“Lily, we discussed familiars and their ties to us humans a little before.”

“Yeah.”

“Humanity believes familiars were given to us by God.”

“Uh huh,” Lily replied spinning in a circle. She grinned and started spinning in place faster and faster.

“You’re going to get dizzy.”

“Yeah. It’s fun though.”

“You’re not going to be able to have this talk with me if you’re drunk.”

“Uh huh. That’s the point!” Lily admitted spinning even faster. I focused my intent and mentally grabbed my pixie. “Jase! That’s not fair!”

“It is fair,” I replied and moved a log to my fire. We were camped beside the wagon I rode in while the caravan workers camped in a group near the middle of the wagons. The guards ignored the last wagon for the most part since it didn’t have anything valuable loaded on it. They would walk close enough to see my fire and that I was alive, but no closer. That was fine by me because it allowed me to practice my magic.

“Is not!” Lily pouted. “We’re not ready for a conversation about God.”

“Do pixies believe in God?” I asked. “This is all I really want to know.”

“La la la la,” Lilly started singing while sticking her fingers in her ears.

“You’re being childish.”

“I’m a pixie. It’s what we do.”

“I’ll tickle you until you answer,” I warned.

“You wouldn’t!”

“I would.”

“Fine! Just like with humans, some pixies believe, and others don’t.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Ok,” I replied while releasing Lily.

“That’s it?”

“That’s all,” I said and shrugged.

“Why did you want to know if pixies believe in God for?”

“Just something I’ve wondered about from time to time since we talked about how familiars came to be.”

“Oh. I think I understand. You see us as little people.”

“Yeah, I do,” I agreed.

“At least you didn’t ask about pixies and familiars being created by the ancients,” Lily muttered very lowly.

“What was that?”

“Nothing! I’m hungry. Will you cook something?”

“Yeah, I’ll cook. I’m hungry too and it doesn’t seem we’ll be invited to join the caravan workers tonight either.”

“Want some help?” Lily asked.

“You’re offering?”

“Yes. Pixies are helpful.”

“Only when they want something,” I playfully agreed.

Lily gave me a bright smile. “Now you’re getting it!”

I chuckled and began pulling out food to cook.

*

“Morning Napier,” I greeted the wagon driver as he led his mules to the wagon to harness them.

“Morning Jase. Ready to get back on the road?”

“Road? Is that what the black trail is called?”

“That’s asphalt,” Lily helpfully informed me from the bushes she was hiding in. “The ancients used it to create a network of highways and streets that connected cities, towns, and other places. At one point, this entire continent could be crossed east to west by using them.”

I wanted to question Lily about the knowledge she was giving me, but Napier spoke up.

“Yeah. From what I’ve been told the ancients built these to go from place to place. Once we get close to Morrisville later this afternoon, you’ll be able to see some ruins from an ancient city near the capital. Part of the road leads to the ruins, but we’ll be taking a turnoff that goes to the capital.”

“Do people visit the ruins?” I asked. I really wanted to see a city of the ancients even if it was ruins.

“Some people hunt treasure in the ruins, but it’s extremely dangerous.”

“How so? Buildings not safe?”

“That is the biggest reason, but also there are some wild animals and rumors of other creatures that inhabit the ruins that hunt humans,” the wagon driver answered as he finished hitching the mules. He mounted up. “Let’s go.”

“Alright,” I replied and jumped into the back of the wagon. Lily informed me she would fly behind the wagon for a while. A few minutes later the wagon started moving. As usual, Napier fell silent except for the occasional word to his animals and familiar.

“You want to know more about the highways, asphalt, and ruins,” Lily stated into my mind.

“Yeah, I do,” I replied mentally.

“Well, too bad. I can’t tell you!”

“Lily!”

“I’m just teasing,” Lily said with a grin on her face. She landed on my knee. “It’s some of my hidden knowledge, but I can share some of it with you.”

“Thanks,” I replied. So, my familiar started teaching me about the old US highway system and roads in general. She even told me the US was a huge ancient country that the state we were in. I was amazed. “Lily?”

“Yes?”

“What’s a state?”

“Why me?” Lily asked as she slapped her forehead. “Now I have to teach geography!”

“What’s geography? That’s not a term I’ve ever read or heard of before.”

“Me and my big mouth. I don’t want to teach you all that,” Lily whined. “But looking at your expression, I don’t have a choice. Pay attention, I’m only going over this once.”

“Yes Miss Lily.”

“Don’t start!” Lily warned. I grinned in reply.