Erick stood in stunned silence. At least, that’s what it seemed like to Dramus, it was hard to tell. The young man just stood, watching the scene with a detached air.
When the guards stepped away from Dramus, he gave the manacles a good yank. There was no way he’d be able to break through the metal.
“Make yourself at home,” Calistra giggled as she sidled next to the headmaster.
“Soon we’ll have the artifact brought in, and you can begin to use your gift to set history in motion. Don’t worry, all will be explained, in due time.
“Come, Colius. There is still much to do.”
They left together, arm in arm, with a dazed Erick following behind. One guard remained, as well as the man with the eye patch. Dramus couldn’t hold that man’s gaze long; the soldier appeared to be trying to bore a hole through his head with that one remaining orb.
Finally the warrior said, “Stay here. If he tries to escape…hurt him.” The guard nodded and took up a post near the entrance to the room.
After a few minutes, the adrenaline began to fade from his system, and Dramus felt a sick feeling creep into his guts in its stead. He struggled with the confusion that reigned in his mind, wondering how things had come to such a mixed-up state.
He felt betrayed, not only by Colius, but also by his gift. The headmaster he could deal with; he half expected the man hated his guts anyway. But the fact that he’d been brought here as part of some plan against the king…that his gift would be used by a nefarious party set on revolution? It twisted in his heart like a knife.
He hung his head, wrists already beginning to ache from the strain of supporting him. In the dim light of chamber, sealed off from any part of the world he knew or understood, Dramus Hiltsman began to weep.
Chapter 26
The war room of the royal palace was an octagonal chamber set below the throne room. It was dominated by a massive wooden table, carved and painted to resemble the Realm.
Miniature castles, towers, trees, and other landmarks dotted the surface, as well as blocks of infantry, cavalry, archers, and siege weaponry.
Hade could see from the disposition of forces that the majority of the army’s resources were spread across the southern border, on the edge of the marshes. The mutants that infested the swamps were a constant threat, and the border towns needed ever-vigilant protection.
As he slowly walked around the table, with the princess in tow, he noted the other groups of soldiers that dotted the towns near the Holdwalls with some dismay. It was nowhere near enough to halt the numbers of goblins advancing toward them.
He looked up as the ornate oak door opened. Remiel Van Uther II, the wizard called Reynolt, and General Tavister came through in a train. Hade and Ethelrynne stiffened and turned to face the group.
“Ahh, Hade, good,” Tavister said, coming to stand next to them. He put a hand on Hade’s shoulder and motioned to the map with his other hand. “We’ve got a serious shitstorm brewing here, if what you’re telling us is true.”
The group moved to the eastern front. Tavister placed a group of black painted soldiers where Kelleran’s Folly was located.
“Sir, I think it’s safe to assume they’ve made it past Ormery, here,” Hade pointed to the area. There was no town indicated, but the general moved the model to the spot. “I only hope that Osric was able to persuade the people to evacuate.” '
He shared a look with Ethelrynne.
“It seems that we’re going to need to bolster the lists,” the king interjected, “As well as pull some troops from the southern line to meet the goblin threat.”
He reached over and moved several blocks of troops from the marshes to the east.
Tavister frowned, “It’s an ugly picture, Your Highness.”
He motioned to the southern line, “It leaves the defense spread thin, while barely mustering a force large enough to contend with the numbers Corporal Hade has indicated.”
The king crossed his arms and frowned.
“A battalion of knights can strengthen the lists. We’ll need to pull reserves from the west…” he looked to his general with a pained expression.
“What is it?” Hade asked.
Remiel looked to Reynolt, and back to Tavister. The awkward silence stretched out. Ethelrynne ended it.
“You’re either going to have to trust us, or send us on our way. If we were intent on anything other than the defense of the Realm, we wouldn’t be here.”
The king looked chastened, “Your right, of course, Princess.”
He nodded to Reynolt, who walked over to the western edge of the table.
“We’ve recently become aware of a plot that, in all honesty, may eclipse the goblin threat in severity.” The wizard looked at the board, face grave.
Ethelrynne and Hade were skeptical, but held their tongues. Reynolt pointed to a small keep located far to the north and west of Freehold.
“This is the barony of Lockhaven. It’s long been ruled by the Emberlock family. They’ve ever been staunch allies of the crown…until recently. The Baroness Calistra has apparently allied herself with dark powers.
“Malavarius Drejth has returned.”
The name hung in the air like a foul stench. Hade’s eyes widened, and he looked to the king. Remiel matched his stare.
“It’s true. Reynolt here was witness to the…shade of the man using magic to communicate with this plane. He means to destroy the Realm.”
“How?” Ethelrynne asked.
Reynolt moved down the coast. “I wasn’t able to get all the particulars, but Drejth is suing the baroness to set up some sort of artifact here, in Galloway.” He pointed to the large model of the port city.
“From what I could gather, he’s duped Calistra into believing that the device will help her turn the people of the city against the crown, thereby giving her the chance to rise up and lead a revolution. With the population of our largest city at her command, she could easily bring the Realm to its knees.
“Instead, it’s something that will allow the Drejth to complete a ‘Ritual of Breaching’ as he called it.”
