Crow looked up at the castle as they walked. It was much closer now, so much so that he could start to see more details in the stonework of the curtain wall. While he needed to stand next to it to really tell for sure, it looked smoother than the castle back in Brerra. For someone planning to climb up its surface without support, that wasn’t the best sign. He just hoped there would be grips along the wall that were close enough together that he could still make it up to one of the windows in the keep without getting stuck.

[i]I guess I’ll find out tomorrow,[/i] he thought, turning to Penelope as she pointed out a thick cluster of trees near the edge of the forest. “It’ll be enough as long as I can put the fire out before dusk,” he said, changing direction to head for the shelter. He glanced back at her and grinned, “Good eye, love.” The spot was far enough from the nearest town that it was unlikely any guards would come to check it out, and they had made good time, so he would be able to finish making the poison for their weapons before darkness fell if he worked fast.

When they were out of sight of the town, Crow set down his bags and began searching for tinder to get the fire started. “Look for old, dry wood,” he said to Penelope and he paced along the base of a tree. “That’ll catch the fastest.” After finding a sufficient amount, he meticulously piled it in a small clearing and went back to his bag to get the flint and steel he had taken from the wagon. He struck them over the tinder nest he had made until it began to glow softly. Then, after fanning the flames until they were of self-sustaining proportions, he began to set up the cooking pot he had purchased at the market. He positioned it over the fire, so the flames licked at its base.

Satisfied with the arrangement, he stood back up to get the oil and henbane. “I can keep watch while this is cooking,” he said, turning to Penelope once more. “You should get some sleep. We’ll probably arrive at the castle by daybreak, and you’ll be going in first, so you won’t have much time to rest again until after we get out tomorrow night. I have all day, on the other hand, so I can stay up now.”