The descent was steep, incredibly so. Very steep and rugged. Evan had to carefully guide his horse, ensuring it didn't stumble or slip on the treacherous path. Ezra, on the other hand, moved with gleeful agility down the rocky, moss-covered slope, her bare feet deftly gripping the ground. In both hands, she carried her prized shoes—the ones she used for thieving.
From time to time, she glanced back at Evan and his white horse, struggling to make their way down. She often burst into loud laughter, though whether it was to mock him or simply out of joy for her adventure, Evan couldn't tell. He knew this was what Ezra wanted. She wanted to be a wanderer, just as she had once told him.
"Oh, you move like an old man," she taunted at one point.
Almost as if it understood Ezra's remark, Evan's white horse snorted and seemed ready to kick. Ezra quickly ducked behind a tree, while Evan gently patted the horse's front left leg. The horse turned its head away in disdain.
"Your horse is quite the temperamental one."
Evan said nothing, just gave her a sharp look.
The girl only grinned wider, lifting both her shoes in front of her. "Try this—take off your shoes and run. Bare feet grip better on rough stones."
"The stones here are all slippery," Evan countered.
Ezra shook her head. "They're slippery because they're covered in thick moss."
"How are my feet supposed to grip that?" Evan rubbed his feet on the moss-covered ground and accidentally slipped a bit. Ezra responded with laughter.
"Oh, I thought only a few people could master the art of foot-gripping?" She smirked smugly. "I'm finally proud of being a thief."
"Yeah," Evan replied dryly. "Not just light fingers but rough feet as well."
Ezra's face twisted in annoyance. "What's that supposed to mean?!"
Now it was Evan's turn to smirk. "Rough enough to grip moss-covered rooftops before breaking in and snatching a meal or two from the noble's kitchen."
"Damn you!"
Evan finally breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the bottom of the valley. The path began to level out, and Evan could walk normally again, no longer needing to be as cautious as before.
As they walked, he unfolded his map, studying the hole he had marked between two valleys. After a moment, Evan glanced up. About two kilometers ahead, there were two large valleys. He examined the map again and matched it with the view ahead. No doubt about it, that was the place.
Ezra had been watching him curiously from up ahead. Walking slightly faster than him, she was intrigued by what Evan planned to do with his hole-punched map. Driven by curiosity, she asked, "That hole in the map—are you heading to that spot?"
Evan nodded as he slipped the map back into his bag. "Yeah. You can head home after I visit that marked spot."
To his great surprise, Ezra's eyes widened. "I'm coming with you!" she said firmly. "Honestly, I'm too scared of running into a six-legged gecko on the way. I'm too lazy to take the long way around."
Evan stopped dead in his tracks, as did his white horse.
"What did you say? A six-legged gecko?"
Ezra stopped as well. "I know you won't believe it," she said hesitantly. "Even I used to doubt the truth of that story. But once, when I was on my way home after earning a few gold pouches, I got this."
In a flash, Evan closed his eyes and turned his head away.
Naturally, Ezra took offense at that.
"Look!" she urged, still showing her left thigh. "It's not going to blind you."
"What are you doing?" Evan asked, eyes still closed.
"I said look!"
Reluctantly, Evan opened his eyes, still feeling awkward about staring at a girl's thigh. But when his gaze fell upon it, he froze. His body trembled, and goosebumps erupted across his skin.
Ezra quickly covered her thigh again, a bitter smile playing on her lips. "That scar was caused by a six-legged gecko. They have teeth the size of cockroaches. But in my opinion, they're sharper than any sword."
The deep scar, surrounded by dark blue lines, almost black, lingered in Evan's mind. Suddenly, a wave of sympathy filled his chest.
"Why did you show me that?" he asked softly. "That's not something to be shown off, you know."
Ezra returned to her usual self, grinning widely with her gleaming white teeth. "I just don't want you to die young. You're my friend!"
"You're warning me about those geckos?"
"If that's how you see it, then yes. Just don't go through there at night, and we'll be fine, trust me."
"We?" Evan asked, puzzled. "Are you serious about coming with me to that hole on my map?"
"Do I look like I'm joking? Besides, I haven't had a travel companion in ages. At least I'll have someone to talk to until I get home."
***
By midday, just as Evan had predicted, they reached the edge of a large river. Evan checked his map again to confirm, and he nodded once he was certain this was the place.
"We've arrived," Evan said.
Now, Evan was in for another surprise. He had expected to see confusion on Ezra's face. But instead, he saw the opposite. Ezra remained calm, her gaze distant, as if lost in thought. For the first time, Evan saw her so serious. Silent and still, there was no mischievous laughter, no bright eyes, no wide smile. Her face was cold, stiff, and empty.
Evan tapped her on the shoulder, and she jolted slightly, a broad smile reappearing.
"Oh, so this is your destination?" she asked. "Are you planning on swimming?"
"My destination is beneath the river."
Once again, Evan was taken aback. Ezra continued to smile widely, her eyes bright, but there was no surprise in her expression.
"Are you sure you want to come along?" Evan asked, trying to shake off the odd feeling.
Ezra pondered for a moment, took a step backward, tripped, and then pretended her fall had been intentional by sitting down on the rock where she had landed. But Evan knew it must have hurt.
"What are you looking for under this river?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly, her grin almost like a grimace of pain.
Oh, that must've hurt, Evan thought to himself. But aloud, he said, "A cave." He walked to the riverbank, examining the water, trying to peer into its depths, but to no avail. "Down there, there's a hole."
Evan touched the surface of the river; the current was strong, and it was certainly deep. A cold sensation spread through his fingertips. For a moment, Evan relished the feeling. He scooped up a few handfuls of water to drink. After a while, he realized Ezra hadn't spoken. She hadn't even commented on his words.
"Ezra?" He turned around.
Still seated on the rock, Ezra smiled. That smile had faded a little, and her eyes, truly, had lost their sparkle. They were dim, empty, staring at something distant. When Evan caught sight of her trembling hands, he froze.
"Ezra!" Evan hurried over, kneeling down and grasping her hands. He could feel the cold sweat. "What's wrong?"
Ezra let out a shaky breath, her gaze fixed on the river's surface.
"It's hard to explain." Evan was startled. Her voice trembled as though it was forced through a barrier in her throat. She continued, "But I'll say it now—don't go there. We should just continue our journey."
"Why?" Evan furrowed his brow. He gently stroked the back of Ezra's hand, hoping to calm her inexplicable anxiety. "Do you know the cave?"
Ezra didn't respond, neither nodding nor shaking her head.
"Ezra?"
"I'm telling you, don't go there."
Her hands trembled.