Night Calls the Raven (Book 2 of The Master of the Tane)

by Thomas Rath

  “I want to thank you all for coming,” Braxton’s voice shattered the relative quiet that had settled over the chamber as Domis exited and the guard closed the door. “Before we start, I believe that introductions are in order.” Pointing to his left, he continued. “This is Captain Dainz.” The captain was a large man in his early thirties. He wore the typical uniform sported by all the soldiers infesting Haykon. A chain mail tunic secured at his waist with a leather belt, and a steal helmet that rested on the table and marked with the insignia of the king were part of what gave him away as a soldier. His eyes were a dull gray that sighted down a large nose under which a bushy brown moustache grew. His dark hair was shoulder length and curled naturally into small ringlets at the ends. The captain nodded slightly in greeting.

  “And this is,” the colonel continued pointing to his right, but was interrupted.

  “I am Ranse,” the man said, eyeing them all somewhat suspiciously. Seeming satisfied with the lack of reaction, he continued. “And this is Jace.”

  Jace didn’t nod but just continued to glare at the others, his threat obvious. Jne returned his stare in kind and then just smiled wickedly; raising the hair on the back of Thane’s neck. He coughed softly getting her attention and then very slightly shook his head. She glared back at him but then shrugged, turning her gaze back to her hands, which seemed all too eager to be doing something else.

  Jack nodded and then very quickly pointed to Dor, Tam, Thane and Jne, calling out their names as he did so.

  Braxton held Jack’s eyes for a moment as if waiting for something more but when nothing was forthcoming he sighed and again took the lead. “Very well then.”

  “Sir,” Dainz suddenly spoke up. “I’m sorry, sir,” he said a bit nervously, “but I feel I must know the reason why four Tjal warriors are here at Haykon and why they have been invited to these proceedings at all.”

  His question invited Jne’s lethal gaze and a curt retort. “You should be thankful that we haven’t left you here alone to rot as a troll’s meal.”

  Thane placed a hand on her arm but she shook it off and half rose in her seat. Jack spoke quickly trying to defuse the situation. “They are friends of mine, Captain,” he said. “I invited them because all have seen first hand the forces we are up against. Jne is right, we are lucky to have their swords.”

  Dainz glanced quickly at the Colonel and then continued. “If they are as friendly as you say, Jack, then can we expect more of them to help when the fighting starts?”

  Jack sighed and then shook his head. “You have a lot to learn about Tjal honor, Captain. First of all, I suggest you apologize before you are marked W’airt and a blood price is placed on you. Secondly, I hope your apology is accepted enough so that we may gain the help and trust from the Tjal that part of this meeting was supposed to address.”

  Dainz glanced briefly at Braxton, whose face had the distinct look of forcefully controlled anger, before turning back to Jne and quickly bowing his head. “It was not my intension to insult, Mistress Jne. Please accept my apologies for speaking out of turn and in ignorance.”

  Jne held his gaze for a long anxious moment. Thane touched her arm and then leaned in close. “T’unik’ye,” he said softly. “T’oban’ba.”

  Jne’s eyes narrowed for a second, her hands tightening on the table before she finally let out a deep sigh and relaxed, nodding her head slightly. The tenseness that crackled in the air seemed to suddenly lift as everyone in the room let out a collective sigh. Tam, not knowing the common tongue, or Tjal language, leaned over to Jack and whispered in Chufa, “What just happened?”

  Jack didn’t look at her but replied under his breath, “The saving of a life.”

  Flashing a withering look at his subordinate, Myles regarded the four Tjal and simply asked, “Since the subject has been breached, we would ask if there might be help forthcoming from the Tjal?”

  Jne shrugged, her mood still dark. “I cannot speak for my people. Each will follow his own footsteps in what he does.”

  “Yes,” Braxton pressed, “I understand the Tjal way, but I would still ask for the support of your master warriors. What gathers to attack affects us all in the end. This is not just our war. If nothing else, your people need to be warned. Fore should the wall hold and the hordes be checked, the other way out is through the southern pass that empties right into the northern part of your lands. And if I am not mistaken, that is also where your own Tja normally runs.”

