The Keepers of Eternity

XIII

Lenore thought she was going to die. All of the way across the Channel, she imagined herself falling off of the cramped, old paddleboat, and sinking into the depths of the water. It wasn't the fact that she didn't trust her handiwork, it was just that she didn't think the boat itself was sturdy enough, or meant to be holding five passengers like it did now.

Her muscles felt tight even though she tried with every effort to relax. Abreigelle...she had to remain strong for Abreigelle. This fear was probably nothing compared to what she was going through, to what what she had been though in the past twenty-four hours. Abreigelle was probably frightened out of her wits, and if her little sister could do it, so could Lenore.

Monfreid and Evadrian manned the pedals since they were the strongest, while Darian turned the rudder, steering carefully towards the ever-nearing Rvyni shoreline. None of them looked phased, though Sid did look rather uncomfortable with his legs hanging out over the back of the boat. Even though he was smaller, there was just no room for him anywhere else.

Lenore was perched in the front, next to Darian, her hands clamped tightly around the paddleboat's metal frame.

"Relax, Miss. It's only a bit of water." Darian laughed softly.

"A bit?" Lenore peeped. "I beg to differ."

Darian sat in silence for a moment, then said, "I suppose it's different for you, given you've come from the countryside and all." His eyes drifted beyond the boat, out into the distance to the shore of Shah Neurn. "I grew up in the Docks. I learned to love the briny smell and the sound of work-bells ringing and the cool, misty mornings. That's why I stayed."

For a moment, Lenore considered if she would ever feel that way about the place where she called home. Would she ever miss the gardens and the manse if she decided to leave? Would she ever miss her needles and thread? I would miss it. She realized. But she felt that if she saw the world for what it truly was, she would miss that too when she returned.

"If you don't mind me asking, Darian, why were those soldiers at your house earlier?"

He didn't waste a breath. "Complaints from the neighbors. Neighbors don't really like night-owls such as myself, especially retired locksmiths."

He was a locksmith then. Though, not a very good one judging from those mangled gears she saw earlier. "Well, I hope you all come to an understanding."

"Aye." Darian said, "That was my final warning, the soldiers told me. The whole neighborhood's been in a tizzy lately and they are cracking down on the regulations." He shook his head, "First, Miss Laidrle gets mugged and robbed by some brigands, then those very same brigands get mugged and robbed by a Rvyni man down by the Bridge. I saw it myself...an awful, awful thing those disc-wielders. Times just aren't safe anymore. Strange."

Disc-wielder. Lenore had almost forgotten that the Rvyni used discs on a whim. It was frightening to think about—people with objects that controlled the universe in an unnatural sort of way. This was another reason why that country scared her.

"Strange times indeed. Weird happenings." Monfreid added, then paused for a moment. "Just last night, I saw some bats in the city. I never see them in the city."

It took her only seconds to realize what he was doing.

Darian perked up. "Bats? You saw them too?"

Monfreid nodded, "Yup. We all did. Where did you see them come from?"

"East. Oddly, that same night of the Rvyni attack. It was almost as if..." He paused. "Nevermind."