Fynwrick nods, “Okay then.” He walks out of the room, and I’m left to wonder if that’s all he has to add when he comes back into the room with a long rolled up piece of aged parchment. Unrolling the scroll-like paper, he motions us over to the table and lays down a map. Pointing to what looks like a mound, he continues, “We’re here, the Fields of Punishment are to the left and are ever-changing based on the need of the fields. So, we’re not going over the Fields. See the wooded area to the right? We’ll exit here into the woods, not the fields. From there we will follow the river downstream past the waterfall. See where the river hooks farther to the right, avoiding the desert? We will keep heading toward the Barren Lands. We’ll stop here to rest up for the next leg of the journey. Daxell, we can meet you there, if you would prefer to shadow-walk the first leg of the journey. That will give you more time on the morrow to prepare. We can leave out first thing and travel the day through. The Lava Fields are just beyond the Barren Lands. See?” He asks pointing to an area that looks like water on the map, except that the water looks to be boiling and bubbling.
Spotting a large island in the center of what appears to be a huge lake of lava, I point, “Is that where we are going?” I ask in alarm. “What about the Fire Demons?”
Pip grins that sharp pointy grin of his and says with humor, “Easy. We traverse the Lava Fields without getting toasted by the Fire Demons! We’re flying. We shouldn’t disturb them. Not much, I wouldn’t think.” He trails off.
“The Fire Demons are nothing to be trifled with,” Daxell declares.
Paynga speaks up, “It’s our understanding that the Fire Demons have grown agitated as of late, Pipperton. You will all need to be vigilant on this journey. I will be heading out on the morrow to carry word to Luc and hopefully, he can intervene if the need arises. Mammon is growing more ambitious with each passing click. Luc will not be able to look a blind eye at his growing numbers for long.”
Nodding I ask, “Back to the Fire Demons, I’m assuming that the only thing that can fend off these fiery creatures is water?”
Rhynik nods his agreement, “But there won’t be any water to be found out there unless you can pull water with you across the Barren Lands. If not, we will have to plot our course carefully as to not disrupt them.”
Shaking my head, I look down at my bound wrist and hold it up, “I can’t do anything with this on. So we will have to tread carefully. What about the demons of discarded things? How can they live surrounded by all that lava? Do they fly?”
Daxell shakes his head, “They are immune to fire. They can teleport, or trace as it were, but only to obtain the object that has been discarded and then back to their home.”
“So, they just pop up willy nelly here in The Underworld, snag their prize and pop back to this island and the item in question is forever kept there?”
“That about sums it up.”
“Then how the demon’s hell are we going to find a nondescript backpack on an island that is full of mismatched things? There have to be a gazillion things in their greedy little hands.”
Ifind that I can’t sleep. So, for a time, I just lay beside Daxell and watch his chest rise and fall. Wishing with all my might that our connection that was forged not that long ago was still open. I only get bits and pieces, here and there, more emotion than anything else. Now that our bond has been created and we’ve ascended, whatever majic helped us during that time has ebbed. My protective hedge, the bloodstone that lies between my breasts continues to try to temper the binding cuff and I fear that the majic in the stone will be completely spent before I can get this damn bracelet removed.
Not wanting to disturb Daxell, I slip out of our bed and wrap a blanket from the foot of the bed around me. As quietly as I can, I make my way out of the dwelling that we are occupying until it’s time for us to leave. Jillisandra’s words from earlier today haunt me as I wander through the dimly lit alleyways of the Borough this time of night. When I look up, I expect to see the stars and the moon but all I see is an inky darkness. Like my father, the sound of rushing water draws me to the underground waterfall. I make to sit on the slightly damp ground of the shore and pull my knees to my chest to rest my head on them. Just listening. Contemplating everything that I have learned thus far.
Long, warm, muscled legs slide in around me and instinctively I lean back into Daxell’s chest, and ask, “Did you follow me? I didn’t want to wake you.”
“I missed you. I woke and the bed was empty. You call to me, even in my sleep, honey cheeks. What’s wrong? Why can’t you sleep?”
“This is just the beginning. Isn’t it? What she said … This is bigger than The Morrígan. This is bigger than even what my parents thought. What will happen if all the Primordials that have been sleeping awake? I can’t even wrap my mind around it. Daxell, they went to sleep for a reason. I can only imagine that at the beginning of time that things were extreme and so were these Primordial deities. There hadn’t been enough time to pass, so, time hadn’t worked its
