“That is reasonable.” She wondered how much Anatoly City had changed in nearly ten years. She looked forward to molding it back to its former glory under her mother’s rule. With Gabriel she could make her plans reality. She smiled at him, and he gave a little glare. “Enjoy your freedom now.”
Chapter 12
Robyn woke to find that Gabriel had killed and skinned the goat. He strung it up to drain and tacked the skin to the ground, scraping it with a sharp knife to begin the tanning process. He was stripped to the waist to avoid getting blood on his white shirt, and sure enough watery blood slimed his hands.
“Eggs for breakfast?” she asked, looking through an outside basket full of roots. “I’ve some berries and apples as well.”
“No, bacon,” he replied.
She cleared her throat. “You can have eggs and apples.” He sighed as she set a pan of water over the cold hearth. “Fire, please!” she called, and he snapped his fingers pushing the flame her way, settling it under the wood. She changed into a pair of leggings and a short green tunic, and pulled on a tall pair of soft deerskin boots that laced up the back. Gabriel fashioned them with his Elements after they fled and discovered her slippers would not work. They molded to her skin, and she never owned a pair of shoes that fit so perfectly. He even set an anti-water pattern in them to keep them waterproof.
When the eggs finished boiling, she took him a few and handed him a clean apple. He strung the skin up to dry, washed his hands, and looked at the eggs with a sharp gaze. “I’m going to pretend you’re bacon,” he said quietly as he turned away.
Robyn spent the rest of the morning going through her things, seeing what she could do without on their journey to Anatoly City. All her clothes would be replaced, for no respectable Princess would be seen in leggings and a tunic. She would also receive all new grooming products.
“Woman, I need food!” Gabriel called from outside. He had been practicing with his Earth Element all morning, and she watched as the world blossomed into flowers and withered to ash an hour later. Now he seemed to be pulling sand out of the soil for no apparent reason.
“Grow yourself a peach tree.”
“I’m not in the mood for peaches.”
“I don’t have any star-crossed bacon!” she yelled.
He was looking at her bemused when she poked her head around the door. “I will have something else then.”
“A wise move.” She stepped into the main room. “You are going to have to make friends with the head cook in Kilkiny. She will either love you or loathe you.”
The stew of roots and kale was nearly ready when Gabriel’s movements in the yard stopped suddenly. He looked south passed the cottage.
“People on the road,” he said quickly and ran inside. She grabbed her bow and slung a quiver around her shoulder. “They crossed over it.” He cut the flames of the fire.
She waited quietly, knowing the smells of burning wood and cooking food would drift far in the woods, not to mention sound. The geese and chickens squawked loudly in their pen, and she cursed the creatures.
“They are heading this way,” he said with a dark tone. “Negotiate with them, but get them on their way. If they want food, give it to them. Only involve me if you have no other choice. Your hair,” he suddenly realized, and pulled fibers from the surroundings to form a thin gray scarf. She bound her hair up and wrapped the scarf around to hide the blonde. “Oh,” he whispered and winced. “It’s a party, a large one.”
Kicking his boots off, he fell into his tiger form and hid in the shadows of the cottage. Robyn put an eye against a crack in the thin curtains of the front window and waited. Minutes later the party arrived, and she counted silently.
“It’s the same party that passed by yesterday,” she whispered, and Gabriel pricked his ears up in question. “Yes, I’m sure. Same number of men and horses.”
A slender man on a black destrier alongside a stout man with a well-bred dapple gray took the lead upon seeing the cottage. The slender man had pretty eyes, even from a distance, and a sharp pinched look to his face, while the other man’s posture placed him as military or possibly noble. Nocking an arrow, she waited until they stopped and opened the door.
“Stay on your horses,” she said pointing with the arrow to the man with pretty eyes. “You will not be staying.”
