XV

The canyon was dark even during midday, but now that the sun was beginning to set, the visibility by which the Emblazoned Party had to see by was diminishing very quickly.

“Maybe we should stop and make camp?” Lev suggested as they trotted along across the sandy ground.

“You’re probably right,” Yoreno said. “This is probably all the good daylight we’re going to get in this place.”

Dell got off his horse. “I wish we could keep going. I’m ready to be done of this place.”

“We will be soon,” Mai said. “Over there looks pretty good.” She pointed. There was a large bolder near the canyon wall, evidentially fallen from above.

“That’s not much for shelter,” Dorrin complained as he scratched his head.

“Hey,” Yoreno said as he glanced at their newest member. “You did well back there when we fought those rock monsters.”

The tracker and crossbowman shrugged. “All I did was get the horses. I wasn’t much use.”

“You got the horses when we needed them most,” Mai said. “And in a heightened moment of action where any of us could have been killed. You should trust Yoreno when he tells you you did well. He’s our leader’s protégé you know?”

“Ex-protégé,” Lev said.

“Why do you say that?” Mai asked.

“And Dantera is not our leader,” Sorika muttered.

“What do you mean?” Lev asked Mai with a frown as he glanced back from leading his horse forward. “The Roaming Lions is Yoreno’s now. He’s our leader—and not just of the Emblazoned Party. Sor’s right.”

“Hardly deserved,” Yoreno added. “It’s only because of a legal technicality.”

“No,” Dell said. “Lady Brennovo saw something in you, Yoreno, otherwise she would have handed off the Roaming Lions to Yorinius.”

“Yeah,” Lev said, slowing as he glanced about what was to be their campsite. “We all know Yorinius could take you in less than four moves.”

“Well thanks,” Yoreno said.

Dorrin actually laughed.

Yoreno looked at him.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

“Anyway,” Mai stressed. “Yoreno might be our leader and the owner of the Roaming Lions now, but that doesn’t mean Dantera isn’t his protégé. There was never any formal disillusion of that relationship.”

“I love being spoken about by everyone while I listen.” Yoreno said, his eyes going to Sorika. But she didn’t say anything. Obviously she was shaken up—or perhaps still angry—at what had happened to Dell during their fight earlier in the day.

Some adventurers thought that it was unprofessional to have friends or… more than friends, accompany one another on adventurers. Still others believed that that was a good thing. It would cause an adventurer to strive against all odds, to charge forth recklessly with nothing by intent on success to save the one they loved.

It was a long debate that had never had any conclusion, and probably never would. Yoreno was for it, and would never split the group based on Dell and Sorika’s interest in one another.

In fact, their personal interest in one another was something that made him smile from time to time. He just hoped there wouldn’t be any interpersonal problems while they were far from home searching for Dantera.

Lev started the fire with the wood taken from their horses extra stores. Mai spent a moment to enchant the wood so it would burn slower. With just a few logs, they could burn a lively fire until morning.

Then she set to laying down wards.

Sorika went with her and Yoreno could see that they were chatting among themselves where the rest of the group couldn’t hear.

Yoreno approached Dell while he was taking something out of his horse’s saddle bags. “Hey, Dell,” he said.

The strong, dark-haired knight turned. “Yeah?”

“Is everything all right… with you and…?”

“Yeah,” he said. “We’re fine.”

Yoreno nodded, turned to go back to camp.

“It’s just that,” Dell said, “she doesn’t seem to understand, Yoreno.”

“She doesn’t seem to understand what?”

“We’re adventurers,” he said, a note of frustration in his tone. “I am an adventurer—and what’s more, I’m a knight of Aevalin. I’ve sworn to uphold the kingdom’s values.”

“We both have.”

“I know. And so you understand what I’m telling you, don’t you, Yor?”

“Of course I do,” he said. “An adventurer’s life is not a safe life, and neither is a knight’s. We have a duty to purge the world of the old evil the Grand Bastard brought forth.”

Dellwyn nodded.

“She knows that,” Yoreno said. “She’s just worried about you, that’s all.”

“A little too worried, I think.”

