Chapter 30: The Cartographer's Final Annotation

The descent took three days.

This was longer than the ascent by approximately half a day, owing to Aldrath's pace, which had declined from measured to deliberate to something I could only describe as geological. He did not complain. He did not appear to notice. He moved at precisely the speed he was capable of moving and regarded the path ahead with the calm attention of a man reading a familiar text, and Perenthia walked beside him making notes in a folio that was already three quarters full, occasionally reading passages back to him for verification, which he would confirm or gently amend in a voice that had become, by the second day, not much more than an authoritative murmur.

Caelen carried the empty case the entire way down.