Текст книги "Albrek's Tomb"

Автор книги: Mark Forman

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When they reached the second-to-last chamber, they found a dozen or so dwarfs busily sorting various documents. Thrang introduced his company to the chief librarian and then stepped aside to speak with a few other dwarfs.

“I’m not sure what good I’ll be, as I don’t read dwarf or elf runes,” Nellus said.

“I can read some dwarf runes, but no elf at all,” Barnabus added.

“Then you can help move things about,” Thrang said, looking up from his discussion with one of the other dwarfs.

Alex and the others spread out through the enormous vault, looking for a place to begin. The chief librarian did indeed put Barnabus and Nellus to work moving stacks of documents. Arconn sorted through a large pile of documents written in elvish, and he was pleased to find that some of the books had actually been written by the elves of Thraxon. Thrain and Kat sat on the floor together at the back of the vault, looking through a large leather-bound volume she had found.

Alex found a large table near one wall and started thumbing through the pile of documents that was stacked on it. He could read most of what was written on them, but there were some runes that were completely new to him. He tried not to read everything on every document, instead he skimmed the words he knew, hoping to find a passing reference to Albrek or perhaps even a map. Searching the documents was tiring, but Alex enjoyed it more than the others did. His ability to read dwarf runes improved as the day went on, and he found that he could move quickly through the old pages as long as he remembered to skim them and not read every word.

They stopped their search at noon for a quick meal, which Thorgood had sent down to the vaults for them. After lunch, the chief librarian ordered Barnabus and Nellus out of the vault, saying that they were just getting in the way. Thrain watched them go with a sad look on his face and then returned to the enormous volume one of the librarians had given him. Alex suspected that this was not Thrain’s idea of an adventure.

The documents in the vaults seemed endless as Alex and his friends returned day after day to the caverns. Barnabus and Nellus, still banned from the library, had taken to exploring the city, and on their fourth day in Benorg, Thrang sent Thrain along with them.

“I need someone to keep an eye on those two,” said Thrang. “I don’t want them getting into any trouble.”

“Well, if you really need me to,” Thrain said, a hopeful look on his face.

“Go on, then,” Thrang said gruffly.

“That was kind of you,” Alex said as Thrain left the library. He shifted a stack of documents off his table.

“Well, it’s his first time out and all,” said Thrang. “I really should have had this part of the adventure done before putting the company together.”

“What, and deprive us of all of this?” Alex joked.

Thrang laughed with Alex and reached for another stack of papers.

Alex was actually enjoying his time in the vaults. He had found the dwarfs to be both helpful and willing to explain any of the runes he did not yet understand. They were also impressed that a man, especially a wizard, had taken the time to learn so much about their methods of writing.

“Not many men ever learn this lore,” the chief librarian said. “It does my heart good to know that a wizard would take the time to learn our ways.”

On their tenth day in the vaults, Kat finally found something that was useful. It was a piece of parchment, almost too dirty to read. Placing it carefully under a bright light, Thrang and the chief librarian were able to piece together what it said. Some parts were impossible to make out, but other parts of the page were clearly legible.

“This is part of the tale of Albrek,” said Thrang excitedly.

“Does it say where he traveled?” Arconn questioned.

“Just a moment,” answered Thrang, looking back at the paper.

“The Isle of Bones,” the chief librarian muttered.

“Isle of Bones?” Kat repeated with a worried look on her face.

“In a moment, in a moment,” said Thrang, holding up his hand for silence.

Alex looked over Thrang’s shoulder at the parchment, reading as much of it as he could, but several of the runes were still unfamiliar to him.

“Ah, yes, of course,” said the chief librarian, slapping his head as he looked up. “This indicates that the full story of Albrek is written in the special history of the city. I never even thought of looking there.”

“Special history?” Alex asked.

“Oh, it’s not secret or anything like that,” the librarian said, moving toward the back of the vault. “We just keep a record of special events—things that are outstanding in some way or another.”

“And Albrek’s search for new mines was outstanding?” Arconn questioned.

“Well, the stories say that he took more than five hundred dwarfs with him,” said Thrang as the librarian hurried away.

“A large party to go looking for mines,” said Kat.

“Not really,” said Thrang. “Mining is a labor-intensive job, after all, and you need to sink a shaft or two before you know if your mine is worth anything.”

