Zodiac’s voice was stern. “The important thing is we’ve seen the destruction of that city. We need to get as many capable people together as we can and get moving.”
“Do we know where to go?” Pynlee asked.
“The city is in the center of the plains, a few miles north of a small lake surrounded by woods. The druids can take us there,” Duncan said.
“Doubtful,” Zit replied. “I don’t have that much power. Trelem is hurt, Barkum is missing and so is Odif’s mind. All the others who can help us have been sent to the western borders to keep that army out of Longforest.”
Odif’s focus was still on the hammers. Her thoughts were foggy, but there was something they were missing. What did hammers mean? She got the impression that it didn’t mean an army of any kind.
“All right then, we ride,” Zodiac stated. “Glier, find out how many of the remaining elves can help us, as well as anyone else we can dig up.”
“Um, Zodiac? What if I go look for Eric Redman?” Zit asked.
Odif sensed the unease that passed through the room. She only had a vague idea of who this man was. He was a specter that hung just out of reach--a mean, hard soul that lurked in the shadows. She also had the impression he was very important.
“We can’t waste time looking for someone who can’t be found. Maybe Tayan will run across him in his travels,” Zodiac said.
“Maybe his father will find him,” Glier mused.
“That’s right!” Pynlee gasped, “I’d forgotten Eric is Tayan’s father.”
Suddenly, the picture in Odif’s mind changed. The ghost took on a hulking form. Tayan’s father...her father. Her mind worked harder to see him. Her mother had told her he still lived. The picture of the red hammer came into focus.
“Daddy,” she breathed.
Her voice was soft but got everyone’s attention. They all watched her as she shifted one leg under herself. Her dad was lost--they needed him. She needed him. The missing piece of her life needed a face to go with the form. She rose on her own to find the greenish woman she now recognized as Kimmy in front of her.
“Sit down and eat!” Kimmy barked.
Odif reached up and grabbed her by the shirt, pushing her to one side. “I have to find Dad,” she whispered.
Like a woman in a trance, she fixed her eyes on the door and started towards it. She wasn’t listening as closely now, so she didn’t catch Glier’s comment or Frieda’s snort. Her mind was on the hammers. Trelem had once told her she was nature’s hammer. If that was true then she was the green and brown, and Tayan had to be the multicolored one. The last, the red one, was their father. All three of them would have to be at the city on the plains. Two hands could stop two hammers, but not three.
Suddenly, Zit was in front of her, holding a winged seed of ash in his hand. “Odif, your best chance is to go to Tolina. This is from a tree on Lady Salinthia’s estate. Go and find Jeni Redman--if anyone knows where he is, she does.”
Gazing at him blankly, she took the ash seed and brushed past him. Everyone had their eyes on her as she walked as if entranced out the door. The room was so quiet Kimmy’s soft voice seemed to boom.
“Should I follow her?”
Zodiac shook his head. Sitting down, he blew out a tired breath. “Well, I wasn’t counting on her, anyway.”
Glier pointed to the door as he looked at Zit. “You mean Odif and Tayan are related?”
“Brother and sister.” Zit smirked.
“And they...lived together...all that time?” JoJo asked, eyes wide.
“Yeah, great, isn’t it?” Zit giggled.
Mother Frieda drew herself up and scowled at him. “That’s disgusting!”
Zit shrugged. “They didn’t know. Tayan still doesn’t. We’ve been keeping it quiet--we figured news like that might send him over the edge.”
“Who is we?” Zodiac asked harshly.
“Just me, Odif and her mother. Odif was going to tell him, but then Lucinthia died; so she wanted to wait until he was over that first,” Zit explained.
The only one relieved by this news was Scorpio. He knew that Odif loved Tayan on a deep level, and finding out she was his sister was a much better explanation than what he had imagined. He also knew Tayan was not getting over the death of his wife.
“She might have a long wait,” he commented.
