Vinet shook her head. “I nearly got assassinated, Gwyn,” she said. She paused, willing her voice not to shake. “I only survived because you were there to protect me. I… thank you for that.”
“Vinet…” Gwyn stepped forward to put a hand on Vinet’s shoulder. “You know I’d do anything for you.”
Vinet managed a smile. “And I for you,” she said. “But I will not sit back and let others take action when I have tools that could help me figure out how to prevent this from happening again.”
Gwyn hesitated, clearly still not convinced. “The last time you did something like this…”
“The last time I did something like this I was foolish,” Vinet cut in. “This time I know what I’m doing.” I hope, she mentally added.
To her relief, Gwyn didn’t question her. She just sighed. “Call me if anything goes wrong. Absolutely anything, understand?”
Vinet nodded solemnly. She breathed in relief as Gwyn shut the door behind her. She had been worried that Gwyn would insist on staying with her.
She dug in the roll of belongings the maid had brought up to her room and pulled out the book. It looked the same as it always had, an unmarked binding of black leather. Steeling herself, she sat down on the bed and flipped it open. She didn’t want to enter the labyrinth or speak to AeresThonEsia again. But this was the book of truths. There had to be a way to make it show things she wanted to see!
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Mentally, she focused on the assassin. She wanted information about where the elf woman had come from. She visualized the woman’s face in her mind, forcing the tattoo to appear prominently on her forehead.
Immediately, memory intervened. She saw the sword piercing the elf woman’s chest as Gwyn stabbed her, and Gwyn’s fierce scowl as she protected her. The eyes, eyes that could have belonged to her, danced in front of her eyelids.
She shook her head, forcing the image of the tattoo, back into her mind, focusing on its central tear-drop and surrounding thorns. She reached out and placed her hand on the shifting pages of the book.
About her, she heard the rush of wind. Distantly, so that she wasn’t certain if it was memory or vision, she heard the choking of the assassin dying. She felt warmth surrounding her, the comforting knowledge that Gwyn would always be at her side.
She blinked. She no longer saw the room she had rented in the inn. Instead, she was standing at the edge of a lake, in the middle of a lush, green woods. It was beautiful and calm, and yet there was a haze everywhere, one she couldn’t quite see through.
The image of the assassin and her symbol fell from Vinet’s mind. Where was she? What was she seeing?
“Vinet Elfsdaughter.”
She turned, opening her mouth, whether to answer or inquire as to how the speaker knew her identity, she didn’t know. Instead, she froze.
The haze around the forest seemed to lift. The shore of the lake was now clear to view, so bright and vivid it seemed a painting. The trees loomed tall about the lake that the water seemed more wood than water with the intensity of the reflections. But that was not what made her freeze.
Before her stood an elf, a man this time. He wore a long brown robe, belted with a simple cord of green and gold at his waist. His long dark hair was bound by a silver band on one side of his head. His eyes were the same as the assassin’s, and as hers, but far older. Although his face was ageless, those eyes spoke of more years than she could ever dream of.
“Elfsdaughter, we do not have much time,” the elf’s voice faltered as he looked at her. Vinet could not prevent a feeling that her every feature being examined and memorized. Her throat caught at an intense feeling of familiarity.
He swallowed. “Know that the Thorn who came after you is not representative of we all.”
He bowed his head, then glanced sharply to one side. He seemed startled, then he waved his hand and the vision faded.
“Wait!” Vinet exclaimed. “Who are you? What are the Thorns?”
No one answered. She was staring at the wall of the inn. The Book of Truths lay open before her, its pages suspiciously blank.
Chapter 5: Darkmane
“Mazda’s light, Lady Vinet, are you alright?”
Vinet had to smile at Pellalindra’s concern as she stepped into the council chambers. “I’m fine, Lady Pellalindra.”
Pellalindra shuddered. “You are taking this far more calmly than I would in your shoes.”
“Why? What happened?” Kamian interjected.
Vinet looked up to see all the other council members except Dannan already seated. Kamian and Conn were looking with curiosity at the two women, while Ellil was staring into the fire.
