Episode 48
The Cauldron
“Wow,” Gecko said. “That was the greatest escape of all time.”
“We were lucky, you mean,” Ibrahim said. He collapsed to the deck against the gunwale of the ferry next to Thip, still breathing heavily. They’d had to run the last eight miles through the woods chased by dogs. “If the guards hadn’t been cudgelling the gaolers there’s no way we would’ve got out of there.”
That was true: it had been a close thing. Once they’d made it to the surface, Polly had made a beeline for the ferry with Penny and Tortoise while the others led their pursuers on a less-than-merry chase. Most of them were nursing cuts and bruises of one kind or other.
“Chaos is just opportunity going to waste.” Gecko took off his helmet. “Trust me, luck had nothing to do with it.”
“Alright, that’s enough out of you, Gecko,” Polly said. “We’re not there yet. Save the celebration for after the ferry.”
They all looked back at the riverbank. The last of their pursuers were milling about on the jetty.
A flock of geese landed in the water, honking softly.
In the end it took a few weeks to get back to the Pegasus.
The morning after crossing the river, they’d woken in rainforest to find Polly gone. Indira and Dee, who’d stood last watch, said she’d be back and, sure enough, an hour later Polly returned on an imposing black horse with a change of clothes for everyone, three daggers and a sword, and a small bag of gold. She told them she had a few loose ends to tidy up, and sent them on ahead to Lagh to wait for the ship, if they wanted to rejoin her.
“Watch out for devil bears,” she added before riding off. “This place is crawling with them.”
The gang spent the rest of the day arguing over whether devil bears were real and who should get one of the daggers.
Late in the afternoon they came across a sounder of boar foraging beneath an ancient tree. That evening they feasted on succulent wild meat, forest peppers, mushrooms, roasted ferns, and honeycomb, and sang old songs and told stories around the fire late into the night.
Next episode: The Emperor