11
The ride up the road was as smooth as Kyrios promised as Xander led me, Darda, and Spiros to our destination. Well, except for Xander. His steed lived up to its name as Iron-hide balked at every command. He set the pace, and that was a steady trot that jarred him so hard his teeth chattered like that of his horse.
"How is His Lordship's posterior?" Spiros called from the rear.
Xander shrank down in his saddle and scowled at the mane of his beast. "At this moment my posterior is the lord of my attention, but I should not remind you that you must not refer to me as a 'lord.'"
Spiros chuckled. "Forgive me. Will it be Nester again?"
Xander nodded. "Yes. The name is as good as any."
I glanced up the road. The way was steeper now with large boulders on either side of us. The t
