Lee glanced across at Penelope, but she was unable to look him in the eye.
“I knew,” he replied. “I knew from the moment she arrived. There was no way for her to hide her allegiance, nor did she attempt to do so. I had hoped that I would be enough to satisfy your master, but I was not fooled as to his intent.” He reached over and took his wife’s hand.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
He tightened his grip slightly. “There is no need. I knew this would come. I just hoped for a little more time.”
“Then you know what comes next,” said Lanmore darkly. He stepped back just as the snap of a bowstring cut through the air.
Time slowed as Lee instantly focused, bringing all his years of training and experience to the fore. He could see the arrow streaking toward him from just over Lanmore’s shoulder. After pushing Penelope to the ground as roughly as he dared, he twisted hard to his left. The steel tip of the deadly missile flew past where his heart had been only a fraction of a second before, ripping through his shirt and slicing across his chest.
All of the Vrykol apart from one began moving in. The creature holding the bow was notching another arrow. The sight of this sent a chill running through Lee. Unable to leave his wife unprotected, he would be forced to avoid both arrows and blades simultaneously.
Lanmore backed further away. It was clear that he intended for the Vrykol to do the fighting. The creatures paused just long enough for a second arrow to be loosed. This one was aimed, not at Lee, but at Penelope. With a swipe of his blade, he cut the arrow in half just before it reached her. The tip spun and buried itself in the ground only inches away from her leg.
But there was no time to ponder on this near miss. Lee brought up his sword just in time to deflect the first Vrykol blade. He tried to counter, but the rest were already upon him. Steel found the flesh of his arm and shoulder. Only Lee’s half-man reflexes allowed him to step back in time to avoid another two swords sinking in. Parrying furiously to fend off the continuous stream of attacks, he sought desperately to hold ground. But all the time he was being forced further and further away from where Penelope still lay.
Growling with anger, he made an immense effort to fight his way back toward his wife, but this only resulted in him receiving two more deep gashes in his chest. He was left with no other choice but to spin right and then to the rear in order to gain a better position. This took him several feet further away from Penelope, but at least caused the Vrykol to bunch up and slow their attack.
Lee roared as he took his first head. His rage burned but his heart was desperate, knowing that enough time had passed for the Vrykol archer to notch another arrow.
Ignoring all peril, he drove forward again. Blood soaked his clothing and sprayed his enemy as he ducked and pushed his sword into the gullet of the nearest Vrykol. Tearing the blade free, he slashed into yet another. Such wounds weren’t fatal to the foul beasts, but they were enough to slow them down a bit.
“Drop your weapon, Starfinder!” shouted the voice of Lanmore.
Lee looked in horror at the captain. He was standing over Penelope. Beside him was the Vrykol archer, its bow pointed at her head.
Lee froze and the other Vrykol backed away from him. After only a moment of hesitation he allowed his sword to slip from his grasp onto the ground. Tears were streaming down Penelope’s face, though she did not make a sound.
Lanmore went over to their wagon and found a coil of rope. He looked to the Vrykol standing a few feet away from Lee and tossed it over. “Bind his hands,” he instructed.
Lee’s skin crawled at the touch of the creature’s dead flesh as it followed Lanmore's order. The binding was tight and expertly knotted. There would be no way to escape. He looked at Penelope with an apology in his eyes before turning back to Lanmore.
“I ask only that you kill me first,” he said. His tone, though pleading, remained steady and proud. “I beg you not to make me watch her die again.”
Lanmore smirked and shook his head. “If I wanted you dead, why would I bother to tie you?” He reached into his belt pouch and retrieved a small piece of folded cloth.
“Don’t do this,” begged Penelope, struggling to her knees.
“You brought this on yourself,” Lanmore snapped. “Now you will suffer the consequences.” He unfolded the cloth. Inside was a thin piece of gleaming metal that resembled a small nail.
He turned his attention back to Lee. “Hold him tight,” he ordered.
The Vrykol tightened their grip on Lee. As Lanmore drew closer Lee could see more clearly what it was he carried. His heart raced. He had seen something nearly identical when they had encountered the corrupted half-man in the Xenex Valley.
“So you intend to turn me into a monster,” he snarled.
“That depends on you,” replied Lanmore. “And your loving wife.” He held the tip of the shard just above Lee’s heart. “Brace yourself, Starfinder. I’ve never seen this done before, but the stories I've heard…”
Lee glared defiantly. “Get it over with.”
With a sharp nod, Lanmore pushed firmly. A wave of searing pain instantly shot through Lee’s entire body. The muscles in his arms and legs convulsed so violently that the Vrykol lost their hold on him completely. He jerked and rolled, sucking in gasping breaths through clenched teeth. He could feel himself losing consciousness…and for that at least he was grateful.
Just as his eyes closed he saw Penelope running toward him. She was screaming out his name.
* * * * *
Lee woke with a dull pain throbbing in his chest. The sun was well over the horizon, blinding him for a moment.
He shielded his eyes and saw Penelope sitting on the ground a few feet away staring at a small medallion that was now hanging around her neck. She had cleaned and dressed his wounds, and placed a blanket under his head. He touched his chest above his heart. His fingers immediately came into contact with the small round head of the metal spike that was now invading his body.
