Scarpthorne Book Two: The Wrath Of Absynth

By Bruce Gregor Hodge

Elisha and Jackson return home safely from Merlin’s world of Sanctum, but a series of baffling and sinister events soon make them realise that their troubles are only just beginning. Their home village of Port’o’Swan comes suddenly and violently under attack, the Sisters of Perpetual Vigilance turn out to be other than they seem, and only Bilto, Merlin’s swarthy mule, suspects the truth behind the happenings that will lead the twins into an epic struggle of good against evil.
In desperation Elisha and Jackson call for Merlin’s help, but the Sorcerer has troubles of his own, a solemn oath forbidding his further use of the Scarpthorne gate, the portal between the two worlds.
The Wrath Of Absynth is the second book of six in the Scarpthorne double trilogy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bruce Gregor Hodge
• Release date: Jun 8, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476346151

Bruce Gregor Hodge

Bruce Gregor Hodge lives in Southern Tasmania with his cat Emily in an old farm house overlooking the waterways of Lymington. He is currently writing the third book in the Scarpthorne series and tackling a science fiction screenplay.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

The Lost Troll

Outside it was half raining cats and dogs and the other half was a cold, miserable sleet that was being forced onto the veranda and up against the front windows by the gusting wind. It had stayed just the same the whole day, washing away all of the snow that had fallen the night before. The home paddock looked as bleak and miserable as the chooks, who hadn’t had the sense to come in out of the rain, but then chooks never do said Elisha.

What? Jackson turned his head. He’d been laying on the couch staring out of the window, daydreaming. He threw off the blanket; it was already too warm in the front room with the fire going, and despite Bilto promising that he wouldn’t, Jackson was pretty sure the old mule had quietly farted. He looked at his twin sister.

I said the stupid chooks never have the sense... oh never mind she sighed and rested her head back against the windowsill.

I think Bilto farted Jackson said in a suspicious tone.

Bilto popped his head up from where he’d been snoozing on the floor.

I heard that he complained.

Elisha sniffed at the air and looked suspiciously his way.

Well it wasn’t me she leant forward and gently poked him in the rump.

And it wasn’t me Jackson gave him a knowing stare.

Their Mum, Harmony, walked into the room with a tray of hot chocolate and home made cookies.

Here we go every… Oh, guys she pulled a face. The deal was the donkey can stay inside but only if he behaves himself.

Bilto struggled up onto all fours and herumphed, then plodded out to the hallway where he flopped back down against the front door.

Mule he mumbled, not donkey, and snuggled his chin against his front legs ready for another snooze.

Jackson sat up and groaned.

Ow he grumbled and rubbed at his ribs. Elisha rolled her eyes.

Oh come on Jax, I didn’t land on you that hard. She’d run out of sympathy by now. It had only been a day since they’d crashed back through the Scarpthorne gate, but enough was enough.

Harmony frowned thoughtfully as she passed her twins their hot drinks, then pulled a chair up next to the fire and stared from one to the other. Elisha had snuggled into the bay window seat with her legs tucked up under a black checked western shirt, and her burgundy hair fell across her eyes to hide her expression.

Okay you two Harmony took a sip from her mug then reached for a cookie then sighed and put it back down again. I think it’s time we talked.

Elisha pushed aside the curtain and lifted her chin from the windowsill. Marion Pendragon’s old mini-bus had pulled up in front of the wooden paling shed where the Land Cruiser lived, and she and Evelyn Greenwood got out into the rain and ran towards the house. They were her Mum’s closest friends.

Aunty Ev and Aunt Marion are here she announced, secretly glancing over at her brother. Jackson chewed his bottom lip and looked quickly at the rug leaning against the wall at the end of the couch.

Harmony put down her hot chocolate and got up to go into the hall just in time for the front doorbell to ring.

Move please Bilto they could here her complaining to the mule, and then heard his grunt and whinny in response as he got up and shifted out of the way.

Mum looks really serious Elisha whispered across at Jackson with a frown. How much do you think we should tell them?

I guess we’d better tell them everything. Jackson shrugged and thought for a moment. What do you think?

I suppose so she hesitated. But what about Bilto?

Jackson wrinkled up his face, then nodded.

I guess he shrugged. She’s going to hear him sooner or later anyway.

