrow, and when he was outside for some time, he indulged. I wasn’t sure what mixture it was that he smoked—it definitely wasn’t tobacco—but he seemed to enjoy it.
Venus snickered. “If I didn’t know, I wouldn’t be much use to you, would I?” He arched his eyebrows. “The answer is yes. Queen Asteria, rest her soul, taught me a riddle that will lead to the scroll.”
“Let’s hear it,” Rozurial said. “I have the Maharata-Verdi with me, safely tucked away among my weapons. I suggest that when we find the other scroll, someone else carry that one so that if we’re ambushed, we have a chance of keeping them from both being stolen.”