by Eric Vall
Part of me wished Dragir was there for it. He needed to learn a thing or two about bear hugs.
When Haragh released me with a guttural laugh, I craned my neck to get a good look at him, and I’d almost forgotten he towered nearly two feet above my head.
“No daggers, no bites taken out of you,” I pointed out. “Nalnora’s not so bad, is it?”
Haragh furrowed his brow. “How’d you know about the daggers?”
“Everyone’s always throwing daggers here,” I told him with a shrug, “but you made it! How the hell did you find us?”
“I ran into a mage friend of yours somewhere near a river,” he explained. “She seemed a bit off her rocker, but she said I could find you at Quyn something. So, I followed her there, and then some bastards tried to tranque me, but I managed to get away with only a bit of a headache. Long story short, I heard an engine coming from this direction and figured I’d probably find you and Bobbie if I wandered around a bit.”
“Damn,” I muttered. “You’re lucky you didn’t catch those thorns back there stumbling around in the dark.”
“Wait a minute,” Cayla said as she came over. “What mage led you to House Quyn?”
“A pretty strange one,” Haragh said as he raised his brows. “Claimed she was a Baroness. Patrove? Patanove?”
“Baroness Batonova,” I corrected.
“That’s the one,” he nodded, “real strange bird, but we’re friends now, I guess. According to her, anyway.”
I snorted and exchanged a glance with Cayla.
“Well, she got you here at least,” I muttered.
Haragh nodded and was about to speak again when the smashing of ferns echoed from the almost black jungle, and the faint glow of headlights glistened through the undergrowth.
The Mustang came from the treeline with a heavy thud and a jolt as it barreled over a last log and came to a hard stop.
The deep growl of Bobbie’s engine idled for a minute before it cut out, and Haragh’s eyes went wide.
“You’ve been busy,” he said, and his admiring eyes roved over every inch of the Mustang as he rubbed his palms together.
I grinned. “Yeah, Bobbie got an upgrade,” I told him proudly. “You’re gonna like this one.”
“I like it already,” he assured me, but then Dragir climbed out the driver’s side window and stood with deep disgust written all over his face.
Aurora awkwardly released her hold on the half-ogre and stepped back a ways.
“What the fuck is that?” Dragir demanded.
“Go fuck yourself,” Haragh shot back.
“Alright,” I interrupted, and I quickly placed a steadying hand on the half-ogre’s shoulder as I beckoned for Dragir to join us. “Hey, I want you to meet a buddy of mine! This is Haragh, he’s my best friend from Serin and a Terra Mage. Haragh, this is Dragir.”
The two men glowered at one another without a word.
Then Dragir sighed and sent me a pointed look.
“Have you listened to nothing I have told you about my House?” he asked flatly.
I stared. “But … he’s not half-elf,” I tried. “He’s just half-ogre, that’s totally different.”
“No.”
Haragh let out a low growl, and Dragir’s jaw locked as he returned the threatening glare the half-ogre sent him.
I cleared my throat. “Look, no one from House Quyn is around,” I pointed out as I eyed the trees. “Couldn’t you just--”
“No,” Dragir said again, and he walked right past us to head down the cliffside path into the cove.
Haragh sent his glower my direction and crossed his massive arms.
“This is gonna sound like bullshit,” I admitted, “but he’s really a cool guy. Hell of an elf.”
The half-ogre snorted.
“You know, your standards have really taken a shit,” he informed me.
“Come on,” I offered, “we’ve got some food down in the cove.”
Aurora giggled and leapt up onto Haragh’s back, and he shook his giant head as he easily carted the half-elf down the path and into the cove.
Dragir must have stopped off to talk with Deya before he disappeared into the fortress, because the beautiful elf did a decent job of hiding her shock at the sight of Haragh descending the path behind me.
She hopped up from beside the fire and came over with a sparkling smile, and when she tucked herself under my arm, she tipped onto her toes to give me a kiss.
Haragh raised his bushy brow.
“This is Deya,” I told him. “She’s Dragir’s sister.”
