Six of Ruin (Heirs of Irenwell #1) ✔

Chapter 22: Sellswords

The forests in the northwest of Bastia were dense and evergreen. Full moon illuminated the trees and the pathway we walked on. Danilo and Torvald were up front, as always. I kept next to Nick for the entire ride because I felt weird talking to Rixen after that unfortunate incident with the truth liquor.

Nickeltinker got kicked off his horse and now had to ride on the warthog. Frank wiggled his tail and the green-skinned boy crossed his hands on his chest, frowning at the mage.

"What?" Ace turned his head around, dangling his bare feet. His wide green eyes took us in.

"I'm still pissed off." Nick murmured. "You could have made Irina ride the warthog."

"Uh, no." I leaned against my donkey's mane. "Fluffy and I cannot be separated."

The donkey brayed happily.

"There's something else that doesn't want to be separated from you." Ace mumbled and nodded towards the bushes.

Irrational fear gripped me as my head snapped at the bushes, "What? Where? Who?"

"A spider." Ace chuckled. "You named a spider from the Woods of Loria. And now she thinks you're her master, but she's too afraid to show herself."

Disgust trailed down my spine, "Amelia?" I whispered to the bushes. Nothing moved.

"She'll come out on her own." Ace said. "When she feels accepted."

I shuddered. "I doubt that is ever going to happen."

Rixen turned around slightly and glanced at me. I knew he wanted to say something, but I couldn't let myself get too comfortable around him. The truth liquor did enough damage. It made me confide in him.

What would my brother say if he learned that I confided in the Bastard of Bastia? A man without a throne, or status, or a secure future.

I looked away, ignoring his stare.

"We should stop soon." Danilo pulled the reins on his horse.

"What?" Nick grunted. "But we're near Balr. I say we keep moving and then rest properly once we reach the town."

"Goddess, am I finally going to get a normal bed and a bath?" I asked. "I feel dirty."

"That has nothing to do with the bath." Rixen murmured.

I frowned at his remark, not really in the mood for his teasing, "Be quiet, bastard."

"I cannot believe I'm about to agree with the brain-dead moron." Ace sighed, causing Danilo to immediately grab a hold of his sword. "But we have to stop. There's too many things that need to be discussed before Balr."

"Who put you in charge?" Rixen grunted.

"Mother Nature." Ace said. "You amateurs have been doing everything wrong. You're loud, clumsy and a goddamn squirrel could track you."

"What do you suggest, oh, great wizard?" I mocked.

"Well, since you asked," the mage pulled the reins and his horse halted in place, "we have to send out a couple of letters. Anybody got a quill and a scroll?"

Our little group stopped in the middle of the road.

"I do." I said.

"Shocking, you're actually carrying something useful in that suitcase of yours." Rixen smirked.

"Hey, one of my tiaras convinced the mage to join us!"

"You owe me that crown." Ace remembered. "I want the one with the most silver."