Page 37 of Deadwood
The next morning,I emerged from my tent to find the camp had already been packed up, the only things left to be stowed away on the mules were a few packs of clothing. The coals from the fire that had burned out overnight still released small gray tendrils, the pungent scent of smoke lingering in the air.
“Did I sleep in?” I asked Lander as he passed me, hurrying to match his pace as he continued walking.
“No.”
I waited for him to continue, offering any explanation as to why we were hurrying to leave, when he did a double take, noticing me staring at him. He stopped, grabbing my arm to halt me with him. But before he could speak, the presence at our side sent pins and needles down my arm.
“You didn’t happen to see anyone sneaking off last night, did you, Lady Auria?” Paxon asked.
I looked at him while Lander kept his focus trained on me. “No? Why would I have? I was asleep.”
Paxon nodded slowly, as if he didn’t believe me. Meanwhile, guards entered my tent to begin packing it up. “If you hear anything, you’ll tell us.” It wasn’t a question.
“Of course I will,” I replied, not sure what I was even agreeing to.
Once Paxon walked away, I turned back to Lander. “What is he talking about?”
Lander rolled his lips together, like he was debating what to tell me. “That guard who doubted the reasons behind our marriage deserted sometime during the night.”
My eyes widened. “Deserted?”
He nodded, but he had the same look his brother did moments before.
“You don’t believe that, do you?” I asked.
His gaze hardened on me as he thought. “There’s an explanation for everything, and my brother always seems to be the first one to provide it.”
Realization at what he was trying to say hit me. “You don’t trust him?”
“I grew up with him, Auria. But as we both know, family is family.”
I knew all too well what he was getting at.
“Don’t ask questions. Don’t raise suspicions. And if you hear anything…” He trailed off, searching the busy area for his brother.
“I’ll come to you,” I said.
He gave a nod of approval before continuing on his way to continue packing up the camp.
I didn’t know who to trust or what to believe, but I wanted to think Lander wouldn’t be messing with my head. Either way, keeping to myself was probably in my best interest for the duration of our trip.
CHAPTER 14
The next five days went as smoothly as they could. No other guards deserted, and no one spoke of the one we’d lost after Paxon made it clear we wouldn’t be looking for him.
Each day, we’d depart at dawn and travel until the sun began to set before we finally arrived on the outskirts of Sulphur. I hadn’t complained once during the long stretches in the carriage, no matter how hot it grew. I was too transfixed by the view as the mountains turned into rolling hills, which then became fields and fields of crops and livestock as we got closer to King and Queen Alline’s territory. I didn’t think I could ever tire of the scenery surrounding me.
We’d traveled along the chasm most of the time, but far enough away to where I couldn’t quite see the depths of it. It was better that way, though. Out of everything, I didn’t want to see the gorge that kept me separate from the rest of the world.
On our way into Sulphur, much like the rest of the trip thus far, my gaze had been trained out the tiny window. Before the land had turned to tall grass pastures and fields of assorted crops, it’d been miles and miles of meadows sprouting various colors of wildflowers. In the distance, Lander had pointed out Devil’s Peak, one of the only active volcanoes on our continent. It hadn’t had a major eruption in over a century, but lava was always slowly seeping from it, puddling at the base. It was a dangerous crater surrounded by beauty and peace.
Lander wasn’t kidding when he said every protein, every fruit and vegetable, came from Sulphur. Even without him telling me, I would’ve been able to guess it. There wasn’t a single parcel without something being raised or grown. Even the homes in the town had small gardens in their yards.
The people lining the dirt roads as we traveled past last night wore all kinds of colors and attire. On our cross-through to reach the kingdom, I saw workers extracting colors from all kinds of flowers and fruits, dyeing clothes in buckets and hanging them on lines to dry. It was serene—how they all worked in harmony with children running amuck. There were no arguments, no raised voices or weapons being drawn at each other. But even so, the tension in their shoulders was obvious, accompanying their narrowed eyes as we passed.
It was so opposite of everything I’d seen in Silicate, yet so similar. The streets didn’t smell nearly as rancid; instead the aroma from the flowers wrapped around me, mixing with the hint of salt in the air. But despite the inviting atmosphere, I could see the stress on each citizen. Maybe Lander was right, and the tensions with trade really were having an effect on every single citizen, whether their leaders treated them better than King Tenere or not. Even the castle looked more welcoming than my father’s, more like a home than a fortress.
“The ocean borders one side of Sulphur, much like it does Amosite,” Lander said from beside me. We were now standing in the foyer of the home I’d stayed in last night.
