by Ben Hale
“Who will take over while you’re gone?”
“Kuraltus,” she said.
A surge of anger engulfed him, and then he reminded himself that the elf had been manipulated into killing his mother. Once the memory magic had been broken the elf had returned to his former self, and then left the guild.
“When did he return?” Jack asked.
“A few weeks ago,” she said. “I don’t think he had anywhere else to go.”
“And you trust him?”
She strode toward the door. “He’s changed, and he’s more than capable. Besides, he helped me decipher Skorn’s secrets.”
“He served Skorn for a long time,” Jack said with a frown. “Even if he now remembers who he is, it’s possible he is still loyal to Skorn.”
“Nonsense,” she said with a dismissive wave. “But if you want to be sure, I’ll summon him to my office. You can hide in my bedchamber and listen through the door.” She smiled at the suggestion.
“As you order, Guildmaster,” he said, “but I think I’ll just wait right here.”
Jack strode to the door but stopped on the threshold, turning back to the room. He had the unsettling thought that he was missing something. As the scanned the room he struggled to identify the nagging doubt but realized it was probably caution. Skorn had been plotting for thousands of years, and a single mistake would seal Jack’s fate.
And cost him his life.
Chapter 6: A Dead Foe
They strode to the office and Lorelia sent a guard to summon Kuraltus. Jack drifted to the wall and leaned against it, curious and irritated at the same time. It looked like she wanted to talk but his gaze remained fixed on the door. Respecting his silence, she sat at her desk and set to work on a pile of parchment.
“He’s different, Jack.”
He didn’t respond. The first time he’d seen Kuraltus he’d been killing Jack’s mother. Years later he’d found him inside the Thieves Guild beating another elf for his failure. The cruelty on his face had been evident in the hardness to his gaze, the twist to his lips. Then Jack had learned the truth about Skorn, and his power to rob men of their memories, twist them into broken shadows of their former selves. Kuraltus had been a servant of Skorn for two decades, not because he wanted to, but because he’d fallen victim to Skorn’s memory curse.
Jack had hated the elf until they’d languished in an elven prison together, and Jack learned how much Skorn had taken from Kuraltus. But the elf had still killed his mother, and Jack wasn’t certain he could dismiss the hate he’d felt for so long. He slipped a hand to his back and felt the reassuring hilt of his dagger on his spine.
The Kuraltus that stepped into the room was vastly different from the one Jack had known. His clothes were tailored and neat, the coloring brighter than most thieves’. His eyes were bright, the smile on his face warm and friendly.
“Guildmaster,” he said. “I understand you summoned me . . .”
His eyes found Jack and he came to a halt, his smile fading. “Jack,” he said quietly. “It’s been a while.”
“Last time I saw you,” Jack said, “we were escaping from Azertorn.”
“The first time you saw me, I was killing your mother.”
The blunt assertion caused Jack to scowl. “You said you weren’t entirely in control of yourself.”
Kuraltus sighed and looked away. “I was trained on Sri Rosen to be a soldier. Did you know that? When I returned I fought for my people with honor, and even reached the rank of lieutenant. I was stripped of my rank because I refused to follow an order to kill a human child. Instead I slew my corrupt captain.” His eyes flicked to Jack.
“Orn removed the best of me like a vulture feeding on a carcass, the bones picked clean of anything worthwhile. For twenty years I lived thinking that was all I was, and obeyed him because I could not remember ever making a different choice.”
“He manipulated many,” Lorelia suddenly said, her voice turning bitter.
“You can only be manipulated if you allow it,” Jack said.
“Say that again when he holds what you desire,” Lorelia said. “You just need to look at Thalidon for an example.”
“Orn steals what makes you whole,” Kuraltus said. “I didn’t know why I was killing, or why I did his bidding. My only thought was obedience.”
“I refuse to believe in being forced to act,” Jack said. “Our choices are our own.”
Lorelia was on her feet. “Not when you care about someone, Jack. You may not care about anyone, but everyone else on this world has someone they love.”
Stung, Jack turned on her. “I’m not as callous as you think.”
“Does that mean you care about someone besides yourself?” Lorelia demanded.
“Skorn?” Kuraltus said, catching the name. “Don’t you mean Orn?”
“One and the same,” Jack said.
He shook her head in confusion. “Either way, he is dead, is he not?”
Jack turned away from her anger to meet his gaze. “Do we know for certain?”
“The other thieves tell the tale often,” Kuraltus said. “He was wounded by your hand and stumbled into the Evermist with two rayth cats stalking him.”
“We never found a body,” Lorelia pointed out.
“The mist swallows much,” Kuraltus said with a shrug. “How many could escape two rayths?”
“I did,” Jack said. “Before I defeated him he dropped me in a pit with them.”
Kuraltus raised an eyebrow. “You escaped and got them to serve you? I wager there is more to that tale.”
Jack smirked but did not elaborate. “If I could escape, it’s possible he did.”
“Does it matter?” Kuraltus asked. “If he survived he cannot return here. All his tools of memory magic are destroyed.”
Jack and Lorelia exchanged a look, and Jack shrugged. “You trust him, so tell him.”
