“What do you want with me?” Oak demanded.
Fajfah smiled. It was not a pleasant smile. “Revenge.”
“For what?” Brodin demanded, though the look on Oak’s face suggested that he, at least, had a pretty good idea.
“For murdering my brother,” Fajfah spat. He gestured at the heavily armed men guarding the prisoners. “And relatives of every one of us here.”
“You must have the wrong sprite,” Seth protested. Of all those present, it was he who had known Oak the longest. “Oak is not capable of what you are suggesting.”
“Really,” came the sneering reply. “Why not ask him yourself?”
Oak, who had been staring at the ground, raised his head defiantly. “Let me tell you the full story,” he said loudly, grabbing everyone’s attention. “I had a sister once. She was wonderful; beautiful, kind, everyone loved her. She was out walking with her fiancé one day when they were spotted by a group of humans. For fun, these humans set their dogs on the two sprites, instructing them to kill. My sister’s fiancé tripped. She stopped to help him, but he insisted that she continue running. She saw the dogs attack. They tore him to pieces as though he was just some wild animal.” One of the captors grunted that he was just an animal, but Oak continued, ignoring him.
“I will give you three guesses who those humans were.” Nobody needed three, one was enough.
“What happened to your sister?” Dal asked gently.
“She killed herself.”
Fajfah was about to speak, but Brodin interrupted him. “So what happened next?”
“After my sister had been buried, I vowed to avenge her. I dedicated my life to tracking down those responsible and making them pay for what they did. I had just killed the last when Tor found me and asked me to join his quest.”
The silence was broken by loud slow clapping. Fajfah moved closer to Oak until he stood over him. “That is a very good story. You almost had me feeling sorry for you. However, I happen to know that it is all fabrication. Would you like to hear the truth?” He did not wait for an answer. “My brother and his friends were out walking their dogs in a meadow one day when they spotted a young female sprite and her beau. They were all over each other, so the men stopped to watch for a while, enjoying the show. Then things turned nasty. A third sprite turned up and an argument ensued. My brother was not close enough to hear what was said, but it looked like your sister was cheating on her fiancé and got caught out.”
“Liar,” Oak spat. “My sister would never have done that.”
Fajfah glanced down at him and his face softened a little. “I think you honestly believe that. However, that is irrelevant.” He looked about him, realising he had an audience. He had almost forgotten others were present. “A fight broke out between the two males and ended with one killing the other. All sprites look the same to us so my brother could not tell which one was the murderer and which the victim. I can only assume that it was the new arrival that died. The female ran off, but not before spying her human watchers. The other sprite ran after her and, as the show was over, my brother and his friends returned to their homes and told us all about it over the evening meal.”
He paused to take a drink of water. Nobody spoke, content to wait for him to continue. He did not keep them waiting long. “That was the last I heard of the affair until my brother came to me one night, deeply shaken. One of his friends had been found murdered. A note had been pinned to his body, stating ‘the sprite will have her revenge’. The next day another body was discovered. We made enquiries and soon got to hear about the death of Oak’s sister and the tale she had told before she died and put two and two together. My brother had no ties to our village so he moved away. We told him he was running away, but he was too scared to stay. Oak caught up with him a few weeks later. When I heard of his death, I visited the families of all those who had died and we decided that Oak must pay for his crimes. Now, finally, that can happen.”
“Wait a moment,” Brodin called out. “You cannot execute someone based on word of mouth.” He looked around him, indicating he was talking to all of his captors, not just Fajfah. “Fajfah’s brother told one story, Oak’s sister told another. How do we know which is the truth?”
The man who had threatened Dean spoke up. “My cousin confirmed what had happened, as did his son and his nephew.” He pointed to those standing near Cirren, Seth and Dal as he spoke.
Brodin was not convinced. “It is still only one story against another. Maybe we should put aside our swords and see if we can work this out in a non-violent way.”
Fajfah laughed loudly. “It is a little late for that I am afraid. I have great faith in my brother and know he would not lie, but it does not really matter. Whatever the true story is, he is still dead and his murderer must pay.”
Brodin knew that while Fajfah continued to talk, he was delaying Oak’s execution, so he continued. “And where will it end? Oak believes his sister’s death is the fault of humans, so he kills those responsible. In return you kill him. What is stopping Oak’s family then hunting you down?”
“Enough talk,” Fajfah commanded. “He dies now, by my hand. If anyone wants to avenge his death by killing me, then so be it.”
“Wait,” Brodin called out in desperation. “I will make a bargain with you. You prove that Oak murdered your relatives in cold blood and I will do nothing to defend him. However, if you cannot do so you should let us all go.”
“You are in no position to bargain.” He turned his attention to the youngest of the captors, who was holding a sword close to Dal. “Light a fire,” he ordered.
“What are you planning on doing?” Dean asked. He thought Fajfah had been a friend. He could not believe he really intended to murder Oak.
The smile on Fajfah’s face when he turned to look at him made Dean shiver. “He is a tree sprite. I intend to find out how well he will burn.”
