Beware The Hunter

by Martha Carr

  Leira understood, but she still needed the information. “I’m sorry I had to involve you, but it’s important.”

  Ronnie looked at her for a second, then nodded. “I know, and I’m doing what I can.”

  He took Leira through the back entrance of a small booth that was closed off to everyone else. Inside were all types of artifacts, many of which she’d been looking for in the past. A half-elf, half-human walked over, rubbing his hands nervously on his pants. “Ronnie, what can I do for you?”

  Ronnie looked at Leira, and she took the lead. “I know I’m not someone you want to see here right now, but I’m trying to help you guys. I need information on Milton, and on your head guy, the Light Elf.”

  The elf shook his head, backing up. “I’m sorry, I can’t help you.”

  Ronnie ground his teeth and stuck his finger in the elf’s face. “I don’t think I need to remind you of all the favors Louie has done for you in the past. He saved your ass more than once.”

  The elf looked at him for a moment, thinking hard, then nodded. “I’ll help, but not here. Later, at the pub. It’ll cost you some gold coins, though.”

  Leira stuck out her hand and shook his without hesitation. “Deal.”

  She knew the queen would gladly front the money if it meant catching whoever was taking these people down the wrong path. Ronnie cleared his throat and glared at the elf before leading Leira back out of the tent. Ronnie shook his head. “You shouldn’t have just agreed to his first demand. Just like everything else in the dark market, it’s negotiable, and I could’ve gotten you a better price.”

  Leira smiled. “Right now, price is the least of my worries. I just want to get to the bottom of this. The person who’s going to be funding this has more than enough gold coins to go around.”

  They made their way back to Ronnie’s table, and Leira chuckled as Ronnie chased the pixies who were playing catch with some of his precious stones. “Pixies! What did I say about touching things?”

  The pixies giggled and dropped the stones back in their holders before fluttering up in front of his face. One of the pixies blew a raspberry at him. “That’s not a very good thank you for having us watch your stupid booth. Did you know that those stones are nothing more than rocks from the caverns? They don’t have any magic.”

  Ronnie put up his hands. “Shhhh! This is the dark market. If those buying them can’t figure that out, it’s not my problem. But anyway, thanks. I promise it was for a good reason.”

  The pixies glanced at Leira and whispered to each other, giving Ronnie a wink before flying off. Leira giggled and shook Ronnie’s hand. “Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it. If you need anything, let me or Louie know, and we’ll take care of it.”

  Leira turned to go, but stopped when Ronnie called, “Where you going?”

  “I’m going to see the person who’s gonna make all this possible. Trust me, it’s better you don’t know the whole story.”

  Ronnie scoffed. “It’s probably better if I don’t know any of the story.”

  Leira chuckled as she walked away. She kept her head down and her face covered as she went, not wanting any of the passersby to recognize her. When she had made it to the rocky path that led either back into the Dark Forest or toward the main part of town, she took the main road.

  When the scenery began to change she uncovered her face, feeling more comfortable about moving through Oriceran. Most of those who entered into the dark market came from the other side anyway, and anyone coming from where she was headed wouldn’t dare attack her. She had to make her way to the palace, and she had to do it fast.

  21

  “The queen’s champion,” the elven king shouted as Leira entered the gardens.

  “Your Highness,” Leira said as she bowed.

  She looked at the gardens, the flowers and shrubbery growing more beautiful by the moment. There were plants of all different colors and shapes, and many of them seemed to have a mind of their own. She watched as one long stem with a bright purple top wiggled as a bee buzzed around it. When the insect landed on the flowers petals, it swatted it with a large leaf.

  The king chuckled. “They are a peculiar species of flower, that’s for sure. The queen loves them, and when they reach the end of their lives, she uses their coloring to make the Royal tapestries.”

  Leira grimaced. “That seems a bit morbid. How do they feel about it?”

  The king smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. “They find it an honor that their colors will live on in the palace.”

  “Oh!” Leira started as a rabbit passed her wearing a top hat and tails. She tilted her head to the side, feeling as if she were stuck in Alice in Wonderland.

  The king chuckled. “We have more than enough of those running around the garden this year. They are feisty fellows, always picking the dandies to decorate their homes with. They live in the forest, finding peace in knowing the Gardener protects them.”

  “I suppose anyone would feel that way.” Leira smiled.

  The king looked up at the palace. “She’s waiting for you, although I’m not sure which room she’s in. I would check the library.”

  Leira nodded and smiled, curtsying awkwardly before making her way to the castle. She waved her hands, letting energy blow from them, and created a staircase with the spell she remembered Correk using the first time she went there. Up and up she went. The rooms appeared, then disappeared behind her as she walked. Finally, she reached the fourth floor, where a beautifully etched sign reading, Library with an arrow pointing to the left hung on the wall as if it were waiting for her.

  “Thank you,” Leira said to the sign, giggling.

  She glanced over her shoulder, watching the sign disappear, then shook her head and walked into the library. The queen was sitting at a table by the window. The gnomes were all busy working in the stacks, but they stopped and looked at her as she entered. The poppies on their hats all began blowing raspberries, grabbing the queen’s attention. She smirked and blew a raspberry back at them, and they all laughed in unison.