Yoreno didn’t say anything for a moment. “Is this going to be a problem?” he finally asked.

“No,” Dell said. “No, it won’t be a problem.”

“Listen,” Yoreno said. “Dell—you can talk to me whenever you need to, all right?”

“Yeah… yeah, thanks, Yor. I appreciate it.”

He nodded to the other knight.

“You’re a good friend.”

“You too,” Yoreno said, then he smiled subtlety and went to join the others. Dell lingered about the horses for a bit, probably thinking, trying to clear his head.

When Yoreno sat down, he realized there were rocks in the fire. “What is that?”

“That would be rock monster meet,” Lev said.

Dorrin chuckled.

“Real funny.”

“Mai said the rocks would provide extra heat. I think she enchanted them or something.”

“Oh.”

“Can we eat?” Dorrin asked.

“Yeah, sure,” Lev said. “Just as soon as you cook the meal for everyone.”

Usually it was Lev, or with the help of Dellwyn, Sorika or Mai. Yoreno didn’t know much about cooking. Of course, most of their meals were simple, consisting of hard breads, roasted meet and boiled eggs and potatoes.

Most of it was easy to carry and could keep with the right enchantments.

Mai shuffled back to camp with Sorika at her side. “How are you all doing?” she asked, seeming oddly chipper.

Yoreno could tell that she was acting. “You should rest,” he said. “All that magic casting must really have you worn down.”

“It’s still early,” she said. “Don’t you know the sun hasn’t even gone down yet?”

“Oh,” he said, not realizing. “It’s so dark in this canyon, I forgot.”

“Yeah,” she said. “But thank you for your concern.”

Lev put some eggs in a mostly flat cast-iron skillet and started frying them up with strips of bacon on the side.

“That smells so good!” Dorrin exclaimed as he eyed the meat greedily.

“Ugh!” Mai said. “I’m sick of eggs and bacon. I want some sweet pastries or maybe some roast duck.”

“How about some fish?” Sorika asked.

Mai nodded. “That would be good too.”

“Fish is too hard to keep, isn’t it?” Dorrin asked.

“Yes,” Mai said. “It’s very difficult. With better enchantments for preservation, I could do it, but not right now.”

“You could always dry the fish,” Dell said.

“Ew!” Sorika said. “That’s disgusting.”

“What? No it’s not. You put them in soup.”

“Commoner food,” Sorika said. “Lev would like that.”

“Sure do,” he said happily. “I’m still surprised none of you spoiled nobles have died yet—without your fancy butter and your perfectly white bread toast.”

Dorrin chuckled. “I’m barely a noble.”

“What?” Lev asked as he glanced toward him. “What are you, you an earl’s son or something?”

“I wish.”

“Come on, man. Out with it.”

“Yeah,” Dell said. “Why haven’t I heard of this yet?”

“I don’t know,” Dorrin said with a shrug. I was told that noble ranks didn’t mean anything in the Roaming Lions.”

“And they don’t,” Yoreno said. “And we’re keeping it that way. That’s why Lev can make jabs at us without getting flogged.”

Lev laughed and Yoreno smirked at his own joke.

“Well,” Dorrin said. “I’m just a Gentleman-at-Arms.”

“Still nobler than I am,” Lev said. “Me?” he hit his chest. “I’m a straight commoner’s son. My father is a wheelwright.”

“If it pays,” Dorrin said. “My father is in the City Guard. So was I, but I quit when I joined the Roaming Lions.”

“Way more lucrative to be an adventurer,” Lev said.

“And more dangerous,” Sorika added absently as she turned around and reached for something in her pack.

“We all have our places,” Yoreno said. “Some of them are dangerous, some of them not. But even farming is a noble profession. Without them, we don’t eat.”

“Exactly!” Lev said. “Of course, hunters like myself can help with that.”

“I’ll take first watch,” Dell said. “Let me know when there’s something to eat.”

“All right,” Yoreno said. “I’ll trade positions with you when you come to eat.”

“No,” Sorika said. “I will.”

Yoreno glanced between her and Dell.

Dell nodded.

“All right,” Yoreno said.