“What? You haven’t heard?” Pellalindra exclaimed before Vinet could answer. “Lady Vinet was nearly assassinated!”
“What?” Kamian’s exclamation of outrage was certainly genuine. “Tell me who the blaggart is. I will most certainly challenge him for you, my lady!”
Vinet stifled a laugh. “I am afraid that Gwyn already took care of the agent, Lord Kamian, and I am at a loss as to who was behind it. Has anyone seen the symbol of a tear surrounded by a ring of thorns, by chance?”
Kamian shook his head, disappointed, but Conn shifted uncomfortably. She raised an eyebrow at him.
“Some strangers were seen up by Dunbarrow recently,” he said slowly. “They haven’t done anything, just watched. I wonder if they were connected.”
Vinet’s eyes sharpened on Conn. He was being evasive of something. “What kind of strangers?” she asked.
He shrugged. “We haven’t managed to talk to any of them yet,” he said. “They are sneaky enough to avoid the guards. But I’ve set a trap for them, so hopefully they’ll take the bait.”
Sneaky might fit elves, Vinet thought. More details did not seem to be forthcoming, however, and she didn’t feel like pressing the issue.
She straightened her shoulders as she took her seat. “Well, are we waiting for Lord Dannan, or shall we look at what options the Council has to spend our kingdom’s resources on now?”
“Well, there is one thing I thought you would find very interesting, Lady Vinet,” Pellalindra said, smoothing her dress sleeves. “Or hadn’t you heard that the expedition has returned?”
Vinet managed a tight smile at Pellalindra’s coolness but couldn’t contain her excitement. “No, I’ve been travelling! Did they discover anything?”
“A lost city!” Kamian declared. His eyes were bright and enthusiastic. “They found it! An entire civilization that just vanished! It appears to have been elven. They found thousands of book covers too, but for some reason all the pages are missing.” He sounded as disappointed about it as Vinet felt.
“I must admit, Lady Vinet, I am impressed that they found anything,” Lady Pellalindra put in. “It seems your intuition was well-founded.”
Vinet couldn’t tell if Pellalindra was being sarcastic or not. She decided to take it as a compliment. “Thank you, Lady Pellalindra,” she said.
Pellalindra smiled in return.
“Lady Vinet, someone else has decided to ask us to sponsor an expedition in light of the success of the first one! This is a different group, and they’d be heading north, along the coast. Past your lands, if I’m not mistaken.” Kamian’s eyes gleamed.
Conn snorted. “In light of the first one’s success? They found nothing that can be of use to us!”
Vinet stared at him for a long moment, trying to decide how to explain that knowledge was worth far more than military might, but she couldn’t think of a way to explain that to a man whose entire life was built on war and power.
Kamian had no such hesitations, however. “Don’t you see the value of the knowledge they could find, fool?” he asked.
Vinet winced. That would bring an outburst, if nothing else did.
She was right. Conn’s eyes darkened. “Who are you calling fool, you arrogant puppy?”
Kamian snorted. “You’re calling me arrogant?”
&nbs
p; “Gentlemen, please! Leave such arguments for outside the council chamber, if you please,” Pellalindra interjected. She stared at them sternly until they both subsided. “While an expedition may be the most promising idea for you and Lady Vinet, Lord Kamian, there are other options to consider. At the very least, they need to be discussed.” She paused for a moment before speaking again. “Someone healed my scout.”
Vinet blinked. She had seen the price attached to that healing. It had been the primary reason the Council hadn’t voted to deplete the treasury. “Who?” she demanded. Who would have the money to spend on something like that?
Pellalindra shook her head. “He left no name. Just said he was an admirer of… of me,” she flushed slightly, then sat up straighter. “Regardless of who it was, she did not live long after she recovered. She did, however, tell a strange tale full of dramatic imagery. A red horizon, an ambush by shadows, an orange glow on metal, and someone debating how best to eat her. She seemed certain that there is something dark going on in the southeast.” Vinet could tell that she was deeply disturbed.
