Page 16 of Marked
The half-day journey went faster than expected, even with the rainfall. By the time they reached Lynnwick, the rain had stopped but they were now covered in mud. Blair exhaled with relief as they approached, her skin covered in cracked dirt that had now dried.
She could tell the village was bigger than Silverdawn. Even from the entrance, it seemed twice the size. Like SilverDawn, it was nestled between towering trees and hills from the outside.
As they crossed under a large archway, the hum of activity instantly filled their ears.
The streets were not cobbled but smooth, the dirt flat and soft.
The paths were crowded with townsfolk weaving through each other, carrying boxes, laughing, and speaking in lively voices.
Her eyes scanned the surrounding area and immediately settled on the colors that were so prominently displayed.
The town was full of pastel hues. Ribbons decorated the trees in light blues, pinks and yellows.
Woven banners of those colors stretched across booths.
Blair squinted against the sun peeking out from around the clouds, taking in the sight of the town which was bustling with movement.
Damien eyed a table nearby and walked up to the vendor, asking about the towels displayed.
He soon returned with two small, damp cloth towels.
He offered her one and used the other to wipe his brow and arms. The mud on their clothes had hardened, drying in thick patches and cracking as they scraped at it.
The larger chunks fell easily, but a thin, dusty film clung to the fabric, staining it a dull brown.
“I guess we’ll have to figure out a way to wash these.” Blair said, tugging at a particularly stubborn clump on her thigh.
After a few minutes, most of the mud had come off and they continued toward the middle of the town.
"Look at that," Damien said, pointing to a curious shop with a large wooden sign swinging above its entrance. It showed a sign of a quill and a book. The window displayed several bound books wrapped in pastels that towered to different heights. Blair leaned closer to the shop, her eyebrows raised.
"It's twice as big as the one in SilverDawn," she muttered, intrigued. He nudged her toward the door, encouraging her to wander through the books.
"Spend however long you would like, but don't leave the shop. I'm just going across the street." He pointed to the building across the path. "Runners Guild" was painted on a birchwood sign nailed to the wall.
She nodded absentmindedly, walking through the intricately carved door, which was covered in swirls and small illustrations.
Walking in, her eyes immediately took in the expansive shelves.
Each one, towering over her with rows and stacks of books.
Every inch of space was filled, from floor to ceiling, with books.
Some novels were perfectly lined up, others stacked haphazardly.
She began to stroll, lifting her hand and running her fingers over the countless spines.
Blair barely noticed as Damien left, her mind consumed by the magic around her.
She picked one up at random, turning it over in her hands.
The writing inside was foreign and intriguing to Blair.
She sat and turned the pages, finding pictures that depicted different parts of the story.
What seemed like a few minutes passed, and she looked up, finding Damien leaning against an exposed beam with his feet and arms crossed. She smiled, "That was fast."
His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "It's been two hours, Blair."
Her jaw popped open, and she stood. "I'm sorry!" She quickly closed the book and set it on a nearby windowsill, feeling embarrassed.
Damien cocked his head to the side and opened the door leading back out to the village.
He nudged her with his shoulder as she passed, and she responded with a sheepish smile.
They turned, taking in the view of the village again.
"I sent the fastest runner. He will return within four days' time.
He was tasked with checking on the town and delivering a message to Finley.
We will have to stay until he returns but I found lodging for us while we wait. "
Blair nodded, stopped, and turned to him, "Thank you, Damien. I really mean that." Taking a moment to meet his gaze, she placed her hand on his chest briefly. He went rigid in response, and she pulled away quickly, returning her attention to the city before them.
They wandered farther down the street, taking in the vibrant market around them.
It almost mimicked the one they knew from their home, except here, stalls lined the roads in a line.
These booths were in different shapes and held mostly perishable items. A large U-shaped table was bursting with fresh fruits, orange melons, purple berries, and ripe apples.
Another booth was lined with chests, different varieties of flowers peeking out of them.
As Blair scoped out the tables, a group of children ran past. Her eyes catching on a toy that most of them held, a strange wooden rectangle that made musical sounds as they spun it through the air.
They continued, passing a blacksmith's forge. Damien paused to watch the smith hammering some kind of sword into shape. The air was thick with the smell of burning coal and hot metal.
"Do you miss your forge?" Blair asked, sensing a change in his demeanor at the sight.
Taking a moment to think, he sighed as he responded. "I miss not having to worry about anything around me. It was the only place I didn't have to hide." Pulling his eyes away, Damien motioned in the direction of the outskirts of town. "That's where we're headed."
Following his gaze, Blair caught something in the distance. Through the gaps between the buildings, something unusual seemed to be visible. Steam rose from the top of a small hill just outside the town, and as they approached, the scent of warm minerals and earth grew stronger.
"A hot spring." Damien expressed.
Blair followed his gaze to the distant mist, where pools of steaming water shimmered under the last rays of the sun.
It was a beautiful sight, pale green water steaming gently from the earth, surrounded by rocks that seemed to glisten in the light.
The area was secluded, bordered by tall trees, and even from this distance, the warm, inviting steam seemed to call out to them.
"It looks interesting. I've never been to one before," Blair said softly, curiosity lining her voice. After days of walking, the idea of soaking in those warm waters was tempting.
"Good, it's our home for the next few days," he responded, watching her for her reaction, “At least until we get word back.” A blank stare met him back as she looked at him and then the hot springs again.
"Damien, I don't have any money for this. I barely have clothes." Blair said, gesturing down to herself. "Everything I owned is back in SilverDawn." she paused, defeat filling her eyes as she continued, “If it even survived the fire at all."
Damien shook his head, "Technically, it's my fault we are in this mess.
Let me at least cover the cost." Blair started to protest, but she realized it wouldn't matter.
He was the only one with money, and if he wanted to spend it on the hot springs, who was she to deny him.
She looked up, shrugging in agreement, and a small smile of victory spread across his face.
They walked together through the lobby, greeting the receptionist with a wave.
Arriving at the double doors, they opened them to the courtyard.
A massive area of grass was fenced in, leading to the springs.
Several small buildings were encircling the water on both sides.
Each brick structure showcased a different number but were relatively the same size and shape.
As they approached the room with a big 23 on it, Damien took out a single key.
Blair looked at him, raising one eyebrow.
Damien noticed her apprehension and raised his hands innocently.
"I’m going to be in the water most of the time anyway.
" She lowered her eyebrow as he placed the key in the lock and turned the handle.
With no further sign of reluctance from her, he pushed open the door.
The room was small, offering one large bed, two nightstands, and a table in the far corner.
The walls were bare but shined with a simplistic beauty, showcasing different grains of wood.
Walking to the other door, Blair discovered a small bathroom attached and immediately grabbed her bag to shower and change her clothes.
Not wanting to use all the water, she hurriedly washed her hair and the dirt off her skin.
After a few minutes, she was out, and Damien took her spot in the bathroom.
She placed her dirty clothes outside the door and stopped back in, nodding in approval at the bed as she grazed her fingers over it, feeling the soft texture of the cotton blankets that lay on top.
With a content sigh, she laid down, flopping on her stomach and groaning in approval.
She quickly tugged the blankets and wrapped them around her, savoring the way she was hugged from all sides.
"Okay, I don't hate you right now . Right now, I'm content," she said out loud to Damien even though she knew he couldn't hear her.
Closing her eyes, she listened to the water run as her body relaxed into the bed.
Soon after, the smile that was plastered on her face loosened, and a soft snore replaced it.