by Zora Marie
“Alright, then we’ll do this your way. But Zelia, this time I’m not leaving without you.”
“Connan, I appreciate it, but just as when you found me in The Cave, you will leave if you must. I’m sure James will make sure of it, as he did then.”
“Wait,” Alrindel interrupted, “they found you there and just left you?” He began rubbing his middle finger and thumb together as he glared at them.
“Alrindel, you don’t understand. I couldn’t leave, and Asenten would have made me kill…” she trailed off, her thoughts turning as she tried to make sense of everything.
“What’s wrong?” Vainoff asked.
“The others must have found out, that’s why the Darkans attacked the Dwarves. I thought it was because Yargo killed Asenten and that left that area undefended, but the Darkans are being controlled. It must have taken them time to organize an attack and by the time Yargo freed me it was too late. But what are they planning? What do they want? Vainoff,” Zelia closed her eyes, “I need to know why you created me.”
“I don’t know anymore. It’s clear they were lying, and we were blind to it. It’s easy to see now, why they chose us to replace the old elders.”
Zelia opened her eyes to see Eleanor’s twin, King Erolith, standing behind Alrindel. Much like his daughter, he had a way of entering silently.
“They knew they could manipulate all of us and they needed us to create you. This is not just your fight. It is all of ours. Every time they hurt you, they’re striking all of us. I am sorry for the part I had to play in this.”
There was true sorrow in Erolith’s eyes.
“I pushed you that day on the mountains and I’ve regretted it every day since. You go, do what you must with Kniteoff and when you return, we will figure this out.”
“But first,” Linithion interjected, having entered with her father, “everyone should stop talking and eat already.”
15
When Zelia finished eating, she took Linithion to the side, away from the others. She knew the princess would try to follow her again. She couldn’t let Linithion put herself in danger like that if she could help it, especially after what the wizards had made her see.
“I know you want to go with me, but I’m asking you to stay here. Help your father figure out how to stop the wizards, please.”
“What makes you think I can help?”
“He says there are only three Elves who can read the Guild’s books, but I know better.”
Linithion rolled her eyes, telling Zelia that she had guessed right. She had thought it had been one of the Guild’s spells Linithion had used on her.
“Fine, I’ll stay, but I still don’t think father will let me help.”
“Then see if you can figure out where Multly has been hiding out, we may need him.”
“Oh great, so now I’m on crazy Dwarf duty.”
“Hey, be nice, he loves animals just as much as we do. Besides, he doesn’t have anyone but the animals and Vainoff.”
“I know.” Linithion sighed.
“Thank you.”
Zelia gave Linithion a light kiss on the cheek. When she turned to leave, she realized James was watching from his place at the table. He didn’t say anything. He just stared with a peculiar yet almost understanding look. He nodded her towards the door as he stood from the table.
“Where are you off to?” Connan asked him.
“To talk with Zelia. Finish eating, we must leave soon,” James reminded.
James and Zelia went out and stood by a fire in the courtyard, its warmth allowing easy travel from building to building even with the snow.
“I know that you don’t know me, but I see much of Eadon in you and I hope you know what you’re doing,” James said.
“What do you mean?”
“Both with the dragon and Linithion.”
“James, other than knowing I had to try to save Alrindel and now to help your people, I have not known what I am doing in a very long time.”
“Well, you’ve already taken the first step to figuring it out.”
“What’s that?”
“You’ve admitted you don’t know, and you have accepted help, everything else will be clear in time.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Experience.” He let that sit for a moment then continued, “We’d best be getting ready to leave if we hope to catch up with your friends.”
The Dwarf turned to head back into the dining hall.
“James.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, now come on. If we don’t get them moving soon, it will be dark before we set off.”
James left, but Zelia remained by the fire, staring at it.
“Rogath, I know you’re still mad at me, but I still care about you. I don’t know if you’re listening now or not, but I hope one day you’ll forgive me. I miss you, the real you.”
Zelia sighed and turned back to the dining hall. Even if Rogath were listening, who knows if he would choose to answer. For now, she longed for his cheery presence in her dreams and questioned if he was truly mad at her or if the wizards had caused his hatred.
A while later, they were ready to leave and Zelia went to find Erolith and Vainoff. She was about to enter the room when she realized the two were arguing.
“We risk endangering everyone on Mineria if we go against them.”
“Erolith,” Vainoff said, “I know as well as you do that losing our Guild will open us up to attack, but if we don’t stop them, there will be nothing good left to protect. We’ve been blind from the beginning. Zelia’s return, what they did to her, and what they continue to inflict on her has just opened our eyes to it.”
“I know, I just.” Erolith turned to the window that looked out over the field where Linithion helped the Dwarves pack the last of their supplies. “I don’t want any of this for her.”
“I know you don’t.”
Zelia knocked, causing them both to turn to the open doorway. They shared a glance between themselves as Zelia stepped into the room. The way they looked at her made her feel as though she was a young child intruding on something she never should have heard, even if it was something she needed to know.
