Arthur Daigle's Blog, page 7
May 17, 2019
Pseudonym part 1
This is part one of the Dana Illwind and Sorcerer lord Jayden story Pseudonym:
Over many months Dana had come to admire Sorcerer Lord Jayden. His courage, his wisdom, his dedication to his few friends, all these and more had earned her respect. Jayden had also proved his skill in battle against monsters and men, the distinction between the two not always clear. At this moment, however, she was most focused on his weight.
“Careful,” Maya said as she helped Dana carry Jayden down the cobblestone road. The two of them held the sorcerer lord between them, an already difficult task made worse by Jayden’s wounds. His right arm was broken and he had several broken ribs. He was barely conscious, but even the slightest touch on his wounds made Jayden wince and cry out in pain.
Kaleoth frontier soldiers ran by in their gray and green uniforms. They were heading to the destroyed bridge over Race Horse River where a far larger army had tried and failed to invade Kaleoth not an hour ago. Jayden and Dana had destroyed the bridge, but their victory had come at a terrible cost. Dana and Maya had carried him to the nearby city of River Twin, but Jayden’s wounds were so bad he’d never recover from them.
“We need help!” Dana shouted. “My friend is hurt! He needs a healer!”
Most soldiers ran by, but a spearman stopped to look at Jayden. He frowned and shook his head. “I’ve seen men injured this badly before. I’m sorry, your friend won’t last the night.”
“Don’t say that!” Dana screamed. “You must have doctors for so many soldiers.”
“None who can treat such wounds,” the spearman replied. “You’d need a holy man’s help, and the nearest one is in the capital three days’ journey from here.”
Maya struggled to hold up Jayden. “If you can’t help him, can you help us get him to the witch? Maybe she can save him.”
The soldier’s face turned white. “I’ll have nothing to do with Witch Way. Better he died than that woman get her hands on him.”
Dana nearly drew her magic sword when she heard him say that. Only the knowledge that setting Jayden down could worsen his wounds prevented her. “He was hurt saving your people!”
“Then honor him and his sacrifice by not letting Witch Way near him.” The spearman ran after the other soldiers, leaving Dana and Maya carrying Jayden alone.
“Don’t worry,” Maya said as they struggled down the street. “I’ve heard stories where to find the witch. We’ll get there by morning. He’s strong, Dana. He’ll make it.”
Dana didn’t reply as she helped Jayden down the street. To their left and right were brick buildings a story or two tall, shops and homes. People looked out their windows and came onto the street, a few staring in horror at Jayden while others looked to the ruined bridge where soldiers fired arrows and crossbow bolts across the river.
“He’s going to make it, Dana,” Maya said as the crowd parted to let them pass. “Just a few hours and we’ll be there.”
A man dressed in badly tanned furs stepped in front of them. “Where are you going?”
Dana bared her teeth. “Move.”
Nearby people edged back except for one man who said, “Don’t do this, Porter.”
“Where are you going?” the man in furs repeated.
“Through you if I have to,” Dana said.
Maya looked at Jayden and said, “This man needs help. We’re taking him to see the witch.”
“My name is Mugs Porter, and I can help you reach her,” the man said. “I’ve got a pushcart we can load him on.”
Suspicious, Dana demanded, “Why are you helping us?”
“I owe the witch,” Porter answered. He took Jayden from Dana and Maya and set him on a small, dirty pushcart parked on the street. Porter lit a lantern hanging from the front of the cart and grabbed the handles. “Any who receive her help pay for it, some in gold, some in words, others in services. I bring her new clients.”
Porter took the handles of the pushcart and rolled it down the street so fast Dana and Maya had trouble keeping up with him. Men and women got out of his way. One man yelled, “We’ll remember this, Porter!”
“Ignore them,” Porter told Dana and Maya. “They’ve never been where your friend is, where I was. They don’t know what men will do when there’s no one left to turn to.”
“I’ll pay whatever price she charges,” Dana promised.
“That’s not how it works,” Porter told her. “Whoever gets help is the one who pays.”
Dana ran ahead of Porter. “This time I’m paying.”
Porter frowned. “Careful what you wish for. Witch Way doesn’t work cheap.”
Porter was silent the rest of the trip, understandable given how hard he was running with the pushcart. They left the city and went through farmland and orchards, then into wilderness. Houses were few and then absent, replaced by enormous pine trees and cliffs thick with vines and moss. Jayden was unconscious during the trip, a mercy given his condition. After two hours they reached a large masterfully built wood house nestled among trees ten feet across.
The house’s door opened and a young woman stepped out. She looked smug before she saw Jayden. “Greetings, and welcome to my—dear God! Get him inside, hurry!”
Dana, Maya and Porter lifted Jayden out of the pushcart. Moving Jayden made him scream in pain, cries that ended only when the witch put a hand on his chest and spoke strange words that soothed him. Together they brought him inside the house and set him on a large wood table.
“This is the fifth client I’ve brought you, witch,” Porter said. “My debt is paid in full.”
“You and I are done,” the witch said. Porter left without another word, leaving Dana and Maya with the strange woman. The witch snapped her fingers and pointed to a corner of her house. “Both of you, over there, and don’t touch anything.”
Dana didn’t want to leave Jayden’s side. The people of River Twin had reacted to her mentioning the witch as if the woman was a deadly threat. But she was also Jayden’s only hope, and Dana reluctantly led Maya back.
“This is bad,” Witch Way said. She was younger than Dana had expected, probably in her early twenties. The witch’s clothes were stylish black and looked new. Her hair was long and black, braided in a pattern Dana hadn’t seen before. “You did good to get him here so fast. The next hour would have been his last.”
“You can help him?” Maya asked hopefully.
“It’s going to be a close thing.” Witch Way studied Jayden’s wounds. “Broken ribs, the arm looks like it was broken from feedback from his own spell, and I don’t like the look of that concussion. This is going to take everything I’ve got and more.”
Witch Way stepped back and folded her arms across her chest. She closed her eyes and began to chant.
“What’s she doing?” Dana asked Maya.
“I don’t know. I heard the witch can save people who should have died, not how she does it.”
“No comments from the peanut gallery,” Witch Way snapped.
Dana and Maya fell silent. Witch Way continued chanting, a weird droning sound that went on and on. Not sure what to do, Dana studied her surroundings. The house’s interior was well made like the outside, every inch elaborately decorated with intricate animal carvings. Rugs covered the floors, thick curtains covered the windows, and colorful tapestries covered much of the walls. Furniture was copious and as decorative as the rest of the house.
Then there was the heart on the wall over the fireplace. It was made of granite, two feet across and beating like a living organ. Red light seeped through cracks in the heart, a dim glow that couldn’t compete with the cheery glow in the fireplace but was somehow more noticeable.
“Spirits of wind and fire, I beseech you,” Witch Way announced as she looked up. “This soul is in peril, his life nearing an end too soon, and I have been called upon to aid him. The power of my heart stone is not enough, proof your instructions on crafting it were useless. So once more I must turn to you for power.”
“This isn’t encouraging,” Maya said.
A high-pitched voice coming from the heart said, “Don’t I know it.”
Witch Way snapped the fingers on both hands. “Talk to the witch. I know your price and pay it unwillingly. I hereby recognize your union and authorize vacation pay. Now get off your backsides, lazy spirits.”
The stone heart beat harder and the glow from it grew brighter. Jayden stiffened before relaxing. Dana and Maya ran to him. He was breathing easily rather than gasping for air, but he was still unconscious.
Excited, Maya cried, “He’s better!”
“He’s getting there,” Witch Way corrected her. “Healing isn’t what witchcraft was meant for. A holy man could have done in seconds what I need all night to do. I’ve sped up his natural healing many times faster than normal, but even this might not be enough.”
“Is this why people in River Twin don’t like you?” Dana asked. “Do your cures sometimes fail?”
Witch Way laughed. “Oh, they hate me for any number of reasons, some fair and others not. Most of my problems are my own fault, like being a greedy, petty, vindictive, backstabbing harridan. And yes, my healing attempts can fail.”
“That’s more than I expected to hear,” Dana admitted.
“Or wanted to,” Maya added.
“Mother told me not to become a witch,” Witch Way said. “I ignored her. I wanted power, and this was the easy way to get it. I had to buy that power, trading parts of myself for it. The spirits demanded I accept the curse of total honesty, which sounded mild at the time. But as you can see it’s not to my advantage to speak the truth, especially when I don’t particularly like people other than myself.”
Witch Way gave the girls a cunning smile. “If I try hard enough I can share that burden with others, if only for a while. Two marriageable women traveling with a man, it makes me wonder. Do you love him?”
“Yes,” they said simultaneously. Dana and Maya both shrieked in surprise, and Maya clapped her hands over her mouth.
“I don’t love him the way you mean!” Dana shouted. She took deep breaths and tried to calm down. “I’m grateful to him for saving my family and town, and many other people. He’s handsome, and sometimes I think things, but I’d never actually do them.”
“I would,” Maya said, then shrieked again as her face turned red.
Witch Way laughed so hard she nearly fell over. Wiping tears of joy from her eyes, she said, “I’m a shallow, hateful person, but I have a good time.”
Dana pointed at Jayden. “Can we get back to talking about him?”
“Oh, yes, the sorcerer lord. Don’t give me that look, girl. It takes more than a change of clothes to conceal a man’s identify when his face is on a thousand wanted posters.” Witch Way curled a lock of her hair around one finger while studying Jayden. “He’s drawing a lot of power from my heart stone, but he’s hurt so badly that my magic could just be prolonging the inevitable. By morning he’ll be well again or be dead, fifty-fifty odds.”
Maya saw Dana’s pained look and put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s better than we would have gotten from anyone in River Twin.”
Dana took a deep breath and readied herself for the worst. “We need to talk about your fee. Jayden is in no condition to pay you, so I’m accepting the responsibility.”
Witch Way looked at Dana and laughed. Dana felt her face turn red, and she put her hands on her hips. Angry, Dana snapped, “I have gold. It might not be enough, but once he’s healthy we can get more.”
That provoked more laugher from the witch. Once she was done, she gave Dana a pitying look. “Oh you miserable child, as if I would work so cheaply. The spirits providing the extra power to heal your friend are charging a steep price. Even asking for their help is going to make them harder to deal with in the future.”
Worried, Dana asked, “Then what do you want?”
Witch Way walked over to a table and picked up a knife. Maya and Dana got between Jayden and the witch, prompting more laugher. “Do you think I was going to kill him? Silly child, if I wanted him dead all I had to do was refuse my aid. I’m going to cut off his coat and shirt to get a better look at his wounds.”
Dana didn’t move. “What’s your price for saving him?”
Witch Way rolled her eyes. “Total honesty. Why couldn’t the spirits have been satisfied with something else? I paid much for my powers, child, and I aim to recover the loss. I take whatever is most valuable from my clients. Sometimes it’s gold, other times land and always their honor, for no one leaves here with their reputations intact.
“Jayden is the only sorcerer lord on Other Place. A man who’s mastered the shadow magic of the sorcerer lords must know many secrets and hidden truths. What he has trapped in his head is worth a fortune to the right people. I know eight men who would pay in gold, jewels and magic to learn what the sorcerer lord knows. I can sell the information to each of them, netting eight rewards for one healing. That’s my price, girl.”
“I don’t think he’d agree to that if he was awake,” Maya said nervously.
“I know he wouldn’t,” Dana said. She shifted he hands off her hips and onto her sword hilt. The magic blade had hurt an iron golem and should be enough to intimidate the witch. “We can get you magic if gold’s not enough, but you’re staying out of his head.”
“You’re in my house, brat,” Witch Way snarled. “This is where I forged my heart stone, and it’s where my spells are at their strongest. Two doe-eyed girls smitten with a wanted criminal don’t scare me.”
The witch hissed words in a language Dana had never heard, strange and hateful sounds far different than the ones Jayden used when casting spells. Dana took a step closer to the witch, a move that ended when the rug under her feet bucked like a steer, throwing her and Maya to the floor. Tapestries and drapes twisted and knotted to form ropes that wrapped around Dana and Maya. They screamed as the makeshift bonds shoved them against the wall and then lifted them off their feet.
“That settles that,” Witch Way said. She walked over to Jayden and cut off his coat and shirt, throwing the red stained clothes to the floor. “Don’t worry, children, total honesty means I have to keep my word and save him, or at least try to. Let’s see, yes, he’s coming along nicely. The sorcerer lord should live, and will definitely keep breathing long enough for me to extract my fee.”
“You’re making a big mistake!” Dana shouted. She tried to squirm out of her bindings and failed. “If he lives through this he’ll be furious. He’s killed monsters ten times scarier than you.”
“Promises, promises,” Witch Way said in a singsong voice. She cast another spell and placed her hands against Jayden’s brow. “Let’s see what—”
**********************
The castle was dark and depressing, a home only in name. Prince Mastram, a youth of twelve, walked through hallways surrounded by people he didn’t know. Physically he was a sight to behold, dark haired, handsome and dressed in sable and silk, but he was lonely and frightened. Stepmother had dismissed most of the castle staff over the last two months and replaced them with her personal retainers. None of them looked at Mastram, none bowed, none smiled. Instead they went about their duties in sullen silence.
Breakfast had been a joyless affair like all meals were. Father didn’t talk. Stepmother doted on her two sons, her words sweet like honey to the boys and harsh as acid to everyone else. Food tasted bland to Mastram, father’s jester had no amusement that could reach him, and even his books offered no solace.
Mastram had nearly reached the castle library and the limited reprieve it granted from his suffering when the brightly dressed jester Kipling leaped over a servant and wrapped an arm around the prince. “Your highness, your grace, you charitable soul, how good to see you. I’d nearly missed you the way you blend in with the crowd, no smile, no laughter, not even looking up half the time, but there was a slight hint of joy as I saw you near your fortress against the world. What wonders tempt you today, oh prince, what secrets shall you plumb?”
“Another time, Kipling,” Mastram said. He tried to slip by the jester and failed. Kipling followed him like a remora on a shark, never more than three inches away. “I’m sorry, I’m not in the mood for company today.”
“Few men willingly spend time with a fool, but I have my uses.” Kipling leaned in close and whispered into Mastram’s ear. “Please, suffer my presence. You are in danger.”
Mastram glanced at Kipling, not sure what to make of that strange comment. He went into the library and was alone save for Kipling. Tall bookcases crisscrossed the room and held thousands of books on hundreds of topics. Kipling was right, this was his refuge in hard times. He’d come here often after his mother died. Lately he’d come every day after meals.
“I’m good at solving riddles, Kipling, but I need more clues to understand what you’re talking about,” Mastram said.
“My prince, I fear for your life,” the jester said. “The castle has become dangerous. Take it from a thief and hanged man that when I say trouble is afoot I know what I speak of.”
Mastram smiled at him. “Former thief, and you survived your hanging.”
Kipling smiled. “Minor details.”
“Speak plainly to me as you always have, and please, no more riddles.”
Kipling cartwheeled onto a table and crouched on top of it. “These days I save my riddles for entertaining your father, no easy task. Mastram, you know me better than most, and you’re friends with your tutor, Mr. Wintery. Besides the two of us, your family and the court officials, is there one person in the castle whose name you know?”
Mastram paused. His mind raced as he tried to put a name to the constant parade of new faces he’d seen lately. So few would even talk to him, a growing cone of silence that had been spreading for months. “No.”
“Nor can I, my prince. There was a time I could count on two hands and both feet how many men asked me to share a drink with me. Now I can think of none. The castle has been purged of friends and allies, your stepmother’s doing, I’m sure.”
“I had few friends to begin with,” Mastram said.
“That’s not true,” the jester countered. “Many hold you in high regard. With these books you found the location of an old sorcerer lord reservoir, and people drink clean water from it today as they once did long ago. You offer hope to those still hurting from the war, sharing wisdom and words of mercy, counseled justice rather than vengeance. You are loved elsewhere if not here, and God help me if there are more hateful words that those.”
Mastram sat in a chair, too dejected to search the bookcases for a novel that might offer hope in such dark times. Kipling sat next to him and put an arm around the boy’s shoulders.
“I try to reach them, Kipling,” Mastram said mournfully. “Father doesn’t speak to me the way he did when mother was alive. Nothing I do satisfies stepmother. Court officials ignore what I have to say.”
“Your father is a fine man in many ways,” Kipling said, “the best tightrope walker I’ve ever met, but no juggler.”
Mastram stared at him. “Father doesn’t perform stunts.”
“I speak only the truth to you.” Kipling took wood balls from the deep pockets of his colorful uniform. Mastram had often seen the jester pull items from his costume, so many that he wondered if magic was involved. The jester balanced on the edge of the table while juggling.
“Nobles come day and night, demanding gifts and privileges from your father. All kings suffer such annoyances, but your father owes these men for their service during the civil war. With the treasury depleted he can’t give them what they want, so he pits one against the other, saying he can’t give them land that others hold and gold owed to their neighbors. No finer tightrope walker was ever born, for no matter how many try to pull him left or right he keeps his balance.”
Just then Kipling dropped a ball. Matram’s jaw dropped. He’d never seen the jester make a mistake.
“But he’s no juggler,” Kipling said. “I’m juggling eleven balls, but your eyes are on the one that fell. Jugglers know that dropping even one ball makes the audience doubt you, something your father hasn’t learned yet.”
Kipling caught his balls and set them on the table. “We both hear the whispers, my prince, and everyone hears the screams as your father and stepmother fight. He owes her family a heavy debt for saving his kingdom. He thought marrying her would be enough, but it’s not. She wants her sons on the throne. By law the king’s eldest son must take his place, but she and her family campaign against you day and night.
“Prince, I fear the king’s resolve is weakening. He thinks if he lets one ball fall by casting you aside then no one will care, but we know better. A king who sacrifices his own son, that man is no king. Commoners won’t obey him, soldiers won’t respect him, other monarchs will despise him, but he can’t see that. He only sees the balls he’s still got in the air and hopes the audience doesn’t notice the one on the ground.”
“What can I do?” Mastram asked.
“Keep learning, keep studying and keep away from fights in court. Staying in the library does that. You may have to leave in a hurry. I’ll help you for whatever a jester is worth, and I know men who will do the same. But Mastram, and it hurts like a knife to the heart to say this, prepare for the worst. Dark times lay ahead, and you—”
********************
Witch Way cried out in agony and gripped her head with both hands. Dana and Maya winced in pain. The heart stone beat erratically for a moment before settling down. Only Jayden seemed unaffected, his breathes deep and even.
“What was that?” Witch Way asked as she staggered into the table Jayden lay on.
“How would I know?” Dana shot back. “It’s your spell!”
“It’s never done that before!” Witch Way yelled. She straightened up and looked at Jayden. “I’ve dredged secrets from countless men’s minds and never such pain.”
“What were we seeing?” Maya asked.
“I don’t…wait, you saw that, too?” The witch looked startled, then scared. “You shouldn’t have shared those memories with me.”
“Well we did,” Dana snapped. She struggled again to break free and failed once more. “I’m glad your healing spells work, because your memory spell is garbage. I saw a piece of Prince Mastram’s life, not Jayden’s. How could you see memories from a dead boy?”
“He’s dead?” Maya asked.
“The prince was exiled to the Isle of Tears, where royalty goes to die from cold and hunger.” Witch Way scowled and crossed her arms. “Spirits, what did you do this time?”
High-pitched voices coming from the heart stone giggles and laughed. “This disaster is on your head, not ours. Or should we say heads?”
The witch scowled again and looked at Jayden. “He can’t interfere with my magic if he’s unconscious. Unless, yes, he could have cast magic wards on himself, long lasting defensive spells that would work even if he wasn’t awake.”
Witch Way cast more spells and caused strange glowing shapes to appear over Jayden’s head. The witch frowned and pointed at one. “That’s a mind cloud spell to keep seers and wizards from detecting him with magic. Yes, that’s what’s doing it. Witchcraft is ancient magic, powerful if limited. Shadow magic of the sorcerer lords is nearly as old but stems from another source. His mind cloud and my telepathy spell are interfering with one another, dangerously so.”
Another shape loomed large over Jayden, a black armored snake that slithered through the air before locking its baleful eyes on the witch. Maya sounded terrified when she asked, “What does that one do?”
The witch made the floating images disappear. “Retribution spell, and a nasty one. If he dies the spell attacks whoever is responsible for his death.” Her voice changed from clinical observation to terror when she said, “If he dies under my care, it’s going to think I did it. I have to get out of here! The range on that spell is—”
************************
Prince Mastram was so deeply involved in a book on the history of the sorcerer lords that he didn’t notice the door to the library open. The jingle of armor was enough to get his attention, though, and he looked up to see four soldiers in chain armor and carrying swords. “What’s happened?”
“Come with us,” one said.
“Soldiers don’t travel armed in the castle unless there’s an emergency,” Mastram said, and once the words left his lips he realized there must be danger. Had a villain tried to assassinate the king? Were more rebels rising to contest the throne. Scared, he demanded, “Tell me what’s going on.”
“The king and queen ordered us to bring you to the main hall,” the soldier said. “They’ll explain their meaning there.”
The prince set down his book and left with the soldiers. They marched through castle halls now empty, the few servants quickly leaving their presence. As they neared the castle’s main entrance, Mastram saw more soldiers escorting weeping servants outside. He hadn’t seen such sorrow since the dark days of the civil war.
They reached the castle’s main hall to find the room filled with soldiers, court officials and lesser nobles. Mastram’s father sat on his throne, handsome and strong, his expression stoic. Stepmother cradled her youngest son on her lap. She was richly dressed, and had an expression of satisfaction. She only looked like that when she’d hurt someone.
Prince Mastram’s heart beat fast. This felt wrong. Something terrible had happened, and he feared the jester’s warning was true judging by the cold looks he was getting from everyone in the room. Mastram went before his father and kneeled.
“I come as ordered, my father and my king.”
“One but not the other,” the queen said sweetly.
“Does the queen question my loyalty?” Mastram asked in horror.
“Enough,” his father said. He waved for the chancellor to approach. The man was another new addition to the court who’d bought his position by providing gold the king needed to pay soldiers during the civil war.
The chancellor stepped forward and unrolled a long velum scroll. Reading from it, he said, “Be it known to all the kingdom and beyond that charges of infidelity have been laid against the late queen, investigated and found to be true.”
Mastram gasped. His voice was a whisper when he asked, “Father, how could you?”
“Evidence has come to light that the former queen was in an illicit relationship with a man or men of unknown origin, one of whom is father to Prince Mastram,” the chancellor said. “Prince Mastram is hereby declared illegitimate, a pretended to the throne and no relation to the royal family. He is ordered banished to the Isle of Tears, to remain there for however long he may live.”
“Mother loved you more than life itself,” Mastram said. “To speak ill of her when she stood by you through dark times, when her family sacrificed so much for the throne.”
“A pity they have no more to sacrifice, no soldiers, no gold, no land,” the queen said playfully. “If they did, they could buy you a few more days in court.”
“I said enough,” the king told her, a mild rebuke that made her scowl. “This command is to be carried out immediately.”
“Unhand me!” a voice cried out in the back of the main hall. It was Mastram’s tutor, Mr. Wintry. He was short and old, neither of which kept him from forcing his way to the front of the crowd. Mr. Wintry wore his best clothes, old and unfashionable as they were, and dropped to his knees before the throne.
“Your Majesty, I beg you, hear the petition of a man loyal and long in your service. Mastram is good and loyal, even if you refuse to call him a son, and doesn’t deserve such a death.”
“He is no longer welcome here, nor are you,” the king said.
“Then let him leave with me!” Mr. Wintry begged. “You hired me from the Vastan Institute of Magic and Technology to teach your son. I will pack my belongings and leave at once, taking the boy with me. He’s clever and good with languages. He could be a great teacher there in Charlock Kingdom, so far away that you would never hear of him again. I have no son, you know this, and teaching Matram has been the closest I’ve come to fatherhood. If he can’t be your son, let him be mine.”
The offer brought cries of outrage from the court. Mr. Wintry ignored them and said, “I can formally adopt Matram into my family. He will lose all claim to the throne, but he will live.” Mr. Wintry looked up, glaring at the queen when he said, “You get what you want without anyone dying.”
“And risk you training him to become a wizard, to one day return and claim a throne he has no right to?” the queen asked. “Your schemes are as obvious as they are treacherous.”
The king offered no response. The queen’s outrage grew, and she shouted, “This was agreed upon, and paid for in my family’s gold and blood!”
“Leave the room,” he ordered her. The court fell silent, and in a rare turn of events so did the queen. “I know my debts and pay them, but I have limits.”
The queen left with her son and her foul temper. Once she was gone, the king stared at Mastram in silence. Long minutes passed before he spoke. “Mr. Wintry, your offer is…unique, and one I had not considered. I believe the offer is genuine, but my queen makes a valid point. There can be but one line of succession or my kingdom risks a new civil war only years after barely surviving one. I cannot have nobles scheme to place a false heir upon the throne.”
The king stood up and pointed at Mr. Wintry. “Your services here are at an end. Guards, collect his belongings and escort him to the castle gates.”
“Men will hear of this,” Mr. Wintry said when armed men seized him. As he was led away, he shouted, “You will lose the loyalty of those who love you!”
“I need time more than love, for I have seen love die,” the king said.
The king opened his mouth to speak, not getting the chance as Kipling the jester slipped through the packed room to reach the throne. “My Liege, if wisdom is held in so low regard then perhaps a fool’s words might have effect.”
“You test my patience, jester,” the king told him.
“I test your love, for I am old enough to have seen you treat this boy with tenderness, and I am fool enough to not care what price I pay to say it.” Kipling walked up to Mastram and kneeled beside him. “You pronounce a death sentence, exile in name only. The king’s word is law and even I am not fool enough to challenge it, but I can join him in this fate.”
“Kipling, no!” Mastram shouted.
“Please, your majesty,” Kipling implored. “We’ll both die there, starve or freeze, take your pick, but until that day comes we’ll dance and sing and maybe laugh. Be fair, your majesty, you won’t miss me. When was the last time you laughed at my jokes?”
“When was the last time I laughed at anything,” the King said, a statement rather than a question. He’d needed time to consider Mr. Wintry’s offer, but his response to Kipling was lighting quick. “The Isle of Tears is reserved for nobles. Mastram is not my son, but his mother was of noble birth. The punishment is justified. You, Kipling, are a commoner and former thief, the only man to survive a hanging.”
“Cheap rope will do that to you,” Kipling said without shame. “Surviving a death penalty is what first drew your attention to me. Quick wits and nimble hands sealed the deal.”
“Then I break that deal,” the King said. “You are correct, jester, you no longer entertain me. As you are manifestly unfit for your job, you may leave with whatever belongings you have, but the Isle of Tears is forbidden to you. And I am certain you are responsible for the disappearance last week of two of my wife’s retainers.”
“The assassins she sent after the prince?” Kipling asked without fear. Mastram gasped at the accusation.
“My queen is ever hasty in her actions, quick to anger and slow to consider the consequences,” the King said. “Where are their bodies?”
Kipling folded his arms across his chest. “I paid good money to make sure no one would ever learn the answer to that question, including me. Good luck finding them.”
The king seemed unbothered by the jester’s response. Instead there was the barest hint of a smile on his face, the first sign of happiness Mastram had seen from his father in years. “You always did like the boy more than me. There was a time I would have praised such bravery, but saving him then condemns him to far worse now, and opens me to the very condemnation Wintry claimed. Better he had died a prince, but you forced me to do worse.”
Soldiers drew their swords, but the King waved them off. “Don’t kill him. Kipling, you provided a sufficient answer and put the queen in her place, acting as a much-needed reminder that she is not ruler, and that her schemes can be undone more easily than she thinks. Punishing you would embolden her to further mischief. Still, it is another reason not to keep you. Guards, exile the jester from my kingdom.”
“I—” Kipling began, but guards seized him and pulled him from the room. “You only had one ball to keep in the air, one worth having, and you let it drop.”
Mastram was afraid, but he surprised himself by being more concerned for his father than himself. He studied the court members around him and saw little reaction to what his father and the jester had said. “You and Kipling both accused the queen of sending assassins after me, yet none here seems troubled. What manner of men fills the court?”
“Ones I trust,” his father answered. “I saw my kingdom ripped asunder by treachery and lies. I refuse to see it happen again. I ask nothing more of these men than their loyalty. Let them have their faults so long as they do what they are told.”
Mastram watched as the last friend he had in the world was dragged off. With no chance to save himself and no one else to save, he spoke with the confidence of a condemned man. “I knew stepmother was trying to replace me with her sons. I feared you would find a reason to cast me away, but never in my worst nightmares did I think you would betray mother’s memory.”
“I do what I must,” his father said. “The kingdom still balances on a razor’s edge with enemies within and without. In time I can fix what is broken, but I must pay for that time. I have sacrificed my honor, my good name, my pride and the lives of countless subjects. I lost much and could yet lose everything. To avoid that I must make one last sacrifice, saying words I know are lies and ending the life of my son, less of a loss when I have two more. ”
He stared hard at Mastram before saying, “I thought this would be harder. Guards, take him away and leave me in peace, for I—”
*****************************
Witch Way’s screams could have woken the dead as she fell to the floor. Dana and Maya winced, for they felt some of the pain she did. The heart stone went into wild spasms as its light faded before recovering slowly. Only Jayden seemed unaffected. Instead he looked stronger, healthier, his wounds nearly gone.
Over many months Dana had come to admire Sorcerer Lord Jayden. His courage, his wisdom, his dedication to his few friends, all these and more had earned her respect. Jayden had also proved his skill in battle against monsters and men, the distinction between the two not always clear. At this moment, however, she was most focused on his weight.
“Careful,” Maya said as she helped Dana carry Jayden down the cobblestone road. The two of them held the sorcerer lord between them, an already difficult task made worse by Jayden’s wounds. His right arm was broken and he had several broken ribs. He was barely conscious, but even the slightest touch on his wounds made Jayden wince and cry out in pain.
Kaleoth frontier soldiers ran by in their gray and green uniforms. They were heading to the destroyed bridge over Race Horse River where a far larger army had tried and failed to invade Kaleoth not an hour ago. Jayden and Dana had destroyed the bridge, but their victory had come at a terrible cost. Dana and Maya had carried him to the nearby city of River Twin, but Jayden’s wounds were so bad he’d never recover from them.
“We need help!” Dana shouted. “My friend is hurt! He needs a healer!”
Most soldiers ran by, but a spearman stopped to look at Jayden. He frowned and shook his head. “I’ve seen men injured this badly before. I’m sorry, your friend won’t last the night.”
“Don’t say that!” Dana screamed. “You must have doctors for so many soldiers.”
“None who can treat such wounds,” the spearman replied. “You’d need a holy man’s help, and the nearest one is in the capital three days’ journey from here.”
Maya struggled to hold up Jayden. “If you can’t help him, can you help us get him to the witch? Maybe she can save him.”
The soldier’s face turned white. “I’ll have nothing to do with Witch Way. Better he died than that woman get her hands on him.”
Dana nearly drew her magic sword when she heard him say that. Only the knowledge that setting Jayden down could worsen his wounds prevented her. “He was hurt saving your people!”
“Then honor him and his sacrifice by not letting Witch Way near him.” The spearman ran after the other soldiers, leaving Dana and Maya carrying Jayden alone.
“Don’t worry,” Maya said as they struggled down the street. “I’ve heard stories where to find the witch. We’ll get there by morning. He’s strong, Dana. He’ll make it.”
Dana didn’t reply as she helped Jayden down the street. To their left and right were brick buildings a story or two tall, shops and homes. People looked out their windows and came onto the street, a few staring in horror at Jayden while others looked to the ruined bridge where soldiers fired arrows and crossbow bolts across the river.
“He’s going to make it, Dana,” Maya said as the crowd parted to let them pass. “Just a few hours and we’ll be there.”
A man dressed in badly tanned furs stepped in front of them. “Where are you going?”
Dana bared her teeth. “Move.”
Nearby people edged back except for one man who said, “Don’t do this, Porter.”
“Where are you going?” the man in furs repeated.
“Through you if I have to,” Dana said.
Maya looked at Jayden and said, “This man needs help. We’re taking him to see the witch.”
“My name is Mugs Porter, and I can help you reach her,” the man said. “I’ve got a pushcart we can load him on.”
Suspicious, Dana demanded, “Why are you helping us?”
“I owe the witch,” Porter answered. He took Jayden from Dana and Maya and set him on a small, dirty pushcart parked on the street. Porter lit a lantern hanging from the front of the cart and grabbed the handles. “Any who receive her help pay for it, some in gold, some in words, others in services. I bring her new clients.”
Porter took the handles of the pushcart and rolled it down the street so fast Dana and Maya had trouble keeping up with him. Men and women got out of his way. One man yelled, “We’ll remember this, Porter!”
“Ignore them,” Porter told Dana and Maya. “They’ve never been where your friend is, where I was. They don’t know what men will do when there’s no one left to turn to.”
“I’ll pay whatever price she charges,” Dana promised.
“That’s not how it works,” Porter told her. “Whoever gets help is the one who pays.”
Dana ran ahead of Porter. “This time I’m paying.”
Porter frowned. “Careful what you wish for. Witch Way doesn’t work cheap.”
Porter was silent the rest of the trip, understandable given how hard he was running with the pushcart. They left the city and went through farmland and orchards, then into wilderness. Houses were few and then absent, replaced by enormous pine trees and cliffs thick with vines and moss. Jayden was unconscious during the trip, a mercy given his condition. After two hours they reached a large masterfully built wood house nestled among trees ten feet across.
The house’s door opened and a young woman stepped out. She looked smug before she saw Jayden. “Greetings, and welcome to my—dear God! Get him inside, hurry!”
Dana, Maya and Porter lifted Jayden out of the pushcart. Moving Jayden made him scream in pain, cries that ended only when the witch put a hand on his chest and spoke strange words that soothed him. Together they brought him inside the house and set him on a large wood table.
“This is the fifth client I’ve brought you, witch,” Porter said. “My debt is paid in full.”
“You and I are done,” the witch said. Porter left without another word, leaving Dana and Maya with the strange woman. The witch snapped her fingers and pointed to a corner of her house. “Both of you, over there, and don’t touch anything.”
Dana didn’t want to leave Jayden’s side. The people of River Twin had reacted to her mentioning the witch as if the woman was a deadly threat. But she was also Jayden’s only hope, and Dana reluctantly led Maya back.
“This is bad,” Witch Way said. She was younger than Dana had expected, probably in her early twenties. The witch’s clothes were stylish black and looked new. Her hair was long and black, braided in a pattern Dana hadn’t seen before. “You did good to get him here so fast. The next hour would have been his last.”
“You can help him?” Maya asked hopefully.
“It’s going to be a close thing.” Witch Way studied Jayden’s wounds. “Broken ribs, the arm looks like it was broken from feedback from his own spell, and I don’t like the look of that concussion. This is going to take everything I’ve got and more.”
Witch Way stepped back and folded her arms across her chest. She closed her eyes and began to chant.
“What’s she doing?” Dana asked Maya.
“I don’t know. I heard the witch can save people who should have died, not how she does it.”
“No comments from the peanut gallery,” Witch Way snapped.
Dana and Maya fell silent. Witch Way continued chanting, a weird droning sound that went on and on. Not sure what to do, Dana studied her surroundings. The house’s interior was well made like the outside, every inch elaborately decorated with intricate animal carvings. Rugs covered the floors, thick curtains covered the windows, and colorful tapestries covered much of the walls. Furniture was copious and as decorative as the rest of the house.
Then there was the heart on the wall over the fireplace. It was made of granite, two feet across and beating like a living organ. Red light seeped through cracks in the heart, a dim glow that couldn’t compete with the cheery glow in the fireplace but was somehow more noticeable.
“Spirits of wind and fire, I beseech you,” Witch Way announced as she looked up. “This soul is in peril, his life nearing an end too soon, and I have been called upon to aid him. The power of my heart stone is not enough, proof your instructions on crafting it were useless. So once more I must turn to you for power.”
“This isn’t encouraging,” Maya said.
A high-pitched voice coming from the heart said, “Don’t I know it.”
Witch Way snapped the fingers on both hands. “Talk to the witch. I know your price and pay it unwillingly. I hereby recognize your union and authorize vacation pay. Now get off your backsides, lazy spirits.”
The stone heart beat harder and the glow from it grew brighter. Jayden stiffened before relaxing. Dana and Maya ran to him. He was breathing easily rather than gasping for air, but he was still unconscious.
Excited, Maya cried, “He’s better!”
“He’s getting there,” Witch Way corrected her. “Healing isn’t what witchcraft was meant for. A holy man could have done in seconds what I need all night to do. I’ve sped up his natural healing many times faster than normal, but even this might not be enough.”
“Is this why people in River Twin don’t like you?” Dana asked. “Do your cures sometimes fail?”
Witch Way laughed. “Oh, they hate me for any number of reasons, some fair and others not. Most of my problems are my own fault, like being a greedy, petty, vindictive, backstabbing harridan. And yes, my healing attempts can fail.”
“That’s more than I expected to hear,” Dana admitted.
“Or wanted to,” Maya added.
“Mother told me not to become a witch,” Witch Way said. “I ignored her. I wanted power, and this was the easy way to get it. I had to buy that power, trading parts of myself for it. The spirits demanded I accept the curse of total honesty, which sounded mild at the time. But as you can see it’s not to my advantage to speak the truth, especially when I don’t particularly like people other than myself.”
Witch Way gave the girls a cunning smile. “If I try hard enough I can share that burden with others, if only for a while. Two marriageable women traveling with a man, it makes me wonder. Do you love him?”
“Yes,” they said simultaneously. Dana and Maya both shrieked in surprise, and Maya clapped her hands over her mouth.
“I don’t love him the way you mean!” Dana shouted. She took deep breaths and tried to calm down. “I’m grateful to him for saving my family and town, and many other people. He’s handsome, and sometimes I think things, but I’d never actually do them.”
“I would,” Maya said, then shrieked again as her face turned red.
Witch Way laughed so hard she nearly fell over. Wiping tears of joy from her eyes, she said, “I’m a shallow, hateful person, but I have a good time.”
Dana pointed at Jayden. “Can we get back to talking about him?”
“Oh, yes, the sorcerer lord. Don’t give me that look, girl. It takes more than a change of clothes to conceal a man’s identify when his face is on a thousand wanted posters.” Witch Way curled a lock of her hair around one finger while studying Jayden. “He’s drawing a lot of power from my heart stone, but he’s hurt so badly that my magic could just be prolonging the inevitable. By morning he’ll be well again or be dead, fifty-fifty odds.”
Maya saw Dana’s pained look and put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s better than we would have gotten from anyone in River Twin.”
Dana took a deep breath and readied herself for the worst. “We need to talk about your fee. Jayden is in no condition to pay you, so I’m accepting the responsibility.”
Witch Way looked at Dana and laughed. Dana felt her face turn red, and she put her hands on her hips. Angry, Dana snapped, “I have gold. It might not be enough, but once he’s healthy we can get more.”
That provoked more laugher from the witch. Once she was done, she gave Dana a pitying look. “Oh you miserable child, as if I would work so cheaply. The spirits providing the extra power to heal your friend are charging a steep price. Even asking for their help is going to make them harder to deal with in the future.”
Worried, Dana asked, “Then what do you want?”
Witch Way walked over to a table and picked up a knife. Maya and Dana got between Jayden and the witch, prompting more laugher. “Do you think I was going to kill him? Silly child, if I wanted him dead all I had to do was refuse my aid. I’m going to cut off his coat and shirt to get a better look at his wounds.”
Dana didn’t move. “What’s your price for saving him?”
Witch Way rolled her eyes. “Total honesty. Why couldn’t the spirits have been satisfied with something else? I paid much for my powers, child, and I aim to recover the loss. I take whatever is most valuable from my clients. Sometimes it’s gold, other times land and always their honor, for no one leaves here with their reputations intact.
“Jayden is the only sorcerer lord on Other Place. A man who’s mastered the shadow magic of the sorcerer lords must know many secrets and hidden truths. What he has trapped in his head is worth a fortune to the right people. I know eight men who would pay in gold, jewels and magic to learn what the sorcerer lord knows. I can sell the information to each of them, netting eight rewards for one healing. That’s my price, girl.”
“I don’t think he’d agree to that if he was awake,” Maya said nervously.
“I know he wouldn’t,” Dana said. She shifted he hands off her hips and onto her sword hilt. The magic blade had hurt an iron golem and should be enough to intimidate the witch. “We can get you magic if gold’s not enough, but you’re staying out of his head.”
“You’re in my house, brat,” Witch Way snarled. “This is where I forged my heart stone, and it’s where my spells are at their strongest. Two doe-eyed girls smitten with a wanted criminal don’t scare me.”
The witch hissed words in a language Dana had never heard, strange and hateful sounds far different than the ones Jayden used when casting spells. Dana took a step closer to the witch, a move that ended when the rug under her feet bucked like a steer, throwing her and Maya to the floor. Tapestries and drapes twisted and knotted to form ropes that wrapped around Dana and Maya. They screamed as the makeshift bonds shoved them against the wall and then lifted them off their feet.
“That settles that,” Witch Way said. She walked over to Jayden and cut off his coat and shirt, throwing the red stained clothes to the floor. “Don’t worry, children, total honesty means I have to keep my word and save him, or at least try to. Let’s see, yes, he’s coming along nicely. The sorcerer lord should live, and will definitely keep breathing long enough for me to extract my fee.”
“You’re making a big mistake!” Dana shouted. She tried to squirm out of her bindings and failed. “If he lives through this he’ll be furious. He’s killed monsters ten times scarier than you.”
“Promises, promises,” Witch Way said in a singsong voice. She cast another spell and placed her hands against Jayden’s brow. “Let’s see what—”
**********************
The castle was dark and depressing, a home only in name. Prince Mastram, a youth of twelve, walked through hallways surrounded by people he didn’t know. Physically he was a sight to behold, dark haired, handsome and dressed in sable and silk, but he was lonely and frightened. Stepmother had dismissed most of the castle staff over the last two months and replaced them with her personal retainers. None of them looked at Mastram, none bowed, none smiled. Instead they went about their duties in sullen silence.
Breakfast had been a joyless affair like all meals were. Father didn’t talk. Stepmother doted on her two sons, her words sweet like honey to the boys and harsh as acid to everyone else. Food tasted bland to Mastram, father’s jester had no amusement that could reach him, and even his books offered no solace.
Mastram had nearly reached the castle library and the limited reprieve it granted from his suffering when the brightly dressed jester Kipling leaped over a servant and wrapped an arm around the prince. “Your highness, your grace, you charitable soul, how good to see you. I’d nearly missed you the way you blend in with the crowd, no smile, no laughter, not even looking up half the time, but there was a slight hint of joy as I saw you near your fortress against the world. What wonders tempt you today, oh prince, what secrets shall you plumb?”
“Another time, Kipling,” Mastram said. He tried to slip by the jester and failed. Kipling followed him like a remora on a shark, never more than three inches away. “I’m sorry, I’m not in the mood for company today.”
“Few men willingly spend time with a fool, but I have my uses.” Kipling leaned in close and whispered into Mastram’s ear. “Please, suffer my presence. You are in danger.”
Mastram glanced at Kipling, not sure what to make of that strange comment. He went into the library and was alone save for Kipling. Tall bookcases crisscrossed the room and held thousands of books on hundreds of topics. Kipling was right, this was his refuge in hard times. He’d come here often after his mother died. Lately he’d come every day after meals.
“I’m good at solving riddles, Kipling, but I need more clues to understand what you’re talking about,” Mastram said.
“My prince, I fear for your life,” the jester said. “The castle has become dangerous. Take it from a thief and hanged man that when I say trouble is afoot I know what I speak of.”
Mastram smiled at him. “Former thief, and you survived your hanging.”
Kipling smiled. “Minor details.”
“Speak plainly to me as you always have, and please, no more riddles.”
Kipling cartwheeled onto a table and crouched on top of it. “These days I save my riddles for entertaining your father, no easy task. Mastram, you know me better than most, and you’re friends with your tutor, Mr. Wintery. Besides the two of us, your family and the court officials, is there one person in the castle whose name you know?”
Mastram paused. His mind raced as he tried to put a name to the constant parade of new faces he’d seen lately. So few would even talk to him, a growing cone of silence that had been spreading for months. “No.”
“Nor can I, my prince. There was a time I could count on two hands and both feet how many men asked me to share a drink with me. Now I can think of none. The castle has been purged of friends and allies, your stepmother’s doing, I’m sure.”
“I had few friends to begin with,” Mastram said.
“That’s not true,” the jester countered. “Many hold you in high regard. With these books you found the location of an old sorcerer lord reservoir, and people drink clean water from it today as they once did long ago. You offer hope to those still hurting from the war, sharing wisdom and words of mercy, counseled justice rather than vengeance. You are loved elsewhere if not here, and God help me if there are more hateful words that those.”
Mastram sat in a chair, too dejected to search the bookcases for a novel that might offer hope in such dark times. Kipling sat next to him and put an arm around the boy’s shoulders.
“I try to reach them, Kipling,” Mastram said mournfully. “Father doesn’t speak to me the way he did when mother was alive. Nothing I do satisfies stepmother. Court officials ignore what I have to say.”
“Your father is a fine man in many ways,” Kipling said, “the best tightrope walker I’ve ever met, but no juggler.”
Mastram stared at him. “Father doesn’t perform stunts.”
“I speak only the truth to you.” Kipling took wood balls from the deep pockets of his colorful uniform. Mastram had often seen the jester pull items from his costume, so many that he wondered if magic was involved. The jester balanced on the edge of the table while juggling.
“Nobles come day and night, demanding gifts and privileges from your father. All kings suffer such annoyances, but your father owes these men for their service during the civil war. With the treasury depleted he can’t give them what they want, so he pits one against the other, saying he can’t give them land that others hold and gold owed to their neighbors. No finer tightrope walker was ever born, for no matter how many try to pull him left or right he keeps his balance.”
Just then Kipling dropped a ball. Matram’s jaw dropped. He’d never seen the jester make a mistake.
“But he’s no juggler,” Kipling said. “I’m juggling eleven balls, but your eyes are on the one that fell. Jugglers know that dropping even one ball makes the audience doubt you, something your father hasn’t learned yet.”
Kipling caught his balls and set them on the table. “We both hear the whispers, my prince, and everyone hears the screams as your father and stepmother fight. He owes her family a heavy debt for saving his kingdom. He thought marrying her would be enough, but it’s not. She wants her sons on the throne. By law the king’s eldest son must take his place, but she and her family campaign against you day and night.
“Prince, I fear the king’s resolve is weakening. He thinks if he lets one ball fall by casting you aside then no one will care, but we know better. A king who sacrifices his own son, that man is no king. Commoners won’t obey him, soldiers won’t respect him, other monarchs will despise him, but he can’t see that. He only sees the balls he’s still got in the air and hopes the audience doesn’t notice the one on the ground.”
“What can I do?” Mastram asked.
“Keep learning, keep studying and keep away from fights in court. Staying in the library does that. You may have to leave in a hurry. I’ll help you for whatever a jester is worth, and I know men who will do the same. But Mastram, and it hurts like a knife to the heart to say this, prepare for the worst. Dark times lay ahead, and you—”
********************
Witch Way cried out in agony and gripped her head with both hands. Dana and Maya winced in pain. The heart stone beat erratically for a moment before settling down. Only Jayden seemed unaffected, his breathes deep and even.
“What was that?” Witch Way asked as she staggered into the table Jayden lay on.
“How would I know?” Dana shot back. “It’s your spell!”
“It’s never done that before!” Witch Way yelled. She straightened up and looked at Jayden. “I’ve dredged secrets from countless men’s minds and never such pain.”
“What were we seeing?” Maya asked.
“I don’t…wait, you saw that, too?” The witch looked startled, then scared. “You shouldn’t have shared those memories with me.”
“Well we did,” Dana snapped. She struggled again to break free and failed once more. “I’m glad your healing spells work, because your memory spell is garbage. I saw a piece of Prince Mastram’s life, not Jayden’s. How could you see memories from a dead boy?”
“He’s dead?” Maya asked.
“The prince was exiled to the Isle of Tears, where royalty goes to die from cold and hunger.” Witch Way scowled and crossed her arms. “Spirits, what did you do this time?”
High-pitched voices coming from the heart stone giggles and laughed. “This disaster is on your head, not ours. Or should we say heads?”
The witch scowled again and looked at Jayden. “He can’t interfere with my magic if he’s unconscious. Unless, yes, he could have cast magic wards on himself, long lasting defensive spells that would work even if he wasn’t awake.”
Witch Way cast more spells and caused strange glowing shapes to appear over Jayden’s head. The witch frowned and pointed at one. “That’s a mind cloud spell to keep seers and wizards from detecting him with magic. Yes, that’s what’s doing it. Witchcraft is ancient magic, powerful if limited. Shadow magic of the sorcerer lords is nearly as old but stems from another source. His mind cloud and my telepathy spell are interfering with one another, dangerously so.”
Another shape loomed large over Jayden, a black armored snake that slithered through the air before locking its baleful eyes on the witch. Maya sounded terrified when she asked, “What does that one do?”
The witch made the floating images disappear. “Retribution spell, and a nasty one. If he dies the spell attacks whoever is responsible for his death.” Her voice changed from clinical observation to terror when she said, “If he dies under my care, it’s going to think I did it. I have to get out of here! The range on that spell is—”
************************
Prince Mastram was so deeply involved in a book on the history of the sorcerer lords that he didn’t notice the door to the library open. The jingle of armor was enough to get his attention, though, and he looked up to see four soldiers in chain armor and carrying swords. “What’s happened?”
“Come with us,” one said.
“Soldiers don’t travel armed in the castle unless there’s an emergency,” Mastram said, and once the words left his lips he realized there must be danger. Had a villain tried to assassinate the king? Were more rebels rising to contest the throne. Scared, he demanded, “Tell me what’s going on.”
“The king and queen ordered us to bring you to the main hall,” the soldier said. “They’ll explain their meaning there.”
The prince set down his book and left with the soldiers. They marched through castle halls now empty, the few servants quickly leaving their presence. As they neared the castle’s main entrance, Mastram saw more soldiers escorting weeping servants outside. He hadn’t seen such sorrow since the dark days of the civil war.
They reached the castle’s main hall to find the room filled with soldiers, court officials and lesser nobles. Mastram’s father sat on his throne, handsome and strong, his expression stoic. Stepmother cradled her youngest son on her lap. She was richly dressed, and had an expression of satisfaction. She only looked like that when she’d hurt someone.
Prince Mastram’s heart beat fast. This felt wrong. Something terrible had happened, and he feared the jester’s warning was true judging by the cold looks he was getting from everyone in the room. Mastram went before his father and kneeled.
“I come as ordered, my father and my king.”
“One but not the other,” the queen said sweetly.
“Does the queen question my loyalty?” Mastram asked in horror.
“Enough,” his father said. He waved for the chancellor to approach. The man was another new addition to the court who’d bought his position by providing gold the king needed to pay soldiers during the civil war.
The chancellor stepped forward and unrolled a long velum scroll. Reading from it, he said, “Be it known to all the kingdom and beyond that charges of infidelity have been laid against the late queen, investigated and found to be true.”
Mastram gasped. His voice was a whisper when he asked, “Father, how could you?”
“Evidence has come to light that the former queen was in an illicit relationship with a man or men of unknown origin, one of whom is father to Prince Mastram,” the chancellor said. “Prince Mastram is hereby declared illegitimate, a pretended to the throne and no relation to the royal family. He is ordered banished to the Isle of Tears, to remain there for however long he may live.”
“Mother loved you more than life itself,” Mastram said. “To speak ill of her when she stood by you through dark times, when her family sacrificed so much for the throne.”
“A pity they have no more to sacrifice, no soldiers, no gold, no land,” the queen said playfully. “If they did, they could buy you a few more days in court.”
“I said enough,” the king told her, a mild rebuke that made her scowl. “This command is to be carried out immediately.”
“Unhand me!” a voice cried out in the back of the main hall. It was Mastram’s tutor, Mr. Wintry. He was short and old, neither of which kept him from forcing his way to the front of the crowd. Mr. Wintry wore his best clothes, old and unfashionable as they were, and dropped to his knees before the throne.
“Your Majesty, I beg you, hear the petition of a man loyal and long in your service. Mastram is good and loyal, even if you refuse to call him a son, and doesn’t deserve such a death.”
“He is no longer welcome here, nor are you,” the king said.
“Then let him leave with me!” Mr. Wintry begged. “You hired me from the Vastan Institute of Magic and Technology to teach your son. I will pack my belongings and leave at once, taking the boy with me. He’s clever and good with languages. He could be a great teacher there in Charlock Kingdom, so far away that you would never hear of him again. I have no son, you know this, and teaching Matram has been the closest I’ve come to fatherhood. If he can’t be your son, let him be mine.”
The offer brought cries of outrage from the court. Mr. Wintry ignored them and said, “I can formally adopt Matram into my family. He will lose all claim to the throne, but he will live.” Mr. Wintry looked up, glaring at the queen when he said, “You get what you want without anyone dying.”
“And risk you training him to become a wizard, to one day return and claim a throne he has no right to?” the queen asked. “Your schemes are as obvious as they are treacherous.”
The king offered no response. The queen’s outrage grew, and she shouted, “This was agreed upon, and paid for in my family’s gold and blood!”
“Leave the room,” he ordered her. The court fell silent, and in a rare turn of events so did the queen. “I know my debts and pay them, but I have limits.”
The queen left with her son and her foul temper. Once she was gone, the king stared at Mastram in silence. Long minutes passed before he spoke. “Mr. Wintry, your offer is…unique, and one I had not considered. I believe the offer is genuine, but my queen makes a valid point. There can be but one line of succession or my kingdom risks a new civil war only years after barely surviving one. I cannot have nobles scheme to place a false heir upon the throne.”
The king stood up and pointed at Mr. Wintry. “Your services here are at an end. Guards, collect his belongings and escort him to the castle gates.”
“Men will hear of this,” Mr. Wintry said when armed men seized him. As he was led away, he shouted, “You will lose the loyalty of those who love you!”
“I need time more than love, for I have seen love die,” the king said.
The king opened his mouth to speak, not getting the chance as Kipling the jester slipped through the packed room to reach the throne. “My Liege, if wisdom is held in so low regard then perhaps a fool’s words might have effect.”
“You test my patience, jester,” the king told him.
“I test your love, for I am old enough to have seen you treat this boy with tenderness, and I am fool enough to not care what price I pay to say it.” Kipling walked up to Mastram and kneeled beside him. “You pronounce a death sentence, exile in name only. The king’s word is law and even I am not fool enough to challenge it, but I can join him in this fate.”
“Kipling, no!” Mastram shouted.
“Please, your majesty,” Kipling implored. “We’ll both die there, starve or freeze, take your pick, but until that day comes we’ll dance and sing and maybe laugh. Be fair, your majesty, you won’t miss me. When was the last time you laughed at my jokes?”
“When was the last time I laughed at anything,” the King said, a statement rather than a question. He’d needed time to consider Mr. Wintry’s offer, but his response to Kipling was lighting quick. “The Isle of Tears is reserved for nobles. Mastram is not my son, but his mother was of noble birth. The punishment is justified. You, Kipling, are a commoner and former thief, the only man to survive a hanging.”
“Cheap rope will do that to you,” Kipling said without shame. “Surviving a death penalty is what first drew your attention to me. Quick wits and nimble hands sealed the deal.”
“Then I break that deal,” the King said. “You are correct, jester, you no longer entertain me. As you are manifestly unfit for your job, you may leave with whatever belongings you have, but the Isle of Tears is forbidden to you. And I am certain you are responsible for the disappearance last week of two of my wife’s retainers.”
“The assassins she sent after the prince?” Kipling asked without fear. Mastram gasped at the accusation.
“My queen is ever hasty in her actions, quick to anger and slow to consider the consequences,” the King said. “Where are their bodies?”
Kipling folded his arms across his chest. “I paid good money to make sure no one would ever learn the answer to that question, including me. Good luck finding them.”
The king seemed unbothered by the jester’s response. Instead there was the barest hint of a smile on his face, the first sign of happiness Mastram had seen from his father in years. “You always did like the boy more than me. There was a time I would have praised such bravery, but saving him then condemns him to far worse now, and opens me to the very condemnation Wintry claimed. Better he had died a prince, but you forced me to do worse.”
Soldiers drew their swords, but the King waved them off. “Don’t kill him. Kipling, you provided a sufficient answer and put the queen in her place, acting as a much-needed reminder that she is not ruler, and that her schemes can be undone more easily than she thinks. Punishing you would embolden her to further mischief. Still, it is another reason not to keep you. Guards, exile the jester from my kingdom.”
“I—” Kipling began, but guards seized him and pulled him from the room. “You only had one ball to keep in the air, one worth having, and you let it drop.”
Mastram was afraid, but he surprised himself by being more concerned for his father than himself. He studied the court members around him and saw little reaction to what his father and the jester had said. “You and Kipling both accused the queen of sending assassins after me, yet none here seems troubled. What manner of men fills the court?”
“Ones I trust,” his father answered. “I saw my kingdom ripped asunder by treachery and lies. I refuse to see it happen again. I ask nothing more of these men than their loyalty. Let them have their faults so long as they do what they are told.”
Mastram watched as the last friend he had in the world was dragged off. With no chance to save himself and no one else to save, he spoke with the confidence of a condemned man. “I knew stepmother was trying to replace me with her sons. I feared you would find a reason to cast me away, but never in my worst nightmares did I think you would betray mother’s memory.”
“I do what I must,” his father said. “The kingdom still balances on a razor’s edge with enemies within and without. In time I can fix what is broken, but I must pay for that time. I have sacrificed my honor, my good name, my pride and the lives of countless subjects. I lost much and could yet lose everything. To avoid that I must make one last sacrifice, saying words I know are lies and ending the life of my son, less of a loss when I have two more. ”
He stared hard at Mastram before saying, “I thought this would be harder. Guards, take him away and leave me in peace, for I—”
*****************************
Witch Way’s screams could have woken the dead as she fell to the floor. Dana and Maya winced, for they felt some of the pain she did. The heart stone went into wild spasms as its light faded before recovering slowly. Only Jayden seemed unaffected. Instead he looked stronger, healthier, his wounds nearly gone.
May 8, 2019
Border Crossing part 2
This is the conclusion to Border Crossing:
Dana and Jayden left Maya’s house early the next morning. It was a cool, sunny day, and Jayden headed for the bridge. They found it guarded by ten soldiers dressed in blue and gray. No one approached the bridge, and pedestrians went to the opposite side of the street when they neared it. Jayden took a seat at an outdoor café and ordered breakfast.
“Glorious morning, isn’t it?” he said as a waiter served them. Once he was gone, Jayden added, “We have to thank Maya for more than lodging when we’re done here. Her painting of the bridge was most informative.”
“How’s that?”
“The bridge is made of fitted blocks of granite, too hard to break with the spells I’ve learned, but her painting showed mortar between the blocks. I might be able to cut through it and bring down the bridge piece by piece. Still, I need a closer look to make sure her work is accurate before we begin.”
“Speaking of Maya, she’s at the end of the street,” Dana told him. Maya was standing by a wagon loaded with fresh produce. It looked like she was buying food, and quite a bit of it. Two women walked up to her and smiled. That made Dana happy. Maya had seemed so lonely before. It was good to see her cheerful. “She’s talking with friends.”
Jayden kept his eyes on the bridge. “Really, what about?”
Dana was about to scold him for expecting her to hear a conversation so far away, but then she saw one of the women point to Jayden and give Maya a predatory smile. Whatever she said made Maya blush beet red. The two women laughed, and one patted Maya on the shoulder.
“You,” Dana told him.
“A worthy topic of conversation,” Jayden said. He finished his meal and stood up. “I need you to distract the guards so I can take a look at the bridge without being noticed. This could be dangerous based on the way Edgeland’s residents avoid those men.”
“I’ll keep a healthy distance.”
A short walk brought them to the bridge. Jayden stayed back and looked like he was studying the nearby abandoned hotel while Dana came closer. She smiled at the nearest soldier and said, “Hi there. I was wondering if there’s another hotel in town. This one’s closed and I need a place to stay.”
The soldiers leaned against the bridge’s support columns and barely reacted to her question. “We’re not tour guides.”
“You must have been here longer than I have. Have you seen anywhere I—”
“Do I have to repeat myself?” a soldier demanded. He took a step closer to her. “You can sleep in a ditch for all I care.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t care! Nobody does!” The soldier pointed his spear at her and shouted, “You’re not fooling anyone! The bridge is closed to traffic until the king and queen say otherwise. Nothing’s going to change that, not begging, not bribes, not whatever sob story you’ve come up with, so bug off!”
Dana ran. She made sure not to get too close to Jayden so the soldiers didn’t guess they were together. She stopped when she was a block away, and was relieved when she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“Sorry about that,” an unfamiliar voice said. Dana yelped again and bolted from the strange woman trying to comfort her. The woman looked startled and held up her hands. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
Dana pointed at the bridge guards. “What’s going on?”
“I wish I knew,” the woman answered. “Baron Vrask’s men used to guard the bridge. They’d let through people they were sure would come back, but these men won’t let anyone cross. I was supposed to get a wool shipment from Kaleoth weeks ago, but they won’t let the wagon across or let me go to them.”
Jayden walked up alongside them and asked, “Are you all right?”
“Just a little surprised,” Dana told him.
