Page 94 of A Tale of Ice and Ash
Juniper blushed.
Garnet marched up to them. “Those potatoes done yet?”
“Almost.”
“Good. Has anyone seen Da?”
Eirwen shook her head. “Not for an hour or so.”
“Strange.”
She moved onto Wren, but was met with a similar response. Oakley hadn’t seen him for a while either. Merry got up and disappeared into the tent. He emerged a few seconds later, white-faced and holding a letter. It was addressed to Garnet. His fingers shook as he passed it into her hands.
If Eirwen thought all colour drained from Garnet’s face the minute she saw the letter, she was mistaken. The colour fell out of her when she started to read, turning her rosy complexion paper thin.
“Onyx has gone Under the Mountain alone,” she said cooly. “He says he expects to be gone a while. I… I won’t read you the rest.” She turned to Merry. “Do you know where he might have gone?”
“I… I have an idea.”
“Can you find him?”
“With a map, possibly–”
“Merry,” Garnet’s voice was hard, “I want you to follow him, and I want you to bring him back safely… so I can kill him myself.”
Merry swallowed. “We’ve… I’ve never been that deep before. Not since I was a child. I’m not sure I–”
“He left an hour ago!” Garnet hissed. “He’s not exactly the fastest mover! Catch up with him!”
“I have a horse,” Cole interjected. “If you give me his direction–”
Garnet shook her head. “He’ll have reached the entrance by now, and I wouldn’t send you into that place alone.”
“I’m going too,” said Eirwen. “Don’t try to stop me. I’m practically a dwarf when it comes to navigating that place.”
“That’s true,” said Merry. “Come on. Let’s get kitted out and hurry after him.”
∞∞∞
Garnet and the twins got together a few bags of provisions, just in case they were delayed in returning. Wren sorted out the weapons. Oakley, Merry and Eirwen studied the maps, charting his most likely course.
“Why go alone?” Eirwen asked. “Why now?”
Merry shook his head. “I’m not sure. I was only a child when the Underground fell. I have so few memories of it. But Onyx…”
“He’s such an idiot.”
“Aye,” Merry agreed. “But he’ll have a reason.”
“A dumb one.”
Eirwen memorised the map as well as she could before Merry rolled it up and packed it in his bag, and headed to Wren to get kitted out.
“Take some proper protection this time,” she said. “There’s a few bits your size.”
Eirwen helped herself to a pair of greaves and gauntlets, lightweight and easy to maneuver in. There was a leather breastplate that caught her eye, too, stamped with the royal crest. It was only appropriate.
Wren laced her in. “You look good.”
