Page 8 of The Glass Unicorn: Part 13

“I’ve been better, but whatever the healer did, it took away the pain. I’m not gonna try to get up, though.” His voice was weak, but he looked so much better than he had when we arrived that I felt confident he’d recover fully.

“We did it. The key’s gone. Devastey’s dead. And Zaran…well…he’s out there somewhere,” I said. “We’re going to go home—to Liesel’s.”

“I’m looking forward to that. And thank heavens that key is off your neck. From now on, no putting on strange jewelry until we figure out what it is and what it does. That goes for all of us.” Ray laughed weakly, but it was still a laugh.

“He needs to rest,” Youama said. She led us over to the counter where platters of bread and cheese, fruit and hard-boiled eggs awaited. “There’s soup in the cauldron on the woodstove,” she said. “Help yourselves. Rest and replenish. After that, you can wash up and then get some sleep.”

Otsiano smiled at her. “Thank you, Youama.”

“Anything for the Lord of the Crystal Forest,” she said. “Is Master Ashelainn outside?”

Otsiano nodded, picking up a slice of the pillowy-soft bread. “Yes, go and speak with him. I’ll stay here with Ray and the others.”

As we settled in with our food, Ray slumbering gently—still cushioned on the table—I thought that finally we could rest. Zaran was out there, yes, but he wouldn’t find us here.

CHAPTER 79: A BOND OF FAMILY

By morning, Ray was up and moving. He would have a few scars, but the burns had healed up a remarkable amount and he would be all right. Feeling responsible, I walked over to where he was sitting and slid into the chair next to him. “How are you doing?”

“Surprisingly all right. Youama explained that I’ll have some scars, but at least I’ll live.” He paused, then added, “Don’t blame yourself. I know you, and I know there’s part of you that feels to blame, and you shouldn’t. We all made the decision to come here; we all went into that dungeon together. We’re a family, and we stick together.”

His smile pierced through like a sunbeam through thick, gray clouds, and I slumped, feeling both reprieved and yet humbled.

“Family…we really are, aren’t we? We started out as friends, and now, here we are, united by circumstances that have bound us together. Thank you for not blaming me. I’m so sorry you were hurt.” I rested my hand on his arm, and he placed his hand over mine, squeezing it gently.

“Yes, we’re family.”

Otsiano joined us. “Erenye, now that you’ve finished your quest, and before you go home, there’s a matter we need to settle.”

“I’ll be working for you, correct?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yes, all of you, if you like. But from you, I need to bind you to a pledge. Anyone who works for me has a code of conduct to follow, and I need your oath to uphold that.”

Nervous again, I shifted in my chair. “A code of conduct? Isn’t that for…like a cleric to bind to their god, or a monk to their order?”

“Yes, but it’s also for those who follow my path. Will you take that pledge?” His voice was grave, and I realized that it would be a binding oath, not a list of suggestions.

Otsiano had been more than fair with us and extremely helpful. We probably wouldn’t have survived the battle with Zaran if he hadn’t helped us escape. And going forward, I was fairly certain Zaran would be back for revenge, and it seemed a good thing to have Otsiano on our side. I wasn’t certain how Master Ashelainn played into all of this, but he was friends with Otsiano, and that was good enough for me.

“Yes, I’ll take the pledge. When and where?” I asked.

“This afternoon, before you leave for home tomorrow. It’s a simple ceremony,” he added.

“What happens if I fail? What happens if I break the oath?” I asked. “I don’t plan on it, but it’s good to know the consequences.”

Otsiano’s gaze clouded. “That depends on the magnitude of the betrayal. Minor and I forgive and we move forward. Major…my hounds will hunt you down.”

That was all he had to say. Major betrayal meant a painful death. But…once again…a major betrayal would be deliberate. I could imagine making a minor slipup, but right now, I couldn’t foresee sneaking around behind his back. While the forest gods tended to be neutral, I’d never heard of one treading evil paths.

“Can we do this before I chicken out?” I asked.

He nodded. “We can. Come with me.”

“What happens if I want to pledge to you, as well?” Ray asked.

“You’ll have to switch to a dual class and work on your Druidry. As you know, a druid—here in Abarria—is a woodland-focused cleric. Are you willing to do that?”

Ray nodded. “I am. And I’d like to feel I have some small protection over my head—that I can call on someone if the going gets rough.”