The Elder Stones Saga Boxset: Books 1-3

by D. K. Holmberg

  “You still haven’t forgiven them for what they did all those years ago,” he said.

  Carth didn’t look over at him.

  “What was it? What did they do to you?”

  “They took my family,” Carth said softly.

  “How long ago was it?”

  “Long enough,” Carth said.

  “Long enough for what?”

  “Long enough that I should have moved past it.”

  “Should have?”

  Carth nodded. “I’m trying,” she said. “And it doesn’t get any easier.”

  “Why keep fighting?”

  “Because there aren’t too many who can.”

  17

  Ryn

  Ryn followed Olandar Fahr to the temple. Her feet rang on the smooth marble, the only sound as she trailed after him. He was silent, his footsteps somehow not making the same noise as hers. He made his way quickly through the temple, ignoring all branchings off the main hall, and reached a wide stairway that led up.

  Everything here smelled different. There was a hint of spice to the air, though it seemed as if it were to cover up something else. Moving through the hallway, she detected other odors, of food—breads and meats and other savory aromas—and a hint of smoke. Those were both familiar and different, foods she had never tried before, though in the time she’d been traveling with Olandar Fahr, she had grown accustomed to sampling different foods.

  She hadn’t been able to figure out why Olandar Fahr brought her here. Something troubled him, though he hadn’t spoken of it. Ever since he had returned from his traveling, wherever he had gone, she had found him in something of a mood. It was the kind of thing that she didn’t push. She didn’t want to anger him, and besides, it might be that he was quiet for her benefit. There was something about the temple that resonated with her. It was power, but it was also a place of peace and comfort.

  Could this be another lesson he wanted her to learn?

  In the days since they had visited the volcano—and the strange room with the tiled floor and ceilings—she had thought quite a bit about what he wanted of her. He had said only that it was for her to watch, to observe, and report back to him what she witnessed. There was more to it than that, though she didn’t know what other expectations he might have for her. For his part, Olandar Fahr had made a point of not telling her what more he wanted from her.

  This city and this temple were places she’d never visited before. With Olandar Fahr’s ability to travel, he could visit anywhere, anytime, and he did so rapidly, in little more than the blink of an eye, and then returned. When he was gone, he rarely stayed away for very long, choosing to remain with her. And when he didn’t bring her along with him, he always left her in places like this, places of safety. This temple, or another, or another.

  At the top of the stairs, he continued forward. A door opened, and a round man wearing a deep navy-colored robe stepped out. A long necklace hung around his neck, and a pendant on the end of it reflected the light. There were shapes about that pendant that felt significant, familiar, though she wasn’t quite sure why that would be.

  The man bobbed his balding head, looking at Olandar Fahr. “Great One. You have blessed us with your return.”

  “I have. I have someone that I would like you to meet.”

  She studied Olandar Fahr for a moment. Was it a coincidence that this man would refer to him as Great One? Maybe there was something more to it, or perhaps this was what Olandar Fahr had wanted her to see. Maybe he wanted her to know that others viewed him in such a way.

  “This is Ryn Valeron.”

  “What is her role, Great One?”

  Olandar Fahr studied her for a moment. “It has yet to be determined. I have been observing her to decide.”

  There was something about the way he said this that struck her as strange. Why would he have to observe her to decide what role she would play? And why would she have to play any role?

  “She is welcome, of course.”

  “I didn’t realize that it was open for discussion.”

  The man bowed his head again. “Of course, Great One. I’m sorry that I’m implied otherwise. It’s just that—”

  “I expect you to allow her to feel welcome while I take care of a few things,” he said.

  “Certainly. Is there anything we should do on your behalf?”

  “Is there anything you think I need to have done?”

  “It’s not that. It’s more that—”

  “I would have you treat her as you would any disciple.”

  The man’s eyes widened briefly. “A disciple?”

  “Does that surprise you?”

  “It’s just that she is so young. I wouldn’t have expected her to be a disciple.”

  “And she isn’t, but I would have you treat her as if she were.”

  The man guided Ryn along with Olandar Fahr along the hall, and when they reached the stairs again, Olandar Fahr leaned down to her, meeting her gaze. “You will stay here for a little while,” he said.

  “How long?”

  “Until my task is done.”

  “What task do you have?”

  He considered her for a moment, his brow wrinkling as he did, and there was a brief spell where she thought he might tell her, but then it faded.

  “You’re not ready. Not yet. In time, I have faith that you will be, but that means that you need to have faith. Do you think you can?”

  She nodded quickly. How could she have anything but faith?

  Olandar Fahr got to his feet, patting her on the shoulder. “Observe as I have instructed you.”

  “Even here?” She had never been instructed to observe in places of power. It seemed strange that he would choose to have her do so.

  “Even here. I can only be in so many places, whereas those I protect and trust can be in many.”

  She glanced past him, looking to the man standing a dozen steps away. He gave them space, but the tilt of his body suggested that he attempted to listen. He was far enough away, and Olandar Fahr had lowered his voice enough, that it would be difficult for him to hear anything, but the fact that he was willing to try suggested that perhaps Olandar Fahr’s hold on places like this wasn’t as great as he had led her to believe.

