by Eric Vall
“I sure felt like I slept twelve hours or more,” I groaned as I rubbed at the crick in my neck. Then I sighed as I dropped my arm and took in the peaceful room around me. “Gods, did yesterday really happen?”
“Do you mean did we defeat a bandit army, kill their boss, and escape a fiery explosion of death?” Aurora asked rhetorically as she pulled a pillow over her face. “Why yes, we did, so I think that warrants us sleeping in a little.”
I reached over and gently pried the pillow away from her head. “I’m sorry to say, dear, there ain’t no rest for the wicked, and there’s no rest for us either.”
Aurora groaned as she struggled upright and pouted at me. Her blue hair was a mess of tangles around her head, and there were purple half circles under her eyes, but she was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen.
“What is it now?” she grumbled.
“We have to talk about some things,” I said as I pursed my lips.
“Like what to have for breakfast?” the Ignis Mage shot back as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Like what our next move is,” I sighed. “I think we should travel to Nalnora.”
Instantly, the sleep cleared from Aurora’s face, and she sat up a little straighter. Cayla pushed herself upright, too, and a frown was etched across her face.
“Because of what Dred said?” she questioned as her fingers worried at the sheet draped across her lap.
I nodded. “And because of the runes. We learned in Illaria they’re elvish--“
“Ancient elvish,” Aurora corrected with her own frown.
“Ancient elvish,” I echoed, “but still elvish. I think our best bet on finding out the identity of this master is going to be found in Nalnora. It’s the only real lead we have.”
“What about the beast attacks?” Aurora inquired.
“There haven’t been any since we arrived in Cedis,” I pointed out, “and even if we stayed on the off chance another monster appeared, that would just be fighting the symptoms. We need to go to the source. We need to find the master and stop him.”
The two women were silent as they considered my words, and Stan kicked his legs against my shoulder.
“I think I agree with you,” Cayla finally said at length, “but we should talk about it more. Tomorrow. Today and tonight are about celebrating.”
“Celebrating?” I echoed with a furrowed brow.
“Yes,” the princess replied with a nod, and then when she looked up at me, tears swirled in her ice-blue eyes. “You did it, Mason.” She sniffed as she leaned forward and squeezed my hand. “You saved me, you saved my father, and now you’ve saved Cedis. That is cause for the utmost of celebrations.”
Dred’s voice crooned in the back of my head as he whispered about his master and a world in flames, but I shoved the thought away as I squeezed Cayla’s hand back. She was right. The kingdom had been saved for today, and I would take it.
Before I could respond, the princess threw her arms around my neck and pressed her mouth tightly to mine. Her lips parted under the gentle swipe of my tongue, and I delved past them greedily. My body was sore, and I felt like there was still ash clinging to the back of my teeth, but I was alive, and the women I loved were alive, and that was enough for me.
“Thank you,” Cayla whispered when she pulled away and buried her face against my neck. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“You’re welcome, my love,” I whispered in return, and then I held her tight against me as my heart pounded with relief and love.
Then Cayla pulled away, and a broad smile bloomed on her face as she slid out of bed with a flourish. She reached back and pulled a protesting Aurora after her. The two of them wore nothing but one of my shirts, and the fabric barely reached mid-thigh on either of them.
“We’re going to get dressed,” Cayla told me as she started to shove the grumbling half-elf toward the door. “You do the same and then meet us down in the courtyard. We’ll see how the setup is coming along.”
“Setup?” I asked with a frown. I swung my feet off the bed, and the icy floor stung the soles of my feet. “What are you--”
“No time to talk,” Cayla called over her shoulders as she slipped out the door, “Love you!”
“Love you, too,” I muttered, and then the door clanged shut behind them.
I looked to Stan on my shoulder. “Well, buddy, guess it’s just us guys.”
The stickman nodded his head solemnly, and then he held up one of his little matchstick arms. I reached out and tapped it with my fingertip.
It turned out that “setup” referred to the giant feast Davit was apparently throwing tonight even though half the castle was still a ruined mess. As I left my room and shuffled down the halls toward the courtyard, frantic servants darted to and fro as they muttered about silverware and linens and where the damn gold plates were. When I entered the courtyard and walked out into the mid-afternoon sun, I saw men erecting tapestries on flagpoles and women clutching bouquets of gold, white, and blue flowers.
Cayla and Aurora stood in the middle of the chaos, and the princess gave orders to each servant that scampered past her. Aurora glanced back at me, and her emerald eyes suddenly begged me for help.
Even though my body was sore, and a headache stung the back of my eyes, I shook my head and sent Nemris a prayer of thanks. Then I strode across the courtyard toward the two women and braced myself for a different battle all together than the one I won yesterday.
It turned out that Captain Mayard had been correct. Some of his men were still alive in the dungeons, and once they were released, Mayard sent them loose into Eyton, and they tracked down a dozen remaining bandits like eager bloodhounds. I was too beat to aid them anyway, but I kept my guard up in case some bastard decided to return and take his best shot.
Apparently, Davit had already addressed the people of Eyton as well this morning and assured them of our victory and their safety. Cayla said her father wanted me to give my own speech, but we’d wait until I was sturdier on my feet. Thank the gods.