Here they are Evelyn carried a basket of baked goodies into the room and dumped them on the bed next to Jackson as she gave him a hug. You’re looking better she smiled then went over and gave Elisha a hug too.

Hi Aunty Ev they chorused while Jackson searched through the cellophane packets for his favourite choc chip cookies.

Hey you two Aunt Marion followed Evelyn into the room as Harmony hung their wet jackets in the hall for them. She tousled Jackson’s blond hair then gave Elisha a big hug. She sniffed. Woh she said, looking around the room with an odd expression, something in here’s a bit whiffy isn’t it? Jackson chuckled and Elisha blushed.

It wasn’t me she glared at Jackson.

Harmony pulled in some extra chairs from the hallway so that they could all sit down. All of a sudden the room seemed kind of crowded.

Perfect timing Harmony began as they got comfortable. We were just about to have a little talk about... she paused, well, everything.

Jackson stared at Elisha and raised his eyebrows. She nodded.

Bilto Elisha called out, and the old mule plodded into the room and plonked down onto the floor. She took a deep breath. Ah, we’ve got something we’d better tell you all she said to her Mum and two Aunts. She turned to the mule. Bilto she said, this is our Aunt Marion and our Aunty Evelyn and they’re, well, really old friends of Mum’s and… she shrugged and sighed loudly, they’re the ones who cast the spell to reopened the Scarpthorne gate to get us back from Sanctum. Elisha wasn’t quite ready yet to admit that the three of them, including her own mother, were witches.

Bilto looked cautiously at Jackson and swished his tail.

Marion, Evelyn and Harmony all looked oddly at Elisha, then back at Bilto. A deep roll of thunder broke over the nearby hills, and the front windows vibrated with the resonance.

Um, well, Evelyn nodded, he’s a very nice donkey.

What’s he doing inside? Marion frowned at Harmony who rolled her eyes in response and lifted her hands in surrender.

It’s okay Bilto Elisha encouraged him, they’re going to find out some time, so it might as well be now.

Bilto nodded his head up and down and pawed at the floor, then herumphed and whinnied.

Evelyn smiled and nodded, then lent across to Harmony.

Yeah, why in the world have you got the donkey inside?

Harmony sighed.

Bilto Elisha growled firmly. Will you please say hello.

All three women turned and stared at Elisha.

Oh all right then Bilto grumbled. Hello.

...

Robyn Bumford closed the apple-shed door behind him, peered out at the relentless rain and pulled the collar of his oilskin jacket tightly around his neck. His expression was as cold and unfriendly as the weather, and under his right arm he carried his shotgun.

Once more he walked down to the stream that ran past his shed to check under the old stone bridge, but there was nothing there. Bumford lifted his grizzled beard up to the sky and stood motionless, the way a good hunting dog did when it was trying to pick up a scent. And that was exactly what he was doing.

He turned and looked back at the old shed that he’d made comfortable as his home and clenched his teeth together, a determined look on his face. There was no doubt. She was gone.

He checked the gun, his left hand slipping to his jacket pocket to make certain the extra shells were there, then turned and walked back up to the gravel track that crossed the bridge. Up the hill, through the rain, he could see the two-story cottage where Harmony and her children lived. He pulled on his woollen gloves and began to trudge up the hill, water dripping from the brim of his hunting cap onto his face, his boots squelching through the muddy surface of the track. The shotgun rested heavily on his arm, and although he dreaded what he might have to do, his expression remained firm, his eyes hard and narrowed against the weather.

Not in a thousand years had he thought it would finally come to this. He had hoped for a reprieve, any kind of stay of execution that would grant a less tragic ending, but as those years had passed he had come to realise that what was done was done, and that the end would eventually have to be as it must.

He braced himself for the task. It would be his last on the mortal world, for then his duty would be done and he could finally finish his thousand years of torment. He trudged closer to the house and saw the old converted mini-bus that had rattled and thumped across the bridge only minutes before, and was now parked crookedly in the driveway. It belonged to the other witch, Marion. He blinked away the rain, and guessed that all three of them would be in there.

As he reached the front garden he looked down at the charred circle burnt into the ground three metres wide and noted the twisted wreckage of the climbing frame that had once stood at the entrance to the yard. The fence and its palings had been blown to splinters when the Scarpthorne Gate, the portal to Merlin’s world, had collapsed. The debris lay scattered amongst the plants.

