He grimaced and took her hand in his. “Thank you for your kind words milady.”
Ariana’s eyes filled at the misery in his face. At that moment Cerynus entered with a tray containing a bowl of light broth and tea.
“This will have you back on your feet soon. Ladies if you would, I’m sure Jarod would rather not be watched like a chick. So we’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you.”
Jarod looked gratefully at Cerynus, “Thanks to you.”
The rest of the day was spent recuperating. Everyone was exhausted. Despite the urgency of the quest, Cerynus decreed a day of rest. Even Ariana got a chance just to swim in the pool and sit out in the sunlit clearing without worrying about her lessons. Her mind wandered to Jarod and their kiss. She hoped it didn’t cause problems. But she was feeling so warm and lazy she couldn’t worry for long. Periodically she looked in at Rua and Jarod. Cerynus had dosed them both with herbs and they slept soundly.
The next morning they had a council of war in Jarod’s room. Cerynus pulled out a table and unrolled a large scroll. Everyone crowded around. It was a map of Ledrith, strange places and symbols; spidery lines resolved themselves into a peninsula. Fascinated Ariana peered at it. Everybody had ideas. Ariana listened silently.
“Directly north then turn west.” Jarod said.
“It’s out of the way. We should go northwest to Amathwyr...” Cerynus said.
“Those thieving traders, they’d sell their own mother. But if we go over the plains by Gwerrinned...” Jarod said.
“At Amathwyr we can buy a boat and use the river...” Cerynus said.
“The river is faster,” agreed Rua
“My way we stay on dry land.” Jarod said.
“My lord I know people in Amathwyr. I can get us a boat.” Rua said.
“Using the river we miss the forces in the North. Pedair may already be lost.” Cerynus said.
“But if we go north...” Jarod said.
“We run smack into Rhysin’s forces. Vengeance must wait. We dare not risk it.” Cerynus said.
Jarod nodded. The silence lengthened.
“So, where are we now?” Ariana asked to break the tension.
Cerynus pointed, she looked closer. She saw the cottage and surrounding forest in miniature. What craftsmen, she thought studying the tiny leaves on the tree, blowing in an invisible wind. She looked a question at Cerynus.
“It’s a magic map.” Cerynus smiled.
Fascinated she pored over the map. Absorbed in studying the route to Galancarrig, she didn’t notice when the voices died away. Ariana straightened yawning and realized she and Jarod were alone.
“How are you feeling?” She asked.
“Fine,” He said.
“That’s good.” She stretched, “Well, I’ve got to get going... Things to do, you know.” She turned away. “See you later.”
“Wait.” She stopped looking at him.
“I need to tell you...” Jarod’s face was red.
“I hope you can forgive me. It was unforgivable to commit such a breach of honor against someone under my protection.”
“Jarod, you’re taking this way too seriously. It was just a kiss.” He continued as if she hadn’t spoken, “Please forgive me.”
“There is nothing to forgive.” She came over and put her hand on his good shoulder.
“Thank you,” he said. His smile lit the room.
“Well I have to get to my lesson.” She left him with a smile.
They decided to stay at Shady Vale for another week. Once Jarod could travel, they’d start the journey. The days settled into a routine. Ariana spent the mornings with Jarod. These sessions were difficult. Jarod was not a good patient. He was moody and sometimes when he got too bad she could hardly wait for Rua to come and cheer them both up with a song or a story. The afternoons were Cerynus’: interludes of concentration and gentle guidance a calm lifeline in her storm. Ariana grew frantic to learn everything before they left. Impatience beat around her concentration like pigeons bursting from a dovecote, distracting her. Cerynus looked at her.
“You must learn that nothing can interfere… if people die in battle around you… concentrate… if you’re wounded… concentrate. It’s your only chance.” He said.
The final morning dawned fresh and clear. The saddlebags bulged with supplies and weapons. They all carried maps, Cerynus the magic one, Rua, Jarod and Ariana copies. Sighing Ariana looked at the cottage that had become a home in such a short time. Turning she followed the others into the forest away from her last sanctuary.