“So Drejth taught her the magic she’ll need to operate this artifact?” Hade questioned, rubbing his beard. Ethelrynne stood at his side with a grim expression.
“Not exactly,” Reynolt responded. “There’s a man she’s been instructed to kidnap, a monk from the Temple of the Sacred Scroll, who’s possessed of a gift to understand any language. He can decipher any text, translate any symbol.
“Drejth plans on using the monk to operate the device. We can only assume that once it’s operational, he’ll become a more willing ally for the rebellion.”
“The problem is,” the king interjected, moving to stand beside Reynolt, “we don’t know exactly where in the city she’s operating out of.
“I have been in contact with the baron of Galloway, my cousin Günter. I also have a man on the ground in the city, but while he’s tracked the baroness’s men to a specific warehouse, so far the trail has gone cold. I assume she’s set it up as a red herring…” He brought a finger to his lips, thinking.
Hade was thoughtful for a moment, seeming to wrestle with something. Finally he decided to speak.
“Your Highness, do you know where, exactly, this warehouse is?”
“Why?”
Hade stepped toward the model of the city. He set his hand upon it, remembering.
“Well, I grew up in Galloway. I spent a lot of time working in the warehouse district, even as a recruit. In fact, I only left there after my basic training and came here for deployment.”
He looked up at the king, “I think I could help your man find this hideout.”
The king frowned, and Tavister stepped forward, “Corporal, we’re gonna need your help dealing with the goblins. You’re one of the few men in the realm who’s experienced real action against them. I can guarantee that you’re the only man who’s dealt with trolls and giants.”
Hade looked to Remiel, who merely raised
his eyebrows.
“If what Reynolt says is true,” Hade began, “the goblins will have an easier time of wiping out the eastern half of the Realm if Emberlock raises the west against the crown.
“I know that section of the city like the back of my hand, both above and below the streets. There are old tunnels down there that most folk have forgotten about. If she’s got men there, I can find ‘em.”
He turned to the general, “Besides, I’m not the only one in the Realm who’s dealt with goblins and trolls.”
He looked to the princess, who nodded.
“Ethelrynne and her people have been putting arrows into blackloods since before we were born. Her rangers are working with Baron Holt in Vizerburg as we speak.”
“We can’t assume that the rest of the elves will be so kind as to come running to our aid,” Tavister objected. He looked at the elf, “Begging your pardon, of course, Princess.”
She nodded to him, but turned to the king, “This bickering is pointless, Your Highness. We have the flying ship.
“Hade and I can lead a contingent of men to Galloway, stop the baroness and her plot, and then be back to Vizerburg to help with the defenses before the general has even reached the southern front.”
Remiel grinned, “You volunteering your service to our cause, Princess?”
She returned the smile, “I think I’ve done that already, Your Highness.”
“True enough,” he nodded before turning to address the room.
“Alright. Reynolt, you will accompany these two and the apprentices to Galloway. Find Calistra. Stop her. Capture or destroy her artifact. Bring her here or kill her, either way she must be brought to justice.”
Reynolt nodded grimly.
“General Tavister,” Remiel turned, “I want you to pick as many of your best men as will safely fit aboard the flying ship. Give command to…” he looked at Hade thoughtfully, “Captain Hade.”
The soldier stiffened, surprise plain on his face.
“I then want you to take the princess’s three rangers, and as many troops as you can muster here, to the southern front to begin marshaling a battle force to march to the east.”
He glanced at Ethelrynne as he spoke and she nodded her approval.
“The Rangers can serve as your liaisons, should an elven host march to our aid. Make sure the men talk with them, get to know them. I don’t want infighting should the elves fight alongside us.”
“Very good, My King,” Tavister acknowledged. He took a step and offered his hand to Hade,
“Congratulations, Captain. Take care of my men.”
A stunned Hade shook his hand and managed to nod.
Tavister turned to the King and saluted, “I must make haste, Your Highness, if I’m to get the paperwork sorted before we begin preparations for departure.”
Remiel returned his salute, then clapped the man on the shoulder, “Get the job done, General. The Realm is counting on you.”
With that, the other man left the chamber.
Ethelrynne turned to Hade, “I’ll go talk to my rangers. They won’t be pleased, but they’ll do their duty. I’ll meet you upstairs.”
With that, she gave him a peck on the cheek, nodded to the other men, and took her leave.
The king watched her go before looking at Hade with a raised eyebrow.
“The road makes strong companions, they say,” he said, with only a hint of mirth in his eyes. Reynolt hid his smile in his hand.
“I’d say they were right, Your Highness,” Hade blushed.
“Reynolt,” the king said in a businesslike tone, “Let’s have a better look at Galloway.”
The wizard walked to an armoire in a corner, sifted through some papers and came away with a large scrolled map. He spread it out upon the table.
The king leaned in, “Now, let’s see if Hade can shed some light on our predicament…”
An hour later, Hade and Ethelrynne were alone in one of the palace’s many staterooms. It was opulently furnished, with a massive four posted feather bed and canopy.
The princess had doffed her armor, and sat in front of a splendid vanity brushing her long platinum hair.
