Wade's arms ached. He shifted against Aurum's side, tucking his head in his arm in a halfhearted attempt to free himself from some of the wind. After hours upon hours of being surrounded by it, he'd forgotten what it was like to be resting on solid ground, with nothing but silence and stillness around him. And the cold. Even with his jacket, every inch of his body was numb.

...We're almost out of the mountains, Aurum reassured him. At first, he'd paid little attention to Wade's discomfort. Now, however, there was a fair amount of concern in his thoughts. I think your village is quite close.

Did they go to Aleran? Wade tightened his arms, wincing as his muscles screamed in protest.

I think they went a little farther south.

Wade thought for a moment. Evran's that way. Let's go there. Maybe we can figure out how far behind we are from Asher. He hesitated, realizing with a start that Serafina had left her bow with Kira a few days before. How had he forgotten? And maybe I could get Serafina a weapon.

Can you hold on that long?

I've managed for half the day, Wade replied, gritting his teeth. I'll be fine for another... how long will it take?

Aurum scanned Wade's mind for a mental map of the area, and then tilted his head as he studied the land around them. Only a few minutes.

Yeah. I'll be fine. Wade hesitated, and then groped for Caeli's mind. The blue dragon accepted the contact with a questioning thought. How's Serafina?

She won't fall, if that's what you're asking. Caeli hesitated, worry filtering through their bond. Will those... leather things truly help you both?

Wade felt a twinge of guilt at the reluctance in her mind, but he couldn't hide how miserable he felt. Saddles. And yes. If we do this very long, we'll need something to hold us in place.

Caeli was silent for a moment, her thoughts growing distant. Serafina says she'll buy rope or something at... She struggled with a vague mental image of a town. When we find one of those. Other humans.

How is she doing? Wade asked, screwing his eyes shut and lifting his head. The wind tore at his face, but he glimpsed Serafina clinging to Caeli as the blue dragon flew alongside Aurum.

Tired. But you're far worse off than she. How is your wound?

Fine.

You do realize I can read your thoughts, right? You subconsciously answer before you even form a response in this... language of yours. There's no point in lying.

I'll live, Wade growled.

Caeli gave a sort of mental sigh. Stubborn human.

Overprotective dragon.

I'm not overprotective: you're just an idiot.

Wade had tucked his head tight against his arm again, but he found himself grinning. Only sort of.

Caeli paused, and Wade sensed her glance over at him as she pretended to mull it over. No. You're a pure-blooded idiot.

Aurum shifted his wings and began to tilt down. Wade quickly broke contact with Caeli as his body slid forward, tucking himself tighter against the black dragon as they descended. A quick, teary-eyed glance revealed an open plain to the south, rising and falling in gentle waves. It was mostly tan from what Wade guessed was dry grass, interspersed with stretches of bare trees. He didn't see Evran before he was forced to close his eyes, but a quick exchange with Aurum revealed that it was just below them.

Don't land right next to it, Wade thought with a thrill of fear.

You don't want them to see us?

No! The Valkir would be told where we are and where we're headed.

Aurum halted midair, briefly retreating to relay information to Caeli. Word must pass fast between humans if a message can outrace a dragon.

King Soren might have spies, and I'm not sure how the Valkir communicate. There could also be messenger birds. It's just not worth the risk.

Fair. Aurum swung to the side and hesitated. I'll have to dive quickly. From here we might pass as birds, but...

Wade clenched his teeth and tightened his hold, panic squirming in his chest. He closed his eyes. Let's get it over with.

A thrill of eagerness flashed through Aurum's mind. He reared up and tucked his wings to his sides, and the entire world flipped. Wade barely hung on as they fell, his wordless scream quickly snatched away by the wind. A heavy weightlessness began to pull him from Aurum's back, but his fear gave him plenty of strength to hold on.

You're choking me, Aurum thought, twisting his head sharply to the side to get Wade's hands away from his throat.

Too bad. Wade didn't budge, burying his face into Aurum's cold scales as the ground rushed towards them. There would only be seconds until they reached the trees below. He forced himself to close his eyes, terrified that they would smash headfirst into the ground.

Another few panicked breaths, and Aurum snapped his wings open. Wade was thrown against the dragon's back as gravity continued to carry him down; pain flashed through his chest, and he cried out.

Almost there, Aurum reassured him. He glided through a gap between two trees and lighty landed on the ground. A second later, a soft thump told Wade of Caeli's arrival.