“Hullo. I mean no harm,” he smiled, a straight-toothed grin. It was perfectly straight. Anyone with teeth that straight had noble upbringings or were close friends with Spirit Mages. She and Gabriel had perfectly straight teeth seeing as Lady Aisling took interest in their upbringing. The man winced a little, and she saw he had a fresh cut on his upper lip.
“Are you alone? I am looking for someone to join my questing party,” he said smoothly, but the military man on his left gave him a sidelong glance. “I am in need of a good archer, and the innkeeper in Jensanisbel said you would be worth asking. I am willing to pay handsomely.”
“Do you think I am so foolish to be the only woman to join a party of men? Half of your men look like pirates too far from their ship, and by the looks of you all, you’ve been on the road long enough to miss a woman’s embrace.”
Some of the men chuckled. The noble blinked several times before smiling. “I can ensure your safety.”
“Safe is a relative term,” she retorted, and the military man smirked giving the slightest nod. He had a familiar face, but she could not quite place it.
“I am on a hunting party for the Prince Nolen,” the noble said and dismounted, untying a saddle bag from his handsome destrier. “He said I may recruit who I wish along the way, and I have a signed warrant. Is there no one else here?”
He began to cross the yard; even the drawing of her bow was not enough to scare him.
“I warn you to stand back. I am not alone,” she shouted and held the fletching closer to her face, feeling the pull in her shoulder. The man gave a small nod and smiled but did not stop. When he was six strides away, she knew she had no other choice and stepped aside from the door. Gabriel bounded out; ears flat back against his head, whiskers flared, and teeth flashing. He roared monstrously. The horses reared, throwing one man, but the black destrier remained standing, only flicking his ears towards the large cat. The noble took several steps back and nearly lost his balance, but he was his unmoved as his horse.
“Order your animal back,” he said and held the paper out to her. “I am the Prince’s emissary, and he would be loath to lose me.”
She was surprised the noble was not frightened by Gabriel. Most men turned and ran at the sight of the massive cat, but this man…smiled. She lowered her bow and took the paper quickly. It was a binding document that gave the man all authority to take who and what he wished to fulfill his journey.
“What is this quest of yours?” she asked, shoving the paper back at him.
“I seek a man,” he replied. “A Mage of great power.”
“For what purpose?”
“The Queen has need of his skills. Pack your things. We will wait.” She made a move to disagree, but his sharp look would hear nothing of it.
She returned to the cottage with Gabriel, and as soon as she closed the door, he transformed back. “If we travel in a group back to Anatoly City, it would be safer than just the two of us.”
“Like anywhere with you is unsafe,” she replied and grabbed a pack. “Can we not just tell him no?”
“Not without revealing ourselves.”
“Do you know of any other Mages in these woods?”
“You don’t think he’s looking for me, do you?”
“No one knows about you—go grab something.” She shoved what she would need for a week in a pack, and he stuffed in a journal and a few trinkets. “So what? We ride with them for a few days and break away? You could just tell them no.”
“I want to know who they’re looking for first,” he replied. “That nobleman, he grabbed Air when I jumped out. Something is amiss.”
“Is that all you’re packi
ng?”
“I can make everything else I need. Did he look familiar?”
“I cannot say. I’ve been out of Anatoly City nearly ten years. Can you make soap?”
“That military man looks familiar,” Gabriel whispered as he helped her shoulder the bags. “Men don’t need soap.”
“You disgusting creature. What about that General who took me out to Urima? I’m bringing soap.”
“Could be. Don’t bring the rose-scented one,” he muttered, and transformed into his tiger.
“Lavender then. I will still be heading to the City in a week, with or without these men.” She said with an air of finality as she opened the door and threw her pack at the noble. “Put these things on your pack horses. I’m not carrying them.” The only thing she strapped to her frame was her dark-skinned elk quiver that belted around her shoulder, full of finely sharpened, metal-tipped arrows. Her recurve bow she kept in one hand, not ready to unstring it just yet.
