by Kay L. Ling
Felith ate a piece of spoiled fruit in three bites and hurried over to Sheamathan. “It’s time to return to your cage.”
The pythanium opened one eye and looked at him.
“Not you,” Felith said hastily. “We’d never put you in a cage. I meant Sheamathan.”
The giant serpent stared at him silently for a long moment and then closed its eye.
Felith was tempted to order the pythanium outside, but he didn’t want to begin their relationship on an antagonistic note.
“Must I leave?” Sheamathan asked in a petulant tone. “We were just getting acquainted.”
“I don’t want you getting acquainted. Watcher One answers to us, not you.”
“I have so little company. How can you begrudge me?”
“In case you’ve forgotten, you’re supposed to be in a confinement. We’ve been very lenient.”
“Bah.” She flew off toward the section that held her cage.
Felith had never seen her fly. He ran after her. If she kept going, she might discover the cave’s other entryways. He didn’t think she’d escape, but he wasn’t taking any chances. If she passed beyond their wards, they could use the tracking spell to find her, but so could Anatta.
When he caught up to her, she was circling over her cage.
“Don’t go flying off like that. I don’t feel like chasing you.”
“Now and then I need to fly,” she said, flying directly toward him.
Felith ducked. She passed overhead, chittering in amusement.
“Stop that!”
She ignored him and circled over his head, wings buzzing.
“Get in your cage,” he ordered.
“Do not use that tone on me. I will return to the cage when I am ready.” She dove, making him duck again.
“You try my patience.” Drawing infused power from an immobility gem, he projected it toward her. She dropped like a stone and landed with a thud. “That should teach you,” he muttered, releasing her from the immobility.
“Very funny,” she said acidly. “What if I were injured?”
“I have healing gems. I won’t tolerate defiance. Now get in the cage.”
Muttering to herself, she complied, and he slammed the door behind her. It wouldn’t do to make an enemy of her, but no one was going to make a fool of him. Not even the infamous Sheamathan.
The next day, Felith decided to give everyone a couple days off, partly to show Sheamathan she couldn’t order him around, and partly because everyone was drained from yesterday’s exertions. The Focal Gem hadn’t diluted Dark gems’ negative side effects—if anything it had amplified them. Everyone was moody and argumentative today, especially those who had discovered new lumps. If they developed witnesses every time they used The Focal Gem, they would soon look like breghlin.
And then there was Ezar. Felith had noticed during breakfast that Ezar kept stopping in the middle of a sentence, forgetting what he was saying. This might mean older gnomes had less tolerance for Dark gems, but if the other senior members didn’t have this problem, it might be a side effect from linking minds with the pythanium.
Felith rested most of the day, and the next day he began studying Havinth’s notes and planning strategies. He had just finished listing things he wanted to do when he received word via communication gem that their press release had been published. He also learned that Aberell officers had broken into Emanicus headquarters and found Havinth and Sethan stripped of their memories and gem powers.
Things were coming together nicely. Felith allowed himself a moment to revel in the fact that he was in charge of such a powerful organization. In the days ahead, cell groups would target local leaders while his teams conducted long-distance attacks with the Focal Gem. If Elantoth had wards in place—and they probably did by now—he might not be able to harm them, but he would keep them too preoccupied to search for Sheamathan and too frightened to think clearly. He’d attack Aberell soon, too. They had trained officers, and they were closer to Sites A and B than Elantoth, but as far as he was concerned, Elantoth was a greater threat. Though they claimed otherwise, they had access to Sheamathan’s rare gems, and they were friends with the gem master who had defeated her. Felith would send the pythanium to Elias first, warning him not to interfere, and then to Elantoth with a message for Tyla.
There was no reason Watcher One couldn’t leave today. The creature had made brief surveillance flights, and it was eager for longer journeys. Felith supposed he should consult Sheamathan before sending it on its first mission. If he wanted her to be cooperative, he should let her out of her cage. She hadn’t been out since the meeting.
