Ebby Flint and the Sword of Sorrows (Book 1 in the Artis Trilogy)

Taira Teele, the Videra

Chapter Fourteen - Taira Teele, the Videra

It is the next morning, and the sun is just beginning to peek out along the horizon. Yesterday, Quill realized that everyone was starting to look worn out, so he made the decision to set up camp about a half a mile away from the river we had crossed. As soon as I hit the ground I fell asleep immediately, dreaming up the same world that the river nymphs had shown me.

I rise to a sitting position. Everyone else in the group is already awake. Except for Billy who is still sprawled out on the ground drooling. I imagine it would take a whole army to wake up the kid. Prince Quillan is caring for a fire and cooking some mysterious meat overtop the flame.

I zip open my backpack and pull out the fruit Lenhi packed me. I'm not going to risk eating the food Quill is preparing. I don't know about everyone else but having food poisoning on this journey seems like a bad idea. Somehow the inside of my bag managed to stay dry throughout the whole river nymph excursion. It slipped off my back when I was pulled down and ended up floating along the river.

While everyone else begins to eat Quill's mystery meat, I pull out the Witches' Manual. My Grandmother said in her letter that the Witches' Manual was incomplete, and that I had to find the missing pieces. However, the Manual looks to be complete. There are no torn pages, or any clues that would lead to the idea that the Manual is in pieces.

"Eboni, I do not know why the Queen decided it was the right idea to have you bring the Witches' Manual along on this quest, but would you please at least try to take care of it," Bartholomew says as I examine the pages. He watches me run my finger on the side of the page. "I understand the Manual has sentimental value to you, but the book is not going anywhere."

I wish I could tell Bartholomew the real reason why I am so interested in the book. But if he knew about my Grandmother's letter, he would want to see it, and I can't let that happen just yet. First I have to decide what to do with what my Grandmother had to say about King Tyri. Then I may consider telling Bartholomew about the letter.

As I'm putting the Witches' Manual away, I notice one of the knights completing the most daring task of waking up Billy. If it were me, I would have left him there.

We decide to continue to the Banished Village as it is only a few hours' walk away. We have only been walking for half an hour, and I'm about ready for a break. I wish someone had told me before I went through the portal that this trip would mostly consist of walking, running, and exercise in general. Something I never understood about the main characters in books and movies was that the cardio part never seemed to bother them.

Again Prince Quillan and Bartholomew take up the front, probably discussing something boring like which cat litter Bartholomew uses. As for me, I'm in the back with Billy, who, I'm still not sure, has woken up. He looks quite like a walking zombie, and the only sounds he has made are a few grunts and moans, which help further to prove my case. Prince Quillan has sent two troops out in advance to make sure the rest of the walk would go unbothered.

I hope that the rest of this trip does go smoothly because I don't think I could take another river nymph situation. Seeing my family all together like that only made me feel worse. I wish everything was that perfect. I wish my Mum wasn't in the hospital, and that my Dad wasn't in fairy prison, and mostly that my Grandmother was alive. I have so many questions to ask her. She was the only person in the world who would be able to answer all my questions, but I am too late.

Billy grumbles something about his feet hurting, but I'm just guessing here since it mostly sounds like he is trying to impersonate a lawn mower. He tries to speak up, "Mer uh fert uh hurt."