He stared up the path to the front door, watching as the curtains in the front room twitched, a small face appearing at the window.

...

Sacred moons of Jupiter Marion murmured faintly, a talking donkey. She raised her eyebrows, then huffed as if she should have been expecting something like it.

Mule Bilto corrected her politely, I’m actually a mule.

Mule Marion nodded apologetically, of course. Sorry.

Evelyn and Harmony kept staring at him.

Here’s Mr Bumford Elisha got up from the couch and went out into the hallway saying I’ll let him in.

Harmony cleared her throat.

So she bit her bottom lip and looked at Bilto. You talk then.

Jackson pulled a face as Bilto glanced at him.

Elisha opened the door.

Hi Mr Bumford she stood back and made room for him to come in. You’re really wet she said lamely.

Hello Elisha, I am he replied in the same fashion, then rested the shotgun in the corner behind the door and took off his gloves and hat.

You’d better come in. Aunty Ev and Aunt Marion are here as well and we’re about to have a ‘little talk’ she grimaced and sighed.

Ah Bumford said quietly and shrugged off his jacket. I think I’d better be in on that one.

Here Elisha took his jacket, I’ll put it in front of the kitchen stove to dry off a bit.

Thanks he smiled gently and handed over the dripping garment, then bent to take off his boots before going on into the front lounge.

Harmony looked up as Bumford came into the room and smiled vacantly. She pointed at Bilto.

Robyn, this is Bilto. He’s a mule and he talks.

Bumford pursed his lips, nodded and walked over to pat Jackson on the shoulder.

Glad to see you’re looking better young man he sat at the end of Jackson’s couch and studied Bilto for a moment. Bilto studied him back, his ears fully at attention.

You came through the gate first Bumford frowned, remembering the sodden bundle that had initially churned from the chaotic portal. We wondered what you were for a minute there. He tilted his head and scratched his beard. Merlin used to have a mule. He narrowed his eyes and nodded. Long time ago. I remember seeing him once. It was the only time I ever saw Merlin Bumford mused, and he had a mule with him.

Bilto lifted an eyebrow and glanced across at Jackson, but Jax was already frowning oddly at Mr Bumford. Bilto looked back to the woodsman, his ears twitching.

Well, Bilto stared thoughtfully at Bumford, as far as I know I’m the only mule Merlin’s ever had. But that he raised his eyebrows, would have been a very long time ago.

Err, Mr Bumford? How… Jackson shrugged, confused.

Bumford looked over at Harmony.

Okay Harmony cleared her throat again, Jackson, Elisha, there have been a few interesting things happening here at our end too, while you were away.

Understatement Marion murmured.

Worse than you think Bumford said tightly and looked around the room at the gathering. He paused. Harriet has gone missing. And I need to know everything that’s happened. He looked down at his weather beaten hands. Before I go out to hunt her.

Hunt her? Oh. Evelyn gasped in dismay.

Who’s Harriet? Elisha asked confused.

For a moment nobody spoke.

From the start then Marion sat back, crossed her legs and began to recite the story. Let’s put this whole thing together.

Your Mother got to know an old lady living in Wales through a herbal plant chat room on the internet. They swapped emails and information, then this woman sent you she nodded at Harmony a rose bush that you planted at the front gate as per her instructions. It was an enchanted rose from the well of Scarpthorne, part of the Scarpthorne Spell that Merlin had cast to divide the worlds of magic and mortals a thousand years ago. When he did that he created a place for all the magic in the world to be kept, called Sanctum. But if the rose could be made to grow at a gate, and bloom at midnight, then a portal would open to Sanctum, and Merlin could travel here and visa versa. How am I going so far? she looked around at the others. Okay she nodded. We continue.

Elisha unintentionally cast a spell over the rose commanding it to grow, the rose bloomed, Merlin arrived, decided there was no great danger to the Scarpthorne Spell, or our world or his, decided to allow the kids to keep their… she shrugged, magical abilities, and returned through the Scarpthorne gate to Sanctum. But she held up her finger, Elisha and Jackson got caught up in the gate when it closed and ended up being dragged back to Sanctum with Merlin.

Now Marion pursed her lips, here’s where we split up. We’re going to tell our side first, and then she nodded towards Elisha and Jackson, you guys can tell yours. Okay?