Whistling a cheerful tune, he went to her cage and opened the door. “I know you like to fly, so you may fly to our living area today.”
“You astonish me with your generosity,” she said tartly but took him up on his offer.
He followed her at a leisurely pace, trusting she’d behave and he wouldn’t have to immobilize her. When she reached the main room, she landed on a rug by the corrustone.
Felith sat down next to her. “I plan to send Watcher One to Elantoth. Assuming it can get through their wards, it will ask for Tyla and deliver a message.”
“It should have no trouble entering the grounds. Surely, they do not ward the sky. I would love to see their shocked faces when a pythanium descends on Elantoth.” She waved her feelers gleefully.
“I’ll send the creature to Elias first. I know he lives in a cave, so he won’t see the Watcher land, but he must have wards that will alert him. We will warn him not to get involved in gnome affairs. If he heeds our warning, we’ll ignore him. If not, we’ll neutralize him.”
“Neutralize Elias? Easier said than done. He is a crafty old fellow with an impressive collection of rare gems, some of which were formerly mine. And while he cannot touch Fair Lands gems and use them for defense, his human friends can on his behalf.”
“What of it?”
“Surely you have heard of anomalous reactions.”
“Right,” he said, feeling foolish. “Native and Fair Lands gems used together can create volatile reactions.”
“Exactly. The combinations are unpredictable. If you attack Elias and fail, you will look incompetent. Worse, you may reveal ways to exploit your weaknesses. It would be best to avoid Elias and the other humans.”
Felith rubbed his forehead, frowning. “What if Tyla and others at Elantoth try to use Fair Lands gems against us.”
“You worry needlessly. That will not be part of their strategy.”
“How do you know?”
“Because they think we are outside the Amulet, and they know taking Fair Lands gems across the barrier destroys the gems. Rare Ahmonellian gems are a greater concern. I wish you could recover my collection.”
“Someday we may.” Felith wanted the gems, but not if it meant encountering Elias. The Outcast thief they had sent to find the gems had died in the attempt. Now, it seemed likely that the overconfident Rimwick had met a similar fate. “I will send Watcher One today, and it should be back by nightfall tomorrow, at the latest.”
“Make sure it does not call itself Watcher One, merely a Watcher.”
“Why?”
“They may wonder why they received the first one. We do not want them to think they are more important than the other fortresses. And we certainly do not want them to think they are in relatively close proximity to our hideout. Better they think we are far away, perhaps near Mierek.”
Felith nodded. Yes, that made sense.
“You must create many Watchers so one or two can guard each Emanicus cell. Do it immediately.”
“It’s on our to-do list,” he said, bristling at her authoritative tone.
“If you wish to survive long enough to rule Ahmonell, you will do as I say. Have the other cells obtain a snake for the transformation, and then transform the snakes to pythanium from here with the Focal Gem. Your associates can transfer intelligence to the Watchers.”
It had
never occurred to Felith to do it that way. It would be much faster.
“All right. After I send Watcher One off, I’ll contact the cells and tell them what we plan to do.”
“I can hardly wait to hear the pythanium’s report,” Sheamathan said. “Tyla is in for a quite a surprise.”
Felith found Watcher One outside at the corrustone pit, talking with some of the gem masters. It memorized Felith’s messages, and then Felith showed it a map to help it find Strathweed. “The cave may be hard to find, unlike Elantoth Fortress, a few miles away.”
“Have no fear. I will find it,” the pythanium assured him.
“Be careful. Humans and gnomes are afraid of pythanium, but they have killed them in the past, so don’t be overconfident.”
Truthfully, Felith was a bit worried as he watched the creature fly away. Should Elias kill the pythanium before it delivered the messages, they would need to create another, and Ezar couldn’t handle a second intelligence transfer.
Felith was more than a little relieved when the creature returned late that evening, unharmed. He invited it into the cave and sent Ezar to get Sheamathan, knowing she was as eager as they were to hear the creature’s report.
