The man staggered, recovered his footing, and turned to the sprites as he wiped the sweat from his brow. “Come on, boys. It won’t be dazed for long.” He moved stiffly toward the sprites and held out his hand. “We have to be long gone before it wakes.”
Tion allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, and he dragged Kail to his. “How did you—”
“Questions later, lad, or would you rather be woof meat? I can’t do that again any time soon.”
Tion nodded and draped Kail’s arm over his shoulders to support him. “Come back to the tavern with us, then. Marvin will see to you.” He looked apprehensively at the scattered bodies littering the forest floor. “If he’s still alive.”
“I could use a pint,” the raggedy man said as if he had only just come in from a hot day in the field, rather than saving Tion and his partner from certain doom.
“Me too,” Kail muttered. He stood a little straighter. “What’s your name, mister?”
The man shrugged, an oddly eloquent gesture for one so disheveled. “I’ve got many names,” he said, “but most folks call me Wylde.”
7
“Bullshit,” Kail said, belching ale fumes across the table. “You’re a myth.”
“And you’re too big to be a sprite,” Wylde replied, belching his own ale fumes.
Tion listened to them argue as he sat beside Conway at a smaller table, away from the discussion. The human was oddly subdued, given the quality of their reunion a few hours earlier.
“Tripped over me own flapping feet and landed on a rock,” the innkeeper had said when Tion asked what had happened. He’d been overjoyed when he, Kail, and Wylde arrived and found the grumpy, endearing old man still alive after all.
Tion had parked Wylde at the large round table when they arrived, and the man—the wizard—sank gratefully into the chair. Kail sat across from him and stared, and Tion knew it was as much to convince himself the myth was real as it was to “rest up a bit” as Kail had claimed. Tion found the couple in the kitchen, him sitting and fussing, and her telling him to hold still, and was briefly explaining what happened when he found himself engulfed in an enormous hug.
“You’re alive!” Conway shouted in a voice almost as loud as when they had first met. He lifted Tion into the air, swinging him around and laughing like a fool.
Tion laughed. “Put me down before I blow chunks on your head, Conway.”
Conway set him down but kept touching his shoulder as if to convince himself Tion was real. He bent and murmured, “I’m really glad you’re safe, Tion.” Emotion colored his voice, and Tion leaned against the human’s leg.
“Me too, lad.”
Marvin cleared his throat. “Um, Conway, would you go see if th’ men need a top-up?”
Conway frowned for a moment, but then he nodded and slipped out into the common room.
Marvin knelt and clasped Tion’s shoulders, ignoring Em’s protests as she tried to wrap his head with the soft bandage. “I’m sorry, lad. Sorry I cut an’ run off like I did.”
Tion shook his head. “Don’t. It was the best thing you could have done.”
“Still….”
Tion put his hand over the innkeeper’s mouth to shush him. “I said, don’t. Believe me, you wouldn’t have been able to do anything. No one could, except for the wizard.”
Marvin’s eyes widened. “What wizard?”
“Wylde,” Tion replied. “He stopped the woof long enough for us to get away.”
“Where is he?”
“I put him at the round table and left Kail to introduce him.” Tion colored slightly. “I needed to know if you were all right.”
Martin huffed and stood. Tion smiled as he heard the man’s joints creak and pop. “You know something, Tion? You’re everything I never expected a sprite to be.” He clasped Tion’s shoulder briefly and waved Em off her fussing. “Leave it, woman. I’ve got salvation to meet.”
Em scoffed. “You’ll not do it dripping your juice all over the man if I’ve anything to say about it.” She planted both hands on her husband’s shoulders and dragged him back to his seat. “Now quit squirming and shut up.”
“It’s okay, Marvin. He’s not going anywhere for a while at least. Whatever he did seems to have taken a lot out of him.” Tion paused. “I told him you’d see to him.”
“Of course, of course. The whole cursed village will, if he can help us.”
Em finished her ministrations and gave Marvin a shove. “Go. Make him welcome at least. I’ve others to deal with just now. There’ll be grieving to do.”
Marvin rose and kissed his wife. She batted at his chest and pushed him away, but Tion saw the color of their affection grace their wrinkled faces. He followed Marvin out into the commons and nearly collided with Conway coming back in. Conway touched Tion’s shoulder and nodded to a small table just off from the fireplace.
“He’s real, isn’t he.” Conway’s statement was almost strangled.
Tion climbed onto the bench beside Conway. “Yes. I think so, anyway.”
“He’s not exactly what I was expecting, though.” Conway scooted closer to the sprite. “He kinda scares me.”
Tion felt rather than saw the man shake. Impulsively, he climbed onto Conway’s lap. “In what way?”
Conway wrapped his arms loosely around the sprite’s shoulders. “I don’t know,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “When I look at him, I feel funny all over. Sort of sick, like I want to throw up, but at the same time, I can’t look away.”
