Ellyesce glanced away then, but something dark and cold settled in his eyes, giving Jahrra pause.
“Are you alright?” she whispered, her brows etched with concern.
“Fine,” he said shortly, pushing farther into the room and seeking out the chair Dervit had been hiding behind earlier.
“Are you sure? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”
Ellyesce fell into the chair with little grace. “It’s nothing, Jahrra. Just a sudden twinge from my wound.”
He placed a hand against his side where the arrow had been, his expression warming a little.
“They bandaged me up nicely,” he added, altering the mood of the conversation.
“Let me see if I can find my tea tin,” Jahrra offered, heading over to her pack.
Dervit volunteered to fetch water from a rain barrel outside, and soon, Jahrra had a kettle hanging over the fire. Once everyone was sitting comfortably with a mug of hot tea in their hands, Jaax performed one more check for eavesdroppers before settling beside the small cabin, his tail and part of his body wrapping around the back.
“Before we discuss the events of earlier today, I want to stress something of grave importance to all of you,” the dragon stated. “You must watch everything you say and do around Morivan Fairlein. He may come off as a socially inept imbecile, but it is merely a front to trick people into revealing information to him.”
“Do his sympathies lie with the Crimson King?” Ellyesce asked, getting the most important question out of the way.
Jaax shook his head. “I do not believe so. Morivan is under the delusion that he is a true king, though his family has no royal blood to make him so. His great grandfather was the first regent of Cahrdyarein, back when the true elves ruled.”
“Wait,” Jahrra interjected, “they aren’t true elves?”
Again, Jaax shook his head, his mouth curling at the corners. “They are Resai, but carry only a drop of human blood in their veins. Somewhere far back in the Fairlein lineage, someone married a human, forever altering their bloodlines. And that is another subject not to discuss with the regent. He believes he is a true elf and is shamed by that one ancestor who, according to him, strayed.”
“And he thinks he’s a king,” Jahrra reiterated.
“Very much so. Dhuruhn, the mighty king of the Creecemind dragons, rules Felldreim, and only he decides who may reign over the smaller factions of this land. Morivan’s ancestors, and Morivan himself, have proclaimed themselves sovereigns of the lesser Hrunahn Mountains without the blessing of the Creecemind dragons in the north. King Dhuruhn is aware of their presence, but since the regent poses no threat, and does not venture beyond Cahrdyarein to claim more territory, the ice dragons tolerate him.”
Jaax paused in his speech, focusing his eyes on Dervit. The limbit had remained relatively quiet the entire time, sitting motionless on the couch against the far wall.
“I speak of these things in your presence, Dervit, because I do believe we can trust you. I had my doubts when you first joined us a few days ago, but you have proven, on more than one occasion, that you will not betray us.”
Jaax glanced quickly at Jahrra, then back at the limbit. She had a sneaking suspicion he was remembering how Dervit had risked his own safety for hers. A smile struggled to break free, but she fought it back.
“That being said, I must stress the importance of keeping all matters we discuss in private as strictly confidential. As you are well aware now, if you hadn’t guessed before, Jahrra is human, the one promised in the prophecy so long ago. My duty has always been to keep her safe from the enemy until it is time for her to face that adversary.”
Jaax’s voice took on a deeper, more morose tone, but he soon recovered from it. “I am charging you, Dervit, with the same responsibility, if you will accept it.”
Jahrra shot her guardian a hard look. “Jaax, you can’t ask Dervit to act as my body guard.”
For one thing, Jahrra was quite certain the limbit had never used a weapon in his life. On the other hand, she was not some helpless maiden in need of rescuing. Despite her moment of inaction at the crossroads and her illness upon reaching Cahrdyarein, Jahrra could fight. She’d had the training for it.
“Why not?” Dervit interjected, standing up on the couch. “Is it because I am small? Because I have no experience in battle? Or might it be because I am not strong?”