“I found the cave at Strathweed and spoke to Elias,” the Watcher said. “A gnome and other humans were with him. An animal tried to attack me, but I defended myself and delivered the message.”
“What did Elias say?” Sheamathan asked before Felith could say a word.
“Very little. He did not seem afraid of me, and I stayed no longer than necessary.”
“You warned him there would be repercussions if anyone harmed you,” Felith said.
“Yes. And I told Elantoth’s commander, Tyla, the same thing. Elias may not be afraid of me, but Elantoth gnomes are,” it said with a satisfied gleam in its yellow eyes.
“From now on, I want you to spend more time in the air, keeping an eye on the roads and mines. Your presence will remind Amulet residents that we’re in charge.”
The Watcher didn’t complain about its duties and began making longer flights. Two days later, it returned with a strange report. It had seen a whole cartload of gnomes headed toward Elantoth, and it landed in the road, blocking their way, planning to question them after inspiring sufficient terror.
The gnomes had all gotten out of the cart, but only one had approached him, a female with a knife, demanding he let them pass. He had asked her name as well as where she was going, but she wouldn’t say. Fangs bared, he had lunged at her, but a luminous being appeared in front of her, startling him so badly he flew away.
“Luminous being. How very odd,” Felith said thoughtfully. As far as he knew, no single gem could do that, but a weapon like the famous Challenger’s blade might hold such powers. Had her knife been the Challenger’s blade—or one like it? “Too bad she wouldn’t say who she was. I’d like to know more about her.”
This mystery weighed on Felith’s mind, but as he could make no sense of it, he eventually put it out of his mind, only to recall it weeks later when the Watcher returned from Elantoth, babbling about being tricked by deceitful gnomes.
“Slow down and begin again,” he told the Watcher.
“The gnome I met on the road. The one with the knife I told you about who was protected by the luminous being.”
“What about her?” Felith asked with as much patience as he could muster.
“It was her!”
“Who was her?”
“Elantoth’s commander. Tyla. They are one and the same.”
Felith frowned. “You’re sure about that?”
“Yes. On my first visit to Elantoth, I asked for Tyla and spoke to a gnome I assumed was her. But the one who came today was not the same, though they look much alike. I was almost fooled by the deception.”
“How did you learn the one you spoke to today was the one you met on the road?”
“Two deformed gnomes showed up with a severed pythanium head on a pole and ordered me to leave! I spread my wings, debating whether to attack or flee, and the luminous being appeared in front of Tyla. I panicked and flew away.”
“You’re our emissary. You can’t let them drive you away!”
“I should not have left,” the creature said sulkily. “But if someone charged at you with a gnome head on a pole, I suspect you would have done the same.”
“They’ll pay for their disrespect,” Felith growled. It was just as he’d feared. After living through the terrors of Sheamathan’s reign, Elantoth gnomes weren’t easily intimidated. Well, he’d give them reason to fear The Emanicus, and in the end, they’d submit.
Chapter 12
Tyla hadn’t let on to the breghlin just how worried she was. Their brave but foolish act would have consequences. The Watcher had gone away angry, and Emanicus gnomes would be livid when they heard its report. They were sure to retaliate. The question was when and how.
She walked into the office, threw the Watcher’s scroll on the desk, and dropped into her chair. The look on her face said plainly enough that things hadn’t gone well. Before Arenia or Olissa could ask, she told them, “Everything was going all right until Ben and Tina Ann showed up with Head Spy on a pole, and—”
“They didn’t!” Olissa cried.
“Oh, no,” Arenia moaned.
“Before things fell apart and the Guardian appeared, the Watcher gave me this scroll. It’s a list of laws we’re supposed to deliver to the clans.”
“Why did the Guardian appear?” Arenia asked.
“The Watcher made a menacing move. By the way, the Watcher knows I’m the one it met on the road, and that it spoke to an imposter last time it was here.”
