Slyran

  Slyran jolted awake in a cold sweat. He gasped for air, hoping to calm his racing heart. His wife, Cailynn, rolled over, her soft and slender hand resting on her startled husband’s chest.

  “What’s wrong, sweetie?” she asked through a yawn.

  Slyran closed his eyes. The dream—no, the nightmare was already fading from memory. He vaguely recalled a battle. Was it a memory? No; dreams of the past, he remembered. It didn’t matter. It was gone now.

  “It was just another nightmare,” he said quietly, cupping his love’s hand. “Go back to sleep.” He lifted her hand off of him.

  Not easing off so easily, Cailynn propped herself up onto her elbow. Her bedhead hair pointed in every direction, her covers slowly slipped down her curvy form, and Slyran found himself admiring the prominent assets his wife was unintentionally putting on dispy for him.

  Noticing her husband’s wandering gaze, Cailynn rolled her eyes, though they twinkled as she did so. Slyran smiled; he knew she loved him, and even after all these years, he was still infatuated with her. How could he not be? His wife’s beauty rivaled that of Sylondra or even the ancient Kazeer. Slyran’s eyes tore away from his lover’s bosom and followed her slender hand as it reached up to zily comb its fingers through her messy hair.

  “Another one?” she asked as a small smirk stretched across her red lips, amused by her hypnotized husband.

  Slyran blinked, processed the question, and shook his head with a start. He shifted a bit and crossed his legs as he tried to ignore the intrusive thoughts from below, beneath the sheets. Clearing his throat, he nodded. “Yeah. I don’t remember much of it,” he grunted. He flopped onto his back and turned his attention to the ceiling to avoid admiring his wife and exciting his friend. “All I remember is a battle… something terrible happened.” He sighed.

  Cailynn took a deep breath. “Worried about what’s coming?” she asked, and he knew what she meant—the warning from Lorzio. “Slyran,” she cooed, reaching over to pce her hand on his abdomen. “We talked about this.”

  “We did,” Slyran said with a huff as his wife began to trace circles around his stomach. “You saw what Lorzio showed us. The documents, the pictures… it’s real.”

  “The Veillites are always posturing, love,” Cailynn said softly. Since that visit a few months ago, Cailynn’s belief in the warning had faltered. Slyran knew it was because of her hatred for the valendi; even though her anger was justified, that alone didn’t disprove the evidence.

  It was true that the empire on the border was known for flexing its military might. Yet this time it felt different. The threat felt too real. Could Lorzio really be wrong?

  If the valendi was only acting in his self-interest, what would he gain from this? Cailynn had fallen into the belief that Lorzio was pushing them to do something for him without them knowing they were doing it. It wouldn’t be the first time. Lorzio had pulled strings in the past, leading Slyran and his wife into dangerous adventures they never intended to go on. The man had an air of untrustworthiness about him, and Slyran couldn’t fault his wife for not trusting him. It was just that this time, the fear in Lorzio’s eyes seemed genuine.

  But if Slyran said that, Cailynn would just scoff and say he was a professional actor. If that was all it was, Lorzio made for quite the stage performer.

  Slyran took a deep breath. “It might be posturing, but I can’t be sure.” He looked to his love. “I never intended on staying in this town forever anyway; the house is too small for our family.” He smiled faintly.

  Cailynn blushed and nodded as her eyes twinkled even more. “That we can agree on.” She hummed. “It’s your fault.”

  Slyran blinked. “Huh?” was all he could muster.

  “Nine years ago, you were on about only having one child, and yet, here we are.” She looked at him smugly.

  Slyran blushed. That was true as well. Being the eldest of three siblings, he had never gotten along with children. He had never intended to start a family or settle down. Not until he met Cailynn and wed her. She was the one who wanted a family; at first, Slyran was hesitant, but having Varis was the one decision he didn’t regret letting his second brain make. After holding his son for the first time, Slyran was a changed man.

  Head sinking back into the pillow, he smiled. “Yeah, I guess it is.” He chuckled. “So you still agree about us moving out to Felkier?” he asked her.

  Cailynn nodded and let her rubbing hand move lower down. “I do. Though I do not appreciate you coming up with that idea at the table.” She gred at him and blushed faintly. The lie had been a spur-of-the-moment thing, one he regretted saying to his own daughter. But he had to say something, to do something. Luna was a smart girl; one of the smartest kids he’d ever known. But she was still a kid, and the fear of coming conflict was something no child should know.

  The idea of sending Luna off to Iona was something he and Cailynn pnned for over a year. Except… they hadn’t expected to enact it until Luna reached her teenage years and was old enough to properly care for herself. The idea to go to Felkier, well, Slyran just pulled that out of his ass. Luna would probably catch on eventually, He and Cailynn had never gone house hunting, let alone an entire country away.

