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They needed to be more careful. The Emblazoned Adventures, though extremely capable, were not used to such a rugged world outside of the safety of Aevalin looming over their adventuring action.

“We need to be more careful,” Mai had said.

Yoreno had nodded in agreement.

Now they were nearing the North Pass as shown on the map. These desert wastes had many hills and craggy rocks, but now they were traveling across flat terrain with more mountains ahead in the distance.

The North Pass was a dip in the jagged mountains ahead. This area was more of a desert steppe, dry, windy and with little grass or other vegetation.

“We better find some water soon,” Dell said.

Yoreno nodded. “Those mountains are sure to have waterholes for the horses.”

“I hope so.”

“The flatness,” Yoreno said, glancing about. “It’s starting to recede. They were heading into the foothills of the Northern Mountains.

Yoreno was certain they had a more traditional name, but many maps had been lost in the Age of Darkness and these lands were still untamed wilds filled with bandits, marauders and monsters.

Things often had simple names that described what they were, rather than having some cultural or historical significance.

In this case, the North Pass.

“It’s a little ominous,” Dell said. “The pass I mean.”

“Why?”

“Well, look at it,” he said, thrusting his chin up “It’s so...”

Yoreno glanced past the heads of the others as they bobbed gently atop their mounts. “Deep?”

“That,” he said with a nod. “It’s like a path with two steep walls. You don’t find that eerie?”

Yoreno shrugged. “Ask me again when we’re inside the pass.”

Dell chuckled. “Yeah.”

“I hope this Yarsha knows something about where Dantera went.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“We might have to head back to Sherivar.”

Dell made a sound of annoyance.

“No one ever said finding her would be easy,” Yoreno mused. Then he lifted his water, unstopped the cork and took a drink.

“I know,” Dell said. “I just wish it would be easy for once. We’ve been in what, three or four fights already? It’s barely been over a month.”

Yoreno slung his water sack back to his side. “These lands are rough.”

“You can say that again.”

“If we don’t head back to Sherivar,” Yoreno said, “Perhaps we can visit the other settlements in the area. This map is indicating half a dozen small places.”

“Places?”

Yoreno unfolded the map for the tenth time to look at it. “I’m not certain, really. You take a look.”

He handed the map to Dellwyn who studied it with a frown.

“What do you make of them?”

“I… don’t know. They could be small towns or maybe just outposts.”

“Perhaps we should have hired a guide.”

“I don’t know,” Dell said, handing the map back. “I think those guys who attacked us in the desert… I think the innkeeper sent them.”

“Why?”

“He’s the only person in Sherivar who saw our coin purses.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Yoreno said. “But we don’t know for certain.”

“No.”

Mai’s horse slowed and she came between them. “What are you two sneaks whispering about back here?”

“Sneaks?” Yoreno asked. “We’re just discussing ideas for what to do.”

“We’re going to meet that Yarsha man, right?”

Yoreno nodded.

“He might not know anything though,” Dell said. “We were thinking about either going back to the city or travelling into the smaller settlements in the area to look for information about Dantera’s whereabouts.”

“We already went to the Sherivar guild house,” Mai said as she reached up and scratched at her scar. “I say we travel onward. It’s obvious she came this way, isn’t it?”

“Maybe,” Dell said.

“She could have gone to the coast, but there’s not much out there. And then the jungles to the west—but those are pretty far off. I doubt those assassins went that far. They have to be close.”

“Why do you think that?” Mai asked and frowned.

“They killed our king,” Yoreno said. “It doesn’t make sense for them to have travelled from some faraway place to assassinate the king of Aevalin.”

“So you think they definitely came from some lands that are affected by Aevalin’s policies?”

“Absolutely,” Yoreno said with a nod.

“That makes a lot of sense, actually,” Dell said.

“Yeah,” Mai said with a smile. “Without you, Yoreno, we would be lost.”

“Actually,” Dell said, “without Yoreno, we’d probably be back in Aevalin having a grand old time every night at the Suckling Fish or out adventuring nearby.”

It was a jab, but he said the words with good humor.

“Sure,” Mai said dubiously. “Gods, I could go for a nice meal, though. The food in Sherivar was kind of simple, don’t you think?”

Yoreno nodded. “Yeah. Listen. Once we find Dantera, we’re probably going to go on an adventure to find those assassins. If we capture them—“

“Or kill them,” Dell said.

“Or kill them,” Yoreno repeated with a solid nod. “When we’re finished, we can go back to Aevalin. Dantera can have her noble title reinstated, and we’ll spend a few months in the city just enjoying ourselves.”

“That sounds great,” Dellwyn said. “There is one good thing about this trip.”

“What is it?” Mai asked.

“These desert areas are a lot warmer than Aevalin is right now.”

“Ha!” Mai scoffed. “I almost freeze to death every single night!”

“Do you need a warmer jacket?” Yoreno asked. “We can make sure we get you one next time we’re able.”

Mai nodded. “Thanks.”

“Wait a minute,” Dell said. ”You’re the mage. You can’t just… I don’t know—warm yourself up with a bit of magic?”

“Well of course I could,” she said, her tone one of enduring. “But I’m not going to waste magic at all hours simply because from your perspective it looks easy. In the magical arts the first thing they teach you---“

“Okay, okay,” Dell said. “I get it.”

Yoreno smiled. “I have a spare blanket in my saddlebags. It’s thin, but it should help.”