Page 14 of The Oracle's Journey

“And we are suspiciously low on undergarments,” Ozanna snarled as she sprang to her feet. The water that dripped off Lobikno almost soaked through her shirt, though I managed not to stare at her this time.

I rubbed my eyes with a thumb and forefinger and sighed. I switched to elvish. “Do tell, Lobikno.”

“This one,” he nodded toward the doe-eyed woman, “threw herself in the water. It made her underdress completely see-through. Then she taunted the males I brought to keep an eye on the princess.”

And I missed it.

“You were immune, brother?” I teased, knowing full well Lobikno was as starved as the rest of us.

Lobikno just glared at me. “I had to chase after her before those assholes got any ideas. She lured me into knee deep water and the princess came at me from behind.”

The princess was so tiny I doubted she could hurt even her maids. Lobikno’s frustration seemed silly. “You didn’t see her coming?”

“She swims like a salmon under the water,” Lobikno crossed his arms and glowered.

“So, you weren’t distracted by boobs?” I asked, holding cupped hands in front of my chest.

Lobikno’s eyes narrowed, and he finished in the trade language. “Then they tried to drown me.”

“I was toying with you.” Ozanna shook her bundled fists at him, her teeth bared. “I was trying to keep the males focused on me so they’d leave my lady alone. Are you so miserable you can’t recognize playfulness?”

“You tried to smother me with your wet gown,” he accused, stabbing a finger in her direction.

Ah. His frustration made more sense now. Not because Lobikno was starved as much as he had a difficult time with affections being forced upon him. She couldn’t know that she was poking at some of his old wounds.

“I tried to distract you with my tits,” she said, giving the aforementioned full, round parts a jiggle. As my gaze came back up to meet the flat, unimpressed expression on her face, it was obvious we’d both fallen for her trap. “Do you remember anything about the princess other than the fact she pounced on you?”

Lobikno ground his teeth and grumbled, “No.”

“Then don’t complain about the free show,” she sneered without a trace of regret in her expression.

I looked around for Rhyfon, who had just climbed up on the massive horse he rode bareback.

“Madam Mercenary,” I said curtly as I picked her up under my arm and carried her toward Rhyfon.

“She’s your pet this morning,” I said to him in elvish, and placed her behind him. “Slide your arms over his head so you can hold his waist.” I instructed her.

They followed my directions, but if looks could kill, I’d have been dead twice over. It was the most amusement I’d had in days.

Ozanna

The caravan traveled for a few hours, as quickly as the carriage could manage on the rough, lightly used road. My riding partner for the day was stern and silent the entire time, his long amber hair tickling my nose. I hadn’t spent much time riding bareback, so my legs and core muscles were trembling before long. Initially, Rhyfon had allowed me to use him to help balance, but it seemed even he was tiring from the extra work. I had a sense that it was punishment for both of us.

The other elven bandits appeared to relax now that they had stolen away to a nearby mountain pass, far from any place humans might wander. The summer sun forced some of them out of their layers. Most of them draped their leather jackets across the backs of their saddles, though they remained armed. They either wore simple beige shirts of human style or crisp gray tunics that opened in the front and wrapped around their slim waists, secured by a belt. Lhoris and my riding partner were the only ones wearing some kind of vest. The humans were just as slovenly as they had appeared the night before.

When the sun reached full morning light, the dark elves all donned large, brimmed hats or glasses with curiously dark lenses. Since I had little to do other than observe them, I noticed when one by one, they all went slack faced. They stayed upright in their saddles, but there just didn’t seem to be anything going on behind their open eyes. I tapped my companion on the chest with a thumb. He glanced over his shoulder at me, annoyance flashing in his green eyes.

“What are the other elves doing?” I asked. He looked at them but didn’t answer before turning to look forward again. “Ok, then,” I grumbled.

Resting a cheek on his back, I closed my eyes. I was so painfully tired.

I tried to doze until we came to a halt. Lhoris, in his dark glasses, was there by my right leg. Lobikno appeared on my left and undid the rope at my wrists. Again, the knot came undone with little more than a touch. Without my grasp on Rhyfon, I wobbled and, given the choice between Lhoris and Lobikno, I leaned into Lhoris’ waiting arms. I was too tired to care at that moment, glad to take any shelter from that storm of exhaustion. He let me walk on my socked feet, giving me the opportunity to stretch and get the feeling back in my trembling limbs. Though under the leering scrutiny of the males, it wasn’t as pleasant as it could have been. I rejoined the other women for a brief privy break and then a small meal. Lobikno watched over us, looking bored and tired. And grouchy, as always.

“Please don’t wander off right now,” I begged Emmelina. “It might kill me to try and chase after you.”

“I don’t think I’m going to.” Emmelina frowned, shaking her head as though she was as baffled by her motivations as everyone else.

I nodded then closed my eyes for a second and nearly fell asleep. Lhoris was there after another long blink. I recalled hearing Rhyfon say something like, “Isn’t she supposed to be your problem?” I really had made myself a problem, exhausted myself to the point of being useless; incapable. There had been too much activity, fear, and stress, not enough food or sleep, though that wasn’t all my own doing.

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