“If you’re looking for herbs, there is a place a few miles inland that would have about everything you might need,” Alax said, distinctly uncomfortable discussing the Reavers.

“Can we go there today?”

“I suppose, but we need to leave now if we are to make it back here before dark.”

“Let me get my things,” Faline replied.

They marched past the dunes, through the highlands next to the coast, onto a plane that sloped upward. To their left stretched a vast grassland that undulated with the prevailing winds. As they moved up the slope, a dark shadow stretched out on the eastern horizon.

Faline pointed toward the darkness. “What is that?”

“That is the Mossy Grimwahl. It is a huge forest, ancient and dangerous,” Alax answered. She pointed toward a sizable stand of trees ahead of them. “Here we are.”

The trees looked very old and huge, but there were only a few of them surrounding a hillock with stones protruding from it. From what she could tell, however, the rocks weren’t natural. They seemed arranged in some sort of pattern, or perhaps a building. “What is this place?”

“It used to be a watchtower, many centuries ago, when the first King of Bretagne ruled. He tried to keep control of the Mossy Grimwahl, but like anything associated with the forest, his authority did not last long before raiders, like the Reavers, chased them away.”

They stepped over what had been the outline of a fortified wall and made their way past a ruined well toward the remains of a building. To one side of it lay a patch of wildflowers and herbs, some of which Faline recognized.

As she examined the plants, Alax plucked off some wild berries and popped them in her mouth. “I think this building used to be where a healer lived, as some of these plants aren’t native to this area.”

Alax appeared to be right. Faline noticed many of the plants native to the settlement where she’d been born, but others she’d never seen before. “Do you know much about herbology?”

“I know some. Our people use many of these herbs, too. I can at least show you what I remember.”

For nearly an hour, Alax pointed out plants and described their use and function. Faline collected some for her use and tried to remember everything she was being taught. The knowledge felt precious—another way to survive without relying on magic that could age her further.

As Faline wandered to inspect the last group of plants, she stepped up on the remains of a wall. In the distance, a line traced across the grasslands toward the heavy forest. “What is that?” she asked aloud, pointing.

Alax climbed up on the wall as well and stared. “Not sure. It looks like a trail through the grass.” She turned to Faline. “Should we investigate?”

“Why not?” Faline answered.

The girls walked over a small hillock between them and the trail. The grass was trampled down heavily, with many wagon ruts and hoof prints. “Do merchants come this way?” Faline asked.

“None that I know of.” Alax squatted next to the hoof prints. “Look at this, they were headed into the forest from the south—Dunharrow. How very odd.”

Faline nearly stepped into horse dung, but then spotted something tear-shaped in the mud. She reached down and pulled it up. In her fingers lay a bronze spear tip, inlaid with forest markings. “What is this?”

Alax looked it over, and her face went pale. She shook her head. “We should get away from here.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

The Harrow girl looked over her shoulder, then leaned closer to Faline. “A patrol of Harrow came through here. Not more than a couple of days ago. It’s best we leave before we get seen.”

“Why are they here?”

“I don’t know, but this is very far from home, and we are very much alone.” There was genuine fear in Alax’s voice now.

A deep rumble came out of the sky.

“Perhaps you’re right,” Faline answered, pocketing the spear tip and not sure what to make of what she’d seen.

Ambient sunlight began to wane. A deep rumbling echoed out of the sky, dark clouds sailed overhead. “We should probably leave. I think a storm is headed our way,” Alax said.

Sure enough, rain fell, first in spurts as they navigated out of the trees into the grasslands, but no sooner had they made their way out of sight of the ruins than massive bolts of light erupted from the heavens, followed by sharp crackling booms and snaps of thunder. The wind whipped around and blew in their faces. Water slashed at them, stung their eyes, and forced them to slow.

Peering in different directions, Alax slowed then stopped.

“What’s wrong?” Faline asked.

“I’ve lost the trail. This is about as far as I’ve ever been outside Dunharrow, and the weather is making it impossible to find landmarks.”