  Leira looked at the queen and attempted another curtsy, wavering from side to side. The queen arched an eyebrow and set down her book. “You are truly one of a kind, Leira Berens.”

  Leira’s cheeks went red. “I hope you’re doing well, Your Majesty. I’m sorry to drop in on you like this, but I was in Oriceran working on exactly what we’d discussed. I figured it was a good time to come and see you.”

  The queen looked at her kindly and motioned to the seat across from her. “Have a seat, Leira. I sensed that you were here on our lands. You’ve been here a couple of times since we’ve talked, and I was starting to wonder if you were going to visit me.”

  Leira glanced out the window at the Dark Forest. “I had every intention of doing so. I just wanted to have something to tell you before I came.”

  The queen nodded. “So, have you decided whether you’re going to live here?”

  Leira shook her head. “No, I haven’t decided that yet, but I have information about the problem going on here in Oriceran.”

  The queen propped her cheek on her hand. “And what have you found out?”

  Leira took a second to choose her words carefully. “Before I go on, I wanted to ask you a question. Exactly how much of your support do I have? I don’t mean that in any negative way, but we’ve never been on great terms with each other.”

  The queen gave her a gentle smile. “Leira, you are the one who gave me a last moment with my dead son to say goodbye. I think that puts us on very positive terms. You will always be under my protection for that alone.”

  The queen held up her hand to forestall Leira’s comment. “Don’t interrupt. I realize you are not even partially Light Elf. I should’ve seen it from the start. Jasper Elf. Regardless, you can still show me respect and not interrupt.”

  Leira nodded, understanding that on this planet the queen was very special. “Of course, Your Majesty. My apologies.”

  The queen�
��s demeanor was very different from the first time they’d met. Her face wore a constant smile, and her tone was calm and serene. There were no fits of rage or anger, and the tears were completely gone from her eyes. She was at peace with the death of her son, all because Leira had enabled her to say goodbye. She was much easier to talk to, and a lot easier to show respect to because she gave it back.

  The queen stood up and handed her book to one of the gnomes, who trotted off quickly. She clasped her hands in front of her and nodded at Leira. “Come, walk with me.”

  Leira stood and walked behind the queen, watching as she made floors appear wherever she was about to step. They had been invisible before, with vistas of the forest and valley below. Walking in midair still caused butterflies in Leira’s stomach, but she was wowed by the view. The magic inside her had taken her on hundreds of similar rides by that point, and she was starting to get used to it.

  The queen acknowledged a passing Light Elf. “Harold.”

  “Your Majesty.” He smiled as he bowed.

  “How are you today? How is your lovely wife?”

  Harold grinned from ear to ear. Leira couldn’t tell if it was because of his wife or because the queen was asking. “She’s quite well. We have a brand-new baby. We named him Correk to memorialize the hero he has become.”

  The queen glanced at Leira, then back to Harold. “That is a beautiful name. May he grow up to be strong and vibrant just like his namesake.”

  Harold bowed, and the queen moved on, walking a little bit farther before stopping. She waved her hand over a corner of the palace, and a winding bronze staircase appeared. Level by level, they descended.

  “Your Majesty,” one of the servants said, bowing her head as the queen walked past the second level.

  “My dear,” the queen replied, acknowledging her presence.

  The girl looked at Leira. Her cheeks were bright red, and she was obviously nervous. When they reached the bottom and stepped onto the grass, the queen continued walking, and Leira hurried to keep up with her. They made their way to the road in front of the palace, and the queen opened a portal that took them to the nearest village.

  The queen stepped through first, looking back as Leira came through. “Royalty has its privileges, allowing me to use portals for short distances. So much better than riding in one of the carriages. I have to say, though, it’s not wise to use them often.”

  The queen walked Leira through the village, accepting small gifts from the villagers as they went. She often stopped, nodding to those who curtsied or bowed to her. In between, she explained to Leira the things that had changed in the village.

  “This village used to be one of the safest places in Oriceran. No one ever locked their doors, people were always welcome for dinner, and children played in the streets constantly. As you can see now, every building is equipped with a magical lock, and not just that, but magical alarm systems as well. They grab anyone who is an intruder and send them straight to the security offices. Our jails are filling up quicker than we can send them off to Trevilsom.”

  Leira listened to the queen talk and looked around, observing exactly what she was saying. One of the magical police stopped and tipped his hat to the queen, and she smiled and shook his hand. “It is men like this who are keeping the peace here, but it is difficult for them. People are afraid of each other these days. There are no more happy smiles as you walk along. Everyone keeps their head down. It shouldn’t be that way.”

  Leira nodded. “No, it shouldn’t.”

  The queen faced Leira, taking her by the hands. “We need a champion. We need you, Leira.”

  Leira didn’t know what to say. The queen just smiled, then reached into the pocket of her beautiful dress and pulled out a small bag of gold coins. “Anything you need. You just have to come here for it.”

