Kelfor (The Orthomancers)

Chapter 18

I wake up the next morning to find my hand tightly curled around the amulet. I am clutching it so tightly that the metalwork has bitten into my fingers, making them bleed in some places.

I shake my head. I have slept too well. I still feel drowsy and slow. Being back in a carrick to sleep has been marvelous. The night has passed really quickly and I am much more rested. Who would have thought that one simple carrick could represent luxury?

Linnith and Doven are still asleep. They have lashed their carricks together, which is sweet. They are holding hands. Linnith is curled up in her carrick facing Doven, and Doven's face is smoothed of tension as he sleeps in his.

It makes me happy for them.

It is very early. The others are all still asleep.

I get up and find myself walking over to the tree bridge. The whirlpool of firehorns is still swirling around. They never seem to rest. Perhaps this is their rest.

I decide to go up to see Torch. I want to warn him about the meeting later today. Plus, it must be daybreak almost, on the planet's surface. I want to witness the dawn.

I am poised to throw myself over into the abyss when I hear light steps behind me. I half turn just as I am stepping forward, which means that I slip and tumble off the tree bridge into the chasm.

As I slide off the bridge, I feel an iron grasp latch onto my arm. It is Zivan. She is not going to let me go on my own. My momentum pulls her over the edge with me.

I am angry with her for wanting to break my solitude. I never asked her to come! Why couldn't she just wait in the Rift of the Timeworn?

But I cannot shake her free now. She would fall to her death in this seemingly never-ending cavern.

She is staring at me. She knows I do not want her with me. I pull a face, but she laughs. "I promised I would look after you. I am not going to stop now."

"Come if you want, but I am going to leave you with the Scoriats. I just want to watch the sunrise."

She is clearly having difficulty with this. "Why would anyone want to see the sunrise?"

"Oh, never mind, Zivan. Maybe it is a young people's thing."

She is skeptical. "Maybe it is a silly people's thing."

I look away as the firehorns begin to coat both of us. "I am old enough to go on my own, you know. And, in any case, your job is over. You got me to Kelfor."

"True. But I get bored with nothing to do."

I sigh. There is no getting rid of her. "Oh, come then. But just leave me alone."

She gives a small dip of her head. It is the best I can hope for. I suppose I am lucky only she was awake. I am pretty sure Furian would have insisted on coming too if he had been there.

Within seconds we are up into the fresh morning air. The South Pole of Hethor gets very hot during the day, but the nights are chillier.

The stars are still just visible ... the largest of them. But the darkness is giving way to a dark blue and sunrise will be soon.

I drop Zivan off by the cave where the Scoriats are recovering, and point to a rocky outcrop about a hundred yards away. "I shall be over there. That will give me a better view of the horizon. If you see Torch, tell him where I am, will you?" The last of the firehorns disappear as I ask them to leave us.

She inclines her head again before ducking to pass inside the cave.

I run quickly over to the outcrop. I have to scramble a bit to climb to the top. It is a large escarpment, where the rock curves like curtains against the backdrop of the rough sandy terrain. On the top is a huge flat stone, which makes the whole thing appear like the head and beak of some ancient giant bird. I am aiming for that summit, which is flattened and commands a wonderful view of the surrounding area. It will mean scaling the lateral folds of the rock – smooth and not easy to negotiate – but I am pretty sure it will be worth it in the end. I could go all the way around, because the rock looks to be accessible from the other flank, but it also looks a long way. There is a small gap in the flattened capstone, and I head in that direction. I can slip through that gap and up onto the large slab which overhangs the valley. This is going to be an impressive way to start the day. The light breeze which comes up as the sun chases away the colder night is caressing my skin. It is a truly poetic place. A great place to watch the dawn. I can't help smiling.