“I suppose I am somewhat of an enigma, aren’t I?”
A server arrived with a basket of bread and bottle of wine. He spoke to Maveryck in a strange language, and Maveryck responded. I had no choice but to sit and listen, hoping that whatever Maveryck had chosen for me to eat would be edible. I doubted boarhound was on the menu.
After the server left, Maveryck turned his attention back to me. “So, you want to know who I am, do you?”
“Yes. I believe our quest would go more smoothly if I knew who I was working with.”
“Very well.” He sat back. “I was born to Wult parents, though I had an elven grandmother. My parents were killed, and I was adopted by a noble elven family, but their ways didn’t suit me, so I set off on my own. I’ve been alone since then. Well, except for Grace.”
“I’m not sure the wolf counts as a companion.”
“She does to me.”
“Fair enough.” I ate a small bite of bread. “Why did you leave the elves?”
He shrugged. “Differences of opinion, mostly.”
“Have you ever wanted to go back?”
He gave me a bemused smile, as if he knew something I didn’t. “I suppose I’ve thought of it from time to time, but I’ve always felt more comfortable on my own. Someone with a reputation like mine can’t afford too many attachments.”
“Because you’re a thief?”
“Because I’m dangerous.”
It was my turn to smile. “Hardly.”
“You don’t believe so?”
“No. I’ve seen the way you fight.”
The server came back, this time with two dishes of food. He placed one plate in front of me and the other in front of Maveryck, gave us a polite smile, and then walked away. I stared at my food and then picked up the fork and poked the tentacles doused in white sauce.
“What is this?” I asked.
“Calmar au citron. Squid with lemon in a white wine sauce. It’s quite good. You should try it.”
Being trained in survival, I’d learned never to turn down a meal, but this was pushing it. I took a small bite of the rubbery appendage, and though I was prepared to spit it out, it tasted flavorful.
“It’s not bad. At least it’s better than my sister’s cooking.”
“I’ll take that to mean you like it.”
“Don’t push it.” I took a larger bite followed by a sip of water. “Tell me, have you been able to work out a way to retrieve the staff and get us off this planet?”
“I’m still working on the details, but I think I’ve come up with something.”
“Go ahead.”
“This is what I know so far. When we fought the wraith in Faythander, the staff interacted with the reflection in the ice and created a portal. I’m not sure how this happened exactly, as magic does not usually work without a practitioner, but the staff most likely has properties we don’t understand. Whatever the case, we are now in Earth Kingdom with no way back.”
I sighed. “Then how are we to get home?”
“I know of only one way. We must find an existing portal here in Earth Kingdom, and the closest portal I know of exists on a small island just south of the coast of Montpellier, France.”
“How do you know that?”
“I, eh…” He cleared his throat. “I’ve researched the subject of portals a few times—in the past.”
“Where did you come by this knowledge?”
“It’s not important.”
“It is if you want me to follow you.”
He rubbed his forehead. “Why do you need to know?”
“Because I need to be able to trust you.”
“I assure you, I speak the truth when I say there is a portal on the island I speak of. Where I get my information is not important. You can trust me.”
I avoided meeting his gaze. The truth was I wasn’t sure I could trust anyone ever again. I’d seen too much and heard too many lies. Someone like Maveryck would never understand.
“I will never trust you,” I told him. “I can’t.”
“You can’t or you don’t want to?”
I shrugged. “Maybe both.”
This was bad on so many levels. I couldn’t trust him, and he refused to tell me the truth. Maybe it didn’t matter if I could trust him or not—what ultimately mattered was finding the staff and escaping this planet. Once I crossed through the portal, all the memories of my time spent on this planet would be erased and I would no longer have to work with him. Perhaps I’d been worrying too much all along.
I returned my focus to Maveryck. “Tell me again where the portal is?”
He raised an eyebrow. “I thought you couldn’t trust me.”
“I’ve decided it doesn’t matter. Tell me where the portal is so we can get this over with and go home.”
He scanned my face, his eyes intense, as if he could see my thoughts. “Very well,” he said finally. “The portal is located on an island near the coast of Montpellier. We entered through a portal in the catacombs, most likely because they are a place connected to Earth magic. However, we need a portal connected with Faythander magic, so returning the way we came isn’t possible. We need to get to Montpellier, and we need to get there soon. I don’t know where the wraith is now, but like us, he will also be looking for a way back.”
“How far are we from the portal?”
“About a half day’s journey if we take Earth Kingdom’s Eurail. Once we get to Montpellier, we’ll have to find a boat in order to cross the ocean to the island. It won’t be easy, and we’ll most likely be trailed by the wraith.”
“That’s something I don’t understand,” I said. “Why is he bothering to trail us at all? Why doesn’t he just create a portal by using the staff and go back to Faythander?”
“Because he most likely only has enough magic to fuel the staff