The noble looked taken aback and motioned for a man to gather and secure her belongings. “You have a lot of gumption talking to me like that.”
“Spare me your insulted pride,” she snapped.
“Well I hope you enjoy walking then. I do not think we have a horse for you.” The smug look slid off his face when she vaulted onto Gabriel’s shoulders.
“I will hold you to your promise of safety,” she stated as Gabriel turned to face the man. The fierce expression on the tiger’s face made the noble consider the words on his lips more thoroughly.
The hunting party moved east for a day and a half before stopping by a small town. Gabriel made sure they set their camp far enough away from the main cluster of men, especially after the first night when a man tried to snatch Robyn. The man was lucky to keep his arm if the wound did not fester. After the first night, the military man set his tent a little closer to them.
Robyn gleaned little information from the men. They did not know or would not say who they were looking for, and they had no direction other than what the leader Mage gave them. The Mage offered the name Cain, but Robyn did not believe him. With Gabriel’s tiger ears, he could narrow in on conversations, and the few he heard were either unhelpful or about Robyn’s various assets. She patted his head several times during the day, and he realized he laid his ears flat back in a threatening expression.
The road was unkind to him. He was not meant for slow lumbering, but fast spurts, jumps and swims. Robyn was anything but heavy, but her weight began aching his shoulders. He had agreed to join the party as to not cause a scene and refuse the man, but after the second night he wondered if he should have.
He flopped down as she constructed the tent, keeping an eye on the camp and periodically watching the military man. He was certain the man was a General or a Commander, with as beautiful horse as his destrier. The officer often looked at Robyn as if trying to remember something. Gabriel wondered if his suspicions were correct; if so it was only a matter of time before he recognized her.
He raised his head as the officer walked over, having already set up his tent a ways off from them. The man walked with a little limp, favoring both knees.
“Would you like some help, my lady?” he asked kindly, his eyes wrinkling as he smiled. He had a faded crescent-shaped scar across his left cheek that gave him a distinguished look to match the salted hair. His garb was simple and worn, but Gabriel imagined he would fit an officer’s uniform well.
When Gabriel put his head back down, Robyn nodded. “I never have luck with these things.”
“I should hope a lady like yourself has a proper feather bed every night.”
She chuckled. “It has been a while since I slept in a tent that is true.”
“I have spent many a night on the cold ground beneath one of these,” the man replied and pulled the center support tight around a tree.
“Military?”
“I serve in the Queen’s army,” he replied. “My name is Arden, by the way.”
“Please call me Zodie.”
Gabriel flicked his tail, wanting more information.
“Does your cat have a name?” Arden asked as he stamped a peg into a corner. “I’ve never seen an animal like him in all my days. What is he?”
“Arrow is a golden tiger from Shalaban. A relative of mine brought him over when he was just a cub.”
“I never thought I would see a tiger. Never ventured to Shalaban, not with the communism. Wouldn’t be safe for me.” He stamped the last peg in and turned to look at Gabriel who met his eyes. “Do they all have blue eyes?”
“I couldn’t tell you. What rank did you say you were?” she asked.
“I didn’t, my lady,” he smiled and turned to go.
“Who are we searching for?”
He stopped. “Don’t rightly know. I know as much as you do, actually. His lordship keeps information to himself.” He gave a little bow. “Shall I save you a bit of stew for supper?”
“I would like that, yes,” she gave a polite nod. When he turned to leave, she slipped inside the tent. Gabriel remained outside, listening to the camp as he closed his eyes for a few moments.
“Did you want a massage or not?” he heard Robyn ask before he dozed off. Pulling himself up with a sigh, he stepped inside and let her button the flaps. She threw a blanket over his back, and he sank into the floor returning to his human form with a guttural groan. She dug into his shoulders with expert hands, and he did his best to keep his sighs to himself.
“How are you holding together?”
“I’ll tell you after a solid pint and cider chaser,” he replied.