  And maybe that was part of the message he wanted her to receive. It was possible that he thought she needed to see that, to know that even though he was powerful, even though Olandar Fahr had the ability to travel, and even though he led dozens upon dozens of other men, there was always the possibility that someone might try to act in a way that wasn’t beneficial to him.

  Not Ryn.

  Were it not for Olandar Fahr, she wouldn’t even be here. She likely would have ended up trampled or frozen outside of the temple, unable to make it any further. Without Olandar Fahr, she would have suffered far more than she had.

  Because of him, she had been given a new life. She would take advantage of that.

  Olandar Fahr took a step back from her, and he smiled. With that, he disappeared in a flash.

  That left her with the other man, who regarded her with suspicion, though he tried to mask it. It was hidden in his eyes, in the way that he looked at her. He wanted to make it seem as if he were doing exactly what Olandar Fahr wanted, but she could tell that he disliked the assignment.

  “Why don’t we see about getting you settled?”

  He headed off down the hallway, and Ryn followed. When they reached a narrow stairway leading up, she hesitated only a moment before taking the stairs after him. At the top of the stairs, he stepped off onto a narrow hallway. A sense of unease began to fill her. If he was giving her a room like this, a place where there would be no comfort, then would he really be doing as Olandar Fahr asked?

  Pausing in front of one door, he reached into his pocket, taking out a ring of keys. After unlocking the door, he stepped off to the side.

  Ryn hesitated before going in. She wasn’t sure what she expected, but certainly not the palatial room inside. T
here was far more space than she needed. A massive bed occupied the center of the room, four tall posts covered with a silk netting. A window opened to the outside, and a faint fresh breeze fluttered in. A thick carpet covered most of the floor, and an enormous wardrobe occupied one wall.

  “Is it to your liking?”

  Ryn could barely speak. Here she had thought he would give her a small space, and she doubted that Olandar Fahr would even say anything if he did. This was nothing like that. This was enormous, impressive, and a place that she didn’t feel as if she even deserved.

  “It is to my liking,” she said.

  The man nodded. “You will alert me if there’s anything that you need?”

  She nodded. When he closed the door, leaving Ryn inside, she looked around, and a different thought settled into her: what was she to do now?

  When she’d been with Olandar Fahr over the last few months, there had been times when he had left her on her own, but it was rarely for long enough to need a place like this, a room where she would settle in. In this case, it was as if she were going to stay here, but if that were true, what would she do?

  She wasn’t tired, and though the bed was inviting, she didn’t want to lie down. It seemed as if there were other things she needed to be doing rather than that.

  Ryn headed over to the small window, looking out. The day was bright, and she remembered from the travel how warm the wind had been, the way it had caressed her, reminding her of Vuahlu.

  The city spread out below them, though it was not very large, and the tower she found herself in seemed designed to draw the eye, taller than any other place around.

  She stood there for long stretches, watching, looking outward, half expecting there would be some sign of what she was to do and why she was here, but none came.

  After a while, she tested the door, fearful that it would be locked and she would be trapped inside, but the door opened easily. Wandering along the hall, she glanced at the rows of doors, curious who else might be staying here. Were they others who served Olandar Fahr, or was there something else?

  She found the stairs where she had first met the man, taking them cautiously. Every so often, she paused to listen, curious what she might hear, but there wasn’t the sound of any voices, and other than her own breathing and her footsteps along the stone steps, she felt as if she were alone.

  On the main level, she paused, looking to see whether there was anything around her, but there was nothing. With a start, she realized that she hadn’t seen any servants, and there had been no sign of anyone else other than the strange man.

  Why would Olandar Fahr bring her to a place like this that was so empty?

  Perhaps it was not. It was possible that it only appeared empty because the man she had encountered had wanted it to seem that way. What if, rather than an emptiness, it was more about others hiding?

  Ryn made her way down the hallway, and every so often, she paused, listening.

  There was nothing here.

  Olandar Fahr had asked them to treat her like a disciple, whatever that was. The other man had been offended by the idea, but because the request had come from Olandar Fahr, he had agreed. She needed to find out what it meant for her to be treated like a disciple, and more than that, she needed to understand why that would offend the man. If nothing else, it would give her a greater understanding of Olandar Fahr.

  When she was convinced there was nothing else inside, she headed out of the building. A massive garden stretched around, and Ryn found herself wandering among the flowers, leaning down to inhale their fragrances before moving on to the next. There was something peaceful about this place, and it was far more relaxing than any she had experienced in quite some time.

  She could stay here. She could remain. A place like this felt welcoming, other than the person who had greeted her. There would be no danger to her. There would be nothing. And because of that, she would never learn what she needed in order to understand why Lareth had attacked her family.

  That had been the message that Olandar Fahr wanted to send her. It wasn’t so much about observing; it was a test. He wanted to know if she truly wanted what she claimed. If it was a test, then she was determined to pass.