Haragh smirked. “That explains it,” he mumbled, and then he extended a large and calloused green hand. “I’m Haragh. Pleasure to meet ye’, miss. I hear your brother’s a real swell guy.”
Deya took his hand without hesitating and sent him such a sweet smile, I saw his eyes go hazy while his grin became lopsided.
“He is,” the beautiful elf agreed, “thank you. Would you like to join us? You must be quite tired after your journey.”
Deya motioned for him to follow, and she led us to the fire at the edge of the water.
Aurora dragged Haragh down to sit next to her, and Cayla settled in on his other side. She squeezed his arm affectionately and sent him a warm smile, and Shoshanne sighed happily as she curled up with me and Deya.
“It’s so good to see you,” the healer told him. “We’ve prepared plenty of fresh fish, and there’s fruits on that platter there, too. Help yourself.”
Haragh chuckled and looked at me as he pulled the platter toward him.
“And I was worried you’d be dead,” Haragh grunted, “but here you are surrounded with beautiful women and lounging about on your own private beach.”
“I can’t even begin to explain the bullshit we’ve been through the last couple weeks,” I laughed, “but what brings you all the way to the jungle?”
“Ah … yeah, well that’s less fun,” Haragh admitted as he shoveled half a fish into his mouth and slurped the meat right off the skins. “We can get right to it, I suppose. You remember Wyresus?”
“How could I not?” I snorted. “He’s a damn peach.”
Haragh chuckled. “Well, he’s in a spot of trouble, it seems. King Temin thought I ought to come get ye’.”
I furrowed my brow. “If this is about Yvette, we already killed her off, but I’ve got some words I’d like to share with the guy about it.”
“Never heard of her,” Haragh said with a shrug, “but Wyresus is about as possessed as a banshee, tell ye’ the truth. Unfortunately, half the order’s behaving like they’re under his command as well.”
My stomach dropped.
“The mages?” Aurora asked uneasily.
“Aye.” Haragh nodded. “Please tell me all this elven business is sorted out already.”
“Not really,” I mumbled. “Elves aren’t that easy to work with.”
“There is an army of possessed mages?” Dragir suddenly asked, and I turned to see him standing beside one of the ornate pillars of the fortress.
“What is he, an eavesdropper?” Haragh grumbled, and he eyed Dragir suspiciously.
“No, he’s an elf,” I told him simply.
Haragh rolled his eyes as I headed over to Dragir.
“Now, before you say no,” I started, “I’m just throwing it out there--you could use a break from Nalnora. Get out of town, see some new places. Plus, your army is spectacular. If you and I could--”
“No,” Dragir interrupted, and he turned to head back into the cave.
“Okay, but hear me out,” I said hastily and made to follow. “You’ve already seen a few mages at work, so you’ve got a good idea of what we’re dealing with here. Luir’s gonna be after you more than ever, and you could dodge that in the process. I’m not saying it’d be a vacation, but--”
“No,” Dragir said once more, and then his entire form began to flicker.
“Don’t do it,” I warned. “Just give me two seconds.”
&nb
sp; Then Dragir vanished, and I lunged, but my hands only grabbed at air.
“Godsdamnit,” I sighed.
I scruffed my beard as I returned to the fire at the edge of the cove, and I found Haragh joking with Deya while she let out a wash of silvery giggles and blushed.
“Great guy, that one.” Haragh nodded solemnly when I sat back down. “He likes you.”
“That actually is like for him,” I mumbled, “and he is a great guy, by the way. There’s a lot of layers there. And weapons. Sooo many weapons.”
“Good ones?” Haragh asked.
I let out a low whistle of approval.
“Check this out,” I told him, and Aurora handed over the Halcyan dagger Dragir had given her before the battle at House Quyn.
Haragh turned it over to admire the strange iridescent material of the blade, but I nudged his arm.
“Not like that, just hold it by the hilt,” I instructed, and I pulled my own Halcyan sword from its sheath. “Don’t let go, alright?”
Haragh cocked a brow and shrugged.