To their right lay a small streambed. In dry weather, it would have been barely big enough to step over, but now it surged with excess water from the storm off to the northeast. Faline pointed to it. “That stream probably flows to the coast. If we follow it, we should at least get there.”

“I don’t like the fact that it goes so far east, but right now, I’m at a loss for an alternative. Let’s follow and see where it leads us.”

They slogged along the northwest side of the creek, continuing to get waterlogged through and through. But soon the stream widened and turned north. Gusts of wind carried the taint of salt in the air.

“I think we are getting close,” Faline said, having to shout over the storm’s noise.

Alax nodded, and they continued to parallel the streambed. The interminable slog continued until they could see the dim outline of a precipice. Slowing down, they approached where the stream ran off the edge and plunged feet below into a basin. Further away, in the distance, they could make out the thrashing surf of the ocean, as it clawed at the inlet below them.

Alax frowned. “We found the coast, but we came out too far east, as I feared. That’s the inlet with the hot spring below us. I have no idea how to find our way down, and we certainly can’t stay here,” she said, trying vainly to keep her wet bangs out of her face.

Faline stared at the deep drop and the edge of the precipice. Alax was right. How would they get down from here? “Can we keep going west?”

Alax nodded. “Perhaps. I don’t see that we have a choice.”

She turned, and Faline followed. The precipice curved inland in a semicircle. Water poured down the slopes leading to the edge ahead of them, tracing channels in the path. They would have to navigate the gap between the end of the slope and the edge of the cliff.

Nearly halfway across, Alax stopped. The path ahead of them had washed out, leaving a wide gap. She turned and started to speak. “We need to back—”

In an instant, the Harrow woman disappeared, as the ground underneath her, saturated by the rain, gave way. A long scream marked her passage down the cliff until it ended abruptly.

Faline stood rooted to her spot, almost unable to comprehend what had just happened. She looked hesitantly over the edge of the cliff, afraid of what she might find.

But instead of bare rocks, nearly forty feet below lay an enormous body of water, a rain basin filled to the rim. The surface of which was being clawed at by a small figure.

Alax.

Now what to do? She couldn’t leave Alax like this, nor could she follow the path. Studying the basin’s boundaries, she estimated where the water was deepest.

Back at the settlement, she’d never had an issue with heights, but then again, climbing a tree was much different than jumping off a cliff. The prospect of hitting the rocks below sent her heart racing.

Alax started to slip under the water.

With a cry, Faline plunged off the height.

The distance between the clifftop and the base passed so quickly that Faline had barely finished screaming before striking the surface with a thunderous crash. The water swallowed her, the coldness of it lanced through her limbs, dulling the stinging slap of the surface.

Flailing her arms, she popped up to the surface, despite her clothes trying to drag her down again. A short distance away, Alax gasped and slapped at the water.

Faline kicked and dug to get closer. Reaching out a hand, she seized the girl’s collar and began dragging her toward the rocks along the edge. Several minutes and mouthfuls of water later, she managed to reach the basin edge with Alax in tow.

Together, they grappled with the rocks and held on for dear life. Alax looked at her, coughing and sputtering.

“Thanks for saving me.”

Faline smiled through her chattering teeth. “Don’t thank me yet. How are we going to get out of here?”

Alax clawed further out onto the rock and looked down. The downpour lightened, though lightning continued to flash and crash. “I think I see a way down.”

“It’s worth a try,” Faline said, as she slithered up next to Alax. Sure enough, down a long crevasse with several potential footholds was the outcrop that led to the cave.

Alax slid off the rock and crept on her hands and knees into the crevasse. Faline followed, and for several minutes, they struggled not to slip and fall the rest of the way down. In minutes, though, they reached the outcrop and collapsed on it, drenched and exhausted.

“I can’t go any further,” Alax said. “Let’s go inside, at least we can be out of the weather there.”

They crawled to their feet and shambled over to the cave. In one of the side passages, they found a dry area and collapsed onto it. Cold and wet, they huddled together for warmth.

