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

“Sky above, yes,” said Sun.

She went to the bar, dusted off one of the stools, and sat, while Albern moved around to the back and went to the cask. It was a quarter cask, but that was more than enough to enjoy themselves, depending on how long they stayed here.

Albern tapped it and fetched two glasses from beneath the counter—they were free of dust, which told Sun someone had brought them recently. Soon the drinks were ready, and Albern handed Sun’s to her.

“I hope that encounter proved to you one thing,” he said. “Your worst fear has come true, but you have survived it. Your family found you. And yet you remain free. Let us drink to that.”

Sun could not help a small smile. “Very well. To freedom.”

They raised their glasses and drank. Sun took one swallow and lowered the cup, pulling a face. It was not the worst swill she had ever had, but it was undoubtedly the worst she had tasted since meeting Albern. The old man had a gift for finding the best cup of beer around, but this seemed to be an exception.

“Dark below,” spat Sun. “With ale like this, it is no wonder this place closed down.”

Albern barked a laugh. “A good point. This cask is a gift to celebrate the tavern’s purchase, but mayhap it should not have been given. The best thing I can say about this ale is that it can get us drunk. And that is good, because the story is about to take a dark turn.”

Sun stared at him. “About to take a dark turn?”

She had meant it as a joke, but Albern’s expression grew mournful. “Darker, I suppose.”

After Mag led Yue, Dryleaf, and me out of the hills, we went due south to lose ourselves in the Greenfrost. I took up the rear of our sad little procession, doing my best to hide our tracks from any pursuit. But privately, I doubted they would come after us. Kun would be enraged at the death of his nephew and dismayed at the gutting of his army. But he was a captain first and foremost. His highest priority now was getting the rest of his troops to safety before they starved to death. He might send a squadron after us at most, but I doubted we would earn even that mean of an honor.

And, I reflected sadly, he no longer had Zhen to send after us. I did not know anyone else who would be able to track me, if I did not want to be found.

The night was already half gone when we left. I pushed us to walk until dawn had begun to lighten the sky to the east. Then, at last, I stopped and had us set up camp, building a little fire. With daylight coming, we would not need to fear anyone spotting the glow through the trees.

We were now mayhap a league south of the road where we had first ambushed the Shades. The Greenfrost glimmered in the swelling daylight around us. But where I had once thought the trees looked like eminent sculptures all in emerald, now they were like stern tombstones in jade, bending over us and fixing us with silent stone eyes of judgement. I tried not to look at them.

We cleared snow from a spot on the ground near the fire, and there we set Dryleaf down to rest. We gave him every cushion we could summon, our softest saddlebags, and every extra cloak or blanket we had. He now looked like a prince lounging in a large bed of cushioned pillows. But his body and clothes were still grimy with travel, and fresh blood stained the bandages wrapped around his head.

Mag sat close beside him, never taking her eyes from him. Yue was off to the side, staring unblinking into the fire. I could imagine the torment in Mag’s mind, but I could not begin to guess what Yue must be thinking.

Dryleaf stirred. His hand sought Mag, and when he found her, he squeezed her arm gently. “I am afraid I am rather slowing you down at this point.”

“Never,” said Mag. “If anyone harms our little troupe by being here, it is me.”

“Enough, Mag,” I snapped. “In a contest of guilt, there is no winner. We all … we all need to sleep. We have been on our feet for nearly two days straight. Let us rest. Then we can figure out what to do.”

I thought she would argue with me. I expected her to. But she only looked even more defeated, and that frightened me more.

“Very well,” she said softly. “I will take the first watch.”

“Let me do it,” I said. “It will let me inspect our surroundings and get the lay of the land, as well as make sure we have left no trail leading to us.”

“Please, Albern,” she said, still not looking at me. “I would not sleep, anyway. At this moment, I feel as though I will never be able to sleep again. Let me have a few hours alone to … to try to master my thoughts.”

I blew a long breath out through my nose. It turned to mist at once, flying up around my head like a Dragon’s breath. “Fine. But if you fail to wake me for my turn, I will not let you stand another watch for a week. Do you hear me?”

Mag nodded. “I hear you.”

“Promise me, Mag.”

She looked up at me. The firelight danced across her face, but I could see no reflection of it in her eyes.

“Do you not believe me, Albern?”

I tilted my head. “Of course I do, Mag. But I know how you—I know something of how you are feeling right now. I will not allow you to give up. Nor will I allow you to try and find more ways to punish yourself. Now, I am weary, and I want to sleep. Promise me, so that I can lay my head down without fear.”

“I