The Alchemists of Loom (Loom Saga #1)(84)
Even then, some of her research escaped.
She navigated the Skeleton Forest on memory. She had run through its trees as a girl. She had spent years of her life in this territory. Now, she walked with the ghosts of her memories. She had returned, but there wasn’t any more closure waiting for her here than there had been in Dortam. There was no balm to the wound that ached in her chest. It would bleed eternal, unhealed by any magic or medicine.
The heart of Keel was still a good two days off on foot, but Arianna knew when their journey was nearing an end. The Alchemists were reclusive, protective of their research. The Guild itself was offset outside the outer walls of the city to discourage any from entering its grounds by accident.
Magic sparked from golden stakes driven into the trees. They glowed faintly in warning. Arianna continued, unbothered.
“What was that?” Cvareh rubbed the back of his neck in the same spot Arianna had felt the pressure. Even Florence seemed more alert, despite not yet being a true Chimera.
“The door bell of the Alchemists’ Guild,” Arianna replied grimly.
She could leave him now, leave him here. She could give up on her boon, or cash it in much later when she hunted him down again. The Alchemists were on their way through the forest to see what magical creatures had crossed through their line. Arianna knew how they worked and she knew it would be less than an hour before their trikes came humming through the trees, billowing steam and sparking with magic.
But Arianna continued forward. She insisted that Cvareh had nothing to do with her decision; it was entirely based on Florence. The girl needed the attention of an Alchemist and Arianna would never leave her alone or settle for less than the best care.
It took a little bit longer than expected for the hum of the engines to be heard through the trees, but Arianna knew the sound. Florence and Cvareh looked on with curiosity and almost excitement at the prospect of finally being at the end of their journey.
The trikes were a larger version of the ones the Raven gangs rode around on. They could sit three people apiece, five if they had a platform suspended between their two gigantic back wheels. Guns were mounted on their fronts, flanked by spikes. The Alchemists took the endwig and the other rare—but deadly—creatures that lived in their forest seriously.
Their eyes were a rainbow of colors. And if they didn’t have Dragon eyes, the Alchemists sported Dragon ears or hands. Every one of them was a Chimera, a requisite at a certain level of the Guild.
“You’re survivors of the crash?” one of them asked.
Arianna didn’t miss how most of them kept their hands by their weapons. But if what she had learned in Ter.5.2 was true, they didn’t have enough ammunition to shoot first and ask questions later.
“More or less,” she replied. “We seek the Guild.”
“The Guild does not take visitors,” another replied.
“I have a delivery,” Cvareh spoke. Arianna resisted the urge to throttle him. She didn’t know what was more annoying, the fact that he was about to say something stupid, or the fact that she could sense he was about to say something stupid. “I come bearing help for the rebels against the Dragon King.”
The Alchemists exchanged a look and burst out laughing.
“No rebels here, Dragon.” The lead rider leaned back in his seat, folding his arms. “We’re all happy to follow our King’s decrees.”
Arianna snorted softly in amusement. But as much as she enjoyed seeing Cvareh put in his place, it wouldn’t solve their predicament of getting to the guild. “He speaks true. Bring us to the Vicar. If there is no new resistance brewing, harvest him for wasting your time.”
“Ari!” Cvareh hissed.
“What?” She arched her eyebrows at him. “You’re certain there is a resistance, and you’re certain that what you carry will help it. Right?” He said nothing, silently fuming. “If you are, there’s no real risk to you.”
The Alchemists looked at each other, silently debating it. The leader gave a nod to one on the wings and the girl touched a hand to her ear, covering her mouth with her hand, muttering under her breath. They were used to being around people with Dragon hearing, because she spoke so softly that not even Arianna could make out the words.
After several long minutes, she straightened, giving a nod of affirmation to her leader.
“Very well, then.” He shrugged. “Onto the trike at the end with the three of you.”
They obliged, and the vehicles were speeding through the forest at speeds befitting a Raven. Still, Arianna sat calmly. She knew these drivers had ridden through here countless times to fend off the endwig attracted to the scent of blood and carrion that always lingered around the Alchemists’ Guild hall as a result of their studies.
Her eyes drifted over to a far point, invisible through the dense forest. She wondered if the place that had been their laboratory was still black and gray, a dark spot on the living forest of magic gone wrong. Or if the Alchemists had rebuilt, and were working there anew.
She wondered, but she prayed she would never find out.
35. Florence
The wind whipped through her hair, knotting it even further than the airship crash had. It licked moisture from her eyes as she blinked into the reckless speed that would’ve made Will and Helen proud. Perhaps they should’ve come along after all.