Deals and Dangers

by Kay L. Ling

  “Tabik is staying. We’ll put him across from you. Too bad you can’t catch up on old times, but The Emanicus removed his memories.”

  Tyla unlocked the cell. Tabik, who hadn’t said a word till now, finally protested. “You’re locking me up? Why?”

  Olissa pushed him inside without answering and locked the door. The cellblock was warded, but they continued to use the locks.

  “What have I done to deserve this?” he asked piteously, grasping the bars.

  Olissa went over to Rimwick’s cell. “I may have mislead you before, but as you can see, The Emanicus is falling apart.”

  Rimwick didn’t answer. Tyla wondered what he was thinking.

  “Well, we have things to do, so we’ll leave you fellows to chat,” Olissa said.

  “Don’t leave me here!” Tabik called as they walked away.

  When they were out of earshot, Tyla said, “The fact that we captured an Emanicus leader has to rattle Rimwick. And if I were Rimwick, I’d find it disconcerting that The Emanicus targeted one of their own leaders. I hope he cracks when Marrid questions him.”

  Upstairs, they ran into Maggie Ann who was looking for them. “Marrid and Ertz didn’t want dinner so they be havin’ a snack in the library. The team be in the dinin’ room, and the food be on the way, so ya better hurry.”

  Dinner was vegetable soup with bread and cheese. It was like a feast after the rations they’d had while traveling, and Tyla thoroughly enjoyed it. They were just finishing their meal when a guard came in.

  “Elias and Franklin are here, and the staff is assembling in the throne room,” he said. “Don’t hurry. It will be ten or fifteen minutes before everyone’s there.”

  When Tyla reached the throne room, Elias and Franklin were standing inside the doorway, waiting for her.

  “Where would you like us to sit?” Elias asked.

  “There’s an empty row in the front, reserved for the team. Sit with them. We’ll get started as soon as Ertz and Marrid arrive. Last I knew they were in the library. I’m surprised they’re not here already.”

  “It’s easy to lose track of time,” Elias said.

  “Do you want me to go get them?” Franklin asked.

  “No, I’m sure they’ll show up in a few minutes,” Tyla said. “Go ahead and sit down.”

  Olissa came in and went straight to the dais. Several minutes passed, and there was still no sign of Marrid and Ertz. Tyla found it hard to believe they were so engrossed in conversation that they’d forgotten about the meeting. What could be keeping them? She was about to go find them when she saw them coming. Ertz looked upset, and Marrid’s expression was enough to freeze Tyla’s blood. Something was wrong, very wrong.

  “What’s the matter?” Tyla asked, running out to meet them.

  “I just heard from Anatta,” Marrid said, keeping her voice down. “She didn’t know I was here and thought I’d seen the news.”

  “What news?”

  “There was a picture of Sheamathan on the front page of Woodspirit News and Views, and she wasn’t a beetle.”

  Tyla’s heart sank. So, it was true. Anatta had suspected it, but there could have been another reason the tracking spell wasn’t working.

  “The picture showed her with Emanicus gnomes,” Marrid went on. “Kitana should have contacted Anatta, but she couldn’t be bothered, so it was quite a shock when the newssheet arrived.”

  Kitana should have notified the fortresses, Anatta, and the rest of The Eight, but she hadn’t told anyone, Tyla thought in annoyance. Kitana was probably afraid someone would leak the news before she published it.

  “When you and Olissa finish, let me make the closing remarks,” Ertz said. “I’ll explain everything as calmly as I can. Until we have more information, we shouldn’t assume S has her powers back.”

  “All right. I’ll call you up front when we’re done,” Tyla said.

  Tyla joined Olissa on the dais, and Ertz and Marrid went to sit with Elias and Franklin. Tyla looked down at the group and saw many of the staff whispering among themselves.

  Olissa leaned in and asked quietly, “Why were they late? What’s going on?”

  “S is definitely a woodspirit again.”

  “What? How did you find out?”

  “Ertz will explain at the end of the meeting. Who’s going first? You or me?”

  “You. I need a minute after that revelation.”

  Tyla had just started her opening remarks when Bounder and Loud Mouth came in. They had figured prominently in the team’s adventures, so it seemed only right they were here.