  His words seemed to strike a chord in Jne and her face softened a bit. “I know of the threat to my people,” she said, inclining her head slightly. “It has been a heavy part of my thoughts for many days. But I am Jinghar. I cannot answer.”

  Thane caught the swift movement of Jack’s head as he turned abruptly to look at him. He had left that part out of his story the other day when he’d rehearsed what had happen to him since being taken by the dragon. His sensitive ears also picked up the soft whistle escaping Jack’s lips as if in awed disbelief.

  Thane tried to ignore Jack’s reaction while leaning close to Jne so he could whisper into her ear. “If asked, will your people come?”

  She glared at him. “Our people. And, like I said, I am not certain. We have never had a great relationship with these.”

  Thane wanted to say that neither had his people but instead answered, “I understand, but the colonel is right. This is not just about one race. It’s about the existence of us all. We need all the help we can get.”

  Jne nodded her understanding and then moved her head slightly so she could see Tam who, like everyone else, was watching them and waiting for their answer. She sighed heavily. She knew he was right. She knew that should the enemy not break through the narrow pass wall that they would certainly descend upon the plains if that wasn’t, in fact, their primary route to begin with. It had been tearing at her mind for days about what she would have to do but she was hesitant to leave Thane.

  “I will go,” she finally whispered to him. “I will go and get what help I may if you order me to.”

  Thane’s eyes darkened. “If I order you to?”

  “Yes. I am Jinghar. My place is with you. But, if you order me to go, I will go to our people and raise as many swords as I can to bring back to you. They also need to be warned about what is coming.”

  Thane watched her for a moment, sensing something in her demeanor that seemed almost like sorrow. He wasn’t sure he would ever understand Tjal customs, let alone what went on in the head of a woman. Turning back to Colonel Braxton, he finally spoke. “Jne will go and muster as many as will come. You can count on the Tjal in this fight.”

  The colonel let out an audible sigh of relief and then glanced at Ranse. Ranse leaned over and spoke something into Braxton’s ear before the colonel replied. “That is good news, Master Thane. We look forward to such an alliance and hope that it will not only bring peace to our lands but a renewed trust between our people.”

  Thane just inclined his head in acknowledgement.

  “Now,” Ranse spoke up, “maybe one of you who have seen what we are up against can fill us in on the details.”

  Jack shrugged. “As we have said before, simply put, if the wall does not hold we will be overrun. From here they will be able to strike out at any of our lands to the south and to the east. And should they reach Calandra, I am not certain the city will be able to hold.”

  Ranse paled slightly. “I have seen the wall. Surely it will hold them off.”

  Jack shook his head slightly. “I can’t say for certain. Like I have been saying all along, this army is huge. It is a mass of trolls and goblins and now orcs, the size of which I have never seen or even imagined existed. The trolls alone would be enough to take down Haykon. You saw them when they passed the first time, Myles. If the wall will not hold, we are doomed.”

  “Then the wall will just have to hold,” Braxton said wearily, the exhaustion shadowing his face and straining his voice.

  “There is something else,” Thane
added. “They have a dragon.”

  Braxton and Ranse gave him a look as if he’d just grown another head while Jace and Dainz chuckled out loud. Jack turned a surprised look at him and leaned over putting his mouth close to his ear. “I thought you said you killed it?”

  “I did,” he whispered back. “But they have another one. I’m sorry but I forgot to mention it before.”

  “Come now, Master Thane,” Ranse said, “at the risk of impugning your honor, which I have no intentions of doing, a dragon? Are you sure it wasn’t a Roc?”

  Thane shook his head. “No, though I have to confess that I do not know what a Roc is.”

  “He’s telling the truth,” Jack suddenly added, giving his support. “I saw it myself and it was no Roc.”

  Dainz laughed again. “Come now, Jack. A dragon? What’s next, Chufa running about the countryside?”

