The Last Mage

Chapter 30: Geniva Cliffs

After parting ways with Derrel the ground seemed to fly beneath them. They passed behind the army, Jefferey parting with them shortly, supposedly to check in with his commander. Eryn got the feeling he was sad or worried about something. They had told him all they knew about Brielle's situation - which wasn't much. Nathan and another man were going to try to get in and out of Zarlo's stronghold. No sign of Brielle or Lauren. They were probably prisoners. Jefferey had then sworn he was going with them. They had been unsure about that. He would probably try to hide them somewhere and not let them help. Eryn hoped Redrick and especially Derrel would come. Those two were on their side. If Derrel got Thomas, Russel , and Skyler AND if they made it before they left. No doubt the three guardians would follow. Amber was convinced Derrel would come but Redrick had not said yea or nay.

They traveled over the hills leading to the canyon and eventually the cliffs where Redrick's elven friends resided. And where they would get their transport overseas. They still hadn't decided on what that might be though Eryn figured on magic like how they had arrived. Amber said they'd be flying. She claimed she'd read about some eagles that were large enough to carry men on their backs. It sounded ridiculous but they'd seen a lot that should have been impossible since meeting Brielle.

Soon they arrived at the steep sides of the canyons rising high into the air, sheer cliff walls where small cliff reaves flitted about darting in and out of their small cave nests. Redrick and Jeffrey loosed their horses in the hills while the girls put their shrunken metallic beasts in their pockets. It had amazed Jeffrey but hadn't surprised Redrick at all. He had never confirmed nor denied their accusations about him being a mage. Perhaps he was but didn't want Derrel to know. Amber thought the Tashian already knew. He seemed the kind that simply ignored what he didn't like. Aware but unacknowledging. She had thought she'd not miss him too much. A couple weeks was not that long to get to know someone but she found herself missing their quiet conversations and his slight smiles when they did something that made Jeffery upset. Jeffrey and he hadn't really gotten along well mostly because the Tashian thought it humorous to annoy him constantly. It seemed if someone let on that something annoyed them Derrel would do it twice as often. She pushed Derrel from her mind looking at the new scenery only fifteen to twenty feet across and all the way up to heaven.

The girls turned circles while following, imagining being so high up. They watched the small granite colored cliff reaves flit in and out of the rocks not completely able to make out the tiny holes the birds squeezed into. Occasionally a lizard would scurry from their path or stop perfectly still on a boulder, only slightly off color for perfect camouflage. Redrick pointed out this and that to his companions. The girls were eager to see everything though Jeffrey tried to ignore him. He knew the lad was upset with him for involving the girls but he knew he was doing right. The young mage over the sea needed her friends badly. Again he wondered how Derrel would react to what he had to ask of the man. He hoped that Derrel would go with them of his own accord. Forcing Derrel to accompany them was out of the question. He thought perhaps it wouldn't be difficult to convince him considering the young woman who couldn't stop thinking of him. He thought Derrel might have the young woman in his mind as well. That could work in their favor or against it. He still remembered vividly the day the stunning Tashian woman had come looking for Derrel... and also how she had left. He didn't know if Derrel was quite over her yet. Tashians were so stubborn when it came to magic. Not even love had been strong enough to overlook it. Derrel was different now. He'd never go back to Tash.

It took them days to arrive at the gates, since Redrick stopped often to either discuss some interesting rock form or simply to rest and the girls didn't mind the slow pace much either. The gate appeared a sturdy wooden structure blocking the whole pass. He smiled encouragingly back at the girls who moved nervously straightening their hair and clothes. For being on the road so long the lot of them looked fairly decent. He rapped on the gate with his staff the sharp sound echoing off the walls. A small window opened at eyelevel revealing a pair of brown eyes.