They waited in a tense silence for the librarian to return. When he did, he carried with him a thick volume bound in black leather. He set it on the table and began thumbing through the pages. He seemed to be looking for a certain page, flipping large groups of pages all at once and making dust fly from the book’s cover. In a surprisingly short time, he had found what he wanted, and he and Thrang huddled around the open book. Alex, standing nearby, also began to read the book.

“Interesting,” said Thrang. “It seems Albrek planned to travel farther than I thought.”

“And?” Arconn asked.

“The story is a bit confusing, but basically it says where Albrek was going, or at least where he planned to go,” said Thrang. “According to this, he was going to the Isle of Bones. After that he was going south to the Lost Mountains, and finally to Gal Tock.”

“What is Gal Tock?” Alex questioned.

“What is the Isle of Bones?” asked Kat at the same time.

“The Isle of Bones actually has nothing at all to do with bones,” answered Thrang. “It’s a mountainous island in the Eastern Sea. We call it that because the mountains are rocky and remind us of the bones of the earth.”

“And Gal Tock?” Alex asked again.

“Gal Tock is a dwarf name meaning gold rock, or golden rocks,” answered the librarian. “The exact location isn’t known, but the stories tell of a place where the morning sun shines on the rocks and make them look like gold. All I can tell you is that it is supposed to be far to the south.”

“That would make sense, because the Lost Mountains are also well south of here,” Thrang added. “It looks like Albrek went northeast to the Isle of Bones first, then south to the Lost Mountains. If he went farther than that, then he must have gone looking for Gal Tock.”

“Does the story say if he made it to any of those places?” Arconn questioned.

“It mentions some of his group returning,” said Thrang. “They came back while Albrek was still on the Isle of Bones, so we know he made it that far.”

“It seems we know where we are going,” said Kat, a slightly troubled look on her face.

“Yes, yes, we do,” said Thrang happily.

“How soon will we depart?” Alex asked.

“As soon as possible,” answered Thrang. “It will take at least a month to get to the Isle of Bones, maybe longer. Summer has already begun, and I’d like to head northeast while the weather is warm.”

“Tomorrow, then?” Arconn questioned.

“The day after, I think,” said Thrang. “We should make sure we are well stocked with provisions and warm clothes.” He turned to the librarian. “It would also be useful to look at some of the older maps of Thraxon to get a better idea of Albrek’s journey.”

“Does anyone live on the Isle of Bones?” Kat asked.

“Not that I’ve ever heard of,” answered Thrang. “It’s a rugged island, and being as far north as it is, a very cold place in the wintertime.”

“Hopefully we will be there while it is still summertime,” said Alex.

“If all goes well,” Arconn added.

“And if things go really well, and we find the Ring of Searching on the Isle of Bones, we could be back here before winter sets in.” Thrang laughed. “Though I doubt it will be quite as easy as that.”

“It never is,” said Alex.

Chapter Five

East by North

That night, as the company ate dinner, Thrang presented his plans for their journey. They would travel east from Benorg and follow the main road, which would take them out of the mountains and into the open plains beyond. From there they would travel as directly east as possible, though they would eventually need to turn northeast to reach the Isle of Bones.

“How far away is the Eastern Sea?” Nellus questioned.

“About two hundred miles,” answered Thrang. “If we travel straight from here to there. But since we need to go north as well as east, that will add at least fifty miles to our journey.”

“Is this Eastern Sea the border of Thraxon?” Barnabus asked.

“Not at all,” Thrang said with a laugh. “In high summer we could travel around the sea to the north, though few people have ever done so. And you can easily sail around the bottom of the sea to the south, though you would have to go extremely far south to do so.”

“Are there cities along the sea coast?” asked Thrain, his excitement showing yet again.

Thrang nodded. “There are; though I’ve never visited any of them. The southern coast is well populated—more than the north, but as I’ve mentioned, northern winters are hard, and not many people want to live in so rugged an area.”

“I wonder if there will be anyone at all on the Isle of Bones,” Kat said. The troubled look Alex had seen before on her face had returned.

“Why do you say that?” Alex questioned.

“Something about the place,” said Kat, not meeting Alex’s eyes. “I cannot say why. It is just a feeling.”

“Any feeling a seer has is worth paying attention to,” Arconn said.

“It may be nothing,” said Kat, smiling weakly. “I thought of another place when I first heard the name, so now I have the two linked in my mind. The other place was a terrible place—somewhere I hope never to go again.”