“We shouldn’t stay here if the guards are so hostile,” he told her. He took her by the arm and led her away. The woman waved goodbye and went on her way. They’d traveled a few blocks before Jayden said, “Maya’s attention to detail is exceptional. There is half an inch of mortar between the granite blocks, the bridge’s only weakness.”
“When are you going to destroy it?”
“The guards will be at their worst at midnight. Darkness will limit their vision and the late hour will leave them tired. Until then we’ll occupy ourselves studying the town and looking for potential threats or sources of aid. I don’t expect to find either, but we’re not in a rush.”
Edgeland’s markets were sparsely populated and had little to offer. Many shops were closed with signs saying they were out of stock. Others were open but offered only the most basic supplies. Dana and Jayden attracted little attention from shopkeepers and customers.
“Why do you think they closed the bridge?” Dana asked.
“Possibly to keep Kaleoth spies out of the kingdom. It’s a draconian move that costs the kingdom far more than it benefits, but paranoia seems to be the rule of the day.”
“What’s the point of doing it now? You said they won’t invade until springtime. Keeping the bridge closed all winter is going to make people in Kaleoth suspicious, maybe enough for them to double their guards on the bridge.”
Jayden frowned. “It’s certainly odd. I’d suspect such a move closer to the advent of war, but for that to make sense the king and queen would have to invade almost at once. Kaleoth is mountainous and has many natural chokepoints. Enough snowfall would close those for months and produce a serious avalanche risk. An invading army would have to make excellent progress in the face of determined opposition or be bogged down.”
“The king and queen must know that. They’re evil, but they’re not dumb.”
“So what are we missing?” he asked.
Dana and Jayden returned to Maya’s house late that day to find her busy cooking. She blushed when she saw Jayden, but she seemed a bit more at ease with him. “Dinner will be ready in a little while.”
Dana caught the scent of spices and cooking meat. “Is that mutton?”
“I paid my rent for the year with the money you gave me,” Maya said. Dana was shocked one gold coin went so far, and was amazed when Maya added, “There was some left over, so I splurged on groceries.”
“Which you’re sharing with us,” Jayden said. “Your generosity as a hostess knows no bounds, and that smells incredible. If you’ll excuse me, I need to work in my room.”
Once he was gone, Maya asked, “I noticed your uncle doesn’t wear a ring. Does he have a girlfriend at home?”
Dana stopped to admire one of Maya’s portraits. “Him? Ha, ha, no, I haven’t met one. The only woman I think was interested in him was Suzy Lockheart, and that didn’t turn out well. I think she came on too strong.”
“Nothing happened between us!” Jayden shouted through his closed door.
“Really.” Maya tried to sound casual and failed utterly. “What’s, um, what’s he like?”
Dana froze. Jayden’s casual flirting had more of an effect than he’d realized. This could end badly. Dana tried to come up with an answer that was polite and still make it clear there was no chance for a relationship.
She struggled for a response and briefly let an honest answer cross her mind. Jayden is a man on a mission. At some point he was hurt so badly it left scars across his soul that might never heal. I think he wants a family to replace what he lost, and that’s probably what I am to him, a sister or daughter. If you’re his friend there’s nothing he won’t do to help you. If you’re his enemy there’s nothing that can save you. He’s the world’s only sorcerer lord, and powerful as he is, he’s going to get himself killed taking so many risks. I’m terrified that I can’t save him.
After much thought, she said, “He can be difficult.”
“I wouldn’t say that. He’s the nicest man I’ve ever met.”
“Come on, Maya, a pretty lady like you must get lots of attention from men.”
Maya blushed and redirected her attention back to the cooking pot. “Um, yes, well, there were two men. Um, one joined the army to make his fortune. He said he’d come back for me once he became an officer, but that was three years ago. The other one, ah, he likes me, but he likes beer, too. Lots of beer.”
Dana sat down at the dinner table and faced Maya. “That’s not husband material. Uncle has been getting better about how he treats people. He can still be harsh at times. You’re seeing him at his best.”
“He’s on his best behavior for a failed artist?” Maya sounded hopeful.
“You’re not a failure,” Dana said. She got up and pointed at the nearest painting. “This is gorgeous. My mom would pay good money for this, if she had money, good or otherwise.”
Jayden came back from his room carrying a bag. “Excuse my interruption of your no doubt fascinating discussion. Niece, we’ll need to talk about coming activities.”
Dana was happy to exit this awkward conversation and warn Jayden about Maya’s interest in him, but her joy was short lived when the bag he was carrying tore. It wasn’t surprising since he’d loaded it with stone tablets inscribed with spells of the old sorcerer lords. The heavy tablets landed with a thud on the floor, followed by a few dozen gold coins and a jeweled ring. Maya stared in amazement at the bag’s contents. Her jaw dropped and she took a step back. Dana got between Maya and the tablets.
“I can explain,” Dana said as her mind raced. “My uncle is a historian.”
Maya looked puzzled. “Historians are paid in gold?”
“Historians explore ancient places. Sometimes they find things…nice things.”
Maya put a hand over her mouth. “You looted this stuff?”
“Looted is such an ugly word,” Jayden said. “Tragically accurate, though.”
“That’s why you came here!” Maya exclaimed. “I was wondering why you were by the bridge the other day. You found this neat stuff and you’re trying to get out of the kingdom before it gets confiscated.”
“Um,” Dana began. Maya’s guess was illegal enough that she might go to the authorities.
Maya ran over and clapped her hands. “Ooh, let me see what you found! That’s a gorgeous ring! Can I try it on?”
Dana watched as Maya, giddy as a schoolgirl, gushed over the treasure and marveled at the designs on the spell tablets. Dana whispered to Jayden, “She’s an adult, right?”
“Physically, yes,” he whispered back. Louder, he asked, “I hope we can trust you with this secret?”
“Oh!” Jayden’s question dragged Maya’s attention back to him. “I won’t tell a soul. If I had half as much as you I’d keep it a secret, too. Lots of people have had their money confiscated. Tax collectors show up and suddenly you owe twice as much as you should.”
Jayden got another bag from his room and repacked the spilled goods. Maya handed back the ring and smiled at him. “I don’t think you can get to Kaleoth from here. Soldiers aren’t letting anyone come or leave. There are other places you could cross, but they’re guarded, too. You have to walk a long time to find someone to sell this to.”
“An unfortunate situation, but one that lets up enjoy your hospitality awhile longer,” Jayden told her. He smiled and looked like he was going to keep flirting with her when panicking men ran past the nearest window. More men ran by. “That’s rarely a good sign.”
Dana stuck her head out the window and saw men and women racing by. “What’s the matter?”
“There’s an army coming!” a man yelled before he turned a corner.
Dana, Jayden and Maya went outside to find every nearby street in a state of confusion, with men, women and children fleeing like their lives depended on it. Maya pointed to a nearby street corner and said, “That’s the highest point around. We’ll get the best view there.”
The sun was beginning to set as they reached the street corner and looked outside the city. The city wall made it impossible to see anything close by, but in the distance they saw what was undeniably an army approaching Edgeland. Dana guessed there were over ten thousand men in blue and gray, maybe more. It was divided into dozens of companies carrying flags and beating drums. Some companies had their own distinct flags with gruesome images like ram skulls and bloody swords.
“Why is everyone scared?” Dana asked. “Those are our soldiers.”
“Only some of them,” Jayden said. He pointed at one of the unusual flags and scowled. “Those flags are for mercenary companies, foreigners fighting for pay. Such men are known for brutality and robbing anyone they meet unless their officers keep them on a short leash. If they pass through quickly then Edgeland’s people should be safe. Otherwise they’ll suffer attacks.”
That worried Dana. If Jayden’s plan worked then the army would be stalled her for weeks or months. There was no telling how much damage they’d do, and a pretty girl like Maya with no family to protect her would be in great danger.
“Jayden, we can’t leave Maya here.”
“No, we can’t.” Jayden took Maya’s hands and said, “We’re going back to your house to collect our things. Pack whatever essentials you need. We’re getting you out of here before those men arrive.”
Maya stammered, “L-leave? Where? That many men will fill the city.”
“Please, trust me.” Jayden led Maya back to her home. They hurried to pack supplies including food and Maya’s art supplies and then left the building. There was no way to carry all of Maya’s paintings and they were forced to leave them.
Still in shock, Maya asked, “Why is an army coming here? We’re not in danger.”
“Their stay is intended to be temporary,” Jayden explained. “I was wondering why the baron’s men were removed from the city gate and the bridge. The king and queen must have worried that spies would see their army approach, so they closed the bridge to prevent Kaleoth receiving a timely warning.”
“I know people in Kaleoth!” Maya cried out. “They’re good people. They’ve done nothing to deserve this.”
Jayden put a hand on her shoulder. “No, they haven’t, and we’re going to save them.”
“Dana called you Jayden,” Maya said. Dana paused for a moment and winced when she remembered the mistake she’d made. Maya pointed at Jayden and said, “You, you’re the sorcerer lord.”
“I am.” Jayden picked up one of Maya’s bags. “I’m a wanted man with a staggeringly high price on my head because I want to stop our kingdom from invading Kaleoth and possibly other lands. Dana is helping me prevent that invasion. Maya, I need more help, a person to give the people of Kaloeth a warning.”
“I’m just a painter,” she pleaded.
“Then today is worth remembering, because a painter is going to save thousands of lives.” Jayden wasted no more time and led them to the bridge. They avoided panicking people, but doing so still slowed them down.
It was getting dark when Dana, Jayden and Maya reached the bridge to find the soldiers yawning and inattentive. Two of them were even asleep. Jayden snuck closer and hid behind a parked wagon before casting a spell. Shadows wrapped together to form an enormous clawed hand. The hand was nearly invisible in the darkness, and it came as a surprise to the soldiers when he hit them like a battering ram. Men cried out as they were tossed about. Two tried to fight back and stabbed the hand before they were bowled over. Their leader tried to run and got thirty feet before the hand threw one of his men into him.
“Subtle.” Dana’s word dripped with sarcasm.
“Tonight is going to be loud, flashy and time consuming,” he countered as he used the hand to carry defeated men to the closed hotel. “Subtle isn’t an option. Dana, help me tie these men up. Maya, cross the bridge and tell the soldiers there what you’ve seen.”
Maya hesitated. “What about you?”
Jayden cast a spell and formed a black sword edged in white. Maya gasped at the sight of the magic blade and backed away. He told her, “I’m going to slow down the enemy for as long as I can. Go. Lives depend on you.”
Maya ran across the bridge, leaving Dana and Jayden alone. It took more time than Dana liked to secure their prisoners. Once that was done, they walked onto the bridge and stopped where two large granite floor blocks met. Jayden placed the tip of the sword over a thin gap between the panels filled with mortar and drove the sword in. It bit into the mortar and sank in slowly. With a final thrust the blade went through to the bottom of the bridge. Jayden walked forward, pulling the sword with him. His magic sword cut through the mortar so slowly a snail could outrun it.
“Keep an eye on our adversaries,” Jayden said as he inched forward.
The nearby closed hotel had spaces between the bricks wide enough for Dana climb onto the roof to get a better vantage point. “The army is still coming, but they’re not rushing. It could be an hour before they reach the city gate and longer to reach us. Why aren’t they hurrying? And why aren’t there knights on horseback?”
“Why would they rush when they think friendly soldiers hold both the city gate and the bridge?” Jayden called back. “There’s no need to exhaust their men with a fast march before battle when they believe they can catch Kaleoth’s soldiers unaware. As for the knights, Kaleoth’s steep hills and mountains aren’t the place to send horses. The king and queen will save their cavalry for the flatter countryside of Zentrix and Brandish.”
Dana spotted movement outside the city. “I see people with carts and wagons fleeing into the countryside. Looks like Edgeland’s population is going to drop even more.”
“And on the other side of the bridge?”
Dana turned around and frowned. “Men are running around. Maya’s talking to one of them and pointing at us. Jayden, you said the king and queen wouldn’t attack so late in the year. Avalanches, passes closed by snow, stuff like that.”
“All good reasons not to attack rendered invalid by simple fact it hasn’t snowed yet. Campaigning will be impossible in a few weeks, giving the king and queen a brief window of opportunity to make a surprise attack and seize the capital city of Kaleoth. If they can win every battle for the next week they’ll take Kaleoth before winter comes.”
Dana watched the approaching army. “They certainly have enough men. Wait, I see something big in the front of the army. Jayden get up here.”
Jayden let his magic sword dissipate and climbed onto the closed hotel. Dana pointed at a dark towering figure leading the army. Jayden’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “That’s Wall Wolf, an iron golem that guards the king and queen. It’s served the royal family for centuries and has never been beaten. It could have won the civil war singlehandedly except it was too slow to reach most battles in time.”
“Can you stop it?”
“I won’t even be able to scratch it!” Jayden climbed down from the hotel and went back to the bridge. “If the king and queen have sent Wall Wolf then they’re totally committed to this war, even sending their personal bodyguard for the task.”
“The army is getting close to the city gate,” Dana said. She climbed down and joined Jayden. “That many men are going to close off any chance for us to escape.”
“When I’m done we’ll cross over into Kaleoth,” Jayden told her. He reformed his magic sword and drove it between two granite slabs. “We’ll find another way back into the kingdom later.”
They heard noises behind them. Dana turned to see Kaleoth soldiers gathering on their side of the border. Soldiers rolled wagons across the bridge and then overturned them to form makeshift barricades. More soldiers armed with crossbows arrived and took up positions on rooftops.
“Following Maya might be harder than you think,” Dana said.
“The bridge is open!” a man yelled. An older man ran by Dana and Jayden to Kaleoth, then two more. Soon crowds of frightened people fled the coming army. They avoided Jayden, but a man slowed down long enough to say, “I don’t know what you’re doing, but do it faster.”
Dana heard a woman cry out, “Crimson Reapers are coming! Hide your daughters!”
“Mercenaries?” Dana asked Jayden.
“Among the worst, and as brutal to civilians as they are to their enemies.”
Dana retook her place on top of the abandoned hotel. “The army reached the city gates and are coming through. We’ve got more people headed our way.”
The stream of frightened humanity turned into a river. Dana saw men and women flee into Kaleoth and clamber over the barricades. Kaleoth soldiers helped them across. She also saw Kaleoth soldiers point at Jayden as he hacked into the bridge. Some men followed suit with pickaxes and hammers.
“Ten minutes until they get here, maybe less,” Dana called out. “How far did you get?”
“Not enough by half,” Jayden called out. He’d cut far enough to reach where two large granite slabs came together. He made a ninety-degree turn and began cutting out the mortar along another side.
Dana watched the fleeing crowds shrink to a mere trickle. She’d been wrong on how long it would take the army to reach the bridge. Their pace slowed to a crawl once they were among the buildings, and she saw mercenaries breaking into homes and shops. It took a lot of effort to get them moving again, and more than one officer resorted to using a whip on his own men.
Terrifying as they were, Wall Wolf was far more frightening. Dana could make out more details as the iron golem came closer. It stood twelve feet tall and looked like an enormous knight, even if the arms and legs were far too thick and the shoulders too broad. The golem carried no weapon, not that such an enormous monster would need one. It took slow steps but never stopped marching forward. The golem kicked over a wagon in its way and stepped on it, crushing it to kindling.
“They’re two blocks away and closing,” Dana told Jayden. She climbed down and joined him. Jayden had cut a gash fifteen feet long in the bridge and still hadn’t done significant damage.
Jayden kept working. “Get ready to run for your life.”
The vanguard of the army came onto the street ahead of them while Wall Wolf was a block away but still visible above the rooftops. Soldiers and mercenaries saw Jayden and stopped a hundred feet away. Every tenth man carried a lantern, lighting up streets. Officers soon came, and following them was a man in plate armor and a purple cape.
“As I live and breath, the sorcerer lord,” the armored man said. He watched Jayden inching along and laughed. “Spitting on the bridge would be just as effective.”
Jayden drew his black sword out and raised it in a challenge. “Judging by your armor you’re from the Rendmal family, likely their eldest son Kyver. Your father served with distinction during the civil war and was known for justice and mercy, traits you clearly don’t share if you’re invading a friendly state.”
Kyver shot back, “They’ve no right to such a title.”
“Kaleoth could have sent raiding parties to loot our farms and villages during our civil war. Instead they sent food to starving families. Your father held them in high regard.”
“My father is not in command of this army,” Kyver said as Wall Wolf smashed through a house on its way to the bridge. “I am. Kaleoth is an enemy state because the king declared they are enemies, and the king’s word is law. If he said the sky is yellow and not blue then his word makes it so. Loyal men understand such things.”
“If that’s an example of your keen wit, I see why you use it so rarely,” Jayden quipped.
More soldiers and mercenaries came but stayed well back. Kyver also made no move toward Dana and Jayden. Instead Kyver held up an iron baton with a black pearl on the end. “I’ve heard tales of the damage you’ve done. I could kill you with a word, sending a thousand men after you until one of them strikes you dead, but a more efficient means is at hand. Wall Wolf, hear me and obey. Kill the sorcerer lord.”
Soldiers scattered as Wall Wolf stomped toward Jayden. Cobblestones shattered under the iron golem’s feet. Jayden let his magic sword dissipate and instead chanted words Dana recognized even if she didn’t understand them. Jayden held out his hands and a tiny spark formed between them. He kept chanting as Wall Wolf drew closer, a hundred feet and then fifty. When the spell was finished the spark flew out and stopped inches from Wall Wolf’s head.
Boom! The spark exploded into a blazing fireball that washed over the golem. Soldiers cried out in panic and fell back while Kyver stood his ground. Seconds later the flames died away and Wall Wolf took another step toward Jayden. Jayden’s most powerful spell hadn’t even scratched the golem. Kyver laughed. His men rallied to his side and laughed with him. Jayden backed away as Wall Wolf came ever closer.
Dana asked, “I’d say he weighs twenty tons, wouldn’t you?”
Jayden reformed his black sword. “At least.”
“How much weight can this bridge take?”
Jayden stopped retreating. “That’s a fascinating question. An hour ago I would have said there’s a fifty-fifty chance Wall Wolf would be too heavy to cross it.”
Dana looked at the deep gash in the bridge. “If we walk back ten steps and two more to the right, and Wall Wolf comes at us in a straight line, that would put him right here.”
Jayden and Dana backed away while soldiers and mercenaries cheered on Wall Wolf. The iron golem marched relentlessly forward, slow but never stopping as it closed the distance between them. Jayden smiled wickedly when Wall Wolf reached the damaged section of the bridge.
Crack! A slab of granite ten feet long broke free as the last bits of mortar shattered. The slab tilted up and Wall Wolf slid backwards until both the golem and bridge section fell into the raging waters below. Water shot up high into the air and rained down onto the bridge and riverbank. Soldiers cried out in rage and Kyver’s look of smug superiority vanished, replaced by shock.
“That was entertaining,” Jayden told Kyver. “What else did you bring me to play with?”
“Fetch long timbers!” Kyver yelled. “Tear down the houses to get them if you must! I want that gap covered! Archers forward!”
Dana gripped Jayden’s arm. “That’s our cue to leave.”
“It is at that,” Jayden agreed. He and Dana ran down the bridge, with Jayden grinning like the cat that caught the canary. “This will slow them down long enough for me to bring down the bridge from the other side. Kaleoth will be safe now and forev—”
Wall Wolf came up from the river, climbing up a support column to stand before Dana and Jayden. Soldiers and mercenaries cheered when the iron golem stepped in front of them and clenched its huge fists. It blocked Dana and Jayden’s escape, and the bridge was destroyed behind them, trapping the pair.
“The show’s not over, boys!” Kyver shouted to his men. “Watch the king and queen’s enemies fall!”
“Go left,” Jayden told Dana as he went right. The bridge was wide enough that Wall Wolf couldn’t fully block it, nor could the iron golem go after both of them. Wall Wolf pursued Jayden, as ordered, ignoring Dana entirely. “Dana, you’re clear, run!”
“I’m not leaving you!”
Wall Wolf stomped after Jayden. Jayden swung his sword at its heels, only for the magic blade to bounce off. His next swing was equally useless. Wall Wolf swung its right fist and missed by a wide margin. Jayden slashed his sword across the fist without effect.
“Staying won’t help!” he shouted. “Run!”
Crossbow bolts flew over Jayden’s head and hit Wall Wolf. Dana spun around and saw Kaleoth soldiers peppering the iron golem with accurate crossbow fire. Their aim was impressive, awe inspiring, and totally useless. Bolt after bolt shattered against the iron golem’s tough skin without leaving a scratch.
Wall Wolf tried to stomp on Jayden. It missed, but when Jayden ran out of the way the iron golem swung its left hand and landed a glancing blow. It was enough to send Jayden flying twenty feet farther down the bridge. Soldiers cheered and Dana screamed. Jayden struggled to his knees before falling down.
Dana tore through her bags until she found her magic short sword. She hadn’t had the opportunity to practice with it in Edgeland because it would have drawn attention. Dana didn’t know how much good it would be without training, but trapped between a raging river and an iron golem meant there were no other choices. She raised the blade high and charged. She felt it warm up as she ran, then it began to glow. She was five steps from the iron golem when the sword lit up like a bonfire. Dana screamed and slashed at Wall Wolf’s right leg.
The sword hit, no surprise when her target was large, slow and not paying attention to her. Magic blade met magic monster and produced a shower of sparks so strong Dana had to clench her eyes shut. When the light died down she stepped back and opened her eyes. She’d wounded the golem, leaving a cut eighteen inches long and a quarter inch deep.
“That’s it?” she yelled.
“Is that all you’ve got?” a soldier jeered.
Kyver looked more impressed. “Wall Wolf has never been hurt before. Only a powerful weapon could make such a scratch. Wall Wolf, hear me and obey. Kill the girl and bring me the sword.”
Wall Wolf turned to face her. Dana backed away. “Oh boy.”
More crossbow fire hit Wall Wolf as the iron golem closed in on Dana. A Kaleoth wizard shot magic flame and hit the golem in the back. Wall Wolf ignored them and kept after Dana.
Dana ran around the golem. She swung at it again, but this time it was expecting the blow and pulled away at the last second. The golem swung its fists at her and missed, but more attacks quickly followed. It was all she could do to avoid the monstrosity.
Wall Wolf raised its right foot and tried to crush her underfoot. For a moment it looked like it might do just that before a clawed black hand as big as a man wrapped around Wall Wolf’s head. The magic hand pushed forward and tipped the iron golem over. Dana looked over and saw Jayden on his knees, his right hand held forward.
The fall did Wall Wolf no harm. It grabbed the huge hand with both its hands and pulled hard. Jayden screamed in pain as his magic hand was ripped apart and evaporated. Soldiers and mercenaries laughed all the louder as Wall Wolf stood up.
Dana raised her sword as Wall Wolf advanced on her. She knew it was pointless even as she did it. Her sword had barely hurt the iron golem when she’d hit it. If she struck a joint like the knees or ankles maybe that would do actual damage, but Wall Wolf had brought down Jayden with one hit. It would need no more to finish her.
“You stupid sword, you were supposed to be special!” she screamed at it. “You barely did anything to that monster! We paid good money for you!”
Wall Wolf came closer and raised both fists over its head. Dana backed away, briefly lowering her sword. The tip of the blade grazed the bridge, cutting a groove an inch deep with the barest touch. Shocked, Dana fell back further and let her sword slide against the bridge. The sword sliced through granite blocks as if they were made of sand.
Dana gasped as she gathered her thoughts. Jayden’s sword had been able to damage the bridge but not Wall Wolf. Her sword could damage the iron golem, if only just, so it should have no trouble finishing the work Jayden started and do the job faster. Wall Wolf had survived one trip into Race Horse River. Dana intended to give it another bath.
Dana ran around Wall Wolf, staying just outside its reach. She found where two granite slabs connected in the bridge and slid her sword into the mortar between them. The blade went in easily, and she ran between the slabs, hacking through mortar like it was nothing. Wall Wolf followed her to the cheers of soldiers. Dana heard men betting on how long she’d live. Wall Wolf was beginning to catch up with her when she followed another line of mortar in the bridge, hacking through it effortlessly. Wall Wolf pursued her as ordered, not understanding the danger it was in.
Crack! Another section of the bridge gave way. Dana jumped onto the nearest stable part of the bridge as the slab underneath her tipped and slid backwards. Wall Wolf was on the opposite end of the sinking section. It was reaching for her when the slab fell into the river and took the iron golem with it. Soldiers shouted in outrage, none louder than Kyver. They cheered again when Wall Wolf climbed up the nearest support column. Dana was waiting for it.
It was hard to hurt Wall Wolf, in part because of the iron golem’s long reach. That advantage disappeared when it was climbing. Both hands held tight to the support column and had to stay there until the golem got its feet back on the bridge. That left a few precious seconds where the golem couldn’t avoid her or attack.
Dana saw Wall Wolf pulling itself up and aimed for its fingers. Sparks flew when her sword hit the thinner armor at the iron golem’s knuckles. Wall Wolf pulled itself higher up until Dana saw it eye to eye. She swung again, hacking off four fingers. Wall Wolf fell into the river again, but when it tried to climb up it couldn’t do it with only one functioning hand.
The screams of unruly mob of soldiers and mercenaries were deafening as they saw their champion fail, none louder or more horrified than Kyver. The enemy general howled like a wounded animal and beat his breasts. He regained control of himself long enough to bellow, “Archers, kill her!”
Any elation Dana had felt vanished as dozens of archers took aim at her. Magnificent as her sword was, it couldn’t stop arrows.
They didn’t get the chance to fire. Kaleoth soldiers had been helpless against Wall Wolf, but they had no problems fighting men. Crossbowmen rained down fire on the soldiers and mercenaries. Wizards in Kaleoth’s green and gray shot streams of flames and ice javelins. For a moment the soldiers held their own as archers returned fire. That ended when a single glowing ember drifted toward their side of the river. Kyver saw it coming and ran screaming from the fight with his men following suit. The spark floated lazily to the opposite side of the river before it detonated in a fireball that swallowed up nearby buildings.
Dana ran to Jayden. He was sitting up, but casting that last spell had taxed him beyond his limits. Dana reached him as he began to sway back and forth. She grabbed his shoulders and steadied him. Jayden looked at her only briefly, saying only two words before he passed out.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she said softly. Dana put her sword away and checked Jayden’s wounds. He had several broken ribs and his right arm looked awful. Moving him could do serious harm, but she couldn’t leave him here. Dana grabbed him by the shoulders and slowly pulled him toward Kaleoth.
She’d only gotten a few feet when another set of hands took Jayden. It was Maya. She had one of Jayden’s bags over her shoulder and helped carry Jayden. Between the two of them they pulled Jayden to safety while crossbow bolts and magic flames soared overhead.
“He needs a healer,” Dana said.
“There aren’t many in Kaleoth who can treat wounds this bad,” Maya told her. They reached the other side of the bridge and soldiers helped them through the barricades. “I know a witch who might be able to help, but she charges a lot.”
“I’ll pay it,” Dana promised, “no matter the cost.”
Dana and Jayden left Maya’s house early the next morning. It was a cool, sunny day, and Jayden headed for the bridge. They found it guarded by ten soldiers dressed in blue and gray. No one approached the bridge, and pedestrians went to the opposite side of the street when they neared it. Jayden took a seat at an outdoor café and ordered breakfast.
“Glorious morning, isn’t it?” he said as a waiter served them. Once he was gone, Jayden added, “We have to thank Maya for more than lodging when we’re done here. Her painting of the bridge was most informative.”
“How’s that?”
“The bridge is made of fitted blocks of granite, too hard to break with the spells I’ve learned, but her painting showed mortar between the blocks. I might be able to cut through it and bring down the bridge piece by piece. Still, I need a closer look to make sure her work is accurate before we begin.”
“Speaking of Maya, she’s at the end of the street,” Dana told him. Maya was standing by a wagon loaded with fresh produce. It looked like she was buying food, and quite a bit of it. Two women walked up to her and smiled. That made Dana happy. Maya had seemed so lonely before. It was good to see her cheerful. “She’s talking with friends.”
Jayden kept his eyes on the bridge. “Really, what about?”
Dana was about to scold him for expecting her to hear a conversation so far away, but then she saw one of the women point to Jayden and give Maya a predatory smile. Whatever she said made Maya blush beet red. The two women laughed, and one patted Maya on the shoulder.
“You,” Dana told him.
“A worthy topic of conversation,” Jayden said. He finished his meal and stood up. “I need you to distract the guards so I can take a look at the bridge without being noticed. This could be dangerous based on the way Edgeland’s residents avoid those men.”
“I’ll keep a healthy distance.”
A short walk brought them to the bridge. Jayden stayed back and looked like he was studying the nearby abandoned hotel while Dana came closer. She smiled at the nearest soldier and said, “Hi there. I was wondering if there’s another hotel in town. This one’s closed and I need a place to stay.”
The soldiers leaned against the bridge’s support columns and barely reacted to her question. “We’re not tour guides.”
“You must have been here longer than I have. Have you seen anywhere I—”
“Do I have to repeat myself?” a soldier demanded. He took a step closer to her. “You can sleep in a ditch for all I care.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t care! Nobody does!” The soldier pointed his spear at her and shouted, “You’re not fooling anyone! The bridge is closed to traffic until the king and queen say otherwise. Nothing’s going to change that, not begging, not bribes, not whatever sob story you’ve come up with, so bug off!”
Dana ran. She made sure not to get too close to Jayden so the soldiers didn’t guess they were together. She stopped when she was a block away, and was relieved when she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“Sorry about that,” an unfamiliar voice said. Dana yelped again and bolted from the strange woman trying to comfort her. The woman looked startled and held up her hands. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
Dana pointed at the bridge guards. “What’s going on?”
“I wish I knew,” the woman answered. “Baron Vrask’s men used to guard the bridge. They’d let through people they were sure would come back, but these men won’t let anyone cross. I was supposed to get a wool shipment from Kaleoth weeks ago, but they won’t let the wagon across or let me go to them.”
Jayden walked up alongside them and asked, “Are you all right?”
“Just a little surprised,” Dana told him.
“We shouldn’t stay here if the guards are so hostile,” he told her. He took her by the arm and led her away. The woman waved goodbye and went on her way. They’d traveled a few blocks before Jayden said, “Maya’s attention to detail is exceptional. There is half an inch of mortar between the granite blocks, the bridge’s only weakness.”
“When are you going to destroy it?”
“The guards will be at their worst at midnight. Darkness will limit their vision and the late hour will leave them tired. Until then we’ll occupy ourselves studying the town and looking for potential threats or sources of aid. I don’t expect to find either, but we’re not in a rush.”
Edgeland’s markets were sparsely populated and had little to offer. Many shops were closed with signs saying they were out of stock. Others were open but offered only the most basic supplies. Dana and Jayden attracted little attention from shopkeepers and customers.
“Why do you think they closed the bridge?” Dana asked.
“Possibly to keep Kaleoth spies out of the kingdom. It’s a draconian move that costs the kingdom far more than it benefits, but paranoia seems to be the rule of the day.”
“What’s the point of doing it now? You said they won’t invade until springtime. Keeping the bridge closed all winter is going to make people in Kaleoth suspicious, maybe enough for them to double their guards on the bridge.”
Jayden frowned. “It’s certainly odd. I’d suspect such a move closer to the advent of war, but for that to make sense the king and queen would have to invade almost at once. Kaleoth is mountainous and has many natural chokepoints. Enough snowfall would close those for months and produce a serious avalanche risk. An invading army would have to make excellent progress in the face of determined opposition or be bogged down.”
“The king and queen must know that. They’re evil, but they’re not dumb.”
“So what are we missing?” he asked.
Dana and Jayden returned to Maya’s house late that day to find her busy cooking. She blushed when she saw Jayden, but she seemed a bit more at ease with him. “Dinner will be ready in a little while.”
Dana caught the scent of spices and cooking meat. “Is that mutton?”
“I paid my rent for the year with the money you gave me,” Maya said. Dana was shocked one gold coin went so far, and was amazed when Maya added, “There was some left over, so I splurged on groceries.”
“Which you’re sharing with us,” Jayden said. “Your generosity as a hostess knows no bounds, and that smells incredible. If you’ll excuse me, I need to work in my room.”
Once he was gone, Maya asked, “I noticed your uncle doesn’t wear a ring. Does he have a girlfriend at home?”
Dana stopped to admire one of Maya’s portraits. “Him? Ha, ha, no, I haven’t met one. The only woman I think was interested in him was Suzy Lockheart, and that didn’t turn out well. I think she came on too strong.”
“Nothing happened between us!” Jayden shouted through his closed door.
“Really.” Maya tried to sound casual and failed utterly. “What’s, um, what’s he like?”
Dana froze. Jayden’s casual flirting had more of an effect than he’d realized. This could end badly. Dana tried to come up with an answer that was polite and still make it clear there was no chance for a relationship.
She struggled for a response and briefly let an honest answer cross her mind. Jayden is a man on a mission. At some point he was hurt so badly it left scars across his soul that might never heal. I think he wants a family to replace what he lost, and that’s probably what I am to him, a sister or daughter. If you’re his friend there’s nothing he won’t do to help you. If you’re his enemy there’s nothing that can save you. He’s the world’s only sorcerer lord, and powerful as he is, he’s going to get himself killed taking so many risks. I’m terrified that I can’t save him.
After much thought, she said, “He can be difficult.”
“I wouldn’t say that. He’s the nicest man I’ve ever met.”
“Come on, Maya, a pretty lady like you must get lots of attention from men.”
Maya blushed and redirected her attention back to the cooking pot. “Um, yes, well, there were two men. Um, one joined the army to make his fortune. He said he’d come back for me once he became an officer, but that was three years ago. The other one, ah, he likes me, but he likes beer, too. Lots of beer.”
Dana sat down at the dinner table and faced Maya. “That’s not husband material. Uncle has been getting better about how he treats people. He can still be harsh at times. You’re seeing him at his best.”
“He’s on his best behavior for a failed artist?” Maya sounded hopeful.
“You’re not a failure,” Dana said. She got up and pointed at the nearest painting. “This is gorgeous. My mom would pay good money for this, if she had money, good or otherwise.”
Jayden came back from his room carrying a bag. “Excuse my interruption of your no doubt fascinating discussion. Niece, we’ll need to talk about coming activities.”
Dana was happy to exit this awkward conversation and warn Jayden about Maya’s interest in him, but her joy was short lived when the bag he was carrying tore. It wasn’t surprising since he’d loaded it with stone tablets inscribed with spells of the old sorcerer lords. The heavy tablets landed with a thud on the floor, followed by a few dozen gold coins and a jeweled ring. Maya stared in amazement at the bag’s contents. Her jaw dropped and she took a step back. Dana got between Maya and the tablets.
“I can explain,” Dana said as her mind raced. “My uncle is a historian.”
Maya looked puzzled. “Historians are paid in gold?”
“Historians explore ancient places. Sometimes they find things…nice things.”
Maya put a hand over her mouth. “You looted this stuff?”
“Looted is such an ugly word,” Jayden said. “Tragically accurate, though.”
“That’s why you came here!” Maya exclaimed. “I was wondering why you were by the bridge the other day. You found this neat stuff and you’re trying to get out of the kingdom before it gets confiscated.”
“Um,” Dana began. Maya’s guess was illegal enough that she might go to the authorities.
Maya ran over and clapped her hands. “Ooh, let me see what you found! That’s a gorgeous ring! Can I try it on?”
Dana watched as Maya, giddy as a schoolgirl, gushed over the treasure and marveled at the designs on the spell tablets. Dana whispered to Jayden, “She’s an adult, right?”
“Physically, yes,” he whispered back. Louder, he asked, “I hope we can trust you with this secret?”
“Oh!” Jayden’s question dragged Maya’s attention back to him. “I won’t tell a soul. If I had half as much as you I’d keep it a secret, too. Lots of people have had their money confiscated. Tax collectors show up and suddenly you owe twice as much as you should.”
Jayden got another bag from his room and repacked the spilled goods. Maya handed back the ring and smiled at him. “I don’t think you can get to Kaleoth from here. Soldiers aren’t letting anyone come or leave. There are other places you could cross, but they’re guarded, too. You have to walk a long time to find someone to sell this to.”
“An unfortunate situation, but one that lets up enjoy your hospitality awhile longer,” Jayden told her. He smiled and looked like he was going to keep flirting with her when panicking men ran past the nearest window. More men ran by. “That’s rarely a good sign.”
Dana stuck her head out the window and saw men and women racing by. “What’s the matter?”
“There’s an army coming!” a man yelled before he turned a corner.
Dana, Jayden and Maya went outside to find every nearby street in a state of confusion, with men, women and children fleeing like their lives depended on it. Maya pointed to a nearby street corner and said, “That’s the highest point around. We’ll get the best view there.”
The sun was beginning to set as they reached the street corner and looked outside the city. The city wall made it impossible to see anything close by, but in the distance they saw what was undeniably an army approaching Edgeland. Dana guessed there were over ten thousand men in blue and gray, maybe more. It was divided into dozens of companies carrying flags and beating drums. Some companies had their own distinct flags with gruesome images like ram skulls and bloody swords.
“Why is everyone scared?” Dana asked. “Those are our soldiers.”
“Only some of them,” Jayden said. He pointed at one of the unusual flags and scowled. “Those flags are for mercenary companies, foreigners fighting for pay. Such men are known for brutality and robbing anyone they meet unless their officers keep them on a short leash. If they pass through quickly then Edgeland’s people should be safe. Otherwise they’ll suffer attacks.”
That worried Dana. If Jayden’s plan worked then the army would be stalled her for weeks or months. There was no telling how much damage they’d do, and a pretty girl like Maya with no family to protect her would be in great danger.
“Jayden, we can’t leave Maya here.”
“No, we can’t.” Jayden took Maya’s hands and said, “We’re going back to your house to collect our things. Pack whatever essentials you need. We’re getting you out of here before those men arrive.”
Maya stammered, “L-leave? Where? That many men will fill the city.”
“Please, trust me.” Jayden led Maya back to her home. They hurried to pack supplies including food and Maya’s art supplies and then left the building. There was no way to carry all of Maya’s paintings and they were forced to leave them.
Still in shock, Maya asked, “Why is an army coming here? We’re not in danger.”
“Their stay is intended to be temporary,” Jayden explained. “I was wondering why the baron’s men were removed from the city gate and the bridge. The king and queen must have worried that spies would see their army approach, so they closed the bridge to prevent Kaleoth receiving a timely warning.”
“I know people in Kaleoth!” Maya cried out. “They’re good people. They’ve done nothing to deserve this.”
Jayden put a hand on her shoulder. “No, they haven’t, and we’re going to save them.”
“Dana called you Jayden,” Maya said. Dana paused for a moment and winced when she remembered the mistake she’d made. Maya pointed at Jayden and said, “You, you’re the sorcerer lord.”
“I am.” Jayden picked up one of Maya’s bags. “I’m a wanted man with a staggeringly high price on my head because I want to stop our kingdom from invading Kaleoth and possibly other lands. Dana is helping me prevent that invasion. Maya, I need more help, a person to give the people of Kaloeth a warning.”
“I’m just a painter,” she pleaded.
“Then today is worth remembering, because a painter is going to save thousands of lives.” Jayden wasted no more time and led them to the bridge. They avoided panicking people, but doing so still slowed them down.
It was getting dark when Dana, Jayden and Maya reached the bridge to find the soldiers yawning and inattentive. Two of them were even asleep. Jayden snuck closer and hid behind a parked wagon before casting a spell. Shadows wrapped together to form an enormous clawed hand. The hand was nearly invisible in the darkness, and it came as a surprise to the soldiers when he hit them like a battering ram. Men cried out as they were tossed about. Two tried to fight back and stabbed the hand before they were bowled over. Their leader tried to run and got thirty feet before the hand threw one of his men into him.
“Subtle.” Dana’s word dripped with sarcasm.
“Tonight is going to be loud, flashy and time consuming,” he countered as he used the hand to carry defeated men to the closed hotel. “Subtle isn’t an option. Dana, help me tie these men up. Maya, cross the bridge and tell the soldiers there what you’ve seen.”
Maya hesitated. “What about you?”
Jayden cast a spell and formed a black sword edged in white. Maya gasped at the sight of the magic blade and backed away. He told her, “I’m going to slow down the enemy for as long as I can. Go. Lives depend on you.”
Maya ran across the bridge, leaving Dana and Jayden alone. It took more time than Dana liked to secure their prisoners. Once that was done, they walked onto the bridge and stopped where two large granite floor blocks met. Jayden placed the tip of the sword over a thin gap between the panels filled with mortar and drove the sword in. It bit into the mortar and sank in slowly. With a final thrust the blade went through to the bottom of the bridge. Jayden walked forward, pulling the sword with him. His magic sword cut through the mortar so slowly a snail could outrun it.
“Keep an eye on our adversaries,” Jayden said as he inched forward.
The nearby closed hotel had spaces between the bricks wide enough for Dana climb onto the roof to get a better vantage point. “The army is still coming, but they’re not rushing. It could be an hour before they reach the city gate and longer to reach us. Why aren’t they hurrying? And why aren’t there knights on horseback?”
“Why would they rush when they think friendly soldiers hold both the city gate and the bridge?” Jayden called back. “There’s no need to exhaust their men with a fast march before battle when they believe they can catch Kaleoth’s soldiers unaware. As for the knights, Kaleoth’s steep hills and mountains aren’t the place to send horses. The king and queen will save their cavalry for the flatter countryside of Zentrix and Brandish.”
Dana spotted movement outside the city. “I see people with carts and wagons fleeing into the countryside. Looks like Edgeland’s population is going to drop even more.”
“And on the other side of the bridge?”
Dana turned around and frowned. “Men are running around. Maya’s talking to one of them and pointing at us. Jayden, you said the king and queen wouldn’t attack so late in the year. Avalanches, passes closed by snow, stuff like that.”
“All good reasons not to attack rendered invalid by simple fact it hasn’t snowed yet. Campaigning will be impossible in a few weeks, giving the king and queen a brief window of opportunity to make a surprise attack and seize the capital city of Kaleoth. If they can win every battle for the next week they’ll take Kaleoth before winter comes.”
Dana watched the approaching army. “They certainly have enough men. Wait, I see something big in the front of the army. Jayden get up here.”
Jayden let his magic sword dissipate and climbed onto the closed hotel. Dana pointed at a dark towering figure leading the army. Jayden’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “That’s Wall Wolf, an iron golem that guards the king and queen. It’s served the royal family for centuries and has never been beaten. It could have won the civil war singlehandedly except it was too slow to reach most battles in time.”
“Can you stop it?”
“I won’t even be able to scratch it!” Jayden climbed down from the hotel and went back to the bridge. “If the king and queen have sent Wall Wolf then they’re totally committed to this war, even sending their personal bodyguard for the task.”
“The army is getting close to the city gate,” Dana said. She climbed down and joined Jayden. “That many men are going to close off any chance for us to escape.”
“When I’m done we’ll cross over into Kaleoth,” Jayden told her. He reformed his magic sword and drove it between two granite slabs. “We’ll find another way back into the kingdom later.”
They heard noises behind them. Dana turned to see Kaleoth soldiers gathering on their side of the border. Soldiers rolled wagons across the bridge and then overturned them to form makeshift barricades. More soldiers armed with crossbows arrived and took up positions on rooftops.
“Following Maya might be harder than you think,” Dana said.
“The bridge is open!” a man yelled. An older man ran by Dana and Jayden to Kaleoth, then two more. Soon crowds of frightened people fled the coming army. They avoided Jayden, but a man slowed down long enough to say, “I don’t know what you’re doing, but do it faster.”
Dana heard a woman cry out, “Crimson Reapers are coming! Hide your daughters!”
“Mercenaries?” Dana asked Jayden.
“Among the worst, and as brutal to civilians as they are to their enemies.”
Dana retook her place on top of the abandoned hotel. “The army reached the city gates and are coming through. We’ve got more people headed our way.”
The stream of frightened humanity turned into a river. Dana saw men and women flee into Kaleoth and clamber over the barricades. Kaleoth soldiers helped them across. She also saw Kaleoth soldiers point at Jayden as he hacked into the bridge. Some men followed suit with pickaxes and hammers.
“Ten minutes until they get here, maybe less,” Dana called out. “How far did you get?”
“Not enough by half,” Jayden called out. He’d cut far enough to reach where two large granite slabs came together. He made a ninety-degree turn and began cutting out the mortar along another side.
Dana watched the fleeing crowds shrink to a mere trickle. She’d been wrong on how long it would take the army to reach the bridge. Their pace slowed to a crawl once they were among the buildings, and she saw mercenaries breaking into homes and shops. It took a lot of effort to get them moving again, and more than one officer resorted to using a whip on his own men.
Terrifying as they were, Wall Wolf was far more frightening. Dana could make out more details as the iron golem came closer. It stood twelve feet tall and looked like an enormous knight, even if the arms and legs were far too thick and the shoulders too broad. The golem carried no weapon, not that such an enormous monster would need one. It took slow steps but never stopped marching forward. The golem kicked over a wagon in its way and stepped on it, crushing it to kindling.
“They’re two blocks away and closing,” Dana told Jayden. She climbed down and joined him. Jayden had cut a gash fifteen feet long in the bridge and still hadn’t done significant damage.
Jayden kept working. “Get ready to run for your life.”
The vanguard of the army came onto the street ahead of them while Wall Wolf was a block away but still visible above the rooftops. Soldiers and mercenaries saw Jayden and stopped a hundred feet away. Every tenth man carried a lantern, lighting up streets. Officers soon came, and following them was a man in plate armor and a purple cape.
“As I live and breath, the sorcerer lord,” the armored man said. He watched Jayden inching along and laughed. “Spitting on the bridge would be just as effective.”
Jayden drew his black sword out and raised it in a challenge. “Judging by your armor you’re from the Rendmal family, likely their eldest son Kyver. Your father served with distinction during the civil war and was known for justice and mercy, traits you clearly don’t share if you’re invading a friendly state.”
Kyver shot back, “They’ve no right to such a title.”
“Kaleoth could have sent raiding parties to loot our farms and villages during our civil war. Instead they sent food to starving families. Your father held them in high regard.”
“My father is not in command of this army,” Kyver said as Wall Wolf smashed through a house on its way to the bridge. “I am. Kaleoth is an enemy state because the king declared they are enemies, and the king’s word is law. If he said the sky is yellow and not blue then his word makes it so. Loyal men understand such things.”
“If that’s an example of your keen wit, I see why you use it so rarely,” Jayden quipped.
More soldiers and mercenaries came but stayed well back. Kyver also made no move toward Dana and Jayden. Instead Kyver held up an iron baton with a black pearl on the end. “I’ve heard tales of the damage you’ve done. I could kill you with a word, sending a thousand men after you until one of them strikes you dead, but a more efficient means is at hand. Wall Wolf, hear me and obey. Kill the sorcerer lord.”
Soldiers scattered as Wall Wolf stomped toward Jayden. Cobblestones shattered under the iron golem’s feet. Jayden let his magic sword dissipate and instead chanted words Dana recognized even if she didn’t understand them. Jayden held out his hands and a tiny spark formed between them. He kept chanting as Wall Wolf drew closer, a hundred feet and then fifty. When the spell was finished the spark flew out and stopped inches from Wall Wolf’s head.
Boom! The spark exploded into a blazing fireball that washed over the golem. Soldiers cried out in panic and fell back while Kyver stood his ground. Seconds later the flames died away and Wall Wolf took another step toward Jayden. Jayden’s most powerful spell hadn’t even scratched the golem. Kyver laughed. His men rallied to his side and laughed with him. Jayden backed away as Wall Wolf came ever closer.
Dana asked, “I’d say he weighs twenty tons, wouldn’t you?”
Jayden reformed his black sword. “At least.”
“How much weight can this bridge take?”
Jayden stopped retreating. “That’s a fascinating question. An hour ago I would have said there’s a fifty-fifty chance Wall Wolf would be too heavy to cross it.”
Dana looked at the deep gash in the bridge. “If we walk back ten steps and two more to the right, and Wall Wolf comes at us in a straight line, that would put him right here.”
Jayden and Dana backed away while soldiers and mercenaries cheered on Wall Wolf. The iron golem marched relentlessly forward, slow but never stopping as it closed the distance between them. Jayden smiled wickedly when Wall Wolf reached the damaged section of the bridge.
Crack! A slab of granite ten feet long broke free as the last bits of mortar shattered. The slab tilted up and Wall Wolf slid backwards until both the golem and bridge section fell into the raging waters below. Water shot up high into the air and rained down onto the bridge and riverbank. Soldiers cried out in rage and Kyver’s look of smug superiority vanished, replaced by shock.
“That was entertaining,” Jayden told Kyver. “What else did you bring me to play with?”
“Fetch long timbers!” Kyver yelled. “Tear down the houses to get them if you must! I want that gap covered! Archers forward!”
Dana gripped Jayden’s arm. “That’s our cue to leave.”
“It is at that,” Jayden agreed. He and Dana ran down the bridge, with Jayden grinning like the cat that caught the canary. “This will slow them down long enough for me to bring down the bridge from the other side. Kaleoth will be safe now and forev—”
Wall Wolf came up from the river, climbing up a support column to stand before Dana and Jayden. Soldiers and mercenaries cheered when the iron golem stepped in front of them and clenched its huge fists. It blocked Dana and Jayden’s escape, and the bridge was destroyed behind them, trapping the pair.
“The show’s not over, boys!” Kyver shouted to his men. “Watch the king and queen’s enemies fall!”
“Go left,” Jayden told Dana as he went right. The bridge was wide enough that Wall Wolf couldn’t fully block it, nor could the iron golem go after both of them. Wall Wolf pursued Jayden, as ordered, ignoring Dana entirely. “Dana, you’re clear, run!”
“I’m not leaving you!”
Wall Wolf stomped after Jayden. Jayden swung his sword at its heels, only for the magic blade to bounce off. His next swing was equally useless. Wall Wolf swung its right fist and missed by a wide margin. Jayden slashed his sword across the fist without effect.
“Staying won’t help!” he shouted. “Run!”
Crossbow bolts flew over Jayden’s head and hit Wall Wolf. Dana spun around and saw Kaleoth soldiers peppering the iron golem with accurate crossbow fire. Their aim was impressive, awe inspiring, and totally useless. Bolt after bolt shattered against the iron golem’s tough skin without leaving a scratch.
Wall Wolf tried to stomp on Jayden. It missed, but when Jayden ran out of the way the iron golem swung its left hand and landed a glancing blow. It was enough to send Jayden flying twenty feet farther down the bridge. Soldiers cheered and Dana screamed. Jayden struggled to his knees before falling down.
Dana tore through her bags until she found her magic short sword. She hadn’t had the opportunity to practice with it in Edgeland because it would have drawn attention. Dana didn’t know how much good it would be without training, but trapped between a raging river and an iron golem meant there were no other choices. She raised the blade high and charged. She felt it warm up as she ran, then it began to glow. She was five steps from the iron golem when the sword lit up like a bonfire. Dana screamed and slashed at Wall Wolf’s right leg.
The sword hit, no surprise when her target was large, slow and not paying attention to her. Magic blade met magic monster and produced a shower of sparks so strong Dana had to clench her eyes shut. When the light died down she stepped back and opened her eyes. She’d wounded the golem, leaving a cut eighteen inches long and a quarter inch deep.
“That’s it?” she yelled.
“Is that all you’ve got?” a soldier jeered.
Kyver looked more impressed. “Wall Wolf has never been hurt before. Only a powerful weapon could make such a scratch. Wall Wolf, hear me and obey. Kill the girl and bring me the sword.”
Wall Wolf turned to face her. Dana backed away. “Oh boy.”
More crossbow fire hit Wall Wolf as the iron golem closed in on Dana. A Kaleoth wizard shot magic flame and hit the golem in the back. Wall Wolf ignored them and kept after Dana.
Dana ran around the golem. She swung at it again, but this time it was expecting the blow and pulled away at the last second. The golem swung its fists at her and missed, but more attacks quickly followed. It was all she could do to avoid the monstrosity.
Wall Wolf raised its right foot and tried to crush her underfoot. For a moment it looked like it might do just that before a clawed black hand as big as a man wrapped around Wall Wolf’s head. The magic hand pushed forward and tipped the iron golem over. Dana looked over and saw Jayden on his knees, his right hand held forward.
The fall did Wall Wolf no harm. It grabbed the huge hand with both its hands and pulled hard. Jayden screamed in pain as his magic hand was ripped apart and evaporated. Soldiers and mercenaries laughed all the louder as Wall Wolf stood up.
Dana raised her sword as Wall Wolf advanced on her. She knew it was pointless even as she did it. Her sword had barely hurt the iron golem when she’d hit it. If she struck a joint like the knees or ankles maybe that would do actual damage, but Wall Wolf had brought down Jayden with one hit. It would need no more to finish her.
“You stupid sword, you were supposed to be special!” she screamed at it. “You barely did anything to that monster! We paid good money for you!”
Wall Wolf came closer and raised both fists over its head. Dana backed away, briefly lowering her sword. The tip of the blade grazed the bridge, cutting a groove an inch deep with the barest touch. Shocked, Dana fell back further and let her sword slide against the bridge. The sword sliced through granite blocks as if they were made of sand.
Dana gasped as she gathered her thoughts. Jayden’s sword had been able to damage the bridge but not Wall Wolf. Her sword could damage the iron golem, if only just, so it should have no trouble finishing the work Jayden started and do the job faster. Wall Wolf had survived one trip into Race Horse River. Dana intended to give it another bath.
Dana ran around Wall Wolf, staying just outside its reach. She found where two granite slabs connected in the bridge and slid her sword into the mortar between them. The blade went in easily, and she ran between the slabs, hacking through mortar like it was nothing. Wall Wolf followed her to the cheers of soldiers. Dana heard men betting on how long she’d live. Wall Wolf was beginning to catch up with her when she followed another line of mortar in the bridge, hacking through it effortlessly. Wall Wolf pursued her as ordered, not understanding the danger it was in.
Crack! Another section of the bridge gave way. Dana jumped onto the nearest stable part of the bridge as the slab underneath her tipped and slid backwards. Wall Wolf was on the opposite end of the sinking section. It was reaching for her when the slab fell into the river and took the iron golem with it. Soldiers shouted in outrage, none louder than Kyver. They cheered again when Wall Wolf climbed up the nearest support column. Dana was waiting for it.
It was hard to hurt Wall Wolf, in part because of the iron golem’s long reach. That advantage disappeared when it was climbing. Both hands held tight to the support column and had to stay there until the golem got its feet back on the bridge. That left a few precious seconds where the golem couldn’t avoid her or attack.
Dana saw Wall Wolf pulling itself up and aimed for its fingers. Sparks flew when her sword hit the thinner armor at the iron golem’s knuckles. Wall Wolf pulled itself higher up until Dana saw it eye to eye. She swung again, hacking off four fingers. Wall Wolf fell into the river again, but when it tried to climb up it couldn’t do it with only one functioning hand.
The screams of unruly mob of soldiers and mercenaries were deafening as they saw their champion fail, none louder or more horrified than Kyver. The enemy general howled like a wounded animal and beat his breasts. He regained control of himself long enough to bellow, “Archers, kill her!”
Any elation Dana had felt vanished as dozens of archers took aim at her. Magnificent as her sword was, it couldn’t stop arrows.
They didn’t get the chance to fire. Kaleoth soldiers had been helpless against Wall Wolf, but they had no problems fighting men. Crossbowmen rained down fire on the soldiers and mercenaries. Wizards in Kaleoth’s green and gray shot streams of flames and ice javelins. For a moment the soldiers held their own as archers returned fire. That ended when a single glowing ember drifted toward their side of the river. Kyver saw it coming and ran screaming from the fight with his men following suit. The spark floated lazily to the opposite side of the river before it detonated in a fireball that swallowed up nearby buildings.
Dana ran to Jayden. He was sitting up, but casting that last spell had taxed him beyond his limits. Dana reached him as he began to sway back and forth. She grabbed his shoulders and steadied him. Jayden looked at her only briefly, saying only two words before he passed out.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she said softly. Dana put her sword away and checked Jayden’s wounds. He had several broken ribs and his right arm looked awful. Moving him could do serious harm, but she couldn’t leave him here. Dana grabbed him by the shoulders and slowly pulled him toward Kaleoth.
She’d only gotten a few feet when another set of hands took Jayden. It was Maya. She had one of Jayden’s bags over her shoulder and helped carry Jayden. Between the two of them they pulled Jayden to safety while crossbow bolts and magic flames soared overhead.
“He needs a healer,” Dana said.
“There aren’t many in Kaleoth who can treat wounds this bad,” Maya told her. They reached the other side of the bridge and soldiers helped them through the barricades. “I know a witch who might be able to help, but she charges a lot.”
“I’ll pay it,” Dana promised, “no matter the cost.”
Border Crossing part 1
This is part one of the Border Crossing Story:
“Explain why I’m not allowed to use my own sword,” Dana Illwind said. She raised her right arm, wrapped in a thick layer of cotton, and added, “And this is extra ridiculous.”
“Both measures are for good reasons,” Jayden promised as he wrapped cotton around her other arm and tied it in place. He stepped back to study his work. “There now, nice and snug, and unlikely to injure yourself.”
“I’ve done some impressive stuff in the last few months, and you’ve got me wrapped up like a mummy.”
“Mummy wrappings are thinner, dirtier, smellier and frequently contain noxious parasites,” Jayden replied.
“Missing the point entirely!”
The morning had started well before degenerating into Jayden playing a demented game of dress up with Dana. Dana’s brand new sword was finished, a horn from the goat head of a chimera, forged into a weapon by a renegade dwarf, infused with a magic metal called uram, enchanted with magic by both the dwarf and the world’s only living sorcerer lord, it was a sight to behold. Dana had little experience with weapons, few peasants did, but the short sword was a thing of beauty. In the few minutes she’d been allowed to see it, she marveled at the black blade edged with silver, serrated ridges going down one side, runes cast into the base of the blade and hardwood hilt stained black.
The weapon was impressive, and Jayden wasn’t letting her touch it. She’d jumped at his offer to train her, only for Jayden to wrap her arms and legs in cotton. Then he handed her a wooden sword, more like a branch with aspirations.
“This is for your protection,” Jayden told her. The sorcerer lord was a handsome man even if a bit disheveled with his long blond hair a perpetual mess. He wore black and silver clothes and carried no weapons. Traveling unarmed was normally an invitation to being robbed, but few were stupid enough to challenge a spell caster, especially one with a list of accomplishments like Jayden’s.
“How?” Dana demanded. Dana was fifteen, sixteen next month, with brown hair, brown eyes and an athletic build. Her clothes were simple peasant wear including a skirt, blouse, leggings and fur hat, all of it durable and cheap, and a knife tucked into a sheath.
Jayden took both her hands and placed them on the wood sword. “Training with weapons is no different than learning any skill. It takes countless hours of practice and you will make mistakes. The difference is how much those mistakes cost you. Accidentally hitting your leg with a wood sword will leave a bruise. Do the same thing with a real sword and you suffer a crippling injury. Do it with a magic sword and you no longer have a leg.”
Dana hesitated. “Oh.”
“Training with a wood sword gets the mistakes out of the way early on without injury or death, and we’re doing it with padding on your arms and legs to make those mistakes less painful.”
“How long is this going to take?” she asked.
“Months. There are two kinds of fighters, the competent and the dead, and I wish to keep you out of the latter category. Nor is time an impediment. The king and queen are planning a war, but we’re too late in the year for it to start. You can practice during the winter months and be ready for the conflict in spring.”
“It’s coming that soon?”
“Depressing, I know, but the signs are there. The king and queen have amassed a sizeable army, gathered supplies, and men in their service have tame monsters like the chimera that donated a body part for your sword and the gargoyles we recently defeated. Others doubtlessly have followed this example, and monsters are extraordinarily dangerous.”
Dana looked at her wood sword a bit less disparagingly (just a bit). Jayden was right that war was on the horizon. She’d seen it growing up, when taxes in her hometown to the north were raised again and again with no cause in sight. Then her father the mayor was ordered to send her eldest brother to the capital, a prisoner in all but name to ensure her father’s support. After that the town’s militia was called up for military service. Other towns had suffered likewise, and she’d seen as bad or worse since following Jayden.
She’d joined him in appreciation for saving her town, but also to keep him out of trouble. Jayden’s hatred of the king and queen were legendary, and he struck at them any chance he got. Dana didn’t understand the root of this hate, for even after months traveling together there were still things he didn’t talk about. But she’d come to understand his feelings were well earned. She’d seen too much suffering and too many wrongs originating from the royal couple.
That was what brought them to their current location. They’d made camp in a grassy clearing in the woods. Fall was coming, trees were decked out in reds and oranges, and the morning air had a touch of chill. Pretty as it was, their camp was close to the border city of Edgeland, a likely invasion point for the Kingdom of Kaleoth.
“We’ll start with basic sword fighting techniques,” Jayden told her. “You’ll need to practice them daily before we move on to more advanced fighting styles.”
Trying to sound casual, Dana asked, “Who taught you to fight?”
“A man with considerable talent and valor, if a touch too fond of women and wine.”
“Gee, that’s vague.”
Jayden smiled. “It was meant to be. We’ll do this every morning before breakfast. You’ll find it intolerably dull, but the reward is worth the effort.”
They heard laughing in the distance, and a man call out, “There has got to be a story behind this.”
Dana and Jayden looked over to find a group of men exiting the woods. Dana counted ten of them armed with spears, axes and swords. They had no armor or shields, and their clothes were dirty and ragged.
