Triss would have liked to say Naiela had finally thawed that night, but it would have been a lie. They'd laughed and joked most of the evening, sharing increasingly embarrassing stories and finally getting to know each other. When Reginald woke her the next morning, her mood was so good she only threw one of her pillows at his head.

  "Good morning!" She called brightly when she came down the stairs.

  Naiela sat at one of the tables already, steaming mug of tea in front of her. She grunted in reply, not even bothering to turn and look. Triss pulled out the chair across from the council wizard and sat. “Didn’t sleep well?” She asked.

  “Slept fine.” Naiela replied curtly.

  Triss raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You seem a little...off."

  Naiela shrugged. "Likely the strain of spending so much time with a pair of dark wizards."

  Triss huffed and rolled her eyes. "I thought we were past this nonsense." She replied.

  "We'll be past this 'nonsense' when I am finally rid of you two and can spend time with....better company."

  "Better company?" Triss's voice began to rise. "What, like wizards on the council you claim are corrupted?"

  "I did not claim the council was corrupted. Just whoever has my message book's twin." Naiela snapped.

  "And Yurnash's too. He arrested you, remember? He agreed with whoever messaged you."

  "So someone has both books. That should make it easier to find the dark wizard who has the books."

  "Oh my word. Everything is dark wizards with you!" Triss replied angrily. "Have you ever considered that maybe things aren't as black and white as your council says? You've been with Reginald and me for weeks! And we've done nothing but help you!" Triss's voice rose near the level of a shout. "You keep calling us dark wizards, but on this whole fucking trip the only wizard I would consider dark was Yurnash, and he was a court wizard!"

  A pair of scaly hands slapped down hard on the table. “Ladies. Maybe this isn’t the best place for this…conversation?” Reginald said, nodding his head towards the bar where the owner stood, studiously avoiding looking their way.

  Triss opened her mouth to reply, a sharp retort dancing on her tongue. With an effort of will she bit back her words, mumbling an apology instead. Naiela rolled her eyes, but didn’t say anything. Reginald nodded, then stepped away from the table to speak with the inn’s owner. Triss sat back in her seat, crossing her arms and glaring at Naiela.

  They ate their breakfast in heavy silence, neither of the women willing to speak to the other. Reginald seemed unbothered by their obvious attitudes, as if he enjoyed the quiet. “We’ll head for Thurn next. The owner procured the supplies we need already, so we can head out right after breakfast.” He said as he ate.

  “Fine by me.” Triss said, still growing at the council wizard over her bowl of porridge.

  “Me too.” Naiela replied with the barest hint of a sneer on her face. “I look forward to leaving this backwater village.”

  “You’re a piece of work, you know that?” Triss snapped.

  Reginald slammed his hand on the table, making Triss’s bowl jump and rattle. “Enough.” He fixed Triss with a glare. “You will cease this at once, apprentice.”

  “Yeah. Apprentice.” Naiela said.

  Reginald spun to regard the other wizard. “You as well. You may not be my apprentice, but I promise you I can make you regret ignoring me.” Traces of blue light, like tiny fractal lightning bolts spun around his fingers before fading.

  Naiela’s brows lowered in a glare. “You wouldn’t.”

  “Try me.”

  The faintest hint of doubt flashed behind Naiela’s eyes. She held the glare for another moment though, as though she were trying to prove to herself she didn’t fear the draconic wizard. Finally she pushed her chair back and stood. “I suddenly find my appetite is spoiled.” Her eyes flicked briefly to Triss, then back to Reginald. “I shall take my meals alone from now on, I think. The company will be infinitely better.” She whirled from the table and stormed off, heading up the stairs.

  “Seriously. What the hell is wrong with her?” Triss asked as soon as Naiela disappeared up the stairs. “She was laughing and joking last night, and now she’s the ice bitch queen.”

  Reginald sighed. “She’s spent her entire life around people who think a certain way. Breaking out of that mould is going to be hard.” He smiled sadly. “If she can even do it.”

  “What are you saying? Do you want her to join us or something?” Triss asked. “Cuz I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

  “Likely not. The council has been a blight on the world for generations though, and anything I can do to save someone from their clutches…” He trailed off and shrugged.

  “Wait, is that why you let her come along? To save her from their council?” Triss asked, genuinely confused.

  “Maybe. Maybe part of me wanted to see if she could be saved. She’s young enough, and I feel like she’s…like she’s not as committed as she seems.”