Then I quickly sliced a bit of his bicep, and the half-ogre jolted and gave a vicious snarl. The dagger immediately dropped from his hand as Haragh cupped his arm, and while blood began to seep through his massive fingers, he looked at me like he’d like to skin me alive.
“What is this?” Haragh growled. “Some bullshit game of chicken the elves taught ye’?”
Deya fell into another fit of giggles.
“Dude, you can’t lose your grip,” I explained. “Here … ” I retrieved the Halcyan dagger, and once I handed it over, I motioned to my own arm. “I’ll show you how it works. Cut my arm. Only a little though, don’t be a dick.”
The half-ogre narrowed his eyes, but then he planted his fist in my face instead.
I clutched at my throbbing nose while the women stifled their laughter, but I still managed to keep my grip on my sword.
Haragh snorted. “Don’t be a dick …” he muttered. “You sliced my fuckin’ arm open.”
“Yeah, but see?” I said and pointed to my face. “No blood!”
Haragh raised his brows. “No shit.”
“Right?” I laughed. “Dragir makes these blades, and he designed a few runes for the weapons we used against the Master’s army that are unbelievable. They fucking decimated.”
Haragh’s face fell. “The Master’s what?”
The women had all fallen asleep with their heads resting either in my lap or on one another by the time I finished explaining everything to Haragh. I told him about the head of House Syru’s hand in helping the Master with rune magic, the Elven Scrolls, and Luir’s army of Wendigo. I even caught him up on the laws involving Deya, the Baroness’ questionable appearances, Rhys’ wife and his deadly son, and finally, the Master’s future plans where I was concerned.
The half-ogre nodded along in silence, but by the end, he was just staring blankly at the lapping waves, and he looked about as overwhelmed as I’d been feeling since I arrived in the jungle.
“So … ” he mused, “you’re gonna fucking die here.”
I sighed and dropped back across the slate rock. “Don’t say that,” I groaned. “Everyone says that. I can’t die in Nalnora.”
“Maybe you should’ve considered that sentiment before you got half the damn region comin’ after you.”
I smirked. “Hey, I’m just doing my thing,” I told him. “They’re elves, I can’t help that.”
“Well, you’re gonna have to slip by ‘em all somehow,” Haragh decided. “It’s three days journey to get back to the Illarian border, and King Temin’s losing his mind. He’s noticed the mages are acting strange, and he’s worried they’ll turn on the civilians and try to overrun the capital.”
“Fucking hell,” I groaned and sat up to rifle my hair. “I just battled a mage who wasn’t even possessed. This is going to be … ”
“Bad,” Haragh grunted, “but you won’t be alone in it. Not every mage is under Wyresus’ puny little thumb.”
“Pindor?” I asked uneasily.
“Still normal,” he said with a nod. “Well, sort of.”
I furrowed my brow. “What’s that mean?”
Haragh smirked. “To be blunt, I’d say the kid’s got it in his head that he’s your stand-in, except he’s annoying as all hell about it. Mina wants to kill him. She probably already has. I left Serin a week ago.”
“When did you leave Orebane?” I asked.
“Few days before that,” he told me. “I’ve been up at the mines finishing the last of the tracks to Aurum with Thrungrig and the metal guy.”
“Big Guy?” I asked eagerly, and a grin finally returned to my face. “How’s he doing?”
“He’s a hell of a contraption,” Haragh chuckled. “Thrungrig’s got him doing all the heavy lifting, and Dorinick taught him to balance ten pints on his arms at once. Doesn’t spill a damn drop.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh good. That’ll be really useful.”
Haragh let out a throaty laugh, and as Deya shifted in her sleep, he gestured to the beautiful elf whose soft pink hair plumed across my thighs.
“That one’s alright, at least,” he decided. “You would find the only decent elf in this stinking place.”
I grinned. “Wait ‘til you see her trick with the dragons,” I replied. “I’d tell you about it myself, but Aurora would kill me if I beat her to it.”