“If you feel there is danger on the Isle of Bones, we should know about it,” said Nellus, his voice kind but firm.

“No, nothing like that,” answered Kat with a wave of her hand. “Please, do not be troubled. A memory from my past has darkened the name for me, that is all.”

“Very well then,” said Thrang, glancing from Kat to Alex and back. “We will leave the day after tomorrow, and we should easily reach the seacoast long before winter comes.”

With Thrang’s final words, the group began separating for the night. It was late, and everyone was thinking of bed and their last day in Benorg. Alex stayed in his seat for a minute, watching Kat as she crossed the room toward the stairs leading to her room. He wondered what experience she was remembering that caused her such pain, but he knew better than to ask. Perhaps he would ask later, when the time was right and they were alone.

***

They woke the next morning to a light rain. Alex didn’t know when they would be coming back to Benorg and had wanted to spend the day wandering the streets and seeing at least some of the city. He hoped Thrang would offer to show them around the city, but he said he needed to talk to Thorgood again and finish preparing for their journey.

Arconn offered to accompany Alex into the city after breakfast, despite the rain. Alex jumped at the chance and quickly found a hooded cloak to wear. He considered inviting Thrain to come along and show them what he had discovered during his days of exploration, but Thrain was busy repacking his magic bag. Nellus, Kat, and Barnabus were likewise busy with their own preparations for the long journey ahead of them.

“Just the two of us, then,” said Alex to Arconn.

“Two strangers in a strange city,” said Arconn. “Though I doubt we will find any trouble among our friendly hosts.”

“And don’t you two start any trouble either,” said Thrang with a grunting laugh. “I don’t want any of Thorgood’s people turned into farm animals.”

“Oh, and here I was hoping to practice my craft,” said Alex.

Arconn laughed and followed Alex into the street. The rain was still light, and the air was warm and full of sweet smells. They wandered the streets of the aboveground city for a time, entering a few of the shops they passed along the way. The dwarfs were all friendly, though many seemed shy of Alex and his staff. Alex asked Arconn about it as they left a shop where Alex had bought several bags of dwarf candy.

“I expect a lot of people are shy of you and your staff,” said Arconn. “A wizard with a staff makes a great difference to most people, which is not always a disadvantage.”

“I have noticed a difference in the way people look at me,” said Alex with a hint of unhappiness in his voice.

“Do not let it bother you,” Arconn said. “There have never been many wizards and to see a wizard as young as you are is somewhat unexpected.”

“Whalen said that most wizards are at least thirty or forty years old before they take a staff,” Alex said.

“That is true,” Arconn said. “Or at least, it is for all truewizards.”

“Do some false wizards take staffs at a young age?” Alex questioned.

“There are some people who carry staffs who are not wizards,” said Arconn. “You will find in your travels that some magical people wish to be called wizard, but do not know what the title truly means. It is a matter of pride for some, power for others, and foolishness for all who do not deserve the staff or the title.”

“And some people take a staff just to give the appearance of being a wizard,” said Alex, considering Arconn’s words.

“They do. Though many of them can actually use the staff, as you could have if you’d taken one on your first adventure,” said Arconn. “Not knowing what a true wizard is does not mean the staff will not work.”

“That is true. However, it won’t work as well as it might if someone took the time to become a true wizard.”

“I would not know about that,” said Arconn. “I have known a few wizards and have always chosen not to associate with pretenders.”

“Is it easy to spot the pretenders?”

“There are ways to know, but it is not always easy.”

“Can you explain the ways?” Alex asked, wondering if he would be able to detect a false or pretend wizard.

“You would know,” said Arconn in a definite tone. “Power knows power, and like knows like. You would see the pretender and know that they were not what they pretended to be. And if they had any magical ability at all, they would know you for what you are as well.”

“Perhaps, perhaps not,” said Alex softly. “Though I hope I never run into a pretender.”

“You might not,” said Arconn. He directed Alex toward the entrance to the underground part of Benorg. “Few pretenders would want to be caught by a true wizard. I believe there are some harsh penalties for pretenders.”

“There are,” said Alex, remembering what Whalen had taught him. “The punishments are usually left up to the wizard who finds the pretender.”

“Posing as a wizard is a dangerous game to play,” Arconn agreed.

