Chapter 314 (1/2)

Chapter 314

The pain ofto set in by the time we found our way back to Elder Rinia’s caveMost of my body was covered in black and purple bruises, which I kneould look even worse by the ti tofreak out

Boo’s sense of direction was just as good as his sense of save him a few scratches around his ears and across the silver crescent of fur on his chest, then li into the little cavern, carrying ue wrapped in a piece of cloth fro at a little table, staring down at a square board covered in marblesAs I watched, she picked up a marble, set it back down at a different place on the board, andunder her breath

I openedsuitably dramatic, like, “I’ve returned!” but the old seer raised a wrinkled hand and ht

After what see time, Elder Rinia quickly moved two more stones, then turned to me with a satisfied smirk on her face

“You’ve returned,” she said, eyeing the bundle in aze quickly traveled overon h not without a few bumps and bruises, I see”

I opened ht hob, but Elder Rinia waved for ain“Here, let , I stoue to the elderShe gingerly unwrapped it, exaue carefully

“Yes, yesThis will do nicelyVery nicely” Without even looking at me, she hopped up and practically ran across the cave

I watched, bewildered, as she du over her little fireThe cave, I realized, was filled with the scent of cooking foodMy eyes bounced froain, then ith horror

“You—you’re not going to—”

“Oh, yes dearBlight hob tongue is a very rare delicacyTender, juicy, fatty, with just a hint of bitterness”

I seriously considered vo on her floor for the second time that day, but I choked backmy mouth to ask for the information I’d been promised, I was cut off for the third tiue needs to cook just right, so it’ll need my full attentionPlus, I’m sure your mother ant to see to those injuries, shouldn’t be a proble noill you?”

“But what about—”

“Oh, yes,” Elder Rinia said distractedlyI would have sworn she was drooling as she stared down into the black pot containing her blight hob tongue stew“Go with , of courseYou tell that old fool Virion that the mission will be successful, but it won’t be without cost”

I blinked,open“That’s it?”

Elder Rinia turned to meet my eyes, serious for a moment“YesKnow there is always a cost, childThe cost of those elves’ lives may be more than Virion cares to pay”

“I—I al over and turning to anger, which I vented on the old seer“I gave up ue and tell le thin eyebrow“Died? Hardly, dearYou still have your brother’s present around your neck, don’t you?”

My hand went to the phoenix wyr that I’d nearly forgotten what it was actually for

Snorting at my surprise, Rinia continued“As I said, there is always a price to pay, a choice to makeYou made one in the tunnels, and you’ll have another to make in ElenoirWhen the time comes, Ellie, you must choose theabout?” I said, throwinght answer!”

“Choose the missionThe price will be paid either way, but you decide if the plan works or notNow go, the others are beginning to worry, and they’ll co a wooden spoon to carefully stir the contents, then dropping in a pinch of so up and ruining my meal”

The walk back to toas long and uncomfortable, but thankfully uneventfulBoo let e and furry back most of the way, since every part ofh I couldn’t think of anything I could possibly say that would make her any less mad when she sa bruised up I was

“I can’t believe that old crackpot,” I gruht hob alue and tell me the mission ‘won’t be without cost’ Like, I could have told you that”

Boo grunted consolingly

I was about to say soht that bobbed and weaved ahead of us in the tunnelAout: “Ellie—Eleanor Leywin, is that you?”

Ohfor n

“Yeah,” I wheezed painfully“Who’s that?”

The light source moved toward me quickly, accompanied by the sound of soft footfallsThe wide, kind face of Durden, one of the Twin Horns and my parents’ friend, caht artifact

“Ellie, there you areYour mother was really worried, so Helen sent me to search for you, toht on Boo’s back as I stared down at Durden“I was on a o see Virion at City Hall, then I’ll head home”

Durden sht to your ave the coe trailed off, then added, “Don’t tell anyone I said that, would you?”

At least if Mom already yelled at Virion, maybe it won’t be so bad for o hoht away, but this was uidance, I felt like I needed to give her words to Virion myself

When I inforoing thenI’d like to get you back to your gested

He s the tunnel toward town

Durden held aside the door hanging and gestured forup like a huge dog next to the stairs that lead up to the City Hall’s front doorInside the door, Albold stood at his usual post

“Glad to see you’re okay, Lady Eleanor” He gestured down the hall to the ht away”

I started down the hall, but slohen I heard voices coain, Commander” It was Bairon’s deep, nasally voice“While there were definitely signs of Lances Varay, Aya, and Mica, we can’t find a strong enough trace to go after them”

“darumbled in reply

“We haven’t found any reason or plausible pattern to the location of their strikes yetWe can’t even be sure they knoe’re aliveI can’t see any other reason why they wouldn’t haveThe other Lances will be essential if we’re ever going to really push back against the Alacryans”

I had stopped at the edge of the archway, listening to Bairon and Virion’s conversationThere hadn’t been any news of the other Lances since Dicathen had fallenIt was good to know they were still out there fighting

Albold walked around“Co Eleanor Leywin has just now returned froestured for me to enter the room, which I did hesitantly

I was too tired to really be nervous, but I still wasn’t sure how to explain what Rinia had said

Virion’s stern gaze took in , and his expression softened“It appears the journey to Rinia’s was ies, EleanorIf I’d have known—”