Selina's blood ran cold. "Reen?"
"H—H—He's—"
Before the boy finished, Selina rushed past him. "Where is he?"
"The livery."
At least he could spit something out without trouble.
She hurried through the inn, pulling her scarf over her head as she ran. Her feet carried her out the door, across the wet stones and puddles in the street. Water soaked through her thin shoes, chilling her from the bottom up while the drenching rain soaked her head and shoulders. She ignored the cold, focusing instead on finding the old carriage driver and healing any number of fatal injuries she imagined.
The moment she flung the livery door open, she hesitated. The fragrance of freshly-cut hay helped mask the fouler odors of animals.
After the initial bang of the door, all fell quiet. Nothing appeared wrong. Cropes, the waist-high animals known for the best milk, chewed their hay in their pen. Her carriage was at the back of the livery among the straw bundles, unmarred from her view.
She stepped in and let the door slam shut behind her. Her heart raced. If the stranger hurt Reen— "Reen? Reen, where—"
"Here, Miss!" He stepped around a pile of hay into sight, his gray hair disheveled under the cap, but his shirt and vest bore a streak of mud.
She sighed, relieved to see him but confused by what she saw, or didn't see. "The boy; he made it sound urgent, that something happened to you."
Reen pulled off his hat and scratched the bare top of his head, a hint of a smile lifting his cheeks. "Bit a fear of a lashing, I s'pose," he mumbled. When he looked up and replaced his cap, his smile faded. "Not his fault though."
When he took a limping step towards her, Selina rushed to his side. That limp was new.
The door creaked and slammed behind her.
"Reen!" Beth hurried to his other side.
"Sit down and let me take care of that," Selina said to Reen.
He grunted but let them help him to a wooden chest to sit. Although a local medic could have done just as well with a splint and bandages, the least she could do was to take away his pain. Reen had been her driver without any complain from the beginning of her days as a healer.
She knelt and put a hand to his leg. With little effort, the power flowed from her and the mark around her neck glowed. After a few seconds, it faded, and she sat back against a post for balance from the dizziness. "How's that?"
He moved his leg and a broad smile stretched across his face. "Thanks, Miss."
Selina scanned the livery for anything out of place. "What happened?"
"Doxon."
"Doxon? I thought he looks out for you? Why would he attack you?"
Reen stood and walked without problems to the sleeping felipar chained near the carriage. At his approach, it lifted its angular head from its paws. He scratched the throat stretched out at his touch, eliciting a soft rumble from the felipar. "You were just defending me. Weren't you, Doxon?"
"Defending? From whom?" With Beth's help, Selina rose and dusted herself.
Still scratching the felipar's thick neck, Reen turned to her. "A stranger. Came in before dawn. I caught him trying to chase off Doxon, who knocked me down coming to my aid. Guess the man didn't realize how attached Doxon is."
"What did he look like—the man?" Selina joined him and scratched behind the felipar's dark ears. Felipar were difficult to tame and had to be hand-raised to form the kind of attachment between Doxon and Reen. Few were used as beasts of burden, but they were the most loyal of creatures when they bonded to a person. Such an intelligent creature at one's command was highly prized, and dangerous to others.
"About so tall." He held his hand at a level half a head higher than her. "Black hair with a touch of gray, about to his chest. Too young to be gray. Said if we wouldn't turn around, we'd go nowhere."
Anger flared.
Him!
"Is that the same man?" Beth asked.
"Sounds right," Selina growled. "I don't know anyone else in this town who fits that description."
"What will we do?"
"Continue. I won't give in to harassment." Selina whirled away from them to hide her face and the display of dark emotions.
A child of Y'dom was supposed to be merciful, not vengeful. She didn't doubt the same man who demanded she turn back was the one who caused trouble for Reen. The thought filled her with hatred. How dare he force his will on her! Now, more than ever, she was determined to finish the journey and cure the king.
"When would you like to leave, Miss?"
"Tomorrow, if the rain stops." She took a deep breath to calm her anger before facing them. "We'll leave at dawn. I don't want to give this stranger any more chance to cause trouble, but I don't want you sitting in the rain if you don't have to." She directed the last part at Reen.
"Not the rain that bothers me, what with the canopy, but the cold."
"It's the same either way. I won't have you suffering if I can help it. Tonight we'll keep a watch for the stranger. If he causes any more trouble, we'll let the soldiers deal with him."
"Sounds good, Miss. Now, I have some work to do. If you'll excuse me." He took a brush to Doxon's cream-colored coat with the dark points.
Selina waved for Beth to join her and both left the livery to hurry through the rain back to the inn. They had a day to enjoy before the boredom of travel. She had no intention of letting it slip by and every intention of asking two guards to take duty at the livery.
