Heir of Obsidian (A Throne of Glass Fanfic)

11 - Into the Unknown

Hey readers! Just wanted to let you know that you are AMAZING!

By the time Luka finally reached Orynth's tall, opal-clad gates, the sky had deepened to obsidian. The moon cast a light on the great city behind him, illuminating the distant spires of the white castle. Resting in the shade of the city's great gates, concealed by a dark shadow, stood the wiry forms of two teenagers. He was late, so very late. Quinn saw him first, her eyes narrowing as she emerged from the darkness.

"Do you know how late you are?" she hissed, hooking a stray strand of hair around her ear. "We thought you'd chickened out." Benji slowed one pace behind her, surveying the entrance of the city with keen eyes to ensure no one he recognised had noticed them. Aelin had eyes everywhere.

"We did not think you'd chickened out," Benji reassured him. "We just got worried - Luka, where were you? We were meant to leave hours ago."

"The maps," Luka motioned to the leather satchel cradled against his side, "were harder to get than I thought." Upon requesting the maps, the head scholar had spent a whole hour lecturing him of their worth. Prattling one about their scared age and importance, and the consequences he'd face if he damaged or lost them. The only thing that had gotten him out of the great library was his concession that if he wasn't able to take the maps be would have to instead bring his siblings, his whole boisterous family here to their ancient and sacred library to study the maps instead. At that the scholars had practically shoved the rolls of parchment into his hands and thrown him out their doors.

Benji looked at him understandingly, "The head scholar is an old coot...But you're here now." Luka could see he was having a hard time wiping the hopeful smile of his face, even now. "Asterin should be back soon too, and then we'll go!" He continued on at Luka's questioning look. " Well when you didn't come back she decided to go stock up our supplies--" 

As if these words were some mysterious signal Asterin emerged like a wraith from the darkness beside them, as silent as the night surrounding. She nodded at him, a small smile gracing her face. His stomach flopped as she reached a hand out toward him and paused letting it hover in front of him.

"Do you have the map to Erilea?" she asked, voice husky in the gentle darkness. Luka swallowed and nodded unclasping the satchel, placing a hand inside. The papers inside ruffled as he grasped the thickest, oldest map. Dust motes drifted off the coarse paper, and he gave a small cough as he handed the parchment to Asterin. She quickly unrolled it, eyes scanning quickly. Beside her, Quinn eagerly peaked over her shoulder, eyes glinting with excitement. Asterin glanced up at them thoughtfully her hair shifting, like molten quicksilver.

"We need to head along the coast, towards Meah," she brought a finger to the map, tracing the coast towards the small town - "and then continue downwards, to - "

"Yeah, downwards, we definitely need to go in that straight direction because as we know the Valg are heading to Eyllwe," Benji interrupted, grabbing the map from Asterin's hands and trailing his hand haphazardly down. As if he was trying to copy her fingers precise path. Asterin nodded at his words.

"Yes, Benji, exactly," she continued, "so we will move downward towards Adar-

"Adarlan," Benji cut in again loudly, "Adarlan."

Luka cringed slightly at the second interruption and Asterin surveyed Benji keenly, pausing before continuing. "Yes, Adarlan would be the perfect place for us to replenish our supplies, but while we are there and when we go through Terresan we'll have to be care-"

"We don't want to be caught," interjected Benji and Luka watched as Asterin's eyes, glowing in the lantern's light, narrowed almost imperceptibly. She was losing her patience but Benji continued obliviously. "You know how upset our parents will be when they find out what we are doing. So we'll have to be careful. Okay well now that's sorted, let's go we've taken too long talking already," he looked around at the three of them with a smile and Quinn slapped a palm across her forehead in defeated frustration.