Eye of Hel: Stories of the Nine Worlds (Ten Tears Chronicles - a dark fantasy action adventure Book 2)

by Alaric Longward

He was scratching his neck as he approached me, trying to gauge my mood. ‘The elves say they were in Trad with this naval formation,’ he said, eying a short, pretty woman on the deck fondly. His wife. She had survived. ‘When Cherry arrived in Trad, she showed them the letters, and they rushed south immediately.’

  ‘They?’ I asked, little caring.

  The man pulled me aside. ‘One is the lady of Himingborg, the House Safiroon heir, the other one is a son of Almheir Bardagoon. They are betrothed.’

  ‘Fine,’ I said. ‘And now I will go and meet with Almheir Bardagoon.’

  He hummed and eyed the Tears. ‘You are all heartbroken.’

  ‘I am, Bulathon,’ I said. ‘Your wife survived.’

  ‘She did,’ he said happily and went serious. ‘You certainly did right in Lowpass. With the cook.’

  ‘I feel sick about it,’ I said, and I did. He led me to the side.

  ‘Do you have any plans now?’ he asked. ‘And I know what you will do, but with your friends? You cannot trust them. Well, you cannot know which ones to trust.’

  ‘I don’t know what to think,’ I said. ‘I’ve made so many mistakes. First Tiria said a girl betrayed us. I thought it was Anja. Then it was a shadow-masked man with a fiery whip. I am growing paranoid.’

  He grasped me gently and leaned closer. ‘Who said there is not more than one traitor?’ I turned to look around the Ten Tears. Ulrich was eyeing us carefully. Anja’s face was bruised, and Dana was looking at Lowpass by the railing. Lex, his blond hair braided was staring at me with longing. He had hated Ompar. ‘If he did it,’ Bulathon said, ‘he had help. He isn’t smart enough to deal with murder and poisons.’

  ‘I have a plan,’ I said sadly. ‘And I will think about it. I need help. But I cannot trust any of them. Yes, I have a plan. We are stopping at Trad?’

  He snorted. ‘So powerful. So very powerful you are. And yet, in a way, not so powerful. You are all just young humans. Sad times are ahead for many for you. Some will die. Perhaps the rest will not if you leave them in Trad. Yes, we are sure to stop there on our way to Himingborg. Don’t worry, lady. The final road is here now,’ he said sadly.

  ‘Should I trust you?’ I asked him.

  He hesitated. ‘I will go with my wife and the people. House Vautan is gathering armies as there have been masses of Daxamma armies seen near their borders. And the Feast of Fate is going to be held in two weeks, tops. I am not sure how Danar Coinar will take the north now, but he will be there. As will Marxam Daxamma. I will stay in Trad and fight for Vautan. I don’t think you can be helped by anyone on this ship now.’

  ‘I will miss you,’ I told him sadly.

  He hesitated and embraced me. ‘And I will miss you, young Hand.’

  ‘Shannon.’

  ‘Shannon,’ he said with a grin. ‘You should go to the cabin below. There is a stairway here. They will want to speak with you.’ I saw Cherry was pointing a finger at a doorway being held open by a tall elf.

  ‘All of them,’ said the elf. ‘All the humans who can … Embrace the Glory.’

  The Tears stiffened at that, but I moved off. ‘Come then. Friends and traitors all.’

  I walked down to a spacious cabin. A mast made up the center part of it, but it was surprisingly spacious and well furnished. Two figures sat in shadows by the far wall, stiff-backed as if they were kings. There were floating lights in the cabin, and one elf waved a hand for us to approach. I walked forward and stopped to stand by the mast. The others followed me, their weapons taken but still armored. Cherry came last, her face serious.

  ‘You bear the same markings as the little one, no?’ said a gentle female voice.

  ‘We do,’ I said.

  ‘She carries the armor,’ said a thinly imperious male voice. ‘That is the Silver Maw.’

  The female continued. ‘It is what my relative lost ages ago to the Devourer. And that means she comes from her land. And so do the others. They all have such markings. Some trick of the horrible creature. We should be careful.’

  ‘So there is no doubt she is the Hand of Life?’ the male asked.

  ‘No, no doubt; the armor will not have another,’ she said. ‘Stand by the mast, if you would.’

