The Living Dead

Chapter 18

"I cannot believe that she is late."

"Why can you not believe it? You are the one that got her intoxicated last night."

"Are you sure you are supposed to be out of the hospital?"

Barrett only smirked back at Mareth, his feet up on the table as he slouched over in his chair. "It will just be me and you, Mareth, while they are gone. Do not start it off on the bad foot. Err, well, your only foot, I suppose."

"You-"

"Would you both stop talking?" York was laying with his head down on the table, almost snoring slightly. "Perdita will come when she comes."

"You have no right to speak," Mareth accused then, glaring over at the man. "It is your…filthy son that she went off with last night. Why-"

"God, really?" Gregor made a face, stopping his pacing around the room for a moment in shock. "Kent?"

"Of course," Mareth remarked with disdain as he stood there, arms crossed over his chest, glaring at the doorway. "Who else would she find herself with?"

"Your jealousy, it amuses me. Tell me, are you going to be this way always or-"

"You went home with someone last night, Mareth," Gregor said then. "Didn't you?"

"That's different. That…boy is just that. A boy. He has no business messing with Perdita."

"That's the problem with us," York remarked then with a soft sigh. "When we are young and can get the younger women, we want older, more experienced ones. Then, when we are old, we finally realize the true beauty in purity, but then they do not want us. We never get the timing right, men. We constantly want what we cannot have."

Barrett snorted. "Speak for yourself. Young is always better. Always."

Gregor only sighed. "Mareth, glaring at the door isn't going to do anything. Besides, I highly doubt that anything happened between them so just take a breath. Perdita's probably just, like, hungover or whatever."

"She knows her duty. She is the one that wanted to go on this damn mission. I am not sending her and Kent off with my bond. So they can what? Spend endless amounts of time with one another and-"

"Okay, ew, I'm going to be on that trip too, alright?" Gregor made a face. "And a medic. So calm down with the wild assumptions and fears. Perdita is very work driven. We're going to go check in on the scouts and then-"

"I do not understand your concern anyhow, Mareth. I have known of Perdita since Solovet moved her up in the ranks. The likelihood that she is with my son is very low."

"I always thought that she was not interested in…men much less boys," Barrett said then, even sounding nervous in his normal abrasiveness to broach the subject. It was rather taboo in the confines of the Underland and most did not take well to it at all. "In fact, I always assumed she was more perverse than you, Mareth."

"Watch your mouth." He turned his heavy gaze onto Barrett who only gave him a wry look back. "Perdita is most certainly not… She was betrothed before, anyhow."

"What?"

York groaned. "Calvus was a good man."

"He was not." Mareth made a face. "He was merely a death machine."

Laughing, the man finally lifted his head. "Big, strong man. Bigger than me, I would dare to suggest. Powerful. He did not wield two swords, as I, which is why I am obviously the better soldier, but-"

"York," Gregor sighed while Barrett only dropped his feet back to the ground, interested for once. He was only a few years older than Gregor, after all, and had never heard of the man.

"What happened to him?" he asked with a frown. "I have never heard of him. Is he in the Fount? I think I would-"

"He died with many others in the Garden of Hesperides," Mareth said simply before shaking his head. "He was one of Hamnet's men. One of his friends. We served together. And when the dyke broke, he was… He did not make it. There is nothing else to tell."

"Except that I bested him countless times in the battle field." York just had to throw that in. "He was strong, fine, tough, yes, but he was not better than me."

"No one said he was, old man," Barrett finally said with a frown. "Now, Mareth, was Perdita at the Garden of-"

"No. Enough. We will not speak of it."

"You're the one that brought Hamnet back, right?" Gregor asked slowly. "That is what Ripred-"

"Enough."

"Calvus." Barrett grunted slightly. "He must not have been that great of a man if I nave never even heard of him."

"You have not heard of him for the same reason we do not speak of any of the dead. They are gone. They are not with us and no longer need to be mentioned."

"You are jealous of the dead too?" Barrett snorted. "It is almost sorry, Mareth. You get onto Kent for being hung up on her and here you are, still scorning her dead…whatever he was to her."

"Be quiet. You are nothing, but a-"

"Not a cripple, which immediately places me above you."

York only smacked his lips then before sighing. "Calvus, now that was dark man."

"I thought you just said he was good?" Gregor asked with a frown. "York?"

"He is a good man. For me. A good story teller. Was rather cold though in most other regards."