“We’re ready to go, but what does the Guild protect Mineria from?”
“Hyperia is not the only other realm,” Vainoff answered, “there are many others only they are not connected to us as Hyperia is. I’ll tell you more when you return, for now, focus on Kniteoff.”
~
“You’re leaving me again?” Bête Noire nuzzled her cheek with his velvety nose.
“Only for a short while. Starling will take care of you until I return. Besides, I need someone to keep an eye on Linithion for me.”
“Fine. Starling better have more of those treats.”
“I’m sure he does, now go on.”
She watched Bête Noire prance over to Starling and playfully nudge him as she walked onto the barge. They had ridden to the river’s edge and the entire time she had questioned how to tell Bête Noire she was leaving him behind. But he seemed to take it well, and her thoughts turned to more important matters. The band of travelers headed down river. King Erolith had sent his best men to be sure they made it to the Trading town unharmed by the Darkans. So, they took the chance to sleep between secured barrels.
~
Zelia shot up as Nikolas cursed, “Freg.”
An arrow pinned him to a barrel by the hair.
“Something is stirring the Darkans up.” One of their guides, Titan, pulled the twisted arrow from the barrel and tossed it into the water.
“Best stay low.” As Titan said it, an arrow struck him, sticking out of his shoulder.
“Nikolas,” Skylar nodded toward their guide and stood, returning fire to the Darka
ns.
“Stay down,” Alrindel warned her as he stood.
She stood anyway, to loose arrows alongside Alrindel, but Connan pulled her back down.
“It’s more important you get there, than that we do. Please, stay down.”
Zelia nodded. She hated to leave everyone else to fend off the Darkans, but she knew he was right. She crawled to where Nikolas was bracing Titan.
She placed her hand over Nikolas’ as he held the arrow, prepared to pull it out by the shaft. “Let me.”
He let go, and she slid her fingers down the shaft of the arrow, one finger on either side. She forced her fingers into Titan’s shoulder, his blood making the arrow slick yet sticky. Zelia gave him a sympathetic glance as he hissed. With the arrowhead pinned between her fingers, she used her thumb to keep it from catching on the opening of his wound as she pulled the arrow out in one smooth motion. It relieved her to find the arrowhead only had a single barb and was still attached.
As soon as the arrow was free, Nikolas took it and tapped the arrowhead to his tongue.
“Good, it isn’t poisoned.”
“That is not how you should test that,” Zelia said as he chucked the arrow over the side of the barge.
“Their poison always tastes horrible, it’s the easiest way to tell,” Nikolas said and put pressure on the Elf’s wound.
It was then that Zelia noticed the incoming arrows had stopped, and she stood. “Alrindel?” she asked.
“Wolves.”
The sky was just beginning to lighten as a huge black wolf stood on the shore, staring at her.
“Dain?” she questioned.
“You know him?” Nikolas asked as the wolf’s head lowered the slightest bit, his ears flicked forward.
Zelia nodded. “I… I saved him from Ogres when he was a pup. He brought me Flyx. I would probably still be in that cave if it weren’t for him stumbling in that day.”
“Until we found Asenten dead in the cave, I didn’t believe you killed those Ogres,” Connan said.
“I didn’t kill Asenten. I couldn’t.”
“We sent Skylar to search for you as soon as we heard,” Alrindel said, “but the trail stopped just outside of the cave.”
“Yargo took me with him. I’m starting to think Asenten meant for that spell to make him take me with him. The trail stopped there because Lumid pulled him and his men back as they stepped out of the cave. I wasn’t awake, but Rog was.”
She thought back to how mangled her chest had been and for the first time questioned how she had gotten up from that so soon. Even with Yalif’s healing and the salve he used, she shouldn’t have woken up for another day.
“That doesn’t explain, why the wolves… uh… Dain is here?”
“When I saw him this Fall, he said his pack had been helping control the Darkan population for generations. It’s just been harder with the Dwarves gone and Kniteoff in the mountain.”
“So, you’re helping for them, not us?” Connan teased.
“You may think that if you like,” she spoke without thinking of what he had said. Instead she was forcing her focus back to the task at hand. “How far are we from The Trading Town?”
“Not long. We should be there soon at this rate. The Darkans shouldn’t have attacked this close,” Titan said.
“Kafthry and Saria probably stirred them up,” Skylar sighed.
Zelia nodded, it wouldn’t surprise her if the Elf and her dragon rider friend had caught the attention of the Darkans. She turned to Connan asking, “I need to know something. What is the best entrance to get to a hall big enough for a dragon and hydra even after a column has collapsed?”
Connan turned to James and Nordock, “East or West?”
“East, they’ve spotted Kniteoff there more often.”
“But more of the jewels are in the west mountain,” Nordock countered.
“East it is, I don’t think he’s here for the jewels.”
“I feel your presence,” Kniteoff’s voice reverberated in her head and she cringed.
“Zelia?” Alrindel asked.
