The Tales of the Wanderer Volume One: A Book of Underrealm (The Underrealm Volumes 4) by Garrett Robinson (elon musk reading list TXT) 📕

She reached to her belt and pulled out a copper sliver. “We should flip for it and let fate decide. Tuhin, have you ever heard of latrine duty?”

“Do not answer that,” I said quickly, even as Tuhin opened their mouth to answer.

Tuhin shook their head, still smiling, and took the lead. They made their way down the same eastern road we had taken to reach Victon’s estate, but they soon turned north, on a smaller road that curved east after a time, wrapping around the foot of the mountain.

Dawn broke at last, and we increased our pace now that we did not have to worry about striking a rock or sudden pit in the dark. Though we traveled east, the sun did not immediately fly into our eyes, for we had entered a series of low but steep hills that thrust up around the road on both sides. The road grew faint, but it still had very clear edges. I could tell that it had once been well-tended, and mayhap paved with stone.

And then I noticed the tracks.

“Tuhin,” I called out.

“I see them,” they said, pulling their horse to a halt. Mag and I stopped as well.

“Would anyone else have a good reason to use this road?”

“Not much of one,” said Tuhin. “There is no good hunting this way, and there are no dwellings at all.”

Mag frowned at me. “What in the dark are the two of you talking about?”

“Signs of others,” I said, pointing at the road.

She shook her head. “I see nothing.”

“What did I tell you?” I said, giving Tuhin an exaggerated shrug. “Lazy.”

While Tuhin hid a laugh, Mag nudged her horse closer and punched me hard in the arm. I gave her an easy smile.

There were not all that many—around a dozen distinct trails that I could make out. They could easily have been made by the same person going back and forth several times. I saw no hoofprints, though if someone wished to approach Opara on horseback, they would likely have looped around and approached by the north road.

“We carry on,” said Tuhin. “But we should abandon the road. I wonder if we should leave the horses.”

“Though it is tempting,” I said, frowning down at Foolhoof’s flattened ears, “I would rather draw closer first. How far away is this stronghold?”

“Another two hours if we press the horses, mayhap three or four on foot,” said Tuhin.

“Then let us ride for another hour, off the road, before we leave our mounts.”

“A fair plan,” said Tuhin, and they turned their horse at once, walking off the road and into the wild.

We wound our way through the dips between the hills, slower now without the bridges that crossed shallow cracks in the land, or the rises that had been leveled to accommodate it. Tuhin led us skillfully, though it was clear they had not been here for some time. After a while, the land dipped into a gentle gorge, through which ran a narrow stream with easy banks. The land began a steep climb after we crested the other side. Soon we came upon a broken hinterland, with steep cliffs that threatened to drop us a span or more to the ground below. All around us were piles of black rock, pitted and pockmarked, signs of the mountain’s ancient fury.

“This is where I think we should leave the horses,” said Tuhin. “They will be no faster than we will be on foot, especially on the fireglass.”

Mag arched an eyebrow. “Fireglass?”

I pointed to the black rock. “Leavings of the mountain. Lava after it cools off.”

“Ah,” said Mag, arching an eyebrow. “The mountain is not going to drop its leavings on us, is it? I am not fond of dangers against which I have little power.”

“Not every danger can be staved off with a spear,” I told her, slipping down from the saddle. “Worry not, wanderer. We will not let the mountain’s rage consume you.”

Tuhin chuckled and waved a dismissive hand towards Tahumaunga. “It is only a grumpy old man these days. You are lucky we do not wander at its feet during the time of its youth, when the tales say it was as wrathful as a dragon.”

We found a small cluster of trees well away from the fireglass, with brilliant green turf springing up on the ground all around. Oku danced about as we dismounted and brought the horses together. With a hatchet from my saddle, I quickly cut a few sturdy posts from the branches of the trees, and we gave the horses a loose tether that would allow them to wander. They began to nibble at the grass almost immediately, except Mist, who nuzzled Mag’s shoulder first.

“There there, girl,” said Mag. “We will return before you know it.”

“A fine mare,” said Tuhin, patting Mist’s flank as she began to graze with the others.

“Far better than that one,” said Mag, pointing at Foolhoof.

“Do you expect me to argue?” I said, arching my brows. “He is never more than a bad mood away from being turned into sausage.”

“That is simply cruel,” said Tuhin. Foolhoof raised his head to nudge them gently with his neck, the dark-taken traitor. “Do you see? He is a gentle soul.”

They ignored my sudden grumbles and led us off again. Soon we were breathing somewhat heavily. The land kept climbing, and we had to take many sudden turns and detours to avoid pits and cliffs that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Mag, curse her, did not seem winded at all, despite her shirt of metal scales. But then, that was to be expected. I kept Oku close by as we went, and he was more than capable of matching our pace.

I began to notice that Tuhin was looking around uneasily as we went. “What is wrong?” I asked them.

Tuhin’s mouth twisted. “The land is quiet.”

I felt a tenseness creep down from my neck into my shoulders. “Do you think we are being watched?”

“I am not certain,” said Tuhin. “I have been searching for signs, but