laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

Several days through the forest and they finally arrived to the fields outside the walled town most here had known as home for decades. Closing her eyes, Kailee could feel the change in the air and knew the group had been successful here too. As golden sunlight spilled down through the tall trees, silvery eyes turned to her friends and family.

"Welcome home," she smiled.

Jarvis huffed. "Not the same from here. Just wish we could go back."

"You can," their host continued. "It's clear now."

"How can you tell that from here, darling," Kavayen asked.

"I can feel it. The mood of the town is back to normal again so we can get you back to your homes finally."

They all studied her for a long moment, then rose and readied to climb the sloping hill to the western gate. Elizabeth walked up beside her as they moved from the treeline.

"You can really feel the pulse of the town from out here?"

Kailee eyed her grandmother and nodded.

Smiling, her blue eyes sparkled as she wrapped her arm around Kailee's back. "Truly remarkable."

* * *

Once passing through the busy marketplace, they finally arrived at Jarvis and Katarina's home to find it cleaned and food stored in the pantry.

"That's odd," Katarina noted as she moved through the kitchen and smelled the hearth whose ashes still smoldered. "I thought we were gone longer than that," she eyed Kailee.

Smelling the air, she could pick out the residual scents of her friends and smiled. "They're back."

"Who," Kavayen queried.

"Allaster and the others. Who else would be comfortable here?"

Nodding, Jarvis carressed his daughter's hair as she stood beside him. "It'll be good to see them again. Can't believe we've been gone for four months already."

"Well," Katarina straightened. "We've got dinner to prepare, so let's get to it."

Soon, Selryia led Alandria, Justyn and Lita into the house, surprised at the occupants return. Happy greetings filled the small apartment as Kailee enjoyed the celebration. Not long after, Allaster and Arthur returned with Af'Ring and Kevin. Sceva and Marian had taken a ride for the afternoon which left only one more that still hadn't arrived yet. Eventually, Kailee approached Allaster.

"Where's Lericanin?"

Smile melted as the knight set his tankard back on the small table beside him. "He's gone."

Brow furrowed, she searched his mind for a more concise explanation. "What do you mean, gone?"

"He left." Motioning with his head, he led her out into the yard and around towards the well where he stopped and turned. "We found the baroness of Carbost. She had been drugged and kept as leverage against Irnic, the necromancer that had raised your vampire lord. He and his soldiers attacked us and killed her, for real this time. The next morning Kevin handed me Lericanin's hammer and armor and told me he led his horse to the west."

"Soderham?" She knew Darvin had gone there to train as a templar but, she couldn't see any reason for Lericanin to go that way other than for a visit. But, if he was distraught she figured he would wish to be alone instead.

"I don't know," he shrugged.

Concentrating, she reached out and eventually found her friend to the northeast and heading that way instead. "He's not going west," she turned to face Borge' to the east.

"What?"

"He's not heading to the west," she lowered the mental search and turned back to the group's leader and oldest veteran. "Perhaps he's headed to see Jilahd."

"Why would he go there," Selyria inquired as the rest walked up.

"Not sure. Just a guess."

"He seemed pretty upset, as were we all," Allaster continued. "But, I had to see this through to the end. Carbost is my home and I couldn't allow this evil to continue, that's why we came back."

"I'm glad you did," Kailee smiled. "My grandparents I'm sure thank you also. They couldn't wait to get back."

"Wasn't a market nearby," Adgertesse' added dryly which prompted a few chuckles.

"That would do it," Allaster nodded. "Ghevond knows they need to shop once a week. Especially my aunt."

Kailee enjoyed the banter with her friends again but, with one missing, it wasn't the same. "Do you think he'll come back?"

The farmer's son leaned back onto the well's edge and crossed his arms. "I don't know, really. I hope so. He's been my inspiration when I needed a kick in the breeches."