Jayden stepped away from Dana and moved closer to their baggage and a campfire they’d made last night. Dana tried to follow him since her sword was in those bags, but Jayden held up a hand for her to stop.
“I’m not a storyteller by profession, but I think I can entertain you,” Jayden said. “Once upon a time there was a sorcerer lord known for being short tempered, ill mannered and impatient. Not surprisingly he had few friends, but he had fewer enemies than you’d think. They didn’t survive long. One day the sorcerer lord met armed men in the woods, and they, well, why spoil the ending?”
The men spread out to surround them. One said, “Oh no, do go on.”
“The ending depends solely on you. Over the years I’ve introduced a good many men to the graveyard. Whether you’re added to that number is on your head, not mine.”
One of the men snickered. “You’re a sorcerer lord? There’s but one man foolish enough to walk that road, and word is he’s in Fish Bait City.”
Another man pointed a spear at Jayden. “I think this fellow is borrowing another man’s reputation. Dress up in a silly costume—”
Jayden raised an eyebrow. “Silly?”
“And he figures men will let him pass,” the man finished. He leered at Dana. “And you have things worth taking.”
“Dana, is this your first experience with bandits?” Jayden asked.
“I’ve helped bury a few after sheriffs and soldiers caught them.”
A spearman said, “I prefer to be called a highwayman. It’s got more dignity to it.”
“I call you a thug, a fool, a coward, and rather shortly no one will call you anything,” Jayden replied.
The bandits laughed. The spearman said, “He’s sure keeping this show up longer than it’s worth.”
“Dana, would you mind putting out our campfire?” Jayden asked.
Dana rolled her eyes at Jayden’s attempt to protect her. Admittedly he wouldn’t need help. “Try not to kill them.”
As the bandits formed a wide circle around Jayden, a spearman said, “Whoever kills him gets the girl.”
That stopped Dana in her tracks. She looked at Jayden, who was now snarling mad, and told him, “You know what? Go nuts.”
Jayden cast a short spell, drawing shadows from across the clearing and nearby woods. The shadows whirled together to form an ebony clawed hand as big as a man in front of Jayden. He reached out with his right hand and the shadowy hand mimicked his movements. The bandits’ chuckles died away.
“Oh sh—” one began before the giant hand slapped him, sending him flying through the air. The hand swung back the other way and bowled two bandits off their feet. It grabbed another and hurled him into a pine tree.
“Flank him!” a bandit yelled moments before the giant hand formed a fist and hit him like a battering ram.
There was a time when Dana would have watched the spectacle, but she’d had months to get used to Jayden’s magic and bad temper. Instead she pulled off the cotton on her arms and legs while bandits screamed. She’d gotten the last of it off when a broken spear flew by her head, followed by its owner.
“Sir, ah, clearly there’s been a mistake!” a bandit called out. “We should have taken your introduction more seriously, a failure to show respect, I’ll grant you, but the matter’s now clear to see. Surely we can call off this dispute before—Jenkins, duck!”
Wham! A bandit landed at Dana’s feet, clutching his stomach. Dana tapped his head with her wood sword and said, “Do us both a favor and stay down.”
One of the bandits still standing pointed his sword at Dana. “Take the girl hostage!”
A bandit with an ax charged Dana. He threw his ax aside as he neared her and reached out with both hands in an attempt to grab her by the arms. Dana stood her ground as he came, and at the last second ducked under his grasp and drove her knee between his legs. The man cried out in agony as he fell to the ground. Dana swung her wood sword at him again and again, striking him across the face, arms and shoulders.
“I don’t think he’s a threat anymore,” Jayden called out from across the clearing.
“You’re not the one they were going to give away like a prize!”
“Point made,” he replied. Dana hit the bandit three more times, stopping only when her wood sword snapped in half.
The last two bandits fled for their lives. Jayden reached out with his monstrous hand and grabbed one by the heels. He swung his screaming victim at the last bandit, clubbing him repeatedly until both men were beaten senseless.
“I broke your sword,” Dana said.
“And by the look of it both that man’s collarbones,” Jayden said as he allowed the giant hand to dissipate. “Our foes are still breathing, as requested. I believe we have enough rope to tie them up. My map of the area shows a sheriff’s outpost not far from here where we can leave these fools.”
Dana kicked dirt on their campfire to put it out. “The punishment for banditry is—”
“Exceedingly painful, I know.” Jayden collected the bandit’s weapons and added them to his baggage. “I detest turning them over to the same authorities I seek to overthrow, but the alternatives are letting them go to menace others or killing them myself. Faced with three bad choices, I intend to let the crown do its job for a change.”
It took an hour to bind the bandits and in some cases bandaging their wounds, but they were on their way soon enough. They came across a major road and not long after that a low stone building with a heavy door and attached tollbooth. An old man manning the booth paled at the sight of Jayden. “I only have ten copper pieces and never hurt anyone you like.”
“Looks like he’s heard of you,” Dana said.
“And he possesses the common sense our friends lack,” Jayden added. “Good sir, as your pockets are so woefully empty allow me the chance to fill them. These men made the poor career move of attacking me.”
The old man stared at the captured bandits. “No one is that stupid.”
“We thought he was bluffing!” a bandit protested.
Jayden pulled the bandits along and handed the end of the rope to the old man. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but there’s typically a bounty placed on bandits.”
The old man grabbed a sheet of paper tacked to the wall and tore it off. “They’re wanted men, all right, with a reward of fifty silver pieces, but you’d have to present them in person to get the money. Some folks might take offense at that.”
“No doubt true given my history, which is why you’re taking the credit.” Jayden handed them off and smiled. “There you go, fifty silver pieces worth of vermin, a good addition to your salary.”
“They’ll put us to death!” a bandit cried out.
“They’ll put you to work,” the old man corrected him. “Baron Vrask doesn’t kill men he can use in his granite quarry.” More softly, the old man said to Jayden, “Do yourself a favor and keep a low profile. The city is in a terrible state these days, and there are folks who’d come after the price on your head.”
“I’ll bear that in mind,” Jayden replied. He left with Dana as the old man placed his wounded prisoners in a cell.
The road led through hilly country heavy with farms and ranches, but Dana saw signs of distress. Many houses were in poor repair. A few were clearly abandoned, with missing windows and doors, and some had caved in roofs. People they met on the road were simply dressed and paid no attention to them. That surprised Dana, as Jayden’s garish clothes normally drew looks wherever he went.
“We’re coming up on the city of Edgeland, which has numerous dubious distinctions,” Jayden began. “It’s on the border with the Kingdom of Kaleoth and was once a center of trade before high taxes strangled merchant traffic. The city is on Race Horse River, which should add to its value as a trade hub. Sadly the river flows so fast no boat can travel it without being destroyed.”
“Wonderful,” Dana said.
“There is the city of River Twin on the other side of the river, a pleasant part of Kaleoth that used to benefit from trade. I’m told today it’s nearly as poor as Edgeland and boasts an army contingent to keep the king and queen on their side of the border.”
“The King of Kaleoth knows a war is coming?” she asked.
“King Brent of Kaloeth is a man of great years and keen wit who can see what’s happening as plainly as we can. If the king and queen mean to surprise him, they’ve seriously underestimated the man.”
“How old is he?”
“Old enough he might shatter if he tripped. Nevertheless, he is a formidable foe and has the allegiance of a large ogre clan.” Jayden walked on in silence for a moment before adding, “He is also a man to be pitied, as he outlived his family. He has one grandson still alive, but the youth is untested. I think King Brent is staying alive out of sheer force of will to give the boy time to learn his job.”
They crested a steep hill to find Edgeland before them. It was a large city that could house fifty thousand people. Buildings were made of granite to survive merciless winter storms, and the streets were paved with cobblestone. East of the city was a wide chasm with a single bridge across it, and beyond that was a smaller city. Edgeland had a wall around it, but there were clusters of buildings outside.
“Edgeland got too big for its britches?” Dana asked playfully.
“Most cities do. Wise leaders build walls around their cities, but few leave room for expansion. When cities grow citizens build their homes outside the wall’s protection.”
Worried, she asked, “What happens to them if the city is attacked?”
“They flee inside the walls if they can and are locked outside if they move too slow.” Jayden saw her horrified look. “Grim as that possibility is, those homes are our best choice to find help. Prosperous and respected citizens live inside the city. Poor residents live beyond the city wall and are more likely to help us.”
“Hopefully they can get you new clothes.”
Looking annoyed, he said, “I wasn’t pleased when bandit questioned my taste in fashion.”
Dana waved at the distant city. “You heard the old guy who took those bandits, people here are desperate. Do you want them coming after you the moment we go in?”
Jayden frowned. “Discretion may be warranted.”
A brief tour of the homes and businesses outside Edgeland turned up furriers, cobblers, fishermen, hunters, and a pawnshop where Jayden sold the weapons he’d taken from the bandits. At long last they found a tailor who gave them a skeptical look when they approached his small shop and said, “No credit for strangers. Pay in cash or leave.”
“A charming start to the conversation,” Jayden replied. He took two silver pieces from his pockets and held them up. “I need clothes, simple, warm and functional.”
The tailor took both coins. “I might have something in your size. Let me take your measurements.”
The tailor went through his limited stock until he came up with a gray overcoat, gray shirt and black pants. An hour of stitching shortened the legs and sleeves to fit. Jayden tried on the new clothes and nodded in approval.
“A good fit, and I like the style.”
“For tax reasons I never saw you in my life,” the tailor replied as he slid both coins into hidden pockets in his pants. “Now get out of here before someone sees you.”
“You don’t get much repeat business, do you?” Dana asked.
“As far as the king and queen are concerned I don’t get any business.”
Jayden packed his old clothes into his bags, and he led Dana toward the city gate. “Now then, I believe we’re ready to go on.”
“Hold on,” Dana told him. She put her hands on his shoulders and sat him on a nearby barrel. “Wanted posters show your face. If I change your hair it might help you go unnoticed.”
“Will this take long?”
Dana took a comb from her bags and went to work. Truth be told, she’d wanted to do something about Jayden’s messy hair since the day they’d met. In minutes she had it combed and tied into a ponytail she tucked into the collar of the overcoat.
Jayden stood up and asked, “How do I look?”
“Like the kind of man my mother warned me about. Let’s go.”
With Jayden disguised they headed for the city’s main gate. They found the gates open and heavily guarded by men wearing the blue and gray of royal soldiers. The soldiers collected a minor toll without inspecting carts and bags brought into the city.
Once they were inside Edgeland, Jayden led her through the streets. “Our first priority is to study the bridge.”
Dana took a deep breath and exhaled. “You know, this is the first city you’ve brought me to that didn’t smell like a dung heap.”
“You can thank Race Horse River. Residents of Edgeland throw their garbage into the river and let it carry their filth away.”
Dana grimaced. “That’s disgusting, and could poison the water and kill off the fish.”
“That’s not a concern.” Jayden brought her to a stone railing running along the river and pointed down. Dana leaned over the railing and gasped.
Race Horse River lived up to its name. The river flowed so fast a galloping horse would have trouble keeping up with it. It was wide, too, at least eighty feet across and who knows how deep. Countless years of fast moving water had cut deep into the bedrock until the water’s surface was fifteen feet below street level.
“Race Horse River moves too fast to host fish,” Jayden explained. “Dana, look at the bridge and tell me what you see.”
Dana looked to her left and saw an engineering marvel. “It’s about a hundred feet long and twenty feet wide. I see eight columns holding it up. I think it’s made of granite.”
“Go on.”
“Guards are stationed on both sides of the bridge. Men on this side wear blue and gray, so they’re soldiers and not militia. Men on the other side wear green and gray. Who are they?”
“Kaleoth frontier soldiers,” Jayden replied. “They’re very good.”
“Two of them have staffs, so I’d pretty sure they’re wizards.” Dana kept staring at the bridge. “Jayden, no one’s crossing the bridge.”
“No, and that’s curious. I’d heard cross border trade was down, but there are no wagons, pack mules or pedestrians crossing. The guards don’t make sense, either. This is part of Baron Vrask’s territory. His men should be guarding the bridge, and they wear white and black.”
Dana looked at him and asked, “If this is Baron Vrask’s territory, why are royal soldiers guarding the city gate?”
“Another good question. This is going to be hard. I’d heard dwarfs built the bridge back when they did quality work, and it doesn’t disappoint. So many soldiers won’t help. I need time to plan my attack. That means we need a place to stay. I’ve never visited the city before, but I’m told there’s a credibly good hotel by the river.”
They walked along the river, passing a few pedestrians and one man on horseback. They found the hotel in minutes, except the building was boarded up and its sign lay on the ground.
Dana walked up to the nearest man and asked, “What happened here?”
The man spit on the street. “A law came out that hotels have to report their guests’ comings and goings to the throne. No one stayed here for months until the owner closed shop and left.”
“That leaves us in a bit of a situation,” Jayden said.
“You’re fine.” The man pointed at a nearby signpost covered in hanging wood placards. “Those are advertisements for people renting rooms. Technically they’re ‘inviting’ guests to stay out of the kindness of their hearts, no charge, so the law doesn’t apply. Of course honest God fearing folks like you might feel inclined to lend a hand with the bills, or ‘accidentally’ leave a few coins. Get the picture?”
“You paint it with such vivid colors,” Jayden said.
The man laughed and walked away. Jayden and Dana went to the signpost and studied the placards. They were small, homemade and covered in spelling errors. Each one offered one or more rooms, with cheerful descriptions of where to find them and the amenities they offered.
“Many to choose from,” Jayden said as he picked over the placards.
Dana handed him a placard. “Let’s take this one. It’s got two rooms, warm beds, a bathroom and they allow pets. Plus it’s a lady’s house.”
Jayden took the placard from her. “How can you tell?”
“The handwriting is nice, and guys don’t mention ‘super keen’ views. She even printed directions to her house.”
“It’s as good a choice as any,” he said as they walked through Edgeland. Dana was surprised how sparsely populated the city was. In ten minutes they saw only twenty people. Maybe residents were out gathering the harvest or working in mines and quarries.
Dana turned a corner near their destination and ran straight into two spearmen dressed in white and black uniforms. She cried out in surprise and backed up, quickly bowing and saying, “Sorry, sir.”
“Sir, eh?” the spearman asked. “You hear that, Nate? She called me sir.”
“Bill, don’t,” the other spearman said.
Jayden’s muscles tensed and his eyes narrowed. Dana put a hand on his arm before he could take action.
“No, I’m going to say it!” the first spearman shouted. “I’ve served ten years, fought bandits, monsters, animated skeletons, and after all that the king’s soldiers call me boy. I’m good in a fight, I know these streets like the back of my hand, I’ve upheld the law, and I get treated like a punk.”
The second spearman looked away in embarrassment. “Bill.”
“A girl, a stranger I’ve never met before, calls me sir, showing me a little bit of ulmixin respect that I can’t get from our own army! This is why people quit, Nate! This is why good men walk off the job!”
The first spearman stomped off. The second one looked down and said, “I’m sorry about that. He’s a good man, it’s just he’s been pushed too far.”
Once the second spearman ran after his friend, Dana said, “Wow.”
“Not surprising,” Jayden told her. “We’ve seen loyal men treated poorly before. Let’s get off the street before we draw any more attention.”
“What does ulmixin mean?”
Jayden reached the house described on the placard and knocked on the door. “It’s a gnomish word I’d prefer not to translate. Theirs is a language rich in obscenities.”
“Coming!” a muffled voice called from inside the house. The door opened and a young woman in a plain dress came to greet them. She looked like she was in her early twenties, with brown eyes and short brown hair, pretty in a simple sort of way. She smiled, took one look at Jayden, and froze. For a second Dana worried the woman recognized Jayden from his many wanted posters and was terrified of him. Then Dana saw the woman blush and look down. This wasn’t terror.
Dana stepped in and shook the woman’s hand. “Hi! I understand you’re renting rooms. My uncle and I need a place to stay tonight.”
“Perhaps longer,” Jayden added.
“Uh,” the woman managed. Jayden had this effect on women. Even Dana had been at a loss for words the first time she’d met him. Still, most women shook it off faster than this. “Rooms. Ah, yes, I, uh, have two rooms, ah, not technically for rent.”
“A passerby was kind enough to explain the loophole in the law,” Jayden told her. He took a gold coin from his baggage and pressed it into her left hand. “He was vague on how large a donation to make. Is this sufficient?”
“Money?” the woman asked. It looked like she was still dazed. “You’re not offering barter? I mean I’ll take money. I need money! It’s just other borders paid in flour, or eggs, or turnips. I hate turnips.”
Jayden smiled at her, making her blush again. “We’re out of turnips at the moment, so hard currency will have to do.”
“Yes, currency, money, good. That’s enough to cover a month’s stay,” she said as she led them inside. The house included plain furniture and white pillows. In stark contrast to this simplicity were the paintings hanging on the walls. Most were landscapes, including gorgeous pictures of Race Horse River, but there were also portraits of children and their pets. The house had three bedrooms with the doors open to show clean if simple furnishings.
Dana followed the woman to the rented rooms. “So, what’s your name?”
“Ah, my name’s Maya. Um, what’s yours?”
“I’m Dana Illwind.”
Maya looked puzzled. “And your uncle, who’s not following me?”
Jayden hadn’t gotten far past the door. Instead he’d put down his bags and was studying the paintings. “Uncle craves his privacy. I trust that won’t be a problem.”
“No. No, no, no, not for paying customers it’s not,” Maya said.
“I see an easel in the corner and canvas not stretched over a frame yet, so this must be your work,” Jayden said. “You have considerable skill as a painter. Clearly the lady has an eye for beauty in addition to beautiful eyes.”
Maya looked so shocked she could’ve been knocked over with a feather. Dana just rolled her eyes. She wondered if Jayden was doing this on purpose or if he didn’t even notice the effect he was having on the poor woman.
“I, um,” Maya stammered before words flooded out of her. “Dinner is at sunset, I lock the door an hour later, please don’t make too much noise after dark so the neighbors don’t complain because I need them to like me.”
“How many sentences was that?” Jayden asked playfully.
Dana got between Jayden and Maya. “We’ll be the best behaved guests you’ve had. Isn’t that right, uncle?”
Jayden picked up his bags and headed for his room. “You may count on our discretion. Come along, niece, let’s store our belongings and let the young lady go on to more important tasks.”
Dana followed Jayden to two bedrooms in the back of the house and went into the same room as Jayden. She closed the door behind them and said, “Don’t tease the landlady.”
“I complimented her, nothing more.” Jayden set down his bags and looked out a window facing the river. “Nor did I lie. As long as we’re admonishing one another, stop mentioning your name. We’re not in a small town, nor are we among friends like in Pearl Harbor. Our hostess could say things about us to the authorities. Should the king and queen learn your identity, they could go after your family.”
Dana froze. “I didn’t think of that.”
Jayden checked the window. “We can go out at night through the window without Maya noticing if we must. My hope is we can study the bridge at leisure over the next few days and look for weaknesses. I didn’t see any earlier, which worries me. Bringing it down is going to be difficult.”
“You seem really sure there’s going to be an invasion across that bridge.”
Jayden took a map out of his bags and unrolled it on the bed. “This shows the border with Kaleoth. The ground is hilly to mountainous, with only a few crossings easily blocked by Kaleoth frontier soldiers. Edgeland’s bridge over the Race Horse River is the only way to bring in large numbers of troops.”
“What’s in Kaleoth worth taking?”
“It has good pastures and a few mines, although no precious metals.” Jayden pointed at the map and said, “It’s not a large prize, but could be easily taken by a clever enemy. The capital city is only three day’s march from the border. Seizing that could be enough to end the war if they take the king and his sole heir prisoner.”
Dana pointed at a kingdom to the south. “Your sort of friend Reginald Lootmore thinks the king and queen are going to invade his home of Zentrix. You think he’s wrong?”
Jayden frowned. “Worse than that, I think he’s right. Kaleoth is a small prize. The king and queen couldn’t divide so little land among their nobles. So many ambitious men would demand a greater reward for their loyalty than Kaloeth could provide. The only way to satisfy them would be to conquer more land, and Zentrix is the next logical target. If that’s not enough, the Kingdom of Brandish will be the third and last to be invaded.”
“You think they’re going to take over three kingdoms?” Dana didn’t try to hide her surprise.
“All three have small populations, few soldiers, no strong allies and not enough money to support long campaigns.” Jayden rolled up his map and put it away. “It wouldn’t be easy to beat them, but it’s possible. Destroying that bridge may be enough to save Kaleoth from destruction.”
“That would force the king and queen to move to their backup targets,” Dana replied. “You’re saving one kingdom and dooming the other two.”
“I know.” Jayden stared out the window for a moment. “Dana, I’ve been grasping at straws since I vowed to defeat the king and queen. My blows against them have been annoyances at best. Defeating the wizard Green Peril, killing the chimera, stealing some armor and saving those girls from slavery, they were pinpricks.”
He turned to her and said, “This is my biggest strike against them, and even that leaves lives in peril. I can’t save everyone. My only hope is if I hit them hard and often I can weaken them until the armies of Zentrix and Brandish can fight the king and queen to a stalemate. That’s a brutal, bloody outcome that can’t possibly be called a victory, but it’s the only chance we have.”
There was a soft knock at the door. “Dinner’s almost ready.”
“We’ll continue this conversation another time,” Jayden said.
Maya greeted them at a small table, where she’d placed hardboiled eggs, a loaf of bread, fresh apples and a pitcher of milk. “I’m sure you’re used to better than this, but it’s what I could find at market.”
“Don’t apologize,” Dana told her. “It’s good food and more than we were expecting. You’ve got a very nice house.”
“Oh I don’t own it,” Maya said as she served Jayden. “I rent it from Baron Vrask. Lots of people rent from him.”
“How did he come to own so many properties?” Jayden asked.
Maya served Dana while she answered him. “I guess you wouldn’t know if you’re not from here. Not that I’m accusing my neighbors, but, ah, you know how taxes have gone up recently? Some families couldn’t pay. Baron Vrask takes labor or barter when people can’t pay their taxes. Royal tax collectors don’t.”
Worried, Dana asked, “What happened to them?”
“Some went to Kaleoth for a few days to buy wool or visit relatives. Lots of people here have family over the border, you know. But, um, a few days turned into a few weeks and a few months and now a few years, so I think they’re not coming back.”
“Which left empty houses that could fall into disrepair if not occupied, so your baron took ownership and rents them out,” Jayden said.
“It’s a very reasonable rent and I can pay it, sort of.” Maya looked worried when she served herself last. “I sell paintings, not as many with the bridge closed, I babysit, and I give painting lessons to a few boys, but, ah, I have to take in borders to make ends meet. Not that I’m against it! They’ve all been really nice people.”
“Surely your family can offer assistance,” Jayden said. Maya’s expression went from worried to sad. Jayden put down his food. “My apologies, I’ve upset you.”
Dana asked, “What’s the matter?”
“I, um, I’m a foundling. Baron Vrask’s men found me on the street when I was a baby. The baron takes in orphans and foundlings, and he supports them until they’re adults. I had a very good upbringing! He’s a nice man, and I learned a lot about cooking and cleaning, and his artisan taught me how to paint. I’m friends with the girls and boys I grew up with at the baron’s castle. The girls are nice, and the boys are loud and messy.”
“Sounds like my brothers,” Dana said. “Boys are like that the world over.”
Jayden was silent for a moment. “When Dana introduced herself, you gave only a first name.”
“I can’t have a family name if I don’t have a family.” Maya looked miserable. “I’m sorry, I’m not being a very good host. I shouldn’t babble like this.”
“You’re not babbling,” Jayden told her. “You’re being honest, and far friendlier than I expect or deserve. You’ve also earned my respect for Baron Vrask for treating you with such kindness in your youth.”
Maya smiled at him. “Thank you.”
“Explain why I’m not allowed to use my own sword,” Dana Illwind said. She raised her right arm, wrapped in a thick layer of cotton, and added, “And this is extra ridiculous.”
“Both measures are for good reasons,” Jayden promised as he wrapped cotton around her other arm and tied it in place. He stepped back to study his work. “There now, nice and snug, and unlikely to injure yourself.”
“I’ve done some impressive stuff in the last few months, and you’ve got me wrapped up like a mummy.”
“Mummy wrappings are thinner, dirtier, smellier and frequently contain noxious parasites,” Jayden replied.
“Missing the point entirely!”
The morning had started well before degenerating into Jayden playing a demented game of dress up with Dana. Dana’s brand new sword was finished, a horn from the goat head of a chimera, forged into a weapon by a renegade dwarf, infused with a magic metal called uram, enchanted with magic by both the dwarf and the world’s only living sorcerer lord, it was a sight to behold. Dana had little experience with weapons, few peasants did, but the short sword was a thing of beauty. In the few minutes she’d been allowed to see it, she marveled at the black blade edged with silver, serrated ridges going down one side, runes cast into the base of the blade and hardwood hilt stained black.
The weapon was impressive, and Jayden wasn’t letting her touch it. She’d jumped at his offer to train her, only for Jayden to wrap her arms and legs in cotton. Then he handed her a wooden sword, more like a branch with aspirations.
“This is for your protection,” Jayden told her. The sorcerer lord was a handsome man even if a bit disheveled with his long blond hair a perpetual mess. He wore black and silver clothes and carried no weapons. Traveling unarmed was normally an invitation to being robbed, but few were stupid enough to challenge a spell caster, especially one with a list of accomplishments like Jayden’s.
“How?” Dana demanded. Dana was fifteen, sixteen next month, with brown hair, brown eyes and an athletic build. Her clothes were simple peasant wear including a skirt, blouse, leggings and fur hat, all of it durable and cheap, and a knife tucked into a sheath.
Jayden took both her hands and placed them on the wood sword. “Training with weapons is no different than learning any skill. It takes countless hours of practice and you will make mistakes. The difference is how much those mistakes cost you. Accidentally hitting your leg with a wood sword will leave a bruise. Do the same thing with a real sword and you suffer a crippling injury. Do it with a magic sword and you no longer have a leg.”
Dana hesitated. “Oh.”
“Training with a wood sword gets the mistakes out of the way early on without injury or death, and we’re doing it with padding on your arms and legs to make those mistakes less painful.”
“How long is this going to take?” she asked.
“Months. There are two kinds of fighters, the competent and the dead, and I wish to keep you out of the latter category. Nor is time an impediment. The king and queen are planning a war, but we’re too late in the year for it to start. You can practice during the winter months and be ready for the conflict in spring.”
“It’s coming that soon?”
“Depressing, I know, but the signs are there. The king and queen have amassed a sizeable army, gathered supplies, and men in their service have tame monsters like the chimera that donated a body part for your sword and the gargoyles we recently defeated. Others doubtlessly have followed this example, and monsters are extraordinarily dangerous.”
Dana looked at her wood sword a bit less disparagingly (just a bit). Jayden was right that war was on the horizon. She’d seen it growing up, when taxes in her hometown to the north were raised again and again with no cause in sight. Then her father the mayor was ordered to send her eldest brother to the capital, a prisoner in all but name to ensure her father’s support. After that the town’s militia was called up for military service. Other towns had suffered likewise, and she’d seen as bad or worse since following Jayden.
She’d joined him in appreciation for saving her town, but also to keep him out of trouble. Jayden’s hatred of the king and queen were legendary, and he struck at them any chance he got. Dana didn’t understand the root of this hate, for even after months traveling together there were still things he didn’t talk about. But she’d come to understand his feelings were well earned. She’d seen too much suffering and too many wrongs originating from the royal couple.
That was what brought them to their current location. They’d made camp in a grassy clearing in the woods. Fall was coming, trees were decked out in reds and oranges, and the morning air had a touch of chill. Pretty as it was, their camp was close to the border city of Edgeland, a likely invasion point for the Kingdom of Kaleoth.
“We’ll start with basic sword fighting techniques,” Jayden told her. “You’ll need to practice them daily before we move on to more advanced fighting styles.”
Trying to sound casual, Dana asked, “Who taught you to fight?”
“A man with considerable talent and valor, if a touch too fond of women and wine.”
“Gee, that’s vague.”
Jayden smiled. “It was meant to be. We’ll do this every morning before breakfast. You’ll find it intolerably dull, but the reward is worth the effort.”
They heard laughing in the distance, and a man call out, “There has got to be a story behind this.”
Dana and Jayden looked over to find a group of men exiting the woods. Dana counted ten of them armed with spears, axes and swords. They had no armor or shields, and their clothes were dirty and ragged.
Jayden stepped away from Dana and moved closer to their baggage and a campfire they’d made last night. Dana tried to follow him since her sword was in those bags, but Jayden held up a hand for her to stop.
“I’m not a storyteller by profession, but I think I can entertain you,” Jayden said. “Once upon a time there was a sorcerer lord known for being short tempered, ill mannered and impatient. Not surprisingly he had few friends, but he had fewer enemies than you’d think. They didn’t survive long. One day the sorcerer lord met armed men in the woods, and they, well, why spoil the ending?”
The men spread out to surround them. One said, “Oh no, do go on.”
“The ending depends solely on you. Over the years I’ve introduced a good many men to the graveyard. Whether you’re added to that number is on your head, not mine.”
One of the men snickered. “You’re a sorcerer lord? There’s but one man foolish enough to walk that road, and word is he’s in Fish Bait City.”
Another man pointed a spear at Jayden. “I think this fellow is borrowing another man’s reputation. Dress up in a silly costume—”
Jayden raised an eyebrow. “Silly?”
“And he figures men will let him pass,” the man finished. He leered at Dana. “And you have things worth taking.”
“Dana, is this your first experience with bandits?” Jayden asked.
“I’ve helped bury a few after sheriffs and soldiers caught them.”
A spearman said, “I prefer to be called a highwayman. It’s got more dignity to it.”
“I call you a thug, a fool, a coward, and rather shortly no one will call you anything,” Jayden replied.
The bandits laughed. The spearman said, “He’s sure keeping this show up longer than it’s worth.”
“Dana, would you mind putting out our campfire?” Jayden asked.
Dana rolled her eyes at Jayden’s attempt to protect her. Admittedly he wouldn’t need help. “Try not to kill them.”
As the bandits formed a wide circle around Jayden, a spearman said, “Whoever kills him gets the girl.”
That stopped Dana in her tracks. She looked at Jayden, who was now snarling mad, and told him, “You know what? Go nuts.”
Jayden cast a short spell, drawing shadows from across the clearing and nearby woods. The shadows whirled together to form an ebony clawed hand as big as a man in front of Jayden. He reached out with his right hand and the shadowy hand mimicked his movements. The bandits’ chuckles died away.
“Oh sh—” one began before the giant hand slapped him, sending him flying through the air. The hand swung back the other way and bowled two bandits off their feet. It grabbed another and hurled him into a pine tree.
“Flank him!” a bandit yelled moments before the giant hand formed a fist and hit him like a battering ram.
There was a time when Dana would have watched the spectacle, but she’d had months to get used to Jayden’s magic and bad temper. Instead she pulled off the cotton on her arms and legs while bandits screamed. She’d gotten the last of it off when a broken spear flew by her head, followed by its owner.
“Sir, ah, clearly there’s been a mistake!” a bandit called out. “We should have taken your introduction more seriously, a failure to show respect, I’ll grant you, but the matter’s now clear to see. Surely we can call off this dispute before—Jenkins, duck!”
Wham! A bandit landed at Dana’s feet, clutching his stomach. Dana tapped his head with her wood sword and said, “Do us both a favor and stay down.”
One of the bandits still standing pointed his sword at Dana. “Take the girl hostage!”
A bandit with an ax charged Dana. He threw his ax aside as he neared her and reached out with both hands in an attempt to grab her by the arms. Dana stood her ground as he came, and at the last second ducked under his grasp and drove her knee between his legs. The man cried out in agony as he fell to the ground. Dana swung her wood sword at him again and again, striking him across the face, arms and shoulders.
“I don’t think he’s a threat anymore,” Jayden called out from across the clearing.
“You’re not the one they were going to give away like a prize!”
“Point made,” he replied. Dana hit the bandit three more times, stopping only when her wood sword snapped in half.
The last two bandits fled for their lives. Jayden reached out with his monstrous hand and grabbed one by the heels. He swung his screaming victim at the last bandit, clubbing him repeatedly until both men were beaten senseless.
“I broke your sword,” Dana said.
“And by the look of it both that man’s collarbones,” Jayden said as he allowed the giant hand to dissipate. “Our foes are still breathing, as requested. I believe we have enough rope to tie them up. My map of the area shows a sheriff’s outpost not far from here where we can leave these fools.”
Dana kicked dirt on their campfire to put it out. “The punishment for banditry is—”
“Exceedingly painful, I know.” Jayden collected the bandit’s weapons and added them to his baggage. “I detest turning them over to the same authorities I seek to overthrow, but the alternatives are letting them go to menace others or killing them myself. Faced with three bad choices, I intend to let the crown do its job for a change.”
It took an hour to bind the bandits and in some cases bandaging their wounds, but they were on their way soon enough. They came across a major road and not long after that a low stone building with a heavy door and attached tollbooth. An old man manning the booth paled at the sight of Jayden. “I only have ten copper pieces and never hurt anyone you like.”
“Looks like he’s heard of you,” Dana said.
“And he possesses the common sense our friends lack,” Jayden added. “Good sir, as your pockets are so woefully empty allow me the chance to fill them. These men made the poor career move of attacking me.”
The old man stared at the captured bandits. “No one is that stupid.”
“We thought he was bluffing!” a bandit protested.
Jayden pulled the bandits along and handed the end of the rope to the old man. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but there’s typically a bounty placed on bandits.”
The old man grabbed a sheet of paper tacked to the wall and tore it off. “They’re wanted men, all right, with a reward of fifty silver pieces, but you’d have to present them in person to get the money. Some folks might take offense at that.”
“No doubt true given my history, which is why you’re taking the credit.” Jayden handed them off and smiled. “There you go, fifty silver pieces worth of vermin, a good addition to your salary.”
“They’ll put us to death!” a bandit cried out.
“They’ll put you to work,” the old man corrected him. “Baron Vrask doesn’t kill men he can use in his granite quarry.” More softly, the old man said to Jayden, “Do yourself a favor and keep a low profile. The city is in a terrible state these days, and there are folks who’d come after the price on your head.”
“I’ll bear that in mind,” Jayden replied. He left with Dana as the old man placed his wounded prisoners in a cell.
The road led through hilly country heavy with farms and ranches, but Dana saw signs of distress. Many houses were in poor repair. A few were clearly abandoned, with missing windows and doors, and some had caved in roofs. People they met on the road were simply dressed and paid no attention to them. That surprised Dana, as Jayden’s garish clothes normally drew looks wherever he went.
“We’re coming up on the city of Edgeland, which has numerous dubious distinctions,” Jayden began. “It’s on the border with the Kingdom of Kaleoth and was once a center of trade before high taxes strangled merchant traffic. The city is on Race Horse River, which should add to its value as a trade hub. Sadly the river flows so fast no boat can travel it without being destroyed.”
“Wonderful,” Dana said.
“There is the city of River Twin on the other side of the river, a pleasant part of Kaleoth that used to benefit from trade. I’m told today it’s nearly as poor as Edgeland and boasts an army contingent to keep the king and queen on their side of the border.”
“The King of Kaleoth knows a war is coming?” she asked.
“King Brent of Kaloeth is a man of great years and keen wit who can see what’s happening as plainly as we can. If the king and queen mean to surprise him, they’ve seriously underestimated the man.”
“How old is he?”
“Old enough he might shatter if he tripped. Nevertheless, he is a formidable foe and has the allegiance of a large ogre clan.” Jayden walked on in silence for a moment before adding, “He is also a man to be pitied, as he outlived his family. He has one grandson still alive, but the youth is untested. I think King Brent is staying alive out of sheer force of will to give the boy time to learn his job.”
They crested a steep hill to find Edgeland before them. It was a large city that could house fifty thousand people. Buildings were made of granite to survive merciless winter storms, and the streets were paved with cobblestone. East of the city was a wide chasm with a single bridge across it, and beyond that was a smaller city. Edgeland had a wall around it, but there were clusters of buildings outside.
“Edgeland got too big for its britches?” Dana asked playfully.
“Most cities do. Wise leaders build walls around their cities, but few leave room for expansion. When cities grow citizens build their homes outside the wall’s protection.”
Worried, she asked, “What happens to them if the city is attacked?”
“They flee inside the walls if they can and are locked outside if they move too slow.” Jayden saw her horrified look. “Grim as that possibility is, those homes are our best choice to find help. Prosperous and respected citizens live inside the city. Poor residents live beyond the city wall and are more likely to help us.”
“Hopefully they can get you new clothes.”
Looking annoyed, he said, “I wasn’t pleased when bandit questioned my taste in fashion.”
Dana waved at the distant city. “You heard the old guy who took those bandits, people here are desperate. Do you want them coming after you the moment we go in?”
Jayden frowned. “Discretion may be warranted.”
A brief tour of the homes and businesses outside Edgeland turned up furriers, cobblers, fishermen, hunters, and a pawnshop where Jayden sold the weapons he’d taken from the bandits. At long last they found a tailor who gave them a skeptical look when they approached his small shop and said, “No credit for strangers. Pay in cash or leave.”
“A charming start to the conversation,” Jayden replied. He took two silver pieces from his pockets and held them up. “I need clothes, simple, warm and functional.”
The tailor took both coins. “I might have something in your size. Let me take your measurements.”
The tailor went through his limited stock until he came up with a gray overcoat, gray shirt and black pants. An hour of stitching shortened the legs and sleeves to fit. Jayden tried on the new clothes and nodded in approval.
“A good fit, and I like the style.”
“For tax reasons I never saw you in my life,” the tailor replied as he slid both coins into hidden pockets in his pants. “Now get out of here before someone sees you.”
“You don’t get much repeat business, do you?” Dana asked.
“As far as the king and queen are concerned I don’t get any business.”
Jayden packed his old clothes into his bags, and he led Dana toward the city gate. “Now then, I believe we’re ready to go on.”
“Hold on,” Dana told him. She put her hands on his shoulders and sat him on a nearby barrel. “Wanted posters show your face. If I change your hair it might help you go unnoticed.”
“Will this take long?”
Dana took a comb from her bags and went to work. Truth be told, she’d wanted to do something about Jayden’s messy hair since the day they’d met. In minutes she had it combed and tied into a ponytail she tucked into the collar of the overcoat.
Jayden stood up and asked, “How do I look?”
“Like the kind of man my mother warned me about. Let’s go.”
With Jayden disguised they headed for the city’s main gate. They found the gates open and heavily guarded by men wearing the blue and gray of royal soldiers. The soldiers collected a minor toll without inspecting carts and bags brought into the city.
Once they were inside Edgeland, Jayden led her through the streets. “Our first priority is to study the bridge.”
Dana took a deep breath and exhaled. “You know, this is the first city you’ve brought me to that didn’t smell like a dung heap.”
“You can thank Race Horse River. Residents of Edgeland throw their garbage into the river and let it carry their filth away.”
Dana grimaced. “That’s disgusting, and could poison the water and kill off the fish.”
“That’s not a concern.” Jayden brought her to a stone railing running along the river and pointed down. Dana leaned over the railing and gasped.
Race Horse River lived up to its name. The river flowed so fast a galloping horse would have trouble keeping up with it. It was wide, too, at least eighty feet across and who knows how deep. Countless years of fast moving water had cut deep into the bedrock until the water’s surface was fifteen feet below street level.
“Race Horse River moves too fast to host fish,” Jayden explained. “Dana, look at the bridge and tell me what you see.”
Dana looked to her left and saw an engineering marvel. “It’s about a hundred feet long and twenty feet wide. I see eight columns holding it up. I think it’s made of granite.”
“Go on.”
“Guards are stationed on both sides of the bridge. Men on this side wear blue and gray, so they’re soldiers and not militia. Men on the other side wear green and gray. Who are they?”
“Kaleoth frontier soldiers,” Jayden replied. “They’re very good.”
“Two of them have staffs, so I’d pretty sure they’re wizards.” Dana kept staring at the bridge. “Jayden, no one’s crossing the bridge.”
“No, and that’s curious. I’d heard cross border trade was down, but there are no wagons, pack mules or pedestrians crossing. The guards don’t make sense, either. This is part of Baron Vrask’s territory. His men should be guarding the bridge, and they wear white and black.”
Dana looked at him and asked, “If this is Baron Vrask’s territory, why are royal soldiers guarding the city gate?”
“Another good question. This is going to be hard. I’d heard dwarfs built the bridge back when they did quality work, and it doesn’t disappoint. So many soldiers won’t help. I need time to plan my attack. That means we need a place to stay. I’ve never visited the city before, but I’m told there’s a credibly good hotel by the river.”
They walked along the river, passing a few pedestrians and one man on horseback. They found the hotel in minutes, except the building was boarded up and its sign lay on the ground.
Dana walked up to the nearest man and asked, “What happened here?”
The man spit on the street. “A law came out that hotels have to report their guests’ comings and goings to the throne. No one stayed here for months until the owner closed shop and left.”
“That leaves us in a bit of a situation,” Jayden said.
“You’re fine.” The man pointed at a nearby signpost covered in hanging wood placards. “Those are advertisements for people renting rooms. Technically they’re ‘inviting’ guests to stay out of the kindness of their hearts, no charge, so the law doesn’t apply. Of course honest God fearing folks like you might feel inclined to lend a hand with the bills, or ‘accidentally’ leave a few coins. Get the picture?”
“You paint it with such vivid colors,” Jayden said.
The man laughed and walked away. Jayden and Dana went to the signpost and studied the placards. They were small, homemade and covered in spelling errors. Each one offered one or more rooms, with cheerful descriptions of where to find them and the amenities they offered.
“Many to choose from,” Jayden said as he picked over the placards.
Dana handed him a placard. “Let’s take this one. It’s got two rooms, warm beds, a bathroom and they allow pets. Plus it’s a lady’s house.”
Jayden took the placard from her. “How can you tell?”
“The handwriting is nice, and guys don’t mention ‘super keen’ views. She even printed directions to her house.”
“It’s as good a choice as any,” he said as they walked through Edgeland. Dana was surprised how sparsely populated the city was. In ten minutes they saw only twenty people. Maybe residents were out gathering the harvest or working in mines and quarries.
Dana turned a corner near their destination and ran straight into two spearmen dressed in white and black uniforms. She cried out in surprise and backed up, quickly bowing and saying, “Sorry, sir.”
“Sir, eh?” the spearman asked. “You hear that, Nate? She called me sir.”
“Bill, don’t,” the other spearman said.
Jayden’s muscles tensed and his eyes narrowed. Dana put a hand on his arm before he could take action.
“No, I’m going to say it!” the first spearman shouted. “I’ve served ten years, fought bandits, monsters, animated skeletons, and after all that the king’s soldiers call me boy. I’m good in a fight, I know these streets like the back of my hand, I’ve upheld the law, and I get treated like a punk.”
The second spearman looked away in embarrassment. “Bill.”
“A girl, a stranger I’ve never met before, calls me sir, showing me a little bit of ulmixin respect that I can’t get from our own army! This is why people quit, Nate! This is why good men walk off the job!”
The first spearman stomped off. The second one looked down and said, “I’m sorry about that. He’s a good man, it’s just he’s been pushed too far.”
Once the second spearman ran after his friend, Dana said, “Wow.”
“Not surprising,” Jayden told her. “We’ve seen loyal men treated poorly before. Let’s get off the street before we draw any more attention.”
“What does ulmixin mean?”
Jayden reached the house described on the placard and knocked on the door. “It’s a gnomish word I’d prefer not to translate. Theirs is a language rich in obscenities.”
“Coming!” a muffled voice called from inside the house. The door opened and a young woman in a plain dress came to greet them. She looked like she was in her early twenties, with brown eyes and short brown hair, pretty in a simple sort of way. She smiled, took one look at Jayden, and froze. For a second Dana worried the woman recognized Jayden from his many wanted posters and was terrified of him. Then Dana saw the woman blush and look down. This wasn’t terror.
Dana stepped in and shook the woman’s hand. “Hi! I understand you’re renting rooms. My uncle and I need a place to stay tonight.”
“Perhaps longer,” Jayden added.
“Uh,” the woman managed. Jayden had this effect on women. Even Dana had been at a loss for words the first time she’d met him. Still, most women shook it off faster than this. “Rooms. Ah, yes, I, uh, have two rooms, ah, not technically for rent.”
“A passerby was kind enough to explain the loophole in the law,” Jayden told her. He took a gold coin from his baggage and pressed it into her left hand. “He was vague on how large a donation to make. Is this sufficient?”
“Money?” the woman asked. It looked like she was still dazed. “You’re not offering barter? I mean I’ll take money. I need money! It’s just other borders paid in flour, or eggs, or turnips. I hate turnips.”
Jayden smiled at her, making her blush again. “We’re out of turnips at the moment, so hard currency will have to do.”
“Yes, currency, money, good. That’s enough to cover a month’s stay,” she said as she led them inside. The house included plain furniture and white pillows. In stark contrast to this simplicity were the paintings hanging on the walls. Most were landscapes, including gorgeous pictures of Race Horse River, but there were also portraits of children and their pets. The house had three bedrooms with the doors open to show clean if simple furnishings.
Dana followed the woman to the rented rooms. “So, what’s your name?”
“Ah, my name’s Maya. Um, what’s yours?”
“I’m Dana Illwind.”
Maya looked puzzled. “And your uncle, who’s not following me?”
Jayden hadn’t gotten far past the door. Instead he’d put down his bags and was studying the paintings. “Uncle craves his privacy. I trust that won’t be a problem.”
“No. No, no, no, not for paying customers it’s not,” Maya said.
“I see an easel in the corner and canvas not stretched over a frame yet, so this must be your work,” Jayden said. “You have considerable skill as a painter. Clearly the lady has an eye for beauty in addition to beautiful eyes.”
Maya looked so shocked she could’ve been knocked over with a feather. Dana just rolled her eyes. She wondered if Jayden was doing this on purpose or if he didn’t even notice the effect he was having on the poor woman.
“I, um,” Maya stammered before words flooded out of her. “Dinner is at sunset, I lock the door an hour later, please don’t make too much noise after dark so the neighbors don’t complain because I need them to like me.”
“How many sentences was that?” Jayden asked playfully.
Dana got between Jayden and Maya. “We’ll be the best behaved guests you’ve had. Isn’t that right, uncle?”
Jayden picked up his bags and headed for his room. “You may count on our discretion. Come along, niece, let’s store our belongings and let the young lady go on to more important tasks.”
Dana followed Jayden to two bedrooms in the back of the house and went into the same room as Jayden. She closed the door behind them and said, “Don’t tease the landlady.”
“I complimented her, nothing more.” Jayden set down his bags and looked out a window facing the river. “Nor did I lie. As long as we’re admonishing one another, stop mentioning your name. We’re not in a small town, nor are we among friends like in Pearl Harbor. Our hostess could say things about us to the authorities. Should the king and queen learn your identity, they could go after your family.”
Dana froze. “I didn’t think of that.”
Jayden checked the window. “We can go out at night through the window without Maya noticing if we must. My hope is we can study the bridge at leisure over the next few days and look for weaknesses. I didn’t see any earlier, which worries me. Bringing it down is going to be difficult.”
“You seem really sure there’s going to be an invasion across that bridge.”
Jayden took a map out of his bags and unrolled it on the bed. “This shows the border with Kaleoth. The ground is hilly to mountainous, with only a few crossings easily blocked by Kaleoth frontier soldiers. Edgeland’s bridge over the Race Horse River is the only way to bring in large numbers of troops.”
“What’s in Kaleoth worth taking?”
“It has good pastures and a few mines, although no precious metals.” Jayden pointed at the map and said, “It’s not a large prize, but could be easily taken by a clever enemy. The capital city is only three day’s march from the border. Seizing that could be enough to end the war if they take the king and his sole heir prisoner.”
Dana pointed at a kingdom to the south. “Your sort of friend Reginald Lootmore thinks the king and queen are going to invade his home of Zentrix. You think he’s wrong?”
Jayden frowned. “Worse than that, I think he’s right. Kaleoth is a small prize. The king and queen couldn’t divide so little land among their nobles. So many ambitious men would demand a greater reward for their loyalty than Kaloeth could provide. The only way to satisfy them would be to conquer more land, and Zentrix is the next logical target. If that’s not enough, the Kingdom of Brandish will be the third and last to be invaded.”
“You think they’re going to take over three kingdoms?” Dana didn’t try to hide her surprise.
“All three have small populations, few soldiers, no strong allies and not enough money to support long campaigns.” Jayden rolled up his map and put it away. “It wouldn’t be easy to beat them, but it’s possible. Destroying that bridge may be enough to save Kaleoth from destruction.”
“That would force the king and queen to move to their backup targets,” Dana replied. “You’re saving one kingdom and dooming the other two.”
“I know.” Jayden stared out the window for a moment. “Dana, I’ve been grasping at straws since I vowed to defeat the king and queen. My blows against them have been annoyances at best. Defeating the wizard Green Peril, killing the chimera, stealing some armor and saving those girls from slavery, they were pinpricks.”
He turned to her and said, “This is my biggest strike against them, and even that leaves lives in peril. I can’t save everyone. My only hope is if I hit them hard and often I can weaken them until the armies of Zentrix and Brandish can fight the king and queen to a stalemate. That’s a brutal, bloody outcome that can’t possibly be called a victory, but it’s the only chance we have.”
There was a soft knock at the door. “Dinner’s almost ready.”
“We’ll continue this conversation another time,” Jayden said.
Maya greeted them at a small table, where she’d placed hardboiled eggs, a loaf of bread, fresh apples and a pitcher of milk. “I’m sure you’re used to better than this, but it’s what I could find at market.”
“Don’t apologize,” Dana told her. “It’s good food and more than we were expecting. You’ve got a very nice house.”
“Oh I don’t own it,” Maya said as she served Jayden. “I rent it from Baron Vrask. Lots of people rent from him.”
“How did he come to own so many properties?” Jayden asked.
Maya served Dana while she answered him. “I guess you wouldn’t know if you’re not from here. Not that I’m accusing my neighbors, but, ah, you know how taxes have gone up recently? Some families couldn’t pay. Baron Vrask takes labor or barter when people can’t pay their taxes. Royal tax collectors don’t.”
Worried, Dana asked, “What happened to them?”
“Some went to Kaleoth for a few days to buy wool or visit relatives. Lots of people here have family over the border, you know. But, um, a few days turned into a few weeks and a few months and now a few years, so I think they’re not coming back.”
“Which left empty houses that could fall into disrepair if not occupied, so your baron took ownership and rents them out,” Jayden said.
“It’s a very reasonable rent and I can pay it, sort of.” Maya looked worried when she served herself last. “I sell paintings, not as many with the bridge closed, I babysit, and I give painting lessons to a few boys, but, ah, I have to take in borders to make ends meet. Not that I’m against it! They’ve all been really nice people.”
“Surely your family can offer assistance,” Jayden said. Maya’s expression went from worried to sad. Jayden put down his food. “My apologies, I’ve upset you.”
Dana asked, “What’s the matter?”
“I, um, I’m a foundling. Baron Vrask’s men found me on the street when I was a baby. The baron takes in orphans and foundlings, and he supports them until they’re adults. I had a very good upbringing! He’s a nice man, and I learned a lot about cooking and cleaning, and his artisan taught me how to paint. I’m friends with the girls and boys I grew up with at the baron’s castle. The girls are nice, and the boys are loud and messy.”
“Sounds like my brothers,” Dana said. “Boys are like that the world over.”
Jayden was silent for a moment. “When Dana introduced herself, you gave only a first name.”
“I can’t have a family name if I don’t have a family.” Maya looked miserable. “I’m sorry, I’m not being a very good host. I shouldn’t babble like this.”
“You’re not babbling,” Jayden told her. “You’re being honest, and far friendlier than I expect or deserve. You’ve also earned my respect for Baron Vrask for treating you with such kindness in your youth.”
Maya smiled at him. “Thank you.”
April 19, 2019
Tough Lessons
Professor Atril Renault led his first period class out of the central building of The Vastan Institute of Magic and Technology. It was a glorious morning, sunny and warm, the air heavy with perfume from blooming trees, and pixies were relatively under control. That last fact took considerable effort and a large number of trained hawks, but it was worth it. Normally this would cheer Professor Renault.
“I didn’t think students were supposed to leave the Institute, sir,” Marty Fest said. Marty was the reason why Professor Renault was in a foul mood. Most people could only earn a handful of mortal enemies, but Marty had an innate ability to make everyone in a mile radius murderously annoyed with him.
“I would imagine you’d be pleased to leave the grounds,” Professor Renault replied. The older man wore simple, dignified robes over his functional work clothes. His oak staff was set with fire opals, as were the rings on his fingers. Renault’s thinning hair was turning gray, but otherwise he was in excellent condition. “I imagine Institute staff members will be equally delighted after last night.”
Marty smiled (never a good sign) and raised one finger. “I wasn’t near the unicorn’s cage when it got out, sir.”
“You were never near the wine cellar, the returns section of the library, the ladies lavatory and the rare plants garden that all befell shockingly bad luck.” Professor Renault stopped and turned to look Marty in the eyes. Marty smiled back, the smug expression of a man smart enough to do massively stupid deeds.
“Exactly.” Marty spoke that word as if it was proof of his innocence and that the matter was unimportant.
The Vastan Institute for Magic and Technology was the crown jewels of the city of Chalerdon, no small claim given the city’s staggering wealth. The Institute’s gravity defying architecture was the result of dozens of skilled wizards working for decades. It filled entire blocks of a city known for beauty, wealth and culture. Attending the Institute as a student should have been an honor bestowed on only the best, but Professor Renault had long ago noticed a decline in the behavior of his pupils.
Professor Renault continued on with fifteen students, young, intelligent teenagers who had basic training in magic and were from respectable families. Students had to have these traits, but there were times when young people could be too intelligent for their own good and come from families too respectable. Some were smart enough to cause trouble while having family connections to avoid the repercussions of their actions. This state of affairs could go on for years until they did something so foolish there was no way to avoid the fallout, and possibly no way to survive it.
Marty Fest was such a person. Smart, wealthy and related to men in power, the blond haired youth was handsome and drew attention from ladies his age. Any attraction ended the moment Marty spoke his mind, which was constantly in the gutter. His clothes were rich silks dyed gold and red, very stylish, and his coin pouch bulged with gold. Marty never failed to flaunt his wealth to students on financial need scholarships. He was, in short, a twit.
“Students are required to stay on Institute property to prevent them from patronizing disreputable establishments in the city,” Professor Renault said as he led his students onward. “Some students see this as a challenge to avoid our security measures and visit local bars. Today’s field trip is an exception to the rules.”
A young girl raised her hand and asked, “Where are we going?”
“I’m sure it will be exciting and challenge our minds,” Marty said cheerfully. He saw an attractive waitress at an outdoor restaurant and said, “There’s a challenge I wouldn’t mind solving.”
Another student scowled as he walked around an elf riding a griffin down the street. He leaned in close to Marty and whispered, “Renault is right here, Marty. Right here. You know, ‘Collective Punishment’ Renault, the guy who dunked an entire class into a lake for failing a test. He’s promised to do the same to us if we screw up.”
“Talk is cheap, and so is he,” Marty whispered back.
“They didn’t fail the following test, proof my actions had the desired effect,” Professor Renault said, startling both boys. “I am neither deaf nor stupid, Mr. Fest. You would be wise not to mistake patience for cowardice.”
“Second period is going to start soon, sir,” a female student pressed. “We barely have time to get back to the Institute, and I have Ms. Prezle’s Magic Theory lecture next. The last person who was late for her class was used for target practice.”
Another girl scowled at her. “Thanks for bringing that up! I spent four hours as an oak tree because of that witch, and stop smirking, Marty!”
“We’ll be back on Institute grounds before first period is over,” Professor Renault replied. He stopped walking and pointed to his left. “Here we are.”
“Here we are where?” the first girl asked. “It’s just an old house.”
“Appearances often deceive in our profession,” Professor Renault said. The building was small, with only one floor and a few hundred square feet. The walls were brick, the roof intact and the windows closed. There were beautiful flowers around the house, but the lush growth reached onto the street.
The second girl frowned and backed up. “Professor, you teach Ethics in Magic. What does this have to do with ethical behavior?”
Professor Renault tapped his staff on the paved street. “All will be clear shortly. Now, what can you tell me about this building?”
Two students raised their hands, but Marty shouted, “I’ve got this!”
Professor Renault stepped back and waved his staff at Marty. “By all means, Mr. Fest, let us see your powers of deduction.”
Marty began, “Land around the Institute is expensive, so some peon should occupy a house like this, but it looks like nobody’s lived here for months. There’s nothing wrong with the house physically. Let me check for magic auras…nope, no wards. The city watch doesn’t care that this place is a mess, which means whatever is going on here either has their approval or it isn’t worth their time bothering with. But someone has to own this place, so they should care that it’s gone to seed.”
“Which tells you what?” Professor Renault pressed.
Marty paused and then smiled. “It’s not abandoned. Someone or something is living here, not a person, maybe a monster or spirit.”
Professor Renault tapped his staff against the side of the building. “This house was purchased by the Institute years ago as a residence for visiting scholars. It’s not being used for that purpose because it was occupied by goblins, a situation the city watch has asked to deal with. We declined their offer and instead treat this as an opportunity for our students.”
The girl who’d once been turned into an oak tree edged away from the building. “What kind of opportunity?”
“It’s a test for our more ambitious students,” Professor Renault replied. “All of you have mastered basic magic. Most of you have mastered common sense. A few have even mastered logical thought. I’m curious which among you has reached such lofty goals. The test is can any of you evict the goblins. This isn’t easy, but anyone who succeeds is allowed full use of the house for the rest of the school year. You can stay here rent free and enjoy the hospitality of Chalerdon, provided you are on time for your classes.”
“That’s easy!” Marty boasted.
“Are you volunteering to be first, Mr. Fest?” Professor Renault asked.
“I’m volunteering to win your contest,” Marty said. He walked up to the house’s front door and stopped only long enough to cast a spell. Rocks sprung up from the ground and formed a shield and club Marty grabbed. He cast another spell and more rocks sprung up and assembled into a stone man four feet tall.
Then he opened the door.
A log ten inches wide and three feet long shot out and smashed the stone man before rolling down the street. A lasso caught Marty and dragged him into the house so fast he seemed to disappear. Frightened screams followed.
“Now what have we learned from this?” Professor Renault asked the other students while Marty continued screaming. When no one answered, he said, “The first is that Mr. Fest chose not to ask questions before beginning the test, such as how many goblins live in the house, or how long they have lived here and thus had time to prepare for invaders.”
“Get it off!” Marty yelled. “Get it off!”
“The second mistake was not asking local homeowners about these goblins, people who would know best about them,” Professor Renault continued. “I would hazard to guess that Mr. Fest assumed he didn’t have to because one goblin is the same as another. There is an unfortunate tendency for people to assume all members of a race act the same. Many goblins avoid conflicts. Not these ones. Nor are all men, elves or dwarfs the same.”
“Give that back!” Marty yelled. “It’s mine!”
“Mr. Fest’s last mistake, and I consider this the biggest, was not asking other students who took the test before him what he could expect,” Professor Renault added. “He was far from the first to make the attempt, and previous victims could have provided much needed advice.”
One of the girls raised a hand and asked, “Shouldn’t we help him?”
One of Marty’s shoes went flying out of the building. When it stopped moving they could see that half of it had been eaten.
The same girl said, “Never mind.”
“You’re making a big mistake!” Marty yelled.
Seconds later Marty was unceremoniously hurled out of the house. His clothes were torn and painted blue. His coin pouch and shoes were gone. His hands were tied behind his back. He was also wearing a bonnet and pink skirt.
“Would anyone else like to try?” Professor Renault asked. When no one raised their hands or stepped forward, he prodded, “Come now, no takers?”
“I don’t think we’re ready for this quite yet, sir,” a girl said. “At least not alone.”
“Going in as a group wouldn’t end much better,” Professor Renault said. “You each have mastered basic magic. This does not make you invulnerable, all-powerful or even right in most situations. Bravado, carelessness, arrogance and prejudice have no place in your lives now or after graduation. If you don’t think through the logical results of your actions then you will suffer far worse than Mr. Fest, and innocent men, women and children will suffer with you.”
Professor Renault then walked in front of Marty. The youth was furious but helpless to take action. Looking annoyed, the professor said, “A warning, Mr. Fest, should you wish to take revenge on the goblins or myself…”
Professor Renault shifted his staff from his right hand to his left. He clenched his right hand into a fist. Light shined from between his fingers and sparks shot out. Pebbles on the road levitated around the Professor and the air stank of ozone. The students backed up, and Marty’s fury was replaced by fear.
“Try it, you miserable toad,” Professor Renault said in a low, deadly voice. “Just try it. I have decades of experience in magic you can’t begin to match, and a temper that long ago reached the boiling point. You are not smart enough, not rich enough, not powerful enough to lock horns with me, boy. I won’t hesitate for a second to put you in your place, and to blazes with the consequences.”
The door to the house swung closed with a bang, making the students jump. Professor Renault let his spell fade and continued speaking as if nothing had happened.
“This concludes today’s lesson. My hope is all of you learned that actions have consequences. This lesson can be repeated as often and as painfully as necessary until it takes root. You have time enough to get to your next class if you hurry.”
“I can’t show up like this!” Marty yelled.