  Triss sat back in her chair, folding her arms again. “If you ask me, she’s hopeless.”

  Reginald raised one scaly eyebrow. “Maybe that’s why I didn’t ask you.” He stood without waiting for a reply. “We’ve got to get going. Go pack up and meet me down here as soon as you’re ready.” Then he strode away, heading up the stairs to his room. Triss sat for a few more minutes, the bowl of porridge in front of her forgotten. Finally, she shook her head and headed for the stairs. Naiela was a hopeless case. This morning had proved that. She’d let Reginald hold on to his hopes, but she certainly wouldn’t share them.

  Lorina was obviously sad to see Nightfang and Buttercup go, and was just as obviously trying to hide that fact as she brought them around from the stables. “I gave them both a good brushing, and they each had a treat this morning too.” She said as she handed the reins over. Triss gave the girl a warm smile as she took the reins, but Naiela didn’t even look at Lorina. “If you pass by this way again, I hope you’ll stay with us. I’ll take good care of the horses.”

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  “I know you will.” Triss handed the girl a copper coin she’d gotten from Reginald earlier. He’d grumped a little about spending the money, but Triss had insisted the girl deserved a tip, and he’d finally relented. “You did a wonderful job with them, I can tell.” The little girl beamed as she made the coin disappear into a pocket in her dress, then nodded at both women before dashing inside the inn. Triss climbed into Buttercup’s saddle and urged her into a slow walk, glancing back at the inn as they left. Lorina’s face was visible in one of the windows, staring at her - or, more accurately, at her horse - as they left.

  They rode at a steady pace, slowly eating up the miles. The sun was shining brightly, taking the edge off the persistent chill that had seemed to follow them all the way from Thalonia. Naiela rode forty or so paces ahead the entire time, facing forward and never looking back. “I swear the stick up her ass has a stick up its ass.” Triss muttered, trying but failing to ignore the other wizard’s obvious slight.

  “Colourful.” Reginald said. “You should give her a little more grace.” Triss raised a questioning eyebrow, and Reginald continued. “She was good last night, right?”

  “And today she’s a bitch, yes.” Triss replied. “Which is her default state.”

  “If that’s her default state, then why are you upset? Shouldn’t you be used to it by now?”

  “Because she wasn’t like that last night!” Triss snapped. “Last night she was all fun and talking about her life, and now she’s back to being-“

  “Yes, I know.” Reginald cut her off, holding up a hand. “Let’s stop calling her names, ok? Now, why does her changing back to her old self bother you?” Triss opened her mouth to respond, then closed it when she realized she didn’t know the answer. “Maybe that’s something you should think about.” He suggested, before turning his attention back to the road, signalling the end of the conversation.

  Triss sighed. “Are you seriously turning this into a lesson?” Reginald didn’t reply, but she was sure she saw the faintest hint of smile on his reptilian lips. Triss sighed again, more dramatically this time, and Reginald’s smile grew almost imperceptibly.

  Triss ran through the morning in her head, trying to figure out what Reginald wanted her to learn. That Naiela was stuck up? She already knew that. It was just that they’d gotten along so well the night before that getting that attitude from Naiela had hurt. She rolled her eyes. Ok, so she was upset that Naiela had started to change, then changed back. Didn’t she have a right to be upset by that?

  She did, she decided. It wasn’t fair that as soon as the other wizard started to act like a human, she would suddenly switch back. How was Triss supposed to deal with that? Why would she do that?

  Triss pondered the question for several long miles before the answer suddenly came to her. “She’s upset that she opened up.” She said aloud, speaking as soon as the thought came.

  “Something like that.” Reginald nodded.

  “Why? It’s not a big deal.”

  “Not to you. But you weren’t raised by the council.” Reginald said. “Since she was young, it’s been drilled into her head that she can’t associate with dark wizards. That we’re evil, and the council is good. Treating us like we’re actual real people goes against everything she’s been taught.”

  Triss looked at Naiela, riding ahead, back straight, and her heart ached for the other wizard. “I really hate the council.” She said bitterly.

  “Now you know why I hope she can change.” Reginald replied. He glanced at the sun. “I think it’s a good time to stop for lunch.”

  “We’re not eating as we ride?”

  “Not today. I think it would be good to stop.” He called for Naiela, and the council wizard stopped her horse and waited for them to catch up.

