that we have no stake in. Leave with me tonight before something bad happens. I can feel it in my gut. Something is going to happen.”
“I can’t leave them. I feel my place is here. They are all Gifted, like me.”
“I won’t abandon you.”
“I know. You owe me nothing Torroth. It is I who owe you for having saved my life from that hunter. Even Rothlt would understand if you did choose to go your own path.”
“I said that I'm not leaving.”
“I'm sorry if you feel like you didn’t have a choice.”
“Inadar, I don’t want to talk about it. I'm here and that is the end of the discussion.” Inadar wanted to say something else, but she respected Torroth’s wishes and dropped the conversation.
“How are you holding up Aleest?” Emeck had been plodding alongside the silent lad since leaving Warton.
“I'm all right. Just thinking. I heard Urake say that were going to get some wagons as part of our cover. Do you think we will have horses?”
“Probably not. Oxen would be more fitting with the traveling peddler idea.” Emeck noted the disappointed look on Aleest’s face.
“That is a shame. Horses are a lot more interesting. Oxen only think about food and flies.”
“Flies?”
“Yes, flies drive them insane.”
“I see. I'm sure that despite the flies, you will get along with them just fine.”
“Probably. I'm not sure about Bani though. I don’t think he likes me.” Aleest squinted at Cero’s pack.
“I don’t think Bani likes anyone but Cero. I punched him in the shoulder the other day when he made some sarcastic comment and the next thing I knew, Bani appeared out of nowhere and attempted to take my hand off before Cero calmed him down.”
“I wish I could have been there to see it.” Aleest started giggling as Emeck glowered.
“It wasn’t funny.”
“It sounds funny.”
“I will remember looking into those green eyes and feeling those little talons gripping my arm for the rest of my life.” Emeck was regretting having told the story.
“Bani isn’t even as big as a loaf of black bread and you were terrified of him?” Aleest was trying to stop giggling, but the mental image that Emeck picked up almost made him laugh also.
“I wasn’t scared of him. Just a little apprehensive. There is a big difference.” Emeck tried not to think of the image that Aleest was seeing of him jumping around screaming.
“How big of a difference?” Aleest grinned up at Emeck.
“For one, I didn’t scream.” Emeck had his mouth open in preparation for outlining another difference between apprehension and terror when Cero dropped back and joined into the conversation.
“Yes you did. You screamed like Akeli did whenever she thought she saw a spider.”
“Cero, no one asked you.” Emeck took on a mortally offended expression.
“I was just correcting you. Besides, Bani wasn’t going to hurt you. He just doesn’t like people threatening me, he is sort of overprotective like that.”
“Having a dragon snarling in your face is more than a warning. Those teeth are wicked looking!” Emeck tried to defend himself, although he had the feeling that he was trying to patch a sinking boat.
“I'm sure he will appreciate the compliment. Not that he needs his ego built up any more than it already is.” Cero rolled his eyes as his pack cover stirred.
“Compliment? You call that a compliment?” Emeck had his turn at rolling his eyes.
“He is quite vain, to tell the truth, and being told he is scary is quite the compliment.” Cero laughed at Emeck’s shocked expression.
“I didn’t say he was scary. I said his teeth were wicked looking.”
“Same difference.” Aleest was watching with a gleeful expression.
“Whose side are you on Aleest?” Emeck shook his head and decided that the conversation was over. He was already losing ground so no need digging the hole deeper.
“Let him have his compliment then. I am going to go walk somewhere where people aren’t making fun of me.” When both Cero and Aleest burst into laughter, he shook his head and stepped forward.
“Wicked looking?” Urake smirked over at Emeck.
“Not you too.”
“I would have called those teeth scary. A whole maw of those needle sharp things in your face is scary.” Urake nodded knowingly.
“Enough already. This is going to be a long trip.”
***
When the group arrived in Cercha, a few days after leaving Warton, they procured two wagons and as many teams of oxen to pull them. Few people asked many questions about the group of strangers that were purchasing trading supplies left and right with seemingly bottomless coin sacks.