He gave a groan and sat up, the movement sending pain from his injuries shooting through his body. Penelope didn’t take her eyes off the medallion, nor even appear to notice him after he’d crawled over to sit beside her.
“Are you hurt?” he asked. His tongue was dry and swollen.
Her gaze still did not shift and her reply was almost inaudible. “How can you speak to me after what I have done? I have ruined us.”
Lee took her by the shoulders, forcing her to meet his eyes. “You did not choose this. The Dark Knight did it to you. I knew what could happen when I left Baltria, and that’s why I could not allow Jacob to come with us - even if he had chosen to do so.”
“I was ordered to persuade you both to come,” she confessed. “But I swear I was promised that neither of you would be harmed.”
Lee smiled. “Had it been any other way, he knew you would not agree to go through with it. Even with the hold he has on your spirit, your love was still able to fight back.” He pulled her into a firm embrace, ignoring the pain it caused him. She resisted at first, but after a moment allowed herself to melt into his arms.
They stayed like this for several minutes. Reluctantly, Lee then he eased her away. “You must leave me. This thing Lanmore has put into my chest will turn me into a monster.” He touched the round head with the tip of his finger. “And I doubt I can simply remove it.”
Penelope held up the medallion she was wearing for Lee to inspect closer. It looked as if it had been crafted from silver - the broken scales sigil was engraved on both sides. “This will hold the change at bay,” she told him. “Lanmore put it on me while you were unconscious. He said that as long as you remain near to me it will keep you as you are. But should we be parted you will become a mad feral beast.”
Lee examined the medallion carefully. “Can you take it off?”
Penelope shook her head. “If I do I will perish and the medallion will lose its power. You will then change.”
Lee thought on this for a time bef
ore struggling to his feet. He offered Penelope his hand to help her up. “It would seem that the Reborn King has plans for us.” She looked at him with confusion, but he smiled and shrugged. “If he wanted me dead, I would be already. If he wanted me dragged before him so he could enslave my spirit, he could have done that too.”
Penelope looked even more confused. “What could he want? Why do all this? What purpose does it serve?”
“I don’t know his ultimate design,” admitted Lee. “But for now he is aware of exactly where I am and knows that I can only travel as quickly as you are able.”
“Then how did Jacob fit in?” she wondered.
“I’m not sure,” Lee replied. “But I hope whatever it was, he remains far removed from it.”
Seeing that their wagon and horses had been left undisturbed, Lee began preparing to depart.
“Where are we going?” asked Penelope.
“There is only one place I can think to go,” he answered. “We should continue to the desert. There is somewhere I know of where we might be safe.” He walked up to Penelope and took her hand. “It will take many weeks to get there, so we first need to head to Dantory for supplies.”
“So you know a way that we can be free?” she asked, hope springing into her voice.
“Perhaps - perhaps not,” he said. “But I certainly can’t think of anything better.”
* * * * *
Captain Lanmore approached the camp where his men were waiting. The handful of trusted soldiers he had selected to accompany him were not happy about the presence of the Vrykol. The beasts may well have been the creation of the king, but in the past they had been known to be unpredictable and volatile. They also carried the foul stench of death and decay – a smell that every soldier knew only too well.
But now that their mission was over, the Vrykol would be departing their company. Lanmore was to return to Angrääl and make ready for an invasion by the enemy. The thought still bewildered his mind. Word had reached Kratis that the western armies were annihilated and that Baltria had been lost.
Despite all of this, the Reborn King seemed unconcerned. He’d made no move to retake the city, or to reinforce the west. Talk of losing the war had begun to spring up among the ranks. And though the officers would never dare to say such things themselves, it was obvious that the idea was taking hold with them as well. Lanmore reviled such cowardice and made no secret of this when among his peers. On several occasions he had openly berated his own commanders for questioning the wisdom and power of the king.
Not so long ago such behavior would have got him demoted…or worse. But since the escape of Lee Starfinder, Lanmore had been afforded a certain amount of trust among the upper echelon. His master must have recognized his talents, because those closest to the king had begun to call upon him quite frequently. He was even allowed to take part in high-level councils to give his opinion on strategy. This was completely unexpected. He had thought that his failure to recognize Starfinder as a spy would have doomed him, but instead of punishment he seemed to be receiving one reward after another.
Even if he had never been brought before the king to have his spirit altered, he would still remain loyal. His master was not worried, so he wasn’t either. And should the king be wrong and Angrääl were to fall, he would defend it to the last. If Darshan and his army dared to march on Kratis, they would be marching to their end.
No matter what happened, he would see that Kratis endured.
Chapter 26
Gewey was surprised at how easy it had been to convince Linis, Dina, and Nahali to stay behind in Valshara. Kaylia suggested that perhaps Dina was concerned for her mother’s safety, but neither of them really believed this. High Lady Selena had also been acting in a most peculiar way, and even Weila wasn’t quite herself – though there was never any question of her not traveling with them to Althetas.
