Born In The Palace

Chapter 2: Typhon

"Are you certain that it wasn't just a dream?" Lena yawned and rubbed her eyes as we walked through the nearly empty market. The sun had just begun to rise and merchants were slowly setting up their stalls to begin their day. 

"I'm certain. I need to see that clearing for myself. I have a feeling that the black metal piece is exactly where she showed me. I must find it," I said.

"Or," Lena paused, "we can simply tell our parents about what happened and they will take care of it."

"Do you think they will let us come along?" I asked. She shook her head. "That's why we are not telling them a thing. For now."

She yawned again. "All right, all right. Where are we going now?"

"To Gregory's. We need horses. It would be faster on a dragon, but Nephos will never agree to take us to Typhon without my mother's approval." I sighed. "And palace stables are guarded at all times."

"And the guards would alert uncle Alexios and aunt Emilia straight away if they see you run off on a horse." Lena nodded in understanding. 

When we reached Gregory's weaponry shop, Lena froze.

"Who...is that?" she breathed, her eyes wide. 

I followed her gaze. "That's the thief I told you about yesterday."

The thief was sitting on top of an empty barrel. His large frame hunched over a small table, making arrows. There was a huge case beside him already filled with hundreds of them. He couldn't have possibly made all of those, could he?

When he heard our voices, he looked up, then grinned when he saw me. "I was wondering when you would stop by. Here." He gave me a bag of silver coins. "For the potatoes and the apple cakes. I earned it all myself," he said proudly.

At the sound of his voice, Lena gaped at him as if bewitched. I snapped my fingers in front of her eyes, but she didn't even blink once. 

"Lena?" I said, worried for a moment.

The thief turned his head to Lena and chuckled. As soon as he snapped his fingers, she came back to her senses, blinking a few times as if clearing a fog in her mind.

I frowned and regarded the thief with wariness. There was something odd about him, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.  

"Is Sophia with ya? I thought she was coming today." Gregory came out of his shop, wiping his hands with an old cloth. 

I looked away from the thief. "She will come by later in the day. We are here for a different matter. We need to borrow your horses."

Gregory raised his bushy brows. "What ya need them for?"

"We need to travel to Typhon," Lena answered. 

"Typhon?" the thief asked, sounding interested. "I am yet to visit that kingdom. Can I go with you?"

"Yes." "No." Lena and I said at the same time. 

I shook my head. "Lena, no. He can't come with us." 

"Please take him with ya," Gregory said. "He's making these arrows faster than anyone I've ever seen. I don't have enough silver to keep paying him. I'll give ya all three of my horses. One's a little old, but she can manage to Typhon if you're good to her." He reached for a rusty metal key in his pocket and threw it in the air. I caught it. "For the stables down back."

The thief grinned and jumped off the empty barrel he's been sitting on, abandoning the arrows. "I know the way to the stables. I'd fed the horses last night."