  “Yeah…” he finally said. “Sorry about that.”

  Cailynn sighed and rolled her eyes. “Apology accepted. Also, love, there is no reason to be hasty, Slyran. Felkier is far from here. We don’t even know where to start in regard to looking for a home. Such a venture may take longer than a year.”

  “Cailynn, you heard Lorzio—”

  “I did,” she quipped, and her hand stopped near the bnkets piled up on Slyran’s waist. “I still believe we shouldn’t be so hasty. Our children are still young; abruptly moving them would not be good for them.”

  “Neither would being stuck in a conflict,” Slyran said. It slipped out, despite his mind screaming at him to stay silent.

  Cailynn went quiet, and Slyran’s heart skipped a beat. What he said was true, but angering his wife was something he did not enjoy doing. But she did not become angry, or if she did, she hid it well. Instead, she took a deep breath.

  “Lorzio’s prediction said such things won’t happen till next winter, and if I had to guess, probably not till after Usha’den when the snow melts and the nd dries.“ Her hand resumed its gentle rubbing, and Slyran quirked an eyebrow as he watched her hand dance along his waist. “We have time, Slyran; how about we compromise?”

  “Compromise?”

  “We’ll stock up on supplies over time, so once Henderson finishes the wagon, we can load it up and leave before the winter frost settles in. That’ll give us a few months in case something does happen. We don’t need to leave right away.”

  Slyran listened and nodded. “Alright, I can live with that.” Cailynn smiled, and Slyran returned the gesture. “Gods, I love you,” he said as he admired her face.

  Cailynn blushed and leaned in to give him a quick kiss. “I love you too; now, rex, you’ve been worrying too much,” she purred in a sultry tone. Slyran’s eyes widened when he felt her hand slip under the covers.

  “Rex?” he whispered. “I’ll need to go to Herbert’s—”

  “It’s barely sunrise,” Cailynn said softly as she groped Slyran’s groin.

  The elf’s soldier immediately came to attention, and he gulped. His throat locked up, unable to say a word as his wife gave him a predatory smile. “Let me help you relieve some of that stress,” she cooed as her lips locked with his again.

  That morning would be one to stay in his memory.

  Slyran woke up once again that morning, his body tired yet also immensely relieved. A nap after an amazing romp was something he felt every man should experience. Looking to his left, he expected to see his loving wife beside him, but she wasn’t there. Instead, he saw her pale, voluptuous rear swaying back and forth beside their bed as she leaned into the vanity mirror on their dresser.

  His smile widened more as he watched her rump, and she hummed to herself, donning makeup. The sunlight streaming into their room reflected off her naked skin, and Slyran ate up the sight.

  “Keep swaying like that, love, and you’ll make me pull you back into bed,” he said with a chuckle as he sat up.

  Cailynn looked over her shoulder and giggled as she wiggled more enticingly. “As much as I’d love to train with your soldier more,” she purred, nodding towards the window, “you need to go report to Herbert to get the wagon.”

  Slyran thought for a moment. He didn’t need to go right now; more time in bed with his wife would certainly be productive in a way.

  “Besides…” Cailynn said, pulling him from his thoughts. “The children will be waking up soon.”

  “Bst it,” Slyran cursed softly. “If only you weren’t so loud,” he teased, and immediately found a pillow smming into his face. He deserved that.

  She ordered, “Go get the wagon. I’ll start packing for the trip while you’re gone.” She climbed onto the bed and kissed him once again.

  Slyran pulled her in and held the kiss, his hand reaching down to pyfully grope her ample breast, causing Cailynn to yell and giggle. She swatted his hand away. “Keep your hands to yourself, lecher,” she said, though her eyes were sparkling.

  “You love it.” He winked, then sighed as he turned and swung his legs over the bed. “Okay. I shouldn’t be gone long. Make sure the kids don’t cause too much trouble.”

  “I’ll guarantee they have everything packed,” Cailynn assured him. “Go on, soldier.” She winked and ughed when her still-naked husband stood at attention and saluted her.

  He stepped out of the bathroom dressed and groomed for the day. He stroked his mustache, debating if he should shave or not—a brief debate that he concluded with a shake of his head. He liked the mustache, though most elves never bothered with them. An elven man with facial hair was looked down upon by the elders, as they believed that true masculinity shone with one’s cleanliness; men with beards or facial hair were seen as unclean, uncaring or cking discipline.

