Albrek's Tomb

“I explained everything,” said Thrang loudly. After a pause, he admitted, “Though I may not have been as clear on some things as I should have been.”

“That’s as close to an apology as you’re likely to get,” Arco

“It was myfault,” said Thrain, sounding and looking sorry. “I should have asked for help and not scattered things about like I did.”

“Oh, no serious harm was done,” said Thrang, his voice softening. “Just ask for help the next time you don’t understand something.”

“I will,” said Thrain. “I promise.”

“Now that that is settled, do we have anything else to discuss?” Barnabus questioned. “I’m bone tired and would like to go to bed. I imagine we’ll be leaving before the sun comes up.”

“We will,” said Thrang, his voice returning to normal. “We should all get a good night’s rest. We have a long road ahead of us, and who knows when we will have such a fine place to stay again.”

“Kat might,” said Alex with a grin.

“I’m a seer, not an oracle,” said Kat.

“Then I suppose we’ll have to trust to luck,” said Nellus.

“And a good night’s sleep is always a lucky thing,” Thrang added, draining his mug and setting it on the table with a thump.

Alex went to his room and stretched out on the bed. His excitement about the adventure was begi

The next morning they were all up early. Thrang was eager to get underway, and the night’s sleep, what little there had been of it, seemed to have healed his sore ankle. After a large breakfast, Thrang led the group to the stables, where their horses had been groomed and saddled and were waiting for them. Several dwarfs were moving around the stables, ready to help the company with any last-minute details.

Before the sun had fully risen, the company had left the city of Benorg behind them. Alex thought it odd that Thorgood had not come to see them off, but he kept his concerns to himself. They rode east through the mountains, enjoying the warm sun and talking about past adventures. Barnabus told them a story about one of his own adventures, but Alex only half-listened as his mind was already racing ahead of them to the Isle of Bones.

The Isle of Bones was a strange name. Of course, dwarf names did not always translate well into the common language. Alex thought a better translation would have been “the place where the earth’s bones can be seen,” but that was a bit much. He wondered how the translation he read from the runes had changed into the Isle of Bones. Thinking about the name made him think about Kat, and he wondered again why she seemed so nervous about traveling to a place called the Isle of Bones.

They camped early that night. Alex helped Nellus and Arco

“I’ve lost count,” said Thrang, when Alex asked him. “A fair few, I’d say, but I’ve never sat down and counted them out on my fingers.”

“More than all your fingers and toes put together, I expect,” Arco

“Quiet,” said Barnabus, joining in the fun. “He’ll lose count and then we’ll all have to take off our boots for him to add it up.”

Thrang laughed along with the rest of them and they finished their meal in high spirits.

After the others had gone to bed, Alex and Arco

“Perhaps it is best that you asked me about this,” said Arco

“What sort of places have you heard of?”

“Most of them are desolate places,” answered Arco

Alex nodded in understanding. “Places where a great many people died. Places where no one remained to bury the dead.”

“Or did not wish the dead to be buried,” said Arco

“Then I’m glad I asked you about it first,” said Alex. “I wouldn’t want to trouble Kat or cause her to remember such dark places.”

“You are kind,” said Arco

“To be honest, I can’t see what it is either,” said Alex with a slight laugh. “I feel as if I’ve known her for years, and at the same time, I don’t think I know her at all.”

“That is strange,” said Arco

***

The next morning the company was up early once again, each of them sipping a bit of Thrang’s dwarf cure for soreness as they stretched and walked off their discomfort. Alex reminded himself to make some of this secret potion himself so he would always have it on hand if he needed it.

By the end of their third day’s ride, they came to the edge of the mountains, and the road they had been following turned sharply to the south. Since their journey required them to travel east, they left the road and halted for the night at the edge of an open plain that spread out before them. Alex looked out over the country they would be traveling across, admiring the peaceful scene of rolling hills covered with tall grass. Several hills appeared to be rocky toward their tops, and Alex wondered if the rocks might be ruins of some earlier time.

“No, they are just rocks,” Thrang answered when Alex questioned him. “No one has ever lived on these hills, at least as far as I know.”

“I’m surprised,” said Barnabus. “It looks like a nice place to live.”

“Men do live in the plain, but farther to the east,” said Thrang. “I think they like a little room between themselves and the dwarf realm.”

“Is there trouble between men and dwarfs in Thraxon?” Alex asked.

“No, but a little distance helps keep the peace.” Thrang laughed. “Don’t want neighbors to live too close or overstay their welcome.”

“Wise words,” said Kat. “Though your people seemed happy to have us in their city.”

“But we were not there long,” Arco

“The nature of our quest is not known in Benorg,” said Thrang, stroking his beard by the firelight. “People know that we are doing something for Thorgood, but exactly what we are doing is something only Thorgood and I know. Though I suspect Thorgood may tell a few of the dwarf lords about our quest before we return.”

“Do his ministers not know, then?” Nellus questioned.

“Well, yes,” Thrang admitted. “They had to agree to the terms of our contract, after all. I daresay they will keep quiet, though. They won’t want anyone to know how generous Thorgood has been to us. It might make people think Thorgood has lost his bargaining edge.”

“Is it not the sign of a great king to be generous?” Barnabus asked.

“Men see it that way, as do elves,” said Arco

“Thorgood is not weak,” said Thrang, staring into the fire. “He knows our quest will be a hard one. Possibly dangerous. He is willing to pay a fair price for what he has asked us to do.”