Wards and Wonders

by Kay L. Ling

  Copyright © 2018 by Kay L. Ling

  All rights reserved.

  * * *

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  A Note From the Author

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Sneak Peek

  Myths and Mentors

  Chapter 1

  Tyla had been dreading this day. The delegation from Mierek City, the gnome capitol, would arrive in a few hours. Most everyone was eager for the officials to arrive, but Tyla felt certain nothing good would come of it.

  Standing on the terrace where their former queen had spent most of her leisure hours, Tyla leaned against the balustrade and surveyed the fortress grounds, amazed at how much had changed. A flower garden with walkways and stone benches lay below, and everywhere she looked, the land was lush and green. How very different from the days when the only greenery at Elantoth was a garden of poisonous and carnivorous plants. Sheamathan—now simply called S since her defeat—had preferred ugliness to beauty and had turned the Amulet region into a diseased wasteland.

  Three human gem masters had stripped S of her gem powers and turned her into a giant beetle—a fitting punishment, as far as Tyla was concerned, considering how many gnomes S had turned into rats, birds, and lizards. Then, after weeks of study and experimentation, they had helped to bring down the gem-power barrier that had isolated the Amulet region from the rest of Ahmonell for over two centuries.

  Tyla gave a frustrated sigh. She would never understand why Mierek Fortress officials had forbidden further interaction between humans and gnomes when the few humans who had come here had done so much good and asked nothing in return.

  Mierek had been outraged to learn that the gnomes’ liberators were temporarily running Elantoth Fortress, handing out supplies from S’s storehouses, and helping gnomes rebuild this region. They said humans shouldn’t influence gnome culture and ordered Gem Masters Elias and Jules out of Elantoth. A local gnome clan leader must take command or Mierek would send appointees from half a world away. Raenihel, head of Tyla’s clan, had reluctantly volunteered.

  Of the six fortresses that ruled the gnome world, Mierek held the most power. Their officials were stubborn, unreasonable, and shortsighted, and Tyla wasn’t the only one who thought so. Officers from Aberell Fortress, often at odds with Mierek themselves, said the same thing. Commander Finnack had advised Tyla that a delegation from Mierek would come to Elantoth Fortress to set affairs in order and acquaint everyone with current laws and regulations. His tone had suggested it would be an ominous event, and she had worried about it ever since. Amulet clans had few laws, and the elders settled disputes. This system had worked well during S’s reign when gnomes had lived in hiding.

  Tyla was looking forward to being part of Ahmonellian society, and she believed the benefits would outweigh the disadvantages. Still, she was sure their lives were about to change in ways she couldn’t imagine.

  The sound of clattering hooves interrupted her thoughts. She leaned over the balustrade and looked to her left. A glossy black carriage pulled by four erum came into view. Wreaths of white flowers encircled the erum’s necks, the creatures’ manes and tails sparkled with interwoven crystals, and gleaming gold accents ornamented the carriage’s black paint. The door bore an elaborately stylized ‘M’ within the image of a huge, faceted opalescent gem. Early morning sun glinted off the gem as the carriage rumbled by in all its glossy splendor, headed toward the rear entry. Tyla sucked in her breath. Oh no! They were early!

  She raced across the terrace and down the passageway. Had the carriage already been to the front entry? No one was on duty there, and the doors would be locked. She and Raenihel had planned to post guards there later this morning, but it couldn’t be more than seven, and the delegation wasn’t due until sometime between nine and noon.

  Raenihel was here, but he would be at breakfast. Tyla realized with a mounting sense of dread that she would have to greet the delegation on her own. Her stomach churned. Good thing she hadn’t eaten. She had risen early, fed her daughter Eemie, shared a quick cup of raaka with her husband, Lant, and then gone to the terrace to be alone.

  By the time she neared the rear entry, panting with exertion, her tunic felt damp with perspiration, and strands of her waist-length black hair had come free of the leather tie and clung to her heart-shaped face.

  Voices echoed down the passageway—familiar voices—guards, speaking in placating tones, and unfamiliar voices that sounded none too pleased. She made one last attempt to smooth her hair and slow her breathing, and then proceeded into the entryway with as much dignity as possible.

  She stopped short and gasped.

  Three gnomes in black robes stood frowning at her. Like all gnomes, they had bushy brows, slightly bulbous noses, and prominent chins. One was fat and balding, with deep-set brown eyes and a short, pointed black beard that curled up at the end like a hook. The second was thin, with gray hair and a long beard. The third was white-haired and quite frail, yet his blue eyes held hers with a frightening intensity.