  Slyran believed this was partially true. He didn’t like shaving; it took too much of his time, and for some reason, he always cut himself. That was most likely due to him rushing, but he’d never admit that. But he liked his mustache, and Cailynn seemed to enjoy it too. When he kept it clean, that is. Around his handful of human friends and the few dwarfs in town, it helped him fit in. And he hated to admit this: having one made him feel more mature. Without the mustache, he looked like an adolescent who hadn’t reached their fiftieth year yet. So, he chose to keep it.

  Making his way down the steps into the living room, he saw Isa and Cailynn in the kitchen. His wife now had slipped into something more casual, something that included Slyran’s clothes, one of his white polo shirts and his bck cotton pants He smiled at her as the two women gnced towards him, and they smiled and waved back.

  “I’ll be back shortly; you two keep everything under control here,” he said to them as he grabbed his hat from off the hook by the door and stepped outside.

  It was cold, wet, and sunny with clear skies. A wonderful day in the eyes of Slyran Ashflow. With the month of Cirrus upon them, spring was soon to follow. Technically, spring wasn’t going to be there for another handful of days, but to Slyran, it started when the temperature was above zero almers, or above freezing. Heinmarr was a cold country, but it was more of a fsh freeze. It got cold and stayed extremely cold for only about two months. Then everything began to melt, remaining only chilly.

  Which was the point where things were now. The temperature gauge in the bathroom said it was about three almers, and Cailynn predicted it would only get to four in the evening. That’d make it sweater weather for Slyran—not too cold, but also not too hot. He loved it; Cailynn, however, hated it.

  As he walked to the Hautchkins home, he remembered how Cailynn was discussing working on a new archeo device with him. A self-heating sweater, simir to the insuted bag she made for her bread deliveries. The idea was interesting on paper, though he was concerned about wearing anything his wife made that warmed itself. Cailynn was an excellent magister, but her artificer capabilities still needed some work.

  The mental image of him being incinerated by a lovely sweater was not comforting. Slyran was a tinkerer himself, though only with firearms. He recalled his brother-in-w Aenorin’s wife was an artificer; perhaps if Cailynn was keen on pursuing this goal, he should send Saria a letter requesting advice.

  Walking to the Hautchkins farm took only about fifteen minutes. As Slyran trudged through the mud- and snow-riddled path, he noticed, around the bend of the house, movement. His right ear twitched when he heard a gruff voice barking an order, and curiously, he turned and walked along the edge of the yard to peer. As a constable of the w, he always looked into fishy business.

  Not that this was fishy. He just saw that as a valid excuse to be nosey.

  He saw Herbert Hautchkins waving his eldest son Avdol over to him, the two kneeling beside a wagon. The same wagon Slyran was here to pick up; it looked like the two men were doing some finishing touches. Seeing no harm in it, Slyran smiled and approached them.

  “Good morning to you, gentlemen!” Slyran called to them. He lifted his hat as he bowed.

  Herbert jolted as if not expecting the elf. Grabbing hold of a wheel, he used it as a support to stand. “Mr. Ashflow.” The human bowed. “Good morning to you as well,” he said with a smile, and held a hand out, which Slyran happily took. Then Slyran winced. The miller’s grip felt like a kreshher’s cw; it was so strong.

  Once the two men released, Hautchkins patted the side of the wagon. “I didn’t expect you to arrive so soon, Mr. Ashflow. I thought I had time to make sure this old girl won’t lose a wheel on you. Speaking of which,” he hummed, and looked to Avdol. “You have the jack set up, boy?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Well, jack her up, then!” Herbert barked as he jerked a thumb up. “We gotta get this wheel off to inspect it.” He sighed and turned back to Slyran. “Hope you don’t mind waiting a bit; I noticed the other day the front right wheel was a bit wobbly.”

  Slyran nodded. “It’s alright. I should’ve guessed it might’ve been too early.” He chuckled. “My mind is still set on the army. There it’s ‘if you’re not early, you’re te.’”

  Herbert ughed. “Is it, now? Well then, I guess the army and my wife have something in common.”

  Slyran couldn’t help but ugh. “I think that’s just women in general,” he said. The two men cpped each other on the back as they turned to watch Avdol crank the wagon jack.

  “I thought I heard a new voice back here,” a woman said from behind the two, and both of them paled. “What were you two talking about?”

  They stared at each other, terrified. Slowly, Herbert turned, his hands raised as if he were about to be searched by a constable. Behind them, Herbert’s wife Anora stood with her hand on her hips, looking at them disapprovingly.

  “I heard something about women. Go on.” She gestured, rolling her wrist. “I want to hear it.”

  Herbert ughed nervously. “Well, you see, Anora, I was just talking about, uh…” He looked to Slyran, his eyes pleading.

  Being wise, or cowardly, depending on how you look at it, Slyran kept his lips taut and said nothing. He learned with Cailynn that it was best to not say anything. Like an earwin, any noise could set her off. If Herbert was lucky, he’d at least get the couch tonight.