Since I was still recovering, I spent the rest of the day trailing after Cayla and helping out where I could. A servant tripped in the hall and dropped a set of gold plates. While Cayla consoled the sobbing woman, I patched up the cutlery and returned it to her shiny and good as new. Then some floor and walls needed patching, and even though the simple jobs took me twice as long as they should have and nearly set me back on my ass again, I was grateful for them. They were little things, but they kept me busy until the sun set again, and then it was time to change for dinner.
I donned a new pair of supple leather breeches, a new pair of boots, and a shirt of navy blue fabric that felt soft as silk. My face was scuffed up and bruised, and my lip was split and swollen, but sadly I wasn’t a half-elf with heightened healing abilities.
I turned to Stan who sat on the edge of the bed and spread my arms out with a sigh.
“Well, buddy?” I asked as I turned in a circle. “What do you think?”
The stickman nodded his head in what I took as approval.
“Awesome,” I replied with a half-smile so as not to make my lip bleed again, “then let’s go pick up the girls and get our feast on.”
Then I held out my hand, and the stick figure jumped into my palm. I set him up on my shoulder, and then we strode out the door in the direction of Cayla’s room.
A few minutes later, I knocked on a large ornate door three times. After the third, I took a step back and folded my arms behind me at parade rest. I watched the knob turn as it was unlocked, and then the door swung open to reveal one of the most gorgeous sights I had ever laid eyes on.
Aurora and Cayla were in floor-length, lavish gowns. The half-elf’s was in a deep burgundy color, and the princess’s was in a royal navy blue. Their shoulders were bare, and they had jewels glinting at their throats and in their ears. Rouge highlighted the apples of their cheeks, and their lips glistened a dark shade of red. They sported their own bruises and
scrapes, but they just made me want to kiss the women even more.
“Wow,” I said with wide eyes, and then I stepped back so I could take them in more fully. “You two look… stunning.”
Aurora smiled warmly, and Cayla giggled.
“Thank you,” the princess said softly as she batted her thick black lashes at me.
I grinned and held out both of my arms to them.
“Can I escort you ladies to the feast?” I intoned as I gave a courtly bow.
“I believe you may,” Aurora replied primly with a dip of her head. Then she stepped forward and took my right arm.
“How very kind of you, Sir Flynt,” Cayla purred as she took my left.
The two women pressed tight against my sides, and the heat of their bodies reminded me that we were alive, and I would very much like to reaffirm that. Soon.
By the way Aurora and Cayla smiled up at me, I could tell they were thinking the same thing.
We strolled down to the feast arm in arm, King Davit gave a quick toast, and then the night was a blur of good food, music, a lot of wine, and dancing. The royal cooks had worked for nearly twenty-four hours straight to whip up every dish imaginable. There was every kind of roasted meat and then some. Breads, rolls, and all the vegetables that grew in the green earth. Everything was slathered in butter and spices, and I gorged myself until I was contented and drowsy in my chair. Stan danced on the table to the live music, and Aurora held my left hand as she watched nobles dance and twirl around the room. Cayla had her head propped on my right shoulder, and she sighed happily as she looked over her rejoicing people.
As the night began to wind down, King Davit caught my eye, rose from his chair, and gestured for me to follow him. I extracted myself from the two drowsy women at my side with a mumbled apology, and then I trailed after the king as he exited the banquet hall, walked down the hall, and entered into the throne room.
The room was still a mess from the battle. Rubble cluttered the floor, and the walls and ceiling were half caved in. I could still see the smears of blood, and Big Guy’s half melted form stood silently in the corner.
“A shame your… creation was melted,” the king remarked as he examined the metal finger in my hand.
“Temporarily,” I replied with a smile. “Once I’m back on my feet, I can remake him. Will only take me a half a day or so.”
“From what I’ve heard, he is an incredible weapon,” Davit mused with a frown.
“He is,” I agreed, “but he has his limitations.”
“Like what?” the king asked with a frown.
“Well, you see, the issue is energy,” I explained with a sigh, “My magic can do extraordinary things, but it has its limits. It takes a lot of power to control my machine, and it drains me quickly.”
“Is there a way around this?” Davit inquired.
“Only one that I know of,” I replied. “It’s something called a channeling gem.”
“What is that?” Davit questioned with a tilt of his head.
“It is a rare jewel that acts as a conduit and storage unit for magic,” I answered, “anymore than that, however, I’m not sure. I’ve witnessed one in battle before, but I’ve never had the opportunity to inspect them closely.”
“What do they look like?” the king asked, and his whiskey eyes were bright with curiosity.
I blinked. “Actually, I’m not entirely sure of that either, because as far as I know, they can be any kind of jewel. I’ve been told that they give off a certain… frequency. Like a hum or vibration.”
King Davit frowned. “I do not recall having heard of any singing jewels.”
“Apparently, unless you have mage blood somewhere in your immediate line, you wouldn’t be able to hear its song,” I responded with a small smile. “But a channeling gem could still hold sway over you, you would just most likely be unaware of it. The gem would work subconsciously. It would draw you toward it, and you would think it special, beautiful even if it was not, though you wouldn't know why.”