Gregor tried to picture Perdita with a guy like that, or any guy for that matter, but he just couldn't.

"Is this what you do then, when I am away? You gossip? You sound like women," Luxa accused as she chose then to come into the room, unaccompanied. "Honestly, I-"

"Were you with Perdita then?" Mareth looked to her for answers. "Is that why you are late?"

"I am not late, Mareth. Nothing begins until I arrive. Therefore, I cannot be late."

He didn't have time for her word play. "Did you see her?"

"No. Of course not. And stop questioning me." She went over to the table to frown at York and Barrett. "What are you doing here, Uncle? And you, Barrett? Out of the hospital?"

"I just left. The second I could. Had to see the Overlander off to his death."

Gregor sent him a look. "You had better-"

"It is true. I have already warned you. They want your blood. That man, Henry, is coming for you, Gregor. You should be staying behind these walls to protect not only yourself, but also your wife and child. Or children, I suppose."

"Quiet, boys. Honestly, can you not spend the next hours without going at each others throats?" Luxa folded her arms with a sigh. Gregor knew why she had been late. She hadn't felt well when they got up early that morning and had stayed in bed a little longer when he promised he'd never leave without saying goodbye first. "You said that Perdita has not shown up, Mareth?"

"No," he said with a frown. "I am concerned."

"Concerned enough to speak ill of her behind her back?"

"No one was speaking ill of her, I assure you," Mareth said with a shake of his head. "The Overlander and Barrett were merely curious."

"Curiosity is the death of all." Luxa turned to York then. "What are you doing in here?"

"I thought that I should be here. If the Overlander and the head of the military are leaving, you need me."

"I do not need anyone, Uncle. And what of Susannah? She let you come here?"

York hesitated before saying, "Susannah has not felt well, you know, and took some medicine before bed last night. She is in a heavy sleep. It was very easy for me to-"

"You drugged her?" Barrett laughed then. "Honestly? Is that how you keep her-"

"Careful, boy," York warned, frowning at him. "I am not the Overlander or Mareth. You speak ill of my woman or I and I will have no problem with scalping you."

Barrett looked to Luxa then, but she was focused on going through the backpack Gregor had brought into the war room, full of things he was taking with them on the trip.

"I do not drug my wife," York said harshly then, to them all. "She is sick. And should anyone wish to discuss it further, I have no problem with-"

"Calm yourself, Uncle. Barrett has quite the tongue."

"Yes, well, not all of us enjoy such a thing."

Mareth only went back to staring at the door. "I should go to her home. She overslept. That is all. That must be all. There is no way that-"

"It would not have been much a night," Barrett said slowly. "If it was Trent she went home with. Not the performance of a lifetime, I am assuming."

Rolling her eyes, Luxa looked up at Gregor then. "You've sharpened your blades?"

"Aye." He patted them before saying, "I am not wearing armor though, Luxa."

"Gregor-"

"I'm not. You always want me to wear it. I'm over it. It is uncomfortable and harder for me to fight in."

"Then you should train in it more often. You-"

"You married a man, Luxa. A warrior." York leaned back in his chair. "Do not act as if you did not know that now."

Luxa let out a huff, staring her uncle down before shaking her head. Great. Now they had ticked her off as well.

"If Perdita does not get here soon, I'm going to-"

"She'll get here when she gets here." Gregor went over to her then, laying a hand on her arm. "You wanna sit down?"

"No, Overlander, I do not-"

"Sit, Luxa. Either that or go get me some ale." York let out a long sigh. "It would alleviate me."

"Yes, York, because that's all I want to do in my life. Make the world easier for you to live in."

"You speak like him more and more each day," he remarked, smiling when she shot him a glare. "Now go get me some-"

"You do not command me, York," she told him in her harshest tone of the day. So far, anyhow. "At all. And do not think that I-"

"Then sit down. That is all I want." York let out a slow breath. "Other than a drink."

"I will go get you a drink, York," Gregor sighed, heading to the door then. "If the two of you stop fighting. And maybe I'll find Perdita on the way."

"Do not go, Gregor." Luxa finally took her seat with a loud groan. "He will not drink in here any longer. He will not be in here any longer. I do not wish to see you, York."

"How unfortunate for you, little one, that I plan to stay in the capital with you until your husband returns."

"Wh-What?"

"I wish to be here to get Hero and Stellovet settled, regardless," he said with a shrug. "And with you so unprotected-"

"I have guards."