Conn leaned forward. “Did she say anything else? Anything to give us some clue as to who or what might have been behind her attack? Any idea of their strength and numbers?”
Pellalindra shook her head. “She remembered nothing of her attackers. It seems she was…” she swallowed, “tortured.”
Conn’s face darkened. “That is an insult to all good men of Saemar. We should avenge her! Send a unit to the southeast to deal with this!”
With longing, Vinet thought of the proposed northern expedition, but she pushed it to the side. “Wouldn’t it be better to send a scouting party first? We can’t send a unit down there blindly. They may be walking into a trap.”
Pellalindra looked intrigued, but Conn shook his head. “They already walked into a trap! A unit will have the resources to deal with it!”
Vinet forced herself to remain calm. “A unit will also be seen as a sign of aggression by Tigri,” she argued. “And Lady Pellalindra’s scout was killed because they did not know there was a threat on our side of the border. The next patrol will. Knowledge can save many lives, Lord Conn.” She couldn’t resist that little jab.
It was ruined by Kamian’s chuckle. Conn glared at both her and Kamian. “I suppose now you’ll be making some argument that this northern expedition will give us the knowledge to fight this threat in the south?” he asked.
Vinet shook her head. “No, I…”
“You fools!” The heated discussion came to an abrupt halt as Dannan burst into the chamber. He held a paper in his hand. “How can you discuss anything when this just arrived!”
He threw the paper down on the table, and Vinet blanched. It was a message of some kind, but it contained a gruesome souvenir: a child’s finger, preserved in clear wax.
There was stunned silence around the council chamber. For a moment, all Vinet could think of was Niara, and feel profound relief that she was safe. This finger was not hers.
She glanced around the table and could instantly tell that Pellalindra and Conn felt the same way. Even Kamian seemed shocked by it, and Ellil had been jerked from his meditation to stare.
“I told you,” Dannan said, breathing heavily. “I told you to look to the east. And you ignored me. Well, let this be on your hands!”
Vinet shook herself. She was not going to get any information from Dannan, she knew this. Steeling herself, she reached forward and carefully took the message, leaving the finger on the table.
To the Royal Council,
I write to you to report an increase of the Cossack raids to the Northeast. Everything is under control, but I felt you should be informed of their increase. The last raid left this behind as a message. My men tell me it is the signature of a Cossack leader known as Darkmane. We will intensify our efforts to capture or kill him.
Once again, I assure you everything is under control.
Yours,
Lord Artosbern, Warden of the Bern Forest
“What does it say?” Pellalindra asked. In the silence, her quiet voice seemed like a shout.
Vinet shook her head and passed the message to Pellalindra. She stared at Dannan. Surely, he had read the message? Did he have no trust in their northern warden? She waited as the message was passed wordlessly around the table.
“We must send a unit to support Lord Artosbern and deal with this Cossack raider,” Conn said sharply. “Let him know that we are not to be trifled with!”
Pellalindra nodded. “I agree. To think of that poor child,” she closed her eyes and didn’t continue.
Dannan growled. “The Tigrians have gone too far this time. We will make them pay.”
Vinet frowned. “The Cossacks are not the Tigrian army,” she pointed out. “They are merely raiders. Lord Artosbern seems to be confident and capable.”
She regretted her statement instantly as both Dannan and Conn rounded on her.
“We must defend our borders!” Conn shouted. “This Darkmane is killing children!”
“There is no price too high for this Darkmane to pay for this atrocity,” Dannan’s eyes flashed.
Vinet remained silent. There would be no reasoning with them in this mood.
“He must be brought to justice.” Everyone turned to look at Ellil. These were the first words he’d spoken all session. He looked back, eyes calm and sure. “Mazda demands it.”
At that, Vinet knew that anything else she said would be dismissed. How could anyone say no to a blessing from the high priest to exact the vengeance that everyone already wanted?
“But what about the southeast?” Kamian frowned. “Weren’t you all worried about that just a few minutes ago? Are we ignoring our scout’s report now?”
