Page 100 of Soul Forge

“How did you make these so quickly?” she asked.

“I get a breakfast rush from the townsfolk when they finally overcome their hangovers. You get the first batch today. Enjoy!” Genevieve threw the cloth back over her shoulder and set about straightening up the tavern while Elda ate until she thought she might burst.

“I take it you like pancakes, then?” Sypher asked, arching an eyebrow.

“I’ve never eaten anything like them,” she sighed happily, patting her swollen stomach. “I’ll miss them when I’m back home.”

“If we leave the Weeping Mountain alive, I’ll make you pancakes.”

Elda sat up straighter, her cheeks lifting in a grin. “Then you’d better believe we’re getting out of there in one piece,” she vowed.

The next day of flight was miserable. The weather turned when the group covered enough ground to cross territories, sending them back towards the outlands through regions plagued by rain and thunder. Thankfully, no wraiths hid in the clouds this time.

Elda was glad they weren’t stopping in Eden. Its forests remained firmly on the horizon to her right, Sypher and Reiner having decided it would be better for Elda if they made the longer flight to Riordan. It was a small village on the opposite side of the Aldani river that cut through the whole of Valerus, from the northern mountains right down to its southern border. That was her landmark – the sight of water would mean they were landing soon.

As much as she hated that they made the decision for her, the princess begrudgingly agreed. She’d made progress, physically and mentally, since leaving Eden. Her time away from the palace had dampened the voice of doubt to a whisper. Her training had made her body stronger, the muscles in her calves and thighs making her leather pants fit more snugly. Her kicks were harder, her movements faster. She was becoming confident in her bodyand its ability to react instinctively. Seeing her parents and being thrust back into that palace where she was forced to be subservient would only set her back.

The closer the group drew to Cenet, the more insistent the pull in Elda’s chest became. It was a constant presence, urging her to find the mountain and pry open its secrets. The premonition plagued her like a ghost haunting a graveyard, the phantom screams ringing in her ears even high up in the air. She shivered and pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders.

“This fucking sucks,” Julian complained from Nox’s back, hunched over against the drizzling rain. His old leathers were doing very little to keep him dry, and the downpour dripped from his forehead, turning his sandy hair dark. “The water weight is putting too much strain on Nox.”

“I don’t think Sypher is faring much better, especially carrying Gira,” Reiner commented from behind Elda. “It seems Atlas is the only one trained to handle the weather.”

Elda looked ahead, noticing the way the Soul Forge and his passenger kept their heads bowed against the torrential rain. Sypher was visibly straining with every wing beat, but he flew dutifully onwards. She knew he’d continue flying until he could barely breathe, and she knew the tulpar demon would do the same.

Camping under the stars in the outlands would be dangerous if they couldn’t reach the river. Reiner had warned her that the arachna – giant, fleshy, carnivorous spider demons – liked to make their hives in this area. The lack of wraiths in the air only backed up the statement. If even the terrifying bird monsters stayed away from them, the arachna must behorrifying.

“Are there any smaller settlements in between here and Riordan?” she asked, nerves forming a heavy ball in her stomach.

“One or two small farms, but nothing substantial. Don’t worry, pipsqueak. We’ll be just fine,” Julian promised. She heard the teasing smile in his voice without having to look at him.

After another hour or so, the rain petered out from a downpour to a light shower, but both Sypher and Nox were exhausted. The tulpar demon exhaled heavily with every wing beat, her sides heaving. Even Atlas was showing signs of fatigue, a light dusting of foam coating the corners of his mouth. Up ahead, Sypher signalled to land, angling down through the low-hanging mist.

“Finally,” Julian groaned, his teeth chattering so hard Elda was surprised they didn’t break. Her hair was plastered to her cheeks where the rain and fog made their way beneath her hood, but the strange material of the cloak had done an excellent job at keeping the rest of her dry.

“We made it to the river!” she gasped, the sight of the glittering water making her smile.

“Don’t get too excited,” Reiner warned, leaning around her. “I see smoke. Look.”

She was right. Cloudy plumes of oily blackness swirled up to greet them as they passed over a settlement in the middle of a siege, the scent of fire tainting the air. The village was made up of a cluster of about thirty small houses with thatched roofs, and half of them were burning. A temple stood at the north of the village square, the only building made entirely of stone, and even from a distance, Elda could see the bodies of people that hadn’t made it to safety before the heavy doors closed. Those still living who couldn’t get into the temple tried their luck with a large hall on the edge of the square, hammering on the doors until they shook in their frames.

Villagers armed with weapons darted back and forth over the haphazard plank walkways and makeshift roads designed to bypass the boggy mud, hounded by multi-limbed, uglythingspouring from a well in the centre of the open space. They moved in a wave, barrelling right through everything in their path. Elda watched an older man wearing a soot-stained apron raise what looked like a blacksmith’s hammer, only to be cut down by the oncoming monsters.

The smoke stung Elda’s eyes, tears blurring her vision until she was forced to blink them away. The acrid stink filled her lungs, burning her throat all the way down. Soot and ash clung to her skin, sticking to her hair and clothes.

Petrified shouts reached her ears over the sounds of the blaze when Atlas drew close. The screaming of terrified villagers was a cacophony, made worse by the roaring flames eating their way through the flimsy dwellings. Structures creaked and groaned, succumbing to the flames and showering sparks that spread, setting small patches of thatch on the untouched houses alight.

“We have to help them!” Elda gasped, leaning forwards in the saddle to get a better look. Julian was already almost on the ground, axe in hand, his teeth bared in a snarl. Sypher and Gira flew beside him, Gira half-shifted and prepared to leap down into the chaos.

“We will,” Reiner vowed, guiding Atlas to follow the tulpar demon into the fray. “Stay back. If you must fight, do it from a distance.” The Pegasus hit the dirt, his hooves tapping loudly against the planks as he drew to a stop.

“Where are you going?” Elda asked when the ex-captain slipped out of the saddle.

“I’m putting you on Nox. My power is strongest when Atlas and I are united, but you risk getting caught up in it if you stay on his back.” She scowled. “The tulpar demon is the safest option. Go.”

There was no time to argue. Reiner helped lift Elda onto Nox’s back, taking the reins and looking her in the eyes. The emotion in them took her by surprise. “Please be careful.”

“You should get back on Atlas,” Elda urged, eyes wide as she took in the carnage. Julian leapt at a creature that stood seven feet tall, partially obscured by the heavy smoke but visible enough to know it wasmonstrous. All around her, the village burned. People were running, screaming, crying.

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