The captives all struggled in their bonds, but could do nothing to prevent Fajfah picking a blazing stick from the fire, once it was lit and burning well, and brandishing it high above Oak’s head. “Do you have any last words,” he asked, almost politely.
Oak raised his head high enough to look his assassin in the eye. “You are no better than your brother,” he said defiantly. “He was nothing but a murdering coward too.”
Fajfah did not react. His face was unreadable as he silently placed the burning stick against Oak’s outstretched leg. The tree sprite’s friends watched helplessly as the flames rose higher, completely engulfing him. Not once did he cry out. Tears streamed down Dal’s face and she turned away, unable to watch Oak’s body twisting and convulsing in agony. Seth did his best to comfort her, but there was not much he could do with his arms tied behind his back. The smell of burning flesh was nauseating and the prisoners tried to breathe through their mouths while their captors all held cloth over their own noses in an attempt to prevent their nostrils being assaulted.
Finally it was over. Dean found himself unable to tear his eyes away from the still smouldering corpse. “What do you plan to do now?” Brodin asked, his voice filled with unconcealed rage.
It took Fajfah a moment to respond; he too was transfixed by the results of his actions. “That is a good question,” he said, finally able to drag his gaze away. “Friends,” he called out loudly, obviously addressing those holding weapons. “Our task is now complete. We can return to our homes and families knowing in our hearts that our loved ones have been avenged.”
“What about them?” the man standing over Cirren asked, gesturing towards the captives. “We cannot let them go, not after what they have just witnessed.”
For the first time since taking his companions hostage, uncertainty crossed Fajfah’s face. He had not thought beyond Oak’s death and he was now unsure what to do. He was not even certain the fates of those he had been travelling with were in his hands. He had only been permitted to take charge as he had spent so much of his time tracking down Oak, keeping the others informed of his p
rogress by leaving messages in prearranged places.
The man guarding Brodin saw that Fajfah was filled with indecision and took command. “We need to discuss this. Others were not supposed to become involved. Make sure they are all tied securely and we will leave Fajfah guarding them.” He turned his attention to the half-dwarf. “I am sorry my friend, but you have been with these people for too long. You are too emotionally involved to think rationally.” Fajfah knew he was right and nodded his understanding.
The knots tying the ropes around wrists and ankles were checked, then all of the men departed, leaving Fajfah alone with his prisoners. Nobody would look at him. Betrayal was too soft a word for what they were feeling.
“Please understand.” He stared into the still burning fire as he spoke. “Farden may have only been a half-brother, but we grew up together and were as close as any true brothers could be. He did nothing wrong. He was murdered for witnessing something.” He raised his head and looked at Brodin. “What would you have done?”
“I would not have set fire to someone in front of innocent people, especially not if a woman was present,” the Prince responded. “I would have made sure he stood trial. You have no right to be judge, jury and executioner. What you did is unforgiveable.”
Fajfah nodded his head. He knew Brodin well enough to have expected no other answer.
“You could at least let us bury him,” Dal said quietly.
When Fajfah looked around him, his face was filled with anguish. “I wish I could, but I cannot release you. I have grown to view you as true comrades. I am proud to call you friends. Even Cirren, Seth and Dal, who I have not known for very long, have already proved themselves to be kind, just people. I hate having to treat you all like this, but I have no choice.”
“Of course you have a choice,” Dean said savagely. “Stop being a coward and do what you know to be right. None of us can ever forgive you for what you did to Oak, but as least we can try to understand it. Release us now and we will leave in peace.” He knew he was making promises for the others, but was sure they would agree, given the current situation.
Before Fajfah could respond, his fellow aggressors returned.
The man who seemed to now be in charge wasted no time in announcing the verdict. “We have discussed your futures and a decision has been reached. We cannot risk you telling anyone what happened here today. You must all die.”
Chapter 11
A knock on the door grabbed everyone’s attention. “Come in,” Allias called out, annoyed at the interruption. His frown turned into a smile as Tallon walked into the room. “Welcome back,” he said, walking up to his son-in-law and grasping his hand firmly. “How was the trip?”
“Good,” Tallon replied warmly. He was a tall man, with blonde hair and brown eyes. Though only in his mid-twenties, his weather-worn face sometimes made him appear much older. “I seem to have interrupted something. Do you want me to come back later?”
“Not at all. I need some time to think about a suitable punishment anyway.” He called for a guard and instructed him to escort the stable master to the cells. Tallon was busy greeting those present in Allias’s study when his eyes fell upon a face he did not recognise.
“Good to see you Tallon,” the tall man said, as though they were old acquaintances.
“I am sorry,” Tallon said in confusion. “Do I know you?”
Nosmas laughed. “We have met, but I can understand why you do not recognise me. The last time you saw me I was a wolf.” Tallon’s frown deepened. “I will explain later. I am Nosmas, son of Bellak, though you knew me as Samson.”
“I see,” Tallon replied as memories of the wolf played through his mind. “I have a feeling that is going to be a long and interesting tale.”
“Enough pleasantries,” Allias interrupted, having overseen the removal of the stable master from the room. “Down to business. Tor has a favour to ask.”
