The others murmured their hellos while I looked around. There were several comfortable chairs sitting around, and I found one, trying to ignore my disappointment. And to top it off, I was angry that I was disappointed. I hadn’t consciously spun any fantasies out, but apparently mysubconsciouswas working overtime.
But Erosel was charming, and I couldn’t help but like her. She was beautiful, and moved in a musical way, as though she was one step away from breaking out in dance.
Within minutes, lunch was on the table and we were all seated around the massive oak slab that had been leveled and polished. The knots and burls of the table shimmered under the layers of oil that had soaked in, as though it had withstood a thousand years of dinners and guests over the eons. The wood resonated. It was practically humming, and it made me want to climb on top with a blanket and sleep, cradled in the mists of time.
I looked up at Erosel and Otsiano, and all of my disappointment gave way. Every look between them signaled a love that stretched through the centuries. They were made for one another, and watching them interact as they placed the food on the table was like watching a dance.
“They’re beautiful,” Thornhold whispered. He was sitting next to me.
I nodded, captivated by the couple. “They are. They fit together like a puzzle.”
Erosel brought the last dish and then took her place. She and Otsiano were at opposite ends of the long table. “Welcomeguests. We’re grateful to meet you and hope you enjoy your stay here.” She tapped her water glass—as clear and thin as the lightest crystal—and raised it. “May fortune follow your steps, and may grace lead your journey.”
As she and Otsiano sat, Erosel rang a bell and a lithe young woman entered the room. She was dressed much like Erosel, and looked like both of them, and my guess was that she was their daughter.
“Ma’man, the river’s singing,” she said, stopping by Erosel’s side.
“Then best go see what it wants. Have you eaten?” Erosel said.
The girl nodded. “Berries and cream, cheese and cake. I’ll be back later.” She gave the rest of the table a nod, then leaned down to kiss Erosel’s cheek, and quickly darted out of the room.
We were in a sylvan dream, and I realized that all my cares about the Necromancer and being stuck in the game had receded to the background. I felt mildly drunk or stoned.
“Friends,” Otsiano said. “Fill your plates while I give you the message that Liesel asked you to convey.” He waited until we began piling food on our plates. After a moment, he said, “Liesel summoned me, and asked me to find you. She said to tell you that the Necromancer’s burial chamber was destroyed. It looked like an earthquake struck it, but she thinks that the Necromancer discovered that the key was missing and blew up. Locals report seeing him heading toward the road. She thinks he’s searching for you.”
I was attacking my mound of mashed potatoes and gravy as she spoke, and now, put down my fork, my appetite vanishing as quickly as my feeling of safety. “Zaran knows we took it?”
“Liesel said she doesn’t know if he realizes who raided his lair, but if I were you, I’d go on the assumption that he’ll be able to target you,” Otsiano said.
“Oh gods, what are we going to do?” The key weighed heavier than it ever had, and I instinctively grabbed it, trying to pull it off, but it hung firmly, and I couldn’t move it. “Damn it. Why did I ever put this thing around my neck?”
“Why no longer matters,” Erosel said. “The question is, can you make it to the Summer Kingdom before the Necromancer finds you?”
“He’ll be looking along the road,” Otsiano said. “We can offer you a head start by sending you through our forest to the next portal. It will see you to the end of the Dark Woodland in two days, instead of taking more than a week and a half on foot outside of our realm. And the Necromancer can only go so fast, so he shouldn’t be able to catch you right away. You’ll have to keep a quick pace through the Cryptic Marshes, and there are dangers around every corner there, but you should be able to keep ahead of him if you don’t dally.”
Thornhold placed his hand on my shoulder. “We’ll protect you,” he said.
The others quickly chimed in, echoing his sentiment.
I let out a long breath, then looked up. “Thank you. I’ll admit, I’m terrified. But we’ll do what we have to do, because—” I paused. I’d almost said that we couldn’t get out of the game, but I doubted that either Otsiano or Erosel would know what I was talking about and I didn’t want to try to explain to a couple of Syms that they weren’t technicallyreal.
So, instead, I just said, “We’ll manage it,” and went back to my lunch.
CHAPTER 36: A GAME PLAN
After the late lunch,we rested while Otsiano sketched out a map for us.
“You’ll travel through the Crystal Forest for three days, and by the time you reach the place where you can return to Abarria, you’ll be on the edge of the woodland. Which means you’ll be at least two weeks ahead of the Necromancer, by my reckoning,” he said.
“Is that map to help us through your forest?” I asked.
“No, it’s to help you through the Cryptic Marshes. There are so many false paths, and the creatures are deadly and cunning. I want you to at least have a fighting chance. I can’t get you to the Mountains of Kartell from my forest, but I can shave time off your travels. And that alone may help save your lives.”
He handed me the map, and I glanced at it. While he hadn’t gone into detail, he had marked landmarks to watch for, and told us which way to go at each one.
“You’ll find a labyrinth in there. The Cryptic Marshes are literally a maze of marsh and bog land, with paths going every which way. Your challenge will be to stick to the right path, and to avoid getting lost on any side quests. That means you’ll need to camp by the side of the road. That alone is dangerous, but it’sless dangerous than getting lost in a maze of marsh and fen. The landmarks I’ve indicated are easy enough to see, but not all the dangers are visible,” he said.
“Oh?” Brynn asked.
