The Selintaor Stories, Book 1: The Baron's Phantom Ruby

Chapter Four

Athena woke up to the same cloudy sky the next day. The carriage was still moving along the main trails to the mines. She let out a breath of relief figuring she hadn't been found.

She lifted her head to get a view of where they were and saw the trees up ahead stretching to the sky. Anyone in Caeladrie could recognize those trees. They were nearing the Fanzlyr Forest.

Her stomach grumbled and she ate the rest of the dried fruit in her pack and two strips of dried meat. She left the rest for later.

Soon enough, she was surrounded by trees. She found this very strange. Yes, on the other side of the forest was Belrhenna but she didn't think that the carriage would go through the forest, or that it could go through at all.

The carriage slowed to a stop and the door opened. Athena flattened herself as much as she could and waited.

Two sets of feet dropped onto the ground. One thump and then another. She heard the coachman speak.

"This is as far as I can go with the carriage. Someone else will meet you on the other side of the forest near Belrhenna."

"That will be fine, Tobias, thank you," said one of the other two men. Not Nolan. A young man nonetheless. A young lord of Celadrie.

The carriage door shut before it started moving again, and Athena could see the sky again. She sat up slowly and put her things in the bag again. She had to get off now and go through the forest.

With a final glance at the driver, she stood up and climbed down the back of the carriage before heading into the forest again.

She walked between the thick trunks. Here, she felt so small, so weak. These trees were ancient and mighty, thousands of years old. It would take the power of a god to strike them down. She understood why the flag of Celadrie had these very trees on them now.

Athena continued to wander towards the path she assumed the two men from the carriage were on. She paused for a moment behind a tree and traded her coat for her cloak. She ate another strip of meat and then continued walking.

It wasn't long after that when she heard the sound of bickering. Annoying bickering from Nolan and the young lord.

Athena smiled to herself and walked towards the main path. It sounded like they were arguing over direction.

Both hooded figures stopped when they saw her come out of the trees. One of them drew a sword. She guessed that one was Nolan since the other man didn't have any visible weaponry on him.

She quickly put her hands up and slowly lowered her hood. Nolan lowered the sword when he saw the pointed ears, but did not put it away. He would not harm one of his own kind unless absolutely necessary.

Nolan pulled his hood down with a hand. A gentle wind brushed passed them, and his thin hair moved.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Athena. I'm on my way to Carbenatta." She said.

Nolan stared at her for a moment before giving a nod, as if he was scanning her for lies.

"Who are you and where are you two headed?" She asked.

Nolan stiffened and looked to the young lord who now pulled down his hood.

Athena knew who it was the moment he revealed his face. The youngest lord in Celadrie, Lord Lloyd Mindrisch.

She should have known just from the conversation in the carriage yesterday. The cruel prick hated anything that wasn't human, it wasn't a mystery why he talked about going to the mines like it was some form of entertainment.

Athena just stared at the two men and raised an eyebrow, as if she didn't know that a lord stood before her. The slight shift in her expression seemed to piss Lloyd off.

Nolan cleared his throat and introduced the young Lord Lloyd by his full name, which sounded like rubbish to Athena. She didn't see how anyone needed four first names. Either way, she continues to play the part of an idiot.

"Oh. Lord Lloyd, where from Celadrie are you exactly?" She asked.

Lloyd was offended that he hadn't been recognized yet. "Runarsem" he said through his teeth.

Beside him, Nolan snarled at her. A warning not to cross the lord for her own sake.

Lloyd nodded his head, a silent dismissal, and Athena walked onto the path to continue forward.

She'd made it all of ten steps before the two started bickering over which way to go. Athena stopped and turned to look at them. "Can I help?" She asked.

Lloyd looked as though he'd combust on the spot. Nolan on the other hand, was calm, an appreciative look in his eyes. He was the one who nodded to Athena and she stalked back over to them.

Nolan lowered the map for her to see. "We need to get to the other side of the forest by the end of tomorrow" he said.

Athena studied the map quietly and looked up ahead every ten seconds. Much to Nolan's annoyance, Lloyd was complaining loudly about how the Fae couldn't understand the simplest concepts like reading a map.

Athena gave him a look that said a thousand words but mostly 'if it's so easy for humans to read a map then why haven't you led the way already?'

Lloyd ignored her and continued complaining. Athena rolled her eyes and continued studying the map with Nolan.

Soon enough, the two Fae had found a path through the forest that would take them to a small town where the carriage would be waiting.

Nolan waved to Lloyd that they were ready to go and the three of them set on their course.

Lloyd looked to Nolan with fury lining his expression. "Why is she with us?"

Athena raised an eyebrow at him, as if the answer was obvious.

"She's with us so we can get to the carriage on time." Nolan said. "We have a schedule and she can read a map well considering she's Fae." He grinned at her. "A temporary navigator."

Lloyd crossed his arms, dropping the subject and for five whole minutes, Athena resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him and grin.