  Realizing he had no escape, Herbert defted. “My apologies, love; we were joking. I meant no offense.”

  Anora harrumphed and stuck her nose in the air as she waggled a finger at the miller. “What am I going to do to you, Herbie?”

  Slyran snorted and ughed as Herbert shot him a gre. “Herbie?!” he crowed as he hung his head back.

  Herbert bit his lip and growled as Anora smiled smugly and shrugged. “I guess that’ll do.” She hummed as Slyran leaned against the wagon chuckling.

  “Father!” Avdol called. “Wagon is ready; we can take the wheel off.”

  “Yeah, Herbie,” Slyran said with a wink. “Let’s get this done.”

  Grumbling, Herbert said, “If you weren’t no constable, I’d thrash you for calling me that.” He sighed but smiled. “But you’re both right; let’s get this done.”

  It didn’t take long for the two men and boy to cycle through each wheel on the wagon. They inspected for any imperfections and found none, save for the front right wheel. After they made sure the wheel was secure, they lowered the wagon. Anora had stepped away while the men worked, returning just as they finished with a ptter carrying gsses of iced shooma juice.

  Herbert’s eyes widened a bit when he saw his wife approaching. “Where did you get that ice?” he asked as he took a gss and passed it to Slyran, who happily took it.

  Anora smiled at Slyran. “From Cailynn. She overhead me the other day when I was…” She blushed. “Compining at Olson’s shop when he told me he had no ice.”

  “So that’s where she hurried off to,” Slyran muttered under his breath as Avdol walked over to retrieve the st gss.

  Herbert took a sip and frowned. “Damned Olson ‘bout near neglects to restock nowadays.”

  Slyran’s eyebrow arched. “What do you mean?” he asked. Normally he left such things as shopping to Cailynn, as it gave her an excuse to get out of the house, though he hadn’t heard her compin about such a thing. Then again, now that he thought about it, the house had been running out of basic wares like swappable shards for the lights.

  Herbert gnced at Slyran, and Anora rolled her eyes. “Not this again, Herbie…” She pouted.

  Avdol downed the st of his drink, his ice clinking in the gss as he looked between the adults. “What’s wrong, Mother? Father?”

  Herbert nodded towards the house. “Go inside, boy, I need to speak privately with Mr. Ashflow.”

  The boy opened his mouth to protest but stopped when Herbert squinted. Avdol set the empty gss on Anora’s ptter, turned away, and trudged back towards the rear door. He paused to scrape his boots on the mat. Once the door was shut, Anora faced Herbert.

  “Enough with the doomsay, Herbert. You know that dwarf is only being paranoid.”

  Slyran shook his head in surprise and held a hand up. “Whoa, whoa, what’s going on?” he asked.

  Herbert gnced at Slyran, his face serious. “Mr. Olson believes Heinmarr is going to war in the next few months. Something about the merchant nes is shifting; governments are buying high quantities of rations, weapons, and other suspicious items. That’s not counting stuff being smuggled.”

  “I’m telling you he’s paranoid,” Anora said as she held the ptter close to her chest. Her eyes narrowed.

  Slyran paled. “When did you hear of this?” he asked softly as the two humans looked at him. Anora’s face turned from skepticism to concern while Herbert’s merely darkened.

  “A few months ago, just before the deep freeze,” Herbert said, “Mr. Olson warned me that dark times were coming.”

  Slyran blinked a few times; that would be about a month before Lorzio arrived in town. Dammit, Cailynn, Slyran thought. This was serious. If the merchants knew as well as the Sovereign Right, that more or less confirmed it. That suggested Lorzio’s timescale was also reliable. It’d been a couple of months since his visit, which would mean they would have ten or so months to prepare—that is, if they pushed it to the st second. Best to leave at least a month in advance. He’d need to talk with Cailynn about this; gods, he did not look forward to that. Perhaps after the camping trip? No. Well, maybe during a moment when they were away from the kids. Perhaps Isa could watch them?

  “Mr. Ashflow,” Herbert prompted him.

  Slyran jerked. “Oh, sorry, got lost in thought.” He shook his head.

  “You look troubled…” Herbert’s eyes narrowed. “What do you know? Has Olson spoken to you too?”

  Slyran bit his lower lip and shook his head. Herbert was a friend, a neighbor, though he honestly knew very little of the man. So, telling him about Lorzio probably wasn’t the best. Slyran knew that Herbert and his family were vaguely aware of his and Cailynn’s past—as a matter of fact, much of the town was—but that didn’t mean they deserved to know the details.

