by Garry Spoor
Kile pulled herself onto Grim’s back and, while waiting for Daniel to saddle up, cut up the last apple and shared it with Vesper. When Daniel was finally set, they headed out. Of course, that meant finding their way back to the main road—no small task.
“So, why didn’t you help Sweet find his horse?” Daniel asked as they made their way through the crowded streets of the city. The question caught Kile off guard. She thought the matter of the Probie Hunter and his missing horse was left behind.
“Because we have a job to do,” she said.
“Oh, come on, you could have found his horse in a matter of minutes.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Hey, I’m not a fool.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“I’ve seen what you can do, Ki. I know you can connect yourself with every horse, rat, bird, cat, or dog in this city. In a few seconds, you could have a network of informants throughout Azintar. It wouldn’t take you long to locate one horse.”
“It’s not a parlor trick, okay. I don’t perform on command.”
“I never thought it was,” Daniel said. “But in the past, you wouldn’t have hesitated to help him. You’re hiding.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” She shook her head, but he was right.
A year ago, she wouldn’t have hesitated. She would have used her Edge and stretched her consciousness throughout the city. Touching on every animal within the walls of Azintar, she could have easily found one horse. Even if it was no longer within the city, she might have been able to learn where it was taken and by whom. There was one thing she learned a long time ago: animals see and hear everything even if they don’t care about what’s going on in the vir’s world. So, why didn’t she try? Because there was no telling what else was lurking in the city she might touch. She wasn’t ready to test herself, not yet.
~~~***~~~
When they reached the gates of the palace, it was not what Kile expected. She had visited Windfoil on two different occasions, and where the old castle was the height of Aruvian artistry, the palace of Azintar was the complete opposite. It resembled more of a prison than a place of royalty. The kings of old abandoned Windfoil due to its lack of security, as well as its distance from the hub of the Aruvian kingdom. They came to Azintar to stay in a grey stone monolith surrounded by high gates and even higher walls. Kile was hesitant to enter and would have actually preferred to return to the Mystic’s Tower, and that was saying something. At least the Tower was alive and full of hope. The palace of Azintar was no more than the headstone of a dying city.
The guards watched as they passed under the first gatehouse and entered what was known as the outer ward: a simple strip of land located between the outer curtain wall and the interior curtain wall. From there they turned right and passed through a second gatehouse. This one wasn’t nearly as impressive as the first and served only to lead them to the even more impressive third gatehouse, otherwise known as the King’s Gate.
The King’s Gate lived up to its name. The gatehouse was massive, nearly eighty feet of solid stone with two watchtowers on either side. Men in full armor paced the allure as if expecting the valrik to march up Main Street at any moment. This was the first place where anyone paid any attention to them. Two guards stepped out from one of the side doors. They were dressed in the king’s colors, although one wore a tall helmet that looked as if it had a horse’s tail stuck to the top. He must have been the man in charge since he was the one who approached them. The guard made it a point to stay clear of the mountain pony, favoring the dapple-grey mare instead.
“What business do you have in Azintar?” he asked Daniel.
Reaching into his tunic, Daniel pulled out his summons and handed it to the guard without saying a word. The man carefully looked the paper over a few times before handing it back. The whole thing was done in such a matter-of-fact way, it looked almost rehearsed. The guard, with the horse-tailed helmet, waved Daniel through. Seemed easy enough, Kile thought as she reached into her satchel to retrieve her own summons. She handed it to the guard, but he took no notice of it. He simply stepped aside and waved her through as well. It was almost as if she was expected. She followed Daniel down the long corridor of the King’s Gate.
It was a tunnel of stone with iron gates suspended above them and holes in the ceiling for guards to rain down death on any enemy unlucky enough to get this far. It seemed like the place was one large trap they had carelessly wandered into.
When they exited the tunnel, the world opened into a spacious dead courtyard of stone. There wasn’t a tree, a flower, or a blade of grass in sight, and everything seemed cold and barren. One of the guards pointed toward the stables, which were found along the eastern wall.
-I think I preferred the Guild house,- Grim remarked.
“I’m with you,” Kile said. “This place feels lifeless.”
-It’s settled then. We go back.- He started to turn around.
“Not so fast.”
“What’s wrong?” Daniel asked.
“Nothing, we were discussing the architecture.”
“Yeah, I know, it’s pretty cool, isn’t it? I could get used to working in a place like this.”
When they reached the stables, two young men approached them. They headed toward Daniel and Maliea, but the taller of the two stopped his companion and pointed at Grim. It would appear the mountain pony’s reputation preceded him.
Kile leaned over and whispered in Grim’s ear. “I don’t actually have to tell you to behave yourself, do I?”
-What do I get if I do?-
“Seriously, after what you did at the Black Hoof Livery, you owe me one.”
-Fine, as long as these vir don’t get too touchy-feely.-
“Find yourself a stall, stay there, and try not to hurt anyone.”
Vesper quickly jumped onto her shoulder as she slid off the pony’s back. She removed her pack from Grim’s harness. The pony followed Maliea into the stables, leaving a bewildered stable hand behind.
“Is he going to behave?” Daniel asked.
