Ever the Night Road by Michael Breen

Author:Michael Breen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fantasy adventure, fantasy coming of age, mystical, fellowship, friendship
Publisher: Michael Breen
Published: 2022-11-29T00:00:00+00:00

14

The wind whipped harsh and wet against the heavy windows of Lomenthal Station. From the great dining hall, Dagny had watched the storm take shape on the far side of the lake, cross the water, and bare down on the rocky coast.

They arrived this morning, taking one of the river boats out of the city. It was an expensive trip, but comfortable. They had planned to rest only briefly before heading across the lake to the island and the old palace. Now Dagny found herself restlessly watching the storm, wondering when it would pass.

Lomenthal Station was enormous and grand. A former palace itself during the Regime of Man, Tash had told her. The New Palace. When the Authority took control, a generation ago, they gave the sprawling complex over to the People. The idea was that everyone should be allowed to make use of the grounds. The reality, however, was much different. Lomenthal was simply too far removed from the neighboring towns, and the People were simply too busy trying to survive to allow for lazy vacations on the banks of Deep Lake. So the Station, especially during autumn and winter, went mostly unused.

There were only two other occupants of the Station today: the Authority’s steward, and a fresh-faced soldier of the Vahnland. They seemed pleasant enough, but had both consumed enough wine to be throughly drunk by noon. The soldier was presently passed out at the far end of the dining hall, next to a grand double staircase that led to the Station’s ballroom. Dagny could faintly hear his snoring over the downpour.

Before leaving Old Rork, Dagny had told Tash he didn’t have to come. If he could just tell her what he knew of the old palace, she’d find it on her own, but Tash wouldn’t hear of it. “No way,” he said. “This is too interesting, with your sister having drawn those pictures and everything. Besides, this is my chance to see the place for myself.”

They made their plans on the floor of Alex’s study. Tash had gathered his grandfather’s maps and spread them over the rug, pointing out the various chambers and locations of the old palace grounds. “This used to be the hunting preserve,” he said, gesturing to a massive area on the west end of the island, then moving his hand over. “And this is where the gardens are.”

“That’s where I want to go,” Dagny said. “The gardens. I wanna know why Grete drew them.” Maybe there was something there, a clue to where her sister had gone. Dagny knew it was unlikely, but still...

Lightning crashed in front of the Station’s high, arched windows, briefly illuminating the empty dining hall. It was mid-afternoon now, but it might as well have been late evening, as dark as it was inside.

Just before the storm arrived, Dagny could see the old ruins from her place at the window, almost shimmering on the distant shore of the island. Now she couldn’t even see the rocky beach on the other side of the glass.

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