  Jack resisted the urge to glance at Thane and his friends but noticed that Tam had reacted catching the word Chufa out of all the jumbled words that were washing over her. Dor squeezed her knee under the table reassuring her.

  “That,” Jack said levelly, “I cannot say. But the fact that there is a dragon is one that you can accept or ridicule. Either way, it will not change the truth of the matter.”

  “And what can this dragon do?” Ranse asked, his tone more serious. “Are we to believe that it has the ability to breathe fire?”

  “No,” Thane said before Jack could answer.

  “So it’s just large and flies around?” Dainz asked, a slight snigger still hanging to his tone.

  “It breathes air,” Thane answered.

  The men on the opposite side of the table looked at each other as if not quite sure how to answer. They still were not fully convinced that a fairytale creature meant to scare children into obedience actually was flying the skies around them. But they were also very aware that they were dealing with Tjal pride, which was explosive at best, as Jne had already shown. So how did one respond to such a claim?

  “I don’t quite understand what you mean,” Ranse finally said, to the relief of the others. “When you say it breathes air, do you mean the same as we do?”

  Thane shook his head giving them a disbelieving look. “Of course not,” he snapped. “Meaning, yes, I suppose it does, but what I meant by ‘it breathes air’ is that it emits a tremendous blast of air capable of shattering timber and maybe more.”

  The four men looked at each other. “And you’ve seen this?” Braxton asked, still not convinced Thane had seen what he’d claimed.

  “Yes.”

  “Can it be killed?” Jace asked, his voice finally breaking into the verbal fray.

  Thane glanced at Jack and then Jne before nodding. “Yes, but not in the conventional way. Its hide is covered in armor scales much harder than steal. Arrows and blades are simply deflected off when they hit it.”

  A heavy silence fell over the group as each turned inward processing the information they’d been given and what it meant for their cause. Hope seemed to drain out of them like water through a sieve, as the futility of the fight suddenly seemed to overpower each in turn.

  “Then how?” Jace finally asked.

  Thane looked down at the table. He knew how, but at what cost? He couldn’t risk it again. Sure, he might be able to take down the dragon, but what about the rest of Zadok’s army? Would it be worth the sacrifice of his life? He knew the answer to that question. If it came to it, he would give his life to destroy the dragon, but would it be enough? There had to be other ways to fight it. Gelfin had told him that it was easier to pull water out of something than fire. Could it be done? Could he do it? He’d never attempted to pull out water. There had never been a need for such action. He wasn’t sure he’d even know how. And to do so would reveal the powers he had. He wasn’t worried how his friends would react to that, but trapped in a fort surrounded by HuMans was another thing entirely. How would he explain it? How would they react? He couldn’t risk the distraction while in battle. Lives would be lost for certain should he do something that would distract the HuMans from the fight. But neither could he just sit by and not do all in his power to help. He reminded himself that should they fail, his own people would certainly be hunted down and destroyed. To act now was the only way he could help protect his people. He was a protector now, though not in a way he would have ever imagined.

  Coming to a final decision, he rose to his feet. Reaching up he grabbed the Dihne tied tightly around his head that held back his hair and covered his ears.

  “To answer a previous question gentlemen,” he said, grabbing the cloth and pulling it free, “yes, there are Chufa roaming about the land.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Everyone seemed to move at once. Jace jumped form his chair, pulling his sword, while placing a protective hand on Ranse’s chest as if preparing to push him out of harm’s way. Jne rose with him pulling free the knife that was hidden under the sash tied around her waste. Dainz pushed back his chair as if preparing to get up while Braxton merely gaped at Thane with an open jaw.

  Jack had also risen; his hands outstretched as if trying to delay the inevitable melee. Dor was on his feet too; the wrap that concealed his ears also pulled off while Tam sat agape not understanding what had just happened.

  Thane’s eyes widened slightly at the reaction that swept through the room and was suddenly filled with doubt as to whether his decision to reveal his true race had been a wise one.