“I see.” Wild suspicion sprouted in Tion’s gut. “Do you think it’s him that scares you, or his reputation?”
Conway shook his head. “Both, maybe.”
Tion laid his head back against Conway’s chest. He could feel the man’s heart thudding behind his head. “Well, try not to let it bother you too much for now. I have an idea we’ll be seeing rather a lot of him in the near future.”
“I hope so,” Conway said absently. Tion looked up to see him studying the wizard intently, and wild suspicion began to flower.
“Hey, Oaf! What’re y’ doin’ t’ my boyfriend?” Kail called from the main table, and by the sound of his voice, Tion knew his partner would soon be singing show tunes if he drank any more.
“He’s keeping me company,” Tion called back, sliding down from Conway’s lap and heading toward the table. “While my boyfriend is busy trying to get himself pickled.” He stepped up behind Kail and wrapped his arms around his waist, grinning.
“Hey now, wait! Tha’s not fair. I’m in earnes’ negoshee… negosh…. I’m tryin’ t’ get th’ myth t’ help us wit’ da woof.” Kail’s ale-powered slur stumbled across the table. It slipped in a puddle of spilled ale and landed on its ass. “Ain’ that right, wishard?”
Wylde nodded and stared at his empty mug. “If you say so, sprat.”
“Tha’s sprite to you, Mr. High-an’-mighty wishard.”
The ragged wizard chuckled. “I’d stand corrected, but then I’d be taller than you.”
“Ever’body is,” Kail agreed, suddenly affable. Tion caught him as he leaned back and nearly fell off his booster seat.
“Come on, Kail, it’s getting late. Let’s take a little nap, shall we?”
“I could do with a snack,” Kail said, sagging. Conway caught him smoothly and settled the already sleeping sprite in the crook of his arm.
“I’ll be right back.”
Tion watched for a moment as Conway carried Kail up the stairs, and then he turned back to the table. He took Kail’s seat and faced the wizard.
“Can I ask you a question?”
The softness in Wylde’s face as he followed Conway’s progress hardened as he turned back to the table. “Sure.”
“Will you help us with the woof?”
Wylde’s face knotted, and he looked away. Em was murmuring to Tildie, who was shaking her head and weeping. He stared at the scene for a long time before turning back to Tion. “Like I was telling your… friend, I’m not su
re I can. I’ve never seen one that big, and certainly not one strong enough to attack in sunlight.”
Tion nodded, and Marvin groaned. The innkeeper had given up greeting new arrivals and let the serving wench handle the ale pitcher. “Can we drive it away, maybe?”
Wylde shook his head. “I doubt it. At least, not until it runs out of food.”
“‘Food’, he says.” Marvin scowled. “I can’t say as I like that.”
Wylde shrugged. “What else would a woof want?”
Tion spoke up. “Wylde, isn’t there anything we can do?”
“If there is, it’s nothing I have magic for.”
Conway sat down beside Tion. “He’s out like a lamp,” he murmured. Louder, he said, “Can I ask you a question, Mr. Wizard?”
“If you’ll agree to call me Wylde.”
Conway blinked. “Okay. I was told humans can’t do magic.” He glanced at Tion, who shrugged.
Wylde shook his head. “That’s a myth. Humans can do magic. They just aren’t magic, so they, we, have to study it. All it takes is a willingness to learn and a natural ability.”
“Oh. Okay.” Conway slumped in his chair. “Thank you.”
“I could teach you a few things,” Wylde said. “If you were interested, I mean.”
“That doesn’t exactly help us with the woof problem,” Marvin muttered. He dug a match from the pocket of his apron and lit the table lamp.
“No, it doesn’t,” Wylde replied angrily. “I’m sorry. I wish I could help.”
“So d’ I,” Marvin said tightly. “I’ve work t’ do,” he said, moving from table to table to light the rest of the lamps against the coming night.
“Looks like I made a new friend,” Wylde said, draining his mug before reaching for the pitcher.
“He’s only worried about his village,” Conway said stiffly. “We all are.”
“Naturally.” Wylde hefted the ale pitcher and poured the dregs into his mug. He grimaced as he swallowed. “What?” he asked.
Conway scowled. “You make it sound like a bad thing.”
“Maybe. But only because worrying about something you can’t control is pointless.”
“Are you saying it’s pointless to be concerned about your family and friends being eaten?” Blue fire smoldered in Tion’s eyes.
“Don’t flash your eyes at me, sprite,” Wylde snapped. “I’ve been glowered at by better men than you, and for a lot less.”
“Mr. Wylde,” Conway began. “Tion is my friend. I will thank you very much to remember that.”
Wylde studied Conway for a long moment. Then he sighed and sat back in his chair. “Look. All I’m saying is that simply worrying is useless if you don’t do something about the problem.”