  The elf male got up, tall and imposing, and walked forward to the light. The lord was tall and angular, his eyes piercing, cold white, and his hair was tall and golden, looping in circles around his shoulders and back. He wore a shirt of red velvet and a cloak of white brilliance dotted with fat jewels, and his belt was golden. ‘I have heard of humans who bear such markings. They are rare, and I think one or two have previously escaped the Devourer. Tell me, where do you come from?’

  ‘Cerunnos Timmerion claimed a world once, my lord,’ I said heavily. ‘He brought humans there and did something to allow some of them the gift of Glory.’

  ‘A world,’ the elf chuckled. ‘And he wanted Aldheim. He was happy with nothing. What are you called? Do your friends speak or are they also mute?’

  ‘We speak,’ Anja said softly. I glanced at her with distrust and looked away.

  ‘They do not get along,’ the elfess said from the shadows. ‘They are quarrelsome.’

  ‘We have had tiring times,’ Dana said with a small bow. ‘We escaped the mistress of darkness only to be captured to the south.’

  ‘Danar Coinar had high plans,’ the elfess said. ‘My city is preparing for the Feast of Fates, and their armies are marching near our borders. Something was up; we knew it. And now we know more.’

  ‘There was more than you knew,’ I said. ‘Tiria Coinar was in Himingborg to meet someone who is planning something with Danar Coinar.’

  ‘Indeed,’ the elf said dryly. ‘Someone, something. There are always Safiroon nobles that would love a bit of chaos to advance their unjust, greedy goals. We will be careful. I read from the letter the small one was carrying that Tiria Coinar is dead? A happy bit of news.’

  ‘She died. I—’ I said, numb to the deaths.

  ‘You killed her,’ the elfess said carefully. ‘And you do not really care.’

  ‘I killed her,’ I told her. ‘The Tears fought—’

  ‘Tears?’ the elf lady cocked her head.

  ‘We are the Ten Tears, though not ten anymore,’ I said. ‘Renegade former tools of the Devourer, just as you described. Now we seek asylum. I should see Lord Almheir Bardagoon.’

  The elf nodded. ‘I am Asfalon Bardagoon, son of Almheir. This lady here is my wife to be, Shinna Safiroon. Our Houses of Freyr’s Tooth have been allies since times immemorial, and under our shield there are the sixty noblest houses across the land. Vautan is our friend, and this is how we have survived and kept the south relatively peaceful. I sense you are trouble.’

  ‘Perhaps, most likely, yes,’ said the elfess coldly. ‘I for one worry about taking such creatures to our home. Our human population is well treated, and there are no slaves in Freyr’s Tooth, and Himingborg is home to many humans who are happy, but who knows what chaos you might bring to the land? I hear there have been humans attacking the elven forces in the south.’

  ‘To survive,’ I said darkly. ‘That is their right. We were given no other option but to fight.’

  Asfalon was fidgeting and clearly thinking about the issue. ‘Right. Right and wrong. Give me one good reason why I should haul you to my father? Hand is important, but—’

  ‘Your mother, Aloise Bardagoon is sick,’ I said softly. ‘You know with what.’

  He stiffened and finally nodded. ‘And you might deal with that?’

  ‘Euryale, the Devourer hoped to extort your father for a cure,’ I said heavily. ‘I do not know for sure. Yes, I shall heal her. I will give it as a gift. And hope your father helps me in his turn.’

  ‘He is a very just man,’ Asfalon said with a small nod towards my friends. ‘Fine. You must not show your powers. Not in Himingborg. And you, Hand, will keep your face masked until we get to him.’

  ‘This does not mean you are a welcome guest,’ the elfess add
ed softly, and perhaps a bit apologetically. ‘Best avoid confusion and do this quietly for now. I just fear the trouble you might cause.’

  ‘Might I see the face of the elf lady who fears me?’ I said. Shinna tensed and hesitated, and Asfalon opened his hand, and she took it. She smoothed her long dress and stepped into the light. She had bright blue eyes that shone enchantingly and a thin face with pouty lips. Her hair was so long it reached her calves.

  ‘Here I am, Hand of Life.’ She smiled. ‘I apologize for my tone and for my fears. Times are trying.’

  I bowed. ‘And I thank you for saving our lives.’

  ‘Their lives,’ she said. ‘You would have survived, no matter what, had you still been in Lowpass when they took the place.’ She gazed at my friends. ‘Are they grateful to us? They look like they have eaten an old corpse.’

  Anja bowed. ‘I am most grateful. I would also like to discuss possible service at some point.’