  The news about S weighed heavily on Tyla’s mind. She found it hard to concentrate. While she was telling everyone about the dramatic events that had led up to the gem masters’ escape, her mind kept drifting to the past. She pictured Sheamathan sitting here in this room, her throne carved with monsters whose eye sockets twinkled with malevolent gems. After Tyla’s clan had burned the throne, she and Arenia had raked gems from the ashes. Elias had taken the malevolent ones to Strathweed and put them in a safe place. S must never rise to power again or she would make Emanicus gnomes her servants, and together they would inflict unimaginable horrors on Ahmonell.

  When Tyla reached the part of the tale where the gem masters fled, taking S with them, several breghlin booed and stamped their feet.

  “At least ya got that old snake Tabik!” Ben called.

  “Don’t show him no mercy,” Tina Ann called.

  Tyla waved for silence and continued, saying the team had gone to the second hideout and run across Marrid who was also searching for the gem masters. That created a stir, and Tyla had to wait a moment for the audience to settle down. When she had their attention again, she told them Emanicus gnomes had formed an alliance with Outcasts, and if fortress troops hoped to win the war, they needed to form alliances of their own. Marrid was willing to help, and Tyla had agreed to work with her.

  This surprising announcement had to be unsettling, and Tyla was afraid some of the staff would protest. Olissa didn’t give them a chance. She stood and addressed the group.

  “I’m in favor of the alliance. I wasn’t at first, but I’ve spoken with Marrid, and I’m convinced she has no ulterior motives. She would like to see The Emanicus defeated and permanently disbanded. They’re a threat to the woodspirit population, too. Sometimes we forget that.”

  Tyla saw several breghlin nod.

  “Before this meeting began, Marrid received important information via dendrite ball. Ertz was there at the time, and he would like to share that news.” Olissa motioned for Ertz to come forward.

  Just as he started toward the dais, the temperature plunged. Tyla gave a mental groan. Of all the wretched timing. There hadn’t been an attack in weeks, and it had to happen now when Ertz was about to deliver alarming news.

  Startled, Ertz paused, but then he continued to the dais. “Shall I speak now or wait till the attack is over?” he asked Tyla and Olissa.

  “Let’s wait,” Olissa said, rubbing her arms for warmth. Frost was forming on the walls.

  Nervous conversations broke out among the audience, and Tyla used the opportunity to carry on a whispered conversation. “Our enemies must have settled into their new hideout, and they’re renewing their attacks. I hope S isn’t doing this or we may be in for worse than we experienced in the past. Do you think this is retaliation?”

  “For what? Capturing Tabik?” Olissa asked.

  “No, I was thinking of the Watcher. It’s been gone a long time,” Tyla said. “Maybe they know something happened to it.”

  “Would they expect the Watcher to know where they went? They left unexpectedly while it was gone,” Olissa said. “I don’t think that’s it.”

  “It’s so cold, I can see my breath,” Ertz said, shivering.

  Two guards burst into the room.

  “Shadows!” one cried. “Olissa, you’d better come!”

  “They’re getting through the wards!” the other shouted. “Hurry!”
/>   Chaos broke out as everyone in the room got up, wanting to see for themselves.

  Tyla felt dazed. Shadows? Breaching the wards? That had never happened before. Olissa ran from the dais. Tyla and Ertz followed.

  “There’s nothing you can do. Stay here! We’ll handle it!” she shouted to the staff. She didn’t need a crowd of onlookers in the way.

  When she and Ertz reached the door, Marrid and Elias were there. “If you want me to come, I’ll do what I can,” Elias said.

  “Please,” Tyla said, “You, too, Marrid.”

  Arenia and Franklin were heading toward them. “Keep everyone here,” Tyla called to them.

  “We’ll try,” Franklin said.

  “Come on,” Olissa said, grabbing Tyla’s arm. “We’ve got to go!”

  Once outdoors, Tyla was dismayed to see the shadow’s progress. It had broken through the wards and was creeping stealthily forward, mocking them with its slow but steady approach. How could they stop it? She had infused powers, but none of the gems she’d infused would repel dark powers. Her knife, which had formidable powers, might not be able to fight something like this. She drew it from the sheath. The blade quickly shifted from its normal glow to flickering flames.