  He inhaled. “I am troubled,” he said under his breath, then spoke up. “A friend of ours visited a few months back, an out-of-towner; they spoke of something simir.” Anora gasped and gripped her ptter tighter.

  Herbert’s eyes narrowed more. “Out-of-towner? You mean that valendi that came through?” Slyran tensed slightly. Bst it all, he wanted to say. Herbert was smart, and Oren was a tiny, middle-of-nowhere town. Of course he’d remember unfamiliar faces that came through.

  “Yes,” Slyran admitted. “He had news from abroad.”

  Herbert nodded slowly and said, “Yeah, and now that I think about it, you recently commissioned Henderson for a wagon.” Slyran hesitated but nodded again.

  “Dark Lord...” Anora muttered, horrified. “I-It’s true?”

  “We don’t know for certain,” Slyran said quickly as he held a calming hand out to Anora. “Cailynn doesn’t think it’s anything to worry about, not yet.” He then pulled a fake smile and shrugged. “We wouldn’t be going camping if that were the case.”

  This seemed to work, slightly. Anora’s shoulders rexed faintly as Herbert’s expression remained serious. “Any time frame?” he asked. “Henderson’s good, but he’s slow as a hungry grok.”

  Slyran took a deep breath. “We’re guessing about a year. Sometime after Unsha’den when the nd begins to dry. Back in the army, we were told fighting in the mud is the stupidest thing an army can do. The Veillites aren’t stupid. If they truly want to fight, that’s when they’ll do it.”

  Herbert nodded. “Makes sense… Well…” He sighed. “I’m depressed now.” He smiled wearily and patted the wagon. “Why don’t I go get Opal for ya? Anora, would you mind getting some tea ready for me when I come in?” he asked.

  Anora gulped and nodded. “Of course, dear.” She turned to look at Slyran. “I hope you and your family have a wonderful time. Please, be safe. Those slopes can be slippery this time of year.” She bowed.

  Slyran smiled. “We will,” he said with a nod as he looked off towards the purple peaks of the Heinnd Mountains. He hoped everything was going to be alright.

  Luna

  “Luna, Varis, do you have everything packed up?” Mother poked her head into our bedroom just as I finished closing my bag of clothes.

  “Yep, I’m ready!” Varis beamed and turned to me.

  “I as well,” I said, then grabbed my bag and groaned as I hoisted it off my bed and pced it at my feet.

  “Excellent,” Mother said. “Your father just returned with the Hautchkins’ wagon; take your bags down there and get them loaded up. Your father is itching to leave as soon as possible.”

  “Yes, Momma!” Varis gave her a mock salute before picking up his bag and rushing it down the stairs. I grunted with mine and began to waddle out. I had no idea what outfits to take, so I pretty much just jammed everything in there. Soza said we’d be gone for about ten days, including the two days it took to get to the mountains, another to climb them, and vice versa.

  “Oh, silly,” Mother excimed, and before I could react, she was removing the bag from my grasp, although she groaned slightly at its weight. “What did you pack, bricks?” she joked, and I blushed faintly and shook my head. Mother giggled and walked beside me down the stairs.

  It’d been two days since the family meeting. After the news was dropped about me going away next year, tension hung in the air. Starting today, though, everyone seemed to be warming up, a sense of normalcy returning.

  Yesterday, Father had gone out and rented Herbert’s wagon and his strider Opal, but didn’t bring them over till sometime this morning. Soza said he paid Mr. Hautchkins two golden coins for it, which, from what I’d learned so far, was a lot of money.

  Yet the thought of what my father said in the meeting still stung me. Why did he commission a wagon so suddenly, and what did he mean by going to look for a strider at Harold’s stable? Why do they want to send me away so abruptly?

  Maybe something came up, I thought. Maybe it had to do with what Mr. Bxen said to them. Mother did seem all up in arms when she spoke to him.

  As, I don’t know. They didn’t want to tell me anything during the meeting, and they looked so hurt. For now, I’ll go with the flow and see what happens.

  At the end of the steps, Mother had me open the front door. A gentle, cool breeze wafted into the house, and I was blinded by the sun. As my vision returned to me, I saw that much of the snow had melted, leaving rge isnds amongst the wet, green grass. A chill still hung around, but it was nowhere near as bad as at the start of winter.

  In the middle of the yard was a rge wagon full of camping gear and other belongings, along with Madam Soza, Father, and Varis, who were all working on loading it up. Ahead of them, attached to the wagon, was the strider, Opal, who was looking over her shoulder, awfully curious, like the big, cute dinosaur she was.

  I followed Mother over to the others. With a grunt, Mother tossed my bag into the back of the wagon before stretching her arms out wide and sighing. Pcing a hand on her hip and using the other to dust off her skirt, she smiled at me and nodded before looking to Father, who was chatting with Varis. “Slyran, I think that’s everything!”