“Tell me what?” Kuraltus asked.
“It seems that my predecessor in this office was a member of the ancient race.”
Kuraltus started to laugh until he noticed the irritation in Jack’s face. “Orn? An ancient?” he jerked his head. “They died off eons ago.”
“This one didn’t,” Jack said. “And his name is Skorn.”
“You think he was named after a fallen god?” Kuraltus asked.
“He is the fallen god,” Jack said.
Kuraltus laughed again. “How much ale have you drunk today? Ero and Skorn are just myths to frighten children.”
“What if they weren’t?” Lorelia challenged, coming around her desk to stand in front of him. “Myths are based in truth, after all.”
“But gods walking among us?” Kuraltus asked, and snorted in disbelief. “I’ve seen that man bleed—and so have you.”
Jack said, “We know the ancients existed because their relics and buildings are scattered throughout Lumineia.”
“But—”
“And it stands to reason that Skorn and Ero were among them. We all know the ballad references the Dawn of Magic.”
“Yes, but—”
“Skorn is an ancient,” Jack said, annoyed at the elf’s continued doubt. “And if he did survive, I intend to stop him.”
Kuraltus shook his head but a glimmer of confusion had appeared in his eyes. Instead of disagreeing, he gestured to Jack.
“If what you say is true, his intentions are grander than our guild.”
“Which is why we’re going to stop him,” Jack said with a grin.
Lorelia smiled. “And I’m going with him.”
“What about the guild?” Kuraltus asked. “Our thieves are just beginning to trust and follow you.”
“I want you to lead them in my absence.”
His eyes widened. “You trust me that much?”
“You were a class four for a reason,” she said. “And you weren’t the only one affected by his memory magic. They trust you, as do I. Guard them while I’m gone.”
“What about you?” Kuraltus aske
d, turning to Jack. “You would trust me as well?”
Jack stared at him but the hatred he’d felt for so long was absent. The elf before him was not the same one he’d hunted, and Jack could see no trace of the Kuraltus that had served Skorn with unwavering loyalty.
“I don’t hate you anymore,” he said. “Let’s leave it at that.”
“How can you forgive me after what I did to your mother?” Kuraltus asked.
Jack shrugged and stepped to the door. “I returned your memories.”
“How does that make a difference?” Kuraltus asked, his expression more confused than before.
Jack’s lips twitched into a smile. “Because the one that killed my mother was the evil Kuraltus. And I killed him.”
The elf laughed. “As you say,” he said. But his humor quickly faded at the realization of what Jack had said. He swallowed as tears came to his eyes. “So you forgive me?”
“No need,” Jack said. “I killed the elf that killed my mother. You haven’t done anything to me. I’d suggest you keep it that way.”
“Nevertheless,” Kuraltus said, “you have my gratitude.”
Jack laughed and stepped into the hall. A moment later Lorelia joined him. When the door banged shut she caught his arm, forcing him to face her. Her eyes were bright with wonder.
“You surprise me, Jack.”
“You make it sound like I did something grand.”
She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “You did.”
“I killed a foe,” he said. “That’s the furthest thing from grand.”
Her features turned irritated. “Why do you insist on saying that? We both know the truth and—”
“Stop trying to twist my words,” he said. “I meant what I said.”
She blew out her breath. “You can be aggravating, you know that?”
“I know,” he said, a smile playing on his features. “That’s part of my charm.”
“Blasted thief,” she muttered. “You’re going to make me regret going with you to find Beauty.”
“I said you had to cook.”
She sniffed. “I don’t recall agreeing to that.”
He frowned and turned back to face her. “You know what I said.”
Her smile turned purely devilish. “See? I can be aggravating as well.” She laughed at his consternation and strode away.
He caught up to her and descended at her side. “I’m glad you’re coming,” he admitted. “But this doesn’t make me part of the guild.”
She turned, forcing him to halt. “Did you enjoy working with Ursana and Gordon?”
He shrugged. “Of course, but I’m not a thief anymore.”
“Then why steal from the high duke of Talinor?” She poked him in the chest.
“Now how did you know that was me?” he asked, a smile tugging at his lips.
He’d infiltrated the high duke’s strongroom to find a record of ancient artifacts. The tome had dated back to the Age of Oracles, when the Verinai had collected such items. Listed among the items had been a book the king of Griffin held in his castle at Terros.
“Who else has the skill for it?” she asked shrewdly.
He laughed at her insinuation. “You really have been tracking my movements.”
“I wasn’t the only one,” she said. “The guild views you as our liberator, and tales of your exploits invariably find their way to me. They respect you, Jack, and more than a few want to work with you.”
“I liked working with Ursana and Gordon,” he admitted, and then recalled what his mother had asked of him. Do not be what I became. He looked away and repeated, “But I’m not part of the guild.”
“They weren’t the only ones you worked with,” she said.
He grinned at her anger. “Working with you is always a pleasure.”
She grinned. “And the barbarian mountains are nice this time of year.”
“Only if you like freezing to death.”
“What if I do?” she said, and her smile turned mischievous.
He could not resist her excitement. “When do we depart?” he asked.