Kile shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.” If Grim wanted to behave, he would. If not, there was nothing she could do to persuade him.
The courtyard was large, square, surrounded by tall walls, and flagged in grey stone. Although, it did appear as if someone had tried to be a little creative. Reddish-brown tiles cut through the courtyard linking the outer buildings like the branches of a massive tree. They all connected to a central trunk that ran the length of the courtyard, joining the King’s Gate to the palace Keep.
Kile and Daniel followed one of these paved pathways when they were approached by a group of men. Jerald Dumgill, the king’s adviser with his sinister black mustache, was in the lead. Four palace guards followed in his wake. Kile’s first instinct was to turn around, grab Grim, and leave as fast as she could. She would regret not making that decision
“Master Leary,” Jerald said when they got closer. He slowed down when he saw Kile. “And, of course, Mistress Veller.”
Mistress? That was worse than being called ma’am.
“We have been expecting you.” Jerald waved them toward the Keep. “Please, right this way.”
As they fell in with the guards, Kile felt incredibly small. These soldiers were big and decked out in their full field armor, they appeared twice as large as they actually were. Jerald was a tall man to start with and dressed in his dark robes, he looked as sinister as his mustache. He didn’t take any notice of her as he engaged Daniel in some meaningless conversation as if they had known each other all their lives. Kile glanced over her shoulder. If she made a run for it, she could get to the stables before they could stop her.
“Do you know what this summons is about, Jerald?” Daniel asked.
That caught her attention.
“I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to say, Master Leary. All I can tell you is that your services are needed.” Jerald looked over his shoulder at K
ile. “As are yours, Mistress Veller,” he added.
Somehow her new title didn’t exactly roll off his tongue—it was more like he spat it out. Jerald had never taken a liking to Kile, mainly because of the way she spoke to the king. Or was it the way the king spoke to her?
When they reached the steps to the palace door, the guards slowed down, allowing Kile to follow Jerald and Daniel up the stairs alone. She suddenly felt vulnerable without her armored wall around her.
The palace interior was impressive, although Kile preferred the more casual feel of Windfoil over the ostentatious décor. It was almost as if someone was going out of their way to point out how wealthy and important the inhabitants were. Huge paintings hung on the walls, depicting all the members of the royal family, both living and dead. Statues of marble and tapestries of silk were arranged around display cases of expensive and rare curiosities. All in all, it was useless. Nothing here would serve in time of war or in time of need.
Jerald suddenly stopped and Kile barely avoided running into the back of him before he spun around.
“I’m afraid the king is busy at the moment,” he said with a disapproving look. That look was definitely directed at her as his face mellowed out when he spoke with Daniel. “The second-floor east wing has been prepared if you wish to follow me.”
He led them up a long flight of stairs. When they reached the top, Jerald pushed open a set of large oak doors.
“You should find everything you need in here to make your stay comfortable.” He waved them through. “If you need or desire anything, Clare will be happy to see to it,” he added before he pulled the doors closed behind him.
The area was open and filled with the same abundance of useless wealth they had seen in the lobby. Comfortable-looking chairs were arranged around a cylindrical marble fireplace, and although there was no fire in the hearth, it served as the room’s centerpiece. On either side of the flue were crystal chandeliers suspended by silver chains from a golden ceiling. Gilded wooden doors lined the walls, while a single window looked out over a barren landscape.
“Seems cozy enough,” Daniel remarked.
“Yeah, if you like living in a golden prison,” Kile said.
“Oh, come on, it’s not that bad.”
“Look at this place. There’s nothing here. It’s dead, it’s lifeless. I haven’t sensed a rat or even a mouse since we arrived here.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
Kile looked at him and shook her head. “Just forget about it. I want to get this over with and go home.”
Home? There was a foreign concept. She didn’t have a home to go home to. Riverport, Coopervill, Baxter’s Bay, the Tower, did she even want to include Windfoil on that list? Could any of these offer her a home? The truth was, the only place she ever felt comfortable was out in the wild.
“Hey, more guests.”
Kile spun around to see a young man dressed in dark green robes enter the room through one of the gilded doors. He was tall and slender with neatly trimmed short brown hair, a hawk-like nose, and eyes that seemed far too old for his face. In his arms, he carried a stack of books that he quickly set down on one of the tables. Beside him was a young woman wearing a long grey dress and carrying a small black box. She seemed even more surprised to see them.
“Mystic Elmac,” Kile exclaimed. “It’s good to see you again.”
“And you, Hunter Veller.” The mystic extended a hand.
“What brings you here?” Kile asked, although she already knew of his research into the Alva artifact, and Emara did tell her the Mystic Elders already approved his participation in the expedition. She simply couldn’t think of any other questions to ask him.
“I’ve been summoned, as I expect you have. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here.” He grinned.
“Yes, but I don’t think the reasons are the same,” she said.
“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that. From what I understand, they have carefully selected members of the military, the Hunter’s Guild, and the Tower for this quest.”
Quest? Did people actually use that word?
“Then where are we supposed to be going on this… quest?” Daniel asked.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Elmac,” Kile apologized as she suddenly remembered Daniel was standing beside her. “This is Hunter Daniel Leary. We graduated from the Academy together.”
