Hours passed, and Ryver resigned herself to walking forever in this purgatory of darkness and danger. Strangely, she almost became numb to it when Cannon pulled on her sleeve.
“Hey, daydreamer. Look,” he said, pointing up.
Once again, she followed his finger and saw that the inky black was giving way to the morning light. Ribbons of lilac, saffron, and tangerine competed for attention above her. Were she not so tired, she would have cried at the beauty.
“Dealer’s choice. I smell chimney smoke ahead, which means a village is nearby. Do you want to stop here or keep going?”
Ryver wondered at Cannon giving her responsibility for making this choice. But she also knew he wouldn’t steer her deliberately into danger.
“We could see if a room could be rented. I have money in my pack,” Cannon c