Chapter Seven
Ariana sat by the fire’s dying embers eating breakfast, brown bread and cheese. Rua finished, sat cross-legged on a log inspecting her harp. Silence, reigned for the moment, Jarod and Cerynus had just finished their daily discussion about the proper route. Argument was more like it. Jarod sullenly traced patterns in the dirt with his knife. Cerynus slammed his map into its tube. Rua looked up. Rising, Ariana wiped her hands on her thighs wincing as stiff muscles protested and strode over.
“What is the problem here?”
“Nothing, Ariana.” Cerynus looked down.
“It’s nothing, Stonebearer.” Jarod’s tone didn’t invite more conversation. Ariana flushed. He knew she didn’t like being called Stonebearer. Cerynus turned to rebuke Jarod’s tone. Ariana stopped him with a look.
“What is wrong with you, Jarod? Don’t take out your foul mood on us. We aren’t the enemy. It’s not easy for anybody. But we have to get along. Stop arguing with Cerynus. Work it out. Both of you. I’m sick of it.” They looked away.
“I’ve been hunting in these woods for years. But he won’t listen…” Jarod glared.
“Jarod you can’t trail in the shape you’re in. You don’t have the strength. If you weren’t so stubborn you’d take help when it’s offered.”
“I don’t need any help. I am no mewling babe.”
“My Lord Jarod, no one thinks of you as a child. But sometimes prudence will win when valor is set aside.” Rua said soothingly.
“The Lord Kievran put me in charge of this journey.” Jarod said glaring at Cerynus.
“Did your father also say you should be a stubborn mule who won’t use his brain? Everyone needs help sometimes. Let me help you.” Cerynus said.
“Leave me alone. What do you know of my father?” Jarod turned stalking off into the woods.
There was silence.
“He’s taking it ill.” Rua looked at the trail Jarod had left.
“We have to get him back.” Ariana said.
“Let him stew in his own juices for a while mayhap it will sweeten his temper.” Cerynus muttered. The women looked at him. He sighed, “Ariana you follow him, and maybe he’ll listen to you. Lady Rua will you help me with the horses?”
Jarod’s trail wasn’t hard to find. He’d stomped so hard his boot heels had left depressions in the soft loam. After a few minutes she found him. He sat on a boulder shredding a twig and looking at the tranquil forest. She sat down next to him. He ignored her. She waited for him to begin. It was hard to keep still but she knew he had to open up in his own time. Gradually the peace of the woods settled her restlessness. She closed her eyes, there was no sound except buzzing insects, and the breeze was fresh and the sun warm on her face. She could hear the birds overhead squabbling over territory and singing out. They could have been the only two people in the world.
She ached for Jarod’s pain. He’d shut down. She wanted to tell him, he didn’t need to. She was his friend. They were all his friends and they would be there for him if he would just let them in. Jarod watched the white peeled wood emerge as he pulled off the gray bark exposing the tender green core. Once it was bare and naked he swished it through the air. He sighed deeply and threw the switch away.
“I heard you three miles away,” he said.
“We can’t all be gods of the forest.” She teased gently.
He nodded, tried to smile. “I’m sorry I lost my temper back t
here. But…” He gestured, “I feel so helpless, my arm…”
“It’ll heal.” She said.
“I know. It’s just that I…”
Ariana reached out and took his hand. He squeezed it hard.
“Sometimes I miss him so much. I failed him… I shouldn’t have left him. I should have disobeyed his orders, gotten back sooner. I lost Dun Caer, lost my honor, lost everything.”
“No Jarod, you’re not to blame.”
“If I’d been there…”
“No Jarod listen…”
“Ariana you don’t understand.”
“Yes I do. Just listen to me for a second.”
“What do you know about it? You’re an outsider.” He snapped.
“What did you say?” Her voice shook.
“I’m sorry. Ariana I…”
“Shut up for a minute, Jarod. Yes, I’m an outsider. But guess what? I do know how you feel dammit. My mother died in an accident when I was fifteen. I always felt like I should have died too. So don’t you dare throw it back in my face, as if you are the only person who has ever suffered.” She stood up abruptly. “Screw you! That’s a little outsider slang for you, guess what it means!” She turned and walked away. Tears started in her eyes. She’d be dammed if he saw her cry.
