Page 42 of Sword & Shadow
“Hm.” Evylin questioned their sincerity, yet they had been quite civil to one another. In fact, she’d almost call their behavior flirtatious. The scruples of such actions she’d yet to determine, but she’d not heard a cross word between them since they left Blacklion.
“You doubt me?” Thom asked.
“I doubt most of what you say,” Evylin replied. The Day Relic warmed around her neck, adding to her sunny disposition. Even in the rainy, endless travel, she found herself uncomprehendingly happy. “Though I am inclined to believe Ilain.”
“You believe a Mage over your own friend?” Thom tutted. “I thought you had better judgment than that.”
Ilain snorted on Evylin’s other side. “Those words veer dangerously close to an insult, darling.”
“Forgive me, milady,” he returned.
“I’ll consider it.”
For the rest of the day, rain continued to pour, and they traveled on. Evylin took comfort in the banter of her companions. They spoke of nothing consequential and of many things silly, and it filled her head with memories of what life was like at the start of their journey. This was what she and Ryen had always hoped to experience—blissful moments of friendship with exciting battles on the horizon.
“I’ve been wondering something,” Thom said.
“How you got so lucky as to win my companionship?” Ilain jibed.
“No. Though only Allore knows how I came to deserve such a...blessing.” Thom gave her a sly grin before continuing, “I’m curious as to how you and your brother came across the Fire Relic.”
Evylin perked up even more, having wondered the same thing herself.
“We didn’t come across it,” Ilain replied casually. “We retrieved it in the same manner as the Relics we’re seeking out now.”
“You went through the Fire Keep, then,” Thom said.
“Obviously.”
“Just the two of you?”
“Even with all my impressive abilities, not even Auden and I could make it through alone.” Ilain flicked a leaf off her skirt. “The Alliance sent us help.”
“Why didn’t they come with you to Ephria in that case?” Evylin asked.
“They had other tasks,” Ilain explained. “Both were Warriors. You’ll meet them eventually, I’m sure.”
This statement drew Evylin’s mouth to fall into a gape.
Thom leaned forward in his saddle to get a better look at Ilain. “I thought you said that Warriors were eradicated.”
“Did I?” Ilain furrowed her brow, considered it, then said, “Ah, yes, I did, didn’t I? Well, that was a lie.”
“Splendid,” Thom grumbled.
“Don’t be upset. We lied about whatever we thought was necessary. If the wrong people learned that Warriors still existed, they’d want to hunt them down. Either to kill them or to enslave them. And at the time, we still didn’t trust you.”
“Your past secrecy makes sense,” Evylin said judiciously. “Why didn’t they come here with you? We could have used their help with the rest of our journey.”
“Our entrance into Ephria was difficult enough with two,” Ilain explained. “And while I did lie when I said that Warriors are eradicated, it isn’t far from the truth. There are very few in the world these days, and even fewer still in the Alliance. With our limited numbers, we couldn’t risk them accompanying us on the rest of our journey.”
Remembering the simple tale of how the Calder siblings snuck into their country, Evylin didn’t bother asking more about it. From all accounts, it sounded rather dull, the brother and sister often traveling in a similar state to their current situation, only with even less excitement as they dashed for the border.
“And what was it like?” Evylin asked instead. “The Fire Keep, I mean.”
“It was a desert,” Ilain replied.
“A what?” Thom said.
