CHAPTER 35 Bramblebriar

CHAPTER 35

Bramblebriar

Rufus

I was going to throttle Jack Laverick.

The man had happily invited my bard—ahem, travel companion to accompany us on a highly dangerous trip … and Bronwynn was a civilian, no less. Seeing how friendly Jack was being to Bronwynn, I was starting to suspect that maybe, just maybe , the duke was also having suspicions about her.

He wasn’t an idiot. And despite how certain I was that she was innocent, Bronwynn was consistently at or around every molten ash vane sighting. It wasn’t advanced mythical magery.

“Are you sure?” I spoke as gently as my turbulent thoughts allowed. This could be a set up. Or dangerous. Or—

“I’m sure.” Bronwynn smiled at me, and my worries faded. They were still there, but they were insignificant and small when faced with her enthusiasm. She was going to have a blast; I could already tell. My stomach flipped in anxious spasms, but I pushed away the feeling.

Bronwynn was her own person and could make her own decisions, I reminded myself for what felt like the thousandth time. “Then we need to have a plan before we go.”

Up until this point my plan had been to go to the Assassin’s Guild, shake down the “boss,” get her to sign a new treaty, and maybe find out something about the molten ash vane. And of course, watch Bronwynn from afar to see if she had any shady dealings about the capital. Now, she’d be coming to our shady dealings. Sigh.

“I can be ready to go within the hour,” Bronwynn offered.

“I’ll make my own way to the capital and meet you there,” Pjori said.

Jack nodded. “Likewise. I still have a few things to finish up here before I leave. I’ve heard that one of our staff was unkind to Minstrel Bronwynn? ”

“It wasn’t that bad.” Bronwynn shrugged, and as much as I wanted to unleash my frustrations about the staff … it wasn’t my place to do that. It was Bronwynn’s.

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Then I’m sure a simple talk will suffice.”

“If we’re all meeting in the capital”—I crossed my arms—“How will you find us?”

It was only a few hours’ ride to Servalt’s palace city, but if we weren’t traveling together, then we needed a meeting point.

Pjori and Bronwynn turned to Jack. The human returned their gaze confidently. “We can meet at the Wistful Cup Inn. I know the owners, so just say Jack sent you, and we can use one of their private rooms going forward.”

With that, we all left to get ready.

The trip from Heatherfeld to Calis, the capital of Servalt, was short and sweet.

Calis was near the eastern coast, and the crisp seawater breeze carried the unmistakable hint of algae and ocean. I sneezed a few times when it hit me, but it wasn’t an unpleasant smell. The city itself had walls that dwarfed the tallest dwarf; even one with the highest-level [Control: Size] skill that could become larger than the trees of the Dark Enchanted Forest.

Brambles with thorns as long as my palm grew on the city walls.

Queen Delia’s mother, the Countess Bloom, had been cursed with a sleeping sickness in her youth. The only way to break the curse was to prick her finger with the thorn of the bramblebriar—a rare magical vine that was only found in ancient dragon lairs. Luckily, Her Eminence Feliwyn had hoarded a few seeds she was willing to trade for a very special deal. If Countess Bloom’s family allocated a portion of their printing paper for the dragon’s use, they could have the magical plant that would break the curse.

I myself had read many of the lurid romance novels written and published by that dragon; they were works of literary genius! Full of dread pirates and outlaw dukes and fae queens. Perfection.

And so, the walls had been used to grow the bramblebriar, and Bloom had awoken with a gentle stab to the finger, and everyone had lived happily ever after.

The plant had even proven pivotal to the war efforts during the revolution, keeping Queen Delia and King Astor safe during the long siege until reinforcements from North Sumbria could arrive.

But that was in the past, and today, we rolled into town through open gates.

“This place is beautiful.” Bronwynn sighed, admiring the thousands of colorful pennants strung above the streets. All of the buildings were painted in a mix of two or more vibrant colors, and the cobblestones were actually made of rusty red bricks that clinked under the wagon wheels. The majority of the residents were of elven descent, but many half elves and other races walked the streets. People were smiling, and the late afternoon sunshine was bright and welcoming .

I nodded, lifting one paw to cover my eyes as I peered down the road. The Wistful Cup Inn wasn’t within sight of the city gate, so we’d need to hail a guard for directions. We’d want to be settled in before dinner.

Good afternoon, all!

Suddenly, the crystal towers for the Cast Network flashed, and a familiar voice rang out over the crowds. Donna stopped as everyone came to a standstill to listen to the announcement.

This is Madame Potts, back with the latest news.

Gerald the Grey is looking for his hat. It was last seen in Colwood, but he lost it on his way to Calis, poor man. If anyone sees the magical flying hat, they might bring it to any Mages Tower representative or magical guild for a hefty reward. Be careful! It bites.

The Dungeon Valley Deep is suffering a glitch on the sixth floor, so don’t bother hunting rover rolls. Until further notice, they aren’t able to be looted properly and provide no instant drops. You can still gain experience points from the hunt, though.

I saw that Slake Drakeford, Adventurer Extraordinaire, will be in the Dark Enchanted Forest tomorrow, so if you are on the roads, you might catch a peek of the legend himself. Pets are always appreciated, but be sure to ask first.

The wedding for Countess Peregrine and Knight Commander Bastian is set to create a political connection between Sumbria and Peldeep for the first time in over a century. A special announcement for all involved: Anyone living in Peldeep should be warned that Sumbrian nobles are all a bunch of pompous and ruthless idiots ready to try and flog you in the street if you so much as look at them. The delegations from Sumbria should be warned that if they actually try it, their bodies will never be recovered. Merfolk make the most amazing arts and crafts out of elf bones that I’ve ever seen.

The sixth prince, Lucial Neftor from the Empire of Sands, visited Peldeep on his way home from Grand Duchess Calisto’s Spring Ball, and hasn’t left yet. This madame thinks love is in the air and he is courting one of Their Royal Highness Rowen’s children. No word yet as to who has caught the prince’s eye, but he’s going to find himself in trouble this weekend if he doesn’t go after his lover. You need to overcome your doubts, or you’ll lose everything, Lucial.

If anyone is looking for blue ore, they can travel to Drendil’s west coast in three days. Two pirate ship’s containing the material are in a battle on the open seas right as I speak. Their ships are going to sink, and the cargo will start washing ashore by the end of the week.

That’s everything, folks.

Yours truly, Madame Potts