“Ariana, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”
She ignored him, kept walking. An ache began in her stomach. She’d cared about him, thought he was her friend. The forest blurred into watery blue and green. She shouldn’t have gotten involved, started caring. It had felt so right here despite the hardships. She’d almost believed she finally belonged, wrong again Ariana.
“Ariana. Please stop…”
She shook him off. “Leave me alone.”
“Ariana please,” He held her by the sleeve. She had to stop or tear the material. She stood; fists balled facing away from him.
“I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.”
“Leave me alone.”
A small shudder ran through her rigid shoulders. She sniffed. Jarod pulled her around to face him. He looked sincerely remorseful.
“I’m sorry Ariana. I didn’t mean it. You’ve never been anything but good to me. I don’t think you’re an outsider. I don’t know why I lashed out at you.”
She pulled away waiting for the angry tears to stop. Ariana wondered whether to trust him. A final tear trickled unheeded down the side of her nose. He wiped it away.
“Don’t cry. Don’t ever cry. You do understand. You only wanted to help. Please forgive me.”
She nodded.
“Are we friends again?”
“Yes.” He smiled; relieved she wasn’t angry anymore.
“Jarod, all you can do is keep going on. Stop fighting us. We aren’t the enemy.”
“I’ll try.”
“OK that’s all I ask.”
Silently, they started back to the campsite, afraid to break their fragile truce. Something buzzed in Ariana’s mind, itchy, like someone watching her. She looked around. The feeling strengthened, a red-hot needle keening in her mind. Ariana stopped. The woods blurred in front of her. The Heartstone throbbed.
“What is it?” He looked at here intently.
She reeled. Jarod caught her. “Ariana?”
“I don’t know.”
She closed her eyes to stop the dizziness. It didn’t help. Jarod settled her at the base of the rock they’d just left. Vaguely she heard him hurry away for help. Heat radiated from the Heartstone, danger coming. The birds had stilled there was no noise in the trees.
Her perspective shifted and she was part of something else. Four pawed, trotting along on grizzled pads. Seeing the forest in black and white, sounds grew crystal clear and the trail’s redolent musk lapped in her nose like a rank wave.
A low bubbling snarl broke the silence. A screeching howl answered. Something rustled in the thicket in front of her. Dumped from the trance, she grabbed a large branch to hit whatever came into range. Growls and hissing screeches shattered the morning stillness. The snarling combatants erupted in a writhing ball from the thicket. Broken branches and leaves scattered everywhere. On the bottom a copper panther with diamond claws and fangs, on top a silver tipped black wolf lunged relentlessly for the creature’s throat. But the metal withstood honest teeth and claws.
The wolf backed away, keeping between Ariana and the creature. The others came running and pulled Ariana behind the tree.
“Stalkers.” said Jarod.
“Do something!” said Ariana.
“There’s not much we can do Ariana.” Jarod said.
“What?”
“They are magical creatures, dearest,” said Rua. “That poor wolf is no match for it.”
The wolf lunged for the Stalker. But it was weakening and the ruby red eyes glittered with malice as the great cat waited for the first mistake.
“Cerynus? There must be something we can do.”
“If we can destroy the collar, we can destroy the Stalker.”
“OK what do I do?”
“We need to use the Heartstone as a focus to destroy the collar. Take my hand.”
Ariana unshielded the Stone and took his hand. Closing her eyes Ariana strove to focus. She saw the Stalker radiating a virulent red glow. Cerynus’ mind guided her, creating a conduit drawing energy through her but not actively engaging it. She tried to remain passive, the Heartstone’s energy building up behind the reservoir of her control. She felt a sharp tug and suddenly the energy flared out in a spear hitting the cat full blast. It flared bright white for a moment then abruptly extinguished.
