Behemoth (The Jharro Grove Saga Book 6)

by Trevor H. Cooley

  Cletus was waiting for Tarah as she exited the conference room. He weaved his way through the exiting crowd and grabbed her hand, beaming excitedly. “Come, Pretty Tara, come! There is a big hard giant and a gorilla horse and a ogre and a gnome warrior like me, but prettier!”

  “Right,” she said, trying to summon enthusiasm. This was the day that Sir Edge’s bonded were to arrive. She had only found out about it while tracking Deathclaw. She supposed that it would be interesting to finally meet the rogue horse that she had set out of the Mage School with Djeri to find all those months ago. But the thought of that just reminded her of Djeri as he had been then.

  “Also Swen and Jan are there,” Cletus added.

  “Really?” she said sudden interest pushing through the sorrow that was overcoming her. She had known that a group of Academy soldiers were coming with Edge’s bonded. No one had told her that they were her friends.

  “Yeah! Come on!” said Cletus and the gnome led her through the hallways, skipping, whistling his friendship song and occasionally belting the chorus, “Friieeendshiip! We are all friieends!”

  Quite a crowd had gathered around the Palace Training Grounds. They were gawkers, mostly servants, but mixed with the occasional warrior or member of the Leeths family were trying to get a peek at the eclectic group of new arrivals from Dremaldria. They hung back, eager to see but too proper to appear to stare, looking like a herd of cats nonchalantly feigning disinterest.

  Tarah made it past them just in time to hear Sir Edge’s ogre friend cry out with joy as the two finally saw each other. The massive ogre lifted the powerful bonding wizard into the air and swung him around like he was just a child.

  Smiling, she turned and saw Willum speaking with Helmet Jan and Swen the Feather and another Academy soldier she didn’t recognize. A huge rock giant stood behind them, listening to the conversation. She headed towards them and was just about to call out to Jan with a taunting jab when a gruff voice spoke behind her.

  “If it ain’t Tarah Woodblade!”

  Her eyes widening, she turned in shock to see Djeri’s uncle standing there. In all the commotion over the last few days no one had thought to tell her that he was among the group. The dwarf was dressed in an unfamiliar suit of leather armor but there was no mistaking that red handlebar mustache and gap-toothed grin.

  Tears came unbidden to her eyes. She didn’t quite understand why. She liked Lenny, but she had only spent a few days at Coal’s Keep getting to know him and that was months ago. Maybe it was because in height and shape he was much like Djeri. Maybe it was because out of all the people in the world, he might understand best the person she was missing. Her bottom lip began to quiver.

  Lenny’s bushy eyebrows rose in concern at her reaction and he held out his arms. “It’s okay, girl. Come talk to yer Uncle Lenny.”

  Tarah went to her knees in front of him and allowed the dwarf to wrap her up in a much needed embrace. Sobs shook her and Lenny grunted back tears of his own. He held her as if comforting a daughter, one rough hand smoothing her hair back from her face. “It’s okay, dag-blast it. Don’t you worry, Tarah. We’ll get our Djeri back.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “I-I spoke to him twice, Lenny,” Tarah said softly, still kneeling wrapped in the dwarf’s arms, her voice trembling. “Sir Edge helped me the first night, but I was alone last night and . . . He was strange. Different.”

  It had been difficult enough that first night. She had remained calm, listening to Sir Edge’s instruction, not breaking down even when Djeri had asked her about her nose. That was one thing the old Djeri had never done. He’d accepted her as she was without question. The second night had been worse. Edge hadn’t been there to stabilize her and Djeri had pushed her away immediately, refusing to listen.

  “Bull-puckey,” Lenny said gently, giving her a squeeze. “Nothin’s changin’ our Djeri.”

  “I want to believe that. I do,” Tarah said, trying to compose herself. She forced her tears away and looked into Lenny’s eyes. “But it’s like he’s someone else. He looks at me like an oddity. And there’s this odd hunger inside him, like a wild beast that’s caged and waiting to get out.”

  Lenny’s brow furrowed, but if anything she had said daunted him, he refused to show it. “We’ll figger this out,” the dwarf promised. He took a step back, holding her out at arm’s length. “But first you gotta stand up. Tarah Woodblade shouldn’t be seen on her knees.”

