Sentria: The Age of Adventure (Book 2)

Chapter Twelve: Ambivalence

Master Cabel made us potato stew with garlic salt seasonings and I watched over him with my arms crossed and asked him questions as he did so. He was a very hospitable man, but I had to be careful around him. In times like these, being too trusting could kill.

"You carry quite the heavy burden, Prince Darren," Master Cabel said, stirring the pot with a ladle.

"It's my duty as High Prince of the southern realms," I replied.

"No, no. I don't mean that. I mean how your heart is split between the relic and the golden boy."

I looked back behind me to make sure neither of them were in earshot. "You bite your tongue, hermit," I hissed at him in a whisper.

"I mean no offense!" He stopped his stirring and raised his hands as if he were caught stealing bread from a baker. "I only mean to say that it's admirable."

"Admirable?" I asked. "How?"

"You're a true hero and you're very brave," Master Cabel said, stirring again. "You care for them greatly, that's why you're watching me like a griffin. The fate of the realm is in your hands and you are also facing battles of the heart. You will succeed in this, but not without sacrifice."

"Are you some fortune teller now?" I asked. "Finding futures in your pot?"

"No! As I've said, I understand energies, and yours, my dear boy, is like none other. You're being pulled by their energies, but you will all need to come together if you hope to save the war that is to come."

Eldwyn, Prince Lucas, and I sat around his wooden, uneven table and had stew as Master Cabel continued his work, mixing liquids and writing down the results in his leather-bound notebook. I offered for him to sit with us, but he said that he doesn't need food, he has energy. He was a strange one.

"This is delicious," said Eldwyn, and he wasn't just being polite. It tasted as if it had been prepared by a chef from my castle. I shouldn't have been too surprised, he came from a royal court and had training in various fields.

"It's better than I expected," said Prince Lucas. "It's nowhere near my personal chef's, but it isn't bad. Good work."

"Well, eat up," I said. "We don't know what troubles await us on the River Ansel."

"I hope we don't encounter another monolith," said Prince Lucas.

"We won't," said Eldwyn, slurping his soup. "They only live in lakes. They dig tunnels between them and congregate at times. That's why they're named as such."

Prince Lucas pushed his empty bowl away from him and said, "I'll be retiring to the carriage. As good as the food was, I don't feel comfortable sleeping here. The Holland's Manse was one thing, but this tower is not fit for a royal."

Master Cabel gave Lucas a spare blanket and he went out to the back to sleep in the carriage, leaving Eldwyn and I to sleep in the room at the top of the tower. It was small, only meant for one person, but it would do for the night.

"You can take the bed," said Eldwyn. "I'm fine on the floor."

"That wouldn't be right, Eldwyn," I said, taking off my boots.

"It's fine, knight. I don't mind."

"Still, it isn't princely."

"Then what shall we do?" Eldwyn asked and we stared at each other, both wanting the same thing.

"Eldwyn..." I took a step toward him. Everything in me wanted to grab him and throw him onto the bed, but I had to resist. "I still love you. I will always love you, but this situation we're in—"

"You don't need to say any more, knight." Eldwyn held up his hand. "I know your predicament now more than before. I learned a lot from the Wind Riders and not just how to harness my powers. Your life is one of sacrifice and I won't make it hard on you." Eldwyn grabbed a sheet that was bundled up in the corner and lied on the floor. 

I watched him for a while, his skin glowing in the candlelight. It was like I was under his spell. My eyes were only for him, but if I wanted the southern realms saved, I had to be with Lucas. When I saw that Eldwyn had fallen asleep I picked him up and lied him in the bed and took his place on the floor.

Eldwyn was upset in the morning when he woke up in bed, but not enough to hold onto it through breakfast. Master Cabel made him a bowl of salad with fresh tomatoes and toast and he made and sausage and scrambled eggs for me.

"How did you know what we liked?" asked Prince Lucas.

Master Cabel pointed to his chest and simply said, "Energist."

"I still don't know what that means," I whispered to the table.

We left Master Cabel's tower just as the sun was rising. He promised to take care of the carriage and the horses, and I thanked them for their service. 

"Remember," said Master Caleb as we walked down the road. "Take Mayer Road all the way down until you see a big spiral tree. Turn off the road and keep going until you reach the waters. I have a sailboat waiting for you."

"How do we know if it will still be there?" asked Prince Lucas.

"It will. Trust me." Master Cabel waved at us as if he had not a single doubt in his mind.

"Thank you, Master Cabel." I waved back at him.

We walked down the road, each carrying a bag of food and personal effects in a bag. This was in a way safer than traveling by royal carriage filled with goods ripe for the taking—or the attempt to. We were a walking target with them. When we reached Loria we could always borrow their steeds; they were known for their long hair and their speed and we'd be back to claim our carriage in due time. All would be well, I could feel it in my bones.

Down the Golden Trail, we came to a crossroads. To the left was Calvany Road which led to Petia Forest and to the right was Mayer Road which would bring us to the Ansel River.

"This is it," I said, looking up at the wooden signs and took the road on the right.