“It’s Kniteoff, he knows we’re coming.”
“So, you hear him talk in your—”
“Head, yes,” Zelia cut James off. Then her armor came to mind, and she rubbed her temples, as if kneading her thoughts back into order.
“I should have pulled my armor from the portal before now.”
“What armor? Nothing but armor cast in dragon fire will withstand dragon fire,” James questioned.
“No armor from Mineria will, but it’s not from here and now it’s not here either.”
She sank down against a barrel, and Alrindel sat beside her.
“Is it worth using your ice magic for?” Alrindel asked.
“I don’t know. It heals me to some extent, but is it enough to risk being…”
She remembered how she had broken the wall at The Hold with ice after burning the Darkans.
“It’s worth it.”
Zelia scooped up a handful of water from the river and froze it as she stood up. She compressed the ice, forcing all but the pure water from the sphere. The Dwarves stared at her and she turned her back to them as she stuck her hand into the ball of ice. She felt around until her fingertips brushed the carved leather of the armor Yargo had sent her.
“Thank you, Yargo and Lumid. I wish you would forgive me, Rogath.”
She pulled the armor and collapsed staff from the ball, then let the ball of ice roll off her fingers and back into the river. The ball bobbed and then floated by them. She hesitated as she recalled what had happened when someone else held the staff before setting it down between her feet as she pulled her armor over her head and arms.
“It’s beautiful,” James breathed. “May I?” He gestured to the laces of her armor. At her nod he tightened and tied them for her.
“Thank you, James.”
She turned to look down river and noticed the dim outlines of houses in the morning light.
“We’ll make sure Titan is cared for, then we’ll head for the mountains. Alright?” Alrindel asked.
“What about Kafthry?”
“Hopefully, Saria convinced him to rest in The Trading Town, so maybe we’ll catch them there.”
“I hope you’re right. Kniteoff wants us to come to him anyway, so I don’t think he’ll attack tonight.”
16
Zelia sat staring at the mountains through a thick glass window when Skylar wrapped a rough wool blanket across her shoulders. She had let them convince her that they should rest one last night and wait for a fresh day to make the trek to the mountain gates. While she understood the need to rest, she couldn’t help but be anxious as her friends were still ahead of them.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Kniteoff and…” She glanced north and sighed.
“Linithion?”
“What am I supposed to do? I don’t want to hurt her, but I…” Zelia broke off. She didn’t know how she felt, but she knew she put Linithion at risk being near her.
“One problem at a time. Linithion will still be there.”
She sighed, she knew he was right, but that didn’t make her feel any better.
“I can feel him.” She leaned towards the mountain the slightest bit. “He’s…” She paused, mulling over the strange warm and fuzzy, yet protective feeling Kniteoff projected. “… in love.”
“Yeah, with our gold.” Connan spoke loud enough he startled Zelia off the stool she sat atop.
“You’re losing your touch,” Skylar teased. “Come on, I heard that Saria and Kafthry are almost a day ahead of us. If we hurry, we can catch up.”
She nodded and picked up her staff from the table by the bed. She paused for a moment as her vision blurred, the magic of the staff pulling at her powers, her energy. Then she sl
id it into the holster on the back of her armor. Stealing one last glance out the window, she headed down the stairs, pulling her cloak around her shoulders.
She watched her breath chill in the air and was on the edge of town when everyone caught up. James fell in step with her, his short legs struggling the tiniest bit to keep up with her pace.
“What is your plan?”
She let out a long sigh, the moisture of her breath freezing in the tips of her hair.
“I don’t have one. I have to figure out what is going on first.”
There was a howl in the distance ahead of them and she froze.
“What?” Connan asked.
“It’s Dain.”
She picked up her pace, now using her powers to walk on top of the snow instead of through it with the Dwarves. Dain’s howl was one of warning, but she didn’t know what it meant. The wind blew her hood back as she listened for the trees’ slow chatter, but they were silent as they stood leafless and dormant with a thick layer of snow across their branches.
“Zelia, slow down, the Dwarves can’t keep this pace,” Alrindel whispered just low enough that only she could hear.
“But…” she stopped herself and slowed her pace.
“Don’t slow down for us,” Connan said.
“No, we need to conserve our energy. We’ll find out what lies ahead of us soon enough.” I just hope Dain is alright when we get there.
Nikolas must have noticed the way she looked towards the howling, because he moved closer to her as if to offer comfort.
“I’m sure Dain is fine. It sounded more like a warning for something else, that’s why no one responded,” Nikolas reassured her.
“Kafthry and Saria?”
“Maybe. The wolves round here may not be wolfbloods, but they are highly intelligent, and Dain knows their association with you. I don’t know what you did for him, but those wolves would go through a lot for you.”
“I only did what was right. They don’t need to risk themselves for me.”
Nikolas veered off the path.
“Where are you going?” Alrindel asked.
“It’s time for a change of pace.”
“Wolf…” Skylar said the single word as if it explained everything and clomped along ahead of the Dwarves.
