Though the night lasted an eternity and I grew to know every twist and turn of the rafters' grains by heart, eventually I managed to quiet my restless mind and sleep. I do not remember my dreams, though I woke at dawn drenched in sweat and a pitiful sobbing echoing in my ears.
Sam knocked on my door shortly afterwards and did not seem to be surprised by my neatly packed luggage. "Some guy who looks exactly like Viceroy but claims he's not wants to talk to you." A bundled napkin was thrust at me. I unwrapped it to find an egg biscuit sandwich, steaming hot. "Food's good."
I nodded my thanks and followed her down the narrow hallway to the main reception area. The atmosphere was chilly and tense, people slipping by with their heads bowed as they nervously avoided eye contact. No doubt the oppressive atmosphere was due to the Bone Man loomed by the front door. The pale mask acknowledged our prescense with a brief nod.
"Passage has been arranged. You need only let One know which direction you would like to travel."
I swallowed the last bite of my meal. "We can't really say which way we want to go until I know what awaits us."
Another nod. "To the south is the Whisperer, and furtherer south is Xochiquetzal. If you go west, you will find the home of your unfortunate friend, the place where Angels and Sin Hunters dwell. To the east you will find Emptiness and Quiet. And north, as you know, is where your Lonely Boy rules."
I glanced at Sam, who shrugged. "Up to you, kid."
My eyes scanned across the room, murmuring contemplative sounds to hide the fact that I truly had no clue where to go next. No matter which way I went, I did know one thing for certain. I would not be using the Tall King's Path.
"I appreciate the kindness, however-" A glance at Sam, who only gave another wordless shrug. "However I must attempt this journey using the same method of travel available to anyone. Unless you can provide assurance that this Path is free for everyone to use-" A wordless stare in response- "then I must decline."
"Very well." The Bone Man paused for a moment to needlessly straighten its tie. "You are aware, of course, that you still must be on your journey before the night falls?"
"I do."
"Good." A brief pause. "The night will not be your friend while you are in One's domain. One suggests you start running." Though the mask had stripped away all expression, the dark voice hinted at sharp teeth and torn flesh. I heard the echo of Oar Ellis' head collapsing under pale fingers in a hand that was as long as Sam was tall. I swallowed through a suddenly dry throat and nodded. Then I blinked and the Bone Man was gone, leaving a chill that brought goosebumps to my skin.
"Well." Sam pulled another biscuit from a pocket and started unwrapping it. "I've got to stock up on ammo and other provisionly things. Figure out which way you want to go and see if you can't find us a party to hitch on to." With that Sam was gone, the front door swinging slightly in the Trader's wake.
A wave of vertigo and nausea rushed over me, most likely due to the sudden drop in adrenaline. I rested my back against a nearby wall and closed my eyes for a moment. My breakfast churned uneasily in my stomach, my eyes were gritty and dry from the long night, and my foot ached from the barely-mended bones that stupid horse had broken.
I rubbed my hand over my face and felt my mouth turn into a grimace as my palm rasped over the morning stubble I had neglected to remove. Sighing, I opened my eyes to find a good ten to fifteen masked people staring at me. As I met their gazes, they all turned away and back to their business. All but one, a one-eyed man in a dark brown half-domino. His skin was a pale brown, smattered with dark freckles, his hair a pale orange-blonde.
He rose from his chair, up and up, easily as tall as Sam, if not taller. His tattered cloak fluttered as he crossed the room, offering an easy smile as I pushed myself away from the wall.
"Alfather." He offered a hand, and this close I could see his other eye. The pupil seemed to swallow his eye, a thin ring of yellow barely visible.
"Sen Stu Sha." I shook his hand, the thick calluses not surprising given his well-traveled look. "A pleasure."
"Well," he laughed, "you don't know that yet. I could be a complete dickhead."
The jibe startled a laugh out of me and I relaxed. "Fair enough. What can I do for you, potential dickhead?"
"It's more 'what can we do for each other'? I'm traveling south with a group through the Hushed Plains. I don't think the caravan leader would mind a couple of extra bodies." He leaned in closer, hiding his words from the curious onlookers. I met his eye, my distorted reflection staring back at me. "It's also the quickest way out of the Black Hills. Six hours due south and you should be out before nightfall. It's at least three days travel to the western border and weeks before you reach the Empty City in the east."
Alfather drew back and smiled at me. It was an open smile, honest and friendly. I distrusted it immediately. Sam would have been proud.
"I'll need to talk with my companion first." I stiffened my shoulders and walked past him. He drew aside before we made contact, though his cloak fluttered against my hand for a brief second. Unlike his hand, it was soft like eider down.
"Quickly, Sha." I looked back to see his gimlet eye glittering beneath the domino. "The Tall King does not give idle threats."
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