“You could, although I wouldn’t recommend it,” Professor Renault replied. “That leaves two choices: skip your next class while you make yourself presentable or go to class as you are. Both courses of action will result in harsh punishments. Correct me if I’m wrong, Mr. Fest, but don’t you have Ms. Prezle’s Magic Theory class next period? And unless I’m much mistaken that starts in five minutes.”
“Run!” one of the girls yelled, and the students ran back to the Institute as fast as they could.
Marty stumbled after them and called out, “Someone untie my hands!”
Professor Renault watched them leave before he walked up to the house’s door, opened it and tossed in a small wheel of cheese sealed in wax that he’d brought hidden inside his robes. Eager hands snatched it out of the air and eager mouths gobbled it up.
“You were kind of rough on the guy,” a goblin called out from inside the house. “Most of the students who take this test are junior year or better.”
“He was getting out of hand, dangerously so,” Professor Renault replied. He leaned against the doorframe. “These students are getting worse. There was a time we’d only do this once a year! I fear for the future.”
The goblins also remembered a time long ago when they’d had fewer ‘challengers’. Few students knew how many decades the goblins had lived in this house, or that Professor Renault had invited them to stay in return for the help they now gave with depressing regularity.
One goblin said, “Next year’s students will be better.”
“I pray you’re right.” Professor Renault picked up the log that had been launched out of the house and returned it to the goblins. He cast a spell to form a magic cloud and stepped onto it. As it carried him back to the Institute, he said, “Please reset your traps. There’s another student nearly as bad as Marty that I have to deal with next period
“I didn’t think students were supposed to leave the Institute, sir,” Marty Fest said. Marty was the reason why Professor Renault was in a foul mood. Most people could only earn a handful of mortal enemies, but Marty had an innate ability to make everyone in a mile radius murderously annoyed with him.
“I would imagine you’d be pleased to leave the grounds,” Professor Renault replied. The older man wore simple, dignified robes over his functional work clothes. His oak staff was set with fire opals, as were the rings on his fingers. Renault’s thinning hair was turning gray, but otherwise he was in excellent condition. “I imagine Institute staff members will be equally delighted after last night.”
Marty smiled (never a good sign) and raised one finger. “I wasn’t near the unicorn’s cage when it got out, sir.”
“You were never near the wine cellar, the returns section of the library, the ladies lavatory and the rare plants garden that all befell shockingly bad luck.” Professor Renault stopped and turned to look Marty in the eyes. Marty smiled back, the smug expression of a man smart enough to do massively stupid deeds.
“Exactly.” Marty spoke that word as if it was proof of his innocence and that the matter was unimportant.
The Vastan Institute for Magic and Technology was the crown jewels of the city of Chalerdon, no small claim given the city’s staggering wealth. The Institute’s gravity defying architecture was the result of dozens of skilled wizards working for decades. It filled entire blocks of a city known for beauty, wealth and culture. Attending the Institute as a student should have been an honor bestowed on only the best, but Professor Renault had long ago noticed a decline in the behavior of his pupils.
Professor Renault continued on with fifteen students, young, intelligent teenagers who had basic training in magic and were from respectable families. Students had to have these traits, but there were times when young people could be too intelligent for their own good and come from families too respectable. Some were smart enough to cause trouble while having family connections to avoid the repercussions of their actions. This state of affairs could go on for years until they did something so foolish there was no way to avoid the fallout, and possibly no way to survive it.
Marty Fest was such a person. Smart, wealthy and related to men in power, the blond haired youth was handsome and drew attention from ladies his age. Any attraction ended the moment Marty spoke his mind, which was constantly in the gutter. His clothes were rich silks dyed gold and red, very stylish, and his coin pouch bulged with gold. Marty never failed to flaunt his wealth to students on financial need scholarships. He was, in short, a twit.
“Students are required to stay on Institute property to prevent them from patronizing disreputable establishments in the city,” Professor Renault said as he led his students onward. “Some students see this as a challenge to avoid our security measures and visit local bars. Today’s field trip is an exception to the rules.”
A young girl raised her hand and asked, “Where are we going?”
“I’m sure it will be exciting and challenge our minds,” Marty said cheerfully. He saw an attractive waitress at an outdoor restaurant and said, “There’s a challenge I wouldn’t mind solving.”
Another student scowled as he walked around an elf riding a griffin down the street. He leaned in close to Marty and whispered, “Renault is right here, Marty. Right here. You know, ‘Collective Punishment’ Renault, the guy who dunked an entire class into a lake for failing a test. He’s promised to do the same to us if we screw up.”
“Talk is cheap, and so is he,” Marty whispered back.
“They didn’t fail the following test, proof my actions had the desired effect,” Professor Renault said, startling both boys. “I am neither deaf nor stupid, Mr. Fest. You would be wise not to mistake patience for cowardice.”
“Second period is going to start soon, sir,” a female student pressed. “We barely have time to get back to the Institute, and I have Ms. Prezle’s Magic Theory lecture next. The last person who was late for her class was used for target practice.”
Another girl scowled at her. “Thanks for bringing that up! I spent four hours as an oak tree because of that witch, and stop smirking, Marty!”
“We’ll be back on Institute grounds before first period is over,” Professor Renault replied. He stopped walking and pointed to his left. “Here we are.”
“Here we are where?” the first girl asked. “It’s just an old house.”
“Appearances often deceive in our profession,” Professor Renault said. The building was small, with only one floor and a few hundred square feet. The walls were brick, the roof intact and the windows closed. There were beautiful flowers around the house, but the lush growth reached onto the street.
The second girl frowned and backed up. “Professor, you teach Ethics in Magic. What does this have to do with ethical behavior?”
Professor Renault tapped his staff on the paved street. “All will be clear shortly. Now, what can you tell me about this building?”
Two students raised their hands, but Marty shouted, “I’ve got this!”
Professor Renault stepped back and waved his staff at Marty. “By all means, Mr. Fest, let us see your powers of deduction.”
Marty began, “Land around the Institute is expensive, so some peon should occupy a house like this, but it looks like nobody’s lived here for months. There’s nothing wrong with the house physically. Let me check for magic auras…nope, no wards. The city watch doesn’t care that this place is a mess, which means whatever is going on here either has their approval or it isn’t worth their time bothering with. But someone has to own this place, so they should care that it’s gone to seed.”
“Which tells you what?” Professor Renault pressed.
Marty paused and then smiled. “It’s not abandoned. Someone or something is living here, not a person, maybe a monster or spirit.”
Professor Renault tapped his staff against the side of the building. “This house was purchased by the Institute years ago as a residence for visiting scholars. It’s not being used for that purpose because it was occupied by goblins, a situation the city watch has asked to deal with. We declined their offer and instead treat this as an opportunity for our students.”
The girl who’d once been turned into an oak tree edged away from the building. “What kind of opportunity?”
“It’s a test for our more ambitious students,” Professor Renault replied. “All of you have mastered basic magic. Most of you have mastered common sense. A few have even mastered logical thought. I’m curious which among you has reached such lofty goals. The test is can any of you evict the goblins. This isn’t easy, but anyone who succeeds is allowed full use of the house for the rest of the school year. You can stay here rent free and enjoy the hospitality of Chalerdon, provided you are on time for your classes.”
“That’s easy!” Marty boasted.
“Are you volunteering to be first, Mr. Fest?” Professor Renault asked.
“I’m volunteering to win your contest,” Marty said. He walked up to the house’s front door and stopped only long enough to cast a spell. Rocks sprung up from the ground and formed a shield and club Marty grabbed. He cast another spell and more rocks sprung up and assembled into a stone man four feet tall.
Then he opened the door.
A log ten inches wide and three feet long shot out and smashed the stone man before rolling down the street. A lasso caught Marty and dragged him into the house so fast he seemed to disappear. Frightened screams followed.
“Now what have we learned from this?” Professor Renault asked the other students while Marty continued screaming. When no one answered, he said, “The first is that Mr. Fest chose not to ask questions before beginning the test, such as how many goblins live in the house, or how long they have lived here and thus had time to prepare for invaders.”
“Get it off!” Marty yelled. “Get it off!”
“The second mistake was not asking local homeowners about these goblins, people who would know best about them,” Professor Renault continued. “I would hazard to guess that Mr. Fest assumed he didn’t have to because one goblin is the same as another. There is an unfortunate tendency for people to assume all members of a race act the same. Many goblins avoid conflicts. Not these ones. Nor are all men, elves or dwarfs the same.”
“Give that back!” Marty yelled. “It’s mine!”
“Mr. Fest’s last mistake, and I consider this the biggest, was not asking other students who took the test before him what he could expect,” Professor Renault added. “He was far from the first to make the attempt, and previous victims could have provided much needed advice.”
One of the girls raised a hand and asked, “Shouldn’t we help him?”
One of Marty’s shoes went flying out of the building. When it stopped moving they could see that half of it had been eaten.
The same girl said, “Never mind.”
“You’re making a big mistake!” Marty yelled.
Seconds later Marty was unceremoniously hurled out of the house. His clothes were torn and painted blue. His coin pouch and shoes were gone. His hands were tied behind his back. He was also wearing a bonnet and pink skirt.
“Would anyone else like to try?” Professor Renault asked. When no one raised their hands or stepped forward, he prodded, “Come now, no takers?”
“I don’t think we’re ready for this quite yet, sir,” a girl said. “At least not alone.”
“Going in as a group wouldn’t end much better,” Professor Renault said. “You each have mastered basic magic. This does not make you invulnerable, all-powerful or even right in most situations. Bravado, carelessness, arrogance and prejudice have no place in your lives now or after graduation. If you don’t think through the logical results of your actions then you will suffer far worse than Mr. Fest, and innocent men, women and children will suffer with you.”
Professor Renault then walked in front of Marty. The youth was furious but helpless to take action. Looking annoyed, the professor said, “A warning, Mr. Fest, should you wish to take revenge on the goblins or myself…”
Professor Renault shifted his staff from his right hand to his left. He clenched his right hand into a fist. Light shined from between his fingers and sparks shot out. Pebbles on the road levitated around the Professor and the air stank of ozone. The students backed up, and Marty’s fury was replaced by fear.
“Try it, you miserable toad,” Professor Renault said in a low, deadly voice. “Just try it. I have decades of experience in magic you can’t begin to match, and a temper that long ago reached the boiling point. You are not smart enough, not rich enough, not powerful enough to lock horns with me, boy. I won’t hesitate for a second to put you in your place, and to blazes with the consequences.”
The door to the house swung closed with a bang, making the students jump. Professor Renault let his spell fade and continued speaking as if nothing had happened.
“This concludes today’s lesson. My hope is all of you learned that actions have consequences. This lesson can be repeated as often and as painfully as necessary until it takes root. You have time enough to get to your next class if you hurry.”
“I can’t show up like this!” Marty yelled.
“You could, although I wouldn’t recommend it,” Professor Renault replied. “That leaves two choices: skip your next class while you make yourself presentable or go to class as you are. Both courses of action will result in harsh punishments. Correct me if I’m wrong, Mr. Fest, but don’t you have Ms. Prezle’s Magic Theory class next period? And unless I’m much mistaken that starts in five minutes.”
“Run!” one of the girls yelled, and the students ran back to the Institute as fast as they could.
Marty stumbled after them and called out, “Someone untie my hands!”
Professor Renault watched them leave before he walked up to the house’s door, opened it and tossed in a small wheel of cheese sealed in wax that he’d brought hidden inside his robes. Eager hands snatched it out of the air and eager mouths gobbled it up.
“You were kind of rough on the guy,” a goblin called out from inside the house. “Most of the students who take this test are junior year or better.”
“He was getting out of hand, dangerously so,” Professor Renault replied. He leaned against the doorframe. “These students are getting worse. There was a time we’d only do this once a year! I fear for the future.”
The goblins also remembered a time long ago when they’d had fewer ‘challengers’. Few students knew how many decades the goblins had lived in this house, or that Professor Renault had invited them to stay in return for the help they now gave with depressing regularity.
One goblin said, “Next year’s students will be better.”
“I pray you’re right.” Professor Renault picked up the log that had been launched out of the house and returned it to the goblins. He cast a spell to form a magic cloud and stepped onto it. As it carried him back to the Institute, he said, “Please reset your traps. There’s another student nearly as bad as Marty that I have to deal with next period
March 8, 2019
A Familiar Face
Grace looked up from her work in the garden when she heard her daughter Jenna giggling inside the house. The little girl found all sorts of things funny, like pushing wood bowls off the table at dinnertime and throwing her ragdoll out of a window. Most toddlers do such things and Grace didn’t take it personally, but experience had taught her to be wary when her daughter was too happy. Worried what had happened this time, Grace got up (no easy feat when she was seven months pregnant), brushed dirt off her knees and went inside her small wood house.
She found her daughter sitting on her small bed next to the fireplace. Jenna was a plump girl of two and a half years with brown hair like her mother and a simple cotton dress. She wasn’t alone on the bed. Two small gray kittens lay on the straw mattress, animals so young their eyes were still closed. Jenna cradled a third kitten in her lap and stroked its back.
“Kittens, mommy!” Jenna called out when Grace came near. Technically she said ‘kit tens’, but the meaning came across.
Grace sat down on the edge of the girl’s bed. “Sweetie, where did you get those?”
Jenna grabbed the other two kittens and placed them in her arms. “Mommy cat gave me kittens.”
Grace looked around the small house. There were two beds, one for her and her husband and another for Jenna, a chest for their clothes, a table with three chairs, but there was most definitely no cat. They’d never had one, making this gift of nearly newborn kittens more than a touch unusual.
“Jenna, where is the mommy cat?”
“She left.” Jenna heaped love on the mewing kittens, kissing them and hugging all three.
As if on cue, a large cat walked through the front door of the house like she owned the place. She was big and healthy with a luxurious silvery gray coat, and she carried another kitten in her mouth. The cat had a black collar with a large, red faceted garnet rimmed with silver on it. Such a piece of jewelry would fetch good money at market if some fool tried to take it. No one robbed a sorceress and lived a long life.
The cat jumped onto Jenna’s bed and set down her kitten. Jenna scooped up the new arrival and squealed, “More kittens!”
Grace put an arm around her daughter. “Sweetie, that’s Esme’s cat. These are her kittens. We can’t keep them.”
“Mommy cat gave them to me,” Jenna said. Her tone made it clear this wasn’t a protest but a statement of fact.
Esme’s cat bounded down off the bed and headed for the door. The cat glanced at Grace and gave her a look that said ‘I tolerate you’ before leaving.
Jenna set down her armful of kittens and patted her mother’s swollen belly. “We have kittens and a baby. Baby kittens!”
“Oh dear,” Grace said. Peasants had no dealing with magicians and sorcerers if they could help it. Magic wielders felt the same since peasants had nothing they wanted, no jewels, no rare plants or mushrooms for potions, no monster parts like unicorn horns or dragon scales. Each side stayed well clear of the other and liked it that way.
Esme was no world shattering power when it came to magic. The old woman lived by herself at the edge of the forest, occasionally making potions for sale or working some minor enchantment for aging noblemen who were having trouble in the bedroom. Esme came to the village with her cat only rarely to buy food or clothes before returning to her shack. The sorceress was polite, calling men sir and women ma’am as if they were important people.
Keeping the kittens was out of the question, but it was essential they stayed safe until Esme reclaimed them. Grace went through her limited belongings until she found an old wicker basket. She filled it with rags and placed it on her daughter’s bed. “The kittens need to stay warm. Let’s put them in here.”
Jenna was a compassionate child even if she was mischievous. She placed the kittens in the basket and shouted, “Warm kittens!”
“You play nice with the kittens,” she cautioned her daughter. She stroked Jenna’s face and said, “Be gentle, like this. Can you be gentle?”
Jenna stroked a kitten and smiled. “Soft.”
“Yes, touch them very softly, like that. Come with me into the garden. You can hug the kittens all you want there.” Grace picked up the basket and carried it outside to the vegetable garden next to the house. Jenna followed her and continued cuddling the kittens while her mother worked.
Grace worked on a plan while she weeded the garden. The kittens had to go back, no question, but she couldn’t do it now. She had chores to do and dinner to make, and she had to keep an eye on Jenna. Her husband would be back from cutting wood in the forest soon enough. Once he returned she’d explain the situation, and in the morning he could take back the kittens when he went into the forest. She didn’t like placing this on his shoulders, but there was little choice.
It wasn’t long before Esme’s cat brought yet another kitten. The cat spotted them by the garden and came over to investigate. Finding her kittens in the basket, she deposited the fifth one and nursed them.
“Mommy cat loves me,” Jenna said.
“I’m sure she does,” Grace said as she watched the cat. It glanced at her only briefly before licking the kittens clean.
Grace was a simple woman of twenty-three years, poor and forever to remain so. She had no education except what her mother had taught her. She wasn’t sure what to do when faced with a potentially dangerous situation like this. What was the sorceress’ cat doing in her house? There was no relationship between her and the sorceress. She’s never even spoken to Esme. Hopefully they could solve this problem without upsetting Esme.
Once she’d fed her kittens, Esme’s cat toured Grace’s house. It wasn’t much, a single room house at the edge of the forest with a garden and large woodshed her husband kept full. There were no fields or pasture with it, for Grace’s husband Roy earned his living as a woodcutter. Nor were there houses nearby, the closest one an hour’s walk away. Apparently satisfied, the cat ran off into the woods, hopefully not to bring another kitten.
With her work done in the garden, Grace brought the basket and her daughter inside to cook dinner. Normally this was a trying time since her daughter got bored easily and would wander off, but this time Jenna stayed by the basket and cuddled one kitten after another. The meal was almost ready when her husband came back from the forest pulling a sledge loaded with deadwood.
“That smells delicious,” Roy said when he came inside. He was older than Grace by ten years and had scars running across the left side of his jaw. There were more scars, but his shirt hid those. Roy brought in his tools, axes and saws, and a rabbit he’d caught.
“A problem came up while you were gone,” Grace told him.
Roy kissed Grace and stroked her belly. “The little one’s kicking again.”
“Like an angry mule, but that’s not what I mean.”
Jenna ran up to her father and hugged him, then pulled him to the basket. “Kittens, daddy! Kittens!”
Roy bent down to look at the animals. “Who did we get these from?”
“Esme’s cat brought them,” Grace told him. “She left them on Jenna’s bed.”
“That’s, um, that’s unusual.” Roy put an arm around his daughter and hugged her. “Esme didn’t say anything about this, did she?”
“Not a word. I’ve seen cats move their litters plenty of times before if they thought they were in danger. Who could bother Esme?”
Roy frowned. “You put more faith in her than I do. There’s no telling what kind of trouble Always Fails Esme is in.”
“Dear, don’t call her that.”
“She took three apprentices over the years and kicked them all out,” Roy said. “Three girls she thought the world of, I might add, and left them worse than when she’d met them, and one of them was Esme’s own niece. Those girls ended up angry, arrogant, half trained and half -witted. Two of them are dead, and it’s a pity the number isn’t three.”
Grace had to put a stop to such dangerous talk. She hugged her husband and said, “She gave them a chance. It’s not her fault they failed. You ran into men like that in your days in the army.”
Roy sat down on his bed and pulled his family into his arms. “Too many times. Give a man power and you see the worst in him. We had to protect the few good officers we had from our own side. Grace, I know you don’t like me speaking ill of Esme, but I’ve met my share of wizards. Not a one cared if kings died, much less soldiers. This isn’t safe for our family. Whatever’s going on, we need to settle it soon.”
“My kittens,” Jenna said.
“Where’s the cat now?” Roy asked.
His question was answered when Esme’s cat leapt through an open window and landed on the floor. The cat walked over to the basket and checked on her kittens before studying Roy, Grace and Jenna for a moment with a look that said ‘tolerable, barely’.
“That’s her cat,” Roy said. “I’ve seen it in the forest often enough hunting rodents.”
Grace and Roy were tense, not so much worried about the cat than they were what its owner might do. Jenna had no such worries and hugged the cat. “Mommy cat.”
The move surprised the cat. Jenna stroked the cat, and it relaxed and rubbed against her. “Pretty cat. Mommy cat, baby cats, where’s daddy cat?”
The cat’s eyes snapped open and it looked embarrassed, a rare move for cats. Roy smirked and asked, “Yes, where’s daddy cat?”
The cat glared at him, a ‘keep it up and see where it gets you’ look before slipping out of Jenna’s grip and leaving the house. Once it was gone, Roy relaxed. He put his axes and saws away on a high shelf far out of his daughter’s reach.
“After dinner I have to deliver the wood I gathered,” he told Grace. “In the morning we’ll see about the cat.”
“I get kittens and mommy cat?” Jenna asked.
“We’ll see,” Grace told her daughter.
Grace cooked the rabbit her husband had brought and left him to prepare the skin. Officially hunting was reserved for nobles, but their neighbors didn’t begrudge a poor man bringing in small game. Once or twice a year Roy caught a deer and shared its meat with the villagers, who ate the evidence of his poaching within hours. Neighbors considered this proof of his generosity rather than a crime.
Once dinner was done Roy went to deliver firewood to merchants and the nearby baronet while Grace cleaned up after the meal. Normally she’d look after Jenna, but the rambunctious child was too enamored with her kittens to wander. They’d need firewood to keep the house warm in the night, so Grace headed for the woodshed.
The woodshed was a small building open on two sides. Roy kept it well supplied with deadwood and live trees he’d cut and left to dry. Farmers and craftsmen counted on Roy to keep them warm through the winter, and carpenters often came for building material.
Grace poked through the woodpiles looking for a few small branches she could burn. She hadn’t finished when her unborn child kicked within her. “Mother keeps saying only boys kick so much. You must be healthy to make so much trouble.”
She reached over a pile to grab a dry branch and froze when she saw a spot of red. Grace dug through the woodpile, going ever deeper into the woodshed until she reached a bright red velvet pouch in the back corner. She lifted it and heard it jingle. Coins. There were more velvet pouches under the first one. One, two, three, four in all, each one was big enough to carry a goodly amount of money. Hesitantly she opened one and took out a single gold coin.
There was a terrible hiss behind her, and Grace dropped the pouch. She turned to see Esme’s cat carrying an ivory wand in its mouth. The cat dropped the wand and growled at her, claws extending and hairs rising across its back.
Grace was having none of it.
“How dare you!” The cat held its ground and snarled at her. Grace threw the coin at the cat’s feet and shouted, “Do you have any idea how much trouble we’re going to get into over this? Taking a rabbit now and again is one thing, but this is robbery! Esme is going to think we stole it! She’ll be furious!”
The cat froze in place. Its hairs settled and it looked down as it backed away. Was that embarrassment? Fear? A sudden realization hit Grace, and her tone softened when she spoke.
“Oh. Oh, girl, I’m sorry. Esme’s gone, isn’t she? That’s why you came here.” She bent down and picked up the cat. It made no move to escape, instead rubbing its face into her dress. She carried it back and set it inside next to the kittens.
Roy came back as night approached, and Grace met him at the door. He saw the look on her face and asked, “What happened?”
“I think Esme died,” Grace said, her voice just above a whisper. Jenna was too young to hear of such things and was best kept in the dark. “She died and her cat came here to raise her kittens.”
Roy cursed bitterly but softly enough that Jenna wouldn’t hear. “I’ll get my cousins and we’ll look in on her in the morning.”
“You’ll bury her?”
“There are small laws and big ones. Burying the dead is a big one. We’ll see she gets a proper grave, and Father Amadeus Firepower can say a funeral for her and bless the grave next time he comes to the village. That should be enough to keep dark spirits from taking over her body now that she’s moved on.”
Grace’s heart beat faster. “You think that could happen?”
“I saw it when I was in the army. I mean to make sure I don’t see it again. Make no mistake, Grace, I’ve no love for the sorceress, but I’ll not see her become a barrow wight wandering the forest. I do this for you and for Jenna.”
* * * * *
The next day started calmly enough. Jenna stayed near the kittens while Esme’s cat came and went as it pleased. Grace took her daughter and collected wild greens and mushrooms from the forest. Roy left early in the morning, coming back at noon with mud on his hands. He washed in a nearby stream and when he came home waved for Grace to join him outside. “You were right.”
“How did it happen?”
“No sign of violence,” Roy said. “I think it was just old age. We buried her deep and covered the grave with a large rock. That should keep the body quiet until the priest can bless it. Esme’s cat watched us the whole time we buried her. I asked my cousins to tell the baronet what happened. It may take a few days for knights or the sheriff to come settle Esme’s affairs now that she’s gone.
“I didn’t see much in her shack. No coins, no books or scrolls, no potions. Just as well there’s nothing to take or men might get jealous. We’re wondering if we should burn her shack down so bandits and rogues don’t use it.”
Grace hesitated before saying, “Esme’s cat hid things from her house in our woodshed.”
“What sort of things?”
“Things that might make men get jealous. Gold, a wand, maybe more I didn’t find.”
Roy made a low, growling sound. “Always Fails Esme causes trouble even when she’s dead. Tell no one about this. Don’t touch it, especially the wand. God only knows what it does. If knights come or Esme has any family who comes to mourn her then we’ll tell them.”
“The gold could do a lot of good here.”
Roy grabbed his tools before heading for the door. “Merchants would want to know how we got it, and telling them it’s from a dead woman wouldn’t go over well. That’s assuming they don’t just try to take it from us. I’ve seen men killed for a handful of copper coins. Heaven help us, bandits would wipe out the whole village for gold. I’ll be back in time for supper. Grace?”
“What is it?”
“Be careful around the cat,” he said. “I know how stupid that sounds, but I’m serious. I saw wizards back when I was in the army and some kept cats. They cast spells binding the animals to them. I didn’t understand it much and the wizards never explained except to call them familiars. If that cat is a familiar I don’t know what it can do without Esme, but it could be dangerous.”
Grace frowned. “If it’s dangerous we can’t safely get rid of it, either.”
“No, we can’t, and that’s why we need help dealing with this. Keep safe.”
Grace spent the day gardening and watching over Jenna. Her daughter was still excited with her new pets and stayed with them constantly. Esme’s cat came back at noon to check her kittens. The cat stayed for a while watching Grace.
“My husband thinks you’re something special,” Grace told the cat while she worked. This didn’t bother Jenna, as small children often talked to animals and toys. The cat watched Grace, showing only minor interest.
“I think he’s right. Cats don’t care about gold or wands. Esme must have cast spells on you to make you smarter, so I hope you understand me. I know you came here to keep your kittens safe, but you might be putting my family in danger. Men want gold enough to kill for it. They might kill for Esme’s wand. I don’t know if you brought them here to keep them safe or as a gift, but they can’t stay. Did Esme know people you can bring them to?”
The cat looked down and shook its head. Grace petted it and asked, “Why did you come here in the first place?”
Esme’s cat gave her a look that said ‘are you kidding’ before it looked at Jenna. The little girl was sitting inside the basket with a pile of kittens on her lap. The cat also rubbed against Grace’s belly, where her unborn child started kicking.
“One mother counting on another.” Grace took Jenna out of the basket and put the mewing kittens back in it. “Then take this from one mother to another: Roy’s a good man and he’ll take care of us, but he can’t protect us from everything.”
The cat gave her a ‘oh, him’ look, and Grace scolded, “Don’t you give me that. I was a girl when the king needed soldiers. They took Roy and ten other men from our village. I was a grown woman when Roy came back alone. He survived things that should only be in nightmares, and after he came back he killed two monsters living in the forest.”
Esme’s cat didn’t look sorry, but it didn’t show further disrespect before heading into the woods. Grace didn’t see it again until Roy came back at the end of the day. The cat lay in front of the fire, watching them when Roy handed Grace a squirrel he’d caught.
“Any trouble?” he asked.
“While you were gone Jenna stuffed all the kittens inside your spare socks. I just finished getting them out.”
Roy picked up his daughter and ticked her chin. “Why did you do such a silly thing?”
“To keep kittens warm,” Jenna told him.
“I can’t argue with that,” Roy told her. He put the little girl down and clarified, “I meant any trouble from our guest.”
Grace took the squirrel and prepared it for dinner. “No. I think Esme’s cat is only going to be with us until her kittens are grown. There’s no need for her to stay after that.”
Roy seemed more at ease with the idea. “As long as there’s no trouble. She seems lazy enough.”
“Must you pick fights?” Grace asked.
“It’s not an insult,” Roy said as he put his tools away. “Hunters who don’t know what they’re doing spend all their time and energy finding food. Lazy hunters are the best kind. They know what they’re doing, catch their food quickly and go home early, and that is one lazy cat.”
Esme’s cat showed considerable interest in the squirrel Roy had brought home. Roy wagged a finger at it and said, “We’re putting a roof over your head, but we’re not feeding you. Get your own dinner.”
The cat gave him a disparaging look that said ‘cheapskate’ before it got up and left the house. Grace, Roy and Jenna had the rest of the night to themselves with no further visits. Grace put Jenna to sleep, even if the girl insisted on taking the kittens and their basket with her to bed. Roy and Grace went to bed and were fast asleep within minutes.
* * * * *
Boom!
The explosion woke Grace and Roy from their sleep. Jenna woke screaming and ran to their bed. Grace scooped up her daughter while Roy grabbed a long handled ax from his tools.
Grace staggered to her feet with Jenna in her arms. “What was that?”
“Stay in the house!” Roy ran outside and came back within seconds. “I see smoke and bright lights in the woods. It looks like it’s coming from Esme’s shack.”
“You said there was nothing in there. How could it explode?”
“I don’t feel like finding out. Take Jenna and whatever you can carry and go to your parent’s house. I’ll round up any villagers who can help and get the baronet. Problems this big are his business, not ours.”
Most of their possessions were cheap and replaceable, leaving little for Grace to carry. She headed outside when Jenna yelled, “Kittens! I want my kittens!”
Roy grabbed the basket and handed it to Grace. “Go! Hurry!”
Grace didn’t get a step before pain washed over her. She winced and gripped her head, nearly hitting a wall as she staggered under the strain. Agony hit Roy just as hard and he fumbled for his ax. Jenna cried out and the kittens made pitiful noises.
“Yes, hurry,” a taunting voice called out.
Roy and Grace looked outside their simple house and saw lights floating in the darkness. A group of strange figures emerged from the forest. A tall woman in flowing robes was in the lead and flanked by two unnaturally thin figures. Too late Grace realized those things were men’s bones knitted together, and they had red glowing eyes. Two skeletal hounds and a skeletal stag followed them. The strange lights came from glowing skulls that floated around these terrible people.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry,” the woman taunted them. She was a grown woman but had a child-like voice and a singsong tone like a mother speaking to a child. “Auntie Esme hurried all the time, except when she didn’t. She hurried to tell me I was wrong. She hurried to kick me out like I was trash! She hurried to tell wizards not to teach me! But she wouldn’t hurry to trust me. Isn’t that silly?”
“Stop playing around,” a skeletal man told the woman. “Your lightshow is going to bring trouble.”
“You see what I have to put up with?” the woman asked. “My children are so disobedient. I’ve made and killed three batches of them, but the new ones are never better. You’re a mother. You understand.”
Roy stepped in front of Grace and Jenna. “We had nothing to do with Esme’s death.”
“Of course you didn’t,” the woman said scornfully. “Auntie could have killed a hundred men like you. The dark spirits told me she died in her sleep. She’s gone and the world’s no worse for it. Auntie never did anything worth doing. Don’t use magic if you don’t have to. Don’t become dependent on magic. Don’t make people jealous of your magic by showing off. She could have overthrown kings with her power, and she wouldn’t even fix a broken teacup!”
Grace staggered back under the pain. Where was it coming from? Why wasn’t it affecting this crazy woman and her monsters?
“Your aunt, her cat brought things from her house,” Grace struggled to say. “They’re in the woodshed. Take them and go.”
“Why do you think I came here?” the woman demanded. “I searched her miserable hovel and tore it asunder. The dark spirits told me where to find her wand. Seems she gave away her magic rings a few years ago to a wandering brat. Someone finally impressed auntie, it’s that strange? She threw out two girls and then me, her own niece. Three apprentices desperate to learn, desperate to please her, and she treated some penniless idiot on a quest like he mattered! She thought that was the end of it, but I found others to teach me! I showed her!”
The woman smoothed out her robes before saying, “That’s neither here nor there. I can feel auntie’s wand nearby. I could take it and walk away, no harm done.”
“But you won’t,” a skeletal hound said. It spoke like a bitter man.
“We’re stuck serving an idiot,” the other hound said.
The woman glared at her monstrous servants. “Auntie liked it here. So peaceful, so quiet, so boring, just like her. I couldn’t kill Aunt Esme, she was too strong, but I can burn everything she loved. So, about that wand, let’s pretend you didn’t tell me where to find it. I like pretending.”
A skeletal man took a step toward Grace. “It’s playtime.”
It didn’t take a second step. Roy screamed a battle cry and swung his axe in an overhead attack, breaking through the skeleton’s skull and ribcage. Smashed bones went flying as the skeleton staggered back. Roy followed up with a swing across its chest that broke the rest of its ribs and its spine.
A skeletal hound bound at him and suffered for it. Roy’s next swing took off its head, and the following blow broke both its front legs. The next hound was a second behind the first and lunged at Roy’s neck. He ducked under its jaws and swung again, breaking off its back legs before he crushed its spine.
“Hmm, didn’t see that coming,” the woman said.
Grace did. Her husband had been a soldier for years and killed monsters after leaving the king’s service. Since coming home he’d cut wood twelve hours a day every day of the week. Battle tested and with muscles like iron, he was a match for these abominations.
“Let’s talk this over,” the second skeletal man said as Roy charged it.
“Grace, run!” Roy yelled.
Grace ran with her child and an armful of kittens. She’d only gone a few steps when the skeletal stag came after her. She dodged its sharp antlers by the thinnest of margins. The monster outpaced her and came to a stop directly in front of her. Grace ran back to the house and hid in the woodshed seconds before the monster charged.
“You can’t stay in there forever,” the stag taunted her. Hearing it speak like a person was horrifying. The stag tried to force its way into the woodshed, but its long thin legs and broad antlers got caught in the piles of wood.
Grace put down her daughter and the kittens before she pressed both hands against a tall woodpile. She pushed for all she was worth until the pile fell across the stag’s antlers, pinning it in place. She grabbed a long piece of firewood and stood over the stag, swinging again and again, breaking its legs and ribs until the awful thing stopped moving and the red light in its eyes died away.
“This wasn’t my idea!” the skeletal man said as it fled past the woodshed. It was missing its right arm, and another swing of Roy’s axe took off the other one. “Not in the face! Not in the f—”
He hit it in the face and crushed the last skeleton. With it gone the pain coursing through Grace’s body faded away and she felt normal again.
“Pity that,” the woman said. Her followers were gone, but the woman was far from defenseless. She wove her hands in the air and spoke foul words, then took a bottle from inside her robes and threw it to the ground. The bottle shattered and a tiny flying creature rose into the air. Seconds later the skeletons’ broken bones were swept up as if by a great wind and fused together around the little creature, forming a skeletal man eight feet tall.
“Can you see me, auntie?” the woman screamed as her monster marched toward Roy. “Your other students died, but not me! Am I not powerful? Am I not worthy?”
Grace dug through the woodpile until she found Esme’s belongings. She tossed aside the pouches filled with gold and grabbed the wand. This madwoman wanted it. Maybe it could stop her if Grace could figure out how it worked.
“Grace, run!” Roy struck the monstrous skeleton, but the fused bones resisted his blows. It tried to slap him and missed.
The wand had no writing on it, no trigger or lever, nor any switches. Grace did see two tiny silver rings near the base. Both rings could slide toward one another, and when she slid one she felt the wand vibrate.
“Grace!”
“As if running would help,” the woman said casually.
Grace stepped out of the woodshed just in time to see the monster skeleton knock her husband over. She pointed the wand at that revolting monstrosity and slid the two silver rings together. The wand shook like someone was trying to pull it from her hands. When the rings touched a deafening boom came from the wand. The horrible monster looked so confused before a wall of sound hit it like a battering ram, smashing it apart and sending bone shards flying.
“That would be auntie’s wand,” the woman said. She didn’t sound bothered.
Grace pointed the wand at this maniac who’d attacked her family. She slid the two rings together, and was rewarded with absolutely nothing. No boom, no shaking, nothing.
“Aunt Esme made that wand,” the woman said. “It works only once a day, one of her little teaching moments. She said if you have to resort to violence more than once a day then you should find better ways to deal with your problems. I’d say she’s wrong, wouldn’t you? Auntie was wrong about so much.”
The glowing skulls circled around the woman as she cast another spell. Giant black spider-like legs sprouted from her back and scratched at the edge of Roy and Grace’s house. Sharp claws on those legs hacked through oak boards as if they were soft dirt. Another spell formed a dense cloud of biting flies around the woman’s right hand.
“You killed my children,” the madwoman said as the cloud of flies grew larger. “It’s no great loss. They were as disappointing as the ones before them. Still, I’d be lonely without them. You and your neighbors can replace my children…after a few modifications.”
Roy gripped his axe and braced himself. Grace threw the wand aside and grabbed a loose branch from the woodshed.
“Hiss!”
The noise was loud enough to draw all three people’s attention. It was Esme’s cat, standing at the edge of the forest. The cat had caught a squirrel and brought it back, dropping it at the sight of the battle. Grace fancied that she could guess the cat’s thoughts by its expressions. What she saw in it now was outrage, fury, hatred without limit, a look that said ‘how dare you’. Grace saw the red garnet on the cat’s collar glow bright in a match to the cat’s wrath.
“Why are you wearing auntie’s broach?” the woman asked.
Grace wondered why the madwoman didn’t recognize the threat. Whether it was insanity, stupidity or arrogance, she missed the opportunity to strike first. Esme’s cat charged the woman and ate up the ground between them in seconds. The garnet glowed brighter still as the cat changed, twisted, bent and grew until it seized the woman with claws four inches long. The woman cried out in shock as Esme’s cat, cat no longer, dragged her eighty yards into the forest. Seconds later her cloud of flies scattered and the glowing skulls winked out.
* * * * *
The baronet and ten soldiers arrived at the woodcutter’s house early the next day. Word had gotten to him that Esme had died. He’d put little thought to it as he was no relation to the woman and had no claim on her property, nor did he use her potions or enchantments. But morning had brought reports of an explosion in the forest and talk of dark magic. He found the woodcutter and his family surrounded by neighbors and relatives. They were shaken up but not seriously injured.
“What happened?” the baronet asked as he approached.
The woodcutter bowed his head. “Sir, one of Esme’s banished apprentices came last night. She swore violence against the village.”
The baronet gritted his teeth. Two of Esme’s former apprentices were safely buried. Word was that Esme’s last and worst apprentice had sunken deep into black magic and necromancy. If she was here then every man within twenty miles was in danger.
“Where did she go?” the baronet demanded.
The woodcutter pointed to a fresh grave with many large rocks over it. “We buried as much of her as we could find.”
“You killed her?”
The woodcutter looked down and his pregnant wife joined him. “No, sir.”
“Sir,” the woman began, “we would have died except Esme’s cat attacked the woman. Your lordship, Esme must have enchanted her cat. I think she left it behind in case her apprentice returned.”
The baronet didn’t relax at this news. If Esme’s last and worst apprentice was gone so much the better, but he had no cause to rejoice if there was an even greater threat present. “Where is this cat?”
The woodcutter’s wife pointed at a large silvery gray cat with a black collar. The cat sat at the doorway to the woodcutter’s house, joined by a little girl and a number of kittens. The cat watched him. It didn’t look threatening, but wizard’s pets seldom did.
“I see,” the baronet said. He was a practical man who had survived many threats by being smart enough not to run straight at them. This was a matter for wizards to deal with, or possibly a higher ranked nobleman, and his meddling could only make things worse.
Countless eyes watched him. He needed to calm them before someone panicked. “The animal doesn’t seem to be causing trouble. I will petition for a court wizard to deal with any matters Esme left unresolved. Until then I’m leaving my guards here to prevent further problems. Has Father Amadeus Firepower been contacted?”
“We sent a messenger at first light,” the woman said.
The baronet nodded. The priest could make sure the necromancer stayed dead, no certain thing when black magic was involved. “Good. You’ve done well in difficult circumstances and have reason to be proud. Return to your homes and fields.”
The crowd dispersed slowly, still half panicked. The baronet couldn’t blame them. He cursed his bad luck that such a horror came to his land. Bad as it was, the problem seemed to be contained for now. The only thing he had to worry about was a cat.
Esme’s cat looked at him as if to say ‘well, now what’, a valid question. He gave it some thought as he looked at the fresh grave and its hideous occupant. He wondered at the damage that wicked woman could have done, the lives that could have been lost, and he came to the conclusion that he rather liked cats.
She found her daughter sitting on her small bed next to the fireplace. Jenna was a plump girl of two and a half years with brown hair like her mother and a simple cotton dress. She wasn’t alone on the bed. Two small gray kittens lay on the straw mattress, animals so young their eyes were still closed. Jenna cradled a third kitten in her lap and stroked its back.
“Kittens, mommy!” Jenna called out when Grace came near. Technically she said ‘kit tens’, but the meaning came across.
Grace sat down on the edge of the girl’s bed. “Sweetie, where did you get those?”
Jenna grabbed the other two kittens and placed them in her arms. “Mommy cat gave me kittens.”
Grace looked around the small house. There were two beds, one for her and her husband and another for Jenna, a chest for their clothes, a table with three chairs, but there was most definitely no cat. They’d never had one, making this gift of nearly newborn kittens more than a touch unusual.
“Jenna, where is the mommy cat?”
“She left.” Jenna heaped love on the mewing kittens, kissing them and hugging all three.
As if on cue, a large cat walked through the front door of the house like she owned the place. She was big and healthy with a luxurious silvery gray coat, and she carried another kitten in her mouth. The cat had a black collar with a large, red faceted garnet rimmed with silver on it. Such a piece of jewelry would fetch good money at market if some fool tried to take it. No one robbed a sorceress and lived a long life.
The cat jumped onto Jenna’s bed and set down her kitten. Jenna scooped up the new arrival and squealed, “More kittens!”
Grace put an arm around her daughter. “Sweetie, that’s Esme’s cat. These are her kittens. We can’t keep them.”
“Mommy cat gave them to me,” Jenna said. Her tone made it clear this wasn’t a protest but a statement of fact.
Esme’s cat bounded down off the bed and headed for the door. The cat glanced at Grace and gave her a look that said ‘I tolerate you’ before leaving.
Jenna set down her armful of kittens and patted her mother’s swollen belly. “We have kittens and a baby. Baby kittens!”
“Oh dear,” Grace said. Peasants had no dealing with magicians and sorcerers if they could help it. Magic wielders felt the same since peasants had nothing they wanted, no jewels, no rare plants or mushrooms for potions, no monster parts like unicorn horns or dragon scales. Each side stayed well clear of the other and liked it that way.
Esme was no world shattering power when it came to magic. The old woman lived by herself at the edge of the forest, occasionally making potions for sale or working some minor enchantment for aging noblemen who were having trouble in the bedroom. Esme came to the village with her cat only rarely to buy food or clothes before returning to her shack. The sorceress was polite, calling men sir and women ma’am as if they were important people.
Keeping the kittens was out of the question, but it was essential they stayed safe until Esme reclaimed them. Grace went through her limited belongings until she found an old wicker basket. She filled it with rags and placed it on her daughter’s bed. “The kittens need to stay warm. Let’s put them in here.”
Jenna was a compassionate child even if she was mischievous. She placed the kittens in the basket and shouted, “Warm kittens!”
“You play nice with the kittens,” she cautioned her daughter. She stroked Jenna’s face and said, “Be gentle, like this. Can you be gentle?”
Jenna stroked a kitten and smiled. “Soft.”
“Yes, touch them very softly, like that. Come with me into the garden. You can hug the kittens all you want there.” Grace picked up the basket and carried it outside to the vegetable garden next to the house. Jenna followed her and continued cuddling the kittens while her mother worked.
Grace worked on a plan while she weeded the garden. The kittens had to go back, no question, but she couldn’t do it now. She had chores to do and dinner to make, and she had to keep an eye on Jenna. Her husband would be back from cutting wood in the forest soon enough. Once he returned she’d explain the situation, and in the morning he could take back the kittens when he went into the forest. She didn’t like placing this on his shoulders, but there was little choice.
It wasn’t long before Esme’s cat brought yet another kitten. The cat spotted them by the garden and came over to investigate. Finding her kittens in the basket, she deposited the fifth one and nursed them.
“Mommy cat loves me,” Jenna said.
“I’m sure she does,” Grace said as she watched the cat. It glanced at her only briefly before licking the kittens clean.
Grace was a simple woman of twenty-three years, poor and forever to remain so. She had no education except what her mother had taught her. She wasn’t sure what to do when faced with a potentially dangerous situation like this. What was the sorceress’ cat doing in her house? There was no relationship between her and the sorceress. She’s never even spoken to Esme. Hopefully they could solve this problem without upsetting Esme.
Once she’d fed her kittens, Esme’s cat toured Grace’s house. It wasn’t much, a single room house at the edge of the forest with a garden and large woodshed her husband kept full. There were no fields or pasture with it, for Grace’s husband Roy earned his living as a woodcutter. Nor were there houses nearby, the closest one an hour’s walk away. Apparently satisfied, the cat ran off into the woods, hopefully not to bring another kitten.
With her work done in the garden, Grace brought the basket and her daughter inside to cook dinner. Normally this was a trying time since her daughter got bored easily and would wander off, but this time Jenna stayed by the basket and cuddled one kitten after another. The meal was almost ready when her husband came back from the forest pulling a sledge loaded with deadwood.
“That smells delicious,” Roy said when he came inside. He was older than Grace by ten years and had scars running across the left side of his jaw. There were more scars, but his shirt hid those. Roy brought in his tools, axes and saws, and a rabbit he’d caught.
“A problem came up while you were gone,” Grace told him.
Roy kissed Grace and stroked her belly. “The little one’s kicking again.”
“Like an angry mule, but that’s not what I mean.”
Jenna ran up to her father and hugged him, then pulled him to the basket. “Kittens, daddy! Kittens!”
Roy bent down to look at the animals. “Who did we get these from?”
“Esme’s cat brought them,” Grace told him. “She left them on Jenna’s bed.”
“That’s, um, that’s unusual.” Roy put an arm around his daughter and hugged her. “Esme didn’t say anything about this, did she?”
“Not a word. I’ve seen cats move their litters plenty of times before if they thought they were in danger. Who could bother Esme?”
Roy frowned. “You put more faith in her than I do. There’s no telling what kind of trouble Always Fails Esme is in.”
“Dear, don’t call her that.”
“She took three apprentices over the years and kicked them all out,” Roy said. “Three girls she thought the world of, I might add, and left them worse than when she’d met them, and one of them was Esme’s own niece. Those girls ended up angry, arrogant, half trained and half -witted. Two of them are dead, and it’s a pity the number isn’t three.”
Grace had to put a stop to such dangerous talk. She hugged her husband and said, “She gave them a chance. It’s not her fault they failed. You ran into men like that in your days in the army.”
Roy sat down on his bed and pulled his family into his arms. “Too many times. Give a man power and you see the worst in him. We had to protect the few good officers we had from our own side. Grace, I know you don’t like me speaking ill of Esme, but I’ve met my share of wizards. Not a one cared if kings died, much less soldiers. This isn’t safe for our family. Whatever’s going on, we need to settle it soon.”
“My kittens,” Jenna said.
“Where’s the cat now?” Roy asked.
His question was answered when Esme’s cat leapt through an open window and landed on the floor. The cat walked over to the basket and checked on her kittens before studying Roy, Grace and Jenna for a moment with a look that said ‘tolerable, barely’.
“That’s her cat,” Roy said. “I’ve seen it in the forest often enough hunting rodents.”
Grace and Roy were tense, not so much worried about the cat than they were what its owner might do. Jenna had no such worries and hugged the cat. “Mommy cat.”
The move surprised the cat. Jenna stroked the cat, and it relaxed and rubbed against her. “Pretty cat. Mommy cat, baby cats, where’s daddy cat?”
The cat’s eyes snapped open and it looked embarrassed, a rare move for cats. Roy smirked and asked, “Yes, where’s daddy cat?”
The cat glared at him, a ‘keep it up and see where it gets you’ look before slipping out of Jenna’s grip and leaving the house. Once it was gone, Roy relaxed. He put his axes and saws away on a high shelf far out of his daughter’s reach.
“After dinner I have to deliver the wood I gathered,” he told Grace. “In the morning we’ll see about the cat.”
“I get kittens and mommy cat?” Jenna asked.
“We’ll see,” Grace told her daughter.
Grace cooked the rabbit her husband had brought and left him to prepare the skin. Officially hunting was reserved for nobles, but their neighbors didn’t begrudge a poor man bringing in small game. Once or twice a year Roy caught a deer and shared its meat with the villagers, who ate the evidence of his poaching within hours. Neighbors considered this proof of his generosity rather than a crime.
Once dinner was done Roy went to deliver firewood to merchants and the nearby baronet while Grace cleaned up after the meal. Normally she’d look after Jenna, but the rambunctious child was too enamored with her kittens to wander. They’d need firewood to keep the house warm in the night, so Grace headed for the woodshed.
The woodshed was a small building open on two sides. Roy kept it well supplied with deadwood and live trees he’d cut and left to dry. Farmers and craftsmen counted on Roy to keep them warm through the winter, and carpenters often came for building material.
Grace poked through the woodpiles looking for a few small branches she could burn. She hadn’t finished when her unborn child kicked within her. “Mother keeps saying only boys kick so much. You must be healthy to make so much trouble.”
She reached over a pile to grab a dry branch and froze when she saw a spot of red. Grace dug through the woodpile, going ever deeper into the woodshed until she reached a bright red velvet pouch in the back corner. She lifted it and heard it jingle. Coins. There were more velvet pouches under the first one. One, two, three, four in all, each one was big enough to carry a goodly amount of money. Hesitantly she opened one and took out a single gold coin.
There was a terrible hiss behind her, and Grace dropped the pouch. She turned to see Esme’s cat carrying an ivory wand in its mouth. The cat dropped the wand and growled at her, claws extending and hairs rising across its back.
Grace was having none of it.
“How dare you!” The cat held its ground and snarled at her. Grace threw the coin at the cat’s feet and shouted, “Do you have any idea how much trouble we’re going to get into over this? Taking a rabbit now and again is one thing, but this is robbery! Esme is going to think we stole it! She’ll be furious!”
The cat froze in place. Its hairs settled and it looked down as it backed away. Was that embarrassment? Fear? A sudden realization hit Grace, and her tone softened when she spoke.
“Oh. Oh, girl, I’m sorry. Esme’s gone, isn’t she? That’s why you came here.” She bent down and picked up the cat. It made no move to escape, instead rubbing its face into her dress. She carried it back and set it inside next to the kittens.
Roy came back as night approached, and Grace met him at the door. He saw the look on her face and asked, “What happened?”
“I think Esme died,” Grace said, her voice just above a whisper. Jenna was too young to hear of such things and was best kept in the dark. “She died and her cat came here to raise her kittens.”
Roy cursed bitterly but softly enough that Jenna wouldn’t hear. “I’ll get my cousins and we’ll look in on her in the morning.”
“You’ll bury her?”
“There are small laws and big ones. Burying the dead is a big one. We’ll see she gets a proper grave, and Father Amadeus Firepower can say a funeral for her and bless the grave next time he comes to the village. That should be enough to keep dark spirits from taking over her body now that she’s moved on.”
Grace’s heart beat faster. “You think that could happen?”
“I saw it when I was in the army. I mean to make sure I don’t see it again. Make no mistake, Grace, I’ve no love for the sorceress, but I’ll not see her become a barrow wight wandering the forest. I do this for you and for Jenna.”
* * * * *
The next day started calmly enough. Jenna stayed near the kittens while Esme’s cat came and went as it pleased. Grace took her daughter and collected wild greens and mushrooms from the forest. Roy left early in the morning, coming back at noon with mud on his hands. He washed in a nearby stream and when he came home waved for Grace to join him outside. “You were right.”
“How did it happen?”
“No sign of violence,” Roy said. “I think it was just old age. We buried her deep and covered the grave with a large rock. That should keep the body quiet until the priest can bless it. Esme’s cat watched us the whole time we buried her. I asked my cousins to tell the baronet what happened. It may take a few days for knights or the sheriff to come settle Esme’s affairs now that she’s gone.
“I didn’t see much in her shack. No coins, no books or scrolls, no potions. Just as well there’s nothing to take or men might get jealous. We’re wondering if we should burn her shack down so bandits and rogues don’t use it.”
Grace hesitated before saying, “Esme’s cat hid things from her house in our woodshed.”
“What sort of things?”
“Things that might make men get jealous. Gold, a wand, maybe more I didn’t find.”
Roy made a low, growling sound. “Always Fails Esme causes trouble even when she’s dead. Tell no one about this. Don’t touch it, especially the wand. God only knows what it does. If knights come or Esme has any family who comes to mourn her then we’ll tell them.”
“The gold could do a lot of good here.”
Roy grabbed his tools before heading for the door. “Merchants would want to know how we got it, and telling them it’s from a dead woman wouldn’t go over well. That’s assuming they don’t just try to take it from us. I’ve seen men killed for a handful of copper coins. Heaven help us, bandits would wipe out the whole village for gold. I’ll be back in time for supper. Grace?”
“What is it?”
“Be careful around the cat,” he said. “I know how stupid that sounds, but I’m serious. I saw wizards back when I was in the army and some kept cats. They cast spells binding the animals to them. I didn’t understand it much and the wizards never explained except to call them familiars. If that cat is a familiar I don’t know what it can do without Esme, but it could be dangerous.”
Grace frowned. “If it’s dangerous we can’t safely get rid of it, either.”
“No, we can’t, and that’s why we need help dealing with this. Keep safe.”
Grace spent the day gardening and watching over Jenna. Her daughter was still excited with her new pets and stayed with them constantly. Esme’s cat came back at noon to check her kittens. The cat stayed for a while watching Grace.
“My husband thinks you’re something special,” Grace told the cat while she worked. This didn’t bother Jenna, as small children often talked to animals and toys. The cat watched Grace, showing only minor interest.
“I think he’s right. Cats don’t care about gold or wands. Esme must have cast spells on you to make you smarter, so I hope you understand me. I know you came here to keep your kittens safe, but you might be putting my family in danger. Men want gold enough to kill for it. They might kill for Esme’s wand. I don’t know if you brought them here to keep them safe or as a gift, but they can’t stay. Did Esme know people you can bring them to?”
The cat looked down and shook its head. Grace petted it and asked, “Why did you come here in the first place?”
Esme’s cat gave her a look that said ‘are you kidding’ before it looked at Jenna. The little girl was sitting inside the basket with a pile of kittens on her lap. The cat also rubbed against Grace’s belly, where her unborn child started kicking.
“One mother counting on another.” Grace took Jenna out of the basket and put the mewing kittens back in it. “Then take this from one mother to another: Roy’s a good man and he’ll take care of us, but he can’t protect us from everything.”
The cat gave her a ‘oh, him’ look, and Grace scolded, “Don’t you give me that. I was a girl when the king needed soldiers. They took Roy and ten other men from our village. I was a grown woman when Roy came back alone. He survived things that should only be in nightmares, and after he came back he killed two monsters living in the forest.”
Esme’s cat didn’t look sorry, but it didn’t show further disrespect before heading into the woods. Grace didn’t see it again until Roy came back at the end of the day. The cat lay in front of the fire, watching them when Roy handed Grace a squirrel he’d caught.
“Any trouble?” he asked.
“While you were gone Jenna stuffed all the kittens inside your spare socks. I just finished getting them out.”
Roy picked up his daughter and ticked her chin. “Why did you do such a silly thing?”
“To keep kittens warm,” Jenna told him.
“I can’t argue with that,” Roy told her. He put the little girl down and clarified, “I meant any trouble from our guest.”
Grace took the squirrel and prepared it for dinner. “No. I think Esme’s cat is only going to be with us until her kittens are grown. There’s no need for her to stay after that.”
Roy seemed more at ease with the idea. “As long as there’s no trouble. She seems lazy enough.”
“Must you pick fights?” Grace asked.
“It’s not an insult,” Roy said as he put his tools away. “Hunters who don’t know what they’re doing spend all their time and energy finding food. Lazy hunters are the best kind. They know what they’re doing, catch their food quickly and go home early, and that is one lazy cat.”
Esme’s cat showed considerable interest in the squirrel Roy had brought home. Roy wagged a finger at it and said, “We’re putting a roof over your head, but we’re not feeding you. Get your own dinner.”
The cat gave him a disparaging look that said ‘cheapskate’ before it got up and left the house. Grace, Roy and Jenna had the rest of the night to themselves with no further visits. Grace put Jenna to sleep, even if the girl insisted on taking the kittens and their basket with her to bed. Roy and Grace went to bed and were fast asleep within minutes.
* * * * *
Boom!
The explosion woke Grace and Roy from their sleep. Jenna woke screaming and ran to their bed. Grace scooped up her daughter while Roy grabbed a long handled ax from his tools.
Grace staggered to her feet with Jenna in her arms. “What was that?”
“Stay in the house!” Roy ran outside and came back within seconds. “I see smoke and bright lights in the woods. It looks like it’s coming from Esme’s shack.”
“You said there was nothing in there. How could it explode?”
“I don’t feel like finding out. Take Jenna and whatever you can carry and go to your parent’s house. I’ll round up any villagers who can help and get the baronet. Problems this big are his business, not ours.”
Most of their possessions were cheap and replaceable, leaving little for Grace to carry. She headed outside when Jenna yelled, “Kittens! I want my kittens!”
Roy grabbed the basket and handed it to Grace. “Go! Hurry!”
Grace didn’t get a step before pain washed over her. She winced and gripped her head, nearly hitting a wall as she staggered under the strain. Agony hit Roy just as hard and he fumbled for his ax. Jenna cried out and the kittens made pitiful noises.
“Yes, hurry,” a taunting voice called out.
Roy and Grace looked outside their simple house and saw lights floating in the darkness. A group of strange figures emerged from the forest. A tall woman in flowing robes was in the lead and flanked by two unnaturally thin figures. Too late Grace realized those things were men’s bones knitted together, and they had red glowing eyes. Two skeletal hounds and a skeletal stag followed them. The strange lights came from glowing skulls that floated around these terrible people.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry,” the woman taunted them. She was a grown woman but had a child-like voice and a singsong tone like a mother speaking to a child. “Auntie Esme hurried all the time, except when she didn’t. She hurried to tell me I was wrong. She hurried to kick me out like I was trash! She hurried to tell wizards not to teach me! But she wouldn’t hurry to trust me. Isn’t that silly?”
“Stop playing around,” a skeletal man told the woman. “Your lightshow is going to bring trouble.”
“You see what I have to put up with?” the woman asked. “My children are so disobedient. I’ve made and killed three batches of them, but the new ones are never better. You’re a mother. You understand.”
Roy stepped in front of Grace and Jenna. “We had nothing to do with Esme’s death.”
“Of course you didn’t,” the woman said scornfully. “Auntie could have killed a hundred men like you. The dark spirits told me she died in her sleep. She’s gone and the world’s no worse for it. Auntie never did anything worth doing. Don’t use magic if you don’t have to. Don’t become dependent on magic. Don’t make people jealous of your magic by showing off. She could have overthrown kings with her power, and she wouldn’t even fix a broken teacup!”
Grace staggered back under the pain. Where was it coming from? Why wasn’t it affecting this crazy woman and her monsters?
“Your aunt, her cat brought things from her house,” Grace struggled to say. “They’re in the woodshed. Take them and go.”
“Why do you think I came here?” the woman demanded. “I searched her miserable hovel and tore it asunder. The dark spirits told me where to find her wand. Seems she gave away her magic rings a few years ago to a wandering brat. Someone finally impressed auntie, it’s that strange? She threw out two girls and then me, her own niece. Three apprentices desperate to learn, desperate to please her, and she treated some penniless idiot on a quest like he mattered! She thought that was the end of it, but I found others to teach me! I showed her!”
The woman smoothed out her robes before saying, “That’s neither here nor there. I can feel auntie’s wand nearby. I could take it and walk away, no harm done.”
“But you won’t,” a skeletal hound said. It spoke like a bitter man.
“We’re stuck serving an idiot,” the other hound said.
The woman glared at her monstrous servants. “Auntie liked it here. So peaceful, so quiet, so boring, just like her. I couldn’t kill Aunt Esme, she was too strong, but I can burn everything she loved. So, about that wand, let’s pretend you didn’t tell me where to find it. I like pretending.”
A skeletal man took a step toward Grace. “It’s playtime.”
It didn’t take a second step. Roy screamed a battle cry and swung his axe in an overhead attack, breaking through the skeleton’s skull and ribcage. Smashed bones went flying as the skeleton staggered back. Roy followed up with a swing across its chest that broke the rest of its ribs and its spine.
A skeletal hound bound at him and suffered for it. Roy’s next swing took off its head, and the following blow broke both its front legs. The next hound was a second behind the first and lunged at Roy’s neck. He ducked under its jaws and swung again, breaking off its back legs before he crushed its spine.
“Hmm, didn’t see that coming,” the woman said.
Grace did. Her husband had been a soldier for years and killed monsters after leaving the king’s service. Since coming home he’d cut wood twelve hours a day every day of the week. Battle tested and with muscles like iron, he was a match for these abominations.
“Let’s talk this over,” the second skeletal man said as Roy charged it.