Alex was a little surprised that Arconn knew so much about wizards and their rules, but then he remembered that Arconn was several hundred years old—perhaps even a thousand years old—and the elf knew a great many things.

The two of them spent the rest of the day exploring as much of the city as they could, returning to their home in time for their evening meal with the rest of the company. The others were already seated around the table, and Thrang was glaring at Thrain. While Alex and Arconn had been exploring, Thrain had taken everything out of his magic bag looking for a logbook he wanted to use as they traveled. Thrang had stumbled over some of Thrain’s gear as he was rushing around the house and had hurt his ankle. Nellus and Barnabus had been quick to intervene, helping Thrain store his gear and explaining more clearly how to use his magic bag.

“That ankle isn’t going to keep you out of the saddle, is it?” Nellus asked Thrang as they ate.

“It will take more than a bad ankle and Thrain’s foolishness to keep me from this quest,” said Thrang in a grumpy tone.

Thrain went red and slouched in his chair, his boundless enthusiasm dampened by Thrang’s dark mood.

“It’s your own fault, you know,” Alex said to Thrang.

“My own fault!” Thrang said hotly. “How could it possibly be my fault?”

“If you’d explained the magic bag properly, Thrain could have found his logbook without taking everything out of his bag,” said Alex in a matter-of–fact tone.

“I explained everything,” said Thrang loudly. After a pause, he admitted, “Though I may not have been as clear on some things as I should have been.”

“That’s as close to an apology as you’re likely to get,” Arconn said to Thrain.

“It was myfault,” said Thrain, sounding and looking sorry. “I should have asked for help and not scattered things about like I did.”

“Oh, no serious harm was done,” said Thrang, his voice softening. “Just ask for help the next time you don’t understand something.”

“I will,” said Thrain. “I promise.”

“Now that that is settled, do we have anything else to discuss?” Barnabus questioned. “I’m bone tired and would like to go to bed. I imagine we’ll be leaving before the sun comes up.”

“We will,” said Thrang, his voice returning to normal. “We should all get a good night’s rest. We have a long road ahead of us, and who knows when we will have such a fine place to stay again.”

“Kat might,” said Alex with a grin.

“I’m a seer, not an oracle,” said Kat.

“Then I suppose we’ll have to trust to luck,” said Nellus.

“And a good night’s sleep is always a lucky thing,” Thrang added, draining his mug and setting it on the table with a thump.

Alex went to his room and stretched out on the bed. His excitement about the adventure was beginning to grow inside him once more. The dust-covered papers and books in the library had been interesting, and he was glad his ability to read the dwarf runes had improved, but for him, being on the road was the best part of any adventure.

The next morning they were all up early. Thrang was eager to get underway, and the night’s sleep, what little there had been of it, seemed to have healed his sore ankle. After a large breakfast, Thrang led the group to the stables, where their horses had been groomed and saddled and were waiting for them. Several dwarfs were moving around the stables, ready to help the company with any last-minute details.

Before the sun had fully risen, the company had left the city of Benorg behind them. Alex thought it odd that Thorgood had not come to see them off, but he kept his concerns to himself. They rode east through the mountains, enjoying the warm sun and talking about past adventures. Barnabus told them a story about one of his own adventures, but Alex only half-listened as his mind was already racing ahead of them to the Isle of Bones.

The Isle of Bones was a strange name. Of course, dwarf names did not always translate well into the common language. Alex thought a better translation would have been “the place where the earth’s bones can be seen,” but that was a bit much. He wondered how the translation he read from the runes had changed into the Isle of Bones. Thinking about the name made him think about Kat, and he wondered again why she seemed so nervous about traveling to a place called the Isle of Bones.

They camped early that night. Alex helped Nellus and Arconn look after the horses while Barnabus prepared their evening meal. Watching from a distance, Alex saw Thrang help Thrain practice starting and extinguishing the campfire before starting it for good. Alex wondered how many adventures Thrang had been on and how many first-time adventurers he had helped train.

“I’ve lost count,” said Thrang, when Alex asked him. “A fair few, I’d say, but I’ve never sat down and counted them out on my fingers.”

“More than all your fingers and toes put together, I expect,” Arconn said with a laugh.

“Quiet,” said Barnabus, joining in the fun. “He’ll lose count and then we’ll all have to take off our boots for him to add it up.”

Thrang laughed along with the rest of them and they finished their meal in high spirits.