  ‘Not happy with this crew, eh?’ Shinna smiled. ‘All will be discussed shortly. But did I not say I am afraid of human maa’dark?’

  ‘It might be best to have them in your service, then,’ Anja said, and Shinna bowed with a smile and a shrug.

  ‘We have to visit Trad,’ the lord said. ‘And leave off the poor, terrified families of the men and women there. But we will sail north as soon as we can after.’

  ‘But now,’ Shinna said. ‘A test. After all, we have to be sure that you are what you say you are.’

  ‘I am the Hand of Life,’ I said with worry.

  They stared at me carefully. Asfalon stepped forward and pulled a dagger. I tensed and grasped my sword. He did not threaten me but slashed a line of blood on his hand. Red and thick, the blood flowed to his fine garment. He nodded at me, tilting his head. ‘If I have to bind it, girl, you shall swim.’

  I gathered the healing power, weaved and entwined it as I released it. I heard Ulrich gasp, and I realized he had been hurt in the battle. I gazed up at the elf who was looking down at me and then at his clean hand. ‘Happy?’ I asked.

  ‘Lift your helmet,’ he said softly.

  I did. His eyes were round with wonder. ‘She is a human, indeed! It’s impossible but true.’

  ‘Cerunnos has much to atone for when he finally goes to Hel,’ the elf lady said.

  ‘I will try to help him along,’ I said. ‘And so I need to see the Regent as soon as possible. And I thank you for taking us.’

  ‘You are welcome,’ Asfalon murmured, running his fingers over his healed hand. ‘I will have to warn you. I make no decisions for my lord. It might very well be so you have no future there, even if you heal Mother. But I shall introduce you to him. Before this, none of you shall make a simple spell, not one. You shall not even braid together a wind to make yourself cooler. No Fury, no Gift, only normal human beings straight from war. Be quiet, be unseen.’

  ‘No, Lord,’ I said meekly. ‘We shall.’

  ‘Your friends will go and have their cabins. We are short of space, but you will be comfortable. And I will speak with you alone,’ he said. ‘Garm!’

  ‘Lord!’ a grizzly man appeared at the door.

  ‘Tell the captain to head for the Trad harbor. Send word to the Vautan harbormasters that there will be refugees. Free the aft cabins for these humans to use.’

  ‘They are occupied by some of the refugees,’ he said dubiously.

  ‘Unoccupy them, man! Kick them out, drag them if you must. Find them a corner. It’s few days, and they need two cabins to keep out of sight. Nothing matters more. Make things work, Garm, you know you can! And if you cannot, I will ask someone else from now on.’

  ‘Lord,’ Garm said darkly. ‘Would you follow me, good people.’

  I nodded at Ulrich, and he sighed. ‘Yes, show us the way.’

  ‘I assume we won’t see our lady again for days,’ Anja said softly, and Dana clapped a hand on my shoulder as she passed me.

  There was silence as I stood there under their scrutiny. The noises on the deck were loud, and the naval squadron was apparently making a change in direction as the ship rocked a bit. I grabbed the mast, but the elves did not. Asfalon sighed and produced documents. He slapped them in my hand. ‘Can you read?’

  ‘A spell was cast on us the day we arrived,’ I told him. ‘Yes, we all can. What are these?’

  ‘The small one has the letter from Ompar Coinar,’ Asfalon said. ‘And these hold his seal and signature.’

  I hesitated as I opened them up. It was the marriage contract, several copies of it. ‘Yes, I know of them.’

  ‘They convinced me that you are a genuine thing,’ Asfalon said sourly. ‘That we should sail south promptly. But are they real?’

  I stared at them, and my heart ached. I felt the tears come, and I wished I had placed the helmet on my head before reading them. ‘They are and are not real. He did draft them to give Cherry credibility if she reached Trad, and I did not know about them then.’

  ‘You did not sign?’ Shinna asked as she placed a hand on my shoulder.

  ‘No,’ I said, miserable.

  ‘But in the end, you had no objection?’ Shinna asked surprisingly gently.

  ‘No,’ I said and looked them in the eye.

  ‘You got married, in the full meaning of the word?’ Shinna asked with a smile.

  ‘I did. We did. He is dead,’ I said hollowly and put on my helmet for I wanted to hide my face.

  ‘If Father accepts you as the Hand of Life, this cannot have taken place,’ Asfalon said.

  ‘Why? You can be married and remarry, no?’ I asked.

