Page 26 of Quest

A blush dusted his cheeks as he hastily looked away, once again demonstrating a shyness that reminded me of the demure behavior presented by women of the court, a quirky habit for a lad. “Simply a surprised observation at the depth of a prince’s education to include my field of study.” He cleared his throat, quickly returning to the matter at hand. “We need to discover which herb of the many that thrive in moonlight this riddle is referring to. The vague wording makes me wonder if there are other clues hidden within the text.”

Despite my gratitude for his wisdom, I hated the anxiety my ignorance caused to cinch my chest, an unwelcome reminder of my perceived inadequacy. I sighed. “I wish I could be useful enough to offer further insight, but I’m admittedly at a loss. Considering all plants experience the night, I assume most herbs grow beneath the moonlight.”

“Technically yes, but if a common herb was what was required, there would have been no need for the riddle to be so specific about these growing conditions or this unique location. There has to be something significant about the moonlight forthisparticular herb.” Ren’s brow furrowed as he mulled over the puzzle before his eyes widened with sudden understanding. “I’ve solved it.”

I startled. “Already?”

His first genuine smile appeared. “It’s actually quite simple when taking all the elements into account:where the heavens touch the earth…this phrase suggests a location that is at a high elevation, possibly the highest point in the area where the sky—heavens—and the mountain—earth—meet.Night kisses the day…” Ren paused and I nodded as understanding dawned.

“Of course; this part of the riddle implies a place that prominently experiences the meeting of night and day—likely a spot where the sky’s transition between night and day is clearly observable.”

Ren’s lips curved in a smile as he nodded approvingly. “There is a specific peak known for its breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, often used as a place for quiet reflection by travelers and monks.”

Ren considered a moment, as if carefully perusing a map inside his head.

“While there are various mountains across Lumeria, there is only one that meets both of these conditions—ginsei-zan, mountain shrouded in silver stars, so named because of its peaks that are often covered in clouds or mist, giving the impression it touches the night sky.”

I recognized the name. “Ginsei-zanpeak? That’s not far from here, within a few days’ distance.”

“A destination that is quite high in elevation, from what I’ve read.” Ren made a valiant effort to sound brave, but he couldn’t quite mask the weariness already filling his voice at the thought of another arduous trek so soon after yesterday’s grueling climb.

I eyed him worriedly. “Will you be able to endure such a journey, especially after a night of no sleep?”

“I’ll manage.” But he sounded exhausted, as if he’d already endured the long days of travel ahead.

Urgency assaulted me with all the reminders why it would be foolish to delay long enough for him to rest, none of which seemed substantial when weighed against my comrades’ health…though far more important when considering the well-being of my people, an impossible comparison when I valued both.

When my brother, King Ciaran, had first noticed the darkness’s lingering hold in certain sections of the land several months ago, we’d had no way of knowing how long it had saturated the soil or how much damage it had already rendered. Considering it hadn’t been extracted through my sister-in-law Aurora’s light magic that had healed the rest of the kingdom, we concluded it to be a darker, more sinister tangent of the curse we were desperate to overcome as soon as possible.

Yet such a mission wouldn’t be possible should the herbalist who possessed the very magic we relied upon be pushed too far as to be rendered unfit for the task.

Oblivious to my inner turmoil, Ren steadfastly worked on the next section of the riddle. “There are various herbs that grow on ginsei-zan peak, but as for the specific one the legend needs:seek the silver gleam where the moon’s children play…”

This puzzle pulled him deeply into his thoughts for far longer than the others. After a few moments of quietly waiting, I offered a suggestion, hoping I sounded less foolish this time.

“Do you think ’silver gleam’ refers to the moon’s beams touching the herb? Is it…shiny?”

Ren tipped his head thoughtfully. “It most likely indicates something visually striking or reflective, likely referring to the plant itself. ’Moon's children’ suggests a location influenced by the moon—somewhere open to the sky and unshielded from moonlight. Given that some plants flourish under the cooler, luminous moonlit conditions, I infer that the herb in question thrives in open, exposed areas of the peak, perhaps in rocky crags or outcroppings bathed in moonlight. One herb matches all these criteria: themoonsilver herb, known for its reflective, silvery leaves that shimmer at night, which indeed grows atopginsei-zan peak.”

I gaped at him in awe at his quick ability to piece together the riddle. He possessed far more intelligence and experience than I’d initially given him credit for.

“There’s a tale I read about in one of my herbalist tomes that specialized in the geography of this area,” he continued. “There are stories that speak of a moonlit garden on the very crest ofginsei-zan, said to be a place where the moon’s light touches the earth most clearly, bathing everything in a silvery glow so bright that it rivals the stars.”

I wanted nothing more than to press for details, but his deepening fatigue momentarily quenched my curiosity. He suppressed a yawn and his eyes began to droop, reminding me of the full night he’d endured. While my training had accustomed me to long nights without sleep, Ren had no such experience. Coupled with enduring two strenuous days of physical exertion he also wasn’t used to and having gotten little sleep the night before, he was undoubtedly exhausted.

I felt like a cad for having once more put the needs of my mission before my comrade and friend whose knowledge I still needed for what lay ahead. Though I was anxious to uncover the meaning of the remaining riddles, for now they would have to wait.

“That’s enough for one night.”

Despite his clear need for sleep, Ren felt the need to argue. “But we have more to decipher,” he weakly protested.

“If you’re allowed to remove this scroll from the temple, then we have ample time to solve the rest of it while en route to the first ingredient, but we’ll make little progress if you push yourself too much before we set out. You can only keep yourself going with herbal concoctions for so long before your body gives out.”

“You’re less unlikable when you’re considerate.” As usual he sounded grumpy at the thought of finding anything admirable in my character, leaving me to once more wonder why he seemed determined to dislike me. However tempting it was, now wasn’t the time to delve further into the mystery.

Ren continued to resist halfheartedly, but his protests lacked their usual vigor. His resistance waned as he settled onto his futon. As soon as his head hit the pillow he succumbed to sleep, instantly overtaken by exhaustion, a clear testament to how hard he had pushed himself—a level of dedication that, despite its recklessness, I couldn't help but admire.

After ensuring Ren was sleeping soundly, I left him to join the others who had woken while we’d been poring over the legend. Jiang had spent the morning hunting several quail, which he’d already industriously roasted over a campfire just outside the temple entrance, while Kael had procured berries from a nearby bush.

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