After the others had gone to bed, Alex and Arconn remained beside the fire. After some time, when Alex felt certain that the others were asleep, he asked Arconn if he knew anything about Kat’s worries or about her dark feelings when she’d heard the name of the Isle of Bones.

“Perhaps it is best that you asked me about this,” said Arconn after a moment of thought. “There are places I have heard of and seen that would trouble a seer more than most adventurers, so I feel I can guess what is troubling Kat.”

“What sort of places have you heard of?”

“Most of them are desolate places,” answered Arconn. “The Valley of Bones. The Tower of Bones. The River of Bones.”

Alex nodded in understanding. “Places where a great many people died. Places where no one remained to bury the dead.”

“Or did not wish the dead to be buried,” said Arconn. “Yes, there are places like that. Most of those places are evil in one way or another, and all of them are very sad. I would not question Kat too closely about this if I were you. Such memories are best left in the past and forgotten, if possible.”

“Then I’m glad I asked you about it first,” said Alex. “I wouldn’t want to trouble Kat or cause her to remember such dark places.”

“You are kind,” said Arconn. “You have some connection to Kat already, though I cannot see what it is.”

“To be honest, I can’t see what it is either,” said Alex with a slight laugh. “I feel as if I’ve known her for years, and at the same time, I don’t think I know her at all.”

“That is strange,” said Arconn and then remained silent.

***

The next morning the company was up early once again, each of them sipping a bit of Thrang’s dwarf cure for soreness as they stretched and walked off their discomfort. Alex reminded himself to make some of this secret potion himself so he would always have it on hand if he needed it.

By the end of their third day’s ride, they came to the edge of the mountains, and the road they had been following turned sharply to the south. Since their journey required them to travel east, they left the road and halted for the night at the edge of an open plain that spread out before them. Alex looked out over the country they would be traveling across, admiring the peaceful scene of rolling hills covered with tall grass. Several hills appeared to be rocky toward their tops, and Alex wondered if the rocks might be ruins of some earlier time.

“No, they are just rocks,” Thrang answered when Alex questioned him. “No one has ever lived on these hills, at least as far as I know.”

“I’m surprised,” said Barnabus. “It looks like a nice place to live.”

“Men do live in the plain, but farther to the east,” said Thrang. “I think they like a little room between themselves and the dwarf realm.”

“Is there trouble between men and dwarfs in Thraxon?” Alex asked.

“No, but a little distance helps keep the peace.” Thrang laughed. “Don’t want neighbors to live too close or overstay their welcome.”

“Wise words,” said Kat. “Though your people seemed happy to have us in their city.”

“But we were not there long,” Arconn said. “And we are on a quest for their king.”

“The nature of our quest is not known in Benorg,” said Thrang, stroking his beard by the firelight. “People know that we are doing something for Thorgood, but exactly what we are doing is something only Thorgood and I know. Though I suspect Thorgood may tell a few of the dwarf lords about our quest before we return.”

“Do his ministers not know, then?” Nellus questioned.

“Well, yes,” Thrang admitted. “They had to agree to the terms of our contract, after all. I daresay they will keep quiet, though. They won’t want anyone to know how generous Thorgood has been to us. It might make people think Thorgood has lost his bargaining edge.”

“Is it not the sign of a great king to be generous?” Barnabus asked.

“Men see it that way, as do elves,” said Arconn. “Dwarfs are not stingy, but they are more careful with their wealth. To be overgenerous might be seen as a sign of weakness in the king.”

“Thorgood is not weak,” said Thrang, staring into the fire. “He knows our quest will be a hard one. Possibly dangerous. He is willing to pay a fair price for what he has asked us to do.”

“Dangerous?” said Kat. “You’ve said nothing about known dangers.”

“Simply the normal dangers that accompany any adventure,” said Thrang, his eyes still fixed on the flames. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Still, the king must suspect something,” Kat went on.

“Albrek did not return from his travels,” said Thrang, speaking more to himself than to Kat. “The only members of his company to return came from the Isle of Bones, and they went back there after a short visit to Benorg. Where Albrek went and what he did after that is unknown. Something must have happened to him to keep him from returning or sending word, but who can say what.”

“The book in the library seemed to say more than simply where Albrek was going,” Alex said, thinking back over what he had read.