“Probably,” Zit agreed, “But I think it’s a good idea to let Odif tell him.”
“Then we will,” Zodiac stated. “Now, back to business. First, we gather as many as we can then we start for the Circle of Spring. Duncan, prepare all the magic you can to help hide us as we travel the plains. Scorpio, you’re in charge of arming the volunteers. Valeri, we’ll need supplies for everyone. Zit, find as many druids as you can to help us. We’ll meet you at the Circle in two weeks. Shilo, fly to Elrad and let King Alderlan know what’s going on. Send him my greetings and tell him we’ll help however we can. Kimmy, you’ll stay here to make it happen. Everyone else, pack up and help recruit. We don’t want just willing people but the willing and capable.” Standing up he clapped his hands once. “Eat up and let’s move--we’ve got an army to raise.”
***
Once Odif was in the woods her mind started to clear. Instead of just perceiving everything as incomprehensible objects, she began to see the trees and hear the chirping of birds. She found a small oak and knelt at its base. Saying her prayers as she had done every day of her life, she once again became aware of her environment. The glory of nature flowed through her being. The faint smells of the forest came to her, as did sounds and the sense of knowing what plants and animals were near. She felt the presence of everything from large trees to the worms in the ground under her knees. The death of that bit of forest in the north became a dim memory as she returned to being one with life. The isolation of being locked inside herself was burst open as the essence of life filled her. When she rose, she took a moment to close her eyes and breath in a long, slow breath, rejoicing in nature.
“Odif, are you all right?”
She grinned--it was Scorpio behind her. She knew his presence as well as his smell.
“I’m fine now.”
The image of the hammers dominated her mind. She knew the one representing her would be stopped, and it wasn’t lost on her what that meant. She had one last task to perform before she left. Turning around, she hugged him. He hugged her back with a flood of gentle emotions.
“There is something I need you to do,” she whispered.
“Anything,” he replied as he stroked her hair.
“Go to the village down the road. Take the first side path to the right and go up to the top of the hill. There you will find a woman named Rayla. We made an agreement; I am asking you to keep it for me.”
He hesitated for a second then spoke with conviction. “I will, if at all possible.”
Pulling back, she gave him a kiss and gestured back towards the castle. “I want you to go see her now. I suspect my agreement will be to your liking.”
Shifting in place, he asked, “Eric, this red man, he’s your father?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“And you are going to look for him.”
“I will find him,” she corrected.
He cracked a grin. “I believe you will. After you do?”
Moving her gaze to the castle for a second, she decided not to tell him what was after that. “Then we’ll see what happens next. Just take care of Rayla for me.”
“What is she, an old lady?”
“One hundred-sixty-five, but she doesn‘t look bad for her age,” she finished with a shrug.
Scorpio chuckled then looked at her more intently. “This isn’t goodbye, is it?”
“We will see each other again,” she assured him. She didn’t add that it would probably be in her goddess’s gardens.
His face became more serious. “I'll miss you. Take care and come back as soon as you can.”
“I’ll miss you, too.” Jerking a thumb
over her shoulder, she said, “I really have to go now.”
He found himself not wanting her to leave. It felt as if, once she was gone, he’d ever see her again. “I can’t see you off?”
She gave an exaggerated sigh. “You are. Stop being sappy and go find Rayla.”
“Right. See you later then.”
If he didn’t move soon, she was going to kick him in the ass to move him. “Later, now go!”
He cracked a grin and waved as he left. She didn’t watch him but got down to business. Dwelling on it would do nothing but make her as weepy as he was getting. At least she had placed him in good hands.
First things first--she needed a new staff. She found a suitable branch of oak; and after thanking her Goddess and the tree it came from, she broke it down to a rough six-foot length that still had knobs of smaller branch stubs on it. Most of the bark was gone; she picked at the remainder as she walked to a large ash. Standing at the tree, she held the seed Zit had given her and put her hands on the trunk. Concentrating on the tree and the seed, she whispered the words of travel. The tree’s bark softened, and she felt the portal open. Stepping in, she was carried to the tree the seed had come from.