  “Hold!” Jack cried out trying to stall any action that might prove foolhardy or fatal.

  “What treachery is this?” Jace hissed back, eyeing Thane and Dor suspiciously while positioning himself a little more in front of Ranse.

  Myles’ mouth was still hanging open. He blinked and his eyes darted to Jack. “What have you brought upon us, Jack?”

  Jack shot Thane a withering look; his disapproval at what his Chufa friend had done obvious in his expression. “Everyone just hold for a moment until we can explain.”

  “Has the whole world turned mad?” Captain Dainz exclaimed. “First dragons and now evil fairy creatures? What’s next, mountains that walk?”

  Thane’s eyes narrowed dangerously at the captain’s claim that his people were evil but Jack placed a restraining hand on his wrist. “Once again, Captain,” Jack half whispered, “you have opened your mouth when it would be better served kept shut.”

  “And how long have you known that such an enemy was in our midst?” Dainz shot back.

  Braxton raised his hand for silence, flashing a warning look at Dainz before turning his glare to Jack. “It is a fair question, old friend,” he said, the building anger he was feeling seeping into his voice. “You know the stories of what these creatures did.”

  Jack slammed his fist into the table. “Yes, but stories is all they amount to. If anyone should fear it is not we, but my friends here. If you knew the whole story instead of what your mother told you when you were deserving of a whipping, you might change your mind about them,” he almost shouted while motioning to Thane. And then glaring at Dainz, he added, “And your words.”

  Thane placed a calming hand on Jack’s arm. “Know this,” he started, drawing all eyes to him, “you need feel no threat from me or my people. I have not revealed my true nature to rouse suspicion or doubt amongst us but that you may fully understand who I am and from where my gifts come. For, I fear that in the near future I will be called upon to exhibit certain powers I possess for the defense of this fort and our peoples.” Giving Jack an apologetic look, he continued. “I felt it would be better served for you to know now than to suddenly be caught off guard on the field of battle.”

  “And what is it you plan to do?” Myles asked, the distrust still heavy in his tone.

  Thane shrugged. “Whatever it takes, I guess. I’m not quite sure.”

  “And you expect us to just believe what you say?” Dainz countered. “And how are we to feel secure in the thought that you are not, in fact, a spy from the other side c
ome here to cast your fire upon us?”

  “Now that is uncalled for!” Jack shouted, but Thane held onto his arm, begging him with a touch to let him handle the situation.

  Turning his sharp green eyes fully onto Dainz, he answered. “You may feel secure in the fact that I have been among you for some time now and have not done a thing to harm you or impede what you do to defend this city. You may feel secure in the fact that if I had intended to do you harm I would have done so already. You may also feel secure in the fact that had I been a spy, I would have maintained my guise as a Tjal-Dihn and gone about my business of sabotage. Other than that, I can only give you my word. I have as much interest in destroying this enemy as you do, for should we fail here, it is only a matter of time before my own people are destroyed.” He could have added ‘As was almost the case when your people tried to annihilate us’ but he snapped his mouth shut, not giving in to the temptation. He had already caused enough commotion as it was without adding to the fire.

  Silence prevailed throughout the room for a long moment as both sides digested Thane’s words. He did have very good points in what he’d said, but whether his logic would penetrate the decades of prejudice that had been built up between them was yet to be seen. Finally, Ranse rose breaking the silence he’d kept since Thane’s revelation of origin.

  “Your words are true and wise, Master Thane, yet it is still a difficult thing to give credence after so many years of belief concerning your race. Though I feel a desire to believe all as you say it, I still have nothing more than your word to go upon.”

  Jne immediately bristled at Ranse’s question of Thane’s honor eliciting a protective growl from Jace. “Please,” Ranse said, placing a hand on Jace’s shoulder. “Let us put the weapons away and take our seats again.” Jace hesitated for only a brief moment but did as commanded followed, in turn, by Jne but only after his sword was secured in its scabbard.