Elayra snorted at Ghent’s comment about Mushroom Gorge.
	“Sure,” she began, staring at the burnt ember and ash the fire had turned the tip of the stick into. “If you like poisonous mushrooms and blood-sucking caterpillars.” She looked to Drust and opened her mouth to address the Knight, but Ghent interrupted her before she could speak. She scowled.
	“It will depend on the spirits,” Drust answered Ghent through a sigh. He shot Elayra a warning glance to attempt silencing the protest against his plan still displayed on her face. “They have some power over this place. They can send us in circles, if they want. If they’re in a good mood, then yes, we could be out of here and nearing Gardale before sunset.”
	“Maybe the Guardian here can help with that?” Elayra offered hopefully. If there was anything she shared in common with Ghent, it was not wanting to spend more time in this forsaken forest than necessary. “Ghent contacted her once. Maybe he can do it again, get her to make the spirits help us?”
	“Perhaps.” His head twitched to look to Ghent. “A Rabbit Hole,” he began in answer to the muttered question even Elayra had not fully heard, “is an underground tunnel. They were created and imbued with magic by the White Rabbits. The tunnels quicken travel between two places, but the Rabbits often changed the destinations. Before they went extinct from the Curse.” A sneer twisted his face. “If luck favors us, we’ll arrive at Caervolus’ domain by the day after tomorrow.”
	Elayra gave a quiet snort. [i]When has luck [u]ever[/u] favored us?[/i]
	“Drust,” Elayra began. Forced caution hung in her voice as she struggled to keep her objections from bursting out and setting off the Knight. “Are you [i]sure[/i] he’ll,” she jerked her head toward Ghent, “be ready to face Caervolus by then?”
	Drust snorted. “For our and his sake, he’d better be. We don’t have much time, since [i]she[/i] has confirmation the two of you are alive. And both in Wonderland. Caervolus is the only one who will know [i]her[/i] fatal weakness. Ready or not, we have no other choice.”
	Elayra frowned, but didn’t dare push the matter further. Instead, she stared into the hypnotic beauty of the fire, its warmth making drowsiness lurk at the edges of her consciousness.