Everyone nodded in agreement. Marion continued.

After Jackson and Elisha had disappeared, Harmony called Evelyn and I over to help, or she shrugged, try to help anyway. Harmony had saved the last scrap of the rose when the gate collapsed, and basically we came up with the idea of trying to get it to grow again by casting the same kind of spell that Elisha did. We hoped that we’d be able to reopen the gate so that you two she pointed at Elisha and Jackson, could get back again, because according to the legend the gate could only be opened by magic at this end. It worked, but while we were doing that we were attacked by… something. Whatever it was didn’t get us because of the protective spell that Merlin had cast over the house and home paddock before he left.

Elisha and Jackson were listening closely, all of this being new to them.

Marion signalled to Harmony, who took over.

Your Aunt Marion thought it was a troll Harmony looked carefully at Elisha and Jackson, remember the night you guys got caught out in the storm and heard the howling?

Elisha’s mouth dropped open and Jackson nodded gravely.

She suspected it lived under the bridge, and that Robyn might know something about it, so next morning we went down to see him and he told us his story. Harmony raised her eyebrows to Bumford and he sighed. His turn.

More than a thousand years ago I was a woodsman in these parts, entrusted with keeping the forest safe for mortal folk from any mischief makers, nymphs, witches, the like he stared into the fireplace thoughtfully.

One night I came across a coven of witches, three of them, who had been practising the dark arts, and had taken children into the woods to sacrifice.

Jackson’s eyes had opened wide and Elisha looked stunned.

I killed the first two witches, but the third, the most powerful of them, got away. She cast a spell of vengeance, and when I finally hunted her down and cut her head off, the curse came into being. My wife, Harriet, was turned into a troll, and ever since that moment she has lived underneath the old stone bridge next to my shed. For a thousand years I have been her guardian, protecting her, and protecting others from her. And until now, everything was quiet enough. But since this has all happened, he shrugged, her darker side has reappeared. And now he opened his hands in surrender and despair she has gone missing. So I have to find her. And perhaps, if I can do no other… he lowered his head.

It won’t come to that Robyn Harmony leant forward and spoke firmly. We told you, we’ll all help you. We’ll find a way to get Harriet back for you.

He looked down again at his hands.

Mr Bumford Elisha asked timidly, is that what the shotgun is for?

Nobody said anything.

Anyway, Harmony continued gently, the rose grew and finally last night it bloomed, the gate opened back up and here you are. She looked at Bilto. All of you. So, she glanced from Elisha to Jackson, now it’s your turn. Who wants to go first?

Jackson shrugged at Elisha. She sighed.

Okay Elisha frowned in concentration.

I guess I’d better tell you a bit about Sanctum so you’ll understand the rest she said pensively. Let’s see. Well, Merlin has a castle in the good bit of Sanctum and then there’s the forest where the Elven and the Fairies live, and in between that there’s a whole heap of meadows and a river. Then there’s the rest of it where all the bad magic stuff went to live, like the Griffins and the Ogres, and then there’s Absynth she frowned more deeply as she spoke his name.

Bumford lifted his head.

Absynth? he growled. He still exists?

Elisha and Jackson both stared at Bumford.

Did you know him? Elisha looked puzzled.

Only of him Bumford replied guardedly. Sorry, please keep going.

Elisha bit her lip and looked at Harmony.

Absynth is the bad guy. He caused all the trouble while we were there she continued. Anyway, we got lost in the gate and took ages to get to Sanctum. Oh. Hang on, first of all, time passes on Sanctum but it doesn’t mean very much, like, no-one gets older or anything like that. Anyway, when we arrived, Absynth had already got the Ogres to attack the Elves who were guarding the gate so that the bad guys couldn’t use it to come back here. They had a huge battle before we got there and the Elves won but some of them were killed. When we got there Shianern, she’s like the Queen of the Elves, she’d arrived and Merlin had already come through the gate. Elisha took a deep breath. I’m starting to get a bit confused she said.

No Harmony went over and sat next to her, you’re doing just fine. Keep going.

Okay she thought again for a moment.

The gate collapsed after we arrived. Merlin and the Elves had been really worried about it because they didn’t know what was happening; they thought the Scarpthorne spell might have been unravelling. And then when Merlin worked out that it was the gate he was even more worried that the bad guys might use it to come here and destroy our world, so when it collapsed after we got there it made things much easier for them. But she sighed, "it meant that Jackson and I couldn’t get home because the gate can only be opened by a magical force at this end. So we thought we were stuck there forever.