  But it wasn’t the gnomes who frightened her. It was the figures behind them. Woodspirits! The same male and female who had spoken to her from Mierek’s communications room. They resembled the humans Tyla had seen, only their features were too perfect, and their skin bore a greenish cast. Both wore their dark brown hair in a long braid, and their brown eyes seemed to hold ancient knowledge. They were at least six feet tall and towered over the gnomes, who were the typical height of about three-and-a-half feet. These woodspirits might not be evil, but they were woodspirits like Sheamathan who was the embodiment of evil and cruelty. Tyla trembled with fear and revulsion. It was all she could do not to back away.

  “Who are you?” the fat gnome demanded in an irritating, nasal voice. “We were expecting the head of the Anen clan or one of the elders.”

  “The front doors are locked!” cried the skinny, gray-haired gnome. “What kind of a reception is that for visitors?”

  Tyla wasn’t sure whether to bow, kneel, or offer her hand in greeting, and she desperately wished she could run away. “I’m sorry. We weren’t expecting you till later this morning.” She glanced at the guards who looked frightened and confused. “Go get Raenihel, please. He’s at breakfast. I’ll take our guests to the library.”

  One of them could have retrieved Raenihel, but both hurried off, nearly knocking her down in their haste to escape.

  “Again, I apologize. I’m Tyla,” she sa
id in her most gracious tone. Her smile felt more like a grimace.

  “I am Gem Master Frinkk—of the famous Frinkk family—spelled with two k’s,” said the fat gnome, stroking his beard and making the tip curl into a sharper point. He gestured at the skinny, gray-haired gnome beside him. “This is Gem Master Klemmet. Two m’s one t—a member of one of our more prominent families and current head of the Department of Gem Powers. This is Gem Master Ertz.” Frinkk waved a careless hand toward the frail, elderly gnome as if he were of little importance. “Noted scholar and lecturer.”

  Before he could introduce the woodspirits, the female said coldly, “I am Anatta and this is Varkandian. We are members of the Ahmonellian Joint High Council.”

  Frinkk smiled stiffly at Tyla. “They wished to accompany us, and while nothing has been decided yet, we thought there could be no harm in allowing—”

  Anatta spoke over him. “I wish to see my sister.” Her tone defied argument.

  Tyla’s jaw dropped, fear slicing through her. “Your sister?” she repeated in a barely audible voice.

  “Yes. You will take us to Sheamathan now.”

  It had never occurred to Tyla that S had a sister. And Anatta was a member of the Joint High Council.

  “Come with me, please,” said Tyla calmly. But she was anything but calm as she led the delegation to the library. This was terrible. What should she do? She couldn’t take Anatta to S.

  Tyla took them to the library’s seating area. “Please have a seat and I’ll bring S to you myself.”

  “S?” asked Anatta sharply.

  Tyla gulped. “Um, that’s what we call her now.” She fled from the room.

  They had stashed the caged beetle in a broom closet near the Ministry of Breghlin Affairs. Before Gem Master Elias had returned to his cave home in Strathweed, he had secured the closet with a mirkstone lock, imprinting the gem with a password known only to Tyla, Raenihel, and Arenia who all took care of S. Tyla could only imagine what Anatta would say if she knew they kept her sister in a broom closet.

  Tyla gave the mental password command and opened the door. Fair Lands gems twinkled from the cage’s iron scrollwork, and the entire cage had a frosty luster from gem particles in the iron. As usual, the hideous, sentient beetle was sitting near the center of the cage. Gems from the human world burned evil beings, so S kept her distance.

  Now what? Tyla asked herself. She couldn’t carry the huge cage by herself. She had been so anxious to escape the library she hadn’t stopped to think how she would move it.

  A deep, gravelly voice said, “Whatcha doin’? Didn’t ya already feed her?”

  Tyla looked around and saw the breghlin, Wally, standing outside the Ministry of Breghlin Affairs office. Like all breghlin, he had numerous lumps and deformities known as witnesses. He had an enormous nose, thick, protruding lips, and a lump of scar tissue along his jawline that looked like a worm stuck to his face.

  “I have to—” she began, and then broke off, her shoulders drooping with misery. “I have to take S to the library. The delegation from Mierek is here, and—”

  “An’ they wanna poke her with sticks?” he asked hopefully, “an’ make her run aroun’ her cage, cursin’ and shriekin’?” Wally’s lips stretched in a malicious grin.

  “No,” Tyla said gloomily. “I’m afraid it’s nothing like that. Two woodspirits came with the gnome delegation, and one of them is S’s sister.”

  The smile slid from Wally’s face, and his mouth went slack. “Sister?”

  Tyla nodded unhappily. “We know S isn’t the last of her kind as she claimed, but I never thought about her having close family members.”

  “I s’pose it make sense—her bein’ a few hun’erd years old, an’ woodspirits livin’ almos’ forever.” He frowned. “You won’t be handin’ her over, will ya?”

  “They just want to see her. I don’t think they plan to take her anywhere.”