* * *
With a dozen soldiers escorting them, they left Breach's Pass the next day, a perfect day, too. The sun emerged to dry out the land. Selina sat back in her carriage, disappointed but relieved. The stranger never returned. Too bad. She hoped to see him punished for harassing Reen and Doxon, but was glad he didn't caused any more trouble.
The beauty of the passage known as The Breach stole her attention from lingering questions about the stranger. This was the only gap through Sunders Mountains, the border between Hallor and Vastorn. The layers of color exploded in the brilliance of the sun, ranging from bright oranges to occasional stripes of black. Layer upon layer stretched high on either side of the valley, which crooked through the mountains, widening in places to allow stretches of grass.
A day later, they reached the end of the valley. After a couple nights in Corrivale, they continued without an escort. The Hallor soldiers who had accompanied her from the temple were allowed no further into Vastorn.
Barring any long stop, they would reach the Ivory Palace of the fay Renald family within a turn of the moon. Selina recalled stories of the brilliant white structure of marble stonework, which granted the palace its name, and couldn't wait to see it with her own eyes.
A few days passed without sight of any feyquin or other creatures, and Selina wondered if the feyquin posed any threat or if it had all been a way to scare her.
Five days out of Corrivale, they stopped for a midday meal between towns. Reen left Doxon hitched, since they hoped to push on and reach the next town by evening.
The interminable riding in the carriage filled Selina with a restlessness to stretch her legs and see more of the country with its rolling green hills and scattered trees. Her life grew shorter each day. She wanted to experience everything before reaching the Ivory Palace. If only she had more time! She would explore every rock and crevasse, every hill and valley. Everything. Most people didn't stop to realize how fortunate they were, nor to enjoy each day as if was their last.
Having snacked in the carriage on bread and jam, she took the chance to wander while the other two ate.
"Stay close, Miss."
She turned back and waved for Beth to join her.
Beth shook her head. "I'll stay here."
Selina shrugged and turned away to a nearby hill topped by a tight copse of trees.
Your loss.
Eager to see from the higher vantage and take in the landscape, she climbed the steep incline. While holding her covering robe out of the way with one hand, so it wouldn't tangle with her pants, and using the other to balance in some places, she reached the trees and crossed through to take in the scene beyond.
Magnificent!
Many of the hillsides had eroded away to expose the same layers of color as the Breach. The gold, red, and black colors stood out against the thick of green vegetation.
"Selina!"
Now what?
She had only reached the vantage, from which the land stretched out, dotted with farms and livestock and sliced by a meandering river. They wanted her back already?
Exasperated, she rolled her eyes, but she returned through the trees.
"Selina! Hurry!"
She frowned and caught the movement from the other side of the carriage. Reen struggled to keep Doxon calm. The felipar growled, its tail lashing and fangs bared.
The creatures reached the carriage.
By Y'dom!
She ducked back into the trees, her heart racing.
Five, all different colors and markings. But the dappled gray with its dark mane and tail caught her eyes and stopped.
A long face stared at her, topped by small ears curved to a point at the top. A thick, arched neck connected to a muscular body supported by four long, lean legs renewed in their pounding race to her.
She swallowed, wanting to join her companions but afraid of what this creature might do if she stepped into the open. Doxon slashed at the four surrounding the carriage, and Reen jumped into the driver's seat behind him. If only Reen could keep him under control long enough for her to reach them!
First, to escape the creature, which stopped outside the trees. It flattened its ears and reared. When its round hooves landed, the ground trembled.
Selina hid behind one of the larger trunks and peeked around for a chance to reach the others.
Dark eyes glared from beneath a heavy forelock of gray and black hair. The creature resembled descriptions she had heard of the feyquin.
"Why are you here?" The hard voice made her blink. The gray feyquin stepped towards her, his long face inches from hers and his ears flat against his neck.
"Why are you here? You were warned to go back."
"Who are you?"
"One who intends to stop you from reaching the Ivory Palace."
"Faldon!" She stared in awe of the rogue that several people in Breach's Pass and Corrivale warned about. It could only be him.
At a piercing growl from Doxon, Selina noticed the four other feyquin circling the carriage. A red-orange with white marks on its face and legs rose up on its hind legs and struck out with its forelegs at the felipar. Doxon pinned his ears and growled at his attacker, his tail lashing nonstop as he backed away.
"Selina!" Beth's worried voice carried to her from the door of the carriage.
A heavy thud drew her attention to the gray within biting reach. From the folds of skin around his nostrils and the lips pulled back slightly to bare his teeth, he intended to bite. With his ears flat to his neck, the way Doxon did when upset, she knew.
"Go back! Do not continue!" he said.
"No." The word escaped before Selina could think.
He reared up and slammed his forefeet down. "Don't argue, human!"
Human? Her fear faded at the insult. How dare this creature speak down to her and interfere with her plans!