“That well?” she smiled as his spine cracked. “We’ll get some hot food in you.” She worked on him until he drifted off. He slept until the noise from the fire announced supper was ready. Two scouts had shot a boar, so they would eat well tonight. Gabriel knew Robyn would save him a haunch, so he returned to tiger form and followed her to the camp.
The night was chilly, even with his fur coat. He followed Robyn to the edge of the fire and waited as she cut a fat hind leg off the carcass. When a man made to object, he saw Gabriel standing in the shadows and shut his mouth. As promised, Arden saved her a bowl of stew, apparently from his own pot, and it looked far better than anything the men ate.
“May I pet him?” Arden asked after awhile. Gabriel kept his eyes away, careful not to make too much eye contact when important things were said. Robyn must have shrugged, because a moment later the man scratched him across the head. Not wanting to ruin any alliance with the only person to show them kindness, Gabriel chewed on the haunch between his paws and paid him no mind. Being an animal brought out primal instincts allowing him to abandon use of social forays, and he liked the idea of eating without utensils, plates, or manners. He licked back his whiskers at the thought and felt very masculine.
“I am going into town before the sun sets much lower. Will you be safe until then?”
Robyn smiled her pretty smile, the one that flashed her white teeth. “I will be fine.” Arden stood and bade them farewell, patting Gabriel’s head as he left.
The next day was much the same; endless plodding north-east, finding a small hamlet to exchange information, and camping down before the sun vanished. Gabriel could not help but notice the Mage watching him now and again. Despite passing able bodied hunters in the hamlet, Cain did not ask for more people to join the party, which made Gabriel wonder how badly he erred in joining him.
“I think Cain knows who you are,” Gabriel said once the tent was up. “I don’t think he’s after a Mage at all. He knew right where you were, how to get you to join him, and has asked no one else’s help in the quest. I think he already has what he wants.”
“How do you know he’s not after you?” she argued.
He raised a brow. “No one knows I exist.”
Chapter 13
General Calsifer’s last pigeon offered little help, but Lady Aisling read it over several times before deciding there was no reason to send instructi
ons. She continued her work: making sure Miranda read and signed the necessary reports; listened to her spies’ information; reviewed the palace’s purchases, and counted the ever-dwindling vault tallies. She hated to admit, but they were dangerously low on silver squares.
She had not taken the Head Mage’s advice and traveled to Jaden; instead, she warded her quarters and took care to travel with others around the palace. Word of the Arch Mage’s escape had not yet spread through the kingdom.
Aisling was just about to write a report when a spy gave the secret knock on her door. A simple-looking maid rushed in.
“The Air Guard is mobilizing, my Lady,” she said.
Aisling rose immediately. The Air Guard would not move unless Nolen commanded. He must have found something.
“Retrieve Prince Balien for me,” she said and waited as the maid rushed thus. The Prince came running in minutes later.
“Have you heard?” he asked, breathing heavily.
“Sit, there is something you must know,” she said, “I have reason to believe Prince Nolen is hunting Mage Gabriel.”
Balien’s face brightened at the name, and then darkened. “Why? Why would Nolen want Gabriel? It must be Robyn he’s after.”
“Gabriel is very special to Castle Jaden,” she whispered.
“As a Class Six?”
She bit her lips. “He is a Class Ten. He lied to keep it secret.”
Balien blinked and folded his arms. “That old dog fooled me. Lady Aisling, how would Nolen know where I do not?”
“Do not underestimate the Prince. Now, I want you to travel with the Air Guard and be my eyes.”
He grinned a crooked smile. “That is what I wanted to hear.”
“If he is after Gabriel, stall him. If he is after your sister, protect her. Either way, keep me informed.”
“Of course, my Lady,” he said and gave a proper bow.
He hurried out, and she rushed to her desk to pen General Calsifer a note to warn him.
The Castrofax (Book 1) Page 11