“I know,” Tallon informed him. “I bumped into Ria on my way in. I know what you need and I would love to help you out, but unfortunately my seal was one of the things my brother stole when he left, just before the wedding.”
“Do you have any idea where he is?” Tor asked, though not optimistically. Tallon surprised him by not only naming the city, but also the timeline for him remaining there. After the wedding it had taken a while for his father to track down his youngest son, but when he did he decided it would be best if he stayed away for a while longer and sent him to Kavern for half a year.
Patrick groaned. “I really do not want to go back there,” he stated. Others nodded their heads in agreement.
“Neither do I,” Tor informed him, “but we have no choice. Tallon, thank you. You look exhausted. You should get some sleep and we can talk in the morning.”
After thanking Tor for his courtesy, and apologising again for not being able to help, Tallon left the room and gratefully went to bed. Other than Allias, who too retreated to his bedroom, everyone else headed to the library, where they found Ria and Hawk. It was another unproductive night and spirits were low when they entered the dining room to join the royal family for breakfast. Allias enquired as to their progress.
Tor sighed. “I am beginning to think that we are never going to find the location of Orion.”
“Did I just hear you say Orion?” Tallon asked as he strode into the room. All eyes turned in his direction.
“You heard correctly,” Tor confirmed.
Tallon was smiling broadly as he sat down, having first held out a chair for his wife. “Then your trip here was not wasted. By pure coincidence I have been studying some of my father’s history books over the last few weeks.” He looked furtively towards Selene before continuing in a low voice. “I needed something to occupy my mind while my wife and the other women talked incessantly about babies.” She affectionately punched him on the arm.
“When you two have quite finished,” Patrick intervened, “would you be so kind as to tell us where Orion is, or should I say was?”
“Sorry.” Tallon forced his gaze away from Selene. She was not pretty in the traditional way, but he found her unbelievably attractive and loved looking at her. “We are talking about the plague city I take it.” Patrick nodded. “I may need to check some old maps, but the books I was reading indicated it is the other side of Mercia’s mountain range.”
Tor looked at Sam. “Before you retire, we should get a message sent to Brodin.”
“I will take care of it,” Sam assured him.
“Where is Brin?” Selene suddenly asked, noticing the elf’s absence. The silence that greeted the question made her shiver. Nobody knew what to say.
“It is a long story. I will tell you everything before I seek out my bed.” Selene seemed satisfied with Sam’s answer and the uncomfortable atmosphere soon disappeared.
When breakfast was almost over, Tor got everyone’s attention. “Now that we know where Orion is likely to be found, we need not stay here any longer. It is going to take us a long time to travel to Kavern then cross Mercia, so I suggest we leave at nightfall.” There were murmurs of agreement. Tor looked towards Tallon and Selene before continuing. “That should give the ladies plenty of time to coo over the young Prince after they wake up.”
“I do not coo,” Ria said under her breath, but her smile suggested she was looking forward to seeing the baby.
“In case I do not have time to see you before we go,” Tor continued, turning to address Allias, “thank you for once again being a gracious host and I hope that next time we meet this quest will finally be over.”
“You are welcome back any time,” Allias assured him. “It is a shame that you could not stay until Torrick returned. I know he will not be happy that he missed you.” Allias stood up and held his hand out to his wife. “Good luck,” he said to everyone before leading the Queen from the room.
Tallon said he had some things to attend to and everyone else sought out their bed chambers, leaving Sam alone with Selene. As she needed to find a bird,
Sam suggested a walk in Selene’s garden, promising to fill her in on the Brin saga while they walked. Sam had just finished explaining why she had left Brin when the conversation was interrupted by a gardener. He informed the two women that a large bird had been spotted acting very strangely around the palace grounds and they should beware in case it decided to attack. Selene thanked him for his advice while Sam looked into the sky.
“What are you doing?” the Princess asked when Sam started to make bird noises.
“I’m calling to it,” she explained. “It may be a message from Dean.”
“Who is Dean?”
“That is the next part of my story,” Sam told her. Before she could say more, she spotted the bird hovering above the garden and held out her arm. It landed in a nearby tree and it took a lot of persuasion on Sam’s part before it would approach. It was unhappy to find that Sam was not alone, but eventually she managed to convince it that Selene posed no threat.
Tears formed in Sam’s eyes as she listened to the message about Modo. When the bird had finished, she politely thanked it before asking if it would return to Dean, as she had a reply that needed to be sent. She requested that it pass on the location of Orion as well as the fact that she needed to now go to Kavern. When she had finished speaking, she thanked the bird once more and it flew off into the sky.
“Bad news?” Selene asked, seeing the distress clearly written across Sam’s face. She nodded and told her friend about Modo’s fate. “Get some rest,” Selene said gently. “You can tell me all about Dean when you wake up.”
Sam gratefully accepted the suggestion, though it was a long while before sleep finally arrived. She slept peacefully for a few hours, before a new nightmare consumed her. In her mind, she saw herself ready to give birth, but not in the normal way. Her friends held her down while her child clawed its way out of her. She woke up with a scream, sweat covering her entire body. Remembering every detail, she shivered and wished, not for the first time, that Dean had not given her so many details.
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