"Where?" He looked around the room. "Used to be you would have guards in here, with you. Now you are alone with generals that are upset with you half the time. I-"

"I had guards before, York, because Gregor was-"

"Well, Gregor won't be here, alright? And you are with child, whether you like it or not. So you need someone who-"

"I need a drunk?"

"You need your uncle and you have him. So stop arguing with me about it." York finally got to his feet. "I will go now then, to find something to drink. To check on Susannah. I will be back though, Luxa, when they leave on their journey. So do not get too comfortable."

York was almost to the curtained partition when suddenly Perdita came in, looking worse for wear, Kent following along behind her. Mareth's jaw about hit the floor while Luxa finally lost her annoyed look and took an amused one. Barrett only sat back once more, staring at the door, laughing slightly.

"You're late," Gregor said after the shock wore off. "You-"

"I apologize," she said, bowing her head slightly. "I was-"

"How could you do this, Perdita?" Mareth was not one to contain himself when he was upset or disappointed. Angry either. "How could you-"

"How could I what? Be late?"

"A boy? This boy? You-"

"I need a drink." York sighed, patting Kent on the head before heading out of the room. "A lot of drinks. Safe travel, son."

"Father-"

York only left the room, not looking back. Gregor only went over to lay a hand on Mareth's shoulder, but he just shrugged him off.

"I did not…" Perdita looked around then, turning red. Then she found some sort of resolve. A defiant one. Taking a deep breath, she finally said, "Whose business it is then, Mareth, what I do?"

"Whose business? Are you being honest right now?" Mareth glared at her. "He is a child. And you-"

"If he is a child, then you must be fonder of them than I as they are all you bring into your bedchamber!"

Gregor groaned, turning then to press a hand against his head. Why, why, why? Couldn't they ever just have one day? One stupid day?

"Me? I-"

"All you are is with young girls, Mareth. Constantly. And you dare judge me?" She shook her head then, the blush staring to fade, ever so slowly.

One stupid day. That was all Gregor wanted. One day where they all just get through it without any problems. One day.

"You…had intercourse with a soldier, Perdita! Luxa's cousin. Do you not-"

"I do not mind it," Luxa said then, looking back and forth between them as she got to her feet, a wide smile on her face. For all Gregor hated the drama, she fed off it. Gregor wouldn't be shocked if she had prayed for such a moment. "And Kent clearly does not mind it."

Kent, for his part, was just standing mostly in the doorway, wide-eyed. Since York left, he had kept quiet. It was once again true that when Mareth actually got upset, Kent found a way to keep his mouth closed.

"Calvus would mind it," Barrett said softly then, a little knowing smirk on his face. Mareth had unknowingly let a new weapon lose for Barrett to add to his arsenal.

Perdita looked shocked for a moment at the sound of his name before finding her resolve once more. "Where did you-"

"Do not change the subject, Perdita. You are disgusting and you-"

"I am disgusting, Mareth? I am sick? Can you hear yourself?"

"I-"

"Why is it wrong for me to partake in the same things as you?" She stared hard at him. "You do the same things as I, but I am wrong? Because I am a woman? Why is that-"

"Because it just is, Perdita! You are not allowed to…do such things with young soldiers and then-"

"He has said no vows. He has no place in my military as of yet."

"He does in her bed, however."

"Enough, Barrett," Luxa said, though her smile showed that she found him very amusing. Looking to Mareth, she said, "Perdita says the truth. She is allowed to do anything she wishes with her free time. Just because you are jealous, Mareth, does not make it wrong. Women can find just as much enjoyment in this life as men."

That set Mareth and Perdita into another round of fighting, which only tickled Luxa, who watched with fascination. Gregor sent her a glare before mouthing at her to knock it off. Luxa ignored him though, as she usually did. She always thought that everyone else was either around to cause her great disappointment or, in best case scenario, pure entertainment. At the moment, Mareth and Perdita's fight was bringing her more enjoyment than anything had in weeks.

"Stop it," Gregor finally yelled at them, completely done with their act. They were getting on his nerves. He was their king, after all. Right? He was exactly the person that could tell them to shut up. "Both of you. Honestly, Mareth, you do not want Perdita. If you did, you had your chance at it. And Perdita, you were late. I will not have our trip derailed a second more. If you wish to stay here and fight with Mareth, then I'll just leave without you. Is that what you want?"

She was glaring at Mareth then, but still managed out a, "No. I do not."

