Veleria avoided sleep again. Each dream was vivid in her mind, and they were only growing in number, creating a catalog that vied for space in her memory. That which had resurrected her was slowly encroaching upon her mind, though Veleria was still managing to keep it and herself separated.
At least, she hoped so.
“There are some real bad spots between us and Mt. Yelugh.”
Veleria sighed, peeling herself from her own mind to look towards Adrian riding beside her. He had the map out again. At the moment, there were only dry, golden wheat plains around them. It was only them and the horses. She didn’t actually know where they were. Before now, she had always played stowaway, or scrounged a few bronze together to pay a guy to cart her off somewhere.
“Bad in what sense?” Veleria asked.
Adrian folded the map and stowed it in one of his many pockets.
“We’re going to see people I wouldn’t let in my guild. Out this way, from what I understand, is where Alk’Hath does most of her recruiting.”
Veleria winced. She had already started covering her face again.
Adrian continued, “We’ll be sharing rooms. Names will have to change.” He rubbed his chin at this. There was now a beard present where usually there was just stubble. His growing hair had been tied back as well.
“Do you think that will be enough?” Veleria asked him.
“Against her people? No. She hires legitimate wizards and sorcerers. Do you know any of their names, or at least what they looked like? Or did she confine you to just Vos’iin.”
“Names have power,” Veleria looked forward. “For them, anyway. They all use code names. Still, I was introduced to many of her servants and hired hands. I can pick them out in a crowd. That is, assuming they aren’t using some kind of illusion magics.”
Beside her, Adrian pawed at one of the packs his horse was carrying. He pulled out an object that was heavily obscured by strange wrappings. Each strap had multiple crimson-red sigils painted on it.
“What’s that?” Veleria cocked her head to one side. The horse Adrian was riding appeared to grow somewhat agitated, though the stallion was only voicing its opinions at the moment. She worried it might buck him off if it got any worse.
“It’s what I pulled out of the vault back in Almor…The one treasure my idiot old man nearly bit it over.” He said, reaching down to calm the horse. “It’s called the ‘Mask of Many Faces,’ supposedly it was a gift from the ‘God of Many Faces.’ I’ve only worn it once.”
“Does it…Change your face?”
“It does more than that. Changes your entire damn body. Even if someone touches you they will only feel what they perceive. It honestly feels vile just being worn, but I can vouch for its effects.” He put it back, though Veleria noticed that he changed its location to be closer to the top of the pack. After it was out of sight, the stallion calmed. “It wants to be worn, so it has to be sealed like that, or so Meredith claims. I took it out for you, but I’m starting to think I’m going to be the one who needs it.”
“How long can it be worn?” Veleria wondered.
Adrian grimaced, “I’ve only managed two hours. You start hearing things around then.”