“Grace, run!” Roy yelled.
Grace ran with her child and an armful of kittens. She’d only gone a few steps when the skeletal stag came after her. She dodged its sharp antlers by the thinnest of margins. The monster outpaced her and came to a stop directly in front of her. Grace ran back to the house and hid in the woodshed seconds before the monster charged.
“You can’t stay in there forever,” the stag taunted her. Hearing it speak like a person was horrifying. The stag tried to force its way into the woodshed, but its long thin legs and broad antlers got caught in the piles of wood.
Grace put down her daughter and the kittens before she pressed both hands against a tall woodpile. She pushed for all she was worth until the pile fell across the stag’s antlers, pinning it in place. She grabbed a long piece of firewood and stood over the stag, swinging again and again, breaking its legs and ribs until the awful thing stopped moving and the red light in its eyes died away.
“This wasn’t my idea!” the skeletal man said as it fled past the woodshed. It was missing its right arm, and another swing of Roy’s axe took off the other one. “Not in the face! Not in the f—”
He hit it in the face and crushed the last skeleton. With it gone the pain coursing through Grace’s body faded away and she felt normal again.
“Pity that,” the woman said. Her followers were gone, but the woman was far from defenseless. She wove her hands in the air and spoke foul words, then took a bottle from inside her robes and threw it to the ground. The bottle shattered and a tiny flying creature rose into the air. Seconds later the skeletons’ broken bones were swept up as if by a great wind and fused together around the little creature, forming a skeletal man eight feet tall.
“Can you see me, auntie?” the woman screamed as her monster marched toward Roy. “Your other students died, but not me! Am I not powerful? Am I not worthy?”
Grace dug through the woodpile until she found Esme’s belongings. She tossed aside the pouches filled with gold and grabbed the wand. This madwoman wanted it. Maybe it could stop her if Grace could figure out how it worked.
“Grace, run!” Roy struck the monstrous skeleton, but the fused bones resisted his blows. It tried to slap him and missed.
The wand had no writing on it, no trigger or lever, nor any switches. Grace did see two tiny silver rings near the base. Both rings could slide toward one another, and when she slid one she felt the wand vibrate.
“Grace!”
“As if running would help,” the woman said casually.
Grace stepped out of the woodshed just in time to see the monster skeleton knock her husband over. She pointed the wand at that revolting monstrosity and slid the two silver rings together. The wand shook like someone was trying to pull it from her hands. When the rings touched a deafening boom came from the wand. The horrible monster looked so confused before a wall of sound hit it like a battering ram, smashing it apart and sending bone shards flying.
“That would be auntie’s wand,” the woman said. She didn’t sound bothered.
Grace pointed the wand at this maniac who’d attacked her family. She slid the two rings together, and was rewarded with absolutely nothing. No boom, no shaking, nothing.
“Aunt Esme made that wand,” the woman said. “It works only once a day, one of her little teaching moments. She said if you have to resort to violence more than once a day then you should find better ways to deal with your problems. I’d say she’s wrong, wouldn’t you? Auntie was wrong about so much.”
The glowing skulls circled around the woman as she cast another spell. Giant black spider-like legs sprouted from her back and scratched at the edge of Roy and Grace’s house. Sharp claws on those legs hacked through oak boards as if they were soft dirt. Another spell formed a dense cloud of biting flies around the woman’s right hand.
“You killed my children,” the madwoman said as the cloud of flies grew larger. “It’s no great loss. They were as disappointing as the ones before them. Still, I’d be lonely without them. You and your neighbors can replace my children…after a few modifications.”
Roy gripped his axe and braced himself. Grace threw the wand aside and grabbed a loose branch from the woodshed.
“Hiss!”
The noise was loud enough to draw all three people’s attention. It was Esme’s cat, standing at the edge of the forest. The cat had caught a squirrel and brought it back, dropping it at the sight of the battle. Grace fancied that she could guess the cat’s thoughts by its expressions. What she saw in it now was outrage, fury, hatred without limit, a look that said ‘how dare you’. Grace saw the red garnet on the cat’s collar glow bright in a match to the cat’s wrath.
“Why are you wearing auntie’s broach?” the woman asked.
Grace wondered why the madwoman didn’t recognize the threat. Whether it was insanity, stupidity or arrogance, she missed the opportunity to strike first. Esme’s cat charged the woman and ate up the ground between them in seconds. The garnet glowed brighter still as the cat changed, twisted, bent and grew until it seized the woman with claws four inches long. The woman cried out in shock as Esme’s cat, cat no longer, dragged her eighty yards into the forest. Seconds later her cloud of flies scattered and the glowing skulls winked out.
* * * * *
The baronet and ten soldiers arrived at the woodcutter’s house early the next day. Word had gotten to him that Esme had died. He’d put little thought to it as he was no relation to the woman and had no claim on her property, nor did he use her potions or enchantments. But morning had brought reports of an explosion in the forest and talk of dark magic. He found the woodcutter and his family surrounded by neighbors and relatives. They were shaken up but not seriously injured.
“What happened?” the baronet asked as he approached.
The woodcutter bowed his head. “Sir, one of Esme’s banished apprentices came last night. She swore violence against the village.”
The baronet gritted his teeth. Two of Esme’s former apprentices were safely buried. Word was that Esme’s last and worst apprentice had sunken deep into black magic and necromancy. If she was here then every man within twenty miles was in danger.
“Where did she go?” the baronet demanded.
The woodcutter pointed to a fresh grave with many large rocks over it. “We buried as much of her as we could find.”
“You killed her?”
The woodcutter looked down and his pregnant wife joined him. “No, sir.”
“Sir,” the woman began, “we would have died except Esme’s cat attacked the woman. Your lordship, Esme must have enchanted her cat. I think she left it behind in case her apprentice returned.”
The baronet didn’t relax at this news. If Esme’s last and worst apprentice was gone so much the better, but he had no cause to rejoice if there was an even greater threat present. “Where is this cat?”
The woodcutter’s wife pointed at a large silvery gray cat with a black collar. The cat sat at the doorway to the woodcutter’s house, joined by a little girl and a number of kittens. The cat watched him. It didn’t look threatening, but wizard’s pets seldom did.
“I see,” the baronet said. He was a practical man who had survived many threats by being smart enough not to run straight at them. This was a matter for wizards to deal with, or possibly a higher ranked nobleman, and his meddling could only make things worse.
Countless eyes watched him. He needed to calm them before someone panicked. “The animal doesn’t seem to be causing trouble. I will petition for a court wizard to deal with any matters Esme left unresolved. Until then I’m leaving my guards here to prevent further problems. Has Father Amadeus Firepower been contacted?”
“We sent a messenger at first light,” the woman said.
The baronet nodded. The priest could make sure the necromancer stayed dead, no certain thing when black magic was involved. “Good. You’ve done well in difficult circumstances and have reason to be proud. Return to your homes and fields.”
The crowd dispersed slowly, still half panicked. The baronet couldn’t blame them. He cursed his bad luck that such a horror came to his land. Bad as it was, the problem seemed to be contained for now. The only thing he had to worry about was a cat.
Esme’s cat looked at him as if to say ‘well, now what’, a valid question. He gave it some thought as he looked at the fresh grave and its hideous occupant. He wondered at the damage that wicked woman could have done, the lives that could have been lost, and he came to the conclusion that he rather liked cats.
March 7, 2019
Bidding War part 2
“Well, well, the traitor finally showed the wisdom to flee his country,” Imuran snarled as he came closer.
“My presence here is as temporary as your own,” Jayden replied. “I’m curious what the royal couple sent you here to buy.”
“As if I’d confide in you! You think yourself witty, urbane? You’re a nobody, soon to be a nothing! Tens of thousands of soldiers and mercenaries hunger for the chance to kill you and claim the thousand silver piece bounty on your head!”
Jayden looked offended. “That’s all I’m worth? I thought the price would be far higher after the damage I did to Baron Scalamonger’s home.”
Imuran hesitated before his fury returned. “Baron Scalamonger’s home, the missing armor, that was you? You worm!”
“Please mind your tone,” a lady staff member said.
“Shut it, you hag!” Imuran bellowed.
Dana put a hand over her face. “We’re all going to get thrown out if we keep shouting. Can everyone agree to hate each other quietly?”
Imuran’s face turned red. “I don’t take orders from—”
A guard put a hand on Imuran’s shoulder. “Excuse me, sir, but may I have a word?”
The woman who’d met Dana and Jayden when they first came to the auction house returned and put a hand on Jayden’s arm. “Forgive my interruption, sir, but one of our guests would like you to authenticate a relic from the old sorcerer lords.”
Imuran pulled free from the guard but held his temper in check. He walked away, muttering, “I get manhandled by an ape in armor while he gets eye candy.”
Dana watched the auction house’s staff separate Jayden and Imuran before either could resort to violence. It was amusing, even if she didn’t like the way the woman kept touching Jayden, but it was also an opportunity. She asked Thume, “I need you to keep them from killing each other without letting Imuran leave.”
Thume watched Imuran glare at Jayden. “Easily done. Imuran, hold a moment. Let us discuss matters of shared interest.”
With Imuran busy, Dana left the exhibit hall and headed for the guest rooms. Brastile Auction House didn’t have locks on the doors of their guest rooms, which should include Imuran’s. He’d also had his two guards with him at the exhibit hall. The auctioneer had also said he’d put Jayden and Imuran’s rooms as far away as possible. That gave her a general idea where to go.
Exhibit halls and the auction room took up most of the building, leaving two hallways for guest accommodations. Dana picked the hallway she and Jayden weren’t in and went to the rooms at the end of the hall. She knocked politely at three doors and apologized when she met people she didn’t recognize. When she knocked at a fourth, a meek voice said, “Come in.”
Dana entered to find the boy who’d come with Imuran. He sat on the room’s bed, looking miserable and staring at a wall. She stepped inside and closed the door. “Hi. My name’s Dana.”
“I don’t have a name. Some slaves do. I don’t.”
“I thought that’s what happened to you,” she said. Dana sat on the floor in front of him. “Where are you from?”
“Skitherin.” The boy met her gaze as if the effort was almost more than he could manage.
“I’m sorry. A few weeks ago I met girls from your kingdom. Their families sold them because harvests were poor. That shouldn’t happen to anyone.”
“I envy them.”
Shocked, Dana barely kept from screaming when she asked, “What?”
“Those girls’ families had no money or food. Selling them saved people they love. I was sold to cover my father’s gambling debts. Those girls were sold for a good reason. I was sold so my father could keep playing cards.”
The boy’s story was impossible for Dana to understand. How could anyone do that to someone they loved? But the king had done even worse to his own son. She’d never heard of such cruelty, and now had to wonder if it was commonplace.
The boy said, “Imuran has a temper. If he finds you here, he’ll kill you.”
Dana got up and took his hands. “Jayden and I saved those girls. We can save you, too. We’re in another kingdom. There’s got to be places we can take you where Imuran won’t think to look. You can be free again.”
The boy slid his hands out of hers. “I’ve met plenty of men in Brandish. None cared that I was bought. If I ran, they wouldn’t protect me from Imuran. He showed me what he’d do if I tried to run away. The bruises took weeks to heal.”
Near to tears, she said, “I can’t leave you like this.”
“You have to. My master hates your master more than anyone else. He’ll do anything to hurt the sorcerer. You could die with him.”
“There must be something I can do.”
“Does your master want to hurt Imuran?” When Dana nodded, the boy gave her a faint smile. “There’s a wood chest under the bed. The key is hidden under the mattress. When you’re done, put the chest and key back exactly where you found them.”
Dana found the chest and key where the boy said they’d be. She unlocked the chest, opened it and stepped back. “You’re worried about me? He’ll kill you if he finds this gone.”
“I’ve had months to think about my future. It hasn’t been encouraging. There’s nowhere to run and I’m too small to fight back.” There was fierceness in his eyes and fire in his voice when he spoke again. “But I can make my master suffer. Imuran says your master is strong. You want to help me? Be my strength. Take what you’ve found and flee before Imuran knows what we’ve done. I’ll take the punishment and smile, because I’ll be a slave who beat his master.”
Dana stared at him before collecting the chest’s contents and wrapping them in the front of her skirt. She put back the chest and key, and before she left she told the boy, “You’re coming with me when I leave.”
Dana staggered back to her room, careful not to be seen. She pulled a pillowcase off its pillow and stuffed the chest’s contents inside it. That wasn’t strong enough. She emptied her bags and stuffed them one inside the other before dumping the pillowcase inside. She shook and sweated at the thought of what she’d done and the danger she’d put the boy in, but she continued on. She’d make this right.
She went in search of Jayden. People saw her carrying the bulging bag and smiled. One said, “How quaint. The poor child brought her laundry.”
Dana ignored them and continued her hunt. She found Jayden studying a broken ivory crown on a pedestal in an exhibit hall.
“It’s definitely from the time of the sorcerer lords and was enchanted at some point, but there are only traces of magic left,” Jayden told a male elf. “This obsidian orb was the focus of the crown’s magic. The crown was destroyed when the orb cracked, and no doubt so was the man wearing it.”
“I have more broken crowns like this, but none so large,” the elf said.
“I wouldn’t spend much on it, Jayden cautioned. “It’s magic is long gone, and empowering it again won’t be easy.”
The elf laughed. “I want it as a trophy of elven achievements and the defeat of the sorcerer lords, nothing more. I use elf magic when I need it, not dark magic of long dead enemies.”
Jayden took no offense at the insult. “Their loss was the world’s gain. Ah, Dana, I’m glad you’re here. The auction is about to begin.”
“Perfect timing.” She struggled under the weight in the bag.
He looked at the bag but said nothing, merely directing her to seats near the middle of the auction hall. “This should be an interesting experience.”
Interesting didn’t begin to cover it. The crowd included men, elves, dwarfs, a minotaur, two trolls, some gnomes and a darkling. They were dressed to impress, with furs, silks, jewelry, exotic pets, strangely scented perfumes and equally odd clothes Dana had never even dreamed of. In minutes the room filled with nearly a hundred patrons and twenty staff members. The staff made every effort to keep their customers happy by offering drinks and snacks. Thankfully they’d seated Jayden and Imuran on opposite sides of the room.
Jayden accepted a drink from a serving girl and waited until she’d left before whispering, “Dana, what did you do?”
He sounded causal, curious rather than mad, but Dana hesitated before answering. Not long ago she’d seen Jayden go into a rage at the sight of girls sold into slavery. Telling him Imuran had bought a slave could have the same result.
“Dana,” he said.
“When we leave, we’re taking the boy from Imuran.”
“I can arrange that.”
Thume hurried over and sat next to them, pushing aside several people in his way. “Did they start?”
“Soon,” Jayden told him.
The auctioneer walked to a podium at the front of the room and a servant rang a bell. The room fell silent and servants handed out white cards. More servants lit lanterns and closed the windows.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Brastile Auction House,” the auctioneer announced. “It’s a pleasure to see such noteworthy individuals. We strive to provide only the finest goods for your perusal, and tonight is no exception. Rest assured that experts in their field have verified all goods being offered. Your satisfaction is guaranteed.
“I see familiar faces and many new to our establishment. To clarify for our newcomers, all sales are final and must be made in cash at the end of the auction. Due to difficulties we experienced in the past, barter and letters of credit are not accepted.”
Servants brought a large ink drawing of an orchard and a map showing its location. The auctioneer said, “Without further adieu, allow me to present our first item for bid, a deed to a twenty acre pear orchard in Zentrix. The property includes eight hundred mature trees, a five-room house and a barn, both buildings in good repair. We’ll start the bidding at twenty gold coins. Do I hear twenty?”
The bidding confused Dana at first since no one spoke. Instead they raised white cards to express their interest. The auctioneer kept raising the price until no new bids came. He swung a small wood mallet on his podium to end the bidding then brought out the next item for sale.
Riches greater than her imagination were sold off in minutes. Land, livestock, jewels, precious metals, antiques centuries or even millennia old, paintings, statues and even live monsters were snapped up by people of staggering wealth. They spent thousands and then tens of thousands of gold coins in less time than it would have taken her to do her chores back home.
Servants brought out the painting that had so fascinated Jayden earlier and set it on a table for all to see. The auctioneer began by saying, “Our next item is a painting of the king and first queen of—”
“Fifty gold coins,” Imuran bid. Men and women across the room chuckled at his behavior.
The auctioneer showed no annoyance at being interrupted, merely saying, “I see this has already attracted some attention. Very well, we shall start the bidding at fifty gold coins. Do I hear fifty-five?”
“That’s what he came for?” Dana asked.
Jayden scowled. “This could be one of the last paintings of the king, his first wife and their son. The others were burned, and if he buys it then this one will be as well.”
“The king and queen are about to go to war,” Dana protested. “That’s going to cost a fortune. Buying this means less money for weapons and mercenaries.”
“This painting wounds their pride,” Jayden replied. “Burning it matters more than the cost.”
“Do I hear seventy?” the auctioneer asked.
“Seventy!” Imuran called out. He saw an elf raise his white card and quickly said, “Eighty!”
Jayden raised his card, and the auctioneer said, “I see a bid for eighty-five from the sorcerer lord. Do I hear ninety?”
Thume grabbed Jayden by the shoulder. “What are you doing? You said you’ve no place to keep that distraction even if you bought it.”
“I can’t save the painting, but I can make it more painful for him to destroy it.” Jayden raised his card again.
The elf seemed amused by Imuran’s growing frustration as the price kept going up, and he helped Jayden drive it ever higher. Jayden bid twice more until Imuran called out, “One hundred-twenty.”
“He might not go over that price if you bid again,” Thume warned. “Don’t walk out of here with goods you don’t need.”
Men from across the room looked to Jayden and the elf, and were disappointed when neither one placed a bid. The auctioneer asked, “Are there further bids? No? Going once, going twice, three times and sold to Imuran Tellet.”
The painting was carried away and replaced with a piece of broken ivory and obsidian. This didn’t interest Dana, and her attention drifted from the auction to the audience. “Imuran is sitting there watching us. Why didn’t he leave when he got the painting?”
“Let him,” Jayden replied. He smiled at Dana and said, “The longer he stays the better my chances to rob him afterwards.”
“Focus on the metal,” Thume said as the elf won the bid for the crown fragment. He grabbed Jayden’s arm and shook hard. “Look, there it is!”
“Our next item is a half ounce of pure uram,” the auctioneer said as his staff brought a velvet pillow with the metal resting on it. “It’s being sold by the dwarf corporation Smash N Grab, which is currently undergoing bankruptcy and liquidating their assets.”
Thume’s jaw dropped. “That’s one of the ten biggest dwarf corporations. Five hundred years in business and hundreds of employees, gone. Never thought I’d see them fall.”
“A word of caution to buyers, the amount of uram for sale is not sufficient to produce a magic weapon,” the auctioneer continued.
“Wait, what?” Dana asked.
“Ignore him,” Thume said. “Your chimera horn will cover the deficit.”
An elf started the bidding, and was soon followed by many more. Thirty, forty, fifty, it seemed like half the people there wanted that thin sliver of metal. Jayden didn’t seem to pay any attention to them until he raised his card and said, “One hundred gold coins.”
His bid was met with chuckles from across the room. The auctioneer said, “Sir, the next highest bid is fifty-five.”
“And I’m bidding a hundred. This experience was novel for the first three hours. Now it bores me. If a hundred gold coins makes it stop then it’s money well spent.”
The auctioneer gave only a slight smile while others laughed at Jayden. “Ladies and gentlemen, the bid now stands at one hundred gold coins. Do I hear one hundred five?”
“One hundred five,” Imuran said. Three more bids came until Imuran said, “One twenty five.”
“One hundred fifty,” Jayden said.
Imuran glared at him. “One sixty.”
“I thought this was worth a hundred,” Dana said. “What’s going on?”
“You were wondering why he didn’t leave earlier,” Jayden said. “Imuran had to be curious what we came here for. Now that he knows, he’s trying to make sure we don’t get it. One hundred seventy-five.”
A murmur filled the room as the audience watched Imuran and Jayden, their battle fought with gold instead of steel and spells. Again and again the price went up, Imuran’s by small increments and Jayden’s by large ones. Soon they were the only ones competing for the tiny sliver of metal. It was soon going for two hundred gold coins and wasn’t stopping.
“How much did you bring, Thume?” Jayden whispered.
Thume opened the locked box he’d brought. “One hundred. I can’t lose this opportunity. Spend it all if you have to.”
“Two fifty,” Imuran said. He saw Jayden hesitate and smirked, which ended when Jayden drove the price even higher. Imuran scowled and said, “Three hundred.”
“I’m out,” Jayden said.
“Keep bidding,” Dana whispered. Jayden glanced at her and she tapped the bag she’d brought. “We can go a lot higher.”
“Do you have a counter bid, sir?” the auctioneer asked.
“Four hundred,” Jayden said. Imuran raised the bid by ten coins. Jayden responded, “Four fifty. I can keep this up longer than you can, lapdog, and I don’t have an angry monarch to explain the bill to.”
Imuran looked furious, but his rage turned into a look of glee. “At least I have money to match my ambition. You don’t have that much gold.”
Staff members and the patrons alike gasped. The auctioneer pounded his mallet to gain their attention. “Sir, while you are a newcomer to this establishment, there are rules and expectations of guests. You insulted another man’s honor.”
“He has no honor,” Imuran replied, drawing more gasps from onlookers. “I saw this man and his retinue before you provided them rooms. If the sorcerer lord had as much gold as he claims, they would have struggled under the weight. Instead they walked quite easily and their bags were nearly empty. This is a deception from a man who betrayed his own kingdom.”
The auctioneer needed a moment to compose himself before speaking again. “I see. Sorcerer lord, an accusation has been made against you. Would you consent to having your funds inspected?”
Jayden held up his hands. “I have nothing to hide.”
Armed guards escorted two gnomes wearing tuxedoes to where Jayden was seated. The black haired gnomes barely came up to Dana’s waist. They spread a cloth on the floor and said. “Place all currency you’re carrying here.”
Jayden and Thume went first, and Dana followed by placing her bag. The gnomes went through the cash quickly and stacked coins in glittering piles. Bystanders watched and whispered while the gnomes double-checked their work. When they were done, they stood up and announced, “There are sufficient funds to cover the bid.”
“Very well then,” the auctioneer said. “Sorcerer lord, I apologize for this intrusion into your privacy and hope you will take no insult.”
The auctioneer turned his attention to Imuran. “Sir, you are hereby banished from Brastile Auction House for life. Your successful bid will be honored, but after paying for it you are to leave at once. I will be sending a very strongly worded letter to your king and queen expressing my displeasure at your behavior.”
Imuran pointed at the uram. “I’m not finished bidding on the metal.”
“Oh yes you are.” The auctioneer’s voice was harsh for being so soft. “Guards, escort him out. The bid stands at four fifty. Do I hear four fifty-five? No? Going, going, gone.”
More items came up for bid, but Jayden stood up and led his friends from the room. “Dana, I’m curious how much trouble the money your brought is going to get us into.”
“Oh, lots.”
Their discussion was interrupted by shouts from the guest rooms. Thume frowned and said, “That sounds like Imuran.”
“This is an outrage!”
“That’s him,” Jayden confirmed. He followed the screams to find Imuran and his guards confronted by ten stern looking guards. The noise soon brought the auctioneer, who slipped around a growing crowd of onlookers. Jayden stayed back and watched Imuran scream at the guards.
“What’s the meaning of this disruption?” the auctioneer demanded. “I still have three items left.”
A guard said, “Sir, we came to deliver the painting and learned this person has no money.”
“I was robbed!” Imuran yelled.
More people hurried over to see what was happening. The auctioneer raised his hands and his voice. “Ladies and gentlemen, please, allow us to deal with this.”
“I left my money in your guest room, assuming it would be safe,” Imuran said. “I came back to find every coin gone!”
Thume chuckled before whispering to Dana, “You’re a conniving, thieving, backstabbing little slip of a girl. I’m glad we met.”
Imuran grabbed his slave by the arm and dragged him out. “You were in there the whole time. Who took my money?”
The auctioneer waved for his guards to bring the boy over and then placed an amulet against the boy’s forehead. “This amulet will burn like a hot iron if you lie to me. Where is your master’s money?”
“It’s not his money, it belongs to the king and queen,” the boy replied. “He was issued it to buy a painting. I don’t know where the gold is now.”
Imuran saw Jayden and pointed at him. “You! You stole it!”
The boy looked at Jayden, his expression betraying nothing. “I’ve never seen that man before. He was never in the room.”
“Then the dwarf did it!” Imuran shouted. “He did it or you did!”
“I’ve never seen the dwarf before. He was never in the room.” Unprompted, he said, “I saw my master place a chest under the bed and a key under the mattress. I didn’t touch either of them. I never left the room and I didn’t fall asleep.”
“Then who took the money?” the auctioneer asked.
The boy met the auctioneer’s gaze and said, “No man has entered the room except my master and his guards.”
Dana marveled at the boy’s quick wits. Every word he said was true, yet he managed to hide her stealing Imuran’s money. No one seemed to notice that he hadn’t actually answered the last question put to him, instead using the chance to redirect suspicion on his master.
“He, he’s lying,” Imuran said.
“He would be burned to the bone if he did,” the auctioneer replied. He took the amulet off the boy, but then looked at Jayden.
Jayden marched over and held out his hand. “Place your amulet against my palm. I don’t know spells that could cloud the boy’s mind, render me invisible or teleport the money away. I didn’t ask, order, pay, bribe or threaten anyone to steal it. Does this satisfy your suspicions?”
“It does, sir, and thank you for your cooperation.” The auctioneer turned his attention and fury on Imuran. “You made a mockery of this establishment twice, insults I wouldn’t tolerate on my best day. Guards, remove him from the premises and place the painting back on the auction block.”
Imuran grabbed the auctioneer by the shoulders. “I can’t go back without it! Let me go to my country’s embassy and I can get you the money by morning!”
Guards dragged Imuran away. He left howling insults while his guards meekly followed. The auctioneer looked at the boy, who said, “I’d rather not go with him, sir.”
“I imagine not.” The auctioneer took a knife from one of his guards and said, “Stand still. Removing your collar won’t take a moment…there we go.”
Jayden, Dana and Thume waited as the auctioneer, guards and guests left. Once they were alone, Jayden asked Dana, “Do we have this young man to thank for our riches?”
“He told me where to find the box and key.” Dana smiled at the boy and said, “You’re a clever kid. We’re just lucky Imuran didn’t ask you if I took the money.”
“Imuran would never suspect you,” the boy said. “He thinks girls are for cooking and making babies.”
Dana paused. “Wow. I didn’t think I could hate him more. But why didn’t the amulet burn you when you said you didn’t know where Imuran’s money is?”
The boy shrugged. “How would I know where you put it?”
“How much was in there?” Thume asked.
The boy rubbed his neck where the collar had been. “Seven hundred gold coins. He was instructed to bring back the painting at all costs and anything else that looked worthy. I don’t know what’s going to happen to him, but if he’s smart he’ll run away. A master running away instead of a slave, I like that.”
The dwarf grinned. “That covers the bid and then some.”
“I don’t impress easily, but you showed courage and ingenuity,” Jayden told the boy. He put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You have a place with me if you want it.”
The boy considered the offer for a moment before shaking his head. “You mean well, but I’ve lived all my life following other men’s orders. I’d like to be my own man for a change and make my own decisions.”
“A fair request.” Jayden smiled and added, “As you are on your own now and have no family to depend on, you’ll need some means of support. I have a considerable amount of your former master’s money left over.”
Thume rolled his eyes. “We’re not giving him the whole—”
Screams from outside ended their conversation. Jayden led his friends out into the growing darkness of twilight to find Imuran and his guards driving their two carriages, almost running over people in their way. Guests and guards from the auction house ran out as the carriages slowed to a crawl.
Imuran drove the lead carriage and pointed a sword at Jayden. “If I can’t have the painting, I’ll bring back your head!”
Imuran and his men banged on the roofs of the carriages, producing loud clunks and bangs before the doors opened to reveal four gargoyles within each carriage. The stone monsters were as big as men, with large wings, sharp claws, whip-like tails and oversized jaws filled with sharp teeth. The grinning monsters flapped their wings and took off despite their great weight.
Imuran pointed to the gargoyles and yelled, “Kill the sorcerer!”
“How bad is this?” Dana asked Jayden as she backed up.
“Gargoyles are animated stone statues, strong, fast, hard to hurt and blindly loyal to their leader, even a man as petty as Imuran.” Jayden cast a spell and formed a black sword edged with white. “Everyone back inside!”
Screaming people fled in all directions, some going into the auction house as instructed while others ran off into the night. Jayden covered their retreat as gargoyles swooped down on him. One missed clawing his head by inches while a second rammed him and knocked him to the ground. Jayden recovered quickly, dodging another gargoyle that tried to land on his head. Imuran and his guards climbed off their wagons to join the fight, a pointless move when gargoyles were so thick around Jayden that the men couldn’t get close.
The auction houses’ guards fought back bravely but to no effect. A crossbow bolt shattered against a gargoyle’s chest. A guard hit a gargoyle in the leg with his sword, only for the tip of the blade to break off. Gargoyles laughed a deep, rumbling, contemptuous sound as attacks bounced off them. Ordinary weapons couldn’t damage stone.
Magic was another story. Jayden slashed a gargoyle across the face, taking off its sneer and jaw at the same time. The gargoyle seemed puzzled by the sudden loss, even looking down at the jaw now on the street in front of it. That ended when Jayden drove his sword through its chest and pulled the blade up, splitting it in two. The gargoyle crumbled apart, even the parts Jayden hadn’t hit, and littered the ground with gravel. The other seven gargoyles took to the air and circled Jayden. He backed up against a wall and kept his sword in front of him while the gargoyles looked for an opening.
One down and seven to go wasn’t good odds, but there wasn’t much Dana could do to help. She and Jayden had started this adventure to get a magic weapon that could hurt monsters like this. The knife she carried would be as useless as the guards’ weapons.
Well, it was useless against gargoyles.
“Kill him!” Imuran yelled again while his gargoyles swept in closer, trying to bait Jayden into attacking one and leaving himself open to the rest. One gargoyle dove like a hawk and tried to crush Jayden with its great weight. Jayden jumped aside and took only a glancing blow. He swung his sword, hacking off his enemy’s leg at the knee. The damaged gargoyle shook its fist at Jayden and flew back up. He barely had time to recover before two more attacked from opposite sides. It was all he could do to avoid them.
Dana ran around the gargoyles. She didn’t get far before running into one of Imuran’s guards. For a moment the guard stood menacingly before he shoved her aside. “Out of the way, girl.”
Imuran thought little of women, a flaw his men shared as they ignored her in favor of fighting the more obvious threat. Dana took advantage of this and raced past the men, then came up behind Imuran and charged him from behind. She wrapped her arms around Imuran’s neck and squeezed. Imuran struggled to break free. He tried to talk and made a gurgling noise instead.
Dana had attacked Imuran because he was one of the few enemies she could actually hurt, but she had more impact than she’d hoped for. The gargoyle flock ceased their attacks on Jayden and instead watched Imuran. One cupped a hand to its ear while others shrugged or frowned. It took Dana a moment to figure out what was going on.
“They think he’s giving orders!” she shouted. “They do what he says, and he’s not saying anything!”
“Dana, run!” Jayden shouted as he raced to her side. Imuran’s two guards would reach her first. She waited as long as she dared before letting go of Imuran and taking cover beneath one of the carriages.
Imuran gasped before he croaked out the words, “You fools, kill the sorcerer.”
Now that they could understand what Imuran was saying, the gargoyles charged Jayden again. One tried to sweep his feet out from under him with a swing of its tail, but Jayden jumped over it. He landed and dropped to his knees as a gargoyle swooped over his head. He stabbed it with his sword and took off its right wing, causing the gargoyle to spin out of control and crash into the carriage Dana wasn’t hiding under. The blow was hard enough to tip the wagon over and break the gargoyle in half. Terrified horses harnessed to the wagon panicked and broke free of their harnesses before fleeing into the night.
Two gargoyles flew just above the street and grabbed Jayden by the arms. They flapped hard and began to gain altitude when Thume ran over and swung his hammer into a gargoyle’s back. The blow took off its head and left the body to crumble. Another swing took off the other gargoyle’s right arm. The dwarf followed that up with three more swings that dismembered the gargoyle in short order. Men and gargoyles stared at him in shock.
Thume struck his right hand against his chest. “I’m a dwarf, you idiots! I know stone, and I’m not losing my chance at redemption! Who’s next?”
The last four gargoyles charged together. Imuran pulled at his hair and screamed, “You idiots, what are you doing?”
Jayden got to his feet as the gargoyles tried to mob him and Thume. The sorcerer lord gutted a gargoyle when it tried to claw him, and followed up by cutting off the next one’s head. Thume broke his hammer against a gargoyle, shattering it like glass. The last one managed to knock Jayden to the ground and leapt on top of him. It swung its clawed hands for a killing blow when Jayden drove his sword through its chest. Gravel from its body fell so heavily that Thume had to clear it off Jayden before helping the man up.
Imuran stammered before shouting, “Why the devil did they go right at him after they saw the others get cut apart?”
Jayden dusted himself off. “You ordered them to attack me, and gargoyles are loyal to a fault. You share that flaw with them in your blind devotion to a king and queen more interested in their vanity than the wellbeing of their people.”
Guards ran out from the auction house with drawn swords and loaded crossbows. They’d been helpless against the gargoyles, but their weapons could make short work of Imuran and his men. Imuran climbed onto his remaining carriage and left his men behind. He snapped the reins and shouted, “You haven’t heard the last of me!”
The four gray mares took off like a shot. The carriage did not. Imuran’s jaw dropped and he watched his horses run off into the night.
“Dana,” Jayden asked, “did you by any chance cut the harnesses loose on those horse?”
Dana climbed out from under the carriage and sheathed her knife. “Looks like I’m good for more than cooking and having kids.”
“I never thought otherwise.”
“I, I,” Imuran stammered. Guards seized him and his two men and tied them up. Moments later the auctioneer marched outside with more guards. He studied the street with its destroyed gargoyles and carriage. He snapped his fingers, and his men dragged Imuran and his men away.
The auctioneer followed them and let rage fill his voice. “Imuran, your rank is no protection here, nor your connection to a foreign ruler. You fools are looking at decades of forced labor or worse.”
Dana was about to join Jayden when she felt a soft bump against her foot. She looked down to find a stone the size of a hen’s egg bump against her again before skidding off down the street. Other small stones made similar exits.
“Those are earth elementals,” Thume said. “They were fused into statues to make the gargoyles we fought. With the statues broken they’re free to do as they please.”
Jayden let his magic sword fade away and rubbed his bruised body. “A good if painful end to the evening.”
“End nothing.” Thume lowered his hammer. “I owe you a sword. Once we get back to Despre I’ll need a week’s work to finish the blade and all the magic you can muster to make it the weapon it’s meant to be.”
Dana smiled at them. “So I finally get a sword?”
“Soon,” Jayden told her. He paused and asked her, “Have you trained with a sword?”
“No, but how hard can it be?”
Jayden shrugged. “There may be a delay between finishing your weapon and you using it. Most swordsmen need months to become competent. Don’t give me that look, young lady.”
“My presence here is as temporary as your own,” Jayden replied. “I’m curious what the royal couple sent you here to buy.”
“As if I’d confide in you! You think yourself witty, urbane? You’re a nobody, soon to be a nothing! Tens of thousands of soldiers and mercenaries hunger for the chance to kill you and claim the thousand silver piece bounty on your head!”
Jayden looked offended. “That’s all I’m worth? I thought the price would be far higher after the damage I did to Baron Scalamonger’s home.”
Imuran hesitated before his fury returned. “Baron Scalamonger’s home, the missing armor, that was you? You worm!”
“Please mind your tone,” a lady staff member said.
“Shut it, you hag!” Imuran bellowed.
Dana put a hand over her face. “We’re all going to get thrown out if we keep shouting. Can everyone agree to hate each other quietly?”
Imuran’s face turned red. “I don’t take orders from—”
A guard put a hand on Imuran’s shoulder. “Excuse me, sir, but may I have a word?”
The woman who’d met Dana and Jayden when they first came to the auction house returned and put a hand on Jayden’s arm. “Forgive my interruption, sir, but one of our guests would like you to authenticate a relic from the old sorcerer lords.”
Imuran pulled free from the guard but held his temper in check. He walked away, muttering, “I get manhandled by an ape in armor while he gets eye candy.”
Dana watched the auction house’s staff separate Jayden and Imuran before either could resort to violence. It was amusing, even if she didn’t like the way the woman kept touching Jayden, but it was also an opportunity. She asked Thume, “I need you to keep them from killing each other without letting Imuran leave.”
Thume watched Imuran glare at Jayden. “Easily done. Imuran, hold a moment. Let us discuss matters of shared interest.”
With Imuran busy, Dana left the exhibit hall and headed for the guest rooms. Brastile Auction House didn’t have locks on the doors of their guest rooms, which should include Imuran’s. He’d also had his two guards with him at the exhibit hall. The auctioneer had also said he’d put Jayden and Imuran’s rooms as far away as possible. That gave her a general idea where to go.
Exhibit halls and the auction room took up most of the building, leaving two hallways for guest accommodations. Dana picked the hallway she and Jayden weren’t in and went to the rooms at the end of the hall. She knocked politely at three doors and apologized when she met people she didn’t recognize. When she knocked at a fourth, a meek voice said, “Come in.”
Dana entered to find the boy who’d come with Imuran. He sat on the room’s bed, looking miserable and staring at a wall. She stepped inside and closed the door. “Hi. My name’s Dana.”
“I don’t have a name. Some slaves do. I don’t.”
“I thought that’s what happened to you,” she said. Dana sat on the floor in front of him. “Where are you from?”
“Skitherin.” The boy met her gaze as if the effort was almost more than he could manage.
“I’m sorry. A few weeks ago I met girls from your kingdom. Their families sold them because harvests were poor. That shouldn’t happen to anyone.”
“I envy them.”
Shocked, Dana barely kept from screaming when she asked, “What?”
“Those girls’ families had no money or food. Selling them saved people they love. I was sold to cover my father’s gambling debts. Those girls were sold for a good reason. I was sold so my father could keep playing cards.”
The boy’s story was impossible for Dana to understand. How could anyone do that to someone they loved? But the king had done even worse to his own son. She’d never heard of such cruelty, and now had to wonder if it was commonplace.
The boy said, “Imuran has a temper. If he finds you here, he’ll kill you.”
Dana got up and took his hands. “Jayden and I saved those girls. We can save you, too. We’re in another kingdom. There’s got to be places we can take you where Imuran won’t think to look. You can be free again.”
The boy slid his hands out of hers. “I’ve met plenty of men in Brandish. None cared that I was bought. If I ran, they wouldn’t protect me from Imuran. He showed me what he’d do if I tried to run away. The bruises took weeks to heal.”
Near to tears, she said, “I can’t leave you like this.”
“You have to. My master hates your master more than anyone else. He’ll do anything to hurt the sorcerer. You could die with him.”
“There must be something I can do.”
“Does your master want to hurt Imuran?” When Dana nodded, the boy gave her a faint smile. “There’s a wood chest under the bed. The key is hidden under the mattress. When you’re done, put the chest and key back exactly where you found them.”
Dana found the chest and key where the boy said they’d be. She unlocked the chest, opened it and stepped back. “You’re worried about me? He’ll kill you if he finds this gone.”
“I’ve had months to think about my future. It hasn’t been encouraging. There’s nowhere to run and I’m too small to fight back.” There was fierceness in his eyes and fire in his voice when he spoke again. “But I can make my master suffer. Imuran says your master is strong. You want to help me? Be my strength. Take what you’ve found and flee before Imuran knows what we’ve done. I’ll take the punishment and smile, because I’ll be a slave who beat his master.”
Dana stared at him before collecting the chest’s contents and wrapping them in the front of her skirt. She put back the chest and key, and before she left she told the boy, “You’re coming with me when I leave.”
Dana staggered back to her room, careful not to be seen. She pulled a pillowcase off its pillow and stuffed the chest’s contents inside it. That wasn’t strong enough. She emptied her bags and stuffed them one inside the other before dumping the pillowcase inside. She shook and sweated at the thought of what she’d done and the danger she’d put the boy in, but she continued on. She’d make this right.
She went in search of Jayden. People saw her carrying the bulging bag and smiled. One said, “How quaint. The poor child brought her laundry.”
Dana ignored them and continued her hunt. She found Jayden studying a broken ivory crown on a pedestal in an exhibit hall.
“It’s definitely from the time of the sorcerer lords and was enchanted at some point, but there are only traces of magic left,” Jayden told a male elf. “This obsidian orb was the focus of the crown’s magic. The crown was destroyed when the orb cracked, and no doubt so was the man wearing it.”
“I have more broken crowns like this, but none so large,” the elf said.
“I wouldn’t spend much on it, Jayden cautioned. “It’s magic is long gone, and empowering it again won’t be easy.”
The elf laughed. “I want it as a trophy of elven achievements and the defeat of the sorcerer lords, nothing more. I use elf magic when I need it, not dark magic of long dead enemies.”
Jayden took no offense at the insult. “Their loss was the world’s gain. Ah, Dana, I’m glad you’re here. The auction is about to begin.”
“Perfect timing.” She struggled under the weight in the bag.
He looked at the bag but said nothing, merely directing her to seats near the middle of the auction hall. “This should be an interesting experience.”
Interesting didn’t begin to cover it. The crowd included men, elves, dwarfs, a minotaur, two trolls, some gnomes and a darkling. They were dressed to impress, with furs, silks, jewelry, exotic pets, strangely scented perfumes and equally odd clothes Dana had never even dreamed of. In minutes the room filled with nearly a hundred patrons and twenty staff members. The staff made every effort to keep their customers happy by offering drinks and snacks. Thankfully they’d seated Jayden and Imuran on opposite sides of the room.
Jayden accepted a drink from a serving girl and waited until she’d left before whispering, “Dana, what did you do?”
He sounded causal, curious rather than mad, but Dana hesitated before answering. Not long ago she’d seen Jayden go into a rage at the sight of girls sold into slavery. Telling him Imuran had bought a slave could have the same result.
“Dana,” he said.
“When we leave, we’re taking the boy from Imuran.”
“I can arrange that.”
Thume hurried over and sat next to them, pushing aside several people in his way. “Did they start?”
“Soon,” Jayden told him.
The auctioneer walked to a podium at the front of the room and a servant rang a bell. The room fell silent and servants handed out white cards. More servants lit lanterns and closed the windows.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Brastile Auction House,” the auctioneer announced. “It’s a pleasure to see such noteworthy individuals. We strive to provide only the finest goods for your perusal, and tonight is no exception. Rest assured that experts in their field have verified all goods being offered. Your satisfaction is guaranteed.
“I see familiar faces and many new to our establishment. To clarify for our newcomers, all sales are final and must be made in cash at the end of the auction. Due to difficulties we experienced in the past, barter and letters of credit are not accepted.”
Servants brought a large ink drawing of an orchard and a map showing its location. The auctioneer said, “Without further adieu, allow me to present our first item for bid, a deed to a twenty acre pear orchard in Zentrix. The property includes eight hundred mature trees, a five-room house and a barn, both buildings in good repair. We’ll start the bidding at twenty gold coins. Do I hear twenty?”
The bidding confused Dana at first since no one spoke. Instead they raised white cards to express their interest. The auctioneer kept raising the price until no new bids came. He swung a small wood mallet on his podium to end the bidding then brought out the next item for sale.
Riches greater than her imagination were sold off in minutes. Land, livestock, jewels, precious metals, antiques centuries or even millennia old, paintings, statues and even live monsters were snapped up by people of staggering wealth. They spent thousands and then tens of thousands of gold coins in less time than it would have taken her to do her chores back home.
Servants brought out the painting that had so fascinated Jayden earlier and set it on a table for all to see. The auctioneer began by saying, “Our next item is a painting of the king and first queen of—”
“Fifty gold coins,” Imuran bid. Men and women across the room chuckled at his behavior.
The auctioneer showed no annoyance at being interrupted, merely saying, “I see this has already attracted some attention. Very well, we shall start the bidding at fifty gold coins. Do I hear fifty-five?”
“That’s what he came for?” Dana asked.
Jayden scowled. “This could be one of the last paintings of the king, his first wife and their son. The others were burned, and if he buys it then this one will be as well.”
“The king and queen are about to go to war,” Dana protested. “That’s going to cost a fortune. Buying this means less money for weapons and mercenaries.”
“This painting wounds their pride,” Jayden replied. “Burning it matters more than the cost.”
“Do I hear seventy?” the auctioneer asked.
“Seventy!” Imuran called out. He saw an elf raise his white card and quickly said, “Eighty!”
Jayden raised his card, and the auctioneer said, “I see a bid for eighty-five from the sorcerer lord. Do I hear ninety?”
Thume grabbed Jayden by the shoulder. “What are you doing? You said you’ve no place to keep that distraction even if you bought it.”
“I can’t save the painting, but I can make it more painful for him to destroy it.” Jayden raised his card again.
The elf seemed amused by Imuran’s growing frustration as the price kept going up, and he helped Jayden drive it ever higher. Jayden bid twice more until Imuran called out, “One hundred-twenty.”
“He might not go over that price if you bid again,” Thume warned. “Don’t walk out of here with goods you don’t need.”
Men from across the room looked to Jayden and the elf, and were disappointed when neither one placed a bid. The auctioneer asked, “Are there further bids? No? Going once, going twice, three times and sold to Imuran Tellet.”
The painting was carried away and replaced with a piece of broken ivory and obsidian. This didn’t interest Dana, and her attention drifted from the auction to the audience. “Imuran is sitting there watching us. Why didn’t he leave when he got the painting?”
“Let him,” Jayden replied. He smiled at Dana and said, “The longer he stays the better my chances to rob him afterwards.”
“Focus on the metal,” Thume said as the elf won the bid for the crown fragment. He grabbed Jayden’s arm and shook hard. “Look, there it is!”
“Our next item is a half ounce of pure uram,” the auctioneer said as his staff brought a velvet pillow with the metal resting on it. “It’s being sold by the dwarf corporation Smash N Grab, which is currently undergoing bankruptcy and liquidating their assets.”
Thume’s jaw dropped. “That’s one of the ten biggest dwarf corporations. Five hundred years in business and hundreds of employees, gone. Never thought I’d see them fall.”
“A word of caution to buyers, the amount of uram for sale is not sufficient to produce a magic weapon,” the auctioneer continued.
“Wait, what?” Dana asked.
“Ignore him,” Thume said. “Your chimera horn will cover the deficit.”
An elf started the bidding, and was soon followed by many more. Thirty, forty, fifty, it seemed like half the people there wanted that thin sliver of metal. Jayden didn’t seem to pay any attention to them until he raised his card and said, “One hundred gold coins.”
His bid was met with chuckles from across the room. The auctioneer said, “Sir, the next highest bid is fifty-five.”
“And I’m bidding a hundred. This experience was novel for the first three hours. Now it bores me. If a hundred gold coins makes it stop then it’s money well spent.”
The auctioneer gave only a slight smile while others laughed at Jayden. “Ladies and gentlemen, the bid now stands at one hundred gold coins. Do I hear one hundred five?”
“One hundred five,” Imuran said. Three more bids came until Imuran said, “One twenty five.”
“One hundred fifty,” Jayden said.
Imuran glared at him. “One sixty.”
“I thought this was worth a hundred,” Dana said. “What’s going on?”
“You were wondering why he didn’t leave earlier,” Jayden said. “Imuran had to be curious what we came here for. Now that he knows, he’s trying to make sure we don’t get it. One hundred seventy-five.”
A murmur filled the room as the audience watched Imuran and Jayden, their battle fought with gold instead of steel and spells. Again and again the price went up, Imuran’s by small increments and Jayden’s by large ones. Soon they were the only ones competing for the tiny sliver of metal. It was soon going for two hundred gold coins and wasn’t stopping.
“How much did you bring, Thume?” Jayden whispered.
Thume opened the locked box he’d brought. “One hundred. I can’t lose this opportunity. Spend it all if you have to.”
“Two fifty,” Imuran said. He saw Jayden hesitate and smirked, which ended when Jayden drove the price even higher. Imuran scowled and said, “Three hundred.”
“I’m out,” Jayden said.
“Keep bidding,” Dana whispered. Jayden glanced at her and she tapped the bag she’d brought. “We can go a lot higher.”
“Do you have a counter bid, sir?” the auctioneer asked.
“Four hundred,” Jayden said. Imuran raised the bid by ten coins. Jayden responded, “Four fifty. I can keep this up longer than you can, lapdog, and I don’t have an angry monarch to explain the bill to.”
Imuran looked furious, but his rage turned into a look of glee. “At least I have money to match my ambition. You don’t have that much gold.”
Staff members and the patrons alike gasped. The auctioneer pounded his mallet to gain their attention. “Sir, while you are a newcomer to this establishment, there are rules and expectations of guests. You insulted another man’s honor.”
“He has no honor,” Imuran replied, drawing more gasps from onlookers. “I saw this man and his retinue before you provided them rooms. If the sorcerer lord had as much gold as he claims, they would have struggled under the weight. Instead they walked quite easily and their bags were nearly empty. This is a deception from a man who betrayed his own kingdom.”
The auctioneer needed a moment to compose himself before speaking again. “I see. Sorcerer lord, an accusation has been made against you. Would you consent to having your funds inspected?”
Jayden held up his hands. “I have nothing to hide.”
Armed guards escorted two gnomes wearing tuxedoes to where Jayden was seated. The black haired gnomes barely came up to Dana’s waist. They spread a cloth on the floor and said. “Place all currency you’re carrying here.”
Jayden and Thume went first, and Dana followed by placing her bag. The gnomes went through the cash quickly and stacked coins in glittering piles. Bystanders watched and whispered while the gnomes double-checked their work. When they were done, they stood up and announced, “There are sufficient funds to cover the bid.”
“Very well then,” the auctioneer said. “Sorcerer lord, I apologize for this intrusion into your privacy and hope you will take no insult.”
The auctioneer turned his attention to Imuran. “Sir, you are hereby banished from Brastile Auction House for life. Your successful bid will be honored, but after paying for it you are to leave at once. I will be sending a very strongly worded letter to your king and queen expressing my displeasure at your behavior.”
Imuran pointed at the uram. “I’m not finished bidding on the metal.”
“Oh yes you are.” The auctioneer’s voice was harsh for being so soft. “Guards, escort him out. The bid stands at four fifty. Do I hear four fifty-five? No? Going, going, gone.”
More items came up for bid, but Jayden stood up and led his friends from the room. “Dana, I’m curious how much trouble the money your brought is going to get us into.”
“Oh, lots.”
Their discussion was interrupted by shouts from the guest rooms. Thume frowned and said, “That sounds like Imuran.”
“This is an outrage!”
“That’s him,” Jayden confirmed. He followed the screams to find Imuran and his guards confronted by ten stern looking guards. The noise soon brought the auctioneer, who slipped around a growing crowd of onlookers. Jayden stayed back and watched Imuran scream at the guards.
“What’s the meaning of this disruption?” the auctioneer demanded. “I still have three items left.”
A guard said, “Sir, we came to deliver the painting and learned this person has no money.”
“I was robbed!” Imuran yelled.
More people hurried over to see what was happening. The auctioneer raised his hands and his voice. “Ladies and gentlemen, please, allow us to deal with this.”
“I left my money in your guest room, assuming it would be safe,” Imuran said. “I came back to find every coin gone!”
Thume chuckled before whispering to Dana, “You’re a conniving, thieving, backstabbing little slip of a girl. I’m glad we met.”
Imuran grabbed his slave by the arm and dragged him out. “You were in there the whole time. Who took my money?”
The auctioneer waved for his guards to bring the boy over and then placed an amulet against the boy’s forehead. “This amulet will burn like a hot iron if you lie to me. Where is your master’s money?”
“It’s not his money, it belongs to the king and queen,” the boy replied. “He was issued it to buy a painting. I don’t know where the gold is now.”
Imuran saw Jayden and pointed at him. “You! You stole it!”
The boy looked at Jayden, his expression betraying nothing. “I’ve never seen that man before. He was never in the room.”
“Then the dwarf did it!” Imuran shouted. “He did it or you did!”
“I’ve never seen the dwarf before. He was never in the room.” Unprompted, he said, “I saw my master place a chest under the bed and a key under the mattress. I didn’t touch either of them. I never left the room and I didn’t fall asleep.”
“Then who took the money?” the auctioneer asked.
The boy met the auctioneer’s gaze and said, “No man has entered the room except my master and his guards.”
Dana marveled at the boy’s quick wits. Every word he said was true, yet he managed to hide her stealing Imuran’s money. No one seemed to notice that he hadn’t actually answered the last question put to him, instead using the chance to redirect suspicion on his master.
“He, he’s lying,” Imuran said.
“He would be burned to the bone if he did,” the auctioneer replied. He took the amulet off the boy, but then looked at Jayden.
Jayden marched over and held out his hand. “Place your amulet against my palm. I don’t know spells that could cloud the boy’s mind, render me invisible or teleport the money away. I didn’t ask, order, pay, bribe or threaten anyone to steal it. Does this satisfy your suspicions?”
“It does, sir, and thank you for your cooperation.” The auctioneer turned his attention and fury on Imuran. “You made a mockery of this establishment twice, insults I wouldn’t tolerate on my best day. Guards, remove him from the premises and place the painting back on the auction block.”
Imuran grabbed the auctioneer by the shoulders. “I can’t go back without it! Let me go to my country’s embassy and I can get you the money by morning!”
Guards dragged Imuran away. He left howling insults while his guards meekly followed. The auctioneer looked at the boy, who said, “I’d rather not go with him, sir.”
“I imagine not.” The auctioneer took a knife from one of his guards and said, “Stand still. Removing your collar won’t take a moment…there we go.”
Jayden, Dana and Thume waited as the auctioneer, guards and guests left. Once they were alone, Jayden asked Dana, “Do we have this young man to thank for our riches?”
“He told me where to find the box and key.” Dana smiled at the boy and said, “You’re a clever kid. We’re just lucky Imuran didn’t ask you if I took the money.”
“Imuran would never suspect you,” the boy said. “He thinks girls are for cooking and making babies.”
Dana paused. “Wow. I didn’t think I could hate him more. But why didn’t the amulet burn you when you said you didn’t know where Imuran’s money is?”
The boy shrugged. “How would I know where you put it?”
“How much was in there?” Thume asked.
The boy rubbed his neck where the collar had been. “Seven hundred gold coins. He was instructed to bring back the painting at all costs and anything else that looked worthy. I don’t know what’s going to happen to him, but if he’s smart he’ll run away. A master running away instead of a slave, I like that.”
The dwarf grinned. “That covers the bid and then some.”
“I don’t impress easily, but you showed courage and ingenuity,” Jayden told the boy. He put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You have a place with me if you want it.”
The boy considered the offer for a moment before shaking his head. “You mean well, but I’ve lived all my life following other men’s orders. I’d like to be my own man for a change and make my own decisions.”
“A fair request.” Jayden smiled and added, “As you are on your own now and have no family to depend on, you’ll need some means of support. I have a considerable amount of your former master’s money left over.”
Thume rolled his eyes. “We’re not giving him the whole—”
Screams from outside ended their conversation. Jayden led his friends out into the growing darkness of twilight to find Imuran and his guards driving their two carriages, almost running over people in their way. Guests and guards from the auction house ran out as the carriages slowed to a crawl.
Imuran drove the lead carriage and pointed a sword at Jayden. “If I can’t have the painting, I’ll bring back your head!”
Imuran and his men banged on the roofs of the carriages, producing loud clunks and bangs before the doors opened to reveal four gargoyles within each carriage. The stone monsters were as big as men, with large wings, sharp claws, whip-like tails and oversized jaws filled with sharp teeth. The grinning monsters flapped their wings and took off despite their great weight.
Imuran pointed to the gargoyles and yelled, “Kill the sorcerer!”
“How bad is this?” Dana asked Jayden as she backed up.
“Gargoyles are animated stone statues, strong, fast, hard to hurt and blindly loyal to their leader, even a man as petty as Imuran.” Jayden cast a spell and formed a black sword edged with white. “Everyone back inside!”
Screaming people fled in all directions, some going into the auction house as instructed while others ran off into the night. Jayden covered their retreat as gargoyles swooped down on him. One missed clawing his head by inches while a second rammed him and knocked him to the ground. Jayden recovered quickly, dodging another gargoyle that tried to land on his head. Imuran and his guards climbed off their wagons to join the fight, a pointless move when gargoyles were so thick around Jayden that the men couldn’t get close.
The auction houses’ guards fought back bravely but to no effect. A crossbow bolt shattered against a gargoyle’s chest. A guard hit a gargoyle in the leg with his sword, only for the tip of the blade to break off. Gargoyles laughed a deep, rumbling, contemptuous sound as attacks bounced off them. Ordinary weapons couldn’t damage stone.
Magic was another story. Jayden slashed a gargoyle across the face, taking off its sneer and jaw at the same time. The gargoyle seemed puzzled by the sudden loss, even looking down at the jaw now on the street in front of it. That ended when Jayden drove his sword through its chest and pulled the blade up, splitting it in two. The gargoyle crumbled apart, even the parts Jayden hadn’t hit, and littered the ground with gravel. The other seven gargoyles took to the air and circled Jayden. He backed up against a wall and kept his sword in front of him while the gargoyles looked for an opening.
One down and seven to go wasn’t good odds, but there wasn’t much Dana could do to help. She and Jayden had started this adventure to get a magic weapon that could hurt monsters like this. The knife she carried would be as useless as the guards’ weapons.
Well, it was useless against gargoyles.
“Kill him!” Imuran yelled again while his gargoyles swept in closer, trying to bait Jayden into attacking one and leaving himself open to the rest. One gargoyle dove like a hawk and tried to crush Jayden with its great weight. Jayden jumped aside and took only a glancing blow. He swung his sword, hacking off his enemy’s leg at the knee. The damaged gargoyle shook its fist at Jayden and flew back up. He barely had time to recover before two more attacked from opposite sides. It was all he could do to avoid them.
Dana ran around the gargoyles. She didn’t get far before running into one of Imuran’s guards. For a moment the guard stood menacingly before he shoved her aside. “Out of the way, girl.”
Imuran thought little of women, a flaw his men shared as they ignored her in favor of fighting the more obvious threat. Dana took advantage of this and raced past the men, then came up behind Imuran and charged him from behind. She wrapped her arms around Imuran’s neck and squeezed. Imuran struggled to break free. He tried to talk and made a gurgling noise instead.
Dana had attacked Imuran because he was one of the few enemies she could actually hurt, but she had more impact than she’d hoped for. The gargoyle flock ceased their attacks on Jayden and instead watched Imuran. One cupped a hand to its ear while others shrugged or frowned. It took Dana a moment to figure out what was going on.
“They think he’s giving orders!” she shouted. “They do what he says, and he’s not saying anything!”
“Dana, run!” Jayden shouted as he raced to her side. Imuran’s two guards would reach her first. She waited as long as she dared before letting go of Imuran and taking cover beneath one of the carriages.
Imuran gasped before he croaked out the words, “You fools, kill the sorcerer.”
Now that they could understand what Imuran was saying, the gargoyles charged Jayden again. One tried to sweep his feet out from under him with a swing of its tail, but Jayden jumped over it. He landed and dropped to his knees as a gargoyle swooped over his head. He stabbed it with his sword and took off its right wing, causing the gargoyle to spin out of control and crash into the carriage Dana wasn’t hiding under. The blow was hard enough to tip the wagon over and break the gargoyle in half. Terrified horses harnessed to the wagon panicked and broke free of their harnesses before fleeing into the night.
Two gargoyles flew just above the street and grabbed Jayden by the arms. They flapped hard and began to gain altitude when Thume ran over and swung his hammer into a gargoyle’s back. The blow took off its head and left the body to crumble. Another swing took off the other gargoyle’s right arm. The dwarf followed that up with three more swings that dismembered the gargoyle in short order. Men and gargoyles stared at him in shock.
Thume struck his right hand against his chest. “I’m a dwarf, you idiots! I know stone, and I’m not losing my chance at redemption! Who’s next?”
The last four gargoyles charged together. Imuran pulled at his hair and screamed, “You idiots, what are you doing?”
Jayden got to his feet as the gargoyles tried to mob him and Thume. The sorcerer lord gutted a gargoyle when it tried to claw him, and followed up by cutting off the next one’s head. Thume broke his hammer against a gargoyle, shattering it like glass. The last one managed to knock Jayden to the ground and leapt on top of him. It swung its clawed hands for a killing blow when Jayden drove his sword through its chest. Gravel from its body fell so heavily that Thume had to clear it off Jayden before helping the man up.
Imuran stammered before shouting, “Why the devil did they go right at him after they saw the others get cut apart?”
Jayden dusted himself off. “You ordered them to attack me, and gargoyles are loyal to a fault. You share that flaw with them in your blind devotion to a king and queen more interested in their vanity than the wellbeing of their people.”
Guards ran out from the auction house with drawn swords and loaded crossbows. They’d been helpless against the gargoyles, but their weapons could make short work of Imuran and his men. Imuran climbed onto his remaining carriage and left his men behind. He snapped the reins and shouted, “You haven’t heard the last of me!”
The four gray mares took off like a shot. The carriage did not. Imuran’s jaw dropped and he watched his horses run off into the night.