  “Right,” she said, climbing to her feet. The Roo-Tan gawkers had likely noticed her emotional display. She wondered what rumors would start about her and this new dwarf.

  Lenny motioned her over to a bench next to the wall of the archery range and out of the view of the Roo-Tan crowd and her friends. He had her sit down while he stood in front of her, his arms crossed. “Now you listen to me, girl. Don’t matter what my fool nephew sounded like or felt like. Djeri’s a Firegobbler and Firegobbler blood’s too strong to be held back long.”

  “I hope so,” she said, though she was finding it difficult to believe. She hadn’t been able to get a good image of what he looked like, but she had the impression that he was bigger and that his mouth was shaped differently than before. “That behemoth. What it did to hi-.”

  “Don’t matter!” Lenny insisted. “So some blasted troll behemoth swallered him up and spat him out changed. So what? Don’t care whether the thing’s a garl-friggin’ god or just another bucket of nasty-arsed troll slime. Ain’t nothin’ it could do that’ll change his blood. The Firegobbler in him’ll pull through. Don’t matter where he is or what he looks like. You got that? He’s still our Djeri, even if he don’t know it yet.”

  Tarah’s back straightened, his bold decisiveness strengthening her resolve. She chose to believe. She had to. “You’re right. I just gotta get him to remember. Once I do that, everything will be fine.”

  Lenny nodded. “’Course it will. Now did you tell him ’bout the baby, yet?”

  Tarah’s hand moved to her belly. “You heard?”

  “Fist told me ’bout it yesterday,” Lenny said with a grin. “And I’m so proud I could pop. You got a Firegobbler in yer belly and that’s a fine thing. I’ll tell you somethin’ ’bout that baby and I know this from personal experience. It’s gonna be strong. It’s gonna be blasted tough. And it’s gonna be contrary as hell.”

  Tarah found a smile forming on her face that matched the dwarf’s. “Sounds like a challenge.”

  “Hell yeah. It’s gonna be. But a great one,” he assured her. “Now. You ready to face yer friends?”

  Tarah took a deep breath. “Do I look like I’ve been crying?”

  Lenny snorted. “What’re you talkin’ ’bout? Tarah Woodblade don’t cry.”

  Tarah gave him a grateful nod and stood. She turned the corner and walked towards the Academy graduates and the rock giant that stood with them.

  They were still standing with Willum, but their eyes were focused on the small form of Esmine. The elf child was telling them the story of the treaty disaster and as she talked, images were appearing on the ground between them; reaching tentacles and grasping mouths, and screaming soldiers.

  Esmine, thank you for letting me talk to Lenny without interrupting us, Tarah said, reaching out to the rogue horse mentally.

  I thought about it, but I figured you wouldn’t want me to, Esmine replied. Besides, I don’t know that dwarf yet.

  I appreciate your restraint, Tarah replied, she winced as Esmine showed them the giant form of the behemoth rising in the center of the valley. But I don’t think it’s a good idea to show people your memories of that day. People around here don’t want to relive that.

  Oh. Only the Academy people can see it, Esmine assured her. Do you want me to make it so you don’t see it?

  That would be nice, thank you, Tarah said and the images vanished from her sight. Swallowing, she walked towards the Academy graduates. They tore their eyes away from Esmine’s display, watching her as she approached.

&nb
sp; Tarah opened her arms. “Would you believe nobody told me you two were coming?”

  Swen’s mouth bent slightly, the closest the wooden-faced man ever came to a smile. “It is good to see you, Tarah.”

  “Same to you, Swen. I gotta say when you left us at the border to Malaroo I thought I’d never see you again,” she said.

  “When Faldon the Fierce told us what happened to Djeri, we volunteered to come,” Swen said. “We are here to help however we can.”

  She grasped the tall man’s shoulder. “I’m happy to have you.”

  “I knew Jerry too, though not as well as the rest of you,” said the Academy man that Tarah hadn’t recognized. He was a somber swordsman with a small shield strapped to his back. He held out his hand. “I’m Qenzic the Heir. I graduated with Poz and Jhonate.”