She opened her eyes. The Stalker had disappeared. All that remained was a puddle of molten copper. The wolf sniffed the puddle and lifting his leg peed on it. Then it deliberately turned and scraped dirt over it. Finished showing his disdain, he melted back into the forest. Ariana stood trying to see him, faintly feeling a link with the wolf as he loped away.
“Amazing,” Rua said. “You have the power of the forest in your hands lady.” Ariana blushed.
“We don’t have time to sit here congratulating ourselves. We just killed a Stalker. The beacon will go off any minute.” Cerynus said.
“Damn.” Jarod said.
“What are you talking about? If the Stalker’s dead it can’t hurt us right?” Ariana said.
“Stalkers are the advance scouts for Rhysin. The collars link them to their handlers. When they’re killed an alarm sounds, all troops in the area are alerted and the handler comes to the last spot the Stalker was.” Rua said.
“So let’s go.”
“We may have been seen before the Stalker was killed.” Cerynus said.
“How will we know?”
“We won’t.” Cerynus said. He was ashen, trembling, sweat pouring down his face. She reached out to him as he crumpled at her feet. They stumbled torturously back to the campsite, supporting Cerynus’ semi-conscious body. Jarod’s shoulder wound opened and blood stained his tunic. Despite his incoherent protests they unrolled the bedding and settled Cerynus under the tree where they’d slept the night before. Rua picked out the proper herbs from Cerynus’ saddlebags, making a rejuvenating tea. Ariana took one of the rabbits they were saving for dinner to the forest’s edge, as a thank you.
Cerynus had settled into a fitful sleep his color creeping back but in no shape to continue. Rua was trying to get him to drink some of the tea. They had survived their first battle, barely. “I guess we aren’t going anywhere soon.” Jarod grinned wryly.
“No, I guess not” Ariana agreed. Jarod turned to her and winced.
“Come over here. Let me look at it.” Ariana said.
“It’s fine”
“No it isn’t. Stop being so stubborn.”
He came over and hunkered down next to her. She opened the leather tunic, pulling the bloodied linen shirt away from the bandaged shoulder. Jarod hissed as she gently took the mangled bandage and dressing off. Her hands trembled slightly. As it came away Ariana closed her eyes and took
a deep breath. She opened her eyes timidly dreading to see a bloody mess. It looked better than she’d expected, but the stitches wept pus and blood was seeping out again. Ariana picked up the clean cloth from Cerynus’ bag and gently cleaned his shoulder. Jarod closed his eyes, sweat beaded on his upper lip.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“No, go on” he muttered through clenched teeth. Concentrating on the wound Ariana was surprised and pleased to find she didn’t feel faint. Gently she tied the new bandage on and stood up to get some tea. Jarod stopped her with a gesture. “Thank you, Ariana.”
For the first time since his father’s death some of the anger and sullenness eased a little. With a tired smile she handed him a cup of tea and they settled down to recuperate from their first battle and the birth of a true alliance.
But that night under the stars and the rustling leaves she wept. Jarod’s words had conjured her life back home. She hadn’t thought about her other life for weeks. Suddenly she was homesick again. But there was nothing Ariana could do about it. She had to survive in this world. Unbidden the image of the wolf entered her mind. She’d been given a gift; the wild creatures accepted and needed her. Her hand stole to the bag holding the Stone, as long as she had the Stone she belonged. She fell asleep holding the Stone tightly in her hand.
Ariana woke up, startled. Someone had called her name. Instinctively her hand crept to the Stone under her linen shirt. It rested there warmed from her body but not pulsing a warning. She sat up disoriented. Jarod was a few feet from her wrapped in his blanket. Rua was still awake, sitting next to Cerynus. She had a wet cloth to sponge him. He was delirious, flushed, sweat dripping down his face. He thrashed and a slight whine came from between clenched teeth. Ariana got up and came over to Rua. “How is he doing?”
“I’m doing what I can but the fever is strong.”
“There has to be something.”
“Ariana, I don’t know if he’ll live through the night. I’ve seen this fever before. There’s nothing I can do to help him. Even if I was a healer, I’m sorry.”
The Heartstone Page 8