Ellyesce laughed, despite the tense atmosphere. “If you were trying to prove your merit, young limbit, I do believe you just failed miserably.”
“No,” Jahrra said, feeling somewhat sorry for her initial reaction. “It isn’t fair to task you with such a responsibility, that is all.”
“I don’t mind the responsibility,” Dervit insisted. “You have become my friends, all of you, even in such a short amount of time. I had nowhere to go and no one to turn to, and you took me in.”
Jaax’s lip curled in a half smile. “Do not forget I was against your joining our party.”
“I know,” Dervit said, “but you still gave me a chance. I want to prove to you that I can be a good friend and a loyal companion.”
“And that is exactly why I am asking this of you now,” the dragon reiterated softly. “You have already proven to me that you’re more than capable of looking out for Jahrra. She has a dragon to deal with the things that are too strong and big for her, and an elf trained in several martial styles, as well as magic. But now she needs you, someone who has a sixth sense about things and has put his small gifts to use. I want you to be one of Jahrra’s protectors because you have shown no fear when it comes to helping your friends, and you pay careful attention to what is going on around you.”
A blanket of silence descended over the group, and Jahrra gazed at her guardian with her mouth hanging open. She had no idea Jaax had been watching Dervit so closely, and she could tell by Dervit’s own stunned expression that he was honored beyond measure to be given such a responsibility. When his entire village had failed to see anything of worth in him, Jaax, a total stranger, had not only found that worth, but had praised it in a way his own people had not. For a split second, Jahrra was brought back to the day Jaax offered Kehllor his position as the Coalition leader. And how could she be surprised now? Her Tanaan guardian certainly had a knack for rooting out hidden talents among those who were often cast by the wayside.
Jahrra shook off her surprise and grinned, but then just as quickly crossed her arms and glared at her guardian. “Thank you for making it sound like I’m completely incapable of protecting myself,” she sniffed. “I have had several years of training in defense and fighting skills, lessons you insisted I take, remember?”
“Well, then you’re all set,” Ellyesce teased. “Unless, of course, the thin mountain air gets the better of you again.”
Jahrra picked up a small pillow and threw it at him, but he easily deflected it with the arm on his good side before smiling impishly in her direction.
“So, young Dervit, are you up for the challenge?” Jaax asked, ignoring the elf and his ward.
Dervit stood up once more and held up his right hand. “On the first evening star to show its face on Solsticetide Eve, I do swear my allegiance to Jahrra and her faithful companions.”
“Another limbit superstition?” Jahrra queried.
Dervit gave her a lopsided grin and nodded once.
“Very well. Welcome then, to the Coalition of Ethoes, Dervit of Felldreim. From this point on, you will strive to watch over Jahrra and help her fulfill her destiny.”
“Excellent,” Ellyesce proclaimed, rubbing his hands together. “Now that we’ve got all that out of the way, and now that we know to avoid Morivan’s greed for knowledge, let us hear the tale of what happened on the road once Jahrra, Dervit and I fled.”
Jaax exhaled a deep breath, one tinged with smoke, and turned his head to stare at his front feet. “There was more than one squadron hunting us on the road,” he said, his jaw tight.
Ellyesce’s eyes grew
wide. “But I only saw the one group,” he insisted.
Jaax nodded. “They have dark mages with them, remember? I think they detected your tracing spell and contacted the other squadrons closest to them and ordered them to band together. I also believe they were told to follow just beyond your range.”
Ellyesce let his head fall against the chair’s back rest. “Of course,” he whispered. “There could have been ten squadrons a hundred yards behind the one I tracked, just waiting for my magic to drop so they could move in.”
It was apparent in his tone of voice that Ellyesce was extremely angry with himself.
Jaax shook his head. “What’s done is done, Ellyesce. And now, we know what trickery they play at. We’ll be better prepared when it comes time to leave Cahrdyarein.”
“Do you think Morivan will give us any trouble while we’re here?” Jahrra asked.
