of ages past came here to search for the beginning of magic. The longer he looked at the sky, the more he believed that he was in the right place to find the veil. He was so close to his goal, the only thing left was to go through the door. Even if it meant that he would go mad, he had to try.
All humans are a little mad. If they weren’t, then they would never be able to live in this world.
“If you say so,” Bren said, shrugging off Thuraman’s words.
Back at the house, all the windows were open and it looked as if the house had caught on fire with the sheer amount of dust that was filling the air outside. Inside he found everyone cleaning, even Jin who appeared to be skilled at it. “Where is Faye?” Bren asked as he walked into the main room.
“She and Lillian are out back cleaning the bed mats and sheets,” Jin said as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, leaving a dirty brown streak where it had mixed with the dust.
Holding back a laugh, Bren walked through the house and out the back door into the courtyard. Three large wooden poles hung between two trees. Each pool supported the bedding, while Lillian and Faye beat the dust out of them with large flat instruments. Large clouds of dust filled the air with each strike. Bren watched the two women for a few moments. He didn’t know why, but he liked the way that Faye grunted slightly each time she struck the bedding. “You look like you’re having fun,” Bren said after a bit.
Faye turned around and flashed him a warm smile. “It helps take out my frustration. You should try it,” Faye said offering him the stick.
“I think you’re doing a perfect job,” Bren said not wanting to breathe in such large amounts of dust. “Cass is okay, though he lost the arm. I just thought I would let you know. Phena is staying with him for now.”
“His arm,” Faye replied gasping. “Such a shame, but at least he will live.”
Though he didn’t want to, Bren was forced into helping Faye and Lillian beat the bed sheets and coverings, and just as he feared, each strike released enough dust to make its own mini desert. When the sun fell out of view and the sky darkened, everyone gathered in the house, which while much cleaner than it had been, still needed a good scrubbing.
After a short meal, Bren and the others went to their own rooms. Last night he had slept really well, but that was more to his own fatigue rather than the accommodations. As far as he was concerned, this was his first real sleep in days.
Chapter 20
Early the next morning, Bren was shown to the location of the door to the veil. It was large, nearly fifteen feet tall, and looked as if it had been carved out of the very wall itself.
Bren ran his fingers over the door. It was cold to the touch and sent a shiver down his spine. He didn’t know why, but suddenly the thought of walking through the door didn’t seem like such a good one. Bren shook off the odd feelings that ran through his mind. The complete trip had been ill-advised on so many levels, so it didn’t matter if one more appeared.
“You can go anytime you wish,” the elder said coming up to stand beside Bren. I would suggest that you make sure that you are completely prepared for the journey. I can offer little advice on what you will need, as I am smart enough not to pass through those doors.”
“The world needs those without brains who do not fear the unknown. Otherwise, there would be little ever discovered,” Bren said with a wry grin.
“That may be true,” the elder replied, patting Bren on the shoulder. “I think I will leave it to others. Maybe when I have lost what little wits the gods graced me with, I might enter those doors as well.”
As the elder walked away, Bren never took his eyes off the door. After he had stood there for more than an hour, Bren turned and walked back into the village proper.
Just like most villages, there were shops and eateries for people to use. When Bren had first heard of the hidden village, he had thought it would be small with only a few dozen guards, but what they had found was completely