Felix woke feeling hungover, with little recollection of the previous night. Jacob stood in the corner, donning his uniform.
Felix moaned and rolled over, putting his feet on the floor.
“Oh, loverboy is awake. Feeling okay?” Jacob prodded mockingly.
“What the hell happened?”
“You’re not a good listener. That’s what happened.”
“I remember taking a piss, then…”
“Then you met up with some women at the bar and proceeded to get wasted. It seems at least one of them was probably in a relationship, and her mate took offense to your interactions with his partner. Ringing any bells?”
Felix held his head, swimming in pain. Nothing came back.
“So there was a fight, and I knocked you out. You’re welcome.”
Jacob turned toward him as he straightened his armor. The right side of his face was bruised.
“Holy shit. Did I do that to you?”
“Yes.” Jacob said it flatly. “Turns out you’re a bit stronger than I anticipated. Won’t happen again. Say it with me.”
“Won’t happen again.”
Felix lowered his head.
“I’m sorry, Jacob. I’m not sure what happened.”
“What happened is you didn’t listen, and shit happened. I get it. Single guy, strange place, attractive people, alcohol. But that’s why we look after each other. It seems like you think how you behaved was looking after me.”
Ouch.
That cut.
“We’re in a weird situation here. You’ve been under attack a couple of times now. We’re headed to Delta. Our fucking Source Tree. And you’re a person of interest. There’s risk here, and it’s my job to keep things moving. I need you to help me do that.”
Jacob gestured toward the door.
“Go get yourself in order. Let’s put last night behind us and press forward.”
Felix rose, guilty and a little woozy. A pitcher of water sat on the table beside the door. He grabbed it and headed for the washroom.
They left the inn and retrieved the horses from the stables. Moira was waiting.
“You look like death,” she said to Felix. Then she looked at Jacob. “Is he safe to ride?”
“He experienced the local talent.”
She grimaced.
“Do not vomit on my horse. You can walk if needed. Let’s go. I’d like to be at Delta well before sundown. The council will no doubt want to hold court with our guest, and he’ll need time to freshen up.”
She looked at Felix coldly.
“Too bad you can’t sleep on a horse.”
Her eyes shifted toward Jacob, scolding.
Jacob simply nodded and prodded his horse into motion.
Together, they left the small town, riding along the inside of the border wall before turning southeast along the river.
Felix rode alongside Moira.
“I’d like to know more about the Clerics.”
After a long moment, she answered.
“What would you like to know? A history lesson, or something more present-day?”
There was a tone of condescension in her voice.
“How about, what is a Cleric?” Felix asked, as benignly as possible.
“A Cleric is a historian for the Clergy of the Order.”
“Order? Order of what?”
She held her arms out, indicating everything around them.
“Order of our livelihood.”
Felix nodded, though he didn’t understand.
“So the fishing village? Lydia? Is that part of it?”
“Yes and no. The border fence is technically the boundary of the current authority, but border towns and villages can request assistance.”
She looked at him.
“My turn. Were the couple in that village really your prisoners?”
Felix thought carefully before answering.
“I can’t say no. It was a tough situation, and I wonder if they were afraid. Turns out I was able to help, but I wonder if my presence caused what happened. All I can say is that they’re decent people just trying to provide.”
Moira nodded.
“I appreciate that honesty and sharing.”
Without another word, she prodded her horse ahead.
They rode the rest of the way in silence.
They passed through fields of every crop imaginable, forests, rolling hills, and yet more fields. Farmers worked alongside the road. Carts moved between villages, and children played near the homes.
The heat of the day pressed down on Felix, and his back ached from the second day in the saddle.
The sun passed its zenith.
As they progressed, the density of people increased. Villages became larger and more frequent. Roads grew busier.
By late afternoon, they crested a hill.
Delta came into view.
Felix stopped breathing for a moment.
It was enormous.
At the center of the sprawling settlement stood the largest tree he had ever seen—a colossal banyan hundreds of feet tall and twice as wide, rising from the center of a vast, open plain like a megalithic monument.
Great sails of shimmering cloth stretched between its branches and surrounding structures, creating the appearance of an enormous big-top tent.
The party continued toward it.
The closer they came, the more the tree consumed Felix’s field of vision. Its scale became difficult to comprehend. Eventually, he could see almost nothing but the massive trunk and the structures clinging to it.
They passed beneath the great canopies and between tall, carved-wood buildings, entering a colorful world that felt both ancient and strangely alive.
The roads were finished in riverstone. Buildings rested on short, rock-hewn foundations, with broad stairs leading to their doors.
Periodic courtyards bustled with merchants and patrons.
Still, they rode forward.
The massive roots of the banyan began to rise around them as they approached the central trunk. They twisted and spiraled upward, hundreds of feet across, forming walls, terraces, and passageways.
Small buildings had been built directly into the trunk, high above the ground, connected by rope bridges.
Ahead stood a large opening in the tree.
It was shaped almost like a massive triangular doorway, dark and foreboding against the living wood.
Still, they rode on.
Artavus Quill 