Page 47 of On a Barbarian World

But Kavon’s gaze was back on his personal skyflyer. She’d stiffened, her gaze staring intently over the side of the mountain.

He walked over to her and stared down. He saw nothing but rocks, and another wide ledge not far below them.

“What do you see?” he asked.

“I’m not sure… What do you see down there?”

“Rocks.”

“On that ledge, Kavon. What else?”

He shrugged. “Rough ground. Just like the rest of the mountain.” He frowned. “It is particularly rough down there, like a beast has carved a groove through the soil and rock.”

She shifted, her face lighting up. “Have you seen something recently that carved a groove through the earth like that?”

He stilled. “Your ship.” He stared again. “But that doesn’t look the same.”

“Because the years have softened it. Filled it in partially with dirt and rocks. But look at the depression, Kavon.” She pointed. “It runs right along to the cliff face below. It might have been caused by the impact of a ship.”

He kept staring. “Maybe.”

She spun, smiling. “Let’s get down there.”

Aurina didn’t wait for Kavon to bring Tarm to a complete halt. As soon as the beast slowed, she tossed her leg over, and slid down the rough hide to the ground. The hargon beast snorted, steam coming from its nostrils, and she shook her head. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to a fire-breathing dragon-horse, but she gave the animal a pat on the neck before she turned away.

She looked around the ledge. It was actually far bigger than it looked from above, and even creepier. The rocks were black and gray, some twisted into weird, foreboding shapes. She spotted a few reptiles scurrying around, and here and there were piles of scat and the bleached white bones of some unfortunate creatures. She shivered. Thankfully, they hadn’t seen the beasts who’d left the bones behind.

She approached the large gouge and began following along its edge. She could imagine a ship falling from the sky and impacting, sliding along, digging into the rock and dirt. She rubbed the back of her neck. God, she hoped she wasn’t just seeing what she wanted to see.

Something caught her eye. Some darker, deep-black rock that looked different to the rest. She stopped and crouched. It was glassy and shiny. She brushed it with her fingertips. Something very hot had blasted the rock, changing it.

She shot to her feet, barely containing the need to do a little dance. This could be it. Wow, she really was starting to understand why her Phoenix cousins had become treasure hunters…this whole “thrill of the chase” thing was exciting.

Searching the ground, she looked for metal fragments, or anything that didn’t look natural. She would have expected to see something, if a ship had crashed here.

She sensed Kavon behind her. He didn’t interrupt or growl at her, was just a quiet companion, his keen gaze continuously scanning the area around them.

He was always in warrior mode. She wondered if he ever turned it off and relaxed.

Together, they walked along the gouge. It led toward the sheer, dark cliff face. Damn, if a ship had crashed here, they should see a wreck by the cliff.

But as they got closer, she realized one patch of dark rock wasn’t just sheer cliff.

“Kavon! Look.” She scrambled nearer.

It was the mouth of a cave.

“Not too close,” he said.

She paused, looking up at the wide opening. Inside, was the densest black she’d ever seen. “If they crashed here, maybe they smashed through the rock and formed the cave?”

Colm and the other warriors appeared, holding up light wands.

“The entire mountain is said to be riddled with caves, caverns and the old mine tunnels,” Kavon said. “The Caverns of Riom are said to be deep within the mountain, and inhabited by beasts so wild, no one ever dares venture there.”

Nice. Of course, the First Warriors couldn’t have crashed in a sunlit meadow filled with fluffy, cute animals. She moved right to the mouth of the cave, the light from the wands letting her look around. She couldn’t see more than a meter ahead. There could be a wall or tunnels right there and she’d never know.

On the ground, she spotted a few more patches of the dark, glassy rock, but other than that, nothing. She sighed. She wasn’t expecting a sheet of metal inscribed with a ship’s name or anything, but she was hoping for something.