Page 21 of Ruins of Magic
None of them realized just how long they had been with the druids until only a few miles later the sun began to drop.
“We’ll need to make camp soon,” Valaria said. It was the first time she’d spoken in hours.
“We have no gear,” Garron said beginning to freak out for the first time. “We have no horses. Oh no, we have no food, or water! What are we doing? We need to turn back now.”
“People have survived off these lands for thousands of years. We’ll be fine,” Valaria said calmly. In truth she was just as terrified, but it would do no one any good for her to show it.
“We’ll be fine,” Arion said. “We’ll stop for the night at the next cave we see. In the meantime, be on the lookout for anything edible along the trail.”
“I found some berries,” Garron exclaimed a few minutes later. He was at work picking off bright red berries from a low bush.” He popped one in his mouth.
WHACK!
Valaria smacked the back of his head hard. “Spit that out, right now,” she screeched. “The bright red ones of poisonous, Garron.”
He quickly spat them to the ground. “Well why didn’t you tell me before I ate them?”
“New rule. No one eats anything without discussing it first. Are we clear? If you find something, then great. Gather it up and we’ll go through it all together,” Arion told them. They both nodded their heads in agreement.
By the time they found a cave to setup camp for the night, they each had their tunic pulled up to cradle a supply of vegetation they each felt was edible. In turn they dropped their bounty into one big pile.
“Before we eat, we need to find wood and start a fire,” Arion instructed.
The wood was collected quickly and soon they had a stack arranged for fire and another pile to maintain it through the night.
“Now what?” Garron asked staring at the pile of sticks they’d assembled.
Valaria turned to Arion. “Taneth said you were able to light his torch. Will you show us how?”
He still didn’t believe he had done that, but he closed his eyes and sternly said, “Fire.” He opened his eyes, and nothing had happened. “I knew Taneth was just puling my leg. I told you. I don’t have magic.”
“But you do. You heard the old man back there, you’re druid royalty, Arion, powerful enough to defeat the darkest magic ever known.”
“We don’t know that for sure. He was only making assumptions. What if he’s wrong and I’m as human as the both of you?”
“It can’t be,” Garron insisted. “You saw their village when we couldn’t. When we touched you, we could see it through your magic. You have to be a druid.”
“But what if I don’t want to be a druid?” Arion asked.
“You can’t help what you are, Arion. Do you really think I want to be a princess? No one in their right mind would choose this life. But I can’t change who I was born to be anymore than you can. Try it again.”
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes remembering that night in the cave with Taneth. He had closed his eyes then too, said the simple word, “Fire,” then he snapped his finger for dramatic emphasis. As he recounted his steps and repeated them, fire sprung to life. He heard the crackling and felt the warmth of it before he slowly opened his eyes unable to believe he had actually done it.
“You did it!” Valaria said with awe as she threw her arms around his neck. He gave himself a minute before it began to feel awkward. When Garron cleared his throat he dropped his arms to his side and let her go.
“That was brilliant, Arion.”
“Thanks, Garron.” He blew out a breath. “I guess maybe there’s a little truth to what the old man said.”
They were in high spirits as they sat down to sort through their food finds. Three piles were started, one for the known good foods, one for the known bad foods, and one for the uncertains.
Confident in the safe foods pile, they sat down to eat.
“I’m still hungry,” Garron complained.
“Let’s go through the stuff we weren’t sure about,” Arion said. He picked up a blue berry and twirled it between his fingers. “Looks safe enough.”
He started to pop the fat berry into his mouth.