  Father perked his head up. “Excellent.” He cpped his hands together. “Alright, listen up! Everyone, if you need to use the restroom, do so now, because when we hit the road, we’re not stopping!”

  Varis pumped his fist and shouted, “I call the bathroom inside!” Before I could say anything, he dashed in. I sighed, and without a word, I walked to the outhouse.

  When business was settled, we all piled into the wagon. Father and Soza took the front driver’s seats, while Mother, Varis, and I sat in the back with most of the luggage. To make things comfortable, we left the section closest to the front open and tied down the majority of the loose bags. Once everyone was nice and settled, the wagon began to move.

  “Everything alright?” my mother asked; she was sitting beside me, with Varis across from the both of us. “You look a little fidgety,” she said, pyfully pinching my side. It tickled, making me squirm and giggle.

  I blushed faintly. “I’m just a little nervous.” I looked away.

  Mother poked me and said, “What’re you nervous about? Your brother over there doesn’t look nervous.” She hummed.

  I squirmed once again at her poking and sighed. “I dunno. I don’t leave the house often, and we’re going really far away, and to the mountains! My books say that dragons and mountain giants live in those environments.” I spoke in a hushed tone so that Varis didn’t hear me and get worried. I knew him well enough to know that he’d say that he wanted to see scary monsters to show that he was the cool big brother, though the moment we’d see something of the like, he’d probably panic, and honestly, I probably would too.

  My mother reached up to pinch my cheeks. “You’re such a smart goof. Probably too smart for your own good,” she joked, and then leaned down to whisper into my ear, “Giants and dragons haven’t been up in the Heinnd Mountains in centuries, sweetie. I’m not saying there aren’t any scary monsters like timberwolves up there, but as long as you stick with the three of us”—she gestured to herself, Father, and Soza—”you’ll be safe; just don’t wander off.”

  I nodded and gulped. Timberwolves? Like actual timber wolves? Or like wolves made of timber? Knowing this world, it was probably the tter.

  “For now, sweetie, instead of worrying, why don’t you enjoy the view with me? This time of year, with the snow partially melting, everything looks beautiful.” Mother patted her p, gesturing for me to climb up and look around with her. I hesitated, unsure of what to expect. However, curiosity got the better of me, and I cautiously climbed onto Mother’s p.

  As I looked out at the vast expanse of snow-covered mountains, a sense of awe washed over me. The icy peaks were sparkling as the sunlight glistened and reflected across the white snow. Further below, the stone and snow blended into vast swaths of green and white as massive kefner trees grew up the sides of the towering peaks. They created a breathtaking sight, and any fears I had faded. Mother smiled warmly at me and, like usual, tousled my hair.

  If there was one thing, I missed from my old life… Bob Ross. That man would’ve loved these views.

  Of all the years I had been here, only a handful of times did I ever leave the house willingly, and every time I did, it was always with my parents or Varis in order to tend to an errand. Yet as we traveled northeast, away from town, in a direction I had never been, I couldn’t help but gawk at the scenery around us. Scenery that I had only viewed from my bedroom window or the backyard. As we drove further into the wilderness, the ndscape transformed into a true fantasy. The once-distant mountains began to tower and stretch before us, their peaks disappearing into the clouds. All the incredible sights kept my head on a swivel as my mother pointed out things of interest, such as the vibrant colors of the wildflowers that pierced the melting snow dotting the meadows, and the crystal-clear streams rushing down from the hills created by said snow. It was magical.

  “Has this always been here?” I gasped as Mother giggled and nodded.

  “Of course, dear.” Mother wrapped her arms around my waist, pulling me back into the cushion of her softness. “Is my little star regretting not going outside?” she teased, and I blushed.

  “A little bit, if I’m being honest.”

  Overhead came a screeching of birds, and our gazes drifted upwards to see a flock of bizarre creatures fluttering above us. Large blue-and-gray avians with massive wingspans and kitelike tails flew in a V formation, seven of them total.

  “Silvan hawks,” my mother said, her eyes squinting as they flew by. “They’re rge predatory birds that fly in flocks. They’re mostly harmless.”

  “Mostly?” I blinked as the birds went over my head. Either they were flying really close to the ground, or those things were big enough to snatch Varis and me up anyway.

  “Well, yes, they’re more afraid of you than you are of them. As long as you don’t harm one, corner it, or get near their nests, you’ll be fine.”

  I nodded as I watched the birds nd on a nearby hill. Seeing them do so confirmed my suspicion that these birds were quite massive. I gulped. “I hope you’re right.”

  Mother giggled. “I know I’m right.” She poked my cheek.