***
Scorpio stopped at the castle to find that many townsmen were volunteering to go on Zodiac’s quest. Corralling a group of a couple hundred, he told them to pass the word to be outside the gates in the morning for training. Fifty he selected to start with right after he got back. With the daylight he had left, he didn’t think he could screen many more than that.
With that done, he got a horse and rode to the village, looking for this woman Odif wanted him to watch out for.
It was a typical druid community. On either side of the road were the main rows of log-and-shingle huts, with a stone well in the center of the village. He found the path easily enough--the man he asked knew exactly where Rayla lived. A quick conversation told him that Rayla was the local healer and grew fine pears and apples for the village as well as for trade.
Going up the narrow path, he had to duck a few times under low-hanging branches. True to Odif’s word, a hut sat at the edge of an orchard. A donkey grazed nearby its shed; the two-wheeled cart it pulled sat in the ruts that went into the orchard.
Dismounting, he tethered his horse to the cart and found a dark-haired elven woman washing clothes behind the hut. She looked young, even for an elf. The sleeves of her light blouse were pulled up, showing her flawless arms; her long skirt only showed her ankles and her bare feet.
“Excuse me, ma’am, I’m looking for Rayla?” he asked.
The woman looked up. Worry crossed her youthful face. “Is someone hurt?”
“No,” he assured her. “I am here for Odif. She said she and Rayla had an agreement.”
The woman’s face brlghtened up in a wide smile. “Oh, you are Scorpio!”
Putting her wash down, she came over and hugged him. “You are more handsome than she told me.”
“Thanks,” he said with a nervous grin. “Is Rayla here?”
“Silly boy,” she grinned, slapping his arm. “I'm Rayla. Would you like to come inside and sit?”
It was odd hearing her call him boy. The woman only came up to his chest; and with her thin frame and elven face, she looked like a child herself.
“I’m kinda busy right now. I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I came to fulfill Odif’s agreement.”
Shock replaced her smile. “Right now? I would think we should get to know each other first.”
Okay, he was confused. “I don’t understand.”
“I take it she didn’t explain our agreement.” She grinned.
“No, ma’am.”
“Well,” she said in a drawl as she took his hand, “Odif explained to me you wanted to have children. I've been getting a strong urge for motherhood again. We talked about it and decided that when you and I were ready she’d send you to be the father of our children.”
Scorpio’s jaw went slack. He couldn‘t believe what he heard. “I...umm.”
“It doesn’t have to be this minute. Like I said, we should spend some time together first. She told me you were very good,” she finished with a wink.
“She told you about...that?” he choked. Was nothing sacred?
Rayla‘s brow furrowed. “Hey, be happy she thinks enough of you to brag. If Odif says you‘re good then you really must be.”
In his mind, he saw Odif telling her about their most intimate encounters. Cheeks flushing with embarrassment, he mumbled, “I, umm, gotta go.”
Looking at him like he was her son, she gave a sigh. “Scorpio, I am a good person and will be a good mother. Why don’t you do whatever it is you have to and give the idea time to settle. We’ll talk about it in a couple days. Does that suit you?”
He nodded blankly.
He got back on his horse and waved to her, still in shock at what this “agreement” was. By the time he was heading back down into the village, he still didn’t know if he should be mad at Odif or not for finding a woman to bear his children. The only thing he knew was that he loved her more than ever for trying.
Returning to the castle, he found the gaggle of men waiting for him. Zit was to one side, organizing them into a line. Tethering his horse, he helped get them into loose ranks then started to see how many would be useful.
Starting at one end, Zit walked ahead of him, looking at each man. “Bad knee,” he said, pointing to the first one. “Too old,” he said about the second. “You’re okay, but wrap up your left elbow,” he said to the third.