We went back to the Elven forest first, and the Fairy folk gave us these she put her hand to her throat and showed her necklace, and Jax got the earrings.

Studs grumbled Jackson.

I was going to mention those later, Harmony lifted her eyebrows and half-smiled. They’re very nice. Jackson blushed like a beetroot.

They’re magical Elisha interjected, they protected us when we were attacked by the Griffins after we left the forest to get back to Merlin’s castle. But Merlin and Shianern and the Fairies had more power than Absynth and the Griffins did, so we beat them, and then made it back to Merlin’s place.

Good grief Evelyn murmured, it’s like something out of a fairy tale.

Keep going Marion encouraged Elisha, you’re doing really well so far.

Well, lots of stuff happened she shrugged. We met Vivienne…

She’s the Lady of the Lake Jackson interrupted briefly.

…and got her and Merlin together for the first time since he created Sanctum. Elisha frowned and looked at Jackson. He took over.

When Merlin cast the spell of Scarpthorne to separate the two worlds he didn’t tell anyone else he was going to do it Jackson started, and until we came along he hadn’t spoken to the Elves or The Lady of the Lake for a thousand years because he thought they’d hate him for what he did, but Jackson drew a deep breath, the Elven people knew what he was doing anyway so they helped him without him knowing they were helping him, and Vivienne ended up with her entire lake in twilight underneath the castle, which was pretty amazing, and she and Merlin hadn’t talked for the whole time either. Until we got there. Jackson stopped and blinked.

But Merlin made up with her, Elisha cut in and when you guys opened up the Scarpthorne gate they could tell it was opening again so Merlin did a spell to make it open up in Vivienne’s world under the castle so that it would be safe, but just before the gate opened Shianern arrived with some of the fairies to tell Merlin that Absynth had used the ancient Griffin powers to get into the castle, and just as they were going to do a search to find him Vivienne arrived to tell us that the gate had started to open, so we all had to go down to the lake.

And then we said goodbye Jackson shrugged, and went.

Harmony Evelyn Marion and Bumford sat stunned. Harmony looked over at the mule.

Bilto? she asked.

He popped his head up.

Mm? he asked back.

Well Harmony shrugged, do you want to add anything?

Bilto pouted his lips and doodled his front hoof thoughtfully on the carpet.

You wouldn’t have a little bit of warm porridge, would you?

Bilto! Elisha growled.

Well he grumbled, alright, alright. It was fast, but not too bad. They forgot to mention the Eye of Tor, they didn’t tell you much about Merlin’s castle, they forgot to tell you about some of the magic stuff they picked up, and there are probable a thousand small details that got missed, but for a three-minute version it wasn’t too bad. Oh he added with a twinkle in his eye, and I think Elisha forgot to mention Jarris.

Elisha blushed.

Jarris Harmony looked at her sideways, who’s Jarris?

Typical Elisha shook her head everything that’s happened and all she wants to know… Elisha looked slyly at Bilto. You’ll pay for that she whispered. Bilto’s ears twitched.

Jarris is one of the Elven Princes Jackson smiled coyly as he spoke, he seemed kind of keen on Elisha.

This time Elisha turned bright red.

Bumford shook his head and interrupted.

It’s an extraordinary story he admitted, but it still doesn’t tell me what I need to know. He sighed despondently.

Elisha looked confused.

I don’t know what else… she was disappointed that their report hadn’t been of any use to him, and didn’t know what more she could add.

What is it you need to know? Jackson asked with a frown. I mean, I don’t see how what happened to us on Sanctum would have made things any different here anyway, he finished hopelessly.

No Bumford replied quietly. Neither do I Jackson, and that’s what I don’t understand either. He scratched again at his beard. Why, after a thousand years, has Harriet left my protection, why has she left the bridge? It’s the only home she’s ever known in all that time. What has made her leave? And why? Why now?

All seven of them, Bilto included, sat silently trying to work out the puzzle of why Harriet had disappeared. There just didn’t seem to be an answer.

...

