Chapter 71
"Going overland, avoiding roads and towns as much as we can, I expect it to take us about two ten-days to get to Lorivin," Allora repeated as they made final checks in the pre-dawn light. She looked longingly at the pack that held her armor and Mitchell knew how much she wished to wear it again, but that would be painting a target on their backs. She'd also freshly wrapped the pommel of her sword, hiding the gemstone from view.
As for Mitchell, Allora and Gilriel had made some small adjustments that made his new armor more comfortable and, after the last few days practicing in it, he was finally starting to get a feel for the extra weight and how it played with his reaction times. As a result, he was feeling much more confident. By reflex, he slipped his fingers over the cekip, feeling the full complement of six additional stones for each of his mana types, plus the ones in his sevith. His sword was also freshly sharpened and free in his scabbard.
Lethlin sat cross-legged on the picnic table, her bow across her knees and her pack slung over her back, waiting. She'd required a lot less packing and also didn't seem as particular about what she was or wasn't carrying as Allora or Mitchell.
"How likely is it that we start hitting patrols?" Mitchell asked.
Allora's brow creased.
"It is hard to know for sure. Milandris's mercenary forces are less organized or thorough than rangers, the crown guard, or the watch were, but they also know I am back in the country and will be on high alert. Plus, we can expect them to be actively scrying for my location. It will not take them long to figure out exactly where I am headed."
"Not that they wouldn't know anyway," Lethelin said through a mouthful of dried fruit.
"True," Allora grimaced. "If we are forced to detour it could add several days to the journey."
"What if we just got jivis and rode like hell for the city?" Mitchell asked, suddenly having an idea.
"Rode like... what?" Allora asked, her face puzzled.
"The nine hells?" Lethelin asked, also confused.
Mitchell made a mental note. There were some things that didn't translate at all, even when he used the right words.
"If we rode as fast as we could, stopping only long enough to rest horses and eat, and made all possible haste to the city, could we get there ahead of whatever forces they might send to follow you?"
"Oh!" Lethelin said in sudden understanding. "You mean what if we humped the fire drake!"
Allora snickered.
"We say lightning drakes in Lorivin," the knight said.
Mitchell arched an eyebrow at the visuals but he thought he got it. He hadn't actually seen a drake yet, but from what he understood, they were sort of like lesser dragons. Quasi-intelligent, voraciously hungry, and often had elemental attacks of some sort that were related to their breed, similar to their larger cousins.
"Sure," he said with a laugh, "if we humped a drake."
Allora paused to consider and Lethelin looked contemplative as well.
"It might work," Allora said. "I had not considered it because, well, we do not have jivis."
"Are they hard to get?" Mitchell asked.
"Not if you have the coin," Lethelin said.
"Which we are in somewhat short supply of," Allora added.
"I mean... I could get us jivis in any town we stop at," Lethlin said. "Even Clayfaire. They have a stable with several."
"You mean steal them," Allora said, her voice flat.
"Steal, borrow with the intention of returning one day, take your pick."
Allora expelled a breath through her nose and gave Lethelin a hard look.
"The people in that town don't deserve to have their livelihood suffer just so we can make better time."
"I think if the people in that town knew what we were about they would be offering up those jivis in gratitude. It's not our fault that we can't tell them."
"It would still be theft," Allora said, her voice getting testy.
"If we're being technical, everything belongs to Mitchell, anyway. He's the monarch," Lethelin countered. "He's just claiming what's rightfully his."
"That is--"
"How much time would we save?" Mitchell interjected, hoping not to start the day off with one of their moral arguments. "If we had the jivis?"
Allora looked at him almost like she'd forgotten he was there, which was so often the case when her and Lethelin started in on each other.
"Well... if we could do as you say, taking minimal rest each night, while still staying off the roads, I think we could be at the outskirts of Lorivin in five days. Maybe six."
Both Mitchell's eyebrows went up. Twenty days down to five or six.
"I think we have to take the jivis," he told her. "We can be there well before they have a time to organize any effective search."
"It is still stealing from good people, Mitchell," Allora said, unhappiness plain in her tone.
"It is, but we'll leave as much coin as we can spare with a note that either they will be returned or the value will be paid back as soon as we can. Assuming we live, that is."
"Here, this should cover it," Gilriel spoke up from behind them as she set a small purse down on the table next to Lethelin.
The trio turned and saw the middle-aged elf standing there in full traveling gear with a pack of her own, as well as a sword wrapped similarly to Allora's. Mitchell smiled broadly at the sight.
Allora was more interested in her attire than in her offered coin.
"Gilriel, where are you going?
"I..." Gilriel started, then looked at Mitchell a moment, and pressed on. "I am going back to Lorivin."
"That is... that is wonderful!" Allora exclaimed. "And there is enough there for four jivis?"