  For a moment, she and Wally stood staring at one another. She honestly didn’t know what the delegation had in mind. Frinkk had been saying something about nothing being decided yet when Anatta cut him off, demanding to see her sister. Weeks ago, when Anatta had spoken to Tyla from Mierek Fortress, she had apologized on behalf of all woodspirits for S’s crimes. But were the woodspirits truly sorry?

  “Can’t help ya ‘cause of the gems,” Wally said.

  “I know. I’m hoping one of the guards comes by.”

  Many breghlin, Wally included, had turned from evil, but they would never be able to touch the cage. They were a corrupt variant of the gnome race, and Fair Lands gems would always burn them.

  It suddenly occurred to Tyla that S hadn’t said a word. “S, your sister Anatta is here.”

  The beetle remained silent and motionless.

  “Want that I should poke her with a stick? See if she be dead?”

  Tyla smiled. “She’s not dead. Maybe she doesn’t want her sister to see her. I suppose it’s embarrassing.”

  Footsteps echoed in the passageway, and Tyla looked behind her. Raenihel came toward them, red-faced and puffing. His white hair and beard were neatly trimmed, and he wore a dark green tunic and pants today, probably his best clothing.

  “Here you are,” he said, looking worried. “They said you were getting S.”

  “You left the delegation alone?” At first Tyla was horrified, then it struck her funny. They were probably appalled at such disorganization.

  “Are you sure we should let them see her like this?” Raenihel asked.

  “Do we really have a choice?”

  Raenihel sighed. “No, I suppose not.”

  News of S’s transformation had spread throughout Ahmonell, but it was still shocking to see her, even when you knew what to expect.

  Tyla drew Raenihel and Wally a little way down the passageway so S wouldn’t overhear. “Do you think she’ll speak to them?”

  “I hope so,” Raenihel said quietly. “It wouldn’t be the first time someone questioned whether it was really her.”

  “These gnomes are highly respected gem masters, so they must have discernment powers.”

  “True. They’re celebrated personalities back home. Frinkk—that’s Frinkk with two k’s,” Raenihel amended dryly, “is an important official at Mierek, and Klemmet—two m’s one t, is from one of the better families in Mierek City, and he’s some kind of official, too.”

  “Head of the Department of Gem Powers. I see you got the same speech,” she said, laughing. “I wish you had been there when they arrived. They weren’t very impressed with me.”

  “I’d say they’re easily offended and not easily impressed. I did manage to impress them for a moment. They were surprised to hear we have a Ministry of Gnome Affairs.”

  “Which was started by a human,” Tyla said, smiling at the irony.

  “Naturally, I didn’t tell them that.”

  Raenihel’s worshipful regard for Mierek officials had begun to crumble lately. He was finally seeing them for the pompous officials they were.

  “Will ya be bringin’ ’em by our office?” Wally asked.

  “That wouldn’t be a good idea,” Tyla said, knowing the delegates would be disgusted by breghlin’s appearances and crude behavior.

  “You’re right,” Raenihel agreed. “I’m a clan leader and they looked down their noses at me. They must have been expecting someone in fine robes like theirs. I invited them to sit, but they eyed me with disapproving looks and continued to stand where they were.”

  “Maybe they didn’t want to sit on S’s creepy animal-bone furniture,” Tyla said.

  “Could be. Well, I suppose we shouldn’t keep them waiting. I’ll help you carry the cage.”

  Tyla took a deep breath. “We’re about to find out what Anatta thinks of her sister’s new look.”

  Chapter 2

  Tyla and Raenihel set S’s cage on the beautifully carved table in the library and moved out of the way as the delegation hurried over with Anatta in the lead. Anatta stopped a few feet
short of the cage, looking repulsed by the giant beetle, and Varkandian stopped too, his look of dismay almost comical.

  Showing no sympathy for Anatta’s feelings, much less the beetle’s, the gnome delegates went right up to the cage and examined S with morbid fascination, discussing her hideous form as if she couldn’t hear or understand them.

  Finally, Anatta came closer and demanded in a cold, imperious voice, “How is this possible? How did the humans do this to you?”

  S ignored her.

  The gnomes walked around the cage, studying S from various angles and shaking their heads. They were clearly enjoying this.

  Anatta waved them away. “You’ve gawked long enough.”

  Frinkk looked offended, but he and the others retreated.

  Anatta laid her hands on the cage and leaned so close her face almost touched the scrollwork.

  Tyla tensed, and Raenihel drew in a sharp breath, both of them instinctively expecting Anatta to snatch her hands away, burned by the Fair Land gems. But Anatta showed no reaction whatsoever, which proved that despite being haughty and rude she wasn’t evil like her sister. Tyla knew it wasn’t fair to judge all woodspirits by S, but since S was the only woodspirit they knew, it was hard not to. It hadn’t occurred to Tyla to warn the delegation that the cage incorporated Fair Lands gems, and now she was glad since it had served as a valuable test.

  “They say you can speak,” Anatta snapped. “Why won’t you answer me?”