Out in the stable, Av’ry finished settling his horse in for the night and gave the animal a final fond pat on the neck before he slipped out of the stall. Hearing Jade and Ed’wyr open the door to return to the cave, he closed the stall and made to follow, but Mikiva grabbed his arm, holding him back.

  “What’s wrong?” he frowned.

  “Did you know she was going to do that?” Mikiva whispered.

  “Do what?”

  “Spin that tale for him,” she glanced around urgently, making sure they were alone.

  “No, she didn’t say anything to me. Must have been a spur of the moment decision,” Av’ry shrugged. “She read the sage right, though. It was well played.”

  “Maybe a little too well played,” Mikiva muttered.

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “I mean that she had me half convinced that we were looking for our dear, old friends. The tears, the little added details. She’s too good,” Mikiva muttered. “If she can do something like that on a moment’s notice, who’s to say she isn’t playing us right now?”

  “Mikiva, we talked about this,” Av’ry pinched the bridge of his nose. “There is no reason to suspect that. I mean, what do you want to do? Cut her out of the investigation because she is doing too good of a job?”

  “No, no, it’s not that, I just…” Mikiva sighed in frustration. “It’s hard to trust someone when you don’t know anything about them.”

  “Does anyone ever really know anyone?”

  “Don’t get existential on me, Av’ry,” Mikiva shot him a withering look.

  “Sorry. How about I be practical, then?” Av’ry whispered. “We have a limited amount of time. And Jade’s good at this. We can’t afford to lose her. And even if you aren’t sure about who she used to be, I know for certain that the person she is now wants to help us. I saw it, felt it. I just need you to trust me.”

  “You’re right, you’re right,” she raised her hands in surrender. “I guess I am just being paranoid. But everything has gone so wrong lately, and I can’t help but thinking it will get worse before it gets better.”

  Mikiva rubbed her hands across her face,

  “Istaria is too well prepared for this war, she could have spies everywhere, for all we know.”

  Av’ry put a hand on her shoulder,

  “Maybe that isn’t a bad thing. It gives us an opportunity to turn the tables. We track down a few of her agents and just imagine what we could learn. Let’s just take this one step at a time, alright?”

  Mikiva nodded, placing her own hand gently on top of his,

  “We should get back; they’ll wonder what’s taking us so long,” she said.

  Av’ry squeezed her hand, and together they walked back to the cave.

  Dinner ended up being an unexpectedly light and pleasant affair. Ed’wyr Carath, clearly enjoyed a good meal and, with no one else to cook for him, had become quite proficient himself. The fare was so diverse and fresh, that Jade couldn’t help but wonder how the sage acquired some of the ingredients, all the way up here in the mountains. She suspected it was challenging, and that he was showing off a bit for their benefit. But to her, the food hardly compared to the stories. Ed’wyr had led a fascinating life; as a younger man he had explored the remotest corners of the earth, excavated ancient ruins, and even participated in a brief, ill-fated rebellion against the Immortal Pantheon.

  It was several hours and several bottles of what the others assured Jade was very fine wine, before the dinner came to an end. More than a few glasses past tipsy, Av’ry and Mikiva had excused themselves, and stumbled off down the hall to their room, leaving Jade and the sage alone by the fire. A moment later, Ed’wyr abruptly rose from his chair.

  “Oh, how forgetful of me, I didn’t show your friends where the second guest room was,” the sage fretted.

  Jade put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

  “I doubt that’s necessary,” Jade said. “I’m sure they’ll manage just fine. Though if you could give me directions to the second room, I would be very grateful. I would hate to interrupt anything.”

  “Ah, I see,” he smiled knowingly. “Well then, would you like me to show you to your room, now?”

  “I suppose that all depends,” Jade replied. “Are you very tired?”

  “Me? Not particularly. Why do you ask?”

  “I know it is very late, and I hate to impose, but I wondered if you would be willing to tell me more about the Dragon Wars?”

  “My dear,” Ed’wyr grinned broadly. “On that subject, I could speak all night.”