  ‘You can,’ he said dubiously. ‘Though I cannot remember the Hand ever outlasting the First Elf of the land. But there is a time of mourning, and it is not allowed for the widow to be married during that period. That is two months. You will not be in his service for that time. Indeed, you must not meet anyone. You should be sequestered and unseen, respecting the memory of your husband. To marry again so fast would be very … unusual.’

  ‘It did happen,’ I said softly. ‘I married him.’

  He hesitated and handed the letters over to me. ‘Perhaps it did not. You didn’t sign them yourself. You decide. Take them. They have not been sent to the official records in Himingborg. Only you know, really.’

  I hesitated and held them tight in my fist. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘And there is this matter of a traitor,’ Shinna said carefully. ‘Someone who works for Euryale the Devourer. The letter said one of you is working with her and the Coinar.’

  ‘Someone told Tiria Coinar who I was,’ I said slowly. ‘And someone had Ompar killed. One was a woman, the other a man. I am not sure whom. But I hope it won’t matter.’

  ‘Really?’ Asfalon said dryly. ‘You mourn him. You must have had deep feelings for the Coinar lord. You must know, we were no friends with him. He was an enemy out here in the sea. But as much as we can, we share your sorrow.’

  I hesitated and shrugged. ‘Tiria was in Himingborg. Someone tried to deliver me to Danar Coinar, and he was to be in Himingborg for the Feast. I cannot trust anyone. I don’t know what Euryale planned. She bit Aloise Bardagoon, but for what purpose?’

  Shinna smiled. ‘I am sure you will figure it out.’

  ‘I don’t trust anyone,’ I said.

  ‘You don’t mean us?’ Asfalon said incredulously. ‘No?’

  ‘I don’t wish to repeat it,’ I said mulishly.

  ‘We saved you from Danar Coinar?’ he said. ‘I think we did? Yes? This is insulting.’

  ‘The Hand is above you in rank, is she not?’ I hissed, and they stiffened. ‘I mean no disrespect, but I would lie if I said I do trust you.’

  ‘We rescued you, yes,’ Shinna said. ‘We lost a dozen elves in the process. I am the heir of the Safiroon household. Asfalon is a Bardagoon, the third to the lordship of the house. If Coinar would take Himingborg, which is what they always wanted, we would all die. Thousands of others would as well. You will make sure that will not take place. You ca
n trust us.’

  Asfalon spoke coldly. ‘I will take you to Shinna’s father, Talien Safiroon.’

  ‘I wish to see Almheir Bardagoon, your father,’ I said.

  ‘He is not yet in Himingborg,’ Asfalon said with a small bow. ‘Talien will take you in for now.’

  Shinna squeezed my shoulder gently, trying to reassure me. ‘My father is what you need. He is the most powerful elf in Aldheim. He is the guardian of the Freyr’s Tooth and the fist behind Bardagoon’s power. Talien will defend you like he defends Himingborg and our lands. Silver Spires are a beacon of honor, not treachery.’

  I stood there looking at the elves. I needed Almheir, but they looked steadfast. ‘Very well. But one day I hope I don’t need to trust anyone but can stand on my own feet.’

  Shinna smiled. ‘That would be something to see. But you are the Hand of Life, and Hand of Life is there for Aldheim, not for her personal happiness. You will find your place yet.’

  ‘Now, take the letters and go,’ Asfalon said. ‘You decide what you wish to do with them. You can wait six months to marry or even meet Father, or deny it ever happened. Cabin—‘

  ‘I’ll sit on the deck,’ I said. I turned and walked out of the cabin. I walked up the stairs to the foredeck, sat down under the sails and stared out to the sea. I did not move that day or the next, and on the night of the third day, the lights of Trad could be seen.

  ‘Cherry,’ I said. She was near; I knew it. ‘Get them here.’

  I dropped the letters into the sea.

  CHAPTER 14

  Lex came up to me. I sensed him close and heard his chain armor clinking. He stood there nervously. ‘You wanted to see me? Us?’ his words rung out, and I twitched with fear.

  ‘I cared for you,’ I whispered. ‘But I loved Ompar.’

  Why, was the unasked question in the air. ‘Thank you for telling me, yes. I know,’ he answered with barely a whisper.

  I turned to look at them all. Anja and Ulrich were there. Dana was climbing stairs. Cherry was looking at me from behind a drooping hem of a sail. ‘There is a demon in this group,’ I said. ‘Something that works to hurt me and to steer things Euryale’s way.’