Wade slowly unhooked his arms from Aurum and sat upright. He swung one stiff leg over the dragon's back, took a shaky breath, and promptly fell off. The ground slammed against his spine, and Wade felt all the breath rush from his lungs. Everything felt numb, frozen.

Aurum twisted around to look at him. Are you okay?

Uhuh. Wade lay still, staring at the bare branches waving above his head. His lungs couldn't seem to suck in quite enough air. He clenched his teeth around a groan as the wound in his chest ached, protesting so much movement.

"Wade?" A few hurried footsteps across the dry leaves caked on the ground, and Serafina appeared on Wade's right. "You alive down there?"

Wade turned his head to meet her worried gaze, gasping for breath. "I'm not sure yet. Come back in a few minutes and ask again."

"You're hilarious." Serafina slid to her knees and laid beside him, heaving a deep breath. "We're near Evran, right?"

Wade mumbled an affirmation, stupidly aware of how close their shoulders were.

"I guess we'll need that money, then." Serafina sat up with a groan and removed her bag. She rifled around for a moment before pulling out a single coin. Wade struggled upright, watching curiously as she examined the metal.

"Can you just... make more?" he said, not entirely able to believe it.

Serafina shrugged, her eyes briefly flicking to his. "I guess so. I've made smaller things with magic before."

"Like what?"

"A flint for Kira to carry in case we were separated, a piece of food, things like that." Serafina flipped the coin in her palm, closing her eyes. "I just... need to let the magic do most of the work."

Wade wanted to ask how, but snapped his mouth shut when he felt a crackle of energy jolt through the air. The air next to the coin shimmered; Serafina screwed her eyes shut, her brows pulling together. Then, so quickly Wade almost missed it, another coin appeared in the air above her hand. It fell against the original with a simple clink.

Serafina opened one eye and hefted up the coins, victory dancing in her eyes. Wade squinted at them: the one she'd created was an exact replica of the former. He shot Serafina a glance; when she nodded, he plucked the coin from her hand. It was the right weight, and the metal felt the same.

"That's incredible," he marveled, handing it back.

Serafina smiled and curled her fingers around the coins. "Now to make the rest."

"Will that be manageable?" Wade asked carefully, scanning her face. She didn't seem too tired.

"I'll be fine. This takes less strength and more focus, though, so it'll take me some time."

Wade nodded and stiffly got to his feet, wincing as his muscles screamed in protest. Aurum was hovering next to him, and lowered his head to let Wade lean against his neck. Caeli was pacing around the clearing, her posture rigid as she sought out any threats.

How far are we from the town? Wade asked Aurum, looking around. All he saw were the trees, their exposed branches grasping at the sky like claws.

A half-mile or so.

Alright. Wade absently rubbed his chest, staring at the sky. It was much clearer than it had been in the mountains, though a few thick clouds were scattered across it. One slid across the sun as he watched, and the world seemed to darken. He leaned further into Aurum, letting his eyes slide shut. He was too tired to be impatient. I guess we'll wait.

<><><>

It quickly became clear to Wade that the Valkir had indeed been to Evran. The farmers in the fields he and Serafina passed on the way to the town all paused when they came within sight, their faces hesitant and fearful. By the time they reached the actual village, the streets had mostly cleared out. Wade sensed more than he saw the people hiding in their homes or the shadows, watching them walk past. The few who continued their duties twisted around as they passed, fear or anger or simple wariness evident in their faces. Their gazes prickled against Wade's skin, and, from the way Serafina drew her arms closer to her body, he wasn't alone in being unnerved.

"Do you know where the store is?" Serafina murmured as they reached the inner section of the town.

Wade glanced around. Evran was bigger than Aleran, and the layout of the town was utterly unfamiliar. "No. I can ask someone." When he glanced around, however, the few people still on the street had disappeared. Wade hesitated, shifting his feet against the cobbled road. "Or not."

"Do you think they know who we are?" Serafina whispered. "The Valkir might have told them to watch out for anybody following them. Or maybe it's a trap."

Wade stilled, glancing between the buildings around them. "...Let's just be quick. And keep contact with Caeli and Aurum."

Aurum, who'd been listening into Wade's thoughts, hummed his agreement. They could just be scared.

Let's hope so.

"Look," Serafina said, nudging Wade's shoulder. He followed her gaze to a small, two-story inn half-hidden behind a bend in the road they'd been walking down. The stables leaning against it were empty, but some candlelight glowed in the windows on the bottom floor.

Wade walked to the front door of the inn, Serafina just a step behind. He reached out to open the handle, but hesitated. It didn't feel right to barge in, not with the entire town wrapped in fear. Balling his fingers, Wade gave the wood a quick knock and moved back.