“Dana,” Jayden asked, “did you by any chance cut the harnesses loose on those horse?”
Dana climbed out from under the carriage and sheathed her knife. “Looks like I’m good for more than cooking and having kids.”
“I never thought otherwise.”
“I, I,” Imuran stammered. Guards seized him and his two men and tied them up. Moments later the auctioneer marched outside with more guards. He studied the street with its destroyed gargoyles and carriage. He snapped his fingers, and his men dragged Imuran and his men away.
The auctioneer followed them and let rage fill his voice. “Imuran, your rank is no protection here, nor your connection to a foreign ruler. You fools are looking at decades of forced labor or worse.”
Dana was about to join Jayden when she felt a soft bump against her foot. She looked down to find a stone the size of a hen’s egg bump against her again before skidding off down the street. Other small stones made similar exits.
“Those are earth elementals,” Thume said. “They were fused into statues to make the gargoyles we fought. With the statues broken they’re free to do as they please.”
Jayden let his magic sword fade away and rubbed his bruised body. “A good if painful end to the evening.”
“End nothing.” Thume lowered his hammer. “I owe you a sword. Once we get back to Despre I’ll need a week’s work to finish the blade and all the magic you can muster to make it the weapon it’s meant to be.”
Dana smiled at them. “So I finally get a sword?”
“Soon,” Jayden told her. He paused and asked her, “Have you trained with a sword?”
“No, but how hard can it be?”
Jayden shrugged. “There may be a delay between finishing your weapon and you using it. Most swordsmen need months to become competent. Don’t give me that look, young lady.”
Bidding War part 1
“This had best be a joke,” Jayden said, his tone a warning of violence to come.
“Dwarfs aren’t known for their sense of humor,” Thume the bald dwarf weapon smith replied. The stout dwarf’s shoulders were nearly as broad as he was tall, and dense muscles rippled beneath his simple leather clothes. Pound for pound he was a formidable opponent, and the hammer in his left hand was a potent weapon.
What wasn’t a potent weapon was the short sword on his shop counter. The edge was dull and there was no hilt, just a metal bar on the end. She’d had visions of getting a powerful weapon when she’d taken an iron horn from a chimera Jayden had killed, and this pitiful thing wasn’t it.
Dana and Jayden had spent a lot of gold on this sword, and they needed every coin. Dana’s clothes were getting worn out on her adventures with Jayden. Months of traveling by foot and boat, fighting monsters and running for their lives had left her garments dirty and frayed at the edges. She needed new clothes, her dagger was dull and looked like it could break, their bags needed to be replaced, it was expensive and they’d wasted so much on her sword.
“I can’t use this,” Dana protested. “No one could.”
“I spent a considerable amount of gold commissioning this sword,” Jayden said. “I provided the material, which I doubt many of your clients do, high quality magic infused material! You had time enough to finish the job, yet I find the weapon, if I can call it that, unfinished, unusable, worthless.”
This wasn’t good. Jayden and Dana had first come to the frontier town of Despre a month earlier on their way to the border with Kaloeth Kingdom. Jayden had found Thume among the town’s inhabitants and been impressed with his work. He’d paid him to turn a severed chimera horn into a short sword for Dana. They’d been delayed helping an old acquaintance of Jayden and returned to collect the sword.
“But not irredeemable,” Thume countered. “The source material is impressive and holds enchantments better than I’d hoped. I can finish the job as instructed, but the end result will be nowhere near its true potential.”
Jayden pushed his messy blond hair away from his eyes. The sorcerer lord was a sight to behold any day in his black and silver clothes, but he was at his most intimidating when angry, and he was furious. “You find me at a bad time, Thume. I had a wretched experience before coming here and am in no mood for disappointments. This delay could cost others their lives.”
Thume laughed. “Humans. Impatience with your short lives makes you prone to hasty decisions. I didn’t finish work on the sword because it’s the best move for the weapon and the owner. I tested the material and proved I can make this weapon far superior to what you asked for. All I need is half an ounce of uram to forge into the sword and it will take enchantments even better. Other smiths would take your money and hand over an inferior weapon, but I have too much pride for that.”
Jayden looked like he was about to shout at the dwarf, so Dana stepped up and tried to defuse the situation. “How much does uram cost?”
Thume tilted his head to one side. “Half an ounce costs a hundred credits, if I had it.”
“If you don’t have it there’s no reason to delay finishing the sword,” Jayden snapped.
“I know where we can get it,” Thume replied. He took a sheet of paper from behind the counter and showed it to them. “This advertisement from Brastile Auction House in Brandish Kingdom lists everything they’re selling and when. At the bottom are precious metals, including half an ounce of uram. We get that and I can make a sword people will talk about for ten generations, and I mean dwarf generations, not you short lived mayflies.”
Jayden’s lip twitched. “You expect me to leave the kingdom for weeks, buy this uram for heaven above only knows how much, and then I get a sword.”
“You get a sword powerful enough to keep the young lady alive,” Thume said. “I’ve heard of you, sorcerer lord, and you seek battle like bees seek flowers. How long you’ll survive is anyone’s guess, but the lady lacks your magic. You can pay for a proper weapon now or a proper funeral later. Pick one.”
Seconds later a massive clawed hand made from shadows threw Thume out of his workshop and onto the muddy streets of Despre. Passing humans and trolls ran out of the way as the dwarf rolled by and hit a tavern. Jayden stormed out of the workshop with the shadowy hand following him. He reached out and the hand shot forward, grabbing the dwarf and swinging him into the tavern.
Dana ran after Jayden and grabbed him by the arm. “Jayden, no!”
A crowd gathered but didn’t intervene. A troll whispered to a man, “Thume sure did it this time.”
“Hey, mister,” a man called from the crowd, “I know the dwarf is a pain in the neck, but we need him still breathing. What say you put him down, alive, and we work out what he did to upset you. Hand to God, you’re not the first one he’s made mad enough to kill him, but he’s worth the trouble.”
Jayden scowled as he let the shadowy hand dissipate. Thume dropped to the ground, seemingly no worse for the attack, and even smirked. “Touched a nerve, did I?”
“You’re seconds from touching your head to the bottom of a grave,” the troll replied. “Keep your mouth shut for a change!”
The man in the crowd steeped forward and said, “Okay, show’s over, people. Lou, get the wizard a drink on the house. Stan, figure out what Thume did and see if you can patch things up before somebody gets killed.”
Thume walked back to his shop unfazed by Jayden’s attack. The troll said, “One of these days, Thume.”
Jayden left the street scowling and went to the tavern. He sat down without a word and a waiter offered him a drink. Dana took a seat next to him. He stared at the tavern wall, looking like a man on the brink of making a bad decision.
“I shouldn’t have let him get to me, but my temper is on edge since we parted company with Lootmore. I saw my homeland become so degenerate they’d accept slavery, turning girls into property, and I’m not over it.”
“It made you worry about me,” Dana said.
“I accept that I might die because it means people like you won’t. I don’t doubt your abilities or bravery, but it terrifies me we could meet a threat I can’t face, and it could cost you your life. That’s why I was excited to get you properly armed.
“Adding to my revulsion is how much good I could do in the time it will take to fix this situation. I’ve learned of places we could strike to cripple the king and queen’s war effort, men responsible for the most egregious crimes who deserve everything I can throw at them, monsters left to run riot. Instead I’m forced to ignore them in favor of dealing with a lying, treacherous dwarf.”
He turned to her and said, “It disgusts me how Thume behaved. Frontier towns like Despre have little oversight by authorities, making them one of the few places I can go for supplies, information and aid, but that same lawlessness makes Thume’s actions possible. There should be law and order in every corner of the kingdom. Instead corruption, incompetence and crime drip from these lands.”
“Maybe this is a good thing.” She winced at the look Jayden gave her. “You have trouble getting things you need here because you’re a wanted man. You’re not wanted in Brandish, so we can buy stuff there. You’re not wanted there, right?”
“You know, I’m not sure. I don’t know how far the king and queen’s influence reaches. I’ve visited other kingdoms only rarely in recent years. There was no trouble then, but warrants for my arrest may have been issued since my last visit, or possibly orders for my immediate execution wait for us.”
“Can we get a refund, or have someone else finish the job?” she asked.
“I’m certain Thume already spent what I paid him. Having another weapon smith make your sword is impossible when nearly all such men are in the king and queen’s pay. The few who could do the work are less skilled than Thume or too far away to reach. We work with him or we don’t get the sword. I believe the dwarf knew this before making such a bold demand.”
The same man from the crowd entered the tavern and sat next to Jayden. “I spoke with Thume and he told me what’s going on. I can see why you’re…murderous. Thume won’t finish the work without the materials he needs, or says he needs. God only knows how honest he’s being with either of us. But I think we have a solution.”
“Does it involve removing portions of the dwarf’s anatomy?”
“Jayden, no maiming people.”
“Thume knows where to find the metal he needs. He’s volunteered, with some persuasion, to cover half the cost of buying the uram, and he won’t charge extra for the sword. This isn’t the outcome you wanted, but it’s the best I can do.
“We need Thume,” the man continued. “He’s been a pain in the neck for years, but we don’t have a blacksmith or weapon maker to replace him. I don’t want to make an enemy of you, either. I’ve heard about the good you’ve done and what happens to people who get on your bad side. So, can we make this work?”
Jayden finished his drink and set the cup down. “This distraction puts me behind schedule and places me in needless risk. I will take your offer, but rest assured, if I so much as think the dwarf is betraying me again, Despre will need another blacksmith.”
“Thank you,” the man replied. “There’s a river route to the auction house and a barge heading that way tomorrow. Thume is going with to make sure the uram isn’t counterfeit or underweight. He’s also bringing along his share of the money to buy it. Listen, I’ve gone to this auction house before. It’s a ritzy place that needs your best manners. I don’t know if Thume is up to that. Are you?”
“I can be charming company when necessary,” Jayden told him. “If provoked I can maintain my temper for short periods of time until I can leave devastation in my wake such as few have ever seen.”
The man blinked. “Huh?”
Dana translated for him. “He’ll be a good boy until he gets outside the auction house. After that, no promises.”
* * * * *
Dana found the barge ride blissfully dull. Their cargo of timber drew no attention from bandits or monsters. Thume kept to himself and held a locked iron box with a grip only death could loosen. The barge’s crewmen were polite while keeping their distance. Given Jayden’s foul disposition that was a blessing. She’d hoped his mood would improve, but nothing could get him out of his anger.
In three days they reached the border and found no guards blocking their path. Another day brought them to a sizeable city made of brick buildings. The residents were mostly humans with a smattering of gnomes and ogres. People were well dressed, prosperous and orderly. They were polite almost to a fault, with commoners bowing and stepping aside for the rich.
The barge moored at docks near the city’s edge to unload its cargo and passengers. Jayden picked up his bags and led them onto the dock. “Welcome to Brandish, a small but prosperous kingdom run by King Ludwig the Mad. He’s a good man despite his moniker, and his people live well under largely just rules.”
“And it smells like a pig pen,” Dana added.
Jayden shrugged. “Brandish has the usual number of horses, oxen, mules and donkeys. I see men sweeping the streets, but they can’t work fast enough to keep up with thousands of pack animals relieving themselves.”
“I can see that,” she said. Once she was off the barge, she saw countless people staring at her. “Jayden, what’s going on?”
“Brandish is a land of strict social classes, much like Zentrix,” he said. “Everyone knows their place and keeps it. We are strangers and they don’t know where we fit in their hierarchy. Expect difficulty from men who think they are our betters.”
“They’re snobs,” Thume said. “They don’t respect craftsmanship, wisdom or bravery. None of us are from the right families so they’ll look down on us, but they think they’re honorable, so they’ll keep their word.”
Thume pointed his hammer at a large brick building with ornate stained glass windows. “That’s Brastile Auction House. It’s been around two hundred years, a long time by human standards.”
Heavily armed and armored soldiers met them at the dock. Their leader nodded to them before turning his attention to Jayden. “Good day, sirs, madam. You’ll forgive my presumption, but you are one Jayden, sorcerer lord?”
“The one and only.” It always amazed Dana how armed men didn’t worry Jayden.
“You may be aware of a sizeable bounty placed on your head by your homeland. You’ll find Brandish to be a civilized land, uninterested in the goings on of backwater kingdoms. No one here is interested in arresting you for actions committed elsewhere, but we expect civility from visiting guests.”
Jayden smiled at them. “My friends and I intend to make purchases and leave once our business is completed. You’ll find us polite and friendly during our stay, and we only resort to violence if others strike first.”
The soldier gave him a condescending look. “I’m sure that’s a risk where you come from, but it won’t happen here.”
“Delighted to hear it,” Jayden replied. “If there’s nothing else to discuss, we’ll be on our way.”
“Very good, sir.” The soldiers stepped aside to let them pass.
“They’ll watch us like hawks hunting mice,” Thume said.
“I expect no less,” Jayden replied. “We need a place to stay tonight.”
“The auction house handles that,” Thume told them. “They offer rooms, food, entertainment, anything to keep bidders happy and spending money.”
Brasitle Auction House was even more impressive up close, a three story building without crack or flaw, whitewashed so it shined in the sunlight. Beautiful flowering trees were planted around it, and staff members greeted them at the door.
A brightly dressed woman curtsied and smiled coyly at Jayden. “Good day, sir. How may I serve you?”
“My associates as I are interested in a specific bid, half an ounce of uram.”
“That item will be auctioned tonight at six o’clock,” the woman told him. “I’d be happy to entertain you until then.”
“She’s being friendly,” Dana whispered suspiciously to Thume. The dwarf chuckled.
“We’d like to inspect the uram prior to the bid to make sure it’s sufficient for my needs,” Jayden told her.
The woman put an arm around Jayden’s waist. “If you’ll come with me, we can ask for the auctioneer’s permission.”
They followed her inside to find the auction house a vision of luxury. Floors were covered in rich red carpeting, paintings hung from the walls, beautiful flowers grew from marble urns, and everyone they met wore beautiful clothes. Their guide led them through large, brightly lit rooms to a grand hall with countless chairs arranged around a podium.
A distinguished looking man wearing black and gold stood at the podium talking with men in simple workmen’s clothes. The woman guiding them approached the man and whispered to him before pointing at Jayden.
“Welcome to the Brastile Auction House,” the man said. “I am the chief auctioneer of this establishment. I recognize you from your reputation, sorcerer lord, and it pleases me a man of your considerable talents came to Brastile. I understand you have questions regarding an uram sample for tonight’s auction. Allow me to assure you that we take every possible care to ensure items sold here are as advertised.”
“Doubtlessly so, but you may not have enough for what I have in mind,” Jayden replied. “I’d like to see the metal weighed.”
“Naturally, sir.”
Minutes later, servants brought a locked wood box and a scale. The auctioneer opened the box and took out a sliver of shiny metal. Thume licked his lips as servants weighed it in front of him.
“It’s perfect,” Thume said.
“I’m pleased it meets your expectations,” the auctioneer replied. He gestured for the servants to put the sliver back in the box and take it away. “Bidding on the metal is scheduled for later tonight. In the meantime, allow us the honor to provide rooms, refreshments,” and he wrinkled his nose before adding, “baths.”
The woman who’d guided them took Jayden by the arm and led them to guest accommodations. They’d nearly reached stairs leading up when the front door was thrown open. A man dressed in blue and gray stomped in with two swordsmen and a serving boy meekly following them. The man was young, strong, sort of handsome, but the sneer on his face dispelled any chance he might be a friend.
“It was a terrible ride here, and, wait, what devilry is this?” The man pointed at Jayden and shouted, “Guards, arrest him!”
Armed guards emerged from nearby rooms, but they stopped well short of seizing Jayden. The man fumed and demanded, “This man is a criminal of the worst sort! Arrest him! Kill him! Do something while this building still stands!”
The auctioneer marched over with more guards following him. He stepped between the red faced man and Jayden before asking, “Sir, what is the meaning of this?”
“I am Special Envoy Imuran Tellet, captain in the royal army, trusted by my king and queen above all others! This man is responsible for countless atrocities in my homeland!”
“There are no warrants for his arrest in Brandish,” the auctioneer replied smoothly.
“You’d allow a man who’s done so much damage to walk freely?” Imuran demanded.
“It’s not the place of Brastile Auction House to judge guests. All are welcome, provided their money and behavior is good.”
“This is beyond belief!” Imuran bellowed.
“He does like shouting,” Jayden said. “Captain, if I may offer a word of advice regarding your claim to being trusted by the royal couple. They’ve had many favorites over the years. Few last long before disappointing them and being replaced, as could you.”
“You dare,” Imuran began in a low, angry tone. He took a step forward before armed guards got between him and Jayden.
The auctioneer put a hand on both men’s shoulders. “Gentlemen, whatever quarrel existing between you ended the moment you stepped through that door. You can expect equal respect and opportunities here. I do, however, insist you behave in a respectable manner. My staff will direct you to your rooms, well away from one another, and we look forward to conducting business together. Rest assured, though, that any incidents between you will be dealt with quickly, efficiently and harshly.”
Imuran looked furious but left in silence. As he went by, Dana got a closer look at the boy following him. The youth was a few years younger than her and wore simple clothes. What caught her attention was a leather collar around his neck with the letters IT burned into it. The youth didn’t make eye contact with anyone and looked down rather than ahead.
Once they were gone the guards and auctioneer returned to their duties. Jayden said, “This just became more complicated.”
Dana had a thought and ran outside, telling the others, “I’ll be back soon.”
It took her a moment to see where visitors to the auction house left their animals. The stable was decorated like the rest of the building and blended in so well she would have missed it except for the buzz of flies near large twin doors. She walked by it and saw many horses in stalls being looked after by grooms. There were also two carriages marked with a crest showing a swan. The carriages were locked when grooms tested their doors, and curtains covered the windows.
Dana smiled at the nearest groom and pointed at the carriages. “Ooh, those are gorgeous.”
“Just came in, ma’am,” the groom said cheerfully. He pointed to nearby stalls with eight healthy gray mares. “If you like those, take a look at the horses pulling them. I’ve seen my fair share of horses in this job, and those are quality mares.”
“They belong to that man in blue and gray?” she asked innocently.
“Both carriages. He must have them fully packed since all four men road on the driver’s seats on top rather than inside.”
Dana petted a mare before leaving. “Poor girl is all sweated up.”
“He must have run them hard to get them lathered up like this.” The groom smiled. “Don’t worry. We’ll take good care of them even if he won’t.”
“You have the best job in the whole world.”
She went back into the auction house to find it peaceful and quiet again. Staff members pointed her to Jayden and Thume’s rooms. She knocked at Jayden’s door and waited until he answered.
“I’m presentable and the door hasn’t got a lock.”
She went inside, where Jayden was sorting through his bags. His room was as impressive as the rest of the building, with carpeted floors, solid furniture, paintings and a tin bathtub.
“Imuran came with two carriages and eight horses that they rode on instead of in,” she said as she sat on the edge of the bed. She leaned closer toward him. “I don’t care how pompous he is, he doesn’t need two carriages for four people. A groom thinks he’s carrying a lot, but that doesn’t work, either. This place sells expensive stuff like that funny metal, little things worth big money. He doesn’t need so much space.”
“A valid point,” Jayden replied. “It suggests Imuran either intends to bring someone back with him, or that he brought someone or something that didn’t leave the carriages.”
“Like what?”
Jayden took handfuls of coins from his bags and spread them across the bed. Arranging them in groups of ten, he said, “My guess would be guards he doesn’t want others to know about. Twenty, thirty, forty. As you said, this establishment sells expensive items, a worthy target for thieves and a certain sorcerer lord. It makes sense to bring added muscle to ensure he returns home with his prize.”
“They’d get hungry sitting in there, and have to use the bathroom.”
“You’re assuming they need to eat. Seventy, eighty, ninety. Plenty of monsters don’t require food or rest. Animated skeletons, golems and living armor could wait for years. Some monsters need little food, like mimics, and could wait for days.”
Dana leaned over his piles of coins. “How much do we have?”
Jayden finished counting and frowned. “Two hundred gold coins, enough if the uram goes for a fair price.”
Dana’s peasant upbringing taught her to hold on tight to any money that came her way. She winced at the thought of spending so much. “Is this sword worth it?”
“Hopefully we’ll get the uram for less. Don’t worry about the cost. I’ve acquired and spent sums far larger than this for worse reasons.” He smiled when he saw her curious look and added, “I’ll tell you about them another time. Your room is to the right of mine. Take this opportunity to clean up before the auction. Depending on Imuran’s mood, we might have to leave in a hurry once we’re done.”
Dana checked the door before she left and saw no lock and no way to bar it from the inside. “Why don’t the doors have locks?”
“This is a civilized land, Dana. Guests shouldn’t need to lock their doors, and I doubt our hosts want less civilized people to lock themselves in.”
Dana went to her room to find it a mirror image of Jayden’s. She took her time bathing, as she hadn’t had a chance to do so for weeks. Clean clothes would help, or new ones, but there wasn’t time for that. The room also had a bowl of fruit she ate. Clean, dressed and fed, she headed out to explore the auction house.
Much of the building was off limits with locked doors. She could get into halls exhibiting items for sale, including paintings, statues, jewelry, rare plants and ancient books. Buyers were inspecting the items and questioning the staff about them. Staff members included immaculately dressed men and women, but she also caught sight of armed guards circulating among the guests. Thieves might be tempted by such treasures, but would have a hard time escaping with one.
Thume was already in the exhibition halls, walking between items for sale and judging them as he walked by. “Garbage. Tasteless. Inferior. That one is tasteless inferior garbage. I didn’t think that was possible.”
Staff and bidders glared at him and some walked away, but the dwarf ignored their silent contempt. Dana caught up with him and whispered, “You’re going to get us in trouble before we buy the metal.”
“You expect me to walk by relics of the Elf Empire and say nothing? Count yourself lucky I don’t spit on them.” Thume waved his hammer at the room’s contents. “In my homeland half this junk would be broken down for parts or burned. There’s no craftsmanship here, nothing an artist poured his heart and soul into.”
“I saw your sword,” Dana said sourly. “If that’s your heart and soul, you need help.”
Thume gritted his teeth before answering. “I’ve been stuck in your miserable kingdom for sixty years, longer than your parents have been alive. Your people bring me work making horseshoes, plows, nails, and if they’re feeling generous maybe an axe to chop wood. Every day here has been a punishment, doing piddling jobs, working with inferior materials for profits barely enough to keep myself alive.
“This is the first time in sixty years I’ve a chance to do work worthy of me, to make a weapon so great dwarfs will speak of it in awe. The chimera horn, the uram, my rune magic and your master’s sorcerer magic, it’s a once in a lifetime occurrence, a gathering of resources drawn together by fate for my redemption.”
Dana put her hands on her hips. “And here I thought it was about a sword.”
“Your sword is the means for me to go home,” Thume told her. “I don’t care what you do with it. I would have made it for anyone with these resources. Whoever has it will do great deeds, and word will reach my people. Sixty years ago the dwarfs cast me out, blaming me for the crimes of my superiors. They’ll hear of this sword and want me back. Maybe not my old corporation, but one of the big names, the power players, they’ll see value in my work and take me in.”
He turned to face her and said, “No more living in a dirty frontier town. No more eating tasteless food. I’ll be among my own people again or be the personal sword smith of a king, respected once more. You’ll get your sword to overthrow your king, if you can, and I’ll be free of you mayflies.”
Dana put her hands on her hips. “Why do you keep calling me a mayfly?”
“Dwarfs live for six or seven centuries. Humans live for as many decades. You’re here and gone in the blink of an eye like a mayfly.” Thume looked pleased with himself, which turned to terror as he pointed at an exhibit hall across from theirs. “Stop him!”
Dana looked over to see Jayden admiring a painting of a man and woman with a boy richly dressed in furs and silks. There were other paintings just as good, but Jayden stood transfixed by this one.
Thume ran over and grabbed Jayden by the arm. “Don’t you dare buy that!”
“Sir, please mind your tone,” a staff member asked.
“Mind your own business,” Thume snapped, but his voice fell to whispers when he spoke to Jayden. “We don’t have money for the painting and the uram. Prioritize. Your girl’s weapon comes before paint slathered on canvas.”
Jayden’s eyes stayed on the painting. “I’m admiring the work, nothing more. As much as I wish to own it, I have no place to store it in my travels. It would be destroyed by storms or accidents, ruined no different than the ones destroyed on purpose.”
Dana stared at the painting. “Who would want to destroy it?”
Thume answered before Jayden could. “Don’t you know anything, girl? That’s your king you’re looking at.”
“Really?” Dana knew she had a king the same way she knew there were dragons, namely both were dangerous and best avoided. The king and queen lived inside a castle in the capital city, guarded by soldiers, knights and even monsters if she was foolish enough to try to visit them. No one saw them except a few powerful nobles.
“This is the king, but that’s not the queen,” Jayden replied. “This is him with his first wife and their only son. Paintings like this once hung in every nobleman’s house as a constant reminder who they served.”
“Why were they destroyed?” she asked.
Thume heaved a dramatic sigh. “My future depends on idiots. She died when your people were having their civil war. Your king remarried to arrange an alliance with a powerful noble house. His new wife didn’t want reminders of her predecessor hanging in every household that mattered. She demanded her husband order them destroyed. I thought they were all scattered ashes by now.”
Dana pointed at the painting and asked, “What happened to their son? I know the king and queen have two sons of their own. I’ve never heard of this one.”
“Prince Mastram,” Jayden said, his voice soft. “The king declared his son illegitimate, a result of his mother having an affair with an unknown courtier. The boy was exiled to the Isle of Tears and died of plague.”
Dana felt a cold lump in her heart. “We’ve heard of people dying of ‘plague’ before. Did he really get sick, or did they kill him?”
“The Isle of Tears is officially a place of exile, but that’s a polite euphemism,” Jayden told her. “It is a barren rock offshore in the far north of the kingdom. There’s no food or fuel, little water and no shelter except deep caves. The rich, powerful and well connected who commit crimes or lose royal favor have been banished there for centuries as a means to execute them without doing the deed in front of witnesses, and at the same time ensuring they die slowly from cold and starvation.”
“That’s horrible,” Dana said. She looked at the couple again and felt both sympathy and loathing. The king looked handsome, a dark haired, muscular man in fine clothes and a stern expression. His wife was a beauty with raven locks that reached to her waist. She smiled and had an arm around the king’s shoulders. Their son was the splitting image of his father, with black hair and a maturity far greater than his age would suggest.
“What man could sacrifice his own son?” Dana asked in horror.
“The same man who’d call his dead wife unfaithful,” Thume replied. He shrugged and added, “It’s common enough to get rid of unwanted heirs. They just handled it poorly.”
“You’ve got a heart as cold as a lump of stone,” she scolded him.
Thume sneered at her. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Please mind your tone,” a lady staff member said.
Thume shook his hammer at the woman. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”
“I’m surprised they let you keep your hammer,” Jayden commented.
“What would be the point of taking it?” Thume asked. “They let you in when you’re a spell caster and ten times as dangerous as I am. They must think they’ve got guards enough to deal with either of us if we get out of hand.”
“A valid point,” Jayden replied. He gave the painting one last glance before moving on. “The uram won’t be up for bid for several hours. Dana, I’ll fetch you when it’s time to begin. Until then feel free to look around.”
“Just don’t spend anything,” Thume added.
“I think I’ll pass,” Dana said. “I feel out of place around so much wealth. There’s no point looking at things I can’t afford and don’t have a place to put.”
Her exit was delayed when she saw Imuran and his two guards enter the exhibit hall. “Your least favorite person just showed up.”
Panicked, Jayden shouted, “Suzy Lockheart is here? Where?”
“Not her, silly.” Dana pointed at Imuran and said, “Him.”
“That fool?” Jayden asked. “Dana, the list of my least favorite people is long and competition for places on it is fierce. Imuran doesn’t deserve to be even at the end. He’s a hungry dog hoping for table scraps, possessing neither wisdom nor wits enough to be a serious threat.”
Thume leaned in closer and asked, “Who’s this Lockheart woman?”
“She worked with him once and nearly got him killed,” Dana replied. “I think she came onto him too strong, too.”
Jayden’s face turned red. “It didn’t happen like that.”
“Dwarfs aren’t known for their sense of humor,” Thume the bald dwarf weapon smith replied. The stout dwarf’s shoulders were nearly as broad as he was tall, and dense muscles rippled beneath his simple leather clothes. Pound for pound he was a formidable opponent, and the hammer in his left hand was a potent weapon.
What wasn’t a potent weapon was the short sword on his shop counter. The edge was dull and there was no hilt, just a metal bar on the end. She’d had visions of getting a powerful weapon when she’d taken an iron horn from a chimera Jayden had killed, and this pitiful thing wasn’t it.
Dana and Jayden had spent a lot of gold on this sword, and they needed every coin. Dana’s clothes were getting worn out on her adventures with Jayden. Months of traveling by foot and boat, fighting monsters and running for their lives had left her garments dirty and frayed at the edges. She needed new clothes, her dagger was dull and looked like it could break, their bags needed to be replaced, it was expensive and they’d wasted so much on her sword.
“I can’t use this,” Dana protested. “No one could.”
“I spent a considerable amount of gold commissioning this sword,” Jayden said. “I provided the material, which I doubt many of your clients do, high quality magic infused material! You had time enough to finish the job, yet I find the weapon, if I can call it that, unfinished, unusable, worthless.”
This wasn’t good. Jayden and Dana had first come to the frontier town of Despre a month earlier on their way to the border with Kaloeth Kingdom. Jayden had found Thume among the town’s inhabitants and been impressed with his work. He’d paid him to turn a severed chimera horn into a short sword for Dana. They’d been delayed helping an old acquaintance of Jayden and returned to collect the sword.
“But not irredeemable,” Thume countered. “The source material is impressive and holds enchantments better than I’d hoped. I can finish the job as instructed, but the end result will be nowhere near its true potential.”
Jayden pushed his messy blond hair away from his eyes. The sorcerer lord was a sight to behold any day in his black and silver clothes, but he was at his most intimidating when angry, and he was furious. “You find me at a bad time, Thume. I had a wretched experience before coming here and am in no mood for disappointments. This delay could cost others their lives.”
Thume laughed. “Humans. Impatience with your short lives makes you prone to hasty decisions. I didn’t finish work on the sword because it’s the best move for the weapon and the owner. I tested the material and proved I can make this weapon far superior to what you asked for. All I need is half an ounce of uram to forge into the sword and it will take enchantments even better. Other smiths would take your money and hand over an inferior weapon, but I have too much pride for that.”
Jayden looked like he was about to shout at the dwarf, so Dana stepped up and tried to defuse the situation. “How much does uram cost?”
Thume tilted his head to one side. “Half an ounce costs a hundred credits, if I had it.”
“If you don’t have it there’s no reason to delay finishing the sword,” Jayden snapped.
“I know where we can get it,” Thume replied. He took a sheet of paper from behind the counter and showed it to them. “This advertisement from Brastile Auction House in Brandish Kingdom lists everything they’re selling and when. At the bottom are precious metals, including half an ounce of uram. We get that and I can make a sword people will talk about for ten generations, and I mean dwarf generations, not you short lived mayflies.”
Jayden’s lip twitched. “You expect me to leave the kingdom for weeks, buy this uram for heaven above only knows how much, and then I get a sword.”
“You get a sword powerful enough to keep the young lady alive,” Thume said. “I’ve heard of you, sorcerer lord, and you seek battle like bees seek flowers. How long you’ll survive is anyone’s guess, but the lady lacks your magic. You can pay for a proper weapon now or a proper funeral later. Pick one.”
Seconds later a massive clawed hand made from shadows threw Thume out of his workshop and onto the muddy streets of Despre. Passing humans and trolls ran out of the way as the dwarf rolled by and hit a tavern. Jayden stormed out of the workshop with the shadowy hand following him. He reached out and the hand shot forward, grabbing the dwarf and swinging him into the tavern.
Dana ran after Jayden and grabbed him by the arm. “Jayden, no!”
A crowd gathered but didn’t intervene. A troll whispered to a man, “Thume sure did it this time.”
“Hey, mister,” a man called from the crowd, “I know the dwarf is a pain in the neck, but we need him still breathing. What say you put him down, alive, and we work out what he did to upset you. Hand to God, you’re not the first one he’s made mad enough to kill him, but he’s worth the trouble.”
Jayden scowled as he let the shadowy hand dissipate. Thume dropped to the ground, seemingly no worse for the attack, and even smirked. “Touched a nerve, did I?”
“You’re seconds from touching your head to the bottom of a grave,” the troll replied. “Keep your mouth shut for a change!”
The man in the crowd steeped forward and said, “Okay, show’s over, people. Lou, get the wizard a drink on the house. Stan, figure out what Thume did and see if you can patch things up before somebody gets killed.”
Thume walked back to his shop unfazed by Jayden’s attack. The troll said, “One of these days, Thume.”
Jayden left the street scowling and went to the tavern. He sat down without a word and a waiter offered him a drink. Dana took a seat next to him. He stared at the tavern wall, looking like a man on the brink of making a bad decision.
“I shouldn’t have let him get to me, but my temper is on edge since we parted company with Lootmore. I saw my homeland become so degenerate they’d accept slavery, turning girls into property, and I’m not over it.”
“It made you worry about me,” Dana said.
“I accept that I might die because it means people like you won’t. I don’t doubt your abilities or bravery, but it terrifies me we could meet a threat I can’t face, and it could cost you your life. That’s why I was excited to get you properly armed.
“Adding to my revulsion is how much good I could do in the time it will take to fix this situation. I’ve learned of places we could strike to cripple the king and queen’s war effort, men responsible for the most egregious crimes who deserve everything I can throw at them, monsters left to run riot. Instead I’m forced to ignore them in favor of dealing with a lying, treacherous dwarf.”
He turned to her and said, “It disgusts me how Thume behaved. Frontier towns like Despre have little oversight by authorities, making them one of the few places I can go for supplies, information and aid, but that same lawlessness makes Thume’s actions possible. There should be law and order in every corner of the kingdom. Instead corruption, incompetence and crime drip from these lands.”
“Maybe this is a good thing.” She winced at the look Jayden gave her. “You have trouble getting things you need here because you’re a wanted man. You’re not wanted in Brandish, so we can buy stuff there. You’re not wanted there, right?”
“You know, I’m not sure. I don’t know how far the king and queen’s influence reaches. I’ve visited other kingdoms only rarely in recent years. There was no trouble then, but warrants for my arrest may have been issued since my last visit, or possibly orders for my immediate execution wait for us.”
“Can we get a refund, or have someone else finish the job?” she asked.
“I’m certain Thume already spent what I paid him. Having another weapon smith make your sword is impossible when nearly all such men are in the king and queen’s pay. The few who could do the work are less skilled than Thume or too far away to reach. We work with him or we don’t get the sword. I believe the dwarf knew this before making such a bold demand.”
The same man from the crowd entered the tavern and sat next to Jayden. “I spoke with Thume and he told me what’s going on. I can see why you’re…murderous. Thume won’t finish the work without the materials he needs, or says he needs. God only knows how honest he’s being with either of us. But I think we have a solution.”
“Does it involve removing portions of the dwarf’s anatomy?”
“Jayden, no maiming people.”
“Thume knows where to find the metal he needs. He’s volunteered, with some persuasion, to cover half the cost of buying the uram, and he won’t charge extra for the sword. This isn’t the outcome you wanted, but it’s the best I can do.
“We need Thume,” the man continued. “He’s been a pain in the neck for years, but we don’t have a blacksmith or weapon maker to replace him. I don’t want to make an enemy of you, either. I’ve heard about the good you’ve done and what happens to people who get on your bad side. So, can we make this work?”
Jayden finished his drink and set the cup down. “This distraction puts me behind schedule and places me in needless risk. I will take your offer, but rest assured, if I so much as think the dwarf is betraying me again, Despre will need another blacksmith.”
“Thank you,” the man replied. “There’s a river route to the auction house and a barge heading that way tomorrow. Thume is going with to make sure the uram isn’t counterfeit or underweight. He’s also bringing along his share of the money to buy it. Listen, I’ve gone to this auction house before. It’s a ritzy place that needs your best manners. I don’t know if Thume is up to that. Are you?”
“I can be charming company when necessary,” Jayden told him. “If provoked I can maintain my temper for short periods of time until I can leave devastation in my wake such as few have ever seen.”
The man blinked. “Huh?”
Dana translated for him. “He’ll be a good boy until he gets outside the auction house. After that, no promises.”
* * * * *
Dana found the barge ride blissfully dull. Their cargo of timber drew no attention from bandits or monsters. Thume kept to himself and held a locked iron box with a grip only death could loosen. The barge’s crewmen were polite while keeping their distance. Given Jayden’s foul disposition that was a blessing. She’d hoped his mood would improve, but nothing could get him out of his anger.
In three days they reached the border and found no guards blocking their path. Another day brought them to a sizeable city made of brick buildings. The residents were mostly humans with a smattering of gnomes and ogres. People were well dressed, prosperous and orderly. They were polite almost to a fault, with commoners bowing and stepping aside for the rich.
The barge moored at docks near the city’s edge to unload its cargo and passengers. Jayden picked up his bags and led them onto the dock. “Welcome to Brandish, a small but prosperous kingdom run by King Ludwig the Mad. He’s a good man despite his moniker, and his people live well under largely just rules.”
“And it smells like a pig pen,” Dana added.
Jayden shrugged. “Brandish has the usual number of horses, oxen, mules and donkeys. I see men sweeping the streets, but they can’t work fast enough to keep up with thousands of pack animals relieving themselves.”
“I can see that,” she said. Once she was off the barge, she saw countless people staring at her. “Jayden, what’s going on?”
“Brandish is a land of strict social classes, much like Zentrix,” he said. “Everyone knows their place and keeps it. We are strangers and they don’t know where we fit in their hierarchy. Expect difficulty from men who think they are our betters.”
“They’re snobs,” Thume said. “They don’t respect craftsmanship, wisdom or bravery. None of us are from the right families so they’ll look down on us, but they think they’re honorable, so they’ll keep their word.”
Thume pointed his hammer at a large brick building with ornate stained glass windows. “That’s Brastile Auction House. It’s been around two hundred years, a long time by human standards.”
Heavily armed and armored soldiers met them at the dock. Their leader nodded to them before turning his attention to Jayden. “Good day, sirs, madam. You’ll forgive my presumption, but you are one Jayden, sorcerer lord?”
“The one and only.” It always amazed Dana how armed men didn’t worry Jayden.
“You may be aware of a sizeable bounty placed on your head by your homeland. You’ll find Brandish to be a civilized land, uninterested in the goings on of backwater kingdoms. No one here is interested in arresting you for actions committed elsewhere, but we expect civility from visiting guests.”
Jayden smiled at them. “My friends and I intend to make purchases and leave once our business is completed. You’ll find us polite and friendly during our stay, and we only resort to violence if others strike first.”
The soldier gave him a condescending look. “I’m sure that’s a risk where you come from, but it won’t happen here.”
“Delighted to hear it,” Jayden replied. “If there’s nothing else to discuss, we’ll be on our way.”
“Very good, sir.” The soldiers stepped aside to let them pass.
“They’ll watch us like hawks hunting mice,” Thume said.
“I expect no less,” Jayden replied. “We need a place to stay tonight.”
“The auction house handles that,” Thume told them. “They offer rooms, food, entertainment, anything to keep bidders happy and spending money.”
Brasitle Auction House was even more impressive up close, a three story building without crack or flaw, whitewashed so it shined in the sunlight. Beautiful flowering trees were planted around it, and staff members greeted them at the door.
A brightly dressed woman curtsied and smiled coyly at Jayden. “Good day, sir. How may I serve you?”
“My associates as I are interested in a specific bid, half an ounce of uram.”
“That item will be auctioned tonight at six o’clock,” the woman told him. “I’d be happy to entertain you until then.”
“She’s being friendly,” Dana whispered suspiciously to Thume. The dwarf chuckled.
“We’d like to inspect the uram prior to the bid to make sure it’s sufficient for my needs,” Jayden told her.
The woman put an arm around Jayden’s waist. “If you’ll come with me, we can ask for the auctioneer’s permission.”
They followed her inside to find the auction house a vision of luxury. Floors were covered in rich red carpeting, paintings hung from the walls, beautiful flowers grew from marble urns, and everyone they met wore beautiful clothes. Their guide led them through large, brightly lit rooms to a grand hall with countless chairs arranged around a podium.
A distinguished looking man wearing black and gold stood at the podium talking with men in simple workmen’s clothes. The woman guiding them approached the man and whispered to him before pointing at Jayden.
“Welcome to the Brastile Auction House,” the man said. “I am the chief auctioneer of this establishment. I recognize you from your reputation, sorcerer lord, and it pleases me a man of your considerable talents came to Brastile. I understand you have questions regarding an uram sample for tonight’s auction. Allow me to assure you that we take every possible care to ensure items sold here are as advertised.”
“Doubtlessly so, but you may not have enough for what I have in mind,” Jayden replied. “I’d like to see the metal weighed.”
“Naturally, sir.”
Minutes later, servants brought a locked wood box and a scale. The auctioneer opened the box and took out a sliver of shiny metal. Thume licked his lips as servants weighed it in front of him.
“It’s perfect,” Thume said.
“I’m pleased it meets your expectations,” the auctioneer replied. He gestured for the servants to put the sliver back in the box and take it away. “Bidding on the metal is scheduled for later tonight. In the meantime, allow us the honor to provide rooms, refreshments,” and he wrinkled his nose before adding, “baths.”
The woman who’d guided them took Jayden by the arm and led them to guest accommodations. They’d nearly reached stairs leading up when the front door was thrown open. A man dressed in blue and gray stomped in with two swordsmen and a serving boy meekly following them. The man was young, strong, sort of handsome, but the sneer on his face dispelled any chance he might be a friend.
“It was a terrible ride here, and, wait, what devilry is this?” The man pointed at Jayden and shouted, “Guards, arrest him!”
Armed guards emerged from nearby rooms, but they stopped well short of seizing Jayden. The man fumed and demanded, “This man is a criminal of the worst sort! Arrest him! Kill him! Do something while this building still stands!”
The auctioneer marched over with more guards following him. He stepped between the red faced man and Jayden before asking, “Sir, what is the meaning of this?”
“I am Special Envoy Imuran Tellet, captain in the royal army, trusted by my king and queen above all others! This man is responsible for countless atrocities in my homeland!”
“There are no warrants for his arrest in Brandish,” the auctioneer replied smoothly.
“You’d allow a man who’s done so much damage to walk freely?” Imuran demanded.
“It’s not the place of Brastile Auction House to judge guests. All are welcome, provided their money and behavior is good.”
“This is beyond belief!” Imuran bellowed.
“He does like shouting,” Jayden said. “Captain, if I may offer a word of advice regarding your claim to being trusted by the royal couple. They’ve had many favorites over the years. Few last long before disappointing them and being replaced, as could you.”
“You dare,” Imuran began in a low, angry tone. He took a step forward before armed guards got between him and Jayden.
The auctioneer put a hand on both men’s shoulders. “Gentlemen, whatever quarrel existing between you ended the moment you stepped through that door. You can expect equal respect and opportunities here. I do, however, insist you behave in a respectable manner. My staff will direct you to your rooms, well away from one another, and we look forward to conducting business together. Rest assured, though, that any incidents between you will be dealt with quickly, efficiently and harshly.”
Imuran looked furious but left in silence. As he went by, Dana got a closer look at the boy following him. The youth was a few years younger than her and wore simple clothes. What caught her attention was a leather collar around his neck with the letters IT burned into it. The youth didn’t make eye contact with anyone and looked down rather than ahead.
Once they were gone the guards and auctioneer returned to their duties. Jayden said, “This just became more complicated.”
Dana had a thought and ran outside, telling the others, “I’ll be back soon.”
It took her a moment to see where visitors to the auction house left their animals. The stable was decorated like the rest of the building and blended in so well she would have missed it except for the buzz of flies near large twin doors. She walked by it and saw many horses in stalls being looked after by grooms. There were also two carriages marked with a crest showing a swan. The carriages were locked when grooms tested their doors, and curtains covered the windows.
Dana smiled at the nearest groom and pointed at the carriages. “Ooh, those are gorgeous.”
“Just came in, ma’am,” the groom said cheerfully. He pointed to nearby stalls with eight healthy gray mares. “If you like those, take a look at the horses pulling them. I’ve seen my fair share of horses in this job, and those are quality mares.”
“They belong to that man in blue and gray?” she asked innocently.
“Both carriages. He must have them fully packed since all four men road on the driver’s seats on top rather than inside.”
Dana petted a mare before leaving. “Poor girl is all sweated up.”
“He must have run them hard to get them lathered up like this.” The groom smiled. “Don’t worry. We’ll take good care of them even if he won’t.”
“You have the best job in the whole world.”
She went back into the auction house to find it peaceful and quiet again. Staff members pointed her to Jayden and Thume’s rooms. She knocked at Jayden’s door and waited until he answered.
“I’m presentable and the door hasn’t got a lock.”
She went inside, where Jayden was sorting through his bags. His room was as impressive as the rest of the building, with carpeted floors, solid furniture, paintings and a tin bathtub.
“Imuran came with two carriages and eight horses that they rode on instead of in,” she said as she sat on the edge of the bed. She leaned closer toward him. “I don’t care how pompous he is, he doesn’t need two carriages for four people. A groom thinks he’s carrying a lot, but that doesn’t work, either. This place sells expensive stuff like that funny metal, little things worth big money. He doesn’t need so much space.”
“A valid point,” Jayden replied. “It suggests Imuran either intends to bring someone back with him, or that he brought someone or something that didn’t leave the carriages.”
“Like what?”
Jayden took handfuls of coins from his bags and spread them across the bed. Arranging them in groups of ten, he said, “My guess would be guards he doesn’t want others to know about. Twenty, thirty, forty. As you said, this establishment sells expensive items, a worthy target for thieves and a certain sorcerer lord. It makes sense to bring added muscle to ensure he returns home with his prize.”
“They’d get hungry sitting in there, and have to use the bathroom.”
“You’re assuming they need to eat. Seventy, eighty, ninety. Plenty of monsters don’t require food or rest. Animated skeletons, golems and living armor could wait for years. Some monsters need little food, like mimics, and could wait for days.”
Dana leaned over his piles of coins. “How much do we have?”
Jayden finished counting and frowned. “Two hundred gold coins, enough if the uram goes for a fair price.”
Dana’s peasant upbringing taught her to hold on tight to any money that came her way. She winced at the thought of spending so much. “Is this sword worth it?”
“Hopefully we’ll get the uram for less. Don’t worry about the cost. I’ve acquired and spent sums far larger than this for worse reasons.” He smiled when he saw her curious look and added, “I’ll tell you about them another time. Your room is to the right of mine. Take this opportunity to clean up before the auction. Depending on Imuran’s mood, we might have to leave in a hurry once we’re done.”
Dana checked the door before she left and saw no lock and no way to bar it from the inside. “Why don’t the doors have locks?”
“This is a civilized land, Dana. Guests shouldn’t need to lock their doors, and I doubt our hosts want less civilized people to lock themselves in.”
Dana went to her room to find it a mirror image of Jayden’s. She took her time bathing, as she hadn’t had a chance to do so for weeks. Clean clothes would help, or new ones, but there wasn’t time for that. The room also had a bowl of fruit she ate. Clean, dressed and fed, she headed out to explore the auction house.
Much of the building was off limits with locked doors. She could get into halls exhibiting items for sale, including paintings, statues, jewelry, rare plants and ancient books. Buyers were inspecting the items and questioning the staff about them. Staff members included immaculately dressed men and women, but she also caught sight of armed guards circulating among the guests. Thieves might be tempted by such treasures, but would have a hard time escaping with one.
Thume was already in the exhibition halls, walking between items for sale and judging them as he walked by. “Garbage. Tasteless. Inferior. That one is tasteless inferior garbage. I didn’t think that was possible.”
Staff and bidders glared at him and some walked away, but the dwarf ignored their silent contempt. Dana caught up with him and whispered, “You’re going to get us in trouble before we buy the metal.”
“You expect me to walk by relics of the Elf Empire and say nothing? Count yourself lucky I don’t spit on them.” Thume waved his hammer at the room’s contents. “In my homeland half this junk would be broken down for parts or burned. There’s no craftsmanship here, nothing an artist poured his heart and soul into.”
“I saw your sword,” Dana said sourly. “If that’s your heart and soul, you need help.”
Thume gritted his teeth before answering. “I’ve been stuck in your miserable kingdom for sixty years, longer than your parents have been alive. Your people bring me work making horseshoes, plows, nails, and if they’re feeling generous maybe an axe to chop wood. Every day here has been a punishment, doing piddling jobs, working with inferior materials for profits barely enough to keep myself alive.
“This is the first time in sixty years I’ve a chance to do work worthy of me, to make a weapon so great dwarfs will speak of it in awe. The chimera horn, the uram, my rune magic and your master’s sorcerer magic, it’s a once in a lifetime occurrence, a gathering of resources drawn together by fate for my redemption.”
Dana put her hands on her hips. “And here I thought it was about a sword.”
“Your sword is the means for me to go home,” Thume told her. “I don’t care what you do with it. I would have made it for anyone with these resources. Whoever has it will do great deeds, and word will reach my people. Sixty years ago the dwarfs cast me out, blaming me for the crimes of my superiors. They’ll hear of this sword and want me back. Maybe not my old corporation, but one of the big names, the power players, they’ll see value in my work and take me in.”
He turned to face her and said, “No more living in a dirty frontier town. No more eating tasteless food. I’ll be among my own people again or be the personal sword smith of a king, respected once more. You’ll get your sword to overthrow your king, if you can, and I’ll be free of you mayflies.”
Dana put her hands on her hips. “Why do you keep calling me a mayfly?”
“Dwarfs live for six or seven centuries. Humans live for as many decades. You’re here and gone in the blink of an eye like a mayfly.” Thume looked pleased with himself, which turned to terror as he pointed at an exhibit hall across from theirs. “Stop him!”
Dana looked over to see Jayden admiring a painting of a man and woman with a boy richly dressed in furs and silks. There were other paintings just as good, but Jayden stood transfixed by this one.
Thume ran over and grabbed Jayden by the arm. “Don’t you dare buy that!”
“Sir, please mind your tone,” a staff member asked.
“Mind your own business,” Thume snapped, but his voice fell to whispers when he spoke to Jayden. “We don’t have money for the painting and the uram. Prioritize. Your girl’s weapon comes before paint slathered on canvas.”
Jayden’s eyes stayed on the painting. “I’m admiring the work, nothing more. As much as I wish to own it, I have no place to store it in my travels. It would be destroyed by storms or accidents, ruined no different than the ones destroyed on purpose.”
Dana stared at the painting. “Who would want to destroy it?”
Thume answered before Jayden could. “Don’t you know anything, girl? That’s your king you’re looking at.”
“Really?” Dana knew she had a king the same way she knew there were dragons, namely both were dangerous and best avoided. The king and queen lived inside a castle in the capital city, guarded by soldiers, knights and even monsters if she was foolish enough to try to visit them. No one saw them except a few powerful nobles.
“This is the king, but that’s not the queen,” Jayden replied. “This is him with his first wife and their only son. Paintings like this once hung in every nobleman’s house as a constant reminder who they served.”
“Why were they destroyed?” she asked.
Thume heaved a dramatic sigh. “My future depends on idiots. She died when your people were having their civil war. Your king remarried to arrange an alliance with a powerful noble house. His new wife didn’t want reminders of her predecessor hanging in every household that mattered. She demanded her husband order them destroyed. I thought they were all scattered ashes by now.”
Dana pointed at the painting and asked, “What happened to their son? I know the king and queen have two sons of their own. I’ve never heard of this one.”
“Prince Mastram,” Jayden said, his voice soft. “The king declared his son illegitimate, a result of his mother having an affair with an unknown courtier. The boy was exiled to the Isle of Tears and died of plague.”
Dana felt a cold lump in her heart. “We’ve heard of people dying of ‘plague’ before. Did he really get sick, or did they kill him?”
“The Isle of Tears is officially a place of exile, but that’s a polite euphemism,” Jayden told her. “It is a barren rock offshore in the far north of the kingdom. There’s no food or fuel, little water and no shelter except deep caves. The rich, powerful and well connected who commit crimes or lose royal favor have been banished there for centuries as a means to execute them without doing the deed in front of witnesses, and at the same time ensuring they die slowly from cold and starvation.”
“That’s horrible,” Dana said. She looked at the couple again and felt both sympathy and loathing. The king looked handsome, a dark haired, muscular man in fine clothes and a stern expression. His wife was a beauty with raven locks that reached to her waist. She smiled and had an arm around the king’s shoulders. Their son was the splitting image of his father, with black hair and a maturity far greater than his age would suggest.
“What man could sacrifice his own son?” Dana asked in horror.
“The same man who’d call his dead wife unfaithful,” Thume replied. He shrugged and added, “It’s common enough to get rid of unwanted heirs. They just handled it poorly.”
“You’ve got a heart as cold as a lump of stone,” she scolded him.
Thume sneered at her. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Please mind your tone,” a lady staff member said.
Thume shook his hammer at the woman. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”
“I’m surprised they let you keep your hammer,” Jayden commented.
“What would be the point of taking it?” Thume asked. “They let you in when you’re a spell caster and ten times as dangerous as I am. They must think they’ve got guards enough to deal with either of us if we get out of hand.”
“A valid point,” Jayden replied. He gave the painting one last glance before moving on. “The uram won’t be up for bid for several hours. Dana, I’ll fetch you when it’s time to begin. Until then feel free to look around.”
“Just don’t spend anything,” Thume added.
“I think I’ll pass,” Dana said. “I feel out of place around so much wealth. There’s no point looking at things I can’t afford and don’t have a place to put.”
Her exit was delayed when she saw Imuran and his two guards enter the exhibit hall. “Your least favorite person just showed up.”
Panicked, Jayden shouted, “Suzy Lockheart is here? Where?”
“Not her, silly.” Dana pointed at Imuran and said, “Him.”
“That fool?” Jayden asked. “Dana, the list of my least favorite people is long and competition for places on it is fierce. Imuran doesn’t deserve to be even at the end. He’s a hungry dog hoping for table scraps, possessing neither wisdom nor wits enough to be a serious threat.”
Thume leaned in closer and asked, “Who’s this Lockheart woman?”
“She worked with him once and nearly got him killed,” Dana replied. “I think she came onto him too strong, too.”
Jayden’s face turned red. “It didn’t happen like that.”
February 6, 2019
A Friend in Need part 2
It took another day to reach the estate of Baron Scalamonger. The soil was rich and had many farms and vineyards. There were no cities, only three towns and many scattered farmhouses. The baron’s manor was a wood building three stories tall surrounded by vineyards, and located miles from the nearest town. Lootmore stopped his barge at dusk in a spot where the river was flanked by trees.
“Allow me to introduce our target,” Lootmore said. “I have an old floor plan of questionable accuracy for the building. Reports say the baron has a dozen guards and can call upon fifty militiamen. There are no tamed monsters or magic weapons. It seems the baron had a bad experience once using an Industrial Magic Corporation levitating wand and has since sworn off magic.”
“Which begs the question why you need my help,” Jayden said.
“If all goes well we’ll be in and out undetected. If there is a hiccup in the plan, we’re going to be badly outnumbered. Firepower can balance the scales.” Lootmore brought out a map and showed it to them. “The estate—”
“Has a basement floor not shown on your map,” Jayden interrupted. “It also leaves out a small treasury on the third floor and an armory on the first.”
“You’ve been here before?” Dana asked.
“A very long time ago,” he replied. Jayden found a quill and inkpot among Lootmore’s supplies and drew new details on the map. “You’re missing several walls, too.”
“Are the remaining details correct?” Lootmore asked. When Jayden nodded, Lootmore said, “There is a barn outside the main building where Baron Scalamonger keeps livestock, and where he’s sure to place the oxen and wagons when they come. The caravan is scheduled to arrive tomorrow night. Once it’s dark we climb over the brick wall around the manor and barn, steal the wagons cargo and all, drive them here and load the armor onto the barge, leaving the wagons and draft animals behind. With any luck no one will notice our intrusion until morning, giving us hours to escape.”
Jayden finished fixing the map and handed it to Lootmore. “Your plan depends on our enemy being too complacent and inebriated to effectively guard their property. If nothing else, though, it means we don’t have to enter the manor where most of the guard will be stationed.”
Lootmore studied the new and improved map. “This is why I like contracting local help. Thank you, Jayden. There may have been changes made since your visit. We have time until Commander Vestril arrives, so I intend to scout out the area and ask questions from lowly underpaid residents who’d appreciate free drinks and heavier wallets.”
“Who’s there?” a woman called out from the shoreline.
“Jayden, keep back,” Lootmore said.
“I’ve got this,” Dana said. She ran over to the barge railing, smiled and waved. The woman on shore was middle aged and carrying a load of firewood. “Hi! We’re heading through the province and had to stop for the night. Sorry if we surprised you.”
“Oh, no worries,” the woman replied. She squinted as Lootmore and his crew got between her and Jayden. Jayden grumbled as they provided cover. The woman turned her attention back to Dana and said, “I was hoping you had goods to sell, but it doesn’t look like you’ve got much cargo.”
“Temporary situation,” Dana said cheerfully.
“Say, are you looking for work?” the woman asked. “Because I know fifty people who could use a hand. You could earn money to buy cargo.”
Dana’s brow furrowed. “We’re not going to be here that long.”
“You’re sure?” the woman pressed.
“Quite sure, but it was lovely to meet you,” Lootmore replied.
The woman shrugged and left. “If you change your mind, throw a stone and you’ll hit a person who can pay for help.”
Dana looked at Jayden and asked, “Is it just me, or was that weird?”
“It was a first for me,” Lootmore told her.
“People have tried to hire me before, but never as a day laborer,” Jayden added. “Lootmore, how secret does your mission have to be?”
Lootmore frowned. “As much so as possible. Why?”
Jayden pointed upriver, where an older man gave them a curious look before ambling closer. Lootmore frowned at the sight and said, “I did not anticipate this.”
“Perhaps you could introduce him to Jump Scare,” Jayden suggested. “A few grievous injuries should deter further visitors.”
The cat seemed to like the idea and jumped up onto the railing. Lootmore grabbed it before it could attack. “Don’t give him ideas.”
“Say there, young fellas,” the old timer called out. “Any of you picked grapes before, because I could really use a hand.”
It took half and hour to convince the man that they weren’t looking for a job, and another twenty minutes to explain that to the next person to walk by. Lootmore never got the chance to scout the area and looked frustrated to the point of madness, while Jayden simply rested and Dana scratched her head at their warm reception. Strangers coming to her hometown were treated with wary politeness, since they could be thieves as easily as merchants, colonists or laborers. They could earn her people’s trust, but it took time. She couldn’t see why Baron Scalamonger’s people were so quick to accept them.
It was late at night when the last farmer gave up on hiring them. They were settling in when Lootmore grabbed Jayden by the shoulder and shook him.
“Get ready, all of you. The caravan is early.”
Dana had nearly fallen asleep and needed a moment to get her bearings. “Wasn’t it supposed to come tomorrow?”
Lootmore pointed to lights on the horizon, where four wagons pulled by oxen slowly made their way toward the manor. Spearmen followed the wagons, and two knights on horseback followed them. The caravan moved glacially slow, finally stopping outside the manor’s outer walls. A cry went out and a gate opened to admit them.
“Hurry,” Lootmore said. He and his men opened secret compartments on the barge and took out swords, daggers, pry bars, rope and black clothes. They put on the black garments and coated their weapons in coal dust to hide any glimmer of reflected light, then followed by smearing coal dust around their eyes.
Worried, Dana whispered, “Jayden, what kind of knight dresses like that?”
“Lootmore is a knight by birth and thief by training,” he replied equally softly. “His kingdom sends him when they need work does discretely. It isn’t glorious and won’t win the love of his peers, but Lootmore has saved many lives and ended terrible threats.”
“You’re being more diplomatic than normal,” Lootmore said as he picked up his cat and set it on his shoulders. “Five generations ago my ancestor stole a crown from an enemy king and presented it to the King of Zentrix, who was so pleased he offered any reward my ancestor asked for. My ancestor asked to be made a knight.”
Lootmore was no longer the harmless looking man Dana had met. Now he was an ominous shadowy form, armed and terrifying to behold. The men he’d brought were almost as terrifying (they didn’t have Jump Scare). When Lootmore spoke, it was with the anger of a long-suffering man.
“My ancestor dared to rise above his station, an offense worthy of severe punishment, but he had his king’s promise. His king granted the request and at the same time showed his anger for such presumption. My family was made knights with the surname Lootmore. Loot more, Ms. Illwind. Knights shouldn’t desire loot, and my family was cursed with a name that ensured no one would ever forget how we essentially bought our knighthood with a stolen crown. I have lived with that shame for my entire life, as has five generations of my family.”
Lootmore waved his hand at the distant manor abuzz with activity. “For five generations we have been knights assigned the tasks of thieves, providing plausible deniability if caught. My superiors despise me, so they can blame me for any misdeed I commit for our country. ‘Lootmore? Doesn’t surprise me he committed a crime. The whole family is bad to the core.’ They send me out again and again to save a kingdom that despises me.”
Dana stared at him in horror. “Why do you do this if your own people hate you?”
“Because I love my country. Because there are a few men who love my family, and that number grows with each generation of Lootmores. And because I know that many kings have conquerors at the base of their family trees and criminals of the worst sort scattered among their branches. One day my family will be respected, if takes another five generations.”