"Alright then. The medic we are taking with us is already down by the docks. Let us go now, huh?"

Luxa made a face at Gregor then, no doubt annoyed that he had ruined all her fun. Then she seemed to remember that he was leaving then and quickly moved to go around the table and over to him.

"I will not be going to the docks with you," she told him then as she stood there in front off him.

"Why not?" That was the first he had heard of that and it was enough to cause him some hesitance. "Lux?"

"I have very little desire to leave the palace today," she told him then which only made him frown. "What difference then, would it make if I were to see you off there instead of here?"

He glanced over at Perdita and Mareth, but they were no longer looking at one another. She had gone over to the map to stare at it for, oh, the millionth time while Mareth had taken to glaring at Kent. At least that was all resolved…sort of.

"None, I guess," he said slowly as he let out a slow breath. "Then…goodbye."

She only stared hard up at him for a moment before saying, "You trust me completely. Yes?"

That caused him to frown. "Luxa, if this is like that time that you told me that you loved me and then threw me in the dungeon last time, then no, I do not trust you. At all. And I will be very pissed off if-"

"I lock you in the dungeon once and you act as if it is my intent every time I tell you that I care for you."

"Yeah, well, PSTD."

"We should get to the river now," Perdita said after a moment, clicking her tongue slightly as she turned from the map. Gregor had no doubt that she had an extra one on her somewhere. "Late as we are already."

Mareth narrowed his eyes once more at Kent before looking to Perdita. "You are lucky I am even allowing my bond-"

"You do not command Andromeda anymore than you do me," she told him then, shooting him back a just as deadly glare. "And you will do well to remember than. She has chosen to accompany us on this trip. Should she decide now to leave it, it will be on her own fruition, not yours, Mareth."

Luxa commanded Gregor's attention then as she reached out to grab his face in her hands, holding it there for a few moments to make him look at her. When she raised her eyebrows slightly, he nodded.

He'd come back. He had no choice in the matter.

Even though Perdita had overslept (or whatever it was she was doing), most the Underland was still in bed as well. Or at least in Regalia they were. It had been a party the night before, even for those that were not invited to the reception. A ringing in of a new king. And under such ideal circumstances (as far as they knew).

"You chose Nike over Aurora?" Perdita asked Gregor when they finally got down the docks. The only men out there were the ones that had to be, packing the boat for the trip.

"I wanted Luxa to have Aurora with her, since she's so worried," he said, glancing up at the bats overhead. He spotted Andromeda and Nike easily enough. Rhea was missing though. Glancing over at Kent, who had followed along silently behind them, Gregor asked, "You did tell Rhea where to meet us? Right?"

"She is…she is…" He was looking all around in the dim lighting for his father's bond. "Uh…"

"There she is." Gregor finally spotted her flying overhead, headed towards the docks. "Good. I thought-"

"Oh no," Kent groaned when he saw his father's bond had a passenger. His mother. "I did not think she would come."

"She is your mother," Perdita said, hardly glancing over at the woman, which Gregor found odd. Maybe she hadn't slept with Kent. Or at least she did not seem concerned with him. She only walked further down the dock to speak with a few of the men loading the boats.

"Did you not tell her?" Gregor asked, reading his new cousin's face easily. Kent only grimaced. "You didn't tell your mother that you were-"

"I forgot."

"Oh, whatever."

When Rhea dropped from the air to the ground, Gregor saw how upset Susannah was. She clearly knew nothing about the journey and it had been a surprise to her. Gregor did not remember her acting that way over Howard, when he went on the Prophecy of Bane, but he figured that she thought of Howard as more mature than Kent. Mainly because everyone else did.

Or…was Susannah even in Regalia during the Prophecy of Bane? Gregor couldn't remember. He thought that the first time he met her was during the Prophecy of Time. So maybe she did have a heart attack when word got back to her that Howard, who she sent to go visit his grandparents, was off fighting a deadly rat hiding in the Labyrinth. Seemed likely.

"Kent," she said as she got off her husband's bond. Upon Rhea's landing, Nike and Andromeda came down as well, thinking it was finally time to depart. Gregor remembered that the river was too hazardous to be in a boat. They would have to be flown out to the Waterway, with the other bats carrying the boat out there.

Man, if the Prophecy of Bane didn't feel like forever ago. Though, when he really thought of it, a decade or so had passed. He felt old in that moment before he remembered he was only in his twenties. Time just passed so much more slowly in the Underland. Or quickly, really. Just so much happened all at once that it seemed a lot longer than it really was.

