Page 39 of Kingdom of Spirits
Fara gobbled it down, groaning in ecstasy. Tahlia laughed and they worked their way through half the square.
“I’m going to give the rest to Vodolija.”
Fara grumbled but nodded and began to tie up her bedroll.
Fog crept across the dark green and gray landscape, the tops of the distant trees poking up through the misty white like fingers from a shallow grave. A chill wrapped around Tahlia, but it didn’t alarm her. This place was haunted and she would have been more worried if she hadn’t felt the chill. At this point, fear and fretting were the norm.
Vodolija stood over a cluster of large and mossy stones. She eyed a ferret-like creature that was darting between the rocks and nibbling greenery.
“How does that wee thing not even notice the massive predator staring down at him hungrily?”
The Seabreak grunted, a dragon’s version of a shrug. Then she moved, her head lashing out like a great arrow, and the ferret was gone.
“Ew.” Tahlia turned away to let the dragon finish her breakfast. “I was going to offer you a bit of honey and fig bread, but you seem to be just fine.”
The dragon bumped her back and she spun to see expectant eyes.
“Fine. I suppose it can be your dessert.” Tahlia opened her palm and Vodolija nibbled the bread with the tip of her smooth, scaly snout.
“She’s going to take a finger someday,” Fara said from behind.
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen any riders missing fingers. Oh, wait, I do think there was someone who was missing a thumb.”
“Exactly. With you being part human, you’ll probably be the next victim.”
“Gee, thank you for that.”
“Just warning you. Not saying I want it to happen. I’m not Ophelia.”
“She doesn’t just want my finger. She wants my life.”
“Fair. Then maybe I should have said I’m not Maiwenn.”
“Accurate.”
Fara laughed sadly and offered Tahlia a steaming cup of what smelled like pine needle tea. They drank in silence as the fog circled Vodolija and their view of the slope that led to the creek.
“He’s been gone a while,” Fara said.
“Not really. Let’s pack up and be ready to move on when he returns.” Tahlia said, leading Fara back to the fire.
“What is the plan exactly?” Fara finished her tea, shook the cup, and tucked it into the middling-sized satchel they’d brought along with the smaller ones they could affix to themselves if needed. They also had a larger bag tied onto Vodolija.
“I am really not sure,” Tahlia said. “I guess we’ll try to get Marius to return.”
“And if he refuses?”
“We’ll follow him wherever he feels led to go.”
“So we are putting the madman in charge of the quest.”
“Only way to see what’s happening.”
“You sound so nonchalant considering you’re wandering a dead kingdom full of ghosts.”
“Don’t forget. You chose to come with me.”
Fara bunched her lips and whispered something that was most likely a gentle curse aimed in Tahlia’s direction.