Dragonsbane

Sodom

Chapter 17

Sodom

              The next morning found Ralem in his room, anticipating the journey to come. Jaydon had left supposedly to get some supplies (Ralem had a strong suspicion that he had actually gone to raid the bakery). Of course Ralem was ready to go; he had been ready to go for a couple of days. But Arianna had hit the sack the night before and has been snoring away since then. Ralem had let her rest because she needed it. He would have left her safe here, but he knew she would follow him and probably get into even worse trouble. So he waited for her. The sun was already almost to its climax when he heard a knock on the door.

       “Come in,” he said, getting to his feet from polishing his boots (The ones not being used for a hoard).

       Arianna stepped in in a swish of skirts. She had bathed, her hair was brushed, and she wore a long fancy dress that brushed her ankles. In her crooked arm she had a basket, overflowing with goods. Ralem hardly noticed he had dropped the boot he was holding. He had never seen Arianna without her cloak that completely enveloped her like a blanket. She looked stunning. “Um… Good morning,” he said.

      “Morning!” she chirped, not noticing Ralem’s stare, “Sorry I slept so late. I thought you would have left me, but I took a trip to the market and spotted Jaydon walking down the street, looking as happy as a bee in a field of flowers, with berry juices all over his face.” She chuckled when Ralem’s face turned several shades of red.

      Turning around, she set the basket down on the table in the room, “I suppose it’s almost time for lunch now. That means we better hurry or we won’t make it to Sodom before dark. And arriving at dark would mean suicide. I’ll just prepare us some lunch for on the go.” She got out something from her pack and started to cut.

      After a moment of silence except for the steady chop of the knife she said, “I know what you two are, Ralem.”

      “Really?”

      Arianna paused to look at him, one eyebrow raised in a skeptical expression, “Do you honestly think I’m stupid, Ralem? I’ve seen all the weird things you two can do. I guess I sort of knew this from the start. And don’t worry,” she said, waving the knife for emphasis, “I won’t tell a peep.”

      Ralem let out the breath he had been holding in apprehension, “…So you’re okay with it?”

       “Yes. I think it is great! I always wished I was one,” she said, absentmindedly shoving an apple slice in her mouth, “And it will help a lot in Sodom- your gifts.”

      “Yeah,” Ralem said sarcastically, “Just as long as Jaydon doesn’t get mad and blow the place up.”

       Arianna ignored him and continued, “Jaydon has the brightest eyes. I should’ve known the second I saw him. I’ve seen a few of your kind before, but I’ve never seen them with eyes that glowed as much as he does. I heard that the eyes show how much power the person has. I can definitely tell when you are going to use yours. Your eyes glow too.”

      “Really?”  Ralem got up quick and grabbed the knife from Arianna, “You are killing the apples. You have to cut them like this.” He quickly showed her how to cut the apple.  “Besides the apples will get brown really quick and attract flies. You don’t want to be carrying this along for later.” He scrutinized her, “You don’t know how to cut an apple.”

     “Of course I do! I spent months in the forest surviving by myself! I just didn’t have access to peasa…um… apples.”

     Ralem narrowed his eyes, “Were you about to say peasant food?”