Hade picked at a tray of food that had been brought up to them, trying to sort his thoughts. Popping a grape into his mouth, he moved to the edge of the bed and began removing his boots. After he’d grunted them off, he sat there, leaning forward with his arms on his legs.
After the silence had stretched, Ethelrynne stopped brushing and turned to him. Hade just sat, staring at the carpet.
“What is it?” she asked.
He looked at her and she smirked, “Bouncing from one world-ending crisis to another while having no clue about how to solve either getting you down?”
He blinked. For a few seconds more, all he could do was stare, before he busted out a guffaw.
“Wow. You certainly summed it up nicely,” he chuckled. Just the same, he brought a hand up to worry his beard before looking through the floor again.
The princess rose, set down the ornate brush, and walked over to him. She reached out and grabbed his hand and pulled it away from his face. He looked up at her and she cupped his chin with her palms.
“All we can do is what we can do,” she said quietly.
He frowned slightly, “That’s awfully Zen of you, Princess.”
She raised an eyebrow at the word. He waved it away, standing to look her in the eye, “It’s a philosophy some sects of clergy subscribe to…never mind.”
He encircled her with his arms, finding comfort in her shape. She pressed against him and smiled.
He remained troubled. “I just can’t help but think I’m in over my head here. Don’t you worry that we’ll fail? That the Realm could shatter? What happens here will surely echo through the elven Realm as well.”
Her smile slipped, and she thought for a moment, regarding him with those bottomless purple pools.
“I know this might come as a surprise to you, Man,” she said, reminding him of their first meeting, “But the elves have faced crises of our own throughout our history. A history, I might add, that greatly outstrips yours in terms of length.”
The corner of her mouth turned up as she continued, “Besides, I’ve lived for a hundred years. It takes a little more than plans and speculation to get me riled up.”
He looked dubious.
“A wise elf once said ‘It is a fool who cries for summer when winter’s stolen the land. The wise elf hunts instead’. I find it gets me through worrisome nights.”
He looked thoughtful for a moment, before smiling at her in return.
“Don’t worry about things you cannot control?”
She nodded, “That’s the idea.”
She leaned in and kissed him, long and with passion. His doubts began to dissolve, as he was brought forcefully into the moment. When they broke, he looked at her wistfully.
“I’m glad you found me, Princess of the Elves,” he breathed earnestly.
She blinked rapidly, her breath catching. “As am I, Captain of Men,” she whispered, “As am I.”
After she had fallen asleep, Hade stood at the large window that allowed a view of the western skyline. Lights twinkled above and below the horizon. Hade stared at them and a prickling sensation fingered its way up the back of his neck. They could almost be campfires. Thousands of campfires.
War. The return of the Drejth. An elven princess in his bed. Could life get any more incredible? He doubted it. And yet he felt strangely detached, as though it was all happening to someone else.
Was he ready to lead men into battle? The last time he’d attempted it was with the ragtag band of survivors of the Hammerfist. They’d tried to stay together and keep each other alive, but it had proved futile. Thinking back, it was little more than chaos in his mind.
Would Galloway end the same? He had to believe that it wouldn’t. He thought he could get their team to where the baroness was hiding, even though it was just a hunch, but thwarting her plan was
another matter.
He sighed. He’d been running in circles in his mind for an hour, with no progress. The princess had been right, of course - there was nothing for it. They would deal with what they had to deal with when the time arrived. All the plans that could be made at the moment were made. He turned to look at her.
Even stretched out on the bed, having drifted off after their love-making, she was a study in grace. He marveled at the soft curves of her body, the unblemished cream of her perfect skin, the brilliant waves of her hair, like a river of molten gold by the light of the lantern. Even with all that he was dealing with emotionally, her beauty still took his breath.
He blew out a sigh, still amazed at their situation. Tomorrow they’d fly into the teeth of danger once again, hoping to stop the shedding of innocent blood.
He slid into bed beside her. She sighed and reached for him, smiling slightly in her sleep. He nuzzled her neck, allowing her smell and the warmth of her body to clear away the frenetic thoughts that plagued him.
Tomorrow they could save the world. Tonight, they were simply lovers taking comfort in each other. He was surprised to find that he felt content with that.
Chapter 27
Dramus looked up as men entered the chamber. His tears had dried on his cheeks, and his eyes burned. He stood a little straighter, on his guard.
Four soldiers entered, carrying a crate between them. Behind came Calistra, Colius, and Erick. The last to enter was the eye patch-wearing warrior that seemed to take an undue interest in Dramus. The young monk shivered as the man’s single good eye looked through him.
“Set it there,” the baroness directed. Her guards put the crate on the floor next to the dais. Dramus was surprised to see that it was one of the crates that had come with them from the temple. He looked at Colius. The man was sweating slightly, despite the dank coolness of the chamber. He kept his beady eyes on the baroness.
“Open it, and place it upon the dais,” she commanded.
The guards produced crowbars and began to pry open the crate. Dramus watched closely, curious despite his peril. A few creaks later and the lid came free.
Regret's Shadow (Sins of Earth Trilogy) Page 20
