The walk to the cave was short, though it seemed to drag out far longer than it should have to me. I had expected… well, I wasn’t sure what I’d expected, but she was so different. I supposed it was only natural, a child would change anyone’s perspective and priorities. I just hadn’t expected it from Lare, she’d been such an adventurous soul. I’d been surprised to see the notice, not because the Gullet wasn’t dangerous, but because I’d have expected Lare to rush in alone if she wanted something in there, regardless of what anyone thought.

  I glanced back at her as we picked our way over the rocky terrain, the sound of the waves, along with the terns and gulls overhead making conversation a losing proposition, but I tried anyway. “Lare! I hadn’t heard you and Adrien finally tied the knot! When did that happen?” I wore an easy grin, ill fitting as it felt.

  Larrica smiled back, but it was a tired thing. “Oh, a bit more than a year ago now. It took forever to convince his mother.”

  I laughed, and a bit of tension drained away. That didn’t surprise me a bit. Adrien had lost his father before he’d ever been born, and unlike my mother, his had tried to smother and protect him from the world. To hide him away from danger, which included that greatest danger of all to a mother, girls. I had carried many a note in secret between the two during their teens, and it looked like it had finally paid off. “No surprises there. I’m glad it finally happened! And young Hadrian looks to be hale and healthy, congratulations!”

  Larrica seemed to glow at the mention of her son, nodding. “He’s growing like a weed! Which is why I need this moss!” She said this as we made the final, steep descent across rocks smoothed by many feet and much sea spray. A large cave yawned before us, the opening ringed by stalactites and stalagmites, looming like teeth sure to have been part of the inspiration for the cave’s name. With the water low enough that only shallow pools dotted the floor of the Gullet, the wind whistled and howled through the opening, and as I stopped to listen, it did sound vaguely of a distant woman singing a wordless tune.

  Turning to the others, I spoke loudly over the sound. “Alright, I’ve been here a few times, and know the way, so I’ll go first. Let's keep around 10 paces behind me, just in case any nasties are waiting for us. Vera, if you wouldn’t mind keeping watch from the rear?”

  Vera nodded, stepping down to the slightly rounded floor of the opening, peering within. “Sure. You sure you want to go first though? I may not know the way, but nothing in here is going to hurt me,” she asked, glancing over dubiously.

  “I’m sure. It can’t always be you taking the beating. Especially now that we think… that might not be as much of an issue.” I glanced meaningfully down at my leg.

  Vera cleared her throat, lowering her voice. “I know I said you’d figure it out in the moment, but we’re looking at a whole lot of unknowns there.”

  “It’ll be fine. I’ve got a good feeling about this. Plus, I can see better in the dark.” And it was true, too. I felt good about today. Vera eyed me for another moment, then nodded with a grin. I turned back to Larrica, who stood to the side, looking into the Gullet while wringing her hands nervously. “Alright Lare, I’m going to head in, you two give it a minute before following. I’ll call out if we need to turn back, alright?” Larrica smiled weakly, but assented.

  “Alright then.” With that, I unslung my hammer, gripping it tightly in one hand as I ducked beneath the ‘teeth’ and stepped within. There was quite a bit of natural light reflecting off the pools within, and I had no trouble stepping around them quietly. As I recalled, the Gullet was shaped quite like its namesake, though it did snake a bit from side to side. The sound of the wind passing through the cave surrounded me, though I knew from experience a shout would still carry due to the strange acoustics. Slowly prowling around the bend, the path was still clear. I allowed myself to relax a bit, and took a deep breath, the scents painting a picture of dank, dripping weeds, of crustaceans feeding on the remains of fish trapped within the small pools and unable to get away from their grasping pincers.

  I moved forward, more confidently now as the ground gently sloped upward. My sense of smell was clearly growing more sensitive, and while there had been some… strangeness, with the shade striders, it felt like something I could trust. It wasn’t long before I stood in the large, round chamber that marked the end of the cave system. The remains of dead fish littered the wide chamber, a shallow pool nearly filling it. From the roof, streamers of kelp dangled, along with root systems of plants growing through the ceiling. Low along the walls and filling the bottom of the pool was our prize, copious amounts of the mottled orange moss growing up and around the narrow fish bones and shells. I picked up a pebble from the floor of the cavern, tossing it into the water with a loud plop while watching for any movement. The chitinous mound of a large crab shifted in the mud, and nudged it with the head of my hammer, causing it to scuttle away to the rear of the cavern. It wasn’t big enough to be dangerous, so when nothing else disturbed the mossy pool, I grinned.

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  Picking my way along the narrow path not submerged around the edge of the pool, I reached the last of the passage, ending where the rock unceremoniously ended, a small opening at the top letting in a spear of light, and beginnings of the wind that made up the Gullet’s ‘song’. Turning back, I yelled “All clear!”

