Page 37 of Grave Situation

“Thank you.” I hadn’t even thought of that, but it’s not like I can just leave the stone in my room at all the inns I’m planning on staying in. And taking a wooden box, even a small one, down to dinner or everywhere else would attract attention. I quickly move the stone from the box to the pouch and hang it inside my shirt. The chunk of rock has been oddly silent so far—it’s probably planning ways to torment me.

“Be careful. We still don’t know enough about these rogues who are raising zombies. Or about the zombies themselves. It’s possible you may run into trouble on the road.”

I stare at him. “Trouble?Master, don’t you think this is something you should have mentioned earlier? When I could have recruited some nice burly guards to come with us?”

“The stone wouldn’t have allowed that,” he reminds me. “Only the three of you were permitted.”

“Then a lesson in how to wield a damn sword. And a sword to wield!”

“You know how to wield a sword,” Tia reminds me. “Father insisted you be taught. And that’s why you don’t have a sword. Stop worrying. Leicht and I are there to protect you.”

That’s an excellent point—Tia has been training for battle while I’ve been training to use magic, and dragons are basically giant flying lizards who kill. Though I’d never say that to Leicht. I ignore the denigration of my sword-fighting abilities. I might be somewhat rusty now, but I was a competent enough student. Ish. I never accidentally maimed anyone, anyway. They were all healed.

“What if you’re off scouting when we’re attacked? What happens then? I know basic battle magic, but it’s not my area of expertise, and I’ll have Jaimin to protect too.”

They both laugh. I must have missed the joke.

“Then you call for me,” Tia says patiently. “I’ll come back to save you.”

“And you don’t need to worry about Jaimin Kahwyn,” Master adds. “He’s spent a lot more time in the real world than you have. He can protect himself.” Unsaid but heavily implied isand you too.

My pride thoroughly battered, I say, “Well, this has been lovely, but I have a dangerous and uncomfortable journey tobegin. In the cold and dark. With a man who believes I'm an immature child and a dragon who hates me.”

“Let’s go, then,” Tia replies, not bothering to refute any of those statements. “Grab your pack.” She strides out without waiting for me.

Miffed, I shove a few last-minute things—including the box—into my already bulging pack and make to follow. Master grabs my arm. “Talon, don’t be shy about checking in with me. Listen to the stone—it will guide you. And… remember what I said.”

Fate and free will. What a fun combination. “I’m honored to be your apprentice, Master.”

He nods and lets me go, and I hurry to catch up to Tia, the damn pack thumping against my side.

She’s already halfway down the stairs when I reach her, and I fall silently into step beside her—until we get to the bottom, and she turns to the right.

“You’re going the wrong way,” I whisper. “The stables are down there.” I point to the left, but she shakes her head.

“Jaimin is meeting us with the horses on the lawn,” she says at a normal volume. “Leicht needs somewhere to launch from, remember? You can take the chasm path around the academy and meet up with the road.”

The chasm path. In the dark and snow. On horseback. This just keeps getting better and better.

When we slip out the side door to the lawn, I’m thrilled to find that it’s just as cold as I was expecting. At least it’s not currently snowing. Off to the east, the sky is slightly lighter, which I suppose means it’ll be light soon… maybe. I don’t know exactly how long the sun takes to rise, since I’ve never been stupid enough to wake this early.

There’s a huge shadow in the middle of the snow-covered lawn that I’m guessing—hoping—is Leicht, and as we get closerand my eyes adjust more, I see a clump of smaller shadows. Jaimin, holding the reins of three horses.

Yay.

“Good morning,” he says, his tone far too cheerful even though he pitches it low enough so it won’t carry. “Give me your pack, and I’ll get it stowed. This lady here is yours. Her name is Sweetie.”

My gaze flies to Tia. “You picked a horse calledSweetiefor me?”

She shrugs. “She’s the steadiest one I could find. The stablemaster said she’d stand still in a hurricane.”

That’s comforting, though I’m really hoping this will all be done with long before hurricane season arrives. And that we don’t have to travel as far as any of the regions where hurricanes occur.

I approach the horse warily as Jaimin secures my things to the packhorse and Tia scrambles up Leicht’s leg. “Good morning…, Sweetie.” I try not to cringe. “How do you feel about a change of name?”

In the faint light from the stars, it’s hard to see what color she is, but it’s impossible to miss the way her ears go back and she snorts, tossing her head. I look up at Tia accusingly. “You said she was gentle!”

“I said steady,” Tia calls softly. “I also didn’t say change her name. Stop being an ass, Talon, and mount up. We need to get going.”

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