“Oh, yes, Master Leary. You’re the healer, are you not? Influenced by the sphere of water.” The mystic offered a hand to the young Hunter.
“That’s correct, but how did you know?”
“As I said, the members of this quest have been carefully selected based on what they bring to the table. A healer of your skill will be quite valuable on this expedition.”
“There, you see?” Kile exclaimed. “I bring absolutely nothing to the table. My encounters with the Alva were, how would you put it?”
“Psychotic? Homicidal?” Daniel said.
“Yeah, what he said.”
Elmac laughed. “From what I understand, your skills are rather… unique.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t work well with others,” Kile said.
“I can vouch for that,” Daniel added.
“We’ll have to see, won’t we?” Elmac tapped his chin with one long finger. “They also say you have a unique understanding of the saladogs.”
The word made Kile flinch. The last thing she wanted to talk about or think about were those dreadful abominations.
“And who is this lovely young lady,” Daniel asked. He always knew when the conversation turned to topics Kile didn’t want to discuss. “Is she your apprentice?”
“What?” Elmac asked as if noticing the young woman beside him for the first time. “Oh, by the great Mystic Hermon, no. No, she works here. She’s helping me get organized.”
He took the box she was holding and placed it on his stack of books.
“You must be Clara,” Kile said.
“Yes, my lady,” the young woman answered, looking down at her feet.
“My lady” might have been better than Mistress, but it still made Kile uncomfortable.
“Jerald said you could help us with anything we needed.”
“Yes, my lady. I can show you to your rooms too if you’d like. They have been carefully prepared for your individual needs.”
Kile looked at Daniel and shrugged. “Sure, why not.” It wasn’t like they had anyplace else to go at the moment.
Clare moved quickly across the room, avoiding any eye contact. She seemed nervous and Kile hoped it wasn’t because of her. There was no telling which rumors were making their rounds in the palace of Azintar.
“This is Master Leary’s room,” she said, opening one of the gilded doors.
The room was of a decent size and much nicer than the one they’d slept in at the Guild house. A full-size bed with blue silk sheets dominated the space. There was also a large desk placed against the far wall and a small bookshelf that actually housed a few books. The walls were a soft blue and matched the carpet, which had an intricate golden pattern weaved into it. A huge picture of an unhappy-looking gentleman hung over the headboard. He appeared to be in the military, or at least it looked as if he was wearing a uniform. With broad shoulders and an even broader waist, he was a formidable man. For some reason, his presence spoiled the otherwise pleasant, peaceful atmosphere.
“This is quite nice,” Daniel said as he stepped into the room. “Yes, I can definitely get used to this.”
“Your room is across the hall, my lady,” Clara said as she turned from the doorway and quickly moved across the floor. She opened another door and stepped aside, waving Kile through.
It wasn’t what Kile expected, but nothing about the palace was what she expected. She figured her room would be similar, if not more barren, than Daniel’s. Didn’t Clara say they were carefully prepared for their individual needs? Kile was a field Hunter and needed little when it came to the small luxuries of the vir. She had almost expected to see a singl
e cot pushed up against the far wall and nothing else. Instead, her room was filled with plants. Hanging plants, potted plants; there were even two small trees on either side of the bed, which of course, had green silk sheets. She also had a desk tucked into the corner, which was nearly hidden by the foliage, and a bookshelf overflowing with books.
“I hope it meets with your approval, my lady,” Clara whispered.
“This is incredible,” Kile said as she stepped into the room. It was almost like walking into the forest, but that was probably what the designer was going for.
“I always thought this room was the most special. His Majesty saw to it personally.”
Well, that was a little disconcerting.
“Do you need anything else, my lady?”
“No, thank you, Clara.”
The young woman backed out of the room, pulling the door closed, leaving Kile to her enchanted forest.
“So, what do you think, Vesper?” she asked as the yarrow jumped down onto the bed. “Could you get used to a place like this?”
-Not real,- he said.
“Well, I suppose not, but it’s the next best thing… I guess.”
-Who they?- Vesper asked from where he was sitting on the edge of the bed. Kile turned to see what he was looking at and hadn’t noticed the painting on the wall when she first entered. It was a picture of two young boys sitting on a bench in the middle of a garden. They were wearing some rather uncomfortable-looking clothing and didn’t appear happy.
“I don’t know,” Kile said, although she couldn’t help but notice one of the boys looked familiar. “They’re probably some of Roland’s relatives.”
Walking over to the bookshelves, she started pulling out a few of the books. She had expected they’d be mostly romance novels. Roland’s mother had a fondness for the genre. Instead, she found books on politics, war tactics, science, and even history. Searching through the titles, she chose one on the lineage of the royal family and took it over to the bed, where she stretched out and opened the book to the first chapter.
The room may not have been the forest, but it did have a peaceful atmosphere, and Kile lost all track of time as she read through the history of the kings. She was over halfway through the book when she heard voices from the front room. New voices meant more guests had arrived, and more guests meant more answers. Setting the book aside, she opened her bedroom door and ran into the last person she wanted to see.