“Yes,” said Thrang, shaking himself from his thoughts. “The tale said that fifty of Albrek’s people returned to Benorg, bringing a fair amount of wealth with them. Those fifty reported to the king and then returned to the Isle of Bones with two hundred others dwarfs.”

“So Albrek had seven hundred dwarfs with him,” said Nellus.

“The dwarfs said that Albrek had planned to leave between one hundred and two hundred dwarfs on the island to work the mines he had found there,” Thrang said. “Once the fifty had returned to him and everything was in order, he was going to lead the rest of the group to the Lost Mountains and continue searching there.”

“And no one ever returned from the Isle of Bones again, or from the Lost Mountains?” Kat questioned.

“Nothing more was ever heard from them,” said Thrang, sinking once more into his own thoughts. “However, it’s not unusual for new settlements to remain isolated for long periods of time. If the dwarfs on the island chose their own king, the new leader would not want the king of Benorg making a claim on his new realm.”

“Is that likely?” Barnabus asked.

“If Albrek was still there, no,” answered Thrang. “But if Albrek had already gone south, who can say?”

“Well, we won’t know what happened until we get there,” said Arconn, stretching out on his blankets.

“And we won’t get there if we don’t get some sleep,” added Thrang.

Alex’s companions rolled themselves in blankets and went to sleep, but Alex sat by the fire, keeping watch and thinking about Thrang’s words. Closing his eyes, he pictured the writing in the old leather book from the library. The runes had sounded hopeful, even happy. There was nothing in the story—or at least in the part of the story he had seen—that would make him think there had been any problems at all. There was a chance, however, if the dwarfs had found some wealthy mines, that some of Albrek’s followers might have become greedy.

All of the dwarfs Alex knew were both kind and generous, but he had to admit that he didn’t know that many dwarfs—even though this was his third adventure. He suspected that some dwarfs, just like some men, could be corrupted by wealth and dreams of power. If that had happened on the Isle of Bones, there was no telling what they might find when they reached it. A new dwarf realm might be waiting for them, or the ruins of a dream gone badly wrong.

That night, after he had finished his watch, Alex dreamed about the Isle of Bones. He could see the beginnings of a beautiful dwarf city made of stone. The city faced south, and the sun warmed its stone houses all day long. In his dream, Alex wandered the newly made streets and entered the huge stone caverns in the mountains close to the city. It was a wonderful place, but nobody was there. The caves and mines of the city were empty, and he could see no sign that anyone had lived there for hundreds of years.

When Alex woke the next morning, his dream was already fading. He lost the dream completely as he rolled out of his blankets and found that it was starting to rain. Barnabus was at the fire, cooking their breakfast and looking unhappily at the cloudy sky.

“Unusual,” Thrang said as they ate. “It doesn’t often rain this time of year, but when it does, it doesn’t last.”

“Perhaps our wizard friend can push this little storm away,” Kat joked.

“A clear day here might mean a flood somewhere else,” said Alex. “And a little rain never hurt anyone.”

As the day went on, however, Alex began to doubt the wisdom in his own words. The rain grew steadily worse as they traveled and showed no sign of quitting. By midday, they were all soaked to the skin, and Alex had to start their cooking fire because neither Thrain nor Thrang could coax anything more than smoke from their pile of wet branches.

“A little rain never hurt anyone,” Arconn joked. Of the entire group, he seemed the least bothered by the rain.

“Oh, shut up,” said Alex.

They ate quickly and resumed their journey, moving slowly across the muddy grasslands.

Thrain muttered something about the weather, and Nellus and Barnabus teased him about adventures not being all sunny days and dragon hoards.

When they stopped for the night, the rain finally started to let up. They set up their tents and took care of the horses. Everyone changed into dry clothes and felt their spirits lift once more. Barnabus cooked their evening meal, and while they ate, Thrang told a story about one of his early adventures where he had experienced some remarkably bad weather.

“Rained for thirty days and nights, did it?” Nellus joked.

“I’ll bet crossing the road was more like fording a river,” Barnabus added.

“Laugh if you will,” said Thrang, brushing aside their jokes. “I’ll tell you this, though, it took me six weeks to get all my gear dry after that adventure, and that’s a fact.”

“You should have taken your gear out of your bag,” said Kat with a smile.

“Or at least dumped out the water,” Alex added.

“Maybe I should have added a swimming pool to my bag and saved myself the trouble,” said Thrang with a laugh of his own.