  Naiela didn’t protest, or even speak, when Reginald suggested they stop for lunch. She simply dismounted and led Nightfang over to a patch of grass, letting the horse graze as she pulled some dried rations from her bag. She sat several feet away, eating in solitary silence. Triss and Reginald pulled their own rations out and sat on the grass, and Triss asked Reginald questions about the next town they were to stop at as they ate. She wasn’t that curious about the next town, but she felt like talking around Naiela would be helpful.

  As they finished their meal and began to pack up, Triss noticed that the air was starting to get colder. “Well, it was too good to last I guess.” She said.

  “What was?” Reginald asked.

  “The warm weather. Haven’t you noticed? It’s getting colder.”

  Reginald frowned, then stood and began looking around, staring over the trees at the horizon. “Damn it. Storm.” He pointed at the sky, back the way they’d come. Sure enough, dark clouds stretched across the sky, filling the horizon behind them. “That’s going to be a bad one too.”

  “So we’re going to get soaked?” Triss asked. “Is there a town nearby?”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Naiela said, and Triss turned to regard the other wizard with a raised eyebrow. “A little rain never hurt anyone.”

  “No, but a lot of rain mixed with lightning has.” Reginald replied. As if on cue, the faint rumble of distant thunder murmured around them. “We can’t be out in this.”

  “We’ll go back to Solinta then.” Naiela stood, brushing her hands off on her pants. “If we hurry, we can make it.”

  Reginald shook his head. “Not a chance. That storm will be here long before we made it back to town.” He frowned in concentration. “Actually, I think there’s a monastery nearby. Yes, one of Pratorin’s if I’m not mistaken. They would shelter us, I’m sure.”

  “No!” Naiela said, panic in her voice. She cleared her throat, then continued in a more level tone. “I mean, I don’t think we could make it there. We should shelter under some trees. If we find a large one, we could stay out of the rain.”

  “Trees get struck by lightning all the time.” Triss pointed out. “I think we should try this monastery.”

  “I’m not going to the monastery.” Naiela said, crossing her arms.

  Reginald shrugged. “Suit yourself. But we are. Triss, lets go. We need to hurry.”

  Triss quickly climbed onto Buttercup. Naiela groaned, but clambered aboard Nightfang. They set out at a brisk trot, following after Reginald. Thunder rolled overhead, growing louder and more insistent. By the time Reginald turned off onto a smaller dirt path half an hour later, the sound of thunder was a near constant noise. Fat drops of rain began to fall, thumping audibly against the dirt path. “Faster!” Reginald shouted, breaking into a run. Triss spurred Buttercup on as the rain began to fall in a steady stream, soaking her clothes and matting her hair in seconds.

  By the time the monastery’s squat tower came into view, the storm was well and truly upon them. Lighting flashed incessantly, illuminating the surrounding countryside like a strobe light. Thunder boomed and cracked, nearly deafening Triss. Naiela dug her heels into Nightfang and the two leapt ahead, dashing through the gates and into the courtyard. “This way!” She screamed over the storm, pointing at a long stable at the far end of the courtyard. They raced across the cobbles, both women leaping of their mounts as soon as they reached the stable door. Naiela opened the door and ushered them all in, leading Nightfang to an open stall and pointing at another one for Buttercup. Triss led the soaking wet mare into the stall, removing her saddle and making sure she had fresh hay. Once the horses were taken care of they made their way to the door of the monastery, staying under the cover of the connected stable roof. Reginald stepped up to the door, raising a fist to knock.

  “Wait.” Naiela said. Reginald turned, a confused look on his face. “Let me.” He shrugged, then stepped aside so Naiela could reach the door. The council wizard stepped up in front of the door, then paused.

  “Are you going to knock?” Reginald asked after a long moment.

  Naiela held up a hand, silencing him. She closed her eyes, took a long, deep breath, then placed her hand on a smooth section of stone in the wall beside the door. A rich, sonorous bell rang somewhere deep inside the building, loud enough to be heard over the crack of thunder.

  "Well, It seems no one is home. Perhaps we should shelter in the stable for the night?" Naiela said as the ringing bell faded. Reginald raised an eyebrow, but before he could speak the door suddenly clicked and began to swing open.

  "Welcome weary- Mistress Naiela?" A voice said from the doorway.

  Naiela's expression fell. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before fixing her expression and turning to the man standing in the doorway.

  "Hello, Master Horton."