  Jade settled back in her chair,

  “Well, let’s put that to the test then, shall we?”

  The morning dawned grey and cold, but the storm from the night before had blown over, leaving a crisp, fresh layer of snow on the ground. Av’ry emerged from the cave dwelling desperate for fresh air, however much it burned his lungs. He was more accustomed to camping under the open sky than hundreds of tons of rock. Waking up in that tiny, windowless room with the low ceiling, he had been gripped by a sudden, intense claustrophobia that had caused him to all but bolt from the dwelling. Not especially wanting to explain that to anyone, though, he decided to go over to the stable to check on the horses, taking deep gulps of mountain air as he went.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “It does get a little stuffy in there after a while, doesn’t it?”

  Av’ry almost jumped out of his skin,

  “Void, Jade, you startled me.”

  He turned to see her sitting on the low fence outside the stable, looking him over with a smirk.

  “A little hungover, are we?” Jade asked, rhetorically.

  “Don’t remind me,” Av’ry groaned. “I did not intend to get that drunk last night. Forgot about the altitude.”

  “That matters?”

  “Absolutely,” he crossed to lean on the fence next to her. “In fact, I should consider moving to the mountains. Would probably save me a lot of money.”

  “I suspect you’d adapt to the altitude, in time.”

  “You’re probably right, it would be a temporary benefit, at best,” he sighed. “What are you doing up so early, anyway?”

  “Just… enjoying the view,” she replied, gazing out at the mountains that towered over the village. “Spectacular, aren’t they?”

  “They are,” Av’ry frowned, studying her face and noting the dark circles under her eyes. “You didn’t sleep again last night, did you?”

  “It’s not a big deal, Av’ry. I just got to talking with Ed’wyr about draconic lore. I lost track of time.”

  “Liar. You’ve barely slept at all since that night with the Scorpions. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.”

  Jade sighed,

  “Alright, I admit it. I’ve tried, I just… can’t. It hardly seems worth the effort at this point.”

  “Gods, Jade,” he rubbed his hands over his face. “Why didn’t you say something?”

  “What difference would it have made?”

  “People can’t just give up sleep entirely. This is happening because you are trying too hard to remember. I told you not to push it, didn’t I?”

  “What am I supposed to do? Pretend I don’t know?” she threw her hands up in frustration.

  “No, I suppose you couldn’t very well do that, could you?” Av’ry frowned.

  Honestly, he was worried about her mental state. Despite the front she put up, Jade was clearly struggling with this. Who wouldn’t be? During the day, she distracted herself well enough, but at night all she had was her thoughts and those unsettling dreams. It was enough to drive a person mad, as he well knew. He was working on a possible solution, but he didn’t want to get her hopes up, not until he was sure. But clearly something had to be done in the meantime.

  “Look, I could mix up a concoction for you,” he offered. “It would relax you, let you sleep without dreams. Would you try that?”

  “I don’t know. Seems more like treating the symptom than the problem,” Jade sighed.

  “It is, but it is the best I can offer right now. I’m sorry.”

  “It isn’t your fault,” Jade relented. “Alright, I’ll try it, if you think it will help.”

  “Thank you,” Av’ry sighed, relieved. “I will make it the next time we stop for the night.”

  “No rush,” Jade shrugged and changed the subject. “So, what is the plan for today?”

  “Well that all depends, were you finished chatting with the good sage?”

  “Finished?” Jade laughed. “I could spend weeks here and still not know everything I want to. It is a fascinating subject.”

  “Learn anything useful?”

  “Not strictly speaking. It is all ancient history, literally. Nothing to help us with the present situation. Still, you never know when a little background information could come in handy.”

  “True,” Av’ry looked up at the milky grey sky. “Well, if that’s the case, we should probably get moving as soon as possible. We are burning daylight already and it will take a few of days to get to Cillvala. Mikiva will be anxious for us to get on the road.”

  Av’ry turned back towards the house, and Jade followed.

  “Where is Mikiva, anyway?” she asked.

  “Still sleeping, last I saw. I’ll go get her if you go find your new friend and see about getting us that map he promised. Deal?”