Jaax let his gaze fall upon her. “I hope not, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he tries to bully us into giving up information about the Coalition and what our plans are with regards to the Crimson King. And as far as I know, he doesn’t realize that Dhuruhn is still not entirely convinced of your existence. We need the Creecemind dragons if we are to stand a chance against Cierryon. Currently, the king of Nimbronia wishes to stay out of this fight. Gaining Dhuruhn’s support is key. I suppose that information could be harmful to us in the wrong hands, so we mustn’t let that detail slip.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. Jahrra stood up to brew some more tea, and while she was walking around, topping off everyone’s cup, she asked, “Will the Red Flange try to attack us now that we are behind the wall?”
“I highly doubt it,” Jaax said. “Even if all of them were healthy and whole, which they are not,” he noted with a gleam in his eye, “it would take three times their number to even have a chance at breaching the wall. Not only is it one of the tallest structures in western Ethoes, but it is at least thirty feet thick. And the gate is warded with ancient, powerful magic. The archers of Cahrdyarein are well trained and would have the enemy picked off before they could make it up the road.”
Jahrra breathed a sigh of relief. At least they could relax, to some extent, for the time being.
“We will try to move on in less than a fortnight,” Jaax said. “Hopefully, our presence can be tolerated until then.”
Ellyesce yawned and stretched, then winced when the action pulled at his arrow wound. “I do believe we should call it a night. Despite our midday rest, I’m sure we’re all on the verge of exhaustion.”
Jahrra nodded numbly. She couldn’t agree more.
“I’ll be in the cabin directly across the road,” the elf said upon standing.
Jaax sat up in order to let his friend pass. Ellyesce gave a half-hearted wave and limped out into the dark.
“Do you mind if I sleep on the couch in here with you?” Dervit asked Jahrra timidly.
She smiled. Poor Dervit. Surely, he had some idea of what he was getting himself into when he joined up with a dragon, a young woman and an elf, but she was almost certain it didn’t involve becoming the constant companion of the most hunted person in Ethoes.
He had been very quiet the whole evening, and Jahrra wondered if he regretted his decision, and just how much of what they discussed he actually understood. Did he even know what the Coalition of Ethoes was? Had he ever heard of the prophecy that named her as the one to bring about the downfall of the Crimson King? Had his community of limbits been so isolated, they’d not been told of Ciarrohn and his mortal anchor in Ghorium?
Jahrra shook her head. He probably hadn’t, but it wouldn’t be long before he knew just about everything she, Jaax and Ellyesce knew.
Finally, she glanced at him and said, “I was hoping you’d stay in here with me.”
Dervit nodded, then turned toward the couch and started making himself a little nest out of the cushions and blankets.
“Jahrra,” Jaax called from the doorway.
She turned and walked over, stepping out into the dark and closing the door carefully behind her. Just like everything else, she had learned to interpret her guardian’s tones. This one meant their conversation didn’t need to include a third party.
“I want you to be very careful around Morivan and his family,” he said.
Jahrra furrowed her brow. Hadn’t they already discussed this inside?
“I know,” she stated.
“Good,” he said. “Perhaps tomorrow, you can explore the city a little and find out where Cahrdyarein’s soldiers practice. How long has it been since you’ve had a good sparring lesson?”
“Not since Lidien,” she admitted.
Another thought struck her then, and she snorted softly.
“What?” Jaax asked.
“It’s too bad you’ve banned me from interacting with Morivan’s family,” she said, “because his son offered to test out my skills while I’m here.”
Jaax’s jaw tightened. “I did not say you had to hide from them, just to be careful around them.”
“Then, maybe I’ll ask around in the morning, after I visit Phrym, of course.”
“Of course,” Jaax conceded with a slight smile.
Jahrra wished her guardian a good night, then closed the door tightly behind her before falling into bed and letting her drowsiness whisk her off into sleep.
