The Lookout.
A pair of booted feet were moving forward in front of Marina. Thud, thud, thud she imagined in boredom as she tramped along behind, too tired to lift her head often from the sight of Norda s shoes stepping forward.
Quite honestly, she had nothing against walking, but today they had done enough of it, and she was exhausted. What's more, she couldn't understand why they continued to follow the short, brown-haired crazy woman the imp named Jereez. Now that they were released, and outnumbered the two thieves from the tavern, why didn't Ridley just take back the dragon's eye and leave the two with their own problems.
But when she'd pointed that out to him, Ridley had just seemed to think that now he had given his word to help, he wasn't about to go back on it, and while Marina wasn't sure she counted Jereez's persuasive techniques as giving one's word, she couldn't help thinking of how things might have turned out much differently if Ridley hadn't promised to help her when they had first met.
"How much further do we have to go?" she asked the group, and then couldn't understand why everyone threw her an exasperated look. She hadn't asked that many times. Two or three maybe, or five, or maybe ten. She frowned. Well, they'd have to take a rest sometime soon.
What's more, at the moment they were crawling their way up a tall, steep hill that worked one's thigh muscles a little harder than she would have liked.
The dark eyes of the black cat that was strung out around Jereez's neck blinked at her as the feline turned its head to look at the mage from where Jereez was walking up ahead. Jereez was a strange person, as was her companion, but there hadn't been many imps in Sumdall, so Marina couldn't tell if it was normal. Mostly Marina was still trying to figure out why the imp kept mumbling something about moving upwind whenever the mage was near.
"You'd like to know how much further," Jereez told her, waiting for the mage near the crest of the hill, "I'll show you." She waved a hand as a gesture for Marina to follow and began to weave her way through a thicker patch of trees than was on the non-existent path they had been following. The imp didn't smile, but she didn't frown either.
She led Marina for a short walk before finally coming to a halt beside a large bush and staring out past it thoughtfully as Marina caught up, and then caught her breath. Jereez pointed out across the top of the bush, and Marina realized they were standing on the top of a cliff, looking out across the wildness that spread itself across the land like a leafy green blanket.
"It's beautiful," she said in awe, and meant it. Brightly coloured birds flittered up from the forest top and called to each other through the warm rays of the sun. The sky was dotted with white fluffy cotton-wool clouds and there was a peaceful serenity here of a place untouched by man.
"You see that dark line?" Jereez pointed it out in the distance. Though she tried not to let it on, she was more than a little pleased that Marina, no matter that she was a human mage and smelt like one, had experienced a similar enchantment with the scene. This had been one of her favourite places once.
Marina nodded, watching the point Jereez had pointed out. It was not so much a dark line, but an area where the green of the trees suddenly became deeper than before. Other than that, that part of the forest did not seem so different from the rest. The other travelers came to stand behind the two as they looked out over the cliff.
"That s the DarkVeil Forest," Jereez explained, "or at least, where it begins. It's connected to this forest they'd be the same, if it weren't for the... other differences." She looked a bit disconcerted at the mention and refused to meet the eyes of the others. Only Damon knew what had stirred Jereez.
"What other differences?" Marina inquired, watching Jereez's reaction, who frowned.
"Well, firstly, DarkVeil is fae land," the imp clarified and paused momentarily.
"Secondly?" the elf, Norda, questioned from behind them, causing both mage and imp to turn to her temporarily.
"Secondly," Jereez repeated, "DarkVeil is said to be inhabited by the souls of the dead They say the fae have a connection with the dead that protects them, but that others who cross onto fae land become victims to the souls. Some believe the souls are hungry for flesh, or that they guard fae boundaries, others believe that only the fae possess the ability to communicate with the dead without being damage..." Jereez took one last look at the view, wrinkled her nose and turned away beginning to head away to lead the group on their descent from the hill.
DarkVeil was not far, and they would probably reach it before nightfall. Then the hard decision would be whether to rest the night away outside of the creepy fae territory and risk losing ground on Lauthal, or follow the wicked Empress and run the risk that the rumours were true, as unbelievable as they sounded.
As she was passing the group, Damon suddenly held Jereez back and pulled her to the side while the rest passed on a little.
"Jereez," he said, leaning in a little and speaking in a low voice, "you didn't really mean what you said, did you? About the dragon's eye?" Jereez's eyes widened.
"Damon, what do you take me for?" she exclaimed, "I'm not stupid. It was the only way I could get them to come."
