Quill of Thieves

Chapter 9 Part I

"You expect to get into that?"

Sebastian could only shrug as he stared up at the granite monstrosity of the Ice Fortress that he would somehow have to surpass to enter Halorium. "There must be a door."

From beside him, Abel snorted and pulled her cloak tighter around her slim shoulders. Though it was beyond wondrous that Abel was healthy and at his side once more, Sebastian thought he could have done without her scoffing disbelief. It only added further anxiety to his frayed emotions, so much so that he had tried not to think about the specter healer from the night before all morning. He glanced up at the imposing rock walls once more. Doubt threatened to cloud him completely.

"Every building must have door," he muttered, "even castles and bastions."

"Bastions." Her snort was more amusing now than skeptical. She stretched a hand over her opposite shoulder as if reaching for her bow and arrows she had thankfully left back at the inn. After much persuasion on Sebastian's part, at least. "I think doors are the least of our worries. I'm more concerned about the hundreds of guards currently manning the walls."

"Guards?"

Despite it all, her grin grew rather cheeky. "Are you sure old, mad Norham has the clearance?"

Sebastian shrugged, held a hand over his eyes, and squinted, looking up at the fortress looming over them. Sure enough, a series of dots that could have been people moved systematically along the walls. Every now and then, a bright prism of color reflected off the sun and sprinkled a rainbow across the mountain's gray stone.

It was really quite beautiful.

Though, still a bit frightening, to be honest about such things.

The longer he stared at it, the more Sebastian's palms grew clammy. The fortress walls seemed built into the mountain itself, carved into the rock in such a way that it gave the appearance that Mount Halum had formed around it. Marbled granite comprised the outer walls. Rivers of water that had seeped from the rocks' crevices had frozen into shimmering icicles. When light hit them, it was as if the entire city had been born from ice. The Ice Fortress. An apt name, Sebastian thought.

Ironically, not even a single snowflake could be found anywhere along or atop the fortress walls even though it blanketed the entire walk from Fleetfoot's Inn to where Sebastian stood now. He imagined that a majestic hand had swept it away as if it were mere dust.

Specter.

Sebastian shook his head.

Beyond the walls, a network of caves led into the mountain's depths and would give way, Sebastian knew, into the capital's infamous city center: Halorian Square.

If Halorium truly lived inside mountain rock, then, by all accounts, Halorium should be a rather gloomy, dark city; however, stories claimed it sparkled as if blessed by the God of Light himself, Lumu. The sun graced Rainier's capital unlike anywhere else on the mountain.

If one could believe such stories.

A drum beat echoed off the granite walls before them, another flash of color decorating the mountain.

Sebastian took Norham's letter of introduction from his pocket and glanced over at Abel. In response, she simply pulled back her shoulders and marched up towards the gates and the two heavily armored guards that stood on either side. Their white gear blinded Sebastian against the bright sunlight.

Abel looked between them. "We're expected by Master Lambert of the Halorian Library."

One of the guards peered at Abel before turning her attention to Sebastian. She was impossibly tall and thick. "State your name and purpose for entering these gates."