“You still owe me two stories,” Riley announced as she swept back the tent flap.
No locks on these things.
It was dark outside, the Nomads were all awake, but the space around them was silent.
“I suppose I do.” Alexander looked up from Ruskin. He leaned over the side of the cot, pawing at the collection of bottles in the grass.
“Give me that,” Riley snapped as she sat down. “You’ve had enough.”
“Impossible.” He handed her the bottle. “I’m still awake.”
“You’re supposed to be awake. The sun’s down. We are back on the Plains.”
“Nope. We are in hell. She killed the sun.” He took a drink from a flask in his jacket. “I died in the cave. Remember?”
Riley scowled at his flask and took a drink from the bottle in her hand. “This tastes like syrup.”
“It’s port. I wasn’t exactly examining the labels as we left.” He collapsed onto the cot.
Riley sighed. “Alexander, I don’t have anyone else to talk to.”
“Of course you do. You are a warrior of the Nomads!” His voice slipped into a melody. “I watched you cut the man, ride the horse, fight the… the…” He stared at the white canvas. “The thing.”
“I see the ballads are coming along nicely.” She sounded sarcastic.
“Doesn’t matter, I’m not really an Ellium. Not anymore.” The words fell heavy.
He heard the bottle sloshing. “You can still rejoin them when they come north in spring.”
No I can’t.
“A story, a story. A story told is a story sold.” He waved his flask in the air above him.
Ruskin whimpered.
Alexander sat back up on his elbows and addressed the dog. “You think I should tell her everything.” He patted Ruskin’s side. “You don’t know.”
“I have a plan.” Riley stood up from the cot and started pacing. “I used to talk to Cora about my plans. But I don’t have Cora.”
“Hard to say who has Cora,” Alexander mused.
Riley looked at him like he was stupid. “The castle exploded. You watched it.”
“The bridge exploded too, and yet here we are.” He shook the empty flask and threw it on the ground. “Drinking fine wine.”
“You think?” Her voice choked, but her back was to him. “I mean, I don’t want to hope.”
Alexander gave a hollow laugh. “Hope is all we have. Hope and liquor. And a goddess above. Apparently.”
“She’s not a goddess.” Riley looked disgusted and raised her hand. “She’s still Lissie!”
He closed his eyes and relaxed his jaw. It was not a hard slap. Alexander rubbed at it for her sake. “Sorry, sorry.”
“She’s controlling them. But I think it’s tearing her apart.”
“Losing Niko tore her apart.” He watched her walk away again. Away and back. “Have you ever been in love?”
Riley glared at him. “Have you?”
“Oh yes.” He raised his eyebrows and shrugged. “Many times. I loved them all. Even if only for a few hours.”
“That’s not the same thing and you know it. You saw the way they looked at each other.”
“Who can say what love is.” He scratched his dog under the chin. “Ruskin loves me.”
The dog groaned in pleasure.
Riley walked back away and said, “You’re drunk and you’re worthless.”
“I’m drunk and I’m worldly. I’m all you have.” He waited for her to turn around before asking, “What’s this plan of yours?”
“If I can get back to Ariland. If I can rally my father and his army,” Riley put her hand up and closed her fist. “I can ride north, take the capital.”
“It’s a good plan as any.” He dug for another bottle. “But Kisten and Switforst are riddled with disease. Terndowns is a garrison, and not ours anymore. Even with the Nomad army, you couldn’t break through. Lissie has to stay with the… Problems.”
She got a glint in her eye. “What about the Broken Swamps?”
He cackled. “Let’s do it. You and me. You’ve dragged me to every other death, might as well add another to the list.” He took a drink. This one tasted like grain alcohol. He coughed and sputtered. “Where have you been all day?” He asked the bottle.
“You said you knew a woman who had been to the swamps?” Riley sat down next to him.
His vision was swimming. “I said I knew a woman who said she had been to the Broken Swamps. That’s information twice removed and probably thrice lied.”
“What equipment do we need to get through the swamp?”
“Riley, the room has taken on a spinny quality. I think sleep would come if you were to leave me here.” He laid back down and the bottle fell from his hand. “A boat? For water there are boats.”
She laughed at him. “I didn’t think of that.”
“Water and banshees and endless trees. And water.” He closed his eyes.
He felt Riley stand up from the cot. “The Plains reach down to the swamps. I’ll ask the Nomads for a guide and a boat.”
“No boats. Just horses. Maybe a gator.” He felt sleep take him.