VINCENT

Open windows came with Olwen and Monty switching places, and I was once more permitted to enjoy the passing landscape. Ruined arches lined the western side of the road, and a large canopy of trees shaded us from the afternoon sun. Some of the arches were so covered in ivy, they looked to be made of it.

In the distance, uniform bits of large stone poked out of the overgrown vegetation. It was all so different from the pristinely manicured gardens I was used to.

I hadn't been to many cemeteries, so it took me a moment to realize what we were passing. When Tristan had mentioned staying at a Crypt, I hadn't thought he meant one that had been abandoned. I didn't know which would be worse: sleeping in the carriage or on the ground, exposed to the elements.

We rounded a sharp turn in the road, and I looked away from the green arches, expecting to see yet more ruins and what would surely be the witness of a restless night.

What I saw struck me speechless.

Built into the side of a large, forested hill, the front of the stone Crypt towered with tall stained glass windows. Beneath the central tower, columns framed a large set of heavy wooden doors nestled deep within an alcove lined with unlit torches.

It was a classic example of a Crypt and matched plenty of the drawings and paintings I had seen. There was even a young woman wearing the robes of an acolyte beating the dirt from a rug.

"I'll see if there's a room or two available," Tristan said as he opened the carriage door and jumped out as it still moved. I was impressed that his step never faltered.

The carriage pulled to a stop, and Olwen hopped out as well. "You coming?" she asked as she looked at me expectantly. 

I wasn't aware I had a choice. With a moment's thought, I realized the choice was her or Monty. I nodded and followed her.

The inside of the Crypt was much larger than I had been expecting. The main entry was large and circular with a beautifully painted dome ceiling, and a number of halls split outward and further into the hill. My heart sank at the prospect of sleeping in what would essentially be a homey cellar.

Tristan looked back at us as we approached, and his frown deepened when his eyes fell upon me. He closed his eyes with a sigh and looked away.

It would seem the card game we had shared had done nothing to improve my standing with him. I should have guessed as much once he fell into silence when Olwen and Monty traded places driving the carriage, but I had foolishly assumed the silence was out of respect for Olwen doing her best to nap.

Quick footsteps echoed through the stone halls, and an older woman wearing the dark blue robes of a Keeper approached. She smiled broadly as she pulled Tristan into a tight hug.

"Tristan! By Our Blessed Lady, it's been so long! Look at how you've grown!" She held Tristan at arm's length and looked him over before lightly pulling at his curls.

"Keeper Amphalise. It's good to see you," Tristan said as he tried to tilt his head away from her fingers. "I don't mean to impose, but would there be a spare room available? Possibly more?"

Keeper Amphalise looked past Tristan, taking in our group just as Monty came up beside me. Her eyes stopped on me, narrowing in confusion before snapping back to Tristan. "What have you gotten yourself into?"

The thought that she somehow recognized me was surprising. Few outside my father's circle had been allowed to formally make my acquaintance. However, there was always the possibility that Father had already sent soldiers ahead on every last road. If such a thing were true, then I could only hope that Tristan's standing with the Keeper was enough to keep her from turning us in.

Tristan shrugged and looked away. "No more than the usual."

If being hired to steal me away from my father was "no more than usual" for Tristan, then I would very much like to know what was considered "usual" for him. It did, however, make me feel a bit better that I was in the company of people who at least knew what they were doing.

"Yes, there is always room available to the needy," Keeper Amphalise said. She turned and motioned for us to follow.