There was a long pause. Serafina shot Wade an odd look, and he shrugged.

Just when he thought nothing would happen, the door creaked open. A young woman peered at them through the narrow slit, her muddy brown eyes cautious and wary. Her hair was tightly tied behind her head, a few shades darker than Serafina's messy curls.

"Who are you?" the woman finally said. Her voice wasn't friendly, exactly, but it wasn't hostile.

"We're from Aleran," Wade replied. "We need to get some supplies."

"Traveling?"

"Yes."

The woman was silent for a long moment. "Are you friends of that boy?"

Wade's voice died in his throat, and he felt Serafina stiffen beside him. "Who?" he managed.

"Dark hair, gray eyes. Your age."

Wade exchanged a glance with Serafina. Her eyes were wide, and he was sure he hadn't hidden his surprise all that well either. It would be difficult to lie with their reactions this clear. Looking back at the woman, he nodded. "We're... looking for him. Who's asking?"

The woman gnawed on her lip. After a few seconds, she opened the door a little wider. Her eyes darted across the street around them, nervous and sharp. "Catherine. Here, come inside."

Wade's stomach twisted, but something about Catherine's tone told him that she was more afraid of something else. Something out in the street beyond him. So when she stepped back to allow them room, he reached out, grabbed Serafina's hand for support, and walked inside.

The main room of the inn was bright, warm, and completely empty. Wade hesitated as Catherine shut the door behind them, scanning the area for anything that might be a trap. Serafina squeezed his fingers; when he looked back at her, her face was pale and nervous. If he focused, he could feel the faintest hum of energy in the air around her.

The lock clicked shut. Wade and Serafina both whirled around; Serafina raised one hand, as if to use magic, before quickly stopping herself. Catherine pressed her back into the door, her fingers still clenched around the handle.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice surprisingly strong considering how pale her face looked. "Valkir?"

Serafina opened her mouth, closed it, shot Wade a sideways glance. He pressed his lips together and looked at Catherine, scanning her face for any sign of deceit. After a moment, he rolled up his right sleeve and bared his forearm.

"No tattoos," he muttered, horribly aware of the risk he was taking. "Like you said, we're Asher's friends." Wade dropped his arm and clenched his hands, waiting for Catherine to move, attack, anything.

Instead, the woman's shoulders relaxed. She let out a soft sigh, looking between Wade and Serafina. "So that was his name."

"What happened here?" Wade asked, unable to entirely hide his desperation. "Did you see him? Is he okay?"

Catherine hesitated. "Are you magic-users as well?"

"No," Serafina interjected, a little too quickly. Wade shifted closer to her: he wouldn't, couldn't, let her be exposed. The mere thought of losing her as well made his heart stutter. Not again. Never again.

Catherine didn't seem to quite believe that, but she nodded anyway. "They... they came two days ago."

"Were there three Valkir?" Serafina asked, her voice tight.

"...Yes. I only really saw two, though. They came in with your friend—Asher. Two of them got into a fight, and... the boy ran."

Whatever hope Wade might have felt was smothered by the pain in Catherine's eyes. "What did they do?"

"I don't know. But when they came back, Asher was unconscious. There was quite a bit of blood on his clothes." Catherine fell quiet for a moment, her eyes briefly sliding shut. Wade waited, his heart thundering in his ears. "They left the next morning. He was awake by then. Quiet. Barely even looked up. I think they healed him, somehow."

"Why are you telling us this?" Serafina's words were quiet, strained. She edged closer to Wade, her hands still clenched tightly.

"He was just a boy." Catherine's gaze was fearful, but steady. "I don't care if he's a magic-user. Nobody deserves that."

Serafina bowed her head, her shoulders bunching as her hair fell across her face. "No, they don't."

"Thank you," Wade finally said. No wonder Catherine looked so scared—to say such a thing was treason, blatant and dangerous. It was probably clear he and Serafina weren't Valkir, but it was still a huge risk to take.

Catherine shook her head. "Why was he taken? Were you with him?"

"I was," Wade said bluntly. "And he was taken because he existed."

A weight seemed to fall from Catherine's shoulders. "I can't do much, but we can offer you some food or a room to stay in. My husband's with a friend right now, but he'd be happy to help."

"That's very kind," Serafina murmured, leveling Catherine with a flat gaze. "But we just need directions to a store and the blacksmith."

"The blacksmith?"

