“Probably hungry too. I took enough for three, since Allavin said he’d be coming soon. Eat up.”
Thealos did and watched her while he ate. So much had changed since he had seen her last. He remembered with regret that he had let her believe he was more than who he was. Yet she had forgiven him, had helped free him from the dungeons beneath Landmoor when it mattered most.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, smoothing some strands of dark hair from her face.
“I was remembering.”
She asked the question with her expression, taking a bite from the loaf they shared. What?
“How much I missed having you as a friend. One of my many regrets is that I dragged you out of Sol in the middle of the night. Yet if you hadn’t come with me, I’d be dead.” He thought about Flent and the ache in his heart burned. “I’ll not forget what you did for me.”
“I’ll hold you to that, Quickfellow. You’re going back down to Landmoor. Aren’t you.” It was stated as an observation, not a question.
He nodded.
“I’m coming with you.”
He nodded again. “I’d hoped you would. I didn’t get the Silverkin, Stasy. I couldn’t get it because I knew that if I did, Secrist would have killed me for it and brought it to a Sorian. Using the magic will make me very sick.” He paused to chew and swallow some dried apples, dusted with sugar. Very sweet. “I found out in Avisahn that it may even kill me.”
He watched her flinch, her eyes widen.
“I can’t protect myself once I’ve used it. I want someone I trust to keep it safe.”
She blinked once, nodded subtly, and then broke off a piece of cheese and offered it to him. He took it and savored its sharpness. Strong cheese in Owen Draw.
“Have you thought about how to get back to the tunnels?” she asked. “Allavin took me out through the little tunnels beneath the hill. But the Bandits will be guarding that way. How did you get out?”
“The chamber of the Silverkin Crystal had another tunnel into the moors, but it’s hidden by a warding of some kind. I stepped through it and when I turned around, there was no doorway going back. I searched for it without any luck. There has to be another way into the tunnels. The governor’s mansion, I think.”
She gave him a crooked smile. “I know another way.”
He leaned forward.
“If you can get me into the city, I can take you to a park near the governor’s mansion.” She wiped crumbs from her lap.
“And?”
“And I’m not telling you the rest. Like I said—I’m going with you.”
Allavin Devers emerged from the thick shadows between the campfires carrying an ornate scabbard that Thealos recognized at once.
“Hello, lad. I believe this fine weapon belongs to you. So do these stones.”
Thealos came to his feet, regretting it when he felt his thighs and calves protest, and gave Allavin a smile and a hug. He pocketed his small bag of stones and then drew the prince’s sword from its sheath and watched the firelight glimmer on its curved, leaf-tapered blade.
“Finest Silvan weapon I’ve ever seen,” Allavin said. “An heirloom at least. Where did you get it?”
“Laisha Silverborne gave it to me.” He swept it down smartly, listening to the blade whistle and then re-sheathed it. “It was her brother’s.”
“High company you keep. The Knight General is swearing you’re a Sleepwalker too, but I tried to explain about Jaerod. Have you seen him?”
“I have. We met up again at Sol and parted before dawn yesterday. You’ve been tracking the Bandit army? You’re the man who came to see Shearmur?”
Allavin crouched by the fire and warmed his hands. “Sadly, it took a while before I understood you were here, or I would have had you out of those bonds even sooner. When Shearmur told me he’d caught a Sleepwalker named Thealos Quickfellow, we were able to convince him of your intentions, despite the acts of your people. The Bandit army is oozing from the Shadows Wood right now. The entire banned regiment. Ballinaire has divided the Kiran Thall to rove the flanks. There was some sort of slaughter to the east but the Shae scouts I know from Citadellian won’t go near it. Reeks of Forbidden magic.”
“I passed through this morning and understand why they’re leery of it. It smells worse than death. Why were those knights there?”
Allavin rubbed his beard. He had breadcrumbs and flakes of his meal in it, so Thealos did not imagine he’d be sharing his portion. “The Shadows Wood is shaped funny, lad. Shearmur doesn’t want the Kiran Thall to strike our flanks while he waits for the armies of Amberdian and Sypher to join us. Ballinaire has tried goading him into attacking, but Shearmur’s a patient man. He’ll wait for the others. The Bandits have supply lines coming from Landmoor so they can sit tight for a while. Their soldiers won’t starve. Ours may if relief doesn’t come from Sol or Dos-Aralon soon. Shearmur is sending more men in the morning. Enough men this time.”
A blizzard of thoughts went through Thealos’ mind, memories of the past seething and writhing.