The next morning, we began preparations to head west, and the first thing I did was haul out my entire stock of weapons I’d harvested after the battle at House Quyn, and I set them down within the mouth of the cave. Some of the metal would be ideal for reforming down the line, but the craftsmanship of many pieces was just too good to even imagine altering.
Deya stood in the shadows near the wall of the cave and watched me go over the weaponry with Cayla, and she sent me a little smile when I looked over before she headed out to sit on the embankment for a while.
Cayla and Stan began sorting through the pile of weapons, and I decided to leave it to the woman’s judgement to stock an arsenal in the trunk of the Mustang. I did place an order for several tungsten axes, though, and all but one bazooka would be coming with us as well.
Then I strolled out to the end of the jetty and sat down beside the beautiful elf.
Deya was admiring the inlet as the sun glittered on the waves, and to the right of us, the cove lay as if Yvette had never been there.
“Thank you for restoring it,” Deya said sweetly as she settled her head on my shoulder. “It looks as beautiful as ever.”
“It was my pleasure,” I assured her. “Your ancestors had an amazing home here. I know it matters to you and Dragir that it continues to exist as they created it.”
“Dragir’s going to live here, you know,” she told me. “He doesn’t want to stay in the village any longer. I do not know what made him change his mind.”
I considered the striking cliffside with vines spilling over the edges and blooming in every color imaginable. The tidal pools were dotted with bright green and black critters splashing around without a thought, and further off, the ornate stone columns of the fortress stood hidden in shadows at the mouth of the cave.
“I can understand it,” I admitted. “I don’t want to leave either, to be honest. There’s such a strong sense of the thousands of years that have passed since your ancestors first settled here. I can feel it in the stonework. It’s a powerful place.”
“I don’t want to leave it either,” Deya muttered quietly.
I nodded in understanding, and we sat in silence while the ocean rolled lazily into the inlet and sent waves splashing up along the boulders beneath us.
“I love you,” I told her after a long moment, “but I know this is your home, and you’ve learned so much about where you came from lately. As much as I want to bring you all over the world with me, I won’t be like everyone else in Nalnora and force you to do something against your will. I hope you will join us, though. I’d be more than happy to ki
ll any elf who tried to stop you.”
Deya lifted her head, and there were tears glistening in her violet eyes.
“I have learned very much,” she agreed, “but I never would have if not for you. Everything has changed since you arrived at House Quyn. I knew the first time I saw you that Nemris had sent you to us, and now, I only want to continue to see what happens. I want to be with you, wherever you go.”
The beautiful elf smiled sweetly, and I grinned as I looked down on her pixie-like face and soft pink hair blowing lightly in the sea breeze.
“Then come with me to Illaria,” I said.
Deya giggled as she climbed onto my lap, and she pulled my lips to hers with her hands clutched around my neck.
Her supple hips rolled against me as she pinned me back against the rocks, and I let her kiss me as long as she wanted while the heat between her thighs began to build.
When Deya finally released me, her cheeks were stained a deep pink, and she sent me a sparkling smile.
“I’ll go pack my things,” she murmured against my lips, before she hopped up and ran off down the jetty.
I craned my neck and watched the lithe elf spring gracefully from the boulders to the slate of rock, and something in the sway of her hips reminded me of Nemris.
A sense of calm washed over me like a silky veil, and I knew the goddess was as relieved as I was to know Deya would be free from Nalnora.
Her life could be whatever she wanted, and I’d be there to make sure no one tried to decide otherwise. Although, my women were nearly as dedicated to the task as I was at this point.
Deya returned to House Quyn with Dragir to gather her things, and her brother didn’t seem to have a single objection to the plan. I saw him smirk to himself while she nervously explained what she wanted to do, and after a curt nod, they both agreed Qiran should not be informed she was leaving. Dragir went along to keep his father well distracted while she packed her life up, and I watched the two elves disappear over the edge of the cliff and head into the jungle.
Aurora and Shoshanne began gathering provisions from the jungle for the journey, and while Haragh stood in shock and gaping at the sea dragons now circling the inlet, I worked on wiring the headlights of the Mustang.
