Tymora's Luck - Kate Novak [51]
"We'll be too lucky to get hurt," Tavan said as he led his pony from the stable. Toran, Lumen, and Ferrin followed with Amberlee's and their own ponies in tow.
"Lumen and Ferrin and Pars, as your older sister, I forbid you to go," Amberlee said imperiously.
Lumen and Ferrin laughed and mounted their ponies.
"I want to go," Pars screeched.
"I'm going to tell Aunt Dorath," Amberlee declared.
Tavan grabbed Amberlee's arm. Although a year younger, Tavan was taller and far stronger than Amberlee. 'You don't want to do that, Lady Amber," Tavan said with menace.
"And why not, Tavan Sudacar?" Amberlee asked.
"Because while you're telling Aunt Dorath, well go off without you. Aunt Dorath won't be able to catch us, and she'll spend the whole day fretting. Probably die of worry. And then we'll all be in the crypt for her funeral. And it will be your fault."
"Tavan, that wasn't very nice," Cory reprimanded.
"But probably true," Tavan's twin, Toran, said darkly.
"Aunt Dorath will send Uncle Steele after you."
"He's probably drunk half a flask of brandy by this time of the day. He'll be sleeping till supper," Tavan said.
"Please, Amberlee," Gory asked again. "We could use your help and advice."
Amberlee glared at her charming cousin, knowing full well his flattery could lead her to her doom. She looked back at Redstone Castle uncertainly. Tavan was right about Uncle Steele. Aunt Dorath was probably snoozing over her knitting as well. There was no one she could rely on. It was up to her. "All right, I'll go," Amberlee announced, "but only to keep you all out of trouble."
Act Two Scene 5
Joel awoke with a start, feeling alarmed. He'd been having a nightmare. He lay very still, trying to piece together the dream. He'd been traveling with a group of children riding ponies, and they'd ridden into a graveyard. The children dismounted and took him into a large family tomb. It was dark and chill in the tomb, and Joel wanted to leave, but he was afraid to say so because then he would be left behind and the children would be alone. Ordinarily crypts held no fear for Joel. He could, after all, turn the undead and lay them to rest, but in this dream, he sensed he couldn't do that.
More disturbing than the feeling of dread was the sense that he knew the children in the dream. While traveling to Finder's temple in the Lost Vale, Joel had passed through Immersea in Cormyr and been welcomed into the home of Giogi Wyvernspur, a descendant of Finder's brother, Gerrin. Two of the children in the dream had been Giogi's son and daughter.
Joel wondered if the dream had any meaning. Perhaps he'd dreamed of children in crypts because he and Jas and Emilo were like children to the gods venturing in this deadly realm. He may only have dreamed of Giogi Wyvernspur's children because they'd been the last human children he'd seen in the Realms. On the other hand, there was the troubling possibility that he had dreamed of them because Tymora's troubles had directly affected them in some way.
'There, see," Emilo called out excitedly.
"Yes. I see them," Jas replied.
The bard rolled over. Emilo and Jas stood outside the tarp. Joel yawned and crawled out to see what they were looking at. They were camped on a little hillock at the foot of a cliff. A talus field, left over from yesterday's earthquake, surrounded the hill. A mild breeze had dispersed most of the fog. The sky far overhead was once again full of black clouds and sheet lightning.
Joel rubbed his eyes and yawned. "What's up?" he asked.
"See the bats fluttering around down there?" Emilo whispered excitedly, pointing downhill. "It must mean there's a cave nearby. It could be the entrance to Beshaba's realm. We should go look."
Joel and Jas agreed it would be worth checking out after breakfast. Jas returned to the tarp and began rummaging through Winnie's knapsack for breakfast. They split a loaf of bread and downed some more magical berries.
They washed breakfast down with water, leaving the second water