“Interesting,” Davit muttered, and his frown deepened as he stroked at his sharp chin.
“Does that sound familiar?” I asked with a raised eyebrow as my heart skipped a beat.
“Perhaps,” the king replied, but then he shook his head. “However, I cannot be certain.” Then he turned and addressed the two guards that had followed us into the throne room. “You there, go to my chambers and fetch the box tucked beneath my bed.”
“Yes, sire,” they responded in unison, and they both marched from the room to follow their king’s orders.
I turned to Davit with a confused expression, but he just smiled serenely at me.
“And now we wait,” he chuckled.
Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait long. The guards returned within ten minutes, and they marched up to his side and handed him a large wooden box. Davit took it with a word of thanks, the guards bowed, and then they turned and went to hover near the doorway to give us some privacy.
“I have something to give you,” Davit said with a smile, and his voice echoed around the empty room.
“This feast was gift enough, sire,” I chuckled as I patted my full stomach.
“A mere paltry sum out of the debt I owe you,” the king replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I only hope this next gift will reduce that debt a little more, even if it is not exactly what you’re looking for, but the more I think about it, I believe it is.”
Then King Davit held the box and nodded for me to take it. “Here.”
I took the box tentatively and looked at the ornate carvings that adorned the lid. “What is this, sire?”
“Open it and see,” the king replied with a broad grin.
I slipped my fingers under the lid, took a deep breath, and flipped it up.
There, nestled in a bed of blue velvet, was a clear, cut, and polished jewel nearly the size of my thumbnail. And surrounding it was a bright silver halo of magic.
It was a channeling gem. I didn’t know how I knew, but I knew.
I looked up with wide eyes. “Sire, this is--”
“A diamond,” he interrupted. “One that has been passed down through generations of my family, and for as long as there have been Balmiers, it has been our most prized possession. That is why it was not in the treasury that you searched through days ago. I keep this jewel in my personal chambers at all times.”
“King Davit,” I protested with a shake of my head, “I can’t--”
“But you can,” he cut in again, “and in fact, I think you were meant to have it. You have noticed, I am sure, that power emanates from it, which is why my family has never been able to fit it into a piece of jewelry. Whenever we tried, we failed. We thought it cursed, but now that you’ve explained these channeling gems to me, I believe only those with magic can stand to touch it for very long. You used your powers to save my daughter’s life, my life, and my kingdom. This is the very least I can do to repay you.”
I pursed my lips as I considered his words. Before I could respond, something wiggled against my chest, and I looked down to watch Stan pull himself out of my breast pocket. Then the stickman scampered down my arm and hopped into the box. He looked at the channeling gem, and then he turned his head to look at me.
“What is it, bud?” I asked curiously.
The stick figure pointed to the jewel, and then he pretended to straddle something and walk it forward.
“What?” I laughed. “You want the channeling gem?”
Stan shook his head and continued his game of charades.
I frowned as I studied him, and then I realized what he was miming.
“Bobbie,” I said, “you want me to put it in Bobbie.”
He nodded vigorously, and I blinked in shock.
“Oh,” I said. “O-okay.”
King Davit laughed as he reached out and clapped me on the shoulder.
“It seems your little companion has decided for you,” he said with a smile. “Good. Now, come. Let us rejoin the fe
stivities before we retire to a good night’s rest.”
“Actually, sire,” I murmured as I looked at Stan and the silver-haloed stone, “I wonder if I might excuse myself early from the feast.”
Davit arched an eyebrow. “That is the look of a man with an idea.”
“The beginnings of one,” I replied as I looked up at him with a grin.
“Then go,” he said as he pushed my shoulder toward the door, “I’m sure my daughter is already wondering where I dragged you off to.”
“Thank you, sire,” I responded with a nod, and then I spun on my heel and jogged out of the room, my mind churning a hundred miles an hour.
I slipped into the banquet hall and made my way quickly back to Aurora and Cayla.
“Follow me,” I whispered in their ears as I took each of their hands.
The two women smiled immediately, and a moment later we were slipping into the hall. We took a left, and then a right, but when I tried to take another left Aurora and Cayla tugged at my hands.
“Our bedrooms are this way,” Cayla teased as she batted her eyes at me.
“I know,” I said with a smile, “but we’re going to go fetch Bobbie.”
Aurora arched an eyebrow at me. “Right now?”
“Yes,” I replied with an excited nod.
“Why?” Cayla pouted as she dragged her hand down my chest.
“Because Stan and I have an idea,” I responded with a sly grin, and then I tugged them down the hall as I started to jog toward the shop.
Even though the women grumbled about having to work tonight of all nights, once I opened the box the king had given me, their tones changed.
“My father gave this to you?” Cayla asked with wide eyes. “It’s been in the family for generations.”
“And it’s a channeling gem,” Aurora added as she bent down and inspected the stone, “a very old and powerful one.”
“Yup,” I replied as I put my hands on my hips, “and I’m going to put it in Bobbie.”
The stick man nodded his head from his spot standing beside the box.
“What?” Cayla’s eyes were about to pop out of her head. “Why?”