  She shook his hand. That was a name she had heard before. “Son of Sabre Vlad, right?”

  “That’s me,” he said.

  “He was with Fist on a mission in the mountains,” Swen explained. “Faldon asked him to come.”

  “I think he wanted to keep me distracted,” Qenzic said, but his tone held no offer to explain further, so she didn’t ask why.

  “Well, thank you for coming,” Tarah told him. She looked up at the giant. He was ten feet tall with rocky skin and wore only a ragged set of trousers and a crystal pendant that hung around his neck on an iron chain.

  “I’m Charz,” he said with a deep voice. “I’m just here to fight when the war starts.”

  “Oh,” she said. “Glad you’re on our side then.”

  Her eyes flickered to Helmet Jan. The pike woman had been silent so far, just leaning on her weapon watching Tarah through the slits in her helmet. “It’s good to see you too, Jan. Say, you look different. New haircut?”

  “Very funny,” Jan said with a snort. “Listen, I know you think I don’t like you. And I didn’t at first. But that changed after I saw you in action. Besides, Lenny thinks that there’s still a chance Jerry can be saved so I’m on your side.”

  Tarah cocked her head at the woman. “Helmet Jan, did you just admit that you like me?”

  Willum laughed. “Jan doesn’t like anybody unless they’re hanging off the end of her pike.”

  Jan turned a scowl on him. “Shut up Oddblade, or I’ll tell Kathy the Plate how you were just braggin’ that you took up with a mage down here in Malaroo.”

  Willum’s smile turned nervous. “Kathy’s not still thinking about me is she?”

  “What’re you talkin’ about?” Jan scoffed. “She’s already got half of Wobble makin’ her a set of wedding armor for when you get back.”

  Willum stared back at her in wild-eyed silence for several moments before Swen burst out in an uncharacteristic laugh.

  “You look so scared!” said the tall archer.

  Willum blinked in confusion. “So . . . that was a joke, right?”

  “Of course it was, you idiot!” laughed Jan. “Kathy’s in charge of the Training School. You really think she’s got time to pine after you?”

  Tarah found herself smiling at the banter of her friends. It was odd to think of them like that, but it was true. Tarah Woodblade had friends. She had spent so much of her life isolated. She had chosen it, in fact. But undertaking that quest to track the rogue horse had changed everything.

  * * *

  Fist’s reunion with Justan was short-lived. A short elf child with dark skin and Roo-Tan braids appeared out of thin air and announced that the meeting was about to start again. She then disappeared without explanation.

  “What was that?” Maryanne asked.

  “That was Esmine,” Justan explained. “The rogue horse bound to Tarah’s staff. She kind of comes and goes as she pleases.”

  Maryanne scratched her head. She had heard of the rogue horse and her powers from Fist, but it was still shocking to see them in person. “Why would she choose that form?”

  “I think it suits her,” Justan said. He reached out and clasped Fist’s arm. “Well, I should go back with the others. I’m not quite sure when we’ll be done, but I’ll let you know. The servants will come and show you to your quarters.”

  “Okay, Justan,” Fist said. “Oh, but before you go,” Fist bent down and picked up the small pack he had brought with him. He reached inside it and pulled out a sheathed dagger. “I thought you might want to have this with you. For Artemus.”

  Justan took the dagger from him and pulled it slightly out of the sheath. He ran his thumb across the cracked rune at the base of the blade. There was a soft crackling sound as a layer of frost sprouted from the crack.

  Thank you very much for bringing Whisper back to me, said Artemus’ cool voice from within the bond. Odd to think that she still responds to me after all this time.

  Maybe it’ll help, you know, when you’re fighting against the Scralag, Fist suggested.

  That’s my hope, Justan added.

  The old wizard let out a long sigh. We shall see. Having it so close does seem to strengthen me.

  Maryanne’s eyes were darting between Fist and Justan, watching their expressions. “You know there’s an etiquette to these things? When you’re talking with your bonded in front of someone? Maybe use actual words.”

  Fist looked at her. “You and Sarine didn’t follow that rule.”

  “That’s because we were saying things we didn’t want you to hear,” she pointed out.

