11
Constellations
After the storm died down, the sky mercifully cleared of clouds. Luella led them back to the trail the following morning, and they continued their endless trek north. A crisp, pale blue expanse stretched above them, broken up only by the silhouettes of birds. Felix had been mulling something over for a few days now, and he wanted answers. He spurred Ranger forward until he was riding next to Luella.
“So,” Felix began, “how did you know about that cave?”
She snorted. “I know this area.”
He shook his head. “You came to tell me we had to get to shelter during that storm, and while we were talking, you suddenly knew where to go. How does that work?”
Luella narrowed her eyes at him. “Just because you couldn’t find your arse in the dark if someone kicked it for you, Felix, doesn’t mean everyone else is equally clueless.”
He grinned at that, then shrugged. “Fine, don't tell me. I’ll find out eventually.”
By late afternoon, they came upon three standing stones looming over the rolling landscape. They were massive, each one covered in a patchwork of weathered carvings, almost hidden under the thick moss growing on them. Isolde was mesmerised by the ancient monument and begged to make camp right then so she could study them.
Luella had an uneasiness about her that made Felix suspicious. But when he questioned her about it, she snapped at him and told him he could take the second watch for being so bloody nosy today.
***
The night was unusually clear. Felix sat at the edge of their small camp, leaning against one of the monoliths. He normally hated having the second watch – it ruined any chance of decent sleep – but tonight he didn’t mind it much. He had allowed himself a drink; the air was crisp, and the faint breeze rustled in the grass and shrubs of the hilly terrain surrounding them. Above him, the sky was alive with thousands upon thousands of stars.
The muffled sound of a foot slipping on a pebble interrupted his quiet musing. Felix was on his feet in an instant. Moving as quietly as he could, he crept around the stone, dagger in hand.
Another faint footstep came from his left. Felix pivoted and leapt out, weapon raised.
“Ahh! You scared me!” Isolde shrieked, stumbling back as a sudden flare of magic burst around her. Felix cursed under his breath and staggered sideways to avoid her, dagger clattering to the ground as he braced himself against the rock. He rested his hands on his knees, breathing hard, waiting for the rush to subside.
“What are you sneaking around the camp at this hour for?” he hissed, keeping his voice low. “I could have hurt you!”
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, looking down. “I couldn’t sleep, and the sky was so bright. If I just moved away from the stones and the tents, I thought, I’d get a better view of the stars…”
Felix straightened, shaking his head. A bemused grin spread across his face. Of course, the lady needed to see the stars. He retrieved his blade. “And you figured if Felix has a fit in the process, that’s a bonus?” he quipped, but his comment had no bite to it.
Isolde opened her mouth to respond, but her gaze shifted to the sky behind him. “Look!” she said, her voice filled with barely restrained excitement. “You can see the entire Serpent from here! In Azuill, his tail is always below the horizon…”
Before Felix could reply, she brushed past him and the stones and plopping herself onto the grass. She leaned back on her hands, staring upward with wild delight. Felix hesitated for a moment, then sat down next to her. She looked at him and smiled, her face radiant, her magic glowing faintly.
“See?” she said eagerly, pointing towards the horizon. “Just there – Astoriel, the last star in the Serpent’s tail. Oh, and the Dragon is so bright here! Look at all the little stars that make up the wing shape! I have never seen them this clearly!”
Felix smiled, then laid back on the grass beside her, folding his arms under his head. His gaze drifted up to the night sky. “Only someone like you could see serpents and dragons in the sky,” he murmured.
Her head turned toward him, eyes wide with surprise. “What do you mean? You’ve never learned the constellations?”
Felix frowned, glancing at her. “Constellations?”
“Yes! Doesn’t everyone learn them?” Her brows drew together in confusion.
Felix grimaced. “I’m afraid my education was not especially academic, Isa.”
She scowled and looked ready to launch into a lecture but stopped herself. Instead, her voice softened. “Sorry. I forget sometimes.” She gestured at the sky. “Scholars many centuries ago drew shapes between the stars to better be able to document the night sky and to help sailors and travellers navigate. They called those shapes constellations. If you know which stars to look for, they can tell you which direction you are going. That” – she laid down next to him and pointed upward – “up there is the Sword. You can see the three stars in a straight line – that’s the hilt. Then the small cluster to the left of it is the pommel…”
“And the row on the other side is the blade,” Felix finished, tracing the shape with his eyes. He glanced at her face, catching her brightest smile yet.
“Yes!” she said, her enthusiasm infectious.
He smiled back, then returned his gaze to the stars.
