Chapter 22: Regis POV
We were inside the carriage , I seated next to Faye as always. Bom and Bob, my two favorite clowns—did I just say favorite? Gods help me—sat across. Hector was riding the horses, and Clavis was beside him.
Faye pointed excitedly, "I can see the next kingdom! Look, the snowy mountains!"
I sighed. "Yeah. It's one of the coldest kingdoms ever."
Bob chimed in. "The contradiction is amazing. One side green, the other snow."
Bom rolled his eyes. "It's called nature, genius."
Faye turned to me. "Do you know the queen or king of this land, Regis?"
I sighed again. "No. It's kind of an enemy land. We don't know much about each other—unless they have spies."
Bob turned to Bom. "So they're hostile. Bom, did you ever go there?"
"Yeah, once," Bom said. "It's horrible. Cold, hostile, and they do have a king, but I don't know his name."
While we were still in the borderlands between Zerathune and Klapitia, one of the calèche wheels exploded, throwing us off balance. I heard Faye and Bob scream. Bom yelled, and we skidded to a stop.
"Faye, are you okay?" I asked, panicked.
Bom cut in. "She's immortal. Ask yourself first—you're bleeding."
Faye leaned over to check. "I'm okay. Don't worry. But you're not, Regis."
I touched my forehead. Blood. "Yeah, I'm fine."
Bob was still screaming. "My legs! I don't have a leg anymore!"
Bom yanked a trunk off his lap and snapped, "You still have your leg. Why am I surrounded by drama kings?!"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
Bom just chuckled, "Nothing," and opened the door to step outside. We followed.
Hector and Clavis bowed. "Sorry, my king. We didn't see it."
"Didn't see what?" I asked.
They pointed at a massive ice chunk on the road.
Bom looked suspicious. He touched his chin. "We haven't crossed into Klapitia yet. Why is this here?"
"Maybe the wind?" Faye suggested.
"A wind that carries an entire ice cube? Doubt it," Bom said.
"So what do you think?" I asked.
Bom looked around, scanning the horizon. "I don't know. But we're in the wild lands of Zerathune, and it's getting dark. We need a place to stay."
"There's a small town near the border," I said. "But it's not under Queen Zera's rule."
"What does that mean?" Faye asked.
Hector answered before I could. "Killers. Assassins. Half-monster, half-human."
Bom smiled. "Like me."
I cut in, "They hate outsiders. Especially royalty. Hector, how many hours you need to repair it ?"
"A few , mostlt two hours will be okay , But like Bom said, it's getting late."
"Great," I muttered. " So We need to go to Daggermire and stay the night. Act like assassins. Blend in. Then in the morning, we continue to Klapitia."
"So tomorrow, we finally reach Klapitia?" Faye asked.
"Exactly," I said.
Bob groaned. "Is it far, this dangerous town? Maybe we just stay in the carriage?"
Bom laughed. "If you want to get eaten by a Lamborian in your sleep, that's a solid plan."
Bob gasped, horrified. "Regis! Where exactly is this town again?"
I pointed silently to the darkened road ahead.
To Daggermire we go.