“I thought I was going to die,” Alax whispered.

“Me too,” Faline admitted.

“You saved my life.”

Faline squeezed her friend’s hand. “You’d have done the same for me.”

They fell asleep like that, holding hands in the darkness.

* * *

Faline opened her eyes. Sunlight poured into the cave, and the air felt warm for a change. Yet she shivered, as her wet clothes sapped heat from her skin. A groan from behind protested her movement.

“Is it morning?” Alax grumbled.

“Yes,” Faline answered as she climbed to her feet. “The weather appears to have cleared.”

Alax sat up, then sneezed loudly. “We’ve got to get out of these clothes.”

“I agree. We can leave them on the rocks so they’ll dry.”

“Yes, and in the meantime, we can warm up in the hot spring,” Alax said, her voice suddenly chipper.

Remembering what happened the last time she went there, Faline rubbed her chin. What if Lukas was there? “You go ahead, I’ll keep watch.”

“You’re just as cold and wet as I am. We won’t be long, c’mon. Just a quick dip and we’ll dry off in the sun.”

Faline walked to the edge of the outcrop and looked toward the beach. A few branches had come off the nearby trees, but that was to be expected given how strong the storm had been. Everything was calm now; the Gulf was smooth and glassy. Only the hint of a breeze. No sign of anyone else. “Okay, but as you said, let’s be quick.”

They walked down to the hot spring and quickly shed their clothes, laying them on the rocks to dry out. Faline tried not to look, but she did glance at Alax’s body. Though she was a couple of inches shorter than Faline, her body was much different, much more fully formed than her own. But that wasn’t surprising, as Alax had mentioned she was an adult of her race.

Alax sank into the pool with a relieved sigh. “Oh, that is much better after shivering all night in wet clothes.” She lay back against the rocks. “I could just melt away in here.”

Faline stuck her lower legs in the water and let the heat begin to percolate through her. “Yes, I agree.” The sun on her skin felt wonderful as well.

Alax sat up and stared at Faline. “Faline, what happened to your leg?”

She looked down and realized the wound from the bear was on full display, though it was only a mark at this point. “Oh, that’s from the bear that attacked me.” She slid all the way into the water to hide it.

“That looks serious. You’re lucky to be alive.” Alax’s face was full of concern. “I will do everything I can to get you into our community. I promise you that.”

“I hope so,” Faline replied, her throat tight.

They spent nearly an hour luxuriating in the hot spring before climbing out and lying in the sun. By then, both had warmed up considerably.

“If your people take me in, what would I do?” Faline asked.

Alax hesitated before answering. “I don’t really know. We’ve never had humans join our community. They have visited, as required for Guild business, but never as part of our society. I’ve never seen it done.”

“So, my chances of finding refuge with your people are pretty slim,” Faline concluded.

The Harrow woman didn’t reply, but she didn’t need to. Faline knew the answer. Her stomach churned at the thought of spending the winter without any place to go.

Port Mortain always has room for people who know how to survive.

Lukas’s words echoed in her mind. She pushed them away.

“We had better get you home,” Faline said.

“I suppose you’re right,” Alax concluded, her tone just as dispirited as Faline’s.

They gathered their clothes and put them on. Though damp in spots, their clothes were acceptably dry. Once dressed, they climbed the steps to the outcropping, Alax leading the way.

When they reached it, however, the Harrow woman stopped in her tracks, gasping.

When they reached it, however, the Harrow woman stopped in her tracks, gasping.

“Well, what have we here?” a man’s voice said.

Faline’s hand went to her knife as she stepped up beside Alax. The man speaking was much taller than Lukas and older, with reddish-brown hair and a harsh look in his blue eyes. Not him. She glanced past him to the second man, but he stood half in shadow, face turned away. She couldn’t tell if it was him.

Two men stood blocking their path. The one in front wore clothes similar to Lukas’s, but there was nothing friendly in his face. The other stood a short distance behind him, still and silent, his features lost in the shade.