She gestured toward the steps. “You get the provisions. I’ll gather my things and meet you at the dock.”
“I look forward to our journey.”
She laughed again and abruptly kissed him on the cheek. “It’s good to have you back, Jack.”
“I didn’t say I was.”
She laughed and slipped away without answering.
Chapter 7: Lorelia’s Secret
He watched her depart with a grin on his face. He was loath to admit it, but the prospect of working with guild thieves again was appealing. Besides, going after Skorn alone would be unwise. Then he wondered what he’d just committed himself to. Lorelia was not the type to be dissuaded, and she always had her own agenda.
He strode to the kitchens and gathered a pack of supplies. He’d expected things to be different, but the cooks still required him to pay for the food. Exiting the hall, he dodged thieves wanting to talk to him and made his way to the dock at the eastern side of the fortress. Then Forlana stepped in front of him.
She grinned and folded her arms. “Jack,” she drawled. “I hear you are using personas for your work. Your guise at the Terros castle was particularly effective.”
He smirked and feigned ignorance. “Why does everyone assume that was me?”
“Am I wrong?”
“No.”
She laughed and surprisingly stepped close to embrace him. He hugged her back and gestured to her. “I didn’t forget everything you taught.”
“I’m sure you tried,” she said with a smile, and then turned away. “If you ever need help with a persona, you know where to find me.”
“I’ll do that,” he said, and meant it.
He watched her go, thinking of the assignments they had completed together. For the moment Forlana was herself, right down to her characteristic bald head, but she could disguise herself so even her children wouldn’t know her. On impulse he caught up to her.
“Did you know Morissa?”
Forlana peaked an eyebrow at that. “I haven’t heard that name in twenty years. How do you know about her?”
He hesitated, and decided on a half-truth. “My mother knew her.”
“Then she was fortunate,” Forlana said. “Morissa was the best of us, and not just for her talent.”
“What can you tell me about her?” Jack asked.
Forlana regarded him for several seconds and then shook her head. “More tales than you have time for. Come when you have time and we’ll talk over a mug.”
The glint in her eye made him wonder how much she suspected, so he offered a nonchalant shrug. “I’ll see you then.”
His desire to know more about his mother warred with his desire to keep his past private, but he strode past her before he could give anything else away. She didn’t say a word and he didn’t look back. When he stepped outside he found Lorelia already there.
“Took you long enough,” she said.
“I like to be thorough,” he replied, forcing a smile.
“I bet you do,” she said.
He laughed and tossed her the second pack. “Let’s go. It’s a long way to the barbarian strongholds.”
They boarded the small boat and Lorelia activated the enchantment that would take them east. As the boat glided across the murky water Jack turned his thoughts to their adversary. He settled into a seat across from Lorelia.
“How long did you search for Skorn’s body?”
She swept her hand at the swamp. “A week. As Kuraltus said, the Evermist has a way of swallowing corpses.” Then her eyebrows pulled together. “Do you really think he survived?”
“I could have escaped.”
“Perhaps,” Lorelia said, “but two rayth cats could kill a rock troll.”
Jack thought of the rock trolls in Terros and shook his head. “I’m not certain about that.”
She threw him a sly look. “Just how many were there at
the Terros castle?”
He grinned and told the tale. For the rest of the day they laughed about past assignments, and Lorelia shared tales of the thieves under her command. Jack found himself wishing he’d been present, and wondered what would have happened if he had.
They stayed the night in a small cottage hidden in the swamp, and the next on the edge of the Evermist. During one of Jack’s past assignments he’d alienated an entire Amazonian tribe, so they picked their way through the jungle with great care. After several days traveling through oppressive heat the ground curved upward, rising to the peaks in the distance.
The jungle gave way to a forest on the knees of towering peaks. The ground continued to rise until they were forced to pause and adapt to the higher altitude. The next night they broke through a line of mountains and reached a sprawling series of valleys. It was early fall but snow dusted the ground and dark clouds threatened more.
“The Bearkiller tribe should be on the northern steppes,” Lorelia said, breathing hard.
Jack wrapped his cloak tighter about his shoulders and cursed the cold. He’d tried to shave his stubble but the stream’s water nearly froze his hair to his flesh. From then on his slight beard gathered frost.
“The sooner we are out of these mountains, the better,” he growled.
They advanced out of a pass and took a game trail north. After months in the lower altitudes his body refused to accept the cold. His shaden cloak had been enchanted with warmth in mind, but was no match for the blistering wind. After an hour they pulled their blankets from their packs. Wrapping those atop the cloaks, they pressed forward, working their way across the slope.
Although it was only mid afternoon it felt like twilight. Snow began to fall from black clouds. The wind caught the flurries and drove them sideways, churning the snow into a blizzard. Realizing the elements were not going to abate, Jack stopped and turned back to Lorelia.
“We need to find shelter!”
He was forced to shout over the howling wind. She nodded emphatically and they moved toward a stand of giant pine trees. Stepping beneath the branches of one, they huddled in the well created by the canopy and began snapping dry branches. Lorelia laid them into a small bed and then pointed a shivering hand outside.
