Inkway to Albreton

Chapter Seventeen

When Ellindris finally stopped wailing she flew off on her own saying she needed some time to collect herself. Enkaiein followed her outside, meeting Jasmine, who was drying her own tears, by the moat.

"I don't know how to fix this," Jasmine said. "I want to but I don't know how." She fingered the pendant nervously, looked out at the moat where the dead birds still bobbed in the water like buoys and scrunched her eyebrows together.

"Kurventhor is depending on us," said Enkaiein, "We will find a way to help him."

"We?" Jasmine asked, "You're going to help me?"

"Of course," said Enkaiein, "How could I not?"

"I'll help too," said Princess Salina. Jasmine and Enkaiein whirled around to see that she and Prince Albert were holding hands, standing there looking ready to go on a quest. Swift neighed behind them. Jasmine took a surprised step backwards seeing the spitting image of herself standing there looking royal and proper.

"I intend to help as well," said Prince Albert, "If my father permits it."

"You're asking permission?" Princess Salina blinked up at Albert as if that were the most astonishing thing that had happened all day.

"You can hear her?" Jasmine asked. "And what's with the new look?"

"Oh!" Prince Albert said, "The most amazing thing happened in the Hall of Truth! There were these lights and they all spun together and broke the spell on Salina. I have never seen something so bizarre in my life!"

"Ah, the Veins," said Enkaiein. "They are surely curious creatures. No matter where you are in the world there is always a Vein somewhere nearby."

"Uh, hello!" Jasmine interrupted, "If they broke the spell on Salina then what about Kur?"

"We asked them," said Prince Albert, smile gone as if it had been whisked off his face like leaves on the wind. Jasmine immediately got off the offensive. She knew that look. He tried and failed. That's what that look meant.

"Well I suppose it wouldn't make sense for it to be that easy," said Jasmine.

"Yes, most things that are worth doing are difficult," said Salina. Jasmine wanted to tell her to get off her high horse but she didn't think Swift would appreciate that too much.

"Right, well. We still need a plan of some sort," said Jasmine, "Any ideas?"

"There is Olden," Enkaiein said, but his tone was grave and heavy.

"I've heard that word tossed around but I still have no clue what it actually means," Jasmine said. "Aside from Fragmaroginog wanted to open it."

"He succeeded in opening it," said Enkaiein, "Which is a problem in itself if you want to take that into consideration."

"Hm," said Prince Albert, "Is this Olden place where that monster came from? The one that attacked us during our battle with Fragmaroginog?"

Enkaiein nodded.

"If Olden is where monsters come from, then we must find a way to close the portal," said Princess Salina, "Lest our entire land be torn asunder. I have little faith that the beasts from beyond the rift are as kind and noble as Great Enkaiein."

"Spare formalities, Salina," said Enkaiein, "We are friends and friends need not call each other by such stringent titles."

"Yeah, yeah okay," Jasmine said, gripping Kurventhor's pendant a bit tighter in her hands without meaning to, "So what do we do? Go to Olden, find a way to fix Kur and then come back and seal the portal?" Saying it that way made it sound way too simple. Jasmine begrudgingly remembered her trip through the Icy Mountains, how Lindargra had phrased the start of that journey in a similar manner and then smirked as if she knew how tough it would really be before sending Jasmine off.