Terramancer

Chapter Fourteen

The sound of people is what woke me up.

During my time in Eighsea, I had grown used to hearing people. The sound had eventually become comforting, had eventually helped me sleep. However, sleeping in the carriage and the Wherestation Inn, I had once again become accustomed to sleeping in near-silence. So, the sound of people came as a shock to me.

I blinked rapidly, trying to wake up. I peered out the carriage window. We had entered a village. I looked towards Iza and Imryll. They were both asleep. I stretched.

Eventually, the carriage halted, its hinges screaming. I was worried one of the wheels was going to break off, or that we were going to topple over. Luckily for me, neither of those things happened.

I looked out the window again. We had stopped in front of a restaurant.

I was reaching for the handle of my door when it opened. I drew my hand back. Ece stood in the doorway. He smiled at me, somewhat guiltily.

"I'm going to get us some food from the restaurant," he whispered.

"Where did you get the gold?" I whispered back.

"That is unimportant."

"You stole it, didn't you?"

"Maybe." The look of guilt crossed his face again.

I stared at him blankly. "Whatever," I said, my voice still low. "It's not like you can return the gold now."

"Right you are." Ece gave a wink.

"Just be quick, please. Imryll won't be happy if she wakes up and finds you've stolen gold and a horse and carriage."

Ece nodded and shut the carriage door as quietly as he could which was to say, not quietly at all. The door creaked on its hinges, as if arguing with us. I winced and then looked over at Iza and Imryll.

Imryll was still asleep, her head lolled to one side. Iza, however, stirred.

"Whas goin' on?" he asked, still half asleep.

"Lower your voice," I hissed.

Iza did. "What's going on?" he asked again, this time more quietly.

"Ece has gone to get us some food." Iza opened his mouth to ask a question, presumably to ask where Ece had obtained gold. I held a hand up. "Before you ask, I do not know where he got the gold. I assume he stole it, but you never know."

Iza smiled sleepily. "I am going to tell myself he stood on a street corner with his hands out, begging for gold, and waited until some poor soul came across him and felt like being a good samaritan."

I stifled a laugh with the back of my hand. "We can only hope that's what happened. At least that is more honest than stealing."

"True." Iza rested his head on my shoulder and I almost jumped in shock. It was the first time he had touched me since we had kissed, and I had almost forgotten how his touches felt. "Do you know how long he'll take to get us food?"

"Well," I began, "he only went in about three minutes ago. I assume he has to order, then wait for the food to be prepared, and then he has to pay, and then it should be ready."

Iza pouted. "Aww," is all he said in response. I rested my head on top of his. His hair was soft on my cheek. I smiled.

I could tell he had fallen asleep again when I felt his body go limp against mine. His breathing tickled my neck.

Leaning my head against his was uncomfortable, for his hair was tickling my cheek, but I did not want to move.

I could feel my eyes closing as I drifted off to sleep. Then, the door to the carriage screeched open again. Ece stood there, arms laden with fruit. He looked at Iza and I. I immediately removed my head from his.