"Mother, I-"

"Why did you not tell me?" Susannah, to her credit, was not in tears as usual. She was, however, very ragged looking. Gregor figured she was still sick from whatever was bothering her the passed few days. "I-"

"I thought that Father did. He usually talks about everything," Kent said, easily falling into a lie.

"Your father knew what I would say. Did you not think that I would wish to say goodbye to you?"

"I just thought that it would be easier for you if…" Kent glanced behind him then, over at Perdita. She was ordering around the men still though. "Mother, I would really appreciate it if you did not make me seem like a child. I am with…with…Gregor. And Perdita. And I just-"

"But you-"

"Enough." He took a step back from her then, puffing out his chest. Gregor rolled his eyes before turning his back on them and going to look at Nike.

"Hey," he greeted to which she bowed her head slightly. "You ready for another trip? Already?"

"Luxa made me promise to bring you back and not let you be alone, no matter what."

"Luxa's kinda crazy right now."

Nike made a noise before saying, "She wished for Aurora to go, as she thought that Aurora would follow her directions better. Then I think she recalled that it was Aurora who took you off to the Dead Lands that time to rescue me without any worry of her feelings."

Gregor only shrugged his shoulders slightly. "If I am to die, then there's no stopping it.

"That is one way to live your life, I suppose."

"Did Mareth not come to see Perdita and I off?" Andromeda spoke up then, clearly concerned. "I have not seen him since yester-"

"Mareth is upset with me, Andromeda, if you must know," Perdita called over to her then. "He thinks that it will make you decline the offer to accompany me. If you plan to do so, I would like to know now."

"What is he upset about?"

Perdita only looked back at the men, not answering. Susannah was hugging Kent by that point, who looked like he just wanted to toss her off and never see her again. Gregor knew how mortifying mothers could be.

"Perdita was late this morning," Gregor told Andromeda softly. "Mareth thought she was with a man. He is jealous."

That made Nike cackle, as Gregor figured it would, but Andromeda was only silent. After a moment, she bowed her head.

"I will take you, Perdita," she said softly. Perdita could not hear her, but Gregor figured she already knew the answer anyhow. Gregor sighed slightly before turning to look at Susannah.

"Kent shall be fine, Susannah," he told her then as she let her son go. Not before kissing his cheek though, something that made Kent rub furiously at his cheek. "I will make sure of it. Many young men would kill for this chance. To go off with the King and the head of the army? Without even being officially sworn in yet?"

"I know," Susannah said slowly. "But I worry about you as well, Gregor. You only just got back, yes? And you were just married. I-"

"We will be fine." Gregor reached over to pat Kent on the head, which made the teen scowl at him. "I always come back, Susannah. Always."

"It only takes one time," she said softly before looking off. "I wish York had told me. I would have-"

"York only tries to spare your feelings," Gregor assured her. "You know that. He-"

"Overlander, it is time to go." Perdita was walking back over then, looking very official and back in her business mode. Nodding at Susannah, she said, "Your son shall be fine. But we must leave now. We-"

"Where is our medic then?" Gregor asked, looking around. "I do not-"

"He is here," she said then before nodding over at the men who had just finished loading the boat. When she raised her hand, one stepped forwards, heading over. He was of average height and kept his hair shaved nearly bald. When he got over to them, he bowed before Gregor, something he didn't think he would ever get used to.

"This is Dorian," Perdita said as the man rose. He actually looked slightly older than Gregor, closer to Barrett's age. "He is not only a medic, but also a soldier. He is bonded to Aether."

"It is a pleasure to serve with you, King Gregor," the man said, keeping his eyes and head down. "I hope that I do not disappoint."

"Well, uh, I doubt that you will," Gregor said slowly as Susannah finally took a step back, softly telling Kent that she would miss him and think of him every day. Now that Perdita was so close, Kent wanted nothing to do with his mother which only made Gregor roll his eyes.

"It is good to have you," Gregor told Dorian then, reaching out to pat him on the shoulder. When the man touched him, Dorian looked up, as if shocked. Gregor just grinned at him though. "I'm sure you will be more than satisfactory."

Another flier, a tan colored one, dropped down then from above, a rather large male, who immediately greeted Gregor as well.

"This is Aether," Dorian said then, nodding his head slightly.