"We have nothing to defend ourselves with." Wade glanced at the door, imagining the cautious town outside. "And there are bandits."

"Ah, yes. Bandits." Catherine quickly gave them the location of a store, and then paused. "The blacksmith is just next door. We're good friends: I can make sure you aren't charged."

"Smiths work hard," Wade said without thinking. He and his father had spent over a week on a sword once. "We can pay."

Serafina glanced at Wade, narrowing her eyes. "But... a reduced cost wouldn't hurt. We barely have enough as it is."

Catherine glanced between them. "Well, I'm happy to go with you if you need help."

Serafina grasped Wade's wrist and tugged him to the side, bending down to whisper in his ear. "We might need extra money when we reach Crisea, and I didn't make much."

"Okay," Wade conceded.

"Do you want to go with her? You know more about swords than I. And while you do that, I can get the other supplies."

Wade stiffened. "Splitting up could be dangerous."

"The quicker we are, the better our chances. You can keep an eye on Catherine at the blacksmith, too."

Flitting his gaze to the young woman at the door, Wade gave a reluctant nod. Serafina leaned back, giving him a gentle nudge as she turned back to Catherine.

"If it's no trouble, would you take Wade to the blacksmith?" Serafina asked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You trying to keep an eye on me?" Catherine asked, a nervous smile breaking across her face. "Yes, I'll be happy to."

"Thank you." Serafina rummaged through her bag and withdrew a pouch of the coins she'd made, handing it to Wade. He took them, suddenly wondering if they would be considered forgery. But they'd spend, and the little amount Serafina had made was by no means unearned. Even now, he saw scraps of exhaustion darkening her eyes.

Serafina gave Wade one last glance. Be careful, she mouthed. Then she unlocked and opened the door. A brief whirl of cold air, and she was gone.

Wade turned to Catherine, very much aware of Serafina's absence. "I really hope you don't want to kill us." He was only half-joking.

Catherine laughed, looking equally wary. "And I really hope you aren't spies, and have some resources I don't to fight the Valkir and help Asher. I suppose I'm just desperate." She began heading toward the back of the room, where Wade noticed a back door.

"Why?" he asked, trailing after the young woman.

"Because when that man carried your friend back in, I'd never felt more useless." Catherine opened the door and slipped out. The street beyond was narrower than the one Wade and Serafina had entered from, and was exposed to the back front of what seemed to be the shops in Evran. "I want to do something. If that means trusting two young strangers, so be it."

"I suppose," Wade muttered.

Catherine glanced at him from the corner of her eyes as she led him down the street. "Well... you're both Asher's age, you also look like you've been in the woods for weeks, and you arrived days after him. It wasn't the bravest leap to make."

Wade laughed a little at that. That made more sense. Serafina was also going to buy them a change of clothes: hopefully, it wouldn't be so painfully obvious they didn't belong when they reached Crisea. At least out in the northern stretches of Eldernia, scruffy travelers weren't as eye-catching.

"Here we are," Catherine said, stopping behind a stout building. She stepped forward and rapped on the door, running a hand across the back of her neck. "The forge is further out of the town; Jack works there, but Flynn runs the actual shop. He should be here."

It took Wade a moment to understand that the town smith had his own shop. In Aleran, he and his father simply made and sold things in the forge. He had known Evran saw more trade, but not this much.

A man with pale brown hair opened the door, his eyes lighting when he saw Catherine. Then his gaze moved to Wade, and his expression stiffened. "Who's this?"

"A friend," Catherine said. She exchanged a look with the man—Flynn, Wade guessed. "He needs some supplies. May we come in?"

Flynn wordlessly opened the door, and Catherine guided Wade inside. The shop was rather small, lined on one side with a counter and filled with racks of weapons. Wade glimpsed a staircase tucked into the corner and guessed that Flynn and whoever else ran this place lived upstairs. Evran wasn't that big, after all.

"I'm not going to bother asking," Flynn sighed, though wariness sparked in his eyes as he examined Wade. "What do you need?"

Catherine pulled the man aside before Wade could answer. He listened for a few seconds: when it was clear she was just explaining and asking Flynn to allow Wade a discount, he tuned them out and explored the shop. It didn't take Wade long to find a suitable sword: not fancy, but well balanced and the perfect length for him. He also found a long dagger that Serafina would be able to use—just in case she needed something other than magic to defend herself. He pulled them from their sheaths, examining the metal and quality of the weapons, before finally placing them on the counter. By then, Catherine had finished, and Flynn was watching Wade carefully.

