I couldn't wait for dinner. Silverbolt would remove the wretched mask and eat. I would be the first and only to see his face, a secret I would guard jealously. I kept my eyes on my champion and sat up straight. I waved the campfire smoke away from me.
The ladle deposited the bland stew into a bowl. Clouds of steam hovered above the broth. I set my supper on a nearby stump and waited.
As it turned out, Silverbolt had prepared for such occasions, much to my chagrin. The mask's lower jaw slid down, and the spoon slid easily into his mouth. I glared at him for most of the night, not that he cared. Silverbolt ignored it and kept watch.
The next day I awoke in a pool of my saliva. I held in my distaste for as long as I could. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of another outburst. Hilda nudged me with her nose, "What is it?" I stroked the soft fur and smiled, "You aren't so bad, are you? At least you're more social than Mr. Grumpy over there."
Silverbolt packed up camp in a matter of minutes, "Hurry up and eat, today we enter The Coil." He shoved a plate at me before I washed my face.
I couldn't reason with him. His desire for answers trumped anything he may or may not be feeling. Again the mask makes it impossible to tell.
I mounted Hilda. "At least he's talking more." I said and prodded my steed into action. "Let's hope the people of The Coil are friendly."
The crumbling tower in the distance cast a shadow over its domain. After a hundred years, The Coil still clutched the area in its terrible grip. Hilda, who hadn't shown any fear during our trip, stopped dead at the entrance to the old town walls. I decided to move ahead with caution.
Silverbolt studied some warped trees. Twisted and gnarled limbs covered in a glassy sap. "How did magic do all this?"
"No one knows for sure. Someone or something caused the magic to go awry. According to the priestesses, the gods were not pleased with our progress." I said, surprised he'd asked any question.
"The reactor caused all of this?"
"Isn't that what I just said?"
"Hmmm..." He said. "It doesn't track. Nobody would set their life's work up for failure. Scientists in my world agonize over every last detail. I can't see an arcane scholar acting different."
I had no explanation for it, but his last statement dug under my skin, lit a fire, and boiled my blood. "Do you think about anything else?" my voice grew low and quiet while my tongue held back a string of obscenities.
"What do you mean?" Silverbolt drew a baton and fiddled with it as he spoke. His actions were bereft of aggression. He backed away a few feet. Had my question caught him off guard?
"I mean, you don't allow yourself a moment's rest. Do you not wonder about the future when you can't do this anymore?"
"Sometimes."
"Do you see yourself with anyone?"
"I've never thought of myself as the husband type, given what I do."
It made sense. The saddle cradled me once more. A sharp click of the tongue prodded Hilda forward. "I suppose you're right. Do you think you'll ever stop being Silverbolt?"
"I'd say no, but never say never." Silverbolt drew the other baton as we entered the silence of the flash zone.
***
As we walked among the souls trapped in their stony forms, the screams of anguish seemed to emanate from their open mouths. A warm wind blew a sweet scent across the granite figures.
Hilda kept her teeth on full display and her steps light and silent. I barely heard a hoof touch the ground.
Silverbolt stopped and activated the listening device hidden within the confines of the mask. He kept his head on a swivel and refused to speak any further. He briefly examined each figure as we passed them.
We were halfway through the abandoned area when Silverbolt raised a fist to signal a stop. He casually strode up to Hilda and me. His soft words touched my ears with crystal clarity. "We aren't alone. I can hear something moving around. I'll stay close in case something happens."
I couldn't help but allow some color to enter my cheeks. Silverbolt's offer to protect me caught me off guard. "I-i-f you want me to protect...I mean, if you think you should," I said. I turned away and cursed myself.
Silverbolt stayed close and guided me through the maze of horrified expressions and outstretched hands. There was no need for words, just silent prayer for the victims of the Flash. The exit to the stone quarter lay just ahead.
At one point, he raised his hands and encouraged me to do so, "They're about to take us as prisoners. Do not use your title or resist. Our hidden friends are more curious than anything." Silverbolt tapped the metallic ear on the mask.
"How long do we have?"
A group of men in closed helms poured out from the vacant buildings armed with longbows and poison arrows. Silverbolt sheathed his fighting sticks and fell to his knees. "Constance, you have to get off the horse. These guys aren't fucking around," he said.
I slid down from the saddle and dropped to my knees. The sting of sharp pebbles followed shortly after. I wriggled to move the offending rocks. I winced as needles of pain attacked my leg. I teetered on the edge of panic. "A nobleman would watch his language around a lady of my station," I said.
"It's a good thing I'm not a noble." He paused and gestured toward the armed party with an elbow. "I'll do the talking," Silverbolt said, "You look all twitchy and untrustworthy."
"Excuse me?"
Heavy boots marched toward us. A mountain of a man in runic leather stopped ten feet away. A twisted grin adorned his face. He ran a hand along the blond military-cut hair. "Gentlemen, I believe what we have here are poachers. I've never seen a pooka submit to a human before. I'm interested as to how you acquired your mount."
"Stupid horse," Silverbolt said. His hands strayed dangerously close to the chain weapon. I could see the muscles tense beneath the armor.
I didn't plan on letting my battle-hungry companion seal his fate or mine. My mother used to say when in doubt, lead with the truth. Now seemed like a reasonable time to do so. "We came to learn about Lord Rexwords taking of children. We want to stop it." We'd have to worry about escape later.
"Are you crazy?" Silverbolt whisper shouted.
"I think honesty is the best policy." I said, "Or at least it is in this case."
The man in leather smiled, "How do you know about Lord Rexword's involvement here?" While his face was pleasant, the words came out laced with malice. "Are you his allies?" he motioned us to our feet.
"We..." Silverbolt started to say.
"I am Princess Constance Reynard, and I seek to foil Rexwords plans any way I can."
The man tapped his cheek and grinned. "Looks like we have a bargaining chip against the queen. Tie them up and bring them to the accursed tower."
A few men marched forward in perfect discipline, "Yes, captain Helman." They sounded off in unison.
Silverbolt wanted a good look at The Coil, and by the looks of it, his wish was about to come true.