“There it is,” Trig said as he leaned over the top of the wagon, pointing to the split in the road. To the right was a basic dirt road, carefully constructed by the exploration corp who had scouted the area. That road would lead in a large loop all the way to Maxwell’s Breach. To our left was a great mountain range with lush, untamed grass nearly as high as your knee. An untamed world beyond our own little corner.
“It’s crazy. Not long ago the entire surface seemed scary. Untamable. But we overtook it and now we have our own slice of the world. So much it feels like it’s home. But…leaving home feels weird, I guess.”
“I think it’s the unknown,” Trig said with a sigh. “Sure, we run into trouble all the time in our neck of the woods, but we know the area and the troubles. Even when we don’t know what troubles we’re facing, it’s like…we still expect something. But out there…” he trailed off and raised his hands. “Who knows?”
“Well, you’ve kept me good company, Trig. But past that mountain range is where the Shadewood lies. And I can’t have you coming with me.”
Trig scoffed at that. “What, you’d make me leave now? Before Miss Chrysanthemum can declare her love for the butler? I don’t think so.”
“You can take the book,” I said.
“You know it’s not about the book,” Trig replied, his voice growing stern once more. “Avery, I’m not leaving you. Higgins asked me to keep you company because he doesn’t want you lonely. But I’m not here to just be your buddy. I’m a Venator, trained and ready to fight on your side. I’m here to make sure you come back home.”
I was torn here. Part of me wanted to give an order and send him straight home. No other Venator was cleared to come with me and the gembeasts had clearly watched Trig perform along with the others when I had shown them our home base. I was the only one they took any interest in. The only one they thought had a slim chance of making it.
But the other part was longing for companionship. Trig’s presence allowed me to rest fully, and use my Telepathy charm to speak to my husband and spend time with him without fearing some beast would catch me unaware. And… it was nice having someone to watch your back. Trig was young, but he was still an adult. He could make his own decisions.
“Do whatever you want,” I said, turning my back to him and making my way towards the untamed grasslands. “Just know that whatever happens to you out there, well, it’ll be on you. I tried to warn you.”
“And like all warnings in my life, I’m just going to pretend like I didn’t hear it,” Trig replied. “Now come on, let’s go find that Vessel.”
Chapter 6
There was an eeriness in the silence surrounding us as our solitary cart rolled up the gravel path. The grasslands had been free of any serious monsters. A few Kinru were here and there, but they were quick to take off when a single arrow killed their leader. Other than that, no monsters around. At least, none we could see.
I had opted out of sleeping today, choosing to sit atop the cart instead, watching for signs of danger. In the distance, at the top of the gravel road leading in between the mountain range, I could hear some shuffling. They were slow, plodding footsteps, purposeless and without aim. My supernaturally-enhanced senses could tell that it was a small creature, restricted to perhaps one single area.
Trig let out a few whistles as we drew closer to the source of the sound. He had heard the shuffling too and had a bomb in one hand and a dagger in the other. I drew my bow and adjusted my position, so that I was crouching atop the wagon. The aimless shifting seemed to indicate this creature was waiting for something. Waiting for us, perhaps.
“Kinru!” Trig shouted as the beast came into view. I raised my bow, but Josiah’s Storm emoted a strong urge for me to stop before I could snap off a round. Not as it seems, the bow shouted. I held my shot and realized that the beast in question was not a beast at all, but was rather a man, wearing the head of a Kinru atop his own.
He was an older fellow, with a long cane made of bone, and the severed head of a Kinru affixed atop his skull as if it were a hat of sorts. He wore long robes made from monster flesh and his scent was curiously missing. Even though the wind blew towards us, I could not smell a hint of his presence, regardless of my enhanced perception.
“Wait, that’s an old man,” Trig said, squinting. “What the hell is he wearing?”
“Camouflage,” I said. “Let me talk to him, but don’t get close. Not everyone we meet on the road is a friend.”
“Yeah, yeah man is the real monster and all that,” Trig grumbled as he pulled the lever on the wagon to stop it from rolling forward. The gears crunched and groaned as I leapt down to approach the man, keeping my bow low, but still present. Above, the sun was beginning to set, and it would be night soon. Perhaps he had a shelter nearby that he stayed in.
“Greetings,” I said, waving a hand at him.
The old fellow stopped walking and tilted his head up. “Someone say something? Forgive me, but the eyes aren’t so good these days.”
“I said hello,” I replied, trying to keep my voice low enough to avoid attraction but high enough for him to hear.
“Lots of things say hello,” he said, his head sweeping left and right slowly. I noticed that his eyes indeed looked quite dim. “Prove