Dannan snorted. “Rumors. Unsubstantiated rumors. This, however…” his eyes flashed again, and Vinet swore that the torches all flickered. “This needs to be dealt with.”
Vinet met Kamian’s eyes and shook her head slightly. They would not win this argument.
As the rest of the councilors started discussing what resources were the best to send, she leaned over to whisper in his ear. “We are outnumbered, but we should do our duty regardless. We should investigate this Darkmane character to see if he actually is a threat, and see if there’s anything in the southeast that actually needs our attention. And I intend to visit the sponsor of this northern expedition.”
Kamian met her eyes and smiled, the two of them in perfect accord. “I shall join you to talk to him. I’ve met Jimesseran before. He’s an interesting character.”
**********
Vinet waited for Kamian outside the palace, Gwyn a silent shadow behind her. The votes had been cast, as everyone had expected, to send a unit north to deal with Darkmane. Vinet couldn’t shake a feeling that they had missed something terrible by doing that. We should have investigated Pellalindra’s scout’s death. If I can acknowledge that instead of trying to convince everyone to vote for an expedition, then they should be able to see beyond their impulses.
Kamian appeared, his bright silk clothing instantly recognizable. He shook his head as he approached her. “Fools,” he said.
Vinet shook her head in response. “They have their reasons,” she temporized. “Most of them have children.”
Kamian snorted. “That doesn’t excuse them not acting with their heads,” he said. “If only…” he looked at her. “You understand. If we sent the expedition north, who knows what allies or resources we might find? Ones that could help us in dealing with these threats!”
Vinet’s lips quirked. “It’s too great a risk for them,” she said. “They see the potential for more enemies, or for the current ones to take advantage of our distraction.”
Kamian snorted. “If anyone will take advantage of our distraction, it’s whoever is in the southeast,” he said. “Cossack raiders are something that has happened before. This Darkmane character is just a new iteration of it.”
Vinet shook her head but couldn’t help but agr
ee. They walked in silence for a bit. She restarted the conversation, hopefully on a lighter note. “So, tell me about this expedition leader. You apparently have some knowledge of him?”
Kamian nodded, looking relieved by the change of subject. “Yes, indeed. His name is Jimesseran, as I said, and he’s a cartographer from Venia. That’s about all I’m aware of, I’m afraid, but he’s apparently conducted several mapping expeditions up and down the coast before.”
“From Venia?” Vinet couldn’t contain her delight. “So, us annexing Venia brought him to us?”
Kamian laughed. “I am not certain our fellow councilors would approve if they knew this is the part about annexing Venia you enjoy the most.”
She laughed. “They would not be surprised.”
“Indeed. And I can’t say I do not approve,” there was a strange gleam in Kamian’s eyes, but before she could react to it he gestured. “This is where Jimesseran lives. After you, Lady Vinet.”
Vinet smiled as she stepped forward. It was a modest little house, well kept, but worn with time. She knocked on the door.
“Come in, please!” a voice called from inside.
Vinet looked at Kamian and shrugged.
“I’ll go first, my lady,” Gwyn interjected.
Kamian looked surprised at Gwyn’s initiative, but Vinet just chuckled as she stepped to the side.
Gwyn opened the door, then turned back to nod at the two nobles.
Kamian frowned at Vinet. “You let her speak to you like that?” he said in a low voice.
Vinet frowned back at him. “She’s my bodyguard and in charge of my safety. Not all of us are as skilled with blades as you, Lord Kamian.”
Kamian grinned, but that was all they had time for as they were led down a corridor and into a small office.
An older gentleman sat at the desk, poring over an array of maps. He glanced up as they entered and rose to his feet. “My lord! My lady! Forgive me, I was not expecting such company!”
Vinet smiled and raised a hand. “We are simply visitors, Jimesseran,” she said. “And I have something for you. Hopefully you can find it of use.” She reached into her belt pouch and dug out a copy of the map fragment she’d discovered.
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