  As the hours drifted by and noon transitioned into evening, my father called out over his shoulder, “Alright. We’ll be pulling off to the side to make camp for the evening. I hope you guys are ready to stretch your legs some.”

  The cart jerked a bit as Father guided Opal off the dirt road and into the grassy pin before pulling on her reins to make her stop. I sighed and gnced around as Varis stood up groggily and stretched before yawning. Looking back at my mother, who still had her hands around me, I was surprised to see she was asleep.

  Her head hung forward, bck and blue streaks of hair dangling in her face. I struggled to get out of her grasp, but she mumbled and pulled me in further, smooshing my back against her soft chest as she nuzzled me.

  “Gyak! Varis, help!” I squeaked and squirmed in my mother’s grip.

  To my left, I heard Madam Soza giggle and say, “It looks like you are caught in a trap.” She hummed as Father hopped off the wagon.

  “Yes, I am!” I grunted as Mother squeezed me. Lightly patting her hands was all I could do.

  A low giggle came from behind. I gnced over my shoulder and saw Mother looking at me with half-opened eyes and a big grin on her face.

  “Trying to escape from me already?” she said tiredly as her smile broadened.

  Oh god, why does it look horrifying like this?

  “Gyaaah!” I squealed and wriggled frantically, yet Mother pulled me in, buried her face in my neck, and began kissing me!

  “I love you! I love you!”

  “Hands off meee!” I howled and squirmed pathetically.

  “Alright, you two.” Father spoke up as he opened the back of the wagon and helped Varis hop off before he jumped in. “Off the wagon or help with grabbing the tents.”

  Mother stopped assaulting me with loving kisses and looked up at Father. “You dare come to stop me from doting on our child?” She pulled me into a tight hug again, as if I were some teddy bear.

  This is it; this is my life now, I guess… I thought as I just went limp in her arms.

  “You had all day and the rest of the trip to snuggle her, love.” Father smiled. “Besides, I think you sapped all the love out of her that you’re going to get tonight.” He snickered at my limp appearance.

  You just have to py dead. Just keep pying dead, and you’ll be free, I repeated to myself. Just think and act like a possum.

  Mother sighed and took on a whiney tone. “Fiiine.” She smiled before kissing me on the cheek again. “But tomorrow, I’m going to snuggle you all over again.” She released me, and I flopped onto the wagon, feigning exhaustion as I gasped for air.

  I pointed at her. “Go snuggle Varis!”

  Mother scoffed. “Varis is not as soft as you are, though!”

  From outside the wagon, I heard Varis start to protest. “Hey! I’m—” He paused, then said, “Actually, you’re right. I’m not soft at all…”

  I blushed faintly, and Mother giggled. “Slyran, look, her ears are doing the little wiggle again! I told you they wiggle when she’s flustered.”

  With a squeak, I reached up to grip my long and pointy ears. “Th-They don’t wiggle!” Do they? Do they actually wiggle? I thought.

  “Oh yes they do, love. You try and act tough, but I can tell you love compliments.” Mother snickered, and even Father smiled and shook his head.

  With a deep breath, though, he cpped his hands. “C’mon, chop chop! We need to make camp! Off the cart! Oi, I said off the cart, Luna, not jump off the cart!”

  We made camp about a dozen feet off the road in the midst of the rolling hills that surrounded our valley town. To our left, which, judging by the moons in the sky, I assumed to be west of us, was a rge, dark forest with trees taller than I had seen before.

  As the wagon was being unloaded, I noticed something new with Mother. She had a fancy book strapped to her waist. I hadn’t seen it in the wagon, so she must’ve retrieved it from her luggage. The book was leather-bound and embossed with beautiful silver and gold scrollwork.

  While Varis was relieving himself in a nearby bush and Madam Soza was tending to Opal, Father and Mother were pnning out how to set up the camp. Once they came to a conclusion, Mother nodded and cracked open her fancy book. With a wave of her free hand, she began to chant and ended it with, “Legerdemain.” Her eyes fshed a ghostly white, and bursting out from around her came a pleasant heat that spanned a roughly thirty-foot radius around her.

  Instantly, all the loose piles of snow melted and steamed; the grass at my feet dried. I gasped, “Whoa! How’d you do that?”

  Mother closed her book, secured it at her waist, and pced a hand on her hip. “I told you I was a wizard once.” She beamed. “I thought since we’re going far away, it might be best to bring some useful tools.” Smirking, she patted what I assumed to be her grimoire.

  Father ughed. “Was a wizard?” He shook his head, draped an arm around her waist, and pulled her close. “You’re still a wizard to me.”

