Page 83 of Lady's Steed
Gustav shook his head as he slogged to shore. “When you’re done playing, let’s pack up and get moving.”
“So much for getting a few hours to rest,” Avera said with a sigh as she slogged her way out of the water.
“Sorry, but we can’t be sure there’s not another.” Gustav shrugged apologetically.
Josslyn wrung her hands. “Oh my, that was terrifying. I thought you were going to be worm food.”
“So did I.” Avera spoke woodenly as shock set in. She’d almost become a monster’s dinner. How she missed her room, her quiet life, being a nobody. What she wouldn’t give to be in her storage closet workshop taking apart a Verlorian artifact.
“Let’s get you out of those wet things,” Josslyn ordered.
“I didn’t bring a full extra outfit,” Avera admitted. She’d loaded her bag with mostly food and only packed a single sweater and pair of socks. She’d assumed they’d have to return to Herder’s Respite after they visited the mountain.
“I did,” Josslyn declared. From her pack she pulled a pair of dry britches, a shirt, and even a heavy coat.
They trudged from the cave, tired and subdued until Josslyn quietly murmured, “Did Opal not warn you about the lake creature?”
“No. Perhaps she didn’t know.” After all, Opal claimed to have never used the tunnels. Still, a thing that size had obviously been there a while. What other things had she not warned them about?
Nothing. At least nothing they encountered. Turned out the spiders and rats were only a minor nuisance, larger than theregular variety, but easily dispatched. Even Josslyn killed a few eight-legged critters, screaming all the while, but still stomping. The rats proved easier to distract. Once they’d sliced a few, the rodents turned on the injured and dead to feed. Gross, but it let them continue their journey with only short rests. After what seemed like days—and might have been, since they lost track of time—Gustav said, “I smell the ocean.”
Soon they no longer needed the torch as they could see daylight peeking from an opening at the top of a wide sloping ramp. While the ceiling proved high enough, the loose stones underfoot on the sharp incline meant they still couldn’t ride. No one wanted to risk injuring the horses. Instead, they heaved and huffed their way up, emerging on a ledge high up the mountain with a view of the ocean, a dark blue with slight white swells that stretched as far as she could see, but more important?—
“Seaserpent Bay!” Josslyn squealed while pointing. “We made it.”
Not quite, they still had to find a way to descend the mountain without breaking their necks. No clear path existed, and while a goat might have found it easy, they had horses that required them to go on foot and traverse it painstakingly slowly. It meant Avera had much time to observe the many docks—and their lack of usable vessels.
She might not know much about ships, but the fact the largest had sunk—its deck partially submerged, and its masts snapped—seemed a good indicator it wouldn’t be fit for a voyage. Of those that floated, their size seemed adequate for a day of fishing but not to travel any sort of distance. How would she get to Verlora? Of all the things she’d expected, not having a usable boat had never occurred to her.
Once they reached the base of the Spire, and a gentler slope where they could finally mount their horses, Josslyn wasn’t the only one to sigh in relief. Finally, their feet would get some rest.While Gustav grumbled about riding bareback, Avera had no issue. Those times she’d snuck out and ridden astride now came in handy. She had to wonder if Josslyn used to do the same as she cantered with ease.
As they rode towards the port, Avera murmured to Gustav, “I don’t see a ship capable of a voyage to Verlora.” Which she should have expected given she’d read the ledgers. But why would Opal send them here if she couldn’t find a ship?
“Traffic in this bay ain’t what it used to be.”
“What am I supposed to do?” In Horizon’s End, the other Daervian port, the docks were always teeming with vessels, but she couldn’t exactly show her face there.
“If you’re still intent on that madness, then wait. Something will come along. Most likely pirates, but we’ll deal with that when the time comes.”
Wait? After their rush to get here, it felt like just another obstacle in her path.
Avera had to remind herself that in the stories she’d read and heard growing up, quests were never easy. Adversity had to be faced. Avera could handle that. Had thus far. But she couldn’t exactly conjure a ship out of nothing. Which led to her next reminder: how would she pay for passage?
Despite their ragged appearance, they didn’t appear to draw notice as they rode into the large town. It helped only a handful of people were out and about. A few cast them a quick glance but didn’t question their presence probably because Avera and her companions fit in with their ill-fitting and filthy clothes. Even the horses looked worse for wear.
In some respects, the vacant streets and shuttered buildings of Seaserpent Bay’s reminded her of Herder’s Respite, only the people here weren’t afraid or missing, just downtrodden.
The lack of commerce had led to the once thriving city’s decline. Entire buildings had been abandoned, their windowsboarded over, their exteriors unkempt. People had moved away, and those that remained appeared suspicious of the strangers arriving in their midst and cast them side-eyes. But at least none of them screamed and pointed at Avera in recognition.
Josslyn murmured, “Why does anyone stay? It’s obvious there’s nothing here for them.”
“Because it’s their home,” was Avera’s soft reply. “And where would they go?” Families tended to stick to the areas they knew.
“I see an inn ahead of us that still looks to be in business.” Gustav pointed.
Named the Serpent’s Shanty, the sign had long lost its luster, the snake under its name partially peeled and the paint beaten off by time and weather. As they entered, the few patrons sitting around nursing ales turned to look and stare.
The barkeep gaped, his jaw dropping low enough his beard tickled his protruding belly. It would seem visitors weren’t common.