“They did do something!” Tion cried, exasperated by the wizard’s callousness. “They hired you.”
“No,” Wylde said tightly. “They summoned me. They didn’t bother to check if I was right for the job, and they didn’t bother to ask if I were willing, they just yanked me out of my life to save their asses while they sat back and watched from the window.” Vehemence rose from the wizard’s voice as he spoke, until Conway touched his arm.
“Don’t you think desperation is a good enough reason to allow for mistakes? People die here every month, Wylde. People with names, and friends, and families.” Conway tucked his hands beneath the table and bent his head. “People who were cared for.”
Wylde snorted. “Everybody dies, boy.”
Conway’s head lifted sharply. He stared at the wizard, and Tion could see something like horror and pain crease his otherwise somber face.
Tion stood on the bench and planted his fists atop the table. “You should probably know that until you saved Kail and me, I didn’t believe you existed. Now that I’ve met you and seen your true colors for myself, I see I was right the first time.” He turned and cradled Conway’s head for a moment and then kissed his forehead. “I’m going to go see about Kail. Come with me?”
Conway smiled sadly and shook his head. “I still believe, Tion. I have to.”
Tion nodded and turned to the wizard. He made an effort to quench the blue fire that threatened in his eyes. “Kail is loud and angry, and Conway here is powerless and gentle. Both of them are more real to me than you.” He jumped down from the bench, turned, and peered over the top of the table. “Good night, wizard. Despite everything else, thank you for saving me and my love.”
Wylde flinched. “Good night,” he mumbled.
8
Conway nestled into bed between the two sprites. “I gave my room to Wylde,” he had said when Tion answered the knock on his door.
Tion sighed and curled up against Conway’s chest. “I’m surprised Marvin let him stay.”
“I asked him to,” Conway said. “Told him I’d work double if he’d allow it.”
“You’re a good man, Conway. Did you know that?”
Conway shrugged, and Kail muttered in his sleep, jostled by the gesture. “Wylde said that too.”
“I hope he was sincere.”
Conway shrugged again, and Kail muttered sleepily, “About time you showed up, Oaf. I was getting cold.” He rolled over and promptly fell asleep.
Tion smiled to see him hug the human’s chest. As much as he loved the sprite, Tion still felt his heart swell whenever he caught glimpses of Kail’s true nature. That thought led him back to Wylde, and Conway. “Are you still afraid of him? Of Wylde, I mean?”
Conway shook his head. “No. We talked a bit when he went to bed. I still get a funny feeling when I look at him, but I think it’s mostly because I feel sorry for him.”
“Why?”
“You know, I don’t think I would have understood it if I hadn’t met you two. Until then, I didn’t really know how lonely I was.” Conway’s voice took on a pensive note, and Tion felt it thrum through his chest. “I think that’s why Wylde seems so angry. He doesn’t have anyone and he knows it.”
Deep in the forest, the woof howled, and Tion shuddered. Conway snugged him close, despite his own trembling. “I’m really glad he found you in time.”
Tion blew out the lamp. “Me too, lad, believe me.”
Tion woke as Conway sat bolt upright, dumping him against the pillow. Kail snarled as he too hit the bed with a thump. “What the hell’s wrong with—”
Fierce snarls sounded in the square, and Conway leaped to the window. “It’s the woof! It’s the woof!”
“I really hate that phrase,” Kail snapped as he ran to the window and tucked under Conway’s arm to see. He slid aside as Tion joined them.
Faint starlight illuminated the shaggy beast as it pawed at the well. It swiped at the bucket hanging over the opening like a cat batting a toy, then whirled and growled as someone exited a shop and held up a torch. The woof snarled and charged, and the man screamed, throwing his torch and darting back into the building. The woof pawed at the door, and Tion had barely enough time to wonder why the thing didn’t just tear the door down when he heard a shout.
“Arms! To arms!” A figure darted out from the narrow gap between two of the oldest stone buildings, calling for the villagers to bring weapons. The woof whirled and charged, but the figure slipped back into the gap, apparently relying on the beast’s size and the narrow gap to keep him safe.
“We’ve got to help him,” Tion said, scrambling into his clothes.
“What in the hell can we do, Tion? Look at us!” Kail pulled on his breeches and boots and grabbed a shirt.
“I don’t know, damn it! We’re little, aren’t we? Maybe we can distract the thing and hide, like he did.” Tion pulled his shirt over his head. “All I know is we can't let anyone else get killed by that thing.”
“But why, Tion? They’re just humans.”
Tion froze. “Conway is human, you bastard.” He spoke coldly as he cinched his belt. “I don’t know you right now.”
“Conway’s different!” Kail shouted at Tion’s back as his partner left the room with the human i
n tow.
“He’s right, you know. This isn’t your fight.”
Conway's Curse Page 5