  “Sounds good. Find me when you’re ready.”

  Returning to the house, Jade found Ed’wyr drinking coffee in the kitchen.

  “Need a little pick-me up?” Jade asked.

  “Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve been kept up all night by a young lady. I’m not used to it, anymore.”

  Jade laughed,

  “Young lady? I’m not that young. Saying things like that will make you sound old.”

  “I am old, my dear. But luckily, studying history makes me feel young. I mean, what’s 70 years or so out of thousands?”

  “A mere drop in the bucket,” Jade smiled.

  The sage passed her a cup of coffee,

  “I assume you and your friends will be leaving today?”

  “That’s the plan.”

  “Too bad. I have been enjoying the company. It has been a long time since I met a young person with such a keen interest in my research. It gives me hope that it will continue, after I am gone.”

  “Of course it will continue. But don’t go passing the torch just yet. You still have a lot of work to do, I’m sure.”

  “There will always be a lot of work to do,” he smiled. “That’s what makes this so enjoyable. It never gets stale because there is always more to discover.”

  “I think I understand that feeling,” Jade said slowly.

  “Of course you do. You are a student of history,” he smiled; it was the same smile J’arrin had often given her; a mentor who was proud of a student.

  Jade felt a fresh pang of guilt for lying to the man.

  “I don’t know about that,” she looked to the floor.

  “But I do. You have talent and interest, which is all you really need. Just remember, some people will say that the past isn’t important, some even say that studying it is dangerous, but they are wrong. There is nothing more important than the past. It defines our present; it shapes our future. Those who forget the past are forever weakened for their mistake,” Ed’wyr put a hand on her shoulder. “All you need to be a good historian is to commit to uncovering the truth about the past, whenever the chance arises. No matter the risk. In my experience, it’s always been worth the effort.”

  Jade sank into a chair, momentarily at a loss for words. She knew he hadn’t meant it as a personal commentary; he had no idea about what she had truly lost. But it couldn’t have hit her any harder if he had. Whether it was an individual or a society as a whole, people needed their past. No matter how hard she tried to pretend it didn’t bother her, how hard she tried to pretend that she was ok, in truth she was lost, and she didn’t know if she would ever find herself again. Ed’wyr must have noticed the strange look on her face, because he turned to her and seemed about to say something, but before he could, Av’ry and Mikiva appeared in the doorway.

  “Are we interrupting something?” Av’ry asked, clearly sensing the tension.

  “What?” Jade shook herself. “Oh, no, not at all. We were just chatting. You two ready?”

  “Yeah, and we should get going if we want to make it to lower ground before it gets dark again,” Av’ry turned to Ed’wyr. “Thank you very much for your hospitality, and your assistance.”

  “I only wish I could have helped more,” the sage bowed his head. “I hope you find your friends. And if you need anything, or if you are ever back this way, you are welcome here as my guests any time.”

  “You are too kind,” Mikiva smiled.

  Jade rose, shook the sage’s hand and headed for the door.

  “Oh, I almost forgot!” Ed’wyr reached into a pocket of his long robes. “Here is the map I promised. There is a trail down the south face of the mountain that will take you out into the valley close to Cillvala. This time of year, the path should be relatively clear, so you should have no problems traversing it.”

  Av’ry took the map and examined it for a moment.

  “This here,” he pointed to a mountain peak. “Which peak is that?”

  “Oh, that?” the Sage studied his map. “That is the sacred mountain of the god Tasya. They say that her most devoted followers inhabit a labyrinth of tunnels through that very mountain. Why do you ask?”

  “I just thought we might stay the night at a village near there.”

  “Oh, you mean White Pine Village? Yes, that is only a short distance from the route I sketched out. Though if you want to make it by nightfall, you will need to hurry. The days are short, this time of year.”

  “Well, I guess we should be going,” Av’ry smiled, tucking the map in his pocket.

  Ed’wyr saw them to the door, and after thanking him for his assistance one last time, the trio retrieved their horses and headed off down the mountain.