Machine of Fire and Blood

ELEVEN

Calaithe swung her new blade through the air as they walked. It was heavy and had a simple design, but the blade was sharp, and she'd been amazed when she'd watched the seller balance the sword perfectly on the edge of a single finger. When she, Elden, and Adithreel had met back up, Elden had whistled and asked to inspect the sword while Adithreel had just raised his eyebrows and said nothing. Elden admitted it was a beautiful sword after a thorough inspection. Calaithe felt proud of her purchase. She wasn't sure what had drawn her to that particular sword, just that once she saw it, she knew she had to have it. She'd also opted to keep her exchange with the fortune teller a secret for now. She wasn't sure how the woman could have possibly gotten to Iblis at the same time as her when she'd still been in Hyward when Calaithe had left, or what her so-called fortune had meant. She probably didn't want to know, anyway.

Calaithe was also—thankfully—in fresh clothes now, thanks to Adithreel. He had come back with a surprisingly lovely blue top and a pair of tough, leather-like black pants. They'd stopped at a public bathhouse so she and Elden could wash up and change before setting out on the road again. She was thankful Adithreel had gotten the clothes for her. She'd spent a good deal of drole on the sword and a sheath to keep it in. She sheathed the sword now, liking the feeling of its weight on her hip. It was a comforting weight.

Iblis was already fading into the distance behind them as they came up to a massive stone bridge that crossed one of the rivers that branched out from Lake Laoque. To the left of them, the sun was shimmering off of the surface of the lake. Calaithe searched the water, looking for signs of the floating city. In the daylight, though, with the sun glaring off of the water, she couldn't see any sign of it.

"This looks like the kind of bridge that should have a troll living under it," Elden commented as they neared the stone structure.

"Troll?" Calaithe repeated. "What's a troll?"

Elden gave her a surprised look. "You've never heard of a troll? Did no one ever read you fairytales before bed as a child?"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Elden's eyes immediately widened as he obviously realized what he had said. Calaithe pursed her lips.

"Smooth," Adithreel deadpanned.

"Well," Elden continued swiftly, "there's this story that my nanny used to read to me where a group of travelers come across a bridge. When they try to cross it, though, an old, gnarled troll crawls out from under it and demands that they pay a toll. When they say that they have no money, he tells them that instead, he'll tell them a riddle and if they get it correct, he'll let them pass, but if they get it wrong then he gets to eat them. And then of course, he tells them a riddle that's impossible to solve, and ends up eating them."

"That's awful," Calaithe frowned. "Why would anyone tell that story to children?"

Elden shrugged. "It's a fairy tale."

"No, I am with Calaithe on this one. It's odd. There are enough real monsters in the world, it seems foolish to make up stories about more," Adithreel chimed in.

Unsurprisingly, all remained quiet as they crossed the bridge. No trolls jumped up to block their path, and the river flowed quick and clear under the bridge.

"So, who's this friend we're going to meet?" Calaithe asked as they finished crossing the bridge and the edges of the town of Veer came into view. "Hopefully someone more... pleasant than your last one?"

Elden glanced sidelong at her, but she tried to ignore it. Since her encounter with the old woman Mathilda, she'd had other, even more disturbing encounters—much to her discomfort. First Maia and her unsettling message, then the fortune teller with her not-so-cheery prediction of fate.