“Great,” Arenia said. “It will report that to The Emanicus.”
“Don’t remind me,” Tyla said gloomily. She unrolled the scroll and skimmed it. “Most of these laws look familiar, but you’d know better than I would.” She handed it to Olissa who read it and nodded.
“You’re right. I think the main point of this list is to clarify which laws remain in effect. Kitana claims The Emanicus was behind the laws related to Dark gems and gem powers in general, and she’s probably right. It was clever of them to institute all those fees. When they form the new government, they’ll get all the money.” She placed the scroll on the desk. “It doesn’t say what happens to lawbreakers, but knowing them, the consequences are severe.”
“I’m going out for a few hours,” Tyla said. “I can’t hide behind the safety of Elantoth wards forever. I’m going to see Elias. I want his opinion on the guardian spell and Marrid’s offer to help us. While I’m there, I’ll get some of S’s gems. We’ll have them delivered along with the laws.”
“You shouldn’t go alone. I’ll go with you,” Olissa offered. “I promise not to knock you over the head and run off with the gems.”
Tyla smiled. “With the Guardian protecting me, I doubt you could.”
“You had better not go to Strathweed,” Arenia told Olissa. “Last time, you turned into a rat, and for all we know the spell triggers any time you try to go there.”
Olissa frowned. “I don’t think that’s likely. The spell was probably designed to activate once, but you make a good point. We don’t know for sure.”
“I’ll go with Tyla,” Arenia said. “Not that I’m much protection.”
Tyla thought Olissa would insist on going, but Olissa didn’t press the matter.
“Have your driver take a roundabout route so it’s not obvious where you’re going. And as an extra precaution, the two of you could be invisible.”
“I’ll ask Parcune to take us,” Tyla said. It could be a dangerous trip, but Parcune was the kind of fellow who put others’ safety ahead of his own, and she was sure he’d be willing to go.
Tyla and Arenia were outside waiting when Parcune brought the cart around, but he didn’t see them since they had already turned invisible.
“We’re ready if you are,” Tyla said when he stopped the cart.
He nearly
jumped out of his skin. “Don’t scare me like that,” he said with a chuckle. “Pardon the buckets and other supplies. I thought I’d make it look like I’m foraging for edible plants.”
Tyla and Arenia got into the cart. “Elias says he’ll be waiting in the arbor, but if we see the Watcher and don’t think it’s safe to come, we can come another day.”
“Once we reach forested land, I could park the cart and you could Walk With the Wind. That way, the Watcher won’t see that Elias has visitors. You’d have to hike through open land the last half mile, but if you’re invisible, that’s no problem.”
Tyla nodded before remembering he couldn’t see her. “Good idea.”
Parcune scanned the cloudy sky for the Watcher, and then urged the maraku forward. “Dangerous or not, it’s good to go for a drive. We can’t confine ourselves to Elantoth forever.”
“I’ve been no further than the barns in days,” Tyla said. “It’s possible that leaving the grounds will trigger an Emanicus ward, but we have to risk it.”
They passed through the perimeter ward and started down the road. Nothing happened. After about a mile, Arenia said, “If something was going to happen, I think it would have by now, but we still need to watch for the pythanium.”
“It could be anywhere, and keep in mind, it doesn’t fly all the time,” Tyla said.
During S’s reign, pythanium had congregated among the rocks a few miles from Elantoth since it was a good place to catch holediggers and other small prey. Bones still littered the weed-covered hills.
When they came to wooded land, Parcune pulled the cart into the trees and said, “I’ll wait for you here.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Come with us,” Tyla said. “Once we’re out in the open, I’ll turn you invisible, too.”
They entered the nearest tree and Walked With the Wind, passing from one tree to the next so quickly that they saw the inside of each for only an instant. After about ten minutes, they emerged at the edge of strath-covered hills.
“There’s the trail,” Tyla said. “We’re not far from Strathweed now.”
