Land's End, Part 10
Gilbetron stood at the edge of the roadway and looked south. The crystal had led them nearly all the way to Fort Reginald before suddenly demanding a turn south. The only problem with that was that there was absolutely nothing in that direction was rocky plateau, some of it difficult to navigate. There would be no trails or villages for several days, if any at all, and eventually they would have to cross the Drennedel Mountains. Without being able to access any known passes, the passage would be extremely difficult.
“It wants us to head southwest,” he proclaimed once Nieka came back into earshot. She had been a few feet away tending to the horses.
For a moment, she looked confused. “But the road takes us northwest,” she said.
“It must want us to go offroad. I had hoped we could pass through the Fort, and perhaps even continue on to the coast north of Land’s End,” he explained. “I know the land there. I’ve travelled it dozens of times. But I’ve never ventured into the plateaus, and I don’t even know anybody who has.”
“Do you suppose Telematrice and the others are being hidden in the plateaus?” she said.
He frowned. It didn’t make sense. “No,” he admitted. “The only theory that makes sense is that they’re being taken off Gilbetronia altogether.”
“Why couldn’t Lady Tele—” She broke off suddenly, remembering herself. “I’m sorry. I mean, the Usurper. Why couldn’t she simply have the other women of the Telematric killed? Why bother secreting them someplace off the coast? It seems like a ten coin solution to a one coin problem.”
“It’s more complicated than that,” Gilbetron assured her. “You see, the Telematrix was created by the Mysts of Wysshylna for Reginald XXVII. In order to defeat him, the Telematrix had to take an oath with one another to protect each other from bodily harm. To break that oath, by either killing or injuring another Telematrice, would bring down the wrath of the Mysts.”
Nieka looked at him wide-eyed. “What does that even mean?”
“Nobody knows for sure, but the last time an oath was broken hundreds of lives were taken in payment, including that of Reginald XXVII. The Telematrice currently sitting on the throne can only send them into exile. It’s a dangerous game she’s playing. There’s got to be more to her plot than mere lust for power.”
“I don’t know the crystal like you do, but if it’s telling us to head south, we should do it. Your wife’s life could depend on it.”
He nodded gravely, looking off to the southwest where daylight was already beginning to fade.
“It’ll be a tough ride, and I don’t know the way,” he said at last, clenching his fist. But maybe the crystal does.