Going down the line, Zit eliminated every one who had something physically wrong with him. It amazed Scorpio that druids could just look at someone and know everything about them.
By the time Zit weeded out the group, they had thirty-two left. Scorpio took his turn, asking each what skills he had then for a quick demonstration. Being from a peaceful town, most only knew the bow for hunting. The smith in the group didn’t know how to shoot a bow, but when Scorpio gave him a sword the man chopped a log in half with one swing. Two others couldn’t do much of anything and were asked to stay for castle defense.
The next day his group swelled threefold as Zit and the others recruited and sent him the ones screened as suitable. All were eager for revenge and listened well. He formed them into teams of ten and ran them through drills as well as competitive runs around the castle.
The second day, Zodiac told him he had found healers for the teams. All were druids, which Scorpio had expected.
At mid-day, the number of teams swelled again to a total of thirty and the healers arrived. Scorpio was surprised to see Rayla’s smiling face as she strode up to him. Her hair was fluffed up in tight curls, making her look very cute. The grayish-green shirt she wore hugged her small torso, and her brown shorts were tailored to accentuate her hips.
Reaching up to playfully pinch his chin, she said, “Don’t worry, I'm going to take good care of you.”
Chuckles peppered the crowd. Pretending he didn’t hear, he told her, “I have to assign you to a team.”
She frowned at him. “I’m on your team, aren’t I?”
Afraid to hurt her feelings, he gave a half-nod. “Yeah, but I haven’t made my team yet.”
“Well, we’re the first.” she said triumphantly. Stepping back, she batted her eyes and asked in a sultry voice, “How do you want me?”
A chorus of “oooh’s” and a few more descriptive remarks came from the men around him this time. Ears burning, he glared at them.
“All right, we have work to do!”
The first exercise was a trip around the castle, so he had time to collect himself.
In the few days Zodiac had given them, Scorpio got the new men armed and trained well enough they could at least watch each other’s backs. Rayla spent as much time with him as he would allow, and he made sure he kept himself very busy. Despite her flirting, he found she was an outstanding healer and quickly picked up on the Company’s tactics.
<
br /> By the time they mounted up, Zodiac’s force was seven hundred-forty men, elves and druids led by the surviving members of the Company. The small army was not composed of the most seasoned warriors and only a few hundred had horses, but at least they were a start.
Chapter 7
Amber walked down the street beside Sir Arlan, watchful of her surroundings. Unlike the neatly kept and safe streets of Paladnia, Spring Valley’s streets smelled of sewage and contained a variety of misfits ready to take her purse, or her life. The tall knight beside her made the scruffy-looking hoodlums shrink back into the doorways they peered from.
She knew the danger of this part of town and also knew that Tayan’s horse had been sold at the inn they were heading towards. She didn’t believe the stablemaster’s story; Tayan would never leave town and not take his belongings. She only hoped the innkeeper would shed some light on what had really happened.
Sir Arlan pointed to a faded sign hanging in front of one of the weatherworn gray buildings. “This is it.”
The sign proclaiming that this was the Paradise Inn was strung up by frayed rope. Poorly drawn birds bracketed the name, and at one time must have had some color to them. The poverty of the neighborhood had drained away any brightness from the figures as it had from the buildings. As they approached, the door opened and spilled one poor wretch from inside. The man took a step towards them then thought better of it and walked off in the other direction.
Amber went to the door and waited for Sir Arlan to open it for her as he insisted on doing. She looked up at him as he laid a hand on her arm. He wore a serious face.
“This time, I will enter first. Stay close behind me.”
She gave a nod and followed him into the dark interior. They stayed by the door for a moment to let their eyes adjust to the dim light. As the shapes around the tables came into focus, Amber could see she and her escort were commanding attention. Every hostile set of eyes in the place was on them. Sir Arlan ignored the stares and wolfish grins at Amber and went for the unpainted bar. She kept a pace behind him, trying not to see the heads rotating to watch them as they moved.
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