That could not happen with Alar.
He was Elurian, and the chances of him making it onto the Dragon Force were almost nonexistent. Once the pilgrimage was over, and his hopes were undoubtedly crushed, he would return home to Vedona, and I would never see him again.
14
ALAR
"Identifying weak points and addressing flaws is crucial for strengthening fortifications."
—General Tiberon, Elurian Infantry
After finishing breakfast at the best eatery at Skywatcher's Point, I pushed my empty plate aside and turned to Codric. "I'm going to find the apothecary and get us something for altitude sickness."
I should have thought about it before embarking on a journey to Elucia and obtained medication for the condition, but it hadn't occurred to me. It wasn't like there was a manual for Elurians who wanted to join the Elucian pilgrimage.
Codric and I had interacted with plenty of Elucians during the lengthy process of getting our request approved, and yetnone of them had thought to warn us. They all knew that flatlanders needed help combating altitude sickness, but I suspected that many of them also didn't really want Elurians to make it to the top of Mount Hope and get selected for the Dragon Force, so there was that.
The truth was that healing herbs were not my only motivation for visiting the apothecary. Kailin had mentioned that she knew a lot about healing because she was apprenticed to her grandmother, who was an herbalist. When I asked about a pharmacy, I was told that there was only one in town, so there was a good chance that I would run into Kailin, provided that I was lucky enough to walk in while it was her shift. I hadn't seen her since the night I had escorted her home, and although we were supposed to meet again this evening at the blessing ceremony, I was afraid I would miss her in the crowd of pilgrims and all the locals who came to watch it.
My cousin arched an eyebrow. "I don't think that there is anything you can take for altitude sickness. The only way for your body to get used to it is to spend time at this altitude, and we've been doing that for the past four days. Besides, even if such medicine exists, I don't think we are allowed to take it." He lifted his foot with the pilgrimage-approved boot. "Humility and equality. All pilgrims are assigned the same equipment. The idea is to test our ability and persistence, not the contents of our wallets."
"It does not apply to medicine." I rose to my feet. "Do you want to come with me?"
He shook his head. "I'm going to order another plate. Just thinking about starting the fast tonight makes me hungry. If you find something useful, get it for me too."
Codric and his voracious appetite.
I didn't look forward to going without food for three days, but I couldn't bring myself to take another bite. Besides, we still had lunch to fill up on.
"I will." I headed toward the door.
Stepping out, I made my way toward the center of town where I had seen the apothecary. A faded wooden sign with a carved mortar and pestle hung above the door of the quaint stone building, which had window boxes full of fragrant herbs.
Carried on the mountain breeze, the scent alone was enough to navigate by.
As I got closer and caught sight of golden hair through the window, my pulse quickened. Kailin stood behind the counter, talking to a customer and smiling at him in a way that made me want to get in there, grab him by the collar of his shirt, and toss him out on the street.
The problem with my fantasy was that there was a long line of people standing behind him, and I couldn't toss them all out so I could have Kailin to myself.
Get a grip, Alar.
I took a deep breath, reminding myself I was here on a mission, and that getting involved with an Elucian girl wasn't part of the plan. I wasn't like Codric, who could bed them and forget them.
That wasn't how I was wired.
While he had been with so many women that he couldn't remember them all, I could count my past lovers on the fingers of one hand.
Boring, I know, but I wasn't as easy with my affections as Codric, and I needed more substance in a relationship than just the physical. I wasn't a prude, and I wasn't a romantic, but my partners had been more than just bed warmers to me.
A tiny dog sat in the window, her graying muzzle pressed against the glass as she watched the street with keen interest.The famous Chicha, I presumed, the one who had saved Kailin's village from being slaughtered by the Shedun. She didn't look like the ferocious beast I had imagined.
As I approached the door, her ears perked up, but instead of barking, she merely tilted her head and studied me with a pair of suspicious eyes that were much less trusting than those of her owner.
Smart dog.
The bell above the door chimed as I entered, and as Kailin looked up, the smile that lit her face made my carefully constructed resolve waver.
"Good morning, Alar," she greeted me even though she was still dealing with that customer who had been the lucky recipient of her friendly smiles.
