From Embers

29 - Pied Pipper

Twig's whole body vibrated with nerves as she held Alanis' shoulders. Closing her eyes, Twig focused, sending waves energy through her best friend's body. She searched through almost every one of Alanis' cells; she couldn't afford to miss one thing wrong with her.

"How did ye find us?" asked Alanis.

"Passionflowers, a staple in sleeping potions, and something I am very allergic to thankfully. Hence, I didn't drink the soup. And Kraneia, I guess the stuff doesn't affect trees."

Alanis sounded amused, "Am quite surprised by tha'. She'll fall asleep anywhere, no extra help needed."

"Well, I was thirsty and our faucet wasn't working, so Kraneia and I headed back upstairs and not a moment too soon. Overheard those bastard witches had taken you already and were planning on us next. We slipped out the front door once they went into the elevator, ran to find Sen." Twig couldn't help the heavy sigh that escaped her lips.

A calloused hand rubbed her right arm, causing her eyes to open. Alanis stared directly at her, giving her a reassuring smile. "Am okay," she whispered, her breath tickling Twig's lashes.

Her heart fluttered. "Can't take your word for it, I have to make sure myself." Twig hoped her face wasn't red when Alanis' hand slid down her arm, taking Twig's hand into her own. 

"Me sister kept me from becomin' an ice cube. Even with all this mess, a got the best night's sleep a've had in years."

"But, if I miss something and something happens." Twig couldn't bring herself to finish that sentence.

"Am not dying, not yet anyway." Alanis winked. "We three made a promise; grow old together and get a little place in the middle of nowhere with nae a responsibility. No more killin', no more anythin', but fun all day." Twig didn't smile. "Cheer up, we're almost tae the boat - what could go wrong in the middle of the ocean."

"That's right," Rhistel butted into the conversation, placing an arm around the two women. "We've got a party ship tae board. Layin' around for a week, drinkin', hopefully stealin' some smokes off unsuspectin' passengers. A cannae wait."

"I supposed it will be a nice break from the stress of the past few weeks," said Twig.

"Can this talk continue after you board? The ship leaves by shortly after noon and we have a lot of ground to cover in a short amount of time." Sen made a clicking sound and his horse started to trot.

The horses' hooves beat steadily against the earth and Twig's heartbeat matched its rhythm. The blister forming between her thumb and pointer finger burned as the leather reins rubbed against it. Twig wished that she hadn't left her last hair tie back at the inn. Her hair had whipped her in the eye numerous times causing tears.

The scene around her became blurred mixes of greens and browns as she hyperfocused on the approaching twin peaked mountains before them. "I don't see the city. Could we be coming from the wrong side?"

Sen's voice was muffled by the wind, "You'll see it soon enough."

They came around a sharp bend, turning into a thin narrow path that ran between the two cliffs. The decrease in space forced the travellers to come to a slow trot. The walls scrapped Twig's elbows, forcing her to tuck them in, to avoid destroying the knitted sweater her mother had made for her.

A tiny pebble rolled down and landed near Sen. His head snapped upwards as he twisted his neck to look around. "They know we're here. Push on, but make no sudden movements."

As they trudged forward, the path slowly widened until they came to a clearing. Straight lines of trees grew up in the valley and cliff edges that made the entire city look like stairs for a giant. Dark holes carved into the mountainside whistled as gusts blew threw them. It was eerily silent. No birds cawed, not a deer in sign, no signs of life were anywhere.