Dana might be moved to tears, but Jayden wasn’t. “If I’m not mistaken, I’m here for plausible deniability as much as for my magic. Your being caught here could start the war you fear. But if Sorcerer Lord Jayden was involved, a man who hated the king and queen, the blame could be put on my shoulders if we’re seen.”
“True,” Lootmore admitted. “Be fair, Jayden, when have you ever shied away from taking credit for your actions?”
“I’ve avoided the spotlight once or twice when the situation called for it,” Jayden replied. “This isn’t one of those times.”
Lootmore looked at the manor where men brought in the caravan. “We should set out. Everyone inside will be exhausted and drunk by the time we arrive.”
They headed out on foot, a slow trip because they had to climb over fences heavy with grapevines. Fortunately no one was present to hear the noise they made. By the time they reached the manor, the men from the caravan had gone inside while the oxen, horses and wagons were in a barn. Lanterns lit up the ground between the manor and outer wall, and they heard constant loud noise from inside.
“There are no guards stationed outdoors,” Jayden said.
“Baron Scalamonger is far from hostile borders and monster infested woods, and his wine barrels are too large to easily steal,” Lootmore replied, and scaled the wall with his men.
Dana was reasonably good at climbing, but this looked beyond her. There wasn’t much space between the bricks in the wall and no vines growing on it for her to grab onto. Her hesitation gave her the time to see posters glued to the wall by the gate. There was enough light to read them thanks to the lanterns in the manor.
Several were handwritten posters on cheap paper advertising employment. She couldn’t figure out why so many landowners and businesses were short of workers. One poster was larger and made of better quality paper, and judging by its faded colors it was also the oldest.
Good citizens, come to the defense of the crown! The King and Queen call upon any man of good health to consider military service to protect the kingdom. Uniforms and weapons will be provided, with three meals a day. Recruits with criminal records will have them erased after one year’s service. Spearmen get 10 silver pieces per month! Archers get 20 silver pieces! Officers get 50 silver pieces!
Jayden walk up alongside Dana, and she heard him growl, “Protect the kingdom?”
“That’s rich,” Dana replied. “They’re the ones going on the warpath.”
Lootmore reached the top of the wall without difficulty and lowered a rope for Jayden and Dana. They climbed up and dropped down to the ground next to the barn. Lootmore and his men were already working on a lock sealing the barn door. Jayden began to cast a spell, but Lootmore waved for him to stop. In thirty seconds the lock was open and they went inside.
“Jayden, light,” Lootmore said.
Jayden cast a spell forming a small glowing globe to illuminate the barn. They saw the knights’ horses, four wagons and sixteen oxen. The animals gorged on fresh hay and drank deeply from water troughs. Lootmore climbed onto the nearest wagon and froze.
“The armor isn’t here,” Lootmore said. His men checked the other wagons and shook their heads. “I saw Commander Vestril load it with my own eyes. Where is it?”
“You described Commander Vestril as being careful to the point of paranoia,” Jayden said. “Baron Scalamonger must feel safe to not post guards, but it seems the commander is taking no chances and brought his cargo inside the manor for safekeeping.”
Lootmore climbed down from the wagon. “That must be it. Our task is more complicated and riskier, but not impossible. You said the manor has a basement. That would be the place to store so much armor. We’ll break in, get the armor and load it onto the wagons.”
“Without being seen?” Dana asked. “There are dozens more people inside the manor besides the baron’s usual staff and guards. How are we going to get eighty suits of armor out without them noticing?”
Lootmore petted his murderous cat perched on his shoulder. “I know a few ways.”
Jayden dispelled his magic light and they left the barn for the manor. There were ten windows, a main entrance in the front and a servant’s entrance at the back. All were locked, but that was little problem for Lootmore. The knight/thief picked the lock on a window and peered in. He waved for Jayden to come closer.
“It looks like a servant’s room,” Lootmore said. “Your additions to my map showed the entrance to the basement across the hall from this room. We’ll go across and take out the armor a suit at a time.”
Lootmore picked up his cat, whispered into its ear and set it on the floor. The cat went to the door and waited for him to open it, then walked casually down the hall. Dana, Jayden, Lootmore and his men then looked out the door.
There was constant noise as the baron’s staff and guests ate and spoke. They saw serving girls walk by carrying plates of food. Once they were gone, Lootmore snuck across the hall to the door leading to the basement. He opened it briefly before returning to the others.
“I spotted the armor. It’s loaded in crates and two men are guarding it. They’re watching the stairs and will see anyone who tries to go down. We need to deal with them before they raise an alarm.”
Dana watched more serving girls walking by. They wore regular clothes rather than uniforms or maid outfits. Dana had also gotten a good look at the map when Jayden had been correcting it.
“I can handle that,” she told the others. Before Jayden could stop her, she left the room and headed down the hall.
The kitchen wasn’t far from the servant’s quarters. Dana peered in from the doorway and saw an older lady preparing one plateful of food after another. Two serving girls took them as fast as the old woman set them on a table.
“Get moving, girls, and watch those soldiers,” the old woman warned. “Men like that have roaming hands.”
The girls giggled and left with the meals. Dana had to slip into a closet to avoid them, and when she came out she found the old woman had already filled the table with more plates loaded with food. Dana grabbed two plates when the woman wasn’t looking and hurried off to the winery. The winery had horizontal wine racks containing hundreds of bottles of wine, many of them covered in dust. Dana took the dustiest one, cleaned it off on her dress and took it with her.
She came back to the entrance to the basement. Smiling, she opened the door and walked downstairs. The basement was larger than her house in her hometown, and it included multiple rooms with barred doors. The rooms must not have been enough, for crates were stacked up on the floor. Two spearmen stood next to the crates.
“That’s close enough, girl,” one of them said. “Staff isn’t allowed in the basement until after we leave.”
“I’m bringing your dinners,” Dana said. She set the plates of food down on the nearest stack of crates and put the bottle next to them. “You must be hungry.”
“Roast pork!” the second man exclaimed. He set down his spear and snatched up his meal. “I haven’t had meat in weeks.”
The first man set his spear aside to eat. “That’s very generous.”
“Baron Scalamonger appreciates the sacrifices you make on behalf of our kingdom,” Dana said. She curtsied and turned to leave.
“Uh, miss,” the first man began. “You left the bottle and didn’t pour us cups. For that matter you forgot our cups.”
Dana smiled at him before she went back upstairs. “Two grown men can’t finish one bottle of wine?”
Both men cheered up at the news, and the second shouted, “We get the whole bottle? This keeps getting better!”
Dana left and slipped back into the room where her friends were hiding. She looked at Jayden and said, “I gave them the oldest wine I could find. Give them time to drink it and we can get started.”
“That has got to be the most…” Lootmore began before turning to Jayden. “I see why you work with her.”
Jayden smirked. “She’s one of a kind.”
The next hour was spent is silence as they waited for their opportunity. Voices outside their room grew louder and more cheerful as men sang drunkenly. It looked like the baron was trying to buy good faith with good wine, and it was a rousing success.
Two serving girls walked by, and Dana heard one say, “I don’t know who served them, but the guards downstairs are fed and got their hands on a full bottle.”
“They’re not allowed to drink on duty,” another servant replied.
The first girl laughed. “Good luck getting it away from them.”
Jayden and Lootmore eventually left the room and checked the stairs to the basement. Moments later they waved for the others to follow them. They found both guards passed out on the floor and snoring loudly.
Lootmore pointed to two of his men. “You keep watch and you harness the oxen in the barn. The rest of you load armor onto the wagons. Stop work if you see or hear anything suspicious.”
Working quickly, they carried one crate after another out of the basement to the servant’s room, then through the window and to the barn. They had to stop work twice when servants walked by, but they were otherwise undisturbed as the soldiers partied and drank. It took an hour to remove the twenty crates they could see. Jayden opened one of the barred doors to find thirty more crates stacked up. Removing those took another hour.
“We have thirty more to go and it’s getting late,” Jayden said.
“There’s still time to finish the job,” Lootmore replied.
Lootmore’s men were about to unbar another door when they heard a cough through a different door. Everyone froze. Dana was closest and pulled the bar off as Jayden came up behind her and cast a spell to form his black sword. Dana opened the door only an inch and peaked in. Worried, she looked to Jayden.
“We have a problem,” she said, and opened the door to reveal fifteen girls. Dana guessed their ages between ten and thirteen. The girls wore dirty dresses, and they blinked at the sudden light. Many of them crept to the back of their makeshift cell, while others clutched at one another.
Jayden looked shocked as he stepped in among the children. He let his sword dissipate and knelt down to look the nearest girl in the eyes. “Who are you?”
The girl looked down and mumbled, “Misty Rokath, sir. I hope we didn’t upset you, sir. We tried to be quiet. Are you our owner?”
Dana came in alongside Jayden and put a hand on his shoulder. She didn’t know what was going on, but the expression on Jayden’s face looked ominous.
“Slavery is illegal here,” Jayden said softly. “What made you think I could own you?”
Misty looked confused. “We were bought, sir. The harvests were poor in Skitherin Kingdom. Our families couldn’t pay their taxes. My father, he said he was sorry, but this way I’d be fed, and my owner would be kind if I did what I’m told.”
Another girl dared to speak. “We won’t cause you any trouble, sir. We’re good with a loom, and we learn fast. You’ll get your five guilder’s worth.”
“Five guilders,” Jayden began. The girls gasped and backed away as Jayden’s face turned red in fury, he gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes. He turned to face Lootmore. “These girls were sold for the price of a pig.”
“I swear I didn’t know,” Lootmore said. His expression was hidden behind his mask, but he sounded horrified.
“We’re taking them with us,” Jayden ordered, “and to blazes with the armor.”
“We’ll take them and the armor, I promise,” Lootmore said.
It looked like they were going to argue when a voice at the top of the stairs called out, “Change of shifts! You two can drink your fill and leave us to…what the devil?”
Two spearmen froze at the doorway as the looked down at Jayden, Dana, Lootmore and three of his men. A spearman opened his mouth to shout a warning when Lootmore’s man on guard shut the door and tackled him. The second man was too surprised to more than gape at them when Jump Scare leapt at the man’s face.
“Get it off! Get it off!” The spearman flailed about before falling down the stairs. Jump Scare leapt off him to land in Lootmore’s waiting arms, then licked his paws clean.
Lootmore and his followers quickly overpowered the two guards and shoved them into an empty room in the basement. Jayden barred the door as Dana asked, “Did the soldiers hear us?”
Jayden stood as still as a statue as he listened. “I only hear merriment and drunken singing. We’re in the clear.”
Except they weren’t. A man in plate armor and a helmet stormed into the basement with four spearmen behind him. “The serving girls tell me you’re drinking on duty! When I—”
Jayden cast a spell and formed his black whip. He swung it high, lopping the blades off the men’s spears and leaving them temporarily defenseless. He ran up the stairs and shouted, “Get everyone out of here! I’ll hold them off!”
Lootmore drew a sword and ran after him. “Nothing’s going right tonight. Finish the job, men!”
The soldiers fell back and drew swords from their scabbards. The man in plate armor yelled, “We’re under attack! All soldiers to me!”
The situation turned into bedlam. Lootmore’s men tried to herd slave children out of the basement, except the girls were screaming in panic. Jayden pushed forward and drove the soldiers back with his whip. The sound of merriment elsewhere in the manor ended and was replaced by frightened shouts and the stomping of approaching men.
Dana followed Jayden and Lootmore into the hallway. They found the soldiers still falling back until they ran into more spearmen and four archers. The packed hallway made it hard for the soldiers to use their superior numbers effectively. An archer shouted, “Commander Vestril, I can’t get a clear shot!”
Commander Vestril, the man in plate armor, ordered, “Go around to the other hallway and catch them from behind!”
Jayden swung his whip at the lead soldier’s sword. The whip wrapped around it and hissed as it burned through the blade until half the weapon fell to the floor. Soldiers panicked at the sight, but not their commander.
“Back to the main hall!” Vestril ordered. His men did as instructed, and Jayden pressed them further.
“We have to hold them a while longer,” Lootmore said. He turned to see soldiers coming at them from behind. “Keep this group back and I’ll deal with the others.”
That was a tall order when the second group had archers, but Lootmore had Jump Scare. The black ball of fury raced across the floor and ran right up an archer’s body. The man had only a second to wonder what was happening when the cat reached his face. He screamed in terror and threw down his bow before grabbing at Jump Scare.
Dana stayed with Jayden as he pushed the enemy back. He got them as far as the main hall, a huge room filled with long tables, benches and a crowd of soldiers and guards. Serving girls kept behind the soldiers, as did a minstrel and two cooks. A staircase led to a second story balcony, where a drunken man so richly dressed he had to be Baron Scalamonger watched in befuddlement.
The baron swayed back and forth as he asked, “Exactly what is going on here?”
There was a momentary lull in the battle as both sides eyed one another. The soldiers and guards had a massive advantage in numbers. Jayden let his whip swing back and forth, daring any to approach him. He bared his teeth in a snarl before casting another spell to form a shield of spinning blades in front of him.
“I’ve heard of you,” Commander Vestril said. He pointed his sword at Jayden and said, “You’re the so-called sorcerer lord, a wanted man.”
Jayden pointed at the baron and yelled, “And you are a slaver, a buyer of human life! Slavery has been outlawed since the founding of the kingdom. What depths have you fallen to that you’d break this law?”
If the baron was confused before, now he was totally baffled. “W-what? The girls? Laws concerning slavery were changed five months ago. We’re allowed to buy foreigners. With so many men leaving for military duty there’s no choice but to have them or we couldn’t get any work done. H-half the nobles south of here own slaves. Don’t you keep up with current events?”
Dana gasped when she heard this. The people who’d tried to hire them and the help wanted posters made sense now. Wars require huge numbers of men to fight, and while the king and queen had hired many mercenaries, that wouldn’t be enough to invade a kingdom. Every man who signed up to become a soldier was one less worker in the fields or vineyards. Commoners had to beg for help from anyone who passed by.
But it wasn’t the same for nobles and rich landholders. With slavery accepted, men with enough money could buy the workers they needed, scooping up the poor and desperate from other kingdoms for pocket change. The young girls in the basement and who knows how many others were nothing more than property.
Commander Vestril stepped forward supported by dozens of men. “I give you one chance to surrender, a mercy you don’t deserve. Submit to royal authority and your life will be spared.”
Oh, that was the wrong thing to say. Jayden’s fury doubled, and he hissed, “I spit upon the mercy of those who buy and sell children. I scorn the authority of a king and queen so vile they debased their own people like this. I will see this house fall and all those within it flee for their lives!”
“So be it,” Commander Vestril replied. “I’ll send you to the devil.”
Boom!
The noise came from outside the manor, the sound of thick masonry shattering. Men and women gasped and backed away, crying out in confusion.
“Jayden, what’s going on?” Lootmore called out.
“Fiend, what have you done?” Vestril demanded. The wall behind the commander creaked and began to buckle. Wood beams six inches thick splintered as some great force pressed against them.
“It caught up with us again, didn’t it?” Dana asked softly.
Jayden watched cracks spread across the wall like a giant spider web. “It did.”
Dana forced a smile and announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, the Living Graveyard!”
The wall caved in, filling the main hall with dust, and the Living Graveyard lumbered into the room. The monster was made of grave dirt, broken headstones and shattered bones, stood twelve feet tall and was eight feet across at the shoulders. There was no head, only thick legs with tombstones on the soles of the feet, long arms that ended in oversized hands with splintered coffin wood for fingernails, and a bulbous body with a cluster of human skulls in the center. Two headstones rose up from the monster’s shoulders, both with messages gouged into them. The left one read No Rest, and the right one No Peace. Lastly was its scent, the overwhelming stench of rot.
This monster had fought Jayden and Dana twice, died, and somehow reassembled itself. Such losses didn’t deter it. It had followed them halfway across the kingdom for another battle that could mean dying at their hands again, and yet it still came.
For a moment the Living Graveyard stood still, the skulls turning to study the room with their empty eyes. Then it spotted Jayden and Dana. With its quarry in sight, the Living Graveyard marched toward them. This meant crossing the entire main hall packed with armed men. The soldiers didn’t know they weren’t the monster’s target, and as it advanced they panicked and attacked.
Arrows struck the Living Graveyard. Spearmen stabbed it and swordsmen slashed at its legs and arms. Such attacks did little to a body of dirt, stone and bone, but it did catch the monster’s attention. The Living Graveyard’s skulls opened their grinning maws and howled like a hundred tormented souls. Soldiers and servants alike screamed and fell back as the monster marched on.
“Form ranks!” Vestril ordered. He dragged fleeing spearmen into a rough line and pushed them toward the monster. Their spears were no more effective a second time. Arrows flew over the men’s heads and embedded themselves in the towering monstrosity. Its response was to casually swing one arm and swat the spearmen aside.
“Get the militia!” Baron Scalamonger shouted over the chaos. “Hurry!”
The crowded hall turned into a maelstrom of chaos. Servants ran for their lives, getting in the way of the soldiers. Some soldiers banded together and fought Jayden or the Living Graveyard, while others threw down their weapons and fled. The Living Graveyard knocked over tables and chairs, splattering the floor with food and wine, but fighting only those between it and Jayden.
Jayden strode through the hall like the personification of vengeance, remorseless and unstoppable as his whip and shield of blades cut through spears, swords and arrows with equal ease. He struck anyone foolish enough to get close to him, and Dana watched him head directly for Baron Scalamonger.
“We’re not after him!” she shouted to Jayden. He marched on.
Dana shook her head in dismay and ran after him. She tripped a spearman coming after Jayden and threw a bowl of hot gravy into the face of an archer. Both men were so slow to react that she wondered if Jayden had cast a spell on them, but she remembered the soldiers were exhausted from the march here and drunk from the celebration. She, Jayden and Lootmore were the only ones at the top of their game, a slender advantage that might save them.
Jayden and the Living Graveyard met near the middle of the hall. The monster swung its right fist at him, knocking men and furniture aside before the blow even came near its target. Jayden raised his shield of blades to intercept the attack. Fist met blades, and sprayed dirt and bone shards across the room. The shield broke under the pressure, but not before mincing through the Living Graveyard’s right arm up to the elbow. The loss didn’t bother it in the least, and it raised its left arm for a swing.
“Get out of the way!” Jayden swung his whip and wrapped it around the Living Graveyard’s chest, and the whip hissed as it burned deep wounds. The Living Graveyard grabbed the whip with its left hand and pulled hard, dragging Jayden across the floor toward it. The monster slapped him with the back of its hand, sending him sprawling on the floor. Jayden rolled out of the way before the Living Graveyard stepped on him. He got to his feet and replaced the whip with his black sword. He howled and ran past the monster, bounding up the stairs to the balcony where Baron Scalamonger trembled in fear.
“I had to do it,” the baron sobbed as Jayden grabbed him by the throat. “It was this or bankruptcy.”
“No one has to do evil!” Jayden yelled. There was the sound of wood splintering, and Jayden looked over his shoulder to see the Living Graveyard tearing apart the stairs. Jayden pointed his sword at the abomination. “The only difference between you and that horror is that its evil is plain to see. You hide yours behind riches and a noble title.”
“You don’t understand,” the baron said. “You don’t know what it’s like being in charge, the expectations, the demands.”
Jayden howled like a wounded animal and threw the baron off the balcony onto the Living Graveyard. The baron screamed and fell onto the monster’s chest. It had no interest in the baron, grabbed him and tossed him aside. Jayden jumped off the balcony and landed on the Living Graveyard’s back. His knees bent when he landed, and he drove his black sword into the monster. When it grabbed for him with its left arm, he hacked it off at the wrist. Anything else would have died from those wounds. The Living Graveyard simply ran forward into the nearest wall, smashing through it and throwing Jayden off.
Dana worked her way through the panicked crowd to help Jayden. She’d nearly reached him when Commander Vestril saw her. He drew his sword and charged, screaming, “You side with him, you can die with him!”
Dana ducked between confused soldiers, dodging the first few attacks. Vestril kept after her, slashing away. He raised his sword for another attack when a black clad fighter blocked the swing with his own sword. It was Lootmore, bruised and battered, but not out.
“Try fighting a man,” Lootmore said.
Dana saw a blur of black race across the room. “I’d worry more about the cat.”
Jump Scare leapt onto Vestril, but Vestril’s plate armor offered no easy avenue for attack. This didn’t bother the cat, and it satisfied itself by shoving both front paws into the eye slits of Vestril’s helmet. Vestril staggered back, blinded with his eye slits jammed, and Lootmore attacked again and again.
Soldiers regrouped now that Jayden and the living Graveyard were busy with one another. Dana saw an archer take aim at Lootmore. She drew her knife and ran up behind him, then slashed the string of his bow. She ran past the shocked archer, grabbed a full wine bottle off the floor and clubbed a spearman in the head with it. The bottle shattered and the spearman fell.
“Get Jayden!” Lootmore shouted. He struck Vestril again and again, but his sword didn’t even scratch the commander’s plate armor.
Dana struggled to see Jayden in the melee. She finally found him getting up off the floor and heading after Baron Scalamonger. The baron hid behind a few spearmen, but they scattered when they saw Jayden coming. Terrified, the baron staggered back and bumped into the Living Graveyard.
“Not again,” the baron pleaded. The Living Graveyard kicked the baron aside and lumbered after Jayden. More spearmen came to attack both of them. The Living Graveyard howled again, and the men fell back in terror.
Jayden yelled back at the nightmarish monstrosity and swung his sword, shattering half the skulls on its body. The Living Graveyard tried to club him with its left arm, but he ran in close and struck the monster’s right knee. It buckled and the monster fell to the floor. With the biggest threat dealt with, Jayden turned to face Baron Scalamonger again. The baron was hurt and limping away when he saw Jayden heading for him.
“No, wait, I can pay a ransom,” the baron said.
A loud bang caught both their attentions. Lootmore had given up trying to cut through Commander Vestril’s plate armor and instead clubbed him with a stout oak chair. The blow staggered the commander, and another sent him to his knees. Jump Scare leapt off Vestril and returned to its owner’s shoulder.
One of Lootmore’s men ran in and reported, “We’re ready to go.”
Lootmore tossed the chair aside. “The job’s finished, Jayden. Come on.”
Jayden kicked aside the last soldier still fighting back and marched up to the baron.
“We won, Jayden!” Lootmore shouted. When that got no response, he turned to Dana and spoke more softly. “You are to my knowledge the only person he likes. If you know words to reach him, use them now.”
Dana’s mind raced as Jayden advanced on the baron. She’d seen him angry before, but never like this. What had set him off? The girls! Their plight had driven him to this, and it might be enough to redirect him.
“Jayden, the girls are free, but Baron Scalamonger called for his militia. They’ll catch the girls and bring them back. They’ll only get away if you protect them.”
For a second it seemed like she’d failed, but slowly, ever so slowly, Jayden stopped. He was breathing hard when he jogged back to her and Lootmore. Exhausted and bruised, he looked like if he had his way he’d continue the fight. Jayden took up the rear as they left the manor through one of the holes the Living Graveyard had made.
Outside they found Lootmore’s men had loaded the wagons with crates and the girls, and they had tired oxen yoked to pull them. Jayden helped Dana and Lootmore onto the last wagon and was about the climb on when they heard a now familiar howl.
“You must be joking,” Lootmore said.
It was the Living Graveyard. It had lost its right arm up to the elbow, the left at the wrist, most of its skulls and so much of the right leg that it dragged the ruined limb when it walked, and still it hunted them. It pushing through the same hole they had fled through and limped after them.
Jayden cast a spell to form a huge hand five feet across from shadows. He reached out with his real hand and sent the huge hand hurdling into the Living Graveyard. He slammed the monster into the manor.
“Die!” he screamed. His phantom hand slammed the Living Graveyard into the manor again and again until that entire side of the manor peeled off and collapsed on the monster. “Die and stay dead!”
A slave girl tugged on Dana’s arm and asked, “Does the scary man own us?”
“No one owns you, now or ever,” she promised.
* * * * *
It was late the following morning when Lootmore stopped his barge to let Dana and Jayden off. They’d traveled through the night until they were sure no one was following them. The heavily laden barge couldn’t travel fast, but it managed to reach an unpopulated wilderness. Lootmore changed back into his regular clothes and used the brief respite to address the girls he’d help rescue.
“I lack the means or money to send you back to your families. It wouldn’t be safe to even if I could. People would think you’d run off and would return you to the baron. What I can do is offer you three choices. The first is I can adopt anyone who wishes into the Lootmore family. We are not rich or respected, but we look after our own. I can apprentice you to tradesmen I know and trust. Or if you prefer I can send you to a Brotherhood of the Righteous orphanage. You’ve no need to make a decision this important hastily, but know that whatever you choose, you will be cared for.”
“Now that’s how a knight is supposed to act,” Dana said. “I don’t care how his family got their title, they deserve it.”
Lootmore got off his barge and approached Jayden. Before he could speak, Dana pointed at Jump Scare perched on the bow of the barge like a figurehead. “Your cat tried to attack me twice. Won’t he go after the girls, too?”
Sounding far more sheepish, he said, “Jump Scare calms down after he’s had a few dozen victims. He’ll be quiet for the next week or so.”
Dana stared at the cat. “What is wrong with him?”
“I used to think it was a traumatic event in his youth or a poor upbringing. Now I’m convinced he’s just evil. Still, he can be used for good purposes.” Lootmore frowned and turned to Jayden. “The good news is we got all the armor and saved these children. I admit this didn’t go as well as it could have, and I take part of the blame for that.”
Jayden had been silent since leaving the manor. He didn’t look at Lootmore when he said, “Call upon me when you need help.”
Taken aback, Lootmore asked, “Really? After that?”
“I make the offer because of what happened. In my worst nightmares I never imagined my people could sink so low. I doubt I can prevent the coming war, but I can slow it down, weaken it, anything to keep the evil we saw from spreading.”
Lootmore saluted Jayden. “It has been a pleasure, sir. I need to get these unfortunates to safety and the armor to my superiors. I hope to find you well in the future.”
With that said, Lootmore returned to the barge and sailed off. Jayden stood where he was, saying and doing nothing.
When he didn’t move, Dana said, “You said you knew that manor because you’d been there before, but the baron didn’t recognize you. It must have been a long time ago, like when you were a kid. What kind of kid is invited to the manor of a baron and ends up as the world’s only sorcerer lord?”
Jayden didn’t react at first. He turned slowly to face her before speaking. “It happened so long ago he didn’t recognize the man I’ve become, and I didn’t recognize the monster he’d turned into. I’m sorry for last night.”
“You had a reason to be angry.”
“It’s more than that.” Jayden paused before speaking again. “Last night you saw me at my worst. I gave in to a hatred I’d thought I had control of, a rage so great I could have done terrible deeds. You helped me back from the brink of becoming the villain so many people think I am, and I am indebted to you. I…won’t think less of you if you wish to return home. God knows you have good reason to after what I almost did to the baron.”
“You mean besides destroying his house, humiliating him in front of his peers and followers, freeing his slaves and knocking him around?”
Jayden managed a weak smile. “Yes, besides that.”
“I’m not walking out on you.”
“Thank you. Your loyalty is touching.”
Dana took his hand and smiled. “Nobody could have seen what we did last night without reacting, and I’m with you for another reason. Five months ago the laws in the kingdom were changed so a man could buy foreigners, and girls no different than me were made slaves. Five months from now the laws could change again, and it could be me on the auction block, or my sisters. This has to stop, and you’re the best man to do it. Now come on, my sword should be ready by now.”
As they headed north along the river, Jayden began to regain his confidence. “It’s funny you should mention that. The swordsmith has no doubt produced a weapon worthy of you, but I know ways to infuse magic into weapons. It won’t be as impressive as my spells, but I think you’ll like it.”
Smiling, she asked, “Does that mean I get to chop monsters apart?”
“Let’s start small and work up to that.”
“Allow me to introduce our target,” Lootmore said. “I have an old floor plan of questionable accuracy for the building. Reports say the baron has a dozen guards and can call upon fifty militiamen. There are no tamed monsters or magic weapons. It seems the baron had a bad experience once using an Industrial Magic Corporation levitating wand and has since sworn off magic.”
“Which begs the question why you need my help,” Jayden said.
“If all goes well we’ll be in and out undetected. If there is a hiccup in the plan, we’re going to be badly outnumbered. Firepower can balance the scales.” Lootmore brought out a map and showed it to them. “The estate—”
“Has a basement floor not shown on your map,” Jayden interrupted. “It also leaves out a small treasury on the third floor and an armory on the first.”
“You’ve been here before?” Dana asked.
“A very long time ago,” he replied. Jayden found a quill and inkpot among Lootmore’s supplies and drew new details on the map. “You’re missing several walls, too.”
“Are the remaining details correct?” Lootmore asked. When Jayden nodded, Lootmore said, “There is a barn outside the main building where Baron Scalamonger keeps livestock, and where he’s sure to place the oxen and wagons when they come. The caravan is scheduled to arrive tomorrow night. Once it’s dark we climb over the brick wall around the manor and barn, steal the wagons cargo and all, drive them here and load the armor onto the barge, leaving the wagons and draft animals behind. With any luck no one will notice our intrusion until morning, giving us hours to escape.”
Jayden finished fixing the map and handed it to Lootmore. “Your plan depends on our enemy being too complacent and inebriated to effectively guard their property. If nothing else, though, it means we don’t have to enter the manor where most of the guard will be stationed.”
Lootmore studied the new and improved map. “This is why I like contracting local help. Thank you, Jayden. There may have been changes made since your visit. We have time until Commander Vestril arrives, so I intend to scout out the area and ask questions from lowly underpaid residents who’d appreciate free drinks and heavier wallets.”
“Who’s there?” a woman called out from the shoreline.
“Jayden, keep back,” Lootmore said.
“I’ve got this,” Dana said. She ran over to the barge railing, smiled and waved. The woman on shore was middle aged and carrying a load of firewood. “Hi! We’re heading through the province and had to stop for the night. Sorry if we surprised you.”
“Oh, no worries,” the woman replied. She squinted as Lootmore and his crew got between her and Jayden. Jayden grumbled as they provided cover. The woman turned her attention back to Dana and said, “I was hoping you had goods to sell, but it doesn’t look like you’ve got much cargo.”
“Temporary situation,” Dana said cheerfully.
“Say, are you looking for work?” the woman asked. “Because I know fifty people who could use a hand. You could earn money to buy cargo.”
Dana’s brow furrowed. “We’re not going to be here that long.”
“You’re sure?” the woman pressed.
“Quite sure, but it was lovely to meet you,” Lootmore replied.
The woman shrugged and left. “If you change your mind, throw a stone and you’ll hit a person who can pay for help.”
Dana looked at Jayden and asked, “Is it just me, or was that weird?”
“It was a first for me,” Lootmore told her.
“People have tried to hire me before, but never as a day laborer,” Jayden added. “Lootmore, how secret does your mission have to be?”
Lootmore frowned. “As much so as possible. Why?”
Jayden pointed upriver, where an older man gave them a curious look before ambling closer. Lootmore frowned at the sight and said, “I did not anticipate this.”
“Perhaps you could introduce him to Jump Scare,” Jayden suggested. “A few grievous injuries should deter further visitors.”
The cat seemed to like the idea and jumped up onto the railing. Lootmore grabbed it before it could attack. “Don’t give him ideas.”
“Say there, young fellas,” the old timer called out. “Any of you picked grapes before, because I could really use a hand.”
It took half and hour to convince the man that they weren’t looking for a job, and another twenty minutes to explain that to the next person to walk by. Lootmore never got the chance to scout the area and looked frustrated to the point of madness, while Jayden simply rested and Dana scratched her head at their warm reception. Strangers coming to her hometown were treated with wary politeness, since they could be thieves as easily as merchants, colonists or laborers. They could earn her people’s trust, but it took time. She couldn’t see why Baron Scalamonger’s people were so quick to accept them.
It was late at night when the last farmer gave up on hiring them. They were settling in when Lootmore grabbed Jayden by the shoulder and shook him.
“Get ready, all of you. The caravan is early.”
Dana had nearly fallen asleep and needed a moment to get her bearings. “Wasn’t it supposed to come tomorrow?”
Lootmore pointed to lights on the horizon, where four wagons pulled by oxen slowly made their way toward the manor. Spearmen followed the wagons, and two knights on horseback followed them. The caravan moved glacially slow, finally stopping outside the manor’s outer walls. A cry went out and a gate opened to admit them.
“Hurry,” Lootmore said. He and his men opened secret compartments on the barge and took out swords, daggers, pry bars, rope and black clothes. They put on the black garments and coated their weapons in coal dust to hide any glimmer of reflected light, then followed by smearing coal dust around their eyes.
Worried, Dana whispered, “Jayden, what kind of knight dresses like that?”
“Lootmore is a knight by birth and thief by training,” he replied equally softly. “His kingdom sends him when they need work does discretely. It isn’t glorious and won’t win the love of his peers, but Lootmore has saved many lives and ended terrible threats.”
“You’re being more diplomatic than normal,” Lootmore said as he picked up his cat and set it on his shoulders. “Five generations ago my ancestor stole a crown from an enemy king and presented it to the King of Zentrix, who was so pleased he offered any reward my ancestor asked for. My ancestor asked to be made a knight.”
Lootmore was no longer the harmless looking man Dana had met. Now he was an ominous shadowy form, armed and terrifying to behold. The men he’d brought were almost as terrifying (they didn’t have Jump Scare). When Lootmore spoke, it was with the anger of a long-suffering man.
“My ancestor dared to rise above his station, an offense worthy of severe punishment, but he had his king’s promise. His king granted the request and at the same time showed his anger for such presumption. My family was made knights with the surname Lootmore. Loot more, Ms. Illwind. Knights shouldn’t desire loot, and my family was cursed with a name that ensured no one would ever forget how we essentially bought our knighthood with a stolen crown. I have lived with that shame for my entire life, as has five generations of my family.”
Lootmore waved his hand at the distant manor abuzz with activity. “For five generations we have been knights assigned the tasks of thieves, providing plausible deniability if caught. My superiors despise me, so they can blame me for any misdeed I commit for our country. ‘Lootmore? Doesn’t surprise me he committed a crime. The whole family is bad to the core.’ They send me out again and again to save a kingdom that despises me.”
Dana stared at him in horror. “Why do you do this if your own people hate you?”
“Because I love my country. Because there are a few men who love my family, and that number grows with each generation of Lootmores. And because I know that many kings have conquerors at the base of their family trees and criminals of the worst sort scattered among their branches. One day my family will be respected, if takes another five generations.”
Dana might be moved to tears, but Jayden wasn’t. “If I’m not mistaken, I’m here for plausible deniability as much as for my magic. Your being caught here could start the war you fear. But if Sorcerer Lord Jayden was involved, a man who hated the king and queen, the blame could be put on my shoulders if we’re seen.”
“True,” Lootmore admitted. “Be fair, Jayden, when have you ever shied away from taking credit for your actions?”
“I’ve avoided the spotlight once or twice when the situation called for it,” Jayden replied. “This isn’t one of those times.”
Lootmore looked at the manor where men brought in the caravan. “We should set out. Everyone inside will be exhausted and drunk by the time we arrive.”
They headed out on foot, a slow trip because they had to climb over fences heavy with grapevines. Fortunately no one was present to hear the noise they made. By the time they reached the manor, the men from the caravan had gone inside while the oxen, horses and wagons were in a barn. Lanterns lit up the ground between the manor and outer wall, and they heard constant loud noise from inside.
“There are no guards stationed outdoors,” Jayden said.
“Baron Scalamonger is far from hostile borders and monster infested woods, and his wine barrels are too large to easily steal,” Lootmore replied, and scaled the wall with his men.
Dana was reasonably good at climbing, but this looked beyond her. There wasn’t much space between the bricks in the wall and no vines growing on it for her to grab onto. Her hesitation gave her the time to see posters glued to the wall by the gate. There was enough light to read them thanks to the lanterns in the manor.
Several were handwritten posters on cheap paper advertising employment. She couldn’t figure out why so many landowners and businesses were short of workers. One poster was larger and made of better quality paper, and judging by its faded colors it was also the oldest.
Good citizens, come to the defense of the crown! The King and Queen call upon any man of good health to consider military service to protect the kingdom. Uniforms and weapons will be provided, with three meals a day. Recruits with criminal records will have them erased after one year’s service. Spearmen get 10 silver pieces per month! Archers get 20 silver pieces! Officers get 50 silver pieces!
Jayden walk up alongside Dana, and she heard him growl, “Protect the kingdom?”
“That’s rich,” Dana replied. “They’re the ones going on the warpath.”
Lootmore reached the top of the wall without difficulty and lowered a rope for Jayden and Dana. They climbed up and dropped down to the ground next to the barn. Lootmore and his men were already working on a lock sealing the barn door. Jayden began to cast a spell, but Lootmore waved for him to stop. In thirty seconds the lock was open and they went inside.
“Jayden, light,” Lootmore said.
Jayden cast a spell forming a small glowing globe to illuminate the barn. They saw the knights’ horses, four wagons and sixteen oxen. The animals gorged on fresh hay and drank deeply from water troughs. Lootmore climbed onto the nearest wagon and froze.
“The armor isn’t here,” Lootmore said. His men checked the other wagons and shook their heads. “I saw Commander Vestril load it with my own eyes. Where is it?”
“You described Commander Vestril as being careful to the point of paranoia,” Jayden said. “Baron Scalamonger must feel safe to not post guards, but it seems the commander is taking no chances and brought his cargo inside the manor for safekeeping.”
Lootmore climbed down from the wagon. “That must be it. Our task is more complicated and riskier, but not impossible. You said the manor has a basement. That would be the place to store so much armor. We’ll break in, get the armor and load it onto the wagons.”
“Without being seen?” Dana asked. “There are dozens more people inside the manor besides the baron’s usual staff and guards. How are we going to get eighty suits of armor out without them noticing?”
Lootmore petted his murderous cat perched on his shoulder. “I know a few ways.”
Jayden dispelled his magic light and they left the barn for the manor. There were ten windows, a main entrance in the front and a servant’s entrance at the back. All were locked, but that was little problem for Lootmore. The knight/thief picked the lock on a window and peered in. He waved for Jayden to come closer.
“It looks like a servant’s room,” Lootmore said. “Your additions to my map showed the entrance to the basement across the hall from this room. We’ll go across and take out the armor a suit at a time.”
Lootmore picked up his cat, whispered into its ear and set it on the floor. The cat went to the door and waited for him to open it, then walked casually down the hall. Dana, Jayden, Lootmore and his men then looked out the door.
There was constant noise as the baron’s staff and guests ate and spoke. They saw serving girls walk by carrying plates of food. Once they were gone, Lootmore snuck across the hall to the door leading to the basement. He opened it briefly before returning to the others.
“I spotted the armor. It’s loaded in crates and two men are guarding it. They’re watching the stairs and will see anyone who tries to go down. We need to deal with them before they raise an alarm.”
Dana watched more serving girls walking by. They wore regular clothes rather than uniforms or maid outfits. Dana had also gotten a good look at the map when Jayden had been correcting it.
“I can handle that,” she told the others. Before Jayden could stop her, she left the room and headed down the hall.
The kitchen wasn’t far from the servant’s quarters. Dana peered in from the doorway and saw an older lady preparing one plateful of food after another. Two serving girls took them as fast as the old woman set them on a table.
“Get moving, girls, and watch those soldiers,” the old woman warned. “Men like that have roaming hands.”
The girls giggled and left with the meals. Dana had to slip into a closet to avoid them, and when she came out she found the old woman had already filled the table with more plates loaded with food. Dana grabbed two plates when the woman wasn’t looking and hurried off to the winery. The winery had horizontal wine racks containing hundreds of bottles of wine, many of them covered in dust. Dana took the dustiest one, cleaned it off on her dress and took it with her.
She came back to the entrance to the basement. Smiling, she opened the door and walked downstairs. The basement was larger than her house in her hometown, and it included multiple rooms with barred doors. The rooms must not have been enough, for crates were stacked up on the floor. Two spearmen stood next to the crates.
“That’s close enough, girl,” one of them said. “Staff isn’t allowed in the basement until after we leave.”
“I’m bringing your dinners,” Dana said. She set the plates of food down on the nearest stack of crates and put the bottle next to them. “You must be hungry.”
“Roast pork!” the second man exclaimed. He set down his spear and snatched up his meal. “I haven’t had meat in weeks.”
The first man set his spear aside to eat. “That’s very generous.”
“Baron Scalamonger appreciates the sacrifices you make on behalf of our kingdom,” Dana said. She curtsied and turned to leave.
“Uh, miss,” the first man began. “You left the bottle and didn’t pour us cups. For that matter you forgot our cups.”
Dana smiled at him before she went back upstairs. “Two grown men can’t finish one bottle of wine?”
Both men cheered up at the news, and the second shouted, “We get the whole bottle? This keeps getting better!”
Dana left and slipped back into the room where her friends were hiding. She looked at Jayden and said, “I gave them the oldest wine I could find. Give them time to drink it and we can get started.”
“That has got to be the most…” Lootmore began before turning to Jayden. “I see why you work with her.”
Jayden smirked. “She’s one of a kind.”
The next hour was spent is silence as they waited for their opportunity. Voices outside their room grew louder and more cheerful as men sang drunkenly. It looked like the baron was trying to buy good faith with good wine, and it was a rousing success.
Two serving girls walked by, and Dana heard one say, “I don’t know who served them, but the guards downstairs are fed and got their hands on a full bottle.”
“They’re not allowed to drink on duty,” another servant replied.
The first girl laughed. “Good luck getting it away from them.”
Jayden and Lootmore eventually left the room and checked the stairs to the basement. Moments later they waved for the others to follow them. They found both guards passed out on the floor and snoring loudly.
Lootmore pointed to two of his men. “You keep watch and you harness the oxen in the barn. The rest of you load armor onto the wagons. Stop work if you see or hear anything suspicious.”
Working quickly, they carried one crate after another out of the basement to the servant’s room, then through the window and to the barn. They had to stop work twice when servants walked by, but they were otherwise undisturbed as the soldiers partied and drank. It took an hour to remove the twenty crates they could see. Jayden opened one of the barred doors to find thirty more crates stacked up. Removing those took another hour.
“We have thirty more to go and it’s getting late,” Jayden said.
“There’s still time to finish the job,” Lootmore replied.
Lootmore’s men were about to unbar another door when they heard a cough through a different door. Everyone froze. Dana was closest and pulled the bar off as Jayden came up behind her and cast a spell to form his black sword. Dana opened the door only an inch and peaked in. Worried, she looked to Jayden.
“We have a problem,” she said, and opened the door to reveal fifteen girls. Dana guessed their ages between ten and thirteen. The girls wore dirty dresses, and they blinked at the sudden light. Many of them crept to the back of their makeshift cell, while others clutched at one another.
Jayden looked shocked as he stepped in among the children. He let his sword dissipate and knelt down to look the nearest girl in the eyes. “Who are you?”
The girl looked down and mumbled, “Misty Rokath, sir. I hope we didn’t upset you, sir. We tried to be quiet. Are you our owner?”
Dana came in alongside Jayden and put a hand on his shoulder. She didn’t know what was going on, but the expression on Jayden’s face looked ominous.
“Slavery is illegal here,” Jayden said softly. “What made you think I could own you?”
Misty looked confused. “We were bought, sir. The harvests were poor in Skitherin Kingdom. Our families couldn’t pay their taxes. My father, he said he was sorry, but this way I’d be fed, and my owner would be kind if I did what I’m told.”
Another girl dared to speak. “We won’t cause you any trouble, sir. We’re good with a loom, and we learn fast. You’ll get your five guilder’s worth.”
“Five guilders,” Jayden began. The girls gasped and backed away as Jayden’s face turned red in fury, he gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes. He turned to face Lootmore. “These girls were sold for the price of a pig.”
“I swear I didn’t know,” Lootmore said. His expression was hidden behind his mask, but he sounded horrified.
“We’re taking them with us,” Jayden ordered, “and to blazes with the armor.”
“We’ll take them and the armor, I promise,” Lootmore said.
It looked like they were going to argue when a voice at the top of the stairs called out, “Change of shifts! You two can drink your fill and leave us to…what the devil?”
Two spearmen froze at the doorway as the looked down at Jayden, Dana, Lootmore and three of his men. A spearman opened his mouth to shout a warning when Lootmore’s man on guard shut the door and tackled him. The second man was too surprised to more than gape at them when Jump Scare leapt at the man’s face.
“Get it off! Get it off!” The spearman flailed about before falling down the stairs. Jump Scare leapt off him to land in Lootmore’s waiting arms, then licked his paws clean.
Lootmore and his followers quickly overpowered the two guards and shoved them into an empty room in the basement. Jayden barred the door as Dana asked, “Did the soldiers hear us?”
Jayden stood as still as a statue as he listened. “I only hear merriment and drunken singing. We’re in the clear.”
Except they weren’t. A man in plate armor and a helmet stormed into the basement with four spearmen behind him. “The serving girls tell me you’re drinking on duty! When I—”
Jayden cast a spell and formed his black whip. He swung it high, lopping the blades off the men’s spears and leaving them temporarily defenseless. He ran up the stairs and shouted, “Get everyone out of here! I’ll hold them off!”
Lootmore drew a sword and ran after him. “Nothing’s going right tonight. Finish the job, men!”
The soldiers fell back and drew swords from their scabbards. The man in plate armor yelled, “We’re under attack! All soldiers to me!”
The situation turned into bedlam. Lootmore’s men tried to herd slave children out of the basement, except the girls were screaming in panic. Jayden pushed forward and drove the soldiers back with his whip. The sound of merriment elsewhere in the manor ended and was replaced by frightened shouts and the stomping of approaching men.
Dana followed Jayden and Lootmore into the hallway. They found the soldiers still falling back until they ran into more spearmen and four archers. The packed hallway made it hard for the soldiers to use their superior numbers effectively. An archer shouted, “Commander Vestril, I can’t get a clear shot!”
Commander Vestril, the man in plate armor, ordered, “Go around to the other hallway and catch them from behind!”
Jayden swung his whip at the lead soldier’s sword. The whip wrapped around it and hissed as it burned through the blade until half the weapon fell to the floor. Soldiers panicked at the sight, but not their commander.
“Back to the main hall!” Vestril ordered. His men did as instructed, and Jayden pressed them further.
“We have to hold them a while longer,” Lootmore said. He turned to see soldiers coming at them from behind. “Keep this group back and I’ll deal with the others.”
That was a tall order when the second group had archers, but Lootmore had Jump Scare. The black ball of fury raced across the floor and ran right up an archer’s body. The man had only a second to wonder what was happening when the cat reached his face. He screamed in terror and threw down his bow before grabbing at Jump Scare.
Dana stayed with Jayden as he pushed the enemy back. He got them as far as the main hall, a huge room filled with long tables, benches and a crowd of soldiers and guards. Serving girls kept behind the soldiers, as did a minstrel and two cooks. A staircase led to a second story balcony, where a drunken man so richly dressed he had to be Baron Scalamonger watched in befuddlement.
The baron swayed back and forth as he asked, “Exactly what is going on here?”
There was a momentary lull in the battle as both sides eyed one another. The soldiers and guards had a massive advantage in numbers. Jayden let his whip swing back and forth, daring any to approach him. He bared his teeth in a snarl before casting another spell to form a shield of spinning blades in front of him.
“I’ve heard of you,” Commander Vestril said. He pointed his sword at Jayden and said, “You’re the so-called sorcerer lord, a wanted man.”
Jayden pointed at the baron and yelled, “And you are a slaver, a buyer of human life! Slavery has been outlawed since the founding of the kingdom. What depths have you fallen to that you’d break this law?”
If the baron was confused before, now he was totally baffled. “W-what? The girls? Laws concerning slavery were changed five months ago. We’re allowed to buy foreigners. With so many men leaving for military duty there’s no choice but to have them or we couldn’t get any work done. H-half the nobles south of here own slaves. Don’t you keep up with current events?”
Dana gasped when she heard this. The people who’d tried to hire them and the help wanted posters made sense now. Wars require huge numbers of men to fight, and while the king and queen had hired many mercenaries, that wouldn’t be enough to invade a kingdom. Every man who signed up to become a soldier was one less worker in the fields or vineyards. Commoners had to beg for help from anyone who passed by.
But it wasn’t the same for nobles and rich landholders. With slavery accepted, men with enough money could buy the workers they needed, scooping up the poor and desperate from other kingdoms for pocket change. The young girls in the basement and who knows how many others were nothing more than property.
Commander Vestril stepped forward supported by dozens of men. “I give you one chance to surrender, a mercy you don’t deserve. Submit to royal authority and your life will be spared.”
Oh, that was the wrong thing to say. Jayden’s fury doubled, and he hissed, “I spit upon the mercy of those who buy and sell children. I scorn the authority of a king and queen so vile they debased their own people like this. I will see this house fall and all those within it flee for their lives!”
“So be it,” Commander Vestril replied. “I’ll send you to the devil.”
Boom!
The noise came from outside the manor, the sound of thick masonry shattering. Men and women gasped and backed away, crying out in confusion.
“Jayden, what’s going on?” Lootmore called out.
“Fiend, what have you done?” Vestril demanded. The wall behind the commander creaked and began to buckle. Wood beams six inches thick splintered as some great force pressed against them.
“It caught up with us again, didn’t it?” Dana asked softly.
Jayden watched cracks spread across the wall like a giant spider web. “It did.”
Dana forced a smile and announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, the Living Graveyard!”
The wall caved in, filling the main hall with dust, and the Living Graveyard lumbered into the room. The monster was made of grave dirt, broken headstones and shattered bones, stood twelve feet tall and was eight feet across at the shoulders. There was no head, only thick legs with tombstones on the soles of the feet, long arms that ended in oversized hands with splintered coffin wood for fingernails, and a bulbous body with a cluster of human skulls in the center. Two headstones rose up from the monster’s shoulders, both with messages gouged into them. The left one read No Rest, and the right one No Peace. Lastly was its scent, the overwhelming stench of rot.
This monster had fought Jayden and Dana twice, died, and somehow reassembled itself. Such losses didn’t deter it. It had followed them halfway across the kingdom for another battle that could mean dying at their hands again, and yet it still came.
For a moment the Living Graveyard stood still, the skulls turning to study the room with their empty eyes. Then it spotted Jayden and Dana. With its quarry in sight, the Living Graveyard marched toward them. This meant crossing the entire main hall packed with armed men. The soldiers didn’t know they weren’t the monster’s target, and as it advanced they panicked and attacked.
Arrows struck the Living Graveyard. Spearmen stabbed it and swordsmen slashed at its legs and arms. Such attacks did little to a body of dirt, stone and bone, but it did catch the monster’s attention. The Living Graveyard’s skulls opened their grinning maws and howled like a hundred tormented souls. Soldiers and servants alike screamed and fell back as the monster marched on.
“Form ranks!” Vestril ordered. He dragged fleeing spearmen into a rough line and pushed them toward the monster. Their spears were no more effective a second time. Arrows flew over the men’s heads and embedded themselves in the towering monstrosity. Its response was to casually swing one arm and swat the spearmen aside.
“Get the militia!” Baron Scalamonger shouted over the chaos. “Hurry!”
The crowded hall turned into a maelstrom of chaos. Servants ran for their lives, getting in the way of the soldiers. Some soldiers banded together and fought Jayden or the Living Graveyard, while others threw down their weapons and fled. The Living Graveyard knocked over tables and chairs, splattering the floor with food and wine, but fighting only those between it and Jayden.
Jayden strode through the hall like the personification of vengeance, remorseless and unstoppable as his whip and shield of blades cut through spears, swords and arrows with equal ease. He struck anyone foolish enough to get close to him, and Dana watched him head directly for Baron Scalamonger.
“We’re not after him!” she shouted to Jayden. He marched on.
Dana shook her head in dismay and ran after him. She tripped a spearman coming after Jayden and threw a bowl of hot gravy into the face of an archer. Both men were so slow to react that she wondered if Jayden had cast a spell on them, but she remembered the soldiers were exhausted from the march here and drunk from the celebration. She, Jayden and Lootmore were the only ones at the top of their game, a slender advantage that might save them.
Jayden and the Living Graveyard met near the middle of the hall. The monster swung its right fist at him, knocking men and furniture aside before the blow even came near its target. Jayden raised his shield of blades to intercept the attack. Fist met blades, and sprayed dirt and bone shards across the room. The shield broke under the pressure, but not before mincing through the Living Graveyard’s right arm up to the elbow. The loss didn’t bother it in the least, and it raised its left arm for a swing.
“Get out of the way!” Jayden swung his whip and wrapped it around the Living Graveyard’s chest, and the whip hissed as it burned deep wounds. The Living Graveyard grabbed the whip with its left hand and pulled hard, dragging Jayden across the floor toward it. The monster slapped him with the back of its hand, sending him sprawling on the floor. Jayden rolled out of the way before the Living Graveyard stepped on him. He got to his feet and replaced the whip with his black sword. He howled and ran past the monster, bounding up the stairs to the balcony where Baron Scalamonger trembled in fear.
“I had to do it,” the baron sobbed as Jayden grabbed him by the throat. “It was this or bankruptcy.”
“No one has to do evil!” Jayden yelled. There was the sound of wood splintering, and Jayden looked over his shoulder to see the Living Graveyard tearing apart the stairs. Jayden pointed his sword at the abomination. “The only difference between you and that horror is that its evil is plain to see. You hide yours behind riches and a noble title.”
“You don’t understand,” the baron said. “You don’t know what it’s like being in charge, the expectations, the demands.”
Jayden howled like a wounded animal and threw the baron off the balcony onto the Living Graveyard. The baron screamed and fell onto the monster’s chest. It had no interest in the baron, grabbed him and tossed him aside. Jayden jumped off the balcony and landed on the Living Graveyard’s back. His knees bent when he landed, and he drove his black sword into the monster. When it grabbed for him with its left arm, he hacked it off at the wrist. Anything else would have died from those wounds. The Living Graveyard simply ran forward into the nearest wall, smashing through it and throwing Jayden off.
Dana worked her way through the panicked crowd to help Jayden. She’d nearly reached him when Commander Vestril saw her. He drew his sword and charged, screaming, “You side with him, you can die with him!”
Dana ducked between confused soldiers, dodging the first few attacks. Vestril kept after her, slashing away. He raised his sword for another attack when a black clad fighter blocked the swing with his own sword. It was Lootmore, bruised and battered, but not out.
“Try fighting a man,” Lootmore said.
Dana saw a blur of black race across the room. “I’d worry more about the cat.”
Jump Scare leapt onto Vestril, but Vestril’s plate armor offered no easy avenue for attack. This didn’t bother the cat, and it satisfied itself by shoving both front paws into the eye slits of Vestril’s helmet. Vestril staggered back, blinded with his eye slits jammed, and Lootmore attacked again and again.
Soldiers regrouped now that Jayden and the living Graveyard were busy with one another. Dana saw an archer take aim at Lootmore. She drew her knife and ran up behind him, then slashed the string of his bow. She ran past the shocked archer, grabbed a full wine bottle off the floor and clubbed a spearman in the head with it. The bottle shattered and the spearman fell.
“Get Jayden!” Lootmore shouted. He struck Vestril again and again, but his sword didn’t even scratch the commander’s plate armor.
Dana struggled to see Jayden in the melee. She finally found him getting up off the floor and heading after Baron Scalamonger. The baron hid behind a few spearmen, but they scattered when they saw Jayden coming. Terrified, the baron staggered back and bumped into the Living Graveyard.
“Not again,” the baron pleaded. The Living Graveyard kicked the baron aside and lumbered after Jayden. More spearmen came to attack both of them. The Living Graveyard howled again, and the men fell back in terror.
Jayden yelled back at the nightmarish monstrosity and swung his sword, shattering half the skulls on its body. The Living Graveyard tried to club him with its left arm, but he ran in close and struck the monster’s right knee. It buckled and the monster fell to the floor. With the biggest threat dealt with, Jayden turned to face Baron Scalamonger again. The baron was hurt and limping away when he saw Jayden heading for him.
“No, wait, I can pay a ransom,” the baron said.
A loud bang caught both their attentions. Lootmore had given up trying to cut through Commander Vestril’s plate armor and instead clubbed him with a stout oak chair. The blow staggered the commander, and another sent him to his knees. Jump Scare leapt off Vestril and returned to its owner’s shoulder.
One of Lootmore’s men ran in and reported, “We’re ready to go.”
Lootmore tossed the chair aside. “The job’s finished, Jayden. Come on.”
Jayden kicked aside the last soldier still fighting back and marched up to the baron.
“We won, Jayden!” Lootmore shouted. When that got no response, he turned to Dana and spoke more softly. “You are to my knowledge the only person he likes. If you know words to reach him, use them now.”
Dana’s mind raced as Jayden advanced on the baron. She’d seen him angry before, but never like this. What had set him off? The girls! Their plight had driven him to this, and it might be enough to redirect him.
“Jayden, the girls are free, but Baron Scalamonger called for his militia. They’ll catch the girls and bring them back. They’ll only get away if you protect them.”
For a second it seemed like she’d failed, but slowly, ever so slowly, Jayden stopped. He was breathing hard when he jogged back to her and Lootmore. Exhausted and bruised, he looked like if he had his way he’d continue the fight. Jayden took up the rear as they left the manor through one of the holes the Living Graveyard had made.
Outside they found Lootmore’s men had loaded the wagons with crates and the girls, and they had tired oxen yoked to pull them. Jayden helped Dana and Lootmore onto the last wagon and was about the climb on when they heard a now familiar howl.
“You must be joking,” Lootmore said.
It was the Living Graveyard. It had lost its right arm up to the elbow, the left at the wrist, most of its skulls and so much of the right leg that it dragged the ruined limb when it walked, and still it hunted them. It pushing through the same hole they had fled through and limped after them.
Jayden cast a spell to form a huge hand five feet across from shadows. He reached out with his real hand and sent the huge hand hurdling into the Living Graveyard. He slammed the monster into the manor.
“Die!” he screamed. His phantom hand slammed the Living Graveyard into the manor again and again until that entire side of the manor peeled off and collapsed on the monster. “Die and stay dead!”
A slave girl tugged on Dana’s arm and asked, “Does the scary man own us?”
“No one owns you, now or ever,” she promised.
* * * * *
It was late the following morning when Lootmore stopped his barge to let Dana and Jayden off. They’d traveled through the night until they were sure no one was following them. The heavily laden barge couldn’t travel fast, but it managed to reach an unpopulated wilderness. Lootmore changed back into his regular clothes and used the brief respite to address the girls he’d help rescue.
“I lack the means or money to send you back to your families. It wouldn’t be safe to even if I could. People would think you’d run off and would return you to the baron. What I can do is offer you three choices. The first is I can adopt anyone who wishes into the Lootmore family. We are not rich or respected, but we look after our own. I can apprentice you to tradesmen I know and trust. Or if you prefer I can send you to a Brotherhood of the Righteous orphanage. You’ve no need to make a decision this important hastily, but know that whatever you choose, you will be cared for.”
“Now that’s how a knight is supposed to act,” Dana said. “I don’t care how his family got their title, they deserve it.”
Lootmore got off his barge and approached Jayden. Before he could speak, Dana pointed at Jump Scare perched on the bow of the barge like a figurehead. “Your cat tried to attack me twice. Won’t he go after the girls, too?”
Sounding far more sheepish, he said, “Jump Scare calms down after he’s had a few dozen victims. He’ll be quiet for the next week or so.”
Dana stared at the cat. “What is wrong with him?”
“I used to think it was a traumatic event in his youth or a poor upbringing. Now I’m convinced he’s just evil. Still, he can be used for good purposes.” Lootmore frowned and turned to Jayden. “The good news is we got all the armor and saved these children. I admit this didn’t go as well as it could have, and I take part of the blame for that.”
Jayden had been silent since leaving the manor. He didn’t look at Lootmore when he said, “Call upon me when you need help.”
Taken aback, Lootmore asked, “Really? After that?”
“I make the offer because of what happened. In my worst nightmares I never imagined my people could sink so low. I doubt I can prevent the coming war, but I can slow it down, weaken it, anything to keep the evil we saw from spreading.”
Lootmore saluted Jayden. “It has been a pleasure, sir. I need to get these unfortunates to safety and the armor to my superiors. I hope to find you well in the future.”
With that said, Lootmore returned to the barge and sailed off. Jayden stood where he was, saying and doing nothing.
When he didn’t move, Dana said, “You said you knew that manor because you’d been there before, but the baron didn’t recognize you. It must have been a long time ago, like when you were a kid. What kind of kid is invited to the manor of a baron and ends up as the world’s only sorcerer lord?”
Jayden didn’t react at first. He turned slowly to face her before speaking. “It happened so long ago he didn’t recognize the man I’ve become, and I didn’t recognize the monster he’d turned into. I’m sorry for last night.”
“You had a reason to be angry.”
“It’s more than that.” Jayden paused before speaking again. “Last night you saw me at my worst. I gave in to a hatred I’d thought I had control of, a rage so great I could have done terrible deeds. You helped me back from the brink of becoming the villain so many people think I am, and I am indebted to you. I…won’t think less of you if you wish to return home. God knows you have good reason to after what I almost did to the baron.”
“You mean besides destroying his house, humiliating him in front of his peers and followers, freeing his slaves and knocking him around?”
Jayden managed a weak smile. “Yes, besides that.”