CHAPTER TWO

Absynth’s First Kill

A small patch of black mist hovered above the treetops, almost invisible in the rain and cloud that scudded by close above. It shifted in the wind, separating and reforming like a swarm of bees seeking a new hive, then dipped below the treetops and settled to the ground, compacting until it was a solid black mass the size of a man. Absynth morphed from his original form, the black cloud of mist that gave him the ability to spread evil and misery wherever he went without being discovered, to the human form that had been granted him by the Griffard, the sacred leader of the Griffin, in the fiery caves below the Griffin lair.

He stood and surveyed his hands, his arms, then felt his face. It would be helpful if he could see himself he thought, wondering if his disguise was good enough to appear unnoticed amongst mortals. The rain fell relentlessly, and his sleek black hair began to drip onto his dark brow. But he had not taken his mortal form here for the simple sake of getting drenched.

Absynth glared up at the rocky outcrop and smiled crookedly, his eyes narrowing. That is what he had been seeking. Half way up the rock face a jagged shadowy opening, almost hidden by the thick undergrowth that covered the forest floor, offered him the refuge that he had sought. He climbed to twice his own height before reaching the ledge at the entrance, and contemptuously slapped away an angry snake that hissed and had risen to strike him. The snake recoiled and fled in fear.

He reached his hand inside his black cloak. For a moment he stood deathly still, then he quickly searched his clothing with a look of near panic on his face. He closed his eyes tightly and snarled, then cursed angrily into the blackness of the cave. It was gone. The Griffin stone, the black jewel equal in malevolence only to himself, and part of the same primeval wickedness that made up his very core. It was gone. He had lost The Eye of Tor. Absynth searched his pockets again, but he knew there was no point. Had he lost it coming through the gate? Or perhaps the Scarpthorne Gate had not permitted it to pass?

Absynth thought silently for a moment, the wind and rain whipping at his back as he stood at the entrance to the cave.

He had gained entry to Merlin’s castle, had almost been discovered by the mortal girl, the one called Elisha, but had at the last moment managed to regroup and command enough of his powers to allow him the transformation to mist. She had very nearly caught him. And indeed, had Merlin and the Elven Queen Shianern searched Merlin’s castle, he had no doubt that between them they would have exposed him.

But his luck had held, and the Scarpthorne gate had begun to open. It had been simple to follow them down the stairwell to where Merlin had entrapped the Lady of the Lake. And with the chaos generated by the opening of the gate itself, none had witnessed him prepare to escape. Absynth had timed it perfectly, at the very last moment diving in his mist form through the blazing disk of light. And after a thousand years, finally, he was back. Back in the world of the mortals where his wickedness truly belonged.

But there had been just that one moment, that split second as he plummeted into the pulsing light and through the gateway.

Absynth lifted his head and looked up into the treetops at the pouring rain. That was the moment, he was certain. The Scarpthorne Gate had forbidden The Eye of Tor to pass. He scowled. A clap of thunder overhead reminded him that he was dripping wet, and he shivered with cold.

Absynth slinked into the cave. His eyes adjusted and he smiled crookedly in satisfaction. The crevice did not narrow as he delved further into the darkness, instead it became wider. The ceiling of the cave lifted, and Absynth was able to stand full height as he continued on into the hillside. The dry dirt floor gave way to great blocks of stone that stepped deeper into the vast blackness of the cavern. He turned and considered the narrow wedge of light that crept in at the cave’s entrance. A malevolent grin swept across his face. It was perfect.

Absynth hurried back to the opening and down the slope to the thicket of forest undergrowth where he had sheltered the night, and bent low to peer through the mass of twigs and mouldy leaves into the heart of the thorny tangle.

Don’t be scared now he whispered, reaching out his hand and beckoning. Come along he tempted, come to Absynth, come to your new master he coaxed cunningly.

Slowly, hesitantly, she followed him to the cliff and up the slope to the cave’s opening, shrinking and snarling at exposure to even the mildest grey light of dawn.

Come now he lured soothingly, and she followed him willingly through the entrance and into the darkness of the cave.

A flash of red glinted in his eyes, and in a low voice steeped with evil he rewarded her. You see he whispered to her, I told you I would find a safer place for us to stay. She growled nervously, baring her teeth and releasing a steamy fog of foul breath.

There there my pretty troll, Absynth reached out and stroked her disfigured form as she crouched uneasily against a rocky outcrop.

Be it ever so humble, he flourished his hand at the darkness around them to