Bringing out his meager bag of coins, Wade passed the money to the blacksmith. Flynn took them, measuring it in his hands. Guilt raced through Wade's chest as he realized it wasn't enough, but it was all Serafina had been able to make.

"I'll come back," Wade blurted. "To pay the rest."

Flynn looked at Wade, and the blank look in his eyes softened a bit. "There's no need. But thank you." With that, the man pushed the sheathed weapons towards Wade. "Take care, kid."

"Thanks," Wade said quietly. Catherine was hovering by the back door again, opening it and peering through the crack. Wade came up behind her, glancing through what little of the street he could see over her shoulder. He hadn't seen any soldiers so far in Evran, but that didn't mean they weren't there.

After a moment, Catherine opened the door and they stepped outside. The street was empty as they walked back. Wade attached the sword to his belt, his heart soaring in relief at the familiar weight. He had a weapon. In some small way, he could now fight back.

Serafina was waiting in the inn, talking to a man about Catherine's age. She had a second bag on the floor beside her feet; when Wade looked closer, he saw some leather peeking out of the top. So she had gotten some materials for makeshift saddles.

Catherine trotted to the man's side, and he wrapped her in a fierce hug. Her husband, Wade realized. He shook his gaze from the couple and walked to Serafina, lifting the dagger and flipping it in his hand. The leather sheath was cool against his fingers.

"I know it's not your bow," he said, holding it out, "but I figured it might be useful."

Serafina clasped the hilt and took the blade, drawing it from the sheath and letting light dance across the metal. She smiled up at Wade, her eyes lighting up. "Thanks, Wade."

"Alwin," Catherine interrupted, pulling away from her husband. She looked at Wade and Serafina, the glow in her eyes fading a little. "These two were friends with that boy."

The man stiffened, taking a half-step in front of Catherine. "Really? Serafina didn't mention that."

"To be fair, we only just started talking," Serafina said, the faintest trace of humor lacing her tone.

"They're not Valkir," Catherine reassured, placing a hand on Alwin's shoulder. The man narrowed his eyes, but he gave a careful nod.

Wade bent his head closer to Serafina, lowering his voice. "Do you think they're going to tell the Valkir about us?"

"Maybe not," Serafina murmured back. "But let's go quickly. I have everything we'll need." She stood up and grabbed their bags, pulling one over her shoulder and handing the new one to Wade.

"Are you leaving?" Alwin asked warily.

"Yes." Wade pulled the strap of his bag over his head, wincing as it dug into the soft skin between his neck and shoulder. It was heavier than he'd expected. He flashed the couple a wild sort of smile, calculating the fastest way out of Evran. "We have a friend to save."

"Good luck." Catherine leaned against Alwin, the nervous look returning to her face.

Serafina dipped her head and strode to the door. Wade followed her, giving Catherine and her husband a quick, final wave. It felt stupid to have trusted them as much as they had, and as they emerged into the empty front street he couldn't quite erase the feeling that they had revealed themselves. If the couple running the inn didn't mention them, someone else would probably note the arrival of two young strangers and find a way to tell the Valkir.

"We're not going to be able to surprise them," Serafina sighed, as if she'd read Wade's mind.

"Probably not." Wade ran a hand through his hair, reaching through the bond to quickly reassure Aurum and Caeli they were alright. "But that wasn't ever going to happen."

Serafina's lip twitched. "No."

Wade fell silent. His throat felt dry and overused, and his muscles still screamed every time he took a step. But they'd made some progress. For now, that would have to do.

><><><><><

This is unusual for me, but a quick author's note because I have a few things to say. Firstly, for all you silent readers, I have no idea how you found this book but I love you <3 Seeing you pop up just makes my day. I've been meaning to say that for absolute ages, but never really knew where to put it.

Secondly, I will be posting a few bonus chapters soon. Usually I just throw them in my discord server, but since there are a few of you not on it I was wondering--would you like me to put them in Insomnia? It's another book under this profile where I throw in random things, and I figured this might be a good use for it. (Also, I'm going to shamelessly advertise here: if you want to join said discord server to chat with me or see me ramble about characters and worldbuilding, the link is in my bio. I'd love to see you there!)

Thirdly, we're almost done! Solivagant only has a little over fourty chapters planned, so we're definitely getting there. Thank y'all so very much for all the support! But this also means that I'll be speed writing the next few chapters, and a few friends of mine have totally not threatened me to stop rewriting each one before updating. So as a short warning, the next few chapters (including this one) may be far messier than usual, as I'm forcing myself not to edit xD

That's all for now. Cheers!