  “Sorry, Artemus was just thanking you and Fist for bringing his dagger back,” Justan said, smiling at Maryanne. “And it is nice finally meeting you. I look forward to getting to know you better.”

  “Oh!” she said, giving him an embarrassed smile. “Before I forget, Edge, Sarine asked that I give you a hug, you know, from her.”

  “That sounds wonderful,” he said and stepped in for an embrace. He turned to leave again, but was interrupted as Lenny approached.

  “Hey, Son, you gonna forget about me?” the dwarf harrumphed.

  “Of course not!” Justan said and hurried to embrace his old friend. “I am really looking forward to catching up with you.”

  “Okay, sure, bu-,” Lenny began.

  “I’m going to want to hear all about baby Jacques and how Bettie is doing in her new post at the Academy,” Justan continued. “Also, I have been learning a lot about spirit magic runes and I was thinking that there would be some great applications for weapon making.” He took a breath. “But I’ll have to talk to you about it later, because I need to get back inside.”

  “Just a dag-gum minute, Edge!” Lenny said with a laugh. “Yer actin’ like they got you on a friggin’ hook. Since when did you get so caught up in stuff like dusty meetings?”

  Justan smiled back at the dwarf. “Since my future father-in-law demands it. The things being discussed really are important though. Well, most of it. Or some of it. I guess I just need to be there in case it gets important. It’s not that I enjoy it.”

  “That’s fine,” Lenny replied. “I just wanted to make sure you was gonna be there to help Tarah tonight. When she talks to Djeri and all. This bond thing’s all new to her.”

  Justan nodded. “You’re right. It is important that she get through to him. Xedrion and Aloysius have been asking about it. The meeting went long last night, but I can’t see how they’d make me stay.”

  He snapped his fingers and a grin spread his lips. “Fist! Why don’t you go with Tarah and help her tonight in case I can’t make it?”

  “Fist?” Lenny said.

  “Why not?” said Justan. “He’s a bonding wizard. He knows how to use the bond as well as I do. He’s even better at some things.”

  Fist scratched his head. “Well, I guess I could help, but she doesn’t really know me.”

  “You’ll get along wonderfully,” Justan assured him. “Besides, she’s staying with Beth and Hilt and I happen to know that Beth is dying to see you again. I’m actually surprised that she wasn’t the first one here to greet you.”

  Fist’s shoulders slumped
. “Really?”

  Justan smiled and stepped away towards the palace entrance. “You’ll do great. I’ll see you all later!”

  With that, he was gone. Lenny took Fist over to introduce him to Tarah and while he spoke to her and Willum, Esmine was talking with Rufus and Gwyrtha. Her small child-like form was sitting astride her original form, white and sparkling with a tail and mane that were fiery red.

  “So you’re gonna help me, huh?” Tarah said, seeming dubious about the idea of an ogre teaching her how to use the bond. She reached out hesitantly and touched his arm. “Do you mind if I read you?”

  Fist frowned. “Is it like listening?”

  “Kind of,” she said. “But I don’t have to put my head on your chest or anything.”

  “It’s okay, son,” Lenny said. “She did it to Samson back at Coal’s Keep and he was fine.”

  Fist shrugged. “I guess it would be fine then.”

  He felt a sudden intrusion through the bond. It was a strange thing, not as gentle as the feeling when Beth had listened to him in the past. A surge went through his body, beginning where her fingers had touched him and then radiating outward, a scan of his past. It wasn’t like he could feel her rummaging through his mind, not exactly, but somehow he knew that she had just seen through the core of him.

  Tarah pulled her hand from his arm and gazed up at him with a look of awe. Tears welled in her eyes and for a moment he thought she was about to hug him. She swallowed instead and took a step back. “Fist, I . . . I would be very happy for your help. Thanks for your offer.”

  “Uh, sure,” he said and she nodded gratefully.

  Maryanne grabbed his wrist. “What just happened right there?”

  “I don’t know,” he said with a shrug.

  You sure are good with females, Squirrel observed from his perch on Maryanne’s shoulder. He was happily shelling a new kind of seed he had found. Squirrel was very interested in the new types of food to be found in Malaroo. He had started a collection along the journey and his pouch bulged with them.