  Now what? Maybe the knife’s oracular gems would help her find a weakness in the shadow attack, which was a malevolent spell. She drew power from those gems and immediately felt sick. They were making her more sensitive to the presence of evil. She pushed the unpleasant sensations into the background and tried to concentrate. Normally, she would close her eyes, but she wanted to monitor the shadow’s progress, and she also wanted to see what Olissa was doing.

  Olissa clasped a pendant. Her lips were moving soundlessly as if saying a spell. Sweat beaded on her brow.

  The shadow continued to approach.

  Tyla tried not to panic. She wasn’t getting any insights from her gems. Maybe she was too nervous to concentrate, or maybe there were no weaknesses to exploit.

  Olissa let go of the pendant, and there was fear in her eyes when she looked at Tyla. “I strengthened our wards by directing more energy into them, but it had no effect on the shadow. I don’t know what to try next.”

  Just then Elias and Ertz arrived, with Marrid a few steps behind. Ertz cried, “Now!” He and Elias stretched out their hands as if commanding the shadow to stop.

  For a moment, nothing happened. Then the shadow stopped advancing and began to ripple.

  “Good,” Marrid murmured. “It seems to be working.”

  Tyla held her breath, hoping the shadow would dissipate as it usually did when it could go no farther, but the shadow remained.

  “Now what shall we try, Elias?” Ertz asked.

  “I don’t know. It’s not advancing, but it isn’t dissipating, either.”

  “If we had alamaria to boost our powers, perhaps we could make it dissipate,” Ertz said.

  “But we don’t have any, and there’s no time to get some,” Elias said. “Look, it’s advancing again.”

  “No,” Tyla whispered, her eyes fixed on the approaching shadow. This did not bode well.

  Marrid stepped forward. “I didn’t want to get involved unless you really need me.”

  “We need you,” Ertz admitted, an edge of panic in his voice.

  Tyla didn’t know what would happen if the shadow reached the fortress, and she didn’t want to find out. “Help us. Please.”

  Marrid’s determined expression gave Tyla hope. “Cover your eyes,” Marrid ordered.

  Even with her eyes covered, Tyla saw a burst of light that was so bright it was as if the sun itself had exploded. She imagined opening her eyes to find the fortress grounds a scorched wasteland, but if that’s what it took to eliminate the shadow, she didn’t care.

  “All right,” Marrid said. “It’s safe to look now.”

  Tyla opened her eyes. The shadow was gone. The grass looked slightly wilted, but other than that, there was no damage.

  “Impressive,” Elias said. “Good thing you were here.”

  “Indeed,” said Ertz. “We’re in your debt.”

  “Nonsense,” Marrid said. “What good is an alliance if we don’t help each other?”

  “Seeing your powers in action makes me a little less worried that S is a woodspirit again,” Tyla said. “Let’s get back to the meeting. I’ll tell everyone what happened, and then I’d like you to address the group.”

  “I’d be honored,” Marrid said.

  Still shaking from the ordeal, Tyla led the group back to the throne room.

  Chapter 43

  “Thanks for keeping everyone here,” Tyla told Franklin and Arenia who were standing in the doorway.

  “A few tried to leave, but I growled and showed my teeth,” Bounder said.

  “What happened? Is everything all right?” Arenia asked.

  Tyla didn’t know what to say. Things were not all right. The Emanicus had gotten through the wards, and it had taken one of The Eight to stop the attack. “The shadow is gone. Please ask everyone to take their seats, and we’ll resume the meeting.”

  As soon as Arenia and Franklin had gone inside, Olissa said, “If we don’t want to alarm everyone, we should downplay the attack. Marrid should get credit for stopping the shadow, but I’d rather not say we tried and failed and Marrid had to rescue us.”

  “You didn’t fail,” Marrid said. “You just needed more time to find a solution.”

  Olissa gave a humorless laugh.

  “I doubt we would have found a solution,” Ertz admitted.

  “But thank you for your confidence in us,” Elias said.

  Tyla’s pendant grew warm. She gave an inward groan as she received word from the gnome on duty that Pentar wanted to speak to her.