Gregor only grinned at him as well before looking to Perdita. "We are prepared then?"

"Yes." She turned then, heading over to Andromeda. "If you are prepared then, Kent?"

He looked to his mother before nodding his head and going over to Rhea, who only bowed her head at Susannah. She only sniffled before going to hug the crap out of Gregor. He patted her on the back as she told him that she would be sure that his family got back home okay and that she and York would stay with Luxa while he was gone. As annoying as Susannah was at times, there was probably no one else in Luxa's family that took care of everyone like she did. Other than Vikus and he was gone by that point.

When he went to get on Nike's back, she almost immediately took to the air, clearing wanting to get gone. Nike was always enthusiastic about going places though. Perdita only signaled to the team of fliers above to lift the boat then, as they would have to carry it out to the Waterway.

"Only one boat, Perdita?" he called over to her as Andromeda took to the air as well.

"Aye. I debated two, incase something happened to the first, but then I worried over the travel with two boats. There are only the four of us and the fliers."

Gregor only leaned forwards slightly, seated atop Nike. Softly, to her, he said, "The last time I went out this way, back during the Prophecy of Bane, I saw one of the worst things ever."

"Mareth losing his leg?"

"No. I mean, that was bad, but I see that all the time in battle." He sighed slightly. "It was Howard's bond. I cannot recall her name at the moment. I-"

"Pandora," Rhea called over to them then, her voice almost tight. Tense, maybe. "And I miss her greatly."

Nike was silent for a moment before saying, "Mites it was, yes? Howard mentioned it to me. It is very…very scary to think about."

"Here one minute, gone the next," Gregor mumbled softly before glancing over at Rhea. It never crossed his mind that she might have some sort of connection to Pandora, but when he really thought about it, she was the bond of Howard's father. No doubt the two spent much time together in the Fount. "She was a very nice person. I did not know her long, but she was good."

They were silent the rest of the way, as there was really no way to recover from that sort of thing. Kent still did not seem at ease, however, but Gregor just figured he was still worked over…whatever exactly had occurred between he and Perdita after the reception. Considering how long it took on the boats to get anywhere, Gregor figured that it would all come out at some point.

"You are excited," Nike said softly to Gregor to which he nodded, though there was no way she could see him.

"I am. Of course I am."

She only laughed softly, almost sadly.

It was not until the boat was dropped in the Waterway a few minutes later that anyone else spoke to each other. The boat was not big enough for all the fliers to be in it at once, but it was easy for them to find places to perch themselves upon. Nike dropped Gregor off in it first before going to the bow of the boat and perking upon it, staring off into the darkness before them.

Perdita was dropped by Andromeda and then Kent by Rhea. They both went to the rear of the boat. They were older than the other fliers and more than likely knew of each other better. When Dorian was dropped in the boat, his flier only stayed in it, looking around.

"I had brought medical supplies, of course," Dorian said as he settled into a part of the boat. "I shall keep them here. If any of you are feeling ill, just mention it to me."

Kent made a face at the man before looking to Perdita. She was the only one with a torch in her hand and was staring up at he bats above them, calling out thanks to them for dropping the boat and sending them back on their way to Regalia. When that was finished, she just looked to Gregor.

"There are to be shiners, right?" Gregor asked her to which she nodded slightly.

"Just one. That is what all the food is for," she said before frowning at Kent. "So do not mess with it. Any of you. I shall ration to you what will be yours. And the fliers will catch their own food. I-"

"One shiner?" Gregor asked with a frown. "You only got one?"

"Yes, well, I was told that when there are two, they tend to fight. I did not have time for that. And when the one must rest, I thought that you and your echolocation could help us." She looked off then with a sigh. "It was Mareth that suggested it to be this way."

Kent was inspecting the food then, which was at the rear of the boat in piles. "This is a lot, Perdita. It is all for the shiner?"

"You will understand soon enough," Gregor said before looking around. "So we're going all the way to the Labyrinth?"

"Did you not look over the path?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"Currently, I think we have more to worry about," she said as she walked away from him slightly. The boat was not built for solitude though. "There are many dangers in these lands. Even with the shiner, we shall be open for many attacks. It is not a pleasurable place. Or so I have been told many times. You are more of an expert than any of us here, Overlander. You and Andromeda."

Gregor only sighed, going to go sit down with his back against the high sides of the boat. "Then so the journey begins."

That made her nod her head slightly, still staring off into the darkness. "And so it begins."