  22

  Leira stepped through the portal first this time, then gave the queen a hand. The portal closed behind them, and the queen smiled at Leira. She giggled when she saw her husband out in the gardens. “Like I said, anything you need, and please think about what we’ve discussed. Oriceran needs your help just as much as Earth does. Now, I’m going to go pick some flowers with my husband. You will be okay to get back?”

  Leira glanced at the edge of the woods and saw Perrom appear briefly from the shadows. He’d allowed his scales to flip, revealing him for a moment, then flip back again, camouflaging him again. Leira turned back to the queen and nodded. “Of course, I will. Thank you for your help. I will be in touch soon. “

  The queen gave her another smile and glanced toward the woods, but didn’t say a word. Instead, she did something Leira was not expecting, something completely out of character. She took Leira’s hands in hers. “Don’t wait to call on me next time.”

  She dropped Leira’s hands, then walked toward the garden and the king, who was smiling vibrantly at her. There was no further explanation, but then again, there was no real need for one. Leira watched the queen walk away until she had disappeared around the corner of some tall hedges. Birds flew from the bushes and gracefully glided over her head, reflecting a myriad of colors on their wings. The colors seemed to change and shift as the sunlight cascaded across them. She had been to Oriceran several times, but every time she learned a little bit more about the place her ancestors were from.

  Leira smiled and headed toward the woods. Just stepping into the Dark Forest removed a large amount of light, and Leira blinked, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness. The greenery was wild and thick, and the canopy allowed only a small amount of light to shimmer through its branches. The sounds of birds and other creatures echoed.

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt you with the queen,” Perrom said, stepping out from a tangle of bushes to the right.

  His scales flipped once again to bring himself into a better view for Leira.

  “It’s all right. I was done anyway.”

  As they began to walk through the forest, Perrom wrung his hands nervously. “I wanted to know if everything was in place?”

  Leira nodded. “We’ve booked Room 302 of the Driskill Hotel, and I’ve called in more than enough reinforcements for the evening. Have you been able to reach Ossonia? None of it will work if she doesn’t come to that specific place at the right time.”

  Perrom let out a puff of air and tilted his head from side to side. “I think so. I saw her and I held up a sign while I talked to her, but I couldn’t hear anything she said. I guess you can never really tell if you’re talking to the person you’re trying to contact. The World in Between can be a tricky place.”

  Leira lifted her eyebrows. “I have to admit that’s better than I’d hoped.”

  As they walked along silently, Leira eyed him and recognized someone who had more to say. It was her detective training, but it worked on both magical and non-magical alike. People acted differently when they were holding back. It was obvious that Perrom had secrets he had either sworn not to tell or wasn’t willing to give up. Being able to talk to your loved ones through the World in Between was not something everyone knew how to do, and she knew for sure that Perrom hadn’t started out with that knowledge.

  Leira touched Perrom’s arm, stopping him in his tracks. “Something inside me tells me I should just leave this be, but I can’t. Do I want to know how you pulled this off?”

  Perrom smirked for just a moment, then shook his head. “No, you don’t.”

  Leira giggled. “Fair enough. I’m guessing that neither you nor Correk is welcome in the library any longer.”

  Perrom tried to hold back a smile and shrugged. “That’s only if they figure out who did it. I mean, I’m sure they know by now that the book is gone, but gnomes aren’t very good detectives.”

  Leira laughed loudly, covering her mouth. “I would’ve done the same, and more. It’s about time for a reunion, Texas style.”

  Leira swung the door to the pub open and looked around, quickly spotting the half-elf half-human sitting alone in the back corner of the
bar. She hurried over and pulled a bench up next to him. He glanced at her, watching as she emptied half of the coins from a pouch into her hand. She slid the stack in front of him and lifted an eyebrow. “I’m sure we don’t have a lot of time, so let’s not dilly-dally. You give me the information I need, and you get the rest of the coins.”

  The elf glanced down at the coins, then back at Leira. He took a nervous sip of his beer. “That’s fair. From what I hear, the gnome is working for a guy named Pearson, some well-connected wizard back on Earth. They are trying to get the goods on who started Humans First. What I can tell you is, someone is setting him up to look like a bad guy to get him out of the way. From the rap sheet or whatever rap sheet you think you have on him to the people ordering his capture, none of it is what it seems.”

  Leira furrowed her brow. “You’re saying that higher-ups in the human government are involved in what’s going on?”

  The elf shrugged. “I can’t give you a definitive answer on that, but if you figure out who Pearson is, you’ll have your information. Most people see Milton as a nuisance and aren’t going to stop coming after him. You’re not the only one who was sent to find him. It’s coming from both Earth and Oriceran. But I’m telling you, he works for somebody on Earth, someone important. Whoever this Pearson guy is, he may be in danger too. Quite honestly, I don’t know if you’ll be able to help Milton either, because the gnome was already picked up.”

  Leira’s eyes lost focus as she stared out in front of her, wondering why she hadn’t heard anything from Lois and Patsy about any of it. Maybe they didn’t know. Maybe they were just following orders like everyone else. Whoever was after Milton couldn’t have been far behind her if they had already gotten to him.