Weila had spent their few days at Valshara getting to know the elves who dwelled in the temple. News of a desert elf’s arrival had quickly spread and she found herself with no lack of company. However, the resident’s first reaction to her was one of confusion. Their desert kin’s rejection of the flow made it seem to them as if Weila wasn’t really there – at least, not in the way that elves sense one another. But their trepidation quickly vanished. Only a few short months ago they would have been unable to imagine living among humans, but these days they were growing accustomed to new experiences.
On the morning of their departure, Gewey, Kaylia and Weila joined Linis and High Lady Selena for breakfast. Dina and her mother also made a brief appearance but quickly excused themselves. Nahali had discovered a small group of elves within the temple who came from her home village. She had promised to meet with them in the main library to tell tales and renew ties.
Conversation was light and friendly, but still Gewey couldn’t help but notice that no one would look at him directly.
“Is there something I should know?” he asked, exasperated. “If so, now is the time to tell me.”
Selena forced a smile. “We are just worried about you. You go to face an enemy like no other, and we are powerless to help.”
Gewey looked closely at the High Lady. She was lying, and her lie was reflected in the eyes of everyone else there. He surveyed each of his friends in turn with a probing stare.
Finally, he shook his head and stood up. “In that case, I should be leaving.” He tried not to appear angry, but his brusque movements and hard tone betrayed his feelings. “If I return, I hope you will then be able to tell me what you are hiding from me. And perhaps explain why I have not earned your trust.”
“We trust you,” said Linis. “Never think we do not.”
Gewey paused. The sincerity in Linis’ voice, together with the expression on his face, went far to calm his frustration. He chuckled and held up his hand in a gesture of acceptance.
“Forgive my irritation,” he said. “If you have secrets, then I am sure you have good reasons to keep them.”
He sat back down and finished his breakfast. This done, Selena bid the trio farewell. Linis walked with them to the gates where three horses awaited.
Weila’s faced twisted in displeasure. “I prefer to walk,” she grumbled. “I do not enjoy riding on the back of these beasts.”
“Nor do I,” said Kaylia. “But if we are set upon, we will need their speed.”
“What fool would attack Darshan on the open road?” scoffed Weila.
“Never underestimate a person’s capacity for stupidity,” Kaylia replied, smirking.
They had just mounted when Dina and Nahali arrived to see them off. Nahali was glowing with sheer joy. The reunion with her kin had clearly gone well.
It was moments such as this that reminded Gewey of how far the people of this world had come in so short a time. These days, any mention of the Great War was rare, and always spoken of with regret. Human and elf acted as if they had lived as one for many years rather than just months. Even the older elves who were still uncomfortable with the way things had changed were no longer protesting, content simply to grumble and glare. War, it seemed, however terrible, could produce something far more than just death and hardship.
As they rode through the gates and on along the narrow canyon, Gewey could feel eyes following him. They were watching from above, just out of reach. From precisely where he couldn’t tell, but he knew exactly who it was.
“Melek,” he muttered.
* * * * *
After the first day Weila refused to continue riding her horse, instead choosing to walk beside it. There were few travelers on the road at first, and those that were took little notice of them. Gewey’s face was not yet easily recognizable - a fact for which he was truly grateful.
He continued to feel Melek’s watchful gaze and knew that Kaylia was feeling it as well. He tried several times to reach Aaliyah, but as before, she refused to make contact. Though this caused his concern to deepen, there was nothing that could be done about it for now. He had to tru
st in her friendship and loyalty.
When they were but a few hours away from Althetas’ city gates, the traffic along the road suddenly increased sharply in both volume and urgency. A seemingly never-ending stream of wagons loaded with men and building materials jostled along in both directions, while everywhere they looked there appeared to be yet more construction sites for half-completed homes and markets. The thudding of hammers and clinking of picks, together with the raucous shouts of workmen, became a constant assault on their ears.
“It looks like King Lousis is taking advantage of victory,” remarked Kaylia.
“If this is indeed the king’s doing,” countered Gewey. “They are building as though the war was already over and the threat of invasion gone for good.”
“Perhaps it is,” suggested Weila. “If this god Melek has completely destroyed the armies of your enemy, who can say differently?”
Gewey frowned. “The Dark Knight was dealt a devastating blow. But I don’t believe his entire force has been destroyed. The danger remains and Althetas should be prepared.”
When the city walls finally came into view, Gewey could not fail to miss a gigantic streamer flying high above the towers; it bore a silver sword set against the full moon – the sigil of Darshan.
Barely had this sight registered when he spotted half a dozen soldiers on horseback racing toward him. Two of these were carrying tall banners also bearing his sigil. Gewey groaned with despair, and then again when he noticed it splashed across their breastplates as well.
They halted a few yards away and saluted in unison. A soldier with a lieutenant’s red chevron on his arm dismounted and bowed low. He removed his helmet, revealing a youthful face and a mane of shimmering blond hair.
“Greetings, Darshan,” he said. “Your arrival has been highly anticipated. King Lousis has sent us to lead you and your companions through the city to his manor, where a feast is being prepared in your honor.” After another sharp bow, he remounted his horse.
Gewey looked down at Weila. “You should ride from here onward.”
The Godling Chronicles:Book 05 - Madness of the Fallen Page 29
