Chapter 89: The Eldritch Tongue
The trip to the High Pass was much swifter than Ashlynn had imagined. At the end of the first day of travel, they reached a small roadside waystation. There wasn’t much to it, a small stable, a large cottage that could be shared by travelers and a well comprising a majority of the amenities.
What surprised Ashlynn, however, was the presence of another set of fresh horses held by members of the Horned Clan, ready and waiting to take over as soon as the sun set and Zedya emerged from her daybed to take the reins of the lead carriage again.
"You must have mobilized half the horses in the vale for this," Ashlynn said when Nyrielle entered the carriage that night. She’d taken a small rest in the cottage with enough time to have a cold wash and change into a fresh set of clothes, but otherwise, she’d barely left the carriage since leaving the ancient castle in the vale.
"More than," Nyrielle said as she settled into the carriage. "We’ll spend a few days as Lord Ritchel’s guests while the horses are taken forward to the way stations between his keep and the High Fen, and then we’ll set out again."
"Is it that important to move swiftly?" Ashlynn asked. She knew they’d planned to trade horses in Orava Village but she hadn’t realized they’d be doing it all the way to the High Fen.
"It’s not just about speed," Nyrielle replied, looking out the window of the carriage as Heila and the other servants worked to prepare to depart again. "You’ve seen the way stations. They aren’t fortified and they’re tended to by ordinary people, not soldiers. If someone decides to attack us while we’re traveling, I’d rather be somewhere that we won’t involve innocents."
"I see," Ashlynn said, a small smile blossoming on her lips. Nyrielle really was just as she thought, cruel to herself to be kind to her people.
"About last night," Nyrielle began only to stop when Ashlynn shook her head.
"You were right that I’ve been limiting my thinking," Ashlynn said with a heavy sigh. "But I think I’m falling into a trap where my mind is consumed with ’what if.’ I know that you’ve taken time to consider dozens of possibilities over the years and it’s easy for you to come up with plans in advance but I’m just not there yet."