  “Is something wrong?” Olissa asked.

  “I hope not, but Pentar seldom contacts me at this hour, so I can’t help thinking it’s bad news.”

  “Don’t jump to conclusions,” Ertz said. “He may have received today’s newssheet and thought he should tell you about S.”

  Oh, please let it be that, Tyla thought. It made perfect sense. Pentar would think she hadn’t heard the news since newssheets didn’t reach Elantoth for days, and he wouldn’t assume another commander had contacted her.

  “Do you want us to wait for you?” Olissa asked.

  “No. I might be awhile. While I have him, I’ll tell him about our alliance with Marrid. He may find it hard to believe that Marrid is as disturbed about S being restored as we are, but he’s more open-minded than Finnack.”

  When Tyla reached the Pedestal room and opened the link with Pentar, he came right to the point. I’m sorry to give you bad news, but you need to know. S is a woodspirit again. The Emanicus sent Kitana Windan an image of Sheamathan in woodspirit form, surrounded by Emanicus gnomes. She published it in today’s newssheet. They didn’t give any details, so no one knows when they restored her. They could have done it weeks ago.

  S had been a beetle until a few days ago, but Tyla wasn’t about to explain how she knew. Sometime, she’d tell Pentar about the mission, but not now. I already heard the news, but thanks for letting me know.

  Who told you?

  Marrid, and she’s as worried about it as we are.

  Since when are you two on friendly terms?

  I don’t have time to go into that now. We were under attack a few minutes ago, and it’s a good thing she was here. Either The Emanicus—or S herself if she has her powers back—got through our wards. You need to be on high alert.

  We are. Two Outcast Nopes came here yesterday, seeking sanctuary. They say The Emanicus is raising an Outcast army and forcing Nopes as well as gem users to fight for them.

  What are their names?

  Barsam and Dullum. For their own protection, they’re in our dungeon for the foreseeable future.

  Can you trust them? They might be spies. Once they’ve learned what they can from you, The Emanicus might try to free them.

  I trust them. If anyone sho
uld be worried about spies, it’s you.

  Me? Why?

  The Emanicus sent a crew of Outcasts to your alamaria mine with orders to learn what they could about Elantoth. At this very moment, they may be passing information to your Watcher.

  It was all Tyla could do to keep from laughing. The spies were living in a hut in the wilderness, and the Watcher was a field snake. Don’t worry, that crew never reached the mine. I made sure of that.

  Good. I’m glad to hear it.

  What else did you learn from your informants?

  The O.D. news shop owner, Eldra, took a cartload of goods to an Emanicus hideout. Too bad we can’t question her to learn where they are. She’s gone into hiding, too.

  It doesn’t matter. They’ve moved, and she may not know where they are now.

  Moved! How on Ahmonell would you know that?

  I’ll tell you later. I have to get back to my meeting.

  All right, I’ll hold you to that. Pentar broke the connection.

  Tyla felt a spark of new hope. Unlike Rimwick, Pentar’s Outcast inmates were willing to talk, and their information was up to date. Armed with inside information, Marrid might be able to shock Rimwick into blurting out Emanicus secrets.

  When Tyla returned to the throne room, the meeting had broken up. Franklin, Arenia, and Marrid were having a private conversation in the back of the room. Staff members wanting to ask questions surrounded Elias, Olissa, and Ertz. Tyla made her way over to Kaff and Eneff and said quietly, “Come with me, please.”

  “Is something wrong?” Eneff asked as Tyla led them away.

  “No. I just need to talk to you.”

  Seeing Tyla was back from the Pedestal Room, Marrid, Olissa, and Franklin came to see what Pentar had told her.

  “Marrid, this is Eneff, an Outcast from the O.D., and you probably recognize Kaff from newssheet images. Fellows, this is Marrid.”

  Marrid smiled. “You have unusual allies, Tyla—myself among them.”

  “I suppose I do.”

  “What did Pentar have to say?” Arenia asked.

  “He wanted to tell me about S, but he had other news, too. Yesterday, two Outcasts, Barsam and Dullum, came to the fortress seeking asylum in exchange for information.”