“I’m not walking out on you.”
“Thank you. Your loyalty is touching.”
Dana took his hand and smiled. “Nobody could have seen what we did last night without reacting, and I’m with you for another reason. Five months ago the laws in the kingdom were changed so a man could buy foreigners, and girls no different than me were made slaves. Five months from now the laws could change again, and it could be me on the auction block, or my sisters. This has to stop, and you’re the best man to do it. Now come on, my sword should be ready by now.”
As they headed north along the river, Jayden began to regain his confidence. “It’s funny you should mention that. The swordsmith has no doubt produced a weapon worthy of you, but I know ways to infuse magic into weapons. It won’t be as impressive as my spells, but I think you’ll like it.”
Smiling, she asked, “Does that mean I get to chop monsters apart?”
“Let’s start small and work up to that.”
A Friend in Need part 1
“Dear mom and dad,” Dana wrote as a man staggered by her and fell to the floor. He’d nearly gotten back up when an angry dwarf trampled him to get an elf on the other side of the bar. “I hope you are well. I’m doing fine.”
“Keep your brawl away from the bar!” the tavern keeper yelled. “I swear I will end the tab of anyone breaking my glasses!”
“I know I have been away from home for a long time, but I found a problem so big I had to do something,” she continued. That was a diplomatic way for saying she’d met the world’s only living sorcerer lord and was trying to keep him alive. It was a full-time job. “I will come home as soon as I can, but for now I have to keep trying to fix this mess help out. I have come into some money and am sending it back with this letter.”
Two more men barreled past her table and slammed into a third man, knocking him into a wall made of tree trunks stripped of bark. The floor was packed dirt covered in sawdust, while windows and fire worms kept in glass jars provided light. The air smelled of beer, unidentified grilled meat and sweat.
Such rough surroundings were common to the market town of Despre, a dingy little community in the mountainous north of the kingdom. Buildings were crude and dirty, the people rough and hardy, and the land equal parts rich and desolate. The barely tamed north had both endless resources of timber, fish, furs and copper, while being so newly settled that there were few people willing to face monsters, storms and bandits.
“Who are you writing to?” Jayden asked from across the table. They’d taken a corner booth in the tavern and were out of the way of the brawl engulfing the tavern. Jayden’s reputation kept back men fighting nearby, and he ate a light dinner in peace. Dana had finished her meal before she started writing.
“My family. It’s been so long since they’ve seen me they must be worried.” Dana kept writing, saying, “Please give my love to Emily and Rachael, and tell Lan to stay out of my stuff while I’m gone. I’m sure he’s already eaten all my chocolates, but if you’re not careful the little pest might put my old clothes on a pig.”
“He can’t be that bad,” Jayden told her.
Dana covered the letter with her left hand. “No peaking! This is a private message, thank you very much.”
A young troll only six feet tall staggered by their table, with three men grappling the scaly brute. The troll tossed one man aside before grabbing the other two and swinging them into one another. “Feel free to jump in any time, wizard.”
The tavern keeper frantically waved his hands. “The wizard stays out of this!”
“I don’t have a horse in this race,” Jayden told the troll. “I can’t say I understand the issue, either.”
The troll pointed at a nearby dwarf. “We started that mine and it’s ours. If the dwarfs want one they can get their own instead of muscling in on our turf.”
“We did get our own!” the dwarf yelled before he was hit in the head with a chair.
“Yeah, by digging a shaft a hundred feet from ours,” the troll replied. “It’s the same ore vein, stumpy.”
Dana pressed three silver coins onto her letter and folded it over them before stuffing it into a crude envelope. Dana was a girl of only fifteen, soon to be sixteen. She had brown hair that was getting long and brown eyes. Her clothes were a mix of the thick dress and fur hat she’d had when she first met Jayden with new boots, bags, knife and a belt with an empty scabbard she’d gotten during her travels with him. Her father was the mayor of a frontier town a bit bigger than Despre and much more orderly.
The simple life she’d known ended when she’d called upon Sorcerer Lord Jayden, who sat across the table from her now. Jayden was in his thirties, handsome to behold in a roguish sort of way with his sardonic smirk, perpetually messy blond hair and black and silver clothes. Jayden carried some baggage but no weapons, as his magic was enough to keep smart enemies at a distance and deal with anyone stupid enough to challenge him.
Jayden was smart, strong, bold, charming when he felt like it, and had a near pathological hatred for the king and queen. Dana didn’t know the root cause for his rage, but in her travels with Jayden she’d seen ample evidence that such enmity was well earned. The royal couple had tried to seize the Valivaxis, a gateway to a world of dead emperors and living monsters. They’d hired an amoral elf wizard, banished the Brotherhood of the Righteous from the kingdom, killed an honest sheriff and replaced him with a cowardly fraud. Worse, they were planning a war against a neighboring kingdom, heaven only knew which one, which could kill tens of thousands.
Few men loved the king and queen, but Jayden’s hatred was so great he would do almost anything if it meant harming them or preventing their war. Dana tried her best to redirect him to helping the common man, but her efforts were temporary at best. Jayden wanted the king and queen gone. He wasn’t strong enough to end their reign yet, but he’d grown in strength in the few months they’d traveled together. It was only a matter of time until he was that powerful, provided he didn’t die first.
Dana’s train of thought was interrupted when a dwarf complained, “That scaly lummox isn’t being fair. There’s enough copper ore for decades of mining.”
The troll threw a table at the dwarf, missing by inches. “And it’s ours! Find your own claim!”
“How much longer do we have to stay here?” Dana asked as the dwarf threw a chair at the troll.
Jayden said, “Only until the dwarf I hired finishes making the chimera horn you brought from Pearl Bay into a proper weapon. He was almost giddy at the prospect of fashioning it into a short sword, and eager for the coins I paid him. I’ve seen his work and it’s splendid. He’s also one of the few swordsmiths not on the royal payroll, and can keep his mouth shut about jobs he does.”
The troll knocked a dwarf into a table before swatting aside a man. More men, trolls and dwarfs joined in until the brawl spilled over into the street outside the tavern. Struggling to be heard over the noise, Dana asked, “Is it always like this?”
Jayden smirked. “The local baron issued the license for this town to act as a marketplace for small communities around it. He doesn’t care what happens here so long as he gets a monthly fee. Half the trade here is smuggled goods. You’d be shocked how much the baron is involved in smuggling, and a sad testimony to our kingdom that even a nobleman has to do so.”
“And how does he feel about you visiting?”
“We have an understanding. I don’t cause trouble in his backyard and he lets me do business here the same as everyone else.”
A glass flew over Dana’s head to shatter against a wall. The tavern keeper pointed at a man and yelled, “I saw you throw that, Biff! Do you have any idea how much those cost? That’s it, say goodbye to your tab!”
More softly, Jayden added, “There is another reason why we came to Despre. The king and queen are preparing for war, with the kingdoms of Kaleoth, Brandish and Zentrix the obvious targets. Three weeks travel from here is the only bridge over the Race Horse River to Kaleoth. Destroying that bridge leaves only a few shallow sections of the Turtle River to ford, areas easily bottled up by defenders.”
“Destroying the bridge would shuts down trade to Kaleoth,” Dana said.
“I assume trade would end when the war starts,” Jayden pointed out.
“You’re also assuming the army is going to invade Kaleoth. If it goes after Brandish or Zentrix then destroying the bridge doesn’t do any good.”
“True,” he admitted as men, dwarfs and trolls intensified their fight. “Sparing one kingdom the possibility of invasion is worth the risk. The king and queen won’t be ready to launch an invasion for many months, giving us time to close down one avenue of attack.”
Dana frowned as people fought around her. Rough as the fight was, it was thankfully bloodless as no one drew swords or daggers. She was willing to accept that meager blessing.
Jayden saw her expression and said, “I should have made arrangements for us to stay outside town. There are times I forget your peaceful upbringing.”
“This is normal for you?”
“It didn’t used to be, but circumstances have forced me to adapt. Try not to hold this against them. At heart these people aren’t evil, even if they are crude.”
Dana did her best to ignore the fight as most of the brawlers moved outside. The tavern keeper grumbled as he set the tables and chairs upright. Thankfully the building and furnishings hadn’t suffered noticeable damage. She was surprised when a young man in wool clothes entered the tavern and took a seat not far from her and Jayden.
Smiling, the youth said, “Quite a fight going on, eh?”
“I’ve been in worse,” Jayden told him.
The youth’s smile faded as he said, “I guess nothing could be as bad as the underground lake.”
Jayden’s eyes narrowed, and he shifted in his chair to face the youth. “There are three people alive who know the relevance of that statement, and you aren’t one of them. Explain yourself while you can still breathe.”
“A friend of yours sent me,” the youth replied.
“I have one friend in this world, and she is sitting across from me.” Jayden stood up and spoke strange, arcane words to form a black sword rimmed in white in his right hand. The youth yelped and jumped up from his chair as Jayden advanced on him. “I’m giving you a second chance to avoid a closed casket funeral. Explain yourself.”
The youth held up his hands as he backed up against a wall. “Hey, wait a minute!”
The tavern keeper rolled his eyes. “You kill him, you clean up the mess.”
“I can explain,” the youth said hastily as Jayden drew near. “The guy with the cat hired me to get you. He said you’d understand the reference.”
Jayden paused. “What cat?”
“Big, black, evil, that cat. He keeps it with him all the time, and heaven help the man who gets closer than ten paces, because that ball of fur and hate goes right for your face.”
The answer must have been sufficient, for Jayden lowered his sword. “I will listen to you. If this is a trap, I assure you the cat is the least of your worries.”
The youth rolled up the sleeve on his right arm to show six inches of his forearm covered in fresh bandages. “The cat is bad enough. The guy showed up outside town on a river barge three days ago with five men and that furry psychopath. He hired me to find you and bring you to him. He said you two have worked together, and he needs help.”
“Doing what?” Jayden asked.
“He didn’t say.” The youth looked down and added, “I was given five copper pieces to deliver this message and promised another five if you come back with me. I need the money, and this guy made it sound like you’d get some kind of a reward.”
“This merits further examination,” Jayden replied. “I’ll go with you, but if there is any sign of betrayal you can count this as your last day. Dana, given the risk involved it’s best if you not come with me.”
“Leaving me here is safer?” she asked. As if on cue, there was a bang on the wall behind her, followed by a groan of pain from outside.
Jayden frowned. “That is a valid point.”
The youth hesitantly raised a hand. “I know I’m already not your favorite person, but Despre has ten men for every woman. I don’t think anyone here is stupid enough to attack the lady, but she’s going to get a lot of attention if you’re not around.”
“Too late,” Dana said as she held up three letters. “I’ve already got admirers.”
“When did you get those?” Jayden asked.
“One was handed to me when I was served lunch, another got slipped into my pocket, and I have no idea where the third came from.” Dana got up from her chair and joined Jayden. “If the guy knows things about you that no one should then it’s probably not a trap by the king and queen. Besides, who else would want to hurt you?”
Jayden chuckled. “That list goes on for quite some time.”
“So,” the youth began, “we can go meet the man with the cat, I can get paid, and you can hopefully put the nasty black sword away?”
“The black nasty sword stays in my hand until we meet your employer,” Jayden told him.
Jayden, Dana and the youth left the tavern to find the streets of Despre a battlefield. Men, dwarfs, elves, trolls and even gnomes brawled across the town in a fight that seemed to have no sides or end in sight. Dana and Jayden worked their way around the edge of the melee and to the edge of town. Most people stayed clear of them, and the few who got too close saw Jayden’s sword and gave him a wide berth.
“Where are we going?” Dana asked.
“There’s a river an hour’s walk from Despre,” the youth explained as they walked by exhausted fighters. “The river barge is moored there.”
“I’m told the wilderness is dangerous, yet you’re going with us unarmed,” Jayden pointed out.
The youth shrugged. “We have fewer problems since an ogre clan moved into town. They’re great lumberjacks, pretty good builders, and they ate the nearest monsters. You have to go pretty far to find trouble.”
The ogres in question were nearby building a barn. The furry brutes stood eight feet tall and favored kilts. One ogre was setting up a sign that read, “Clan Arm Breaker Traveling Contractors: You’ll fall before the house does.”
“I can see where they’d deter most problems,” Jayden remarked. The ogres saw him walk by and nodded, a show of respect ogres rarely gave.
The land outside Despre was hilly with fields in the places flat enough to farm. Here and there rocks jutted up from the ground, and tree stumps were common. Farther out were dense forests of pine trees. Despre’s lumberjacks had already taken a heavy toll, but despite their damage the forests seemed to stretch on forever.
“Not much farther,” the youth promised. “The river is just ahead.”
Sure enough, there was a distant roar of swift water crashing into stone. They soon came to a wide river with rocks on both shores. Not far upstream was a river barge tied to the far shore. Flat-bottomed boats like that were a common sight transporting good across the kingdom. They also saw men standing on the barge and fishing off the side. One of them smiled and waved as Jayden drew near.
“Ah, I knew you’d come. Jayden, it’s been too long.”
Jayden’s response was more subdued. “I must admit your presence surprises me, and I find it a touch disturbing that you found me.”
The man walked down a gangplank to shore and hurried over. He didn’t look like much, average height, a few too many pounds on his stomach, brown hair and eyes, and a thick mustache. His clothes were well-tailored leather, common enough. There was a twinkle in his eyes and a ready smile on his face.
“Allow me to introduce myself to the lady. I am Sir Reginald Lootmore of the Kingdom of Zentrix. You weren’t exactly hard to find, Jayden. Tales of your deeds flow as fast as this river. Wherever Sorcerer Lord Jayden goes chaos is sure to follow. It may surprise you to learn that you are credited with dozens of acts of violence committed a hundred miles from here, some of them on the same day.”
“Then why haven’t the king and queen found us?” Dana asked.
Lootmore smiled. “They have men looking for you, but few try very hard after what happened to the elf wizard Green Peril. Word is he found you and fled the kingdom the same day. The king and his loving wife will find someone more up to the task eventually, but for now your pursuers aren’t interested in finding their quarry. It helps that dear Jayden has the good sense to avoid more prosperous and populated parts of the kingdom where defenders are stronger and more numerous.”
Lootmore stopped in front of them and smiled at Dana. “This must be the young lady I’ve heard you travel with these days. I was wondering when you’d take an apprentice.”
“Dana Illwind,” she replied and curtsied. “I’m Jayden’s friend, not apprentice.”
“She’s trying to keep me from getting killed,” Jayden added.
Lootmore smiled. “Ah, a woman who likes challenges.”
Dana blushed when Lootmore kissed her hand. Jayden rolled his eyes and pointed at the men on the barge. “And who might they be?”
“Men who have long served the Lootmore family,” he explained. “You may trust them as you do me.”
Dana wasn’t sure how to address Lootmore. He called himself a knight, but he had no weapons or armor, nor the arrogance she’d seen in the few knights she’d met years ago. Instead he looked like the sort of man who any second might offer to sell her insurance. Strangely, Jayden lacked Lootmore’s enthusiasm about their meeting. She dearly wished she knew what had happened between them.
“Why did you hire that boy to get us instead of coming in person,” she asked.
“A fair question, young lady,” Lootmore conceded. “While there is currently no conflict between our kingdoms, my presence risks drawing unwanted attention and potentially causing a war. For that reason I have been careful who knows I’m here. In locating you he lived up to my every expectation.”
Jayden frowned. “Yes, you’ve found me, now kindly tell me what this is about.”
“Soon enough,” Lootmore said. He dug through his pockets and came up with copper coins for the youth who’d led them to the river. “Five copper pieces as promised. Be a good boy and never mention this to anyone.”
The youth pointed at Jayden and a black cat following Lootmore. “And get either of them mad at me? Thank you, no.”
Dana smiled as the cat came closer. It was a healthy animal, big with yellow eyes and a shiny, thick coat. “Ooh, she’s adorable. What’s her name?”
“His name, actually, and it’s Jump Scare,” Lootmore answered. “Best keep your distance before—”
There was no hiss or growl before Jump Scare leapt at Dana’s face. She didn’t have time to cry out or back away. Jayden snatched the cat out of the air and threw it into the woods, where it landed on its feet and scampered back to Lootmore.
“He does that,” Lootmore said. “My apologies.”
Jayden folded his arms across his chest. “Why do you insist on bringing that animal with you?”
“I left him home once when I went on a mission,” Lootmore replied. “Injuries were extensive. But that is neither here nor there. I am on an important mission and need help carrying it out. Of the three people I fought along side at the underground lake, only you were close enough to call upon. My task is risky, but the rewards equal the danger.”
“This is the first time I’ve heard of you having a partner,” Dana said.
“You never told her about me?” Lootmore asked. He clapped a hand over his heart and looked away in mock shame. “The horror, to learn I’ve been edited out of your life’s story. What sin have I committed to be considered so low?”
“Being overly dramatic, and owning a cat that by all rights should be tormenting condemned souls in the netherworld,” Jayden said. “May I remind you how our one and only job together went?”
“We were all nearly killed, but I believe if you review your no doubt excellent memory, you’ll recall it wasn’t my fault,” Lootmore answered. “And you came away from that caper richer and with a stone tablet containing a spell of the old sorcerer lords.”
Jayden didn’t look convinced, so Lootmore waved for them to join him at his barge. “I have the details for the job over there. I think you’ll find it worth your while.”
Jayden frowned before following Lootmore to the barge. “I’m going to regret this.”
Dana followed them onto the barge. It was as nondescript as its owner, a simple vessel, fairly old and beaten up with little cargo. The men onboard were young and wore wool clothes. There were no weapons in sight, no armor, no money. If Lootmore was a knight, he hid it well.
“On to business,” Lootmore said eagerly. He unrolled a map of the kingdom and pointed to the northern regions. “We are here, far enough away from proper civilization that the authorities don’t know of our presence. Downriver is an estate owned by Baron Scalamonger, a man known for his vineyards and his loyalty to the throne. In three days he is expecting Commander Vestril of the royal army to bring a caravan of soldiers, two knights, and this is the important part, supplies.”
“What sort of supplies?” Jayden asked suspiciously.
Lootmore smiled. “The best kind. Spies in my homeland have noticed your beloved king and queen amassing weapons, hiring mercenaries, training soldiers and so on. The forces and materials they need to wage war are currently scattered across the kingdom. Last month the order went out to bring them together. It’s war, Jayden, and soon, a war the Kingdom of Zentrix might not survive.”
Jayden stared at the map. “I thought I had more time.”
“We both did.” Lootmore drew a line across the map with his finger. “Those forces are converging on the capital. From there they will train, take on more arms and prepare for a war Zentrix officials think will come in early spring. Most of these caravans are too large or far away to attack, but this one is temporarily vulnerable.”
“Temporarily vulnerable why?” Jayden asked.
“Commander Vestril is going from town to town picking up manpower and supplies. In two weeks he’ll have enough men that the caravan will be too strong to take. Until then there is a window of opportunity to attack it. The commander knows this and is being very careful, stopping at night in every town or manor he passes, going around areas known for bandits or monsters, and he’s avoiding any place you’ve been seen.”
Jayden perked up at the news. “Really?”
“I thought you’d like that. In three days Commander Vestril will visit the estate of Baron Scalamonger. The baron traditionally pays his taxes in the form of wine, and he’s known to be a very good host to visiting officials.”
“He gets them drunk,” Dana said.
“Roaring drunk,” Lootmore told her. “If I’m right, Scalamonger’s contribution to the war effort will be wine. Vestril will stop his caravan for the night, load up a copious amount of alcohol and enjoy the baron’s hospitality, leaving him and his soldiers too drunk to be a threat. This leaves us an opening.”
“How can stealing wine prevent a war?” Dana asked.
“I’m not interested in the wine.” Lootmore pointed to a town on the west of the map. “Commander Vestril stopped here a week ago and picked up eighty suits of chain armor from another baron. I’ve been sent to steal it. Less armor for the enemy and more for my people won’t prevent the war, but it tips it ever so slightly in our favor.”
Lootmore rolled up the map and put it away. “Jayden, you’ve been trying to hurt the king and queen for years. Taking this armor does that. But if you’re undecided, I can sweeten the deal.”
Lootmore reached down to open a secret compartment hidden in the barge’s floorboards. He took out a black granite tablet with writing in white marble. Jayden’s eyes lit up at the sight of it.
“I’ve been nearly as busy as you since our last encounter,” Lootmore said. “In one mission for my kingdom I came across what looked very much like the spell tablet you found in our too brief partnership. The writing is shorter than the one you found two years ago and seemed so excited by. I was rather hoping it’s a spell you don’t already have—”
“I don’t,” Jayden said.
“And might want,” Lootmore continued.
“I do.”
Lootmore held onto the tablet. “I also know you are addicted to destruction. I don’t see the appeal, but I haven’t lived the life you have. Hopefully I won’t offend you when I say you might be tempted to destroy the armor or dump it in a lake rather than let me take it. So I propose a deal. I give you the tablet here and now. In exchange you help me complete this mission, including stealing the armor.”
Jayden’s eyes were locked on the spell tablet. He made no move to take it. “I promise to do whatever is possible to help you, but I can’t guarantee results. If it comes down to letting Commander Vestril keep the armor, I’ll have no choice but to destroy it.”
Lootmore handed him the spell tablet. “I can’t ask for more. Let’s be on our way. The trip will use up most of the time we have left, and I’ve seen worrying signs in this part of the kingdom.”
Concerned, Dana asked, “What kind of signs?”
Lootmore addressed his men before he answered her. “Break down our camp and throw evidence of our visit into the river. Were I a fearful man I would call them ill omens. I saw what looked like footprints, each one two feet long and half as wide, with a stride four feet long. Stranger still, there were no toes or heel on the prints.”
Dana covered her face with her hand. “Not again.”
“Excuse me?” Lootmore asked.
“How many times do we have to kill it?” Dana asked.
Jayden held up his empty hands. “Twice didn’t do the job.”
Lootmore gave them a long-suffering look. “Doubtless there’s a story here. Feel free to share it.”
“It’s the Living Graveyard,” Jayden explained. “We found it guarding a castle on the coast and killed it to retrieve a rich treasure. The Living Graveyard doesn’t die easily, or permanently. We killed it a second time outside Fish Bait City. It reassembled itself, again, and followed us here. It seems we have two good reasons to leave quickly. Dana and I can come back later to get her new sword, which should be finished by then, but for now we should be on our way before that monstrosity finds us.”
“Then let’s begin our adventure, and may it have better results than our last one,” Lootmore said.
“It could hardly have worse,” Jayden muttered.
* * * * *
Dana, Jayden and Lootmore spent the rest of the day sailing downstream. They left the wilderness behind and entered more settled lands. There were farm fields and ranches, and occasionally small towns. Their passage drew no attention, for there were other boats engaged in fishing or trade on the river.
Lootmore stopped his barge in a small tributary where few people lived and made camp among trees growing along the river. Lootmore and his men settled down on the riverbank while Jayden stayed on the barge.
“You’re not going on shore?” Dana asked him.
“Too many people live here who are loyal to the throne or live in fear of it. Lootmore is unknown in these parts and won’t attract attention, so he can sleep where he pleases, but I have to be more careful. You may sleep on shore if you like.”
Dana settled down next to him on the barge. “I think I’ll stay with you. One of Lootmore’s men already asked if I was seeing anyone, so I’ve got my own reason to keep my distance. So, what’s the story with you and our new friend?”
Jayden kept his eyes on the shore while he answered. “Two years ago I was desperate for funds and magic. I’d heard of a cave so large there was a lake in it, and what sounded like ruins of the old sorcerer lords as well. It sounded promising, so I went there and began exploring. I wasn’t alone.”
“There were monsters in the cave?”
“Were I only so lucky. News of the cave had reached more ears than just my own. The king and queen had sent an expedition to loot the cave of valuables. There were too many men for me to fight alone, when to my surprise I met Reginald Lootmore. He’d been sent by his queen to take whatever riches were within the cave. Lootmore had already secured the aid of the famous archer Ian McShootersun. Less wisely, he’d also partnered with the alchemist Suzy Lockheart.”
Dana gave him a mischievous smile. “Were you two romantic?”
“What? That giggling lunatic nearly killed us all.” Jayden waved his hand like he was shooing away a fly. “Lootmore made a deal with me to share rewards equally and I’d get any spell tablets, a fair trade for my services. We snuck past the expedition, explored the ruins and nearly escaped when they caught up with us. It was a close fight that nearly ended in disaster when Suzy Lockheart decided a large cave with an unstable roof was the perfect place to set off explosives.”
Jayden shuddered. “It was pure luck that we weren’t crushed by falling rocks. The expedition wasn’t so fortunate. I left with a small pile of treasure and one spell tablet, and we parted company shortly thereafter. Lootmore had to report back to his queen, McShootersun had heard of better opportunities far to the north, and quite frankly I didn’t care enough to ask where Suzy Lockheart was heading. I’d assumed that was the last I’d see of them.”
“Wouldn’t it have made sense to keep working together?” Dana asked. Jayden gave her a dark look, and she hastily added, “Not Lockheart, obviously, but what about the other two? You could do so much more with help.”
“It wouldn’t have worked.” Jayden turned his attention back to the shoreline before he spoke again. “Lootmore’s loyalties are to his homeland. That’s no discredit, but he has to be careful what he does as a knight of Zentrix. His actions could start an international incident if he’s caught, meaning there are places he can’t go and deeds he can’t do. As for the other two, McShootersun is a braggart with no cause to live for except the next payday, and Heaven only knows what madness run through Suzy Lockheart’s diseased mind.”
“She came onto you, didn’t she?”
“It didn’t happen like that,” he said firmly.
“You accept help from me,” she pressed.
“That’s different.”
“How?”
Jayden looked at her and said, “I’m trying to overthrow the king and queen because of the harm they’ve done. I’ve taken great risks for little reward or none at all because I truly believed I’m making the kingdom a better place. Lootmore, McShootersun and Lockheart have no interest in that because this isn’t their homeland. They don’t love it, fear for it, dream of it, and they won’t sacrifice for it. This is your homeland. You love it, you fear for its future, you want what’s best for it, and you’ve already proven you’ll sacrifice for its wellbeing. When, not if, the worst comes to pass, I wouldn’t be able to count on them, but I can count on you.”
Dana blushed. “Thank you.”
“Now be a dear and duck. Lootmore’s cat is back.”
Dana dropped to her knees as Jump Scare made another attempt on her life. Jayden caught the hissing ball of rage as it went for her face, but this time he threw it in the water. The cat yowled and splashed to shore before heading into the camp.
“Sorry,” Lootmore called out.
“Get the cat under control or you are going to lose it!” Jayden yelled back.
“Keep your brawl away from the bar!” the tavern keeper yelled. “I swear I will end the tab of anyone breaking my glasses!”
“I know I have been away from home for a long time, but I found a problem so big I had to do something,” she continued. That was a diplomatic way for saying she’d met the world’s only living sorcerer lord and was trying to keep him alive. It was a full-time job. “I will come home as soon as I can, but for now I have to keep trying to fix this mess help out. I have come into some money and am sending it back with this letter.”
Two more men barreled past her table and slammed into a third man, knocking him into a wall made of tree trunks stripped of bark. The floor was packed dirt covered in sawdust, while windows and fire worms kept in glass jars provided light. The air smelled of beer, unidentified grilled meat and sweat.
Such rough surroundings were common to the market town of Despre, a dingy little community in the mountainous north of the kingdom. Buildings were crude and dirty, the people rough and hardy, and the land equal parts rich and desolate. The barely tamed north had both endless resources of timber, fish, furs and copper, while being so newly settled that there were few people willing to face monsters, storms and bandits.
“Who are you writing to?” Jayden asked from across the table. They’d taken a corner booth in the tavern and were out of the way of the brawl engulfing the tavern. Jayden’s reputation kept back men fighting nearby, and he ate a light dinner in peace. Dana had finished her meal before she started writing.
“My family. It’s been so long since they’ve seen me they must be worried.” Dana kept writing, saying, “Please give my love to Emily and Rachael, and tell Lan to stay out of my stuff while I’m gone. I’m sure he’s already eaten all my chocolates, but if you’re not careful the little pest might put my old clothes on a pig.”
“He can’t be that bad,” Jayden told her.
Dana covered the letter with her left hand. “No peaking! This is a private message, thank you very much.”
A young troll only six feet tall staggered by their table, with three men grappling the scaly brute. The troll tossed one man aside before grabbing the other two and swinging them into one another. “Feel free to jump in any time, wizard.”
The tavern keeper frantically waved his hands. “The wizard stays out of this!”
“I don’t have a horse in this race,” Jayden told the troll. “I can’t say I understand the issue, either.”
The troll pointed at a nearby dwarf. “We started that mine and it’s ours. If the dwarfs want one they can get their own instead of muscling in on our turf.”
“We did get our own!” the dwarf yelled before he was hit in the head with a chair.
“Yeah, by digging a shaft a hundred feet from ours,” the troll replied. “It’s the same ore vein, stumpy.”
Dana pressed three silver coins onto her letter and folded it over them before stuffing it into a crude envelope. Dana was a girl of only fifteen, soon to be sixteen. She had brown hair that was getting long and brown eyes. Her clothes were a mix of the thick dress and fur hat she’d had when she first met Jayden with new boots, bags, knife and a belt with an empty scabbard she’d gotten during her travels with him. Her father was the mayor of a frontier town a bit bigger than Despre and much more orderly.
The simple life she’d known ended when she’d called upon Sorcerer Lord Jayden, who sat across the table from her now. Jayden was in his thirties, handsome to behold in a roguish sort of way with his sardonic smirk, perpetually messy blond hair and black and silver clothes. Jayden carried some baggage but no weapons, as his magic was enough to keep smart enemies at a distance and deal with anyone stupid enough to challenge him.
Jayden was smart, strong, bold, charming when he felt like it, and had a near pathological hatred for the king and queen. Dana didn’t know the root cause for his rage, but in her travels with Jayden she’d seen ample evidence that such enmity was well earned. The royal couple had tried to seize the Valivaxis, a gateway to a world of dead emperors and living monsters. They’d hired an amoral elf wizard, banished the Brotherhood of the Righteous from the kingdom, killed an honest sheriff and replaced him with a cowardly fraud. Worse, they were planning a war against a neighboring kingdom, heaven only knew which one, which could kill tens of thousands.
Few men loved the king and queen, but Jayden’s hatred was so great he would do almost anything if it meant harming them or preventing their war. Dana tried her best to redirect him to helping the common man, but her efforts were temporary at best. Jayden wanted the king and queen gone. He wasn’t strong enough to end their reign yet, but he’d grown in strength in the few months they’d traveled together. It was only a matter of time until he was that powerful, provided he didn’t die first.
Dana’s train of thought was interrupted when a dwarf complained, “That scaly lummox isn’t being fair. There’s enough copper ore for decades of mining.”
The troll threw a table at the dwarf, missing by inches. “And it’s ours! Find your own claim!”
“How much longer do we have to stay here?” Dana asked as the dwarf threw a chair at the troll.
Jayden said, “Only until the dwarf I hired finishes making the chimera horn you brought from Pearl Bay into a proper weapon. He was almost giddy at the prospect of fashioning it into a short sword, and eager for the coins I paid him. I’ve seen his work and it’s splendid. He’s also one of the few swordsmiths not on the royal payroll, and can keep his mouth shut about jobs he does.”
The troll knocked a dwarf into a table before swatting aside a man. More men, trolls and dwarfs joined in until the brawl spilled over into the street outside the tavern. Struggling to be heard over the noise, Dana asked, “Is it always like this?”
Jayden smirked. “The local baron issued the license for this town to act as a marketplace for small communities around it. He doesn’t care what happens here so long as he gets a monthly fee. Half the trade here is smuggled goods. You’d be shocked how much the baron is involved in smuggling, and a sad testimony to our kingdom that even a nobleman has to do so.”
“And how does he feel about you visiting?”
“We have an understanding. I don’t cause trouble in his backyard and he lets me do business here the same as everyone else.”
A glass flew over Dana’s head to shatter against a wall. The tavern keeper pointed at a man and yelled, “I saw you throw that, Biff! Do you have any idea how much those cost? That’s it, say goodbye to your tab!”
More softly, Jayden added, “There is another reason why we came to Despre. The king and queen are preparing for war, with the kingdoms of Kaleoth, Brandish and Zentrix the obvious targets. Three weeks travel from here is the only bridge over the Race Horse River to Kaleoth. Destroying that bridge leaves only a few shallow sections of the Turtle River to ford, areas easily bottled up by defenders.”
“Destroying the bridge would shuts down trade to Kaleoth,” Dana said.
“I assume trade would end when the war starts,” Jayden pointed out.
“You’re also assuming the army is going to invade Kaleoth. If it goes after Brandish or Zentrix then destroying the bridge doesn’t do any good.”
“True,” he admitted as men, dwarfs and trolls intensified their fight. “Sparing one kingdom the possibility of invasion is worth the risk. The king and queen won’t be ready to launch an invasion for many months, giving us time to close down one avenue of attack.”
Dana frowned as people fought around her. Rough as the fight was, it was thankfully bloodless as no one drew swords or daggers. She was willing to accept that meager blessing.
Jayden saw her expression and said, “I should have made arrangements for us to stay outside town. There are times I forget your peaceful upbringing.”
“This is normal for you?”
“It didn’t used to be, but circumstances have forced me to adapt. Try not to hold this against them. At heart these people aren’t evil, even if they are crude.”
Dana did her best to ignore the fight as most of the brawlers moved outside. The tavern keeper grumbled as he set the tables and chairs upright. Thankfully the building and furnishings hadn’t suffered noticeable damage. She was surprised when a young man in wool clothes entered the tavern and took a seat not far from her and Jayden.
Smiling, the youth said, “Quite a fight going on, eh?”
“I’ve been in worse,” Jayden told him.
The youth’s smile faded as he said, “I guess nothing could be as bad as the underground lake.”
Jayden’s eyes narrowed, and he shifted in his chair to face the youth. “There are three people alive who know the relevance of that statement, and you aren’t one of them. Explain yourself while you can still breathe.”
“A friend of yours sent me,” the youth replied.
“I have one friend in this world, and she is sitting across from me.” Jayden stood up and spoke strange, arcane words to form a black sword rimmed in white in his right hand. The youth yelped and jumped up from his chair as Jayden advanced on him. “I’m giving you a second chance to avoid a closed casket funeral. Explain yourself.”
The youth held up his hands as he backed up against a wall. “Hey, wait a minute!”
The tavern keeper rolled his eyes. “You kill him, you clean up the mess.”
“I can explain,” the youth said hastily as Jayden drew near. “The guy with the cat hired me to get you. He said you’d understand the reference.”
Jayden paused. “What cat?”
“Big, black, evil, that cat. He keeps it with him all the time, and heaven help the man who gets closer than ten paces, because that ball of fur and hate goes right for your face.”
The answer must have been sufficient, for Jayden lowered his sword. “I will listen to you. If this is a trap, I assure you the cat is the least of your worries.”
The youth rolled up the sleeve on his right arm to show six inches of his forearm covered in fresh bandages. “The cat is bad enough. The guy showed up outside town on a river barge three days ago with five men and that furry psychopath. He hired me to find you and bring you to him. He said you two have worked together, and he needs help.”
“Doing what?” Jayden asked.
“He didn’t say.” The youth looked down and added, “I was given five copper pieces to deliver this message and promised another five if you come back with me. I need the money, and this guy made it sound like you’d get some kind of a reward.”
“This merits further examination,” Jayden replied. “I’ll go with you, but if there is any sign of betrayal you can count this as your last day. Dana, given the risk involved it’s best if you not come with me.”
“Leaving me here is safer?” she asked. As if on cue, there was a bang on the wall behind her, followed by a groan of pain from outside.
Jayden frowned. “That is a valid point.”
The youth hesitantly raised a hand. “I know I’m already not your favorite person, but Despre has ten men for every woman. I don’t think anyone here is stupid enough to attack the lady, but she’s going to get a lot of attention if you’re not around.”
“Too late,” Dana said as she held up three letters. “I’ve already got admirers.”
“When did you get those?” Jayden asked.
“One was handed to me when I was served lunch, another got slipped into my pocket, and I have no idea where the third came from.” Dana got up from her chair and joined Jayden. “If the guy knows things about you that no one should then it’s probably not a trap by the king and queen. Besides, who else would want to hurt you?”
Jayden chuckled. “That list goes on for quite some time.”
“So,” the youth began, “we can go meet the man with the cat, I can get paid, and you can hopefully put the nasty black sword away?”
“The black nasty sword stays in my hand until we meet your employer,” Jayden told him.
Jayden, Dana and the youth left the tavern to find the streets of Despre a battlefield. Men, dwarfs, elves, trolls and even gnomes brawled across the town in a fight that seemed to have no sides or end in sight. Dana and Jayden worked their way around the edge of the melee and to the edge of town. Most people stayed clear of them, and the few who got too close saw Jayden’s sword and gave him a wide berth.
“Where are we going?” Dana asked.
“There’s a river an hour’s walk from Despre,” the youth explained as they walked by exhausted fighters. “The river barge is moored there.”
“I’m told the wilderness is dangerous, yet you’re going with us unarmed,” Jayden pointed out.
The youth shrugged. “We have fewer problems since an ogre clan moved into town. They’re great lumberjacks, pretty good builders, and they ate the nearest monsters. You have to go pretty far to find trouble.”
The ogres in question were nearby building a barn. The furry brutes stood eight feet tall and favored kilts. One ogre was setting up a sign that read, “Clan Arm Breaker Traveling Contractors: You’ll fall before the house does.”
“I can see where they’d deter most problems,” Jayden remarked. The ogres saw him walk by and nodded, a show of respect ogres rarely gave.
The land outside Despre was hilly with fields in the places flat enough to farm. Here and there rocks jutted up from the ground, and tree stumps were common. Farther out were dense forests of pine trees. Despre’s lumberjacks had already taken a heavy toll, but despite their damage the forests seemed to stretch on forever.
“Not much farther,” the youth promised. “The river is just ahead.”
Sure enough, there was a distant roar of swift water crashing into stone. They soon came to a wide river with rocks on both shores. Not far upstream was a river barge tied to the far shore. Flat-bottomed boats like that were a common sight transporting good across the kingdom. They also saw men standing on the barge and fishing off the side. One of them smiled and waved as Jayden drew near.
“Ah, I knew you’d come. Jayden, it’s been too long.”
Jayden’s response was more subdued. “I must admit your presence surprises me, and I find it a touch disturbing that you found me.”
The man walked down a gangplank to shore and hurried over. He didn’t look like much, average height, a few too many pounds on his stomach, brown hair and eyes, and a thick mustache. His clothes were well-tailored leather, common enough. There was a twinkle in his eyes and a ready smile on his face.
“Allow me to introduce myself to the lady. I am Sir Reginald Lootmore of the Kingdom of Zentrix. You weren’t exactly hard to find, Jayden. Tales of your deeds flow as fast as this river. Wherever Sorcerer Lord Jayden goes chaos is sure to follow. It may surprise you to learn that you are credited with dozens of acts of violence committed a hundred miles from here, some of them on the same day.”
“Then why haven’t the king and queen found us?” Dana asked.
Lootmore smiled. “They have men looking for you, but few try very hard after what happened to the elf wizard Green Peril. Word is he found you and fled the kingdom the same day. The king and his loving wife will find someone more up to the task eventually, but for now your pursuers aren’t interested in finding their quarry. It helps that dear Jayden has the good sense to avoid more prosperous and populated parts of the kingdom where defenders are stronger and more numerous.”
Lootmore stopped in front of them and smiled at Dana. “This must be the young lady I’ve heard you travel with these days. I was wondering when you’d take an apprentice.”
“Dana Illwind,” she replied and curtsied. “I’m Jayden’s friend, not apprentice.”
“She’s trying to keep me from getting killed,” Jayden added.
Lootmore smiled. “Ah, a woman who likes challenges.”
Dana blushed when Lootmore kissed her hand. Jayden rolled his eyes and pointed at the men on the barge. “And who might they be?”
“Men who have long served the Lootmore family,” he explained. “You may trust them as you do me.”
Dana wasn’t sure how to address Lootmore. He called himself a knight, but he had no weapons or armor, nor the arrogance she’d seen in the few knights she’d met years ago. Instead he looked like the sort of man who any second might offer to sell her insurance. Strangely, Jayden lacked Lootmore’s enthusiasm about their meeting. She dearly wished she knew what had happened between them.
“Why did you hire that boy to get us instead of coming in person,” she asked.
“A fair question, young lady,” Lootmore conceded. “While there is currently no conflict between our kingdoms, my presence risks drawing unwanted attention and potentially causing a war. For that reason I have been careful who knows I’m here. In locating you he lived up to my every expectation.”
Jayden frowned. “Yes, you’ve found me, now kindly tell me what this is about.”
“Soon enough,” Lootmore said. He dug through his pockets and came up with copper coins for the youth who’d led them to the river. “Five copper pieces as promised. Be a good boy and never mention this to anyone.”
The youth pointed at Jayden and a black cat following Lootmore. “And get either of them mad at me? Thank you, no.”
Dana smiled as the cat came closer. It was a healthy animal, big with yellow eyes and a shiny, thick coat. “Ooh, she’s adorable. What’s her name?”
“His name, actually, and it’s Jump Scare,” Lootmore answered. “Best keep your distance before—”
There was no hiss or growl before Jump Scare leapt at Dana’s face. She didn’t have time to cry out or back away. Jayden snatched the cat out of the air and threw it into the woods, where it landed on its feet and scampered back to Lootmore.
“He does that,” Lootmore said. “My apologies.”
Jayden folded his arms across his chest. “Why do you insist on bringing that animal with you?”
“I left him home once when I went on a mission,” Lootmore replied. “Injuries were extensive. But that is neither here nor there. I am on an important mission and need help carrying it out. Of the three people I fought along side at the underground lake, only you were close enough to call upon. My task is risky, but the rewards equal the danger.”
“This is the first time I’ve heard of you having a partner,” Dana said.
“You never told her about me?” Lootmore asked. He clapped a hand over his heart and looked away in mock shame. “The horror, to learn I’ve been edited out of your life’s story. What sin have I committed to be considered so low?”
“Being overly dramatic, and owning a cat that by all rights should be tormenting condemned souls in the netherworld,” Jayden said. “May I remind you how our one and only job together went?”
“We were all nearly killed, but I believe if you review your no doubt excellent memory, you’ll recall it wasn’t my fault,” Lootmore answered. “And you came away from that caper richer and with a stone tablet containing a spell of the old sorcerer lords.”
Jayden didn’t look convinced, so Lootmore waved for them to join him at his barge. “I have the details for the job over there. I think you’ll find it worth your while.”
Jayden frowned before following Lootmore to the barge. “I’m going to regret this.”
Dana followed them onto the barge. It was as nondescript as its owner, a simple vessel, fairly old and beaten up with little cargo. The men onboard were young and wore wool clothes. There were no weapons in sight, no armor, no money. If Lootmore was a knight, he hid it well.
“On to business,” Lootmore said eagerly. He unrolled a map of the kingdom and pointed to the northern regions. “We are here, far enough away from proper civilization that the authorities don’t know of our presence. Downriver is an estate owned by Baron Scalamonger, a man known for his vineyards and his loyalty to the throne. In three days he is expecting Commander Vestril of the royal army to bring a caravan of soldiers, two knights, and this is the important part, supplies.”
“What sort of supplies?” Jayden asked suspiciously.
Lootmore smiled. “The best kind. Spies in my homeland have noticed your beloved king and queen amassing weapons, hiring mercenaries, training soldiers and so on. The forces and materials they need to wage war are currently scattered across the kingdom. Last month the order went out to bring them together. It’s war, Jayden, and soon, a war the Kingdom of Zentrix might not survive.”
Jayden stared at the map. “I thought I had more time.”
“We both did.” Lootmore drew a line across the map with his finger. “Those forces are converging on the capital. From there they will train, take on more arms and prepare for a war Zentrix officials think will come in early spring. Most of these caravans are too large or far away to attack, but this one is temporarily vulnerable.”
“Temporarily vulnerable why?” Jayden asked.
“Commander Vestril is going from town to town picking up manpower and supplies. In two weeks he’ll have enough men that the caravan will be too strong to take. Until then there is a window of opportunity to attack it. The commander knows this and is being very careful, stopping at night in every town or manor he passes, going around areas known for bandits or monsters, and he’s avoiding any place you’ve been seen.”
Jayden perked up at the news. “Really?”
“I thought you’d like that. In three days Commander Vestril will visit the estate of Baron Scalamonger. The baron traditionally pays his taxes in the form of wine, and he’s known to be a very good host to visiting officials.”
“He gets them drunk,” Dana said.
“Roaring drunk,” Lootmore told her. “If I’m right, Scalamonger’s contribution to the war effort will be wine. Vestril will stop his caravan for the night, load up a copious amount of alcohol and enjoy the baron’s hospitality, leaving him and his soldiers too drunk to be a threat. This leaves us an opening.”
“How can stealing wine prevent a war?” Dana asked.
“I’m not interested in the wine.” Lootmore pointed to a town on the west of the map. “Commander Vestril stopped here a week ago and picked up eighty suits of chain armor from another baron. I’ve been sent to steal it. Less armor for the enemy and more for my people won’t prevent the war, but it tips it ever so slightly in our favor.”
Lootmore rolled up the map and put it away. “Jayden, you’ve been trying to hurt the king and queen for years. Taking this armor does that. But if you’re undecided, I can sweeten the deal.”
Lootmore reached down to open a secret compartment hidden in the barge’s floorboards. He took out a black granite tablet with writing in white marble. Jayden’s eyes lit up at the sight of it.
“I’ve been nearly as busy as you since our last encounter,” Lootmore said. “In one mission for my kingdom I came across what looked very much like the spell tablet you found in our too brief partnership. The writing is shorter than the one you found two years ago and seemed so excited by. I was rather hoping it’s a spell you don’t already have—”
“I don’t,” Jayden said.
“And might want,” Lootmore continued.
“I do.”
Lootmore held onto the tablet. “I also know you are addicted to destruction. I don’t see the appeal, but I haven’t lived the life you have. Hopefully I won’t offend you when I say you might be tempted to destroy the armor or dump it in a lake rather than let me take it. So I propose a deal. I give you the tablet here and now. In exchange you help me complete this mission, including stealing the armor.”
Jayden’s eyes were locked on the spell tablet. He made no move to take it. “I promise to do whatever is possible to help you, but I can’t guarantee results. If it comes down to letting Commander Vestril keep the armor, I’ll have no choice but to destroy it.”
Lootmore handed him the spell tablet. “I can’t ask for more. Let’s be on our way. The trip will use up most of the time we have left, and I’ve seen worrying signs in this part of the kingdom.”
Concerned, Dana asked, “What kind of signs?”
Lootmore addressed his men before he answered her. “Break down our camp and throw evidence of our visit into the river. Were I a fearful man I would call them ill omens. I saw what looked like footprints, each one two feet long and half as wide, with a stride four feet long. Stranger still, there were no toes or heel on the prints.”
Dana covered her face with her hand. “Not again.”
“Excuse me?” Lootmore asked.
“How many times do we have to kill it?” Dana asked.
Jayden held up his empty hands. “Twice didn’t do the job.”
Lootmore gave them a long-suffering look. “Doubtless there’s a story here. Feel free to share it.”
“It’s the Living Graveyard,” Jayden explained. “We found it guarding a castle on the coast and killed it to retrieve a rich treasure. The Living Graveyard doesn’t die easily, or permanently. We killed it a second time outside Fish Bait City. It reassembled itself, again, and followed us here. It seems we have two good reasons to leave quickly. Dana and I can come back later to get her new sword, which should be finished by then, but for now we should be on our way before that monstrosity finds us.”
“Then let’s begin our adventure, and may it have better results than our last one,” Lootmore said.
“It could hardly have worse,” Jayden muttered.
* * * * *
Dana, Jayden and Lootmore spent the rest of the day sailing downstream. They left the wilderness behind and entered more settled lands. There were farm fields and ranches, and occasionally small towns. Their passage drew no attention, for there were other boats engaged in fishing or trade on the river.
Lootmore stopped his barge in a small tributary where few people lived and made camp among trees growing along the river. Lootmore and his men settled down on the riverbank while Jayden stayed on the barge.
“You’re not going on shore?” Dana asked him.
“Too many people live here who are loyal to the throne or live in fear of it. Lootmore is unknown in these parts and won’t attract attention, so he can sleep where he pleases, but I have to be more careful. You may sleep on shore if you like.”
Dana settled down next to him on the barge. “I think I’ll stay with you. One of Lootmore’s men already asked if I was seeing anyone, so I’ve got my own reason to keep my distance. So, what’s the story with you and our new friend?”
Jayden kept his eyes on the shore while he answered. “Two years ago I was desperate for funds and magic. I’d heard of a cave so large there was a lake in it, and what sounded like ruins of the old sorcerer lords as well. It sounded promising, so I went there and began exploring. I wasn’t alone.”
“There were monsters in the cave?”
“Were I only so lucky. News of the cave had reached more ears than just my own. The king and queen had sent an expedition to loot the cave of valuables. There were too many men for me to fight alone, when to my surprise I met Reginald Lootmore. He’d been sent by his queen to take whatever riches were within the cave. Lootmore had already secured the aid of the famous archer Ian McShootersun. Less wisely, he’d also partnered with the alchemist Suzy Lockheart.”
Dana gave him a mischievous smile. “Were you two romantic?”
“What? That giggling lunatic nearly killed us all.” Jayden waved his hand like he was shooing away a fly. “Lootmore made a deal with me to share rewards equally and I’d get any spell tablets, a fair trade for my services. We snuck past the expedition, explored the ruins and nearly escaped when they caught up with us. It was a close fight that nearly ended in disaster when Suzy Lockheart decided a large cave with an unstable roof was the perfect place to set off explosives.”
Jayden shuddered. “It was pure luck that we weren’t crushed by falling rocks. The expedition wasn’t so fortunate. I left with a small pile of treasure and one spell tablet, and we parted company shortly thereafter. Lootmore had to report back to his queen, McShootersun had heard of better opportunities far to the north, and quite frankly I didn’t care enough to ask where Suzy Lockheart was heading. I’d assumed that was the last I’d see of them.”
“Wouldn’t it have made sense to keep working together?” Dana asked. Jayden gave her a dark look, and she hastily added, “Not Lockheart, obviously, but what about the other two? You could do so much more with help.”
“It wouldn’t have worked.” Jayden turned his attention back to the shoreline before he spoke again. “Lootmore’s loyalties are to his homeland. That’s no discredit, but he has to be careful what he does as a knight of Zentrix. His actions could start an international incident if he’s caught, meaning there are places he can’t go and deeds he can’t do. As for the other two, McShootersun is a braggart with no cause to live for except the next payday, and Heaven only knows what madness run through Suzy Lockheart’s diseased mind.”
“She came onto you, didn’t she?”
“It didn’t happen like that,” he said firmly.
“You accept help from me,” she pressed.
“That’s different.”
“How?”
Jayden looked at her and said, “I’m trying to overthrow the king and queen because of the harm they’ve done. I’ve taken great risks for little reward or none at all because I truly believed I’m making the kingdom a better place. Lootmore, McShootersun and Lockheart have no interest in that because this isn’t their homeland. They don’t love it, fear for it, dream of it, and they won’t sacrifice for it. This is your homeland. You love it, you fear for its future, you want what’s best for it, and you’ve already proven you’ll sacrifice for its wellbeing. When, not if, the worst comes to pass, I wouldn’t be able to count on them, but I can count on you.”
Dana blushed. “Thank you.”
“Now be a dear and duck. Lootmore’s cat is back.”
Dana dropped to her knees as Jump Scare made another attempt on her life. Jayden caught the hissing ball of rage as it went for her face, but this time he threw it in the water. The cat yowled and splashed to shore before heading into the camp.
“Sorry,” Lootmore called out.
“Get the cat under control or you are going to lose it!” Jayden yelled back.
January 13, 2019
Finding Friends
Nolod was the richest city on Other Place and a land of contradictions. The vast metropolis included opulent wealth and wretched poverty, high culture and crass entertainment, heartwarming compassion and unbelievable cruelty. Some scholars had diagnosed the city as bipolar. One example of this curious dichotomy was the trash heap at the edge of the city, which grew and shrank throughout the day.
Nolod’s million humans, elves, dwarfs and other races generated an appalling amount of garbage, which was unceremoniously dumped at the city’s edge. But when half the citizens lived in dire poverty, this was a resource to be exploited. Carts left garbage every hour, and those desperate enough to see value in it hauled off an equal amount. Thus the city’s dump received a mountain of trash every day yet never grew.
“Ooh, good pickings,” Biffle said as he neared the dump. The short goblin wore ragged clothes, and his green eyes opened wide at the inviting sight. Night was falling, but he could see in the light from Nolod’s neighboring prosperous district.
More goblins scurried up behind him. The group numbered fifty strong and included two orphaned human boys, not an unusual situation when goblins were so stupid they thought such orphans were goblins and adopted them.
Cylix the goblin smiled and added, “Perfect timing. Tonight’s trash is out and nobody got here before us.”
Biffle opened a stained leather bag and dug through the piles of refuse. “Load up quick. Competition will be here soon.”
Scores of filthy goblins dug through the trash, gorging on rags, bones and scrap wood before stuffing more refuse into their sacks for later. Smarter goblins (an oxymoron, to be sure) gave more edible bits to the human boys. They dug deeper through the heaping piles, stopping only when Biffle called out, “Is anyone missing an arm?”
Cylix checked both of his before answering. “Um, no.”
That answered was repeated by more goblins, prompting Biffle to climb out of the trash pile. “Then I’m stumped, because I’ve got an extra one over here. Come take a look.”
Goblins gathered around to see a wooden arm eight feet long and a foot thick buried in the trash. More digging produced a ridiculously large hand at one end of the arm and eventually turned up the rest of the body.
“It’s a timber golem,” Cylix said.
Biffle finished digging the golem out. “What’s that?”
“It’s dwarf magic, cut rate stuff. Dwarfs use them for heavy lifting like unloaded wagons and carrying wine barrels.”
Now that the golem was fully excavated, they had a better look at it. The golem stood twelve feet tall and must have weighed a ton, but it was a sad looking thing with nicks, scratches and cracks in the wood. Its body was a tree trunk stripped of bark, with arms and legs attached with large wood pegs. The golem had no face, only a silver amulet sparking on its chest.
“What’s the poor guy doing buried in garbage?” Biffle demanded. “I mean, yeah, he’s missing his left arm from the elbow down, and most of his toes, but that’s it.”
Cylix pointed at the amulet on the golem. “Look for another amulet like that. Owners use them to control their golems.”
Biffle dutifully dug through the trash and asked, “How come you know so much about golems?”
“I learned a lot about magic when I lived for a year in the rafters of a wizard’s tower. Then the guy kicked me out for eating his pants.”
“Proof that wizards have no manners.” Biffle smiled when he saw a faint light in the trash. More digging produced a sparking silver amulet identical to the one on the golem. “Here we go! How do we use it?”
Cylix took the amulet and said, “Simon says stand up.”
The golem sat up, causing a landslide of garbage. Goblins scattered as the golem steadied itself with its remaining arm and climbed to its feet. Seconds later the golem wobbled and fell face first into the trash. It struggled to its feet, only to fall once more.
“Simon says stop!” Cylix shouted. The golem fell silent.
Biffle hurried over to the fallen golem. “What’s the matter?”
“He can’t answer you,” Cylix explained. “Golems are mindless.”
A goblin smiled and offered, “He could go into politics.”
“Enough of that!” Biffle shouted. “Bad enough the guy is hurt, then you go and insult him.”
Biffle went over every inch of the golem. More scavengers came to the dump, including poor humans, harpies and a lone troll. It was only a matter of time until someone tried to force the goblins off their find. Biffle had to work fast.
“Those missing toes are keeping him from walking. That’s why he got left here. Some snooty dwarf must have figured if he can’t walk then he can’t work.” Outraged, Biffle turned to his goblins. “I won’t have it, throwing away people just because they’re hurt. Find him some toes!”
Further scavenging turned up scrap lumber and two broken shovels the goblins nailed to the golem’s feet. It took a lot of work, and they had to chew the scrap down to fit, but when they were done the timber golem had makeshift toes.
“Simon says stand up,” Cylix said. The golem staggered to its feet, and the goblins cheered when it remained upright.
“You did it, Joey!” Biffle said. Goblins gave him curious looks, and he said, “I found him, I’m naming him. We’re not done yet. Joey needs an arm. I know where we can steal iron chains and thick timbers to build it. You watch, we’ll make Joey as good as new.”
“Then what?” a goblin asked.
Biffle grinned from ear to ear. “We’ll talk more outside town.”
Cheering goblins left Nolod with the timber golem in the lead. Ten days later they returned to the city with their makeshift golem, an event Nolod would need months to recover from.
Nolod’s million humans, elves, dwarfs and other races generated an appalling amount of garbage, which was unceremoniously dumped at the city’s edge. But when half the citizens lived in dire poverty, this was a resource to be exploited. Carts left garbage every hour, and those desperate enough to see value in it hauled off an equal amount. Thus the city’s dump received a mountain of trash every day yet never grew.
“Ooh, good pickings,” Biffle said as he neared the dump. The short goblin wore ragged clothes, and his green eyes opened wide at the inviting sight. Night was falling, but he could see in the light from Nolod’s neighboring prosperous district.
More goblins scurried up behind him. The group numbered fifty strong and included two orphaned human boys, not an unusual situation when goblins were so stupid they thought such orphans were goblins and adopted them.
Cylix the goblin smiled and added, “Perfect timing. Tonight’s trash is out and nobody got here before us.”
Biffle opened a stained leather bag and dug through the piles of refuse. “Load up quick. Competition will be here soon.”
Scores of filthy goblins dug through the trash, gorging on rags, bones and scrap wood before stuffing more refuse into their sacks for later. Smarter goblins (an oxymoron, to be sure) gave more edible bits to the human boys. They dug deeper through the heaping piles, stopping only when Biffle called out, “Is anyone missing an arm?”
Cylix checked both of his before answering. “Um, no.”
That answered was repeated by more goblins, prompting Biffle to climb out of the trash pile. “Then I’m stumped, because I’ve got an extra one over here. Come take a look.”
Goblins gathered around to see a wooden arm eight feet long and a foot thick buried in the trash. More digging produced a ridiculously large hand at one end of the arm and eventually turned up the rest of the body.
“It’s a timber golem,” Cylix said.
Biffle finished digging the golem out. “What’s that?”
“It’s dwarf magic, cut rate stuff. Dwarfs use them for heavy lifting like unloaded wagons and carrying wine barrels.”
Now that the golem was fully excavated, they had a better look at it. The golem stood twelve feet tall and must have weighed a ton, but it was a sad looking thing with nicks, scratches and cracks in the wood. Its body was a tree trunk stripped of bark, with arms and legs attached with large wood pegs. The golem had no face, only a silver amulet sparking on its chest.
“What’s the poor guy doing buried in garbage?” Biffle demanded. “I mean, yeah, he’s missing his left arm from the elbow down, and most of his toes, but that’s it.”
Cylix pointed at the amulet on the golem. “Look for another amulet like that. Owners use them to control their golems.”
Biffle dutifully dug through the trash and asked, “How come you know so much about golems?”
“I learned a lot about magic when I lived for a year in the rafters of a wizard’s tower. Then the guy kicked me out for eating his pants.”
“Proof that wizards have no manners.” Biffle smiled when he saw a faint light in the trash. More digging produced a sparking silver amulet identical to the one on the golem. “Here we go! How do we use it?”
Cylix took the amulet and said, “Simon says stand up.”
The golem sat up, causing a landslide of garbage. Goblins scattered as the golem steadied itself with its remaining arm and climbed to its feet. Seconds later the golem wobbled and fell face first into the trash. It struggled to its feet, only to fall once more.
“Simon says stop!” Cylix shouted. The golem fell silent.
Biffle hurried over to the fallen golem. “What’s the matter?”
“He can’t answer you,” Cylix explained. “Golems are mindless.”
A goblin smiled and offered, “He could go into politics.”
“Enough of that!” Biffle shouted. “Bad enough the guy is hurt, then you go and insult him.”
Biffle went over every inch of the golem. More scavengers came to the dump, including poor humans, harpies and a lone troll. It was only a matter of time until someone tried to force the goblins off their find. Biffle had to work fast.
“Those missing toes are keeping him from walking. That’s why he got left here. Some snooty dwarf must have figured if he can’t walk then he can’t work.” Outraged, Biffle turned to his goblins. “I won’t have it, throwing away people just because they’re hurt. Find him some toes!”
Further scavenging turned up scrap lumber and two broken shovels the goblins nailed to the golem’s feet. It took a lot of work, and they had to chew the scrap down to fit, but when they were done the timber golem had makeshift toes.
“Simon says stand up,” Cylix said. The golem staggered to its feet, and the goblins cheered when it remained upright.
“You did it, Joey!” Biffle said. Goblins gave him curious looks, and he said, “I found him, I’m naming him. We’re not done yet. Joey needs an arm. I know where we can steal iron chains and thick timbers to build it. You watch, we’ll make Joey as good as new.”
“Then what?” a goblin asked.
Biffle grinned from ear to ear. “We’ll talk more outside town.”
Cheering goblins left Nolod with the timber golem in the lead. Ten days later they returned to the city with their makeshift golem, an event Nolod would need months to recover from.