-Chapter Nine-
A Tour of the City
Jahrra didn’t have to look hard for Keiron the next morning. In fact, it was he who found her, tucked away in the far corner of the stables, attending to Phrym. She had gotten up early, leaving a note for Dervit to inform him where she was going, then headed out to seek her semequin. She didn’t doubt the elves were taking good care of him, but she knew he would be worried about not seeing her.
“I thought I might find you here,” the regent’s son said as he stepped into the long, spacious building.
Jahrra had to squint her eyes in order to make him out against the glare of bright morning sunlight spilling in from outside. He wore what she guessed to be a casual uniform: black pants, boots, and a pale blue, long sleeved tunic beneath a grey padded gambeson. His silver blond hair was braided and tied back today, just like hers.
“What made you think that?” Jahrra asked, keeping her tone light and friendly as she ran a hand up Phrym’s forehead. The semequin lipped at her sleeve, checking for hidden treats.
Keiron’s smooth, quick pace slowed to a stop, and he leaned his shoulder against Phrym’s stall door.
“Your semequin there.”
He indicated Phrym with a gloved hand.
Jahrra gave him a puzzled look, then glanced at her semequin before returning her gaze to the Resai elf.
“Do elaborate because I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.”
Keiron grinned, flashing a set of straight, white teeth that would have turned even Torrell’s head. The sudden memory of her sharp-edged friend back in Lidien brought a quick pang of sadness to Jahrra’s heart, but Keiron’s words snapped her back to the present.
“The way he carried on yesterday after you lost consciousness,” he said. “Once you were out of the saddle, we were determined to get you to one of the guest cabins, but your semequin would have none of it. Even some of our best horse handlers couldn’t get him to settle down. He kept looking for you. Doesn’t take much to spot an unusually strong bond there.”
Jahrra bit her lip and gave Phrym another affectionate scratch.
“Anyway, I came looking for you because I was hoping you were up for a little sparring today.”
Jahrra snorted with good humor, then asked, “Did Jaax speak with you?”
This time Keiron’s grin was more on the sheepish side. “He may have mentioned something in passing when he arrived at my father’s home this morning.”
When Jahrra had left to seek out the stables, Jaax had been gone. She assumed he was off dealing with diplomatic issues. Even if he was no longer the leader of the Coalition, and even if he didn’t trust Mor
ivan Fairlein, he would be using his own wily means to extract any intelligence he could get his teeth, or talons, on.
Jahrra huffed out a breath and gave Phrym one more pat. “That would be wonderful.”
“Excellent,” Keiron said, pushing away from his leaning post so Jahrra could exit Phrym’s stall.
The two of them walked side by side, weaving their way around the enormous wooden poles that rose to the apex of the ceiling. Horse tack, bridles and lead ropes hung from hooks along the posts and walls, and more than one eager equine poked its head over a stall door to see who the early morning visitors were.
Once outside, the scent of manure and sweet hay gave way to the crisp, cool air of spring.
“We have two options,” Keiron said as they made their way down the street. “We can go practice now, while no one else is around, or we can wait until midday when the members of my father’s guard begin their practice.”
The idea of sparring with the trained guard of the regent was both thrilling and terrifying. Jahrra was tempted to give Keiron a try before taking on anyone else, but she was also one not to back out of a challenge. Besides, Jaax did have a point. She sorely needed practice, and sometimes, the best method was to jump right in.
“I think it would be in my best interest to workout with everyone else,” she answered.
“Very well. So, what shall we do to kill the next several hours?”
Jahrra gave Keiron a sidelong glance, wondering if he had been ordered to keep her entertained.
“I don’t want to keep you from any pressing business you might have.”
Keiron smiled and held his hands out at his sides. “I am the son of the regent. Other than attending the occasional meeting and keeping up my knowledge about how the city is run, I don’t have much else to do.”
Jahrra hardly doubted that, but she had no other protests to make. Besides, a small corner of her heart was quite tickled at the idea of spending time with this Resai elf.
“Well, in that case,” she responded, “what do you recommend?”
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