  It was only a minute or so before Vera and Larrica stepped into the room, expressions varying from Vera’s impressed gaze to the smaller woman’s sagging relief. She wasted no time, wading into the pool and scooping handfuls of the moss into the basket she carried.

  “Pretty in here,” Vera said quietly as she looked around. I took a moment to do the same. The song was quiet in here, only a low whistle not having picked up its full breadth of sound yet, but all the same it lent the space a nobility, a sense of unbridled possibility. I hummed in agreement, quietly appreciating it.

  “Oh, sorry, Larrica, did you want some help?” Vera moved to help the young woman as she efficiently harvested the moss, but she was gently waived off with a smile.

  “No, I’m alright. I’m almost done anyway. I don’t need much, and we don’t want to overharvest or the moss will take much longer to regrow,” she said, finally seeming to relax with a long breath. “Thank you both for coming with me. I just get so worried… with Hadrian, I have to make sure nothing happens to me. With Adrien going out past the reef, anything could happen. I know it might seem a small thing, and maybe even a waste of your time to come out here, but it means a great deal to me.” She looked between the two of us, the smile on her face genuinely thankful.

  My cheeks flushed, embarrassed at my earlier uncharitable thoughts. I ran a hand through my hair, looking away. “Really, Lare… that's what friends are for. It's not like it was far.”

  Vera nodded, her usual grin replaced with a kind smile. “Aye, and gettin' to see this place? More ‘n worth it, even if there had been a fight. I should be thankin’ you!”

  Larrica laughed, and the sound bounced around the room, lifting all their spirits. “Mmmm, well I’m glad to have brought you. It is a wonderful place. Though we should be leaving, we don't want to have to swim out, after all.”

  With that, we filed back out quietly as we listened to the song of the wind as it wove past. When we reached the village, we bid our farewells, and Larrica paid us the small fee as promised in the notice. I intended to refuse it, as we hadn’t really done anything, but she insisted. With smiles all around, they parted, Larrica promising to stop by my mother’s house to say hello again on the morrow, and to bring Adrien too. The sun was in the west, but not yet setting as we stopped by the lone storefront, picking up flour and some fruit before heading back to the cottage.

  As we walked away from the village, Vera spoke. “Hey, Bram. You mentioned that you see better in the dark than me, earlier. I didn’t want to push with someone else around, but what did ya mean?”

  “Ah, yeah. I’m pretty sure that was the first thing that changed, after I got my binding. I see pretty much perfectly in the darkness. That’s how I knew something was off with the shade striders. I couldn’t see into the dark where they were hiding at all.”

  Vera let out a whistle. “Damn, that’s handy. Strange, though. I know we already figured your magic is pretty different, but I’ve never heard of spontaneous abilities like that, for someone who wasn’t born with it. And hey, that’s something we should talk about. You should probably keep all of this to yourself. Magic and new discoveries are great, but a lot of folk would maybe take too strong an interest in you, if word got round, ya know? Might make trouble for you. And proper mages of any of the schools… well they sure do like their dissections, if you know what I mean.” She wiggled her eyebrows meaningfully.

  I frowned, pondering before answering. “Sure, I’ve heard mages study magical creatures and effects, especially those from before the Banishment. But, you really think they’d try to do something to me? I’m a regular citizen, and adventurer. People would notice.”

  Vera shook her head. “Accidents happen. And out on a quest, or some job outside of the cities? Anything could happen. Just think about it, and try to keep your secrets, secret. At least until you’re strong enough to fend off anyone who comes snooping.”

  After a moment, I nodded. It was simple enough, and no harm could come from not boasting, I supposed. Especially since I was beginning to form a theory on the nature of my powers. I seemed to be getting stronger with each fight. After I’d killed the dreg’s leader, I’d felt energized, ready to take on anything. At the time I’d thought it was just the thrill of a fight, but now… After I’d killed that strider, it had happened again, and my leg had healed in moments. And ever since, I’d felt… solid. Strong. And my clothes were certainly a bit tighter than they were before. I was still changing, and more and more with each kill. I wasn’t sure what to make of that, or even what it might mean I was changing into. I shook my head, letting the worries slip away as we arrived at the cottage, smoke puffing cheerily from the chimney spreading scrumptious smells of roasting meat across the countryside. Entering my childhood home, we were greeted by a very lively Mother, zipping about the kitchen far quicker than her age would suggest her capable of. Swooping in for a hug, I held her tight. For a moment I found I had no desire to let her go. So much had changed, and even more would in the coming days. But as she laughed and extricated herself, quizzing us on the outing and all manner of gossip in the village, I found himself smiling anyway. Change would come, of that there was no doubt. But here, now, I was happy. And I meant to savor it.