  Mother blushed faintly and her ears twitched as she said, “Well, formally, I’m not anymore.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” he said, “you’re just as magical as ever.” He hummed, kissed the side of her head, and whispered something into her ear, which made Mother’s face go beet red. She buried her face in his neck and spped his chest, which only made Father snort and ugh.

  I wasn’t even going to ask what those two lovers were whispering to each other. “Can I read the book?” I said, pushing my luck.

  Mother pulled her face out of Father’s neck; her ears were still a beet red, and it looked like they were going to take her away with how much they were fpping up and down. “Uh, not tonight. But maybe ter!” She smiled.

  Father leaned into Mother and kissed her head again. “How about we get the tents set up, eat something, and bed down for the night?” He pulled Mother in tight, causing her to yelp. I rolled my eyes and gnced away.

  “I was just grabbing them.” Madam Soza hummed as she came over with both rolls on her shoulders. She got down on one knee and gently set them out. She then sniffed the air and looked at Mother and Father, who were sharing their canteen. “Please be sure to keep it down tonight, you two.”

  Mother nearly choked on the water she’d been sipping. “What’re you talking about?” she squeaked, her ears fpping intensely.

  Soza didn’t say a word, looked back at the tents, and began to unpack them. “Luna, Varis!” she called out just as Varis returned from his bush. “Come help me set up the tents.”

  Later that night, dinner was had: ganari and potato stew. Apparently a ganari was like a deranged-looking duck, but it made for an amazing meal.

  Varis and I shared a tent while Soza got her own, and Mother and Father slept together. And, well… it was hell. Not because my tent was uncomfortable or anything, but because of the noise. They may have thought they were being quiet, but no. They weren’t. The two of them may have thought we were too young to know what they were doing, but, well… Varis didn’t, but me… I knew. And I hated it.

  About fifteen feet from our tent, we could hear the rustling and the sounds of fun. Varis rolled over beside me in his bedroll and got up. I watched as his silhouette went towards the tent fp.

  “Varis,” I hissed just loud enough to be heard over the sound of my mother having a wonderful time with my father. “What’re you doing?”

  “I’m going to go check on Mother!” he said. “She sounds hurt.”

  Oh, this poor, innocent child.

  “No, no. She’s okay,” I assured him.

  “You sure? She doesn’t sound like it; it sounds like Father’s hitting her.”

  Oh, he definitely is, I thought, but restrained myself from saying that out loud.

  “They’re just wrestling,” I said quickly. “Adult pying; you know, stuff that girls do.”

  Darnit, I’m not good at this.

  “I never heard you make those sounds before,” Varis said innocently.

  Thank God it was dark in here, or else he’d see my face burning. I waved my hands and said, “W-Well, I did say adults; I’m not an adult.” Damn right I wasn’t, and God forbid I do anything.

  “So, Mom and Papa are pying?” Varis asked, still hesitant.

  “Yes, they’re pying grown-up wrestling. It’s a very secret game, though, so no kids are allowed.”

  “How do you know so much about this?” Varis stepped away from the tent fp.

  “Mother told me about it,” I lied. “And I did some light reading.” The second half was true: Mother owned a lot, and I mean a lot of erotica. I guess it comes with the wizard trade. The st time she caught me reading those books, though, she turned my ass red. And now I assumed she was hiding them in her cabin out back.

  “Oh, what’s it like?” Varis asked, now curious.

  I stammered incomprehensible gibberish. If I fucking knew. Last life I was a virgin, a true wizard, you could say. Well, I wasn’t forty yet, but I was a little over halfway there. Even if I hadn’t been, I doubted I’d tell him.

  I shrugged. “I dunno, Varis; again, it’s an adult game.”

  “Well, yeah, but if Mother told you about it and you read it, maybe she told you how to py—”

  ABORT ABORT.

  “No.” I stuck my hand in his face. “I’m shutting this down now. Go to bed.”

  “Wha—why?”

  “Varis, please go to bed. We’re both too young to have this conversation,” I huffed. “If I hear you go outside, I’ll beat your butt.”

  Varis huffed back. “Like you can beat me.”

  “Boy!” I shut my eyes and snapped, “Fine, I’ll tell on you!”

  “You wouldn’t!” he gasped.

  “I would, now shut up,” I told him just as my parents reached a crescendo and finished. Soon, an awkward silence fell over the camp.

  Maybe going off to magic Harvard wouldn’t be so bad after all… I thought as sleep finally took me.

  The well is not what you’d think it to be. A commoner believes it to be no different from the hole from which they draw water, and to a yman, that is a suitable way of thinking about it. However, in reality, this is a misconception. The well is not some hole from which an etherborne draws power. Instead, it is a scale of their connection to the divine power.

  —The One Power, Eisn Doer.