  Taking a deep breath, she went back into the building and up to her room, taking a seat on the bed. From here, she would wait. Eventually, Olandar Fahr would return. When he did, she would be ready. He would not question her trustworthiness. And he would not question her dedication to him.

  18

  Haern

  Haern ducked, and the dart whizzed over his head. He rolled off to the side, the dart barely missing him, burrowing into the trunk of the tree. He sprung to his feet and pushed on the small sliver of lorcith within the dart. It flew true, and he pushed on another, sending it streaking from a different angle.

  Galen spun, slapping one dart out of the air with the flat of his knife, but the other caught in his cloak.

  Galen twisted, and the dart came free, dropping to the ground.

  He flicked his wrist, and another of the small darts went streaking toward Haern.

  Haern didn’t even try to knock the dart back. He simply jumped off to the side, using his strength and speed to avoid the weapon.

  Pulling on the lorcith within the two darts he had thrown, he drew them to Galen.

  One of them sank into the man’s shoulder. The other missed, but only because Galen twisted again at the last moment.

  “Good,” Galen said.

  “Good? You haven’t given me any positive feedback before.”

  “You make it sound as if you have been a complete disappointment to me.”

  “Not a complete disappointment, but I have tried to do what you ask and haven’t been sure that I have managed.”

  “If you are convinced these darts will not be caught by the Forgers, then this is an effective strategy.”

  “I think the lorcith within them is so slight that they aren’t able to detect it.”

  “For now,” Galen said.

  “For now,” he agreed. If the Forgers managed to discover some way of getting around it, then his advantage might disappear. And he had to prepare for the possibility that they would. Wasn’t that what Galen and his father wanted him to know? They wanted him to be prepared for the possibility that things could change at a moment’s notice, and from everything he had seen from the Forgers, it seemed as if that were true. The Forgers were able to modify their approach, to switch up their attack, and without being able to change up what he could do, he needed to be ready.

  “I’m going to keep working with my knives,” he said.

  “Your knives, or a different metal?”

  “A different metal. I’m not planning on trying to throw them.”

  “I don’t know that you would be able to push on them.”

  “Maybe not. Which is why I’m wanting to master these darts, but at the same time, I’m trying to better utilize the knives.”

  “There are ways of making the knives deadlier.”

  “Such as?”

  “Such as dipping them in various toxins. It’s what your father did when he thought to fight me.”

  “Did it work?”

  “It works if you aren’t expecting it. And it works on someone who doesn’t have any experience in countering their exposure to toxins.”

  “If that’s the case, then you need to work with me. You need to teach me that.” He had thought that Galen would, but they had stopped short of his lessons on poisons. “Let me know what it’s like.”

  “I don’t think I can.”

  “You can, you just don’t think you want to.”

  Galen frowned. “It puts you at risk.”

  “Then do it with Darren or another healer. Do it with someone around who can ensure that it’s safe. But don’t just tell me that you can’t teach me these things.”

  Galen sighed. “Perhaps I do need to bring you along a little faster. We simply don’t have the time I would like to take.”
<
br />   “Can I develop an immunity to poisons quickly?”

  “You can, but it’s going to be painful, and I promise that you will hate me.”

  “I’m the one who’s asked you to do this.”

  “You might’ve asked, but…”

  A dart that Haern hadn’t seen coming punctured his shoulder.

  He gasped and suddenly couldn’t breathe. It was as if his lungs didn’t work. Every attempt to breathe was met with failure. His eyes began to bulge, and his heart raced. His muscles failed, and he collapsed.

  Galen was there, shoving something into the corner of his mouth. “That is called terad. It’s a dangerous poison, especially if you don’t have the antidote.”

  Haern took a gasping breath.

  “You can develop an immunity to it, but it will take repeated exposures. Even then, it’s dangerous.”

  Haern took a few gasping breaths, trying to gather himself. He had wanted Galen to show him the effects of the poisons, needing to know what it felt like, but now that he did, he wondered if perhaps that was a mistake. How had Galen mastered all these various poisons—and survived?

  Galen watched him. “When you’re ready, we can go again.”

  “You don’t think I need a break?”

  “The longer you wait, the worse it will be.”

  “I…” Haern got to his feet, and he steadied himself, looking around the forest. If he wanted to confront the Forgers, he needed to be prepared, which meant that he needed to have every possible advantage. This was one of them. If they confronted him with some toxin and if he was unprepared, then he would end up getting hurt, and he would fail at his task.

  Haern nodded.

  Galen flicked a dart, nearly faster than Haern could follow. The dart struck his shoulder, and he winced, but the pain was fleeting. It lasted barely more than a moment, and then his breath escaped him, the same as it had before. He tried to take a deep breath, but his muscles didn’t work. He collapsed to the ground, eyes bulging, pain coursing through him.

  Galen leaned over him, and Haern stared up. A moment passed, and then another, and then another. With each passing moment, Haern expected Galen to administer the antidote, but he didn’t.