“Because we wouldn’t trust anyone else. I remember you once telling me that sometimes we don’t have a choice; no matter how we try to change it, we will end up where we are supposed to be anyway,” Jerrol said.
“I know, but I don’t want to let you go. You only just came back,” Taelia said, tears welling in her eyes.
“But I am meant to be held in your arms, my love. You know I’ll always come back to you. Come, show me what you found.”
“I was drawn to the temple. By the Lady I think. She wanted me to find this for you. I wish I had ignored her,” Taelia said, screwing her face up in an attempt not to cry.
Jerrol hugged her. “You know you don’t mean that. The Lady is being busy. Birlerion’s memories just returned…”
“Oh, I am so glad,” Taelia exclaimed, interrupting him. “Is he alright?”
“… and I left her reassuring him. Now she’s showing you what I need to do next. Hopefully, how to stop a war,” he said, kneeling before the section of wall Taelia indicated.
“Guin’yyfer, what’s the matter?” Randolf was surprised to find Guin’yyfer seated on the steps outside the temple, Yaserille standing beside her. Marianille hovered at the door to the temple, glancing inside frequently.
“It’s so unfair.”
“What is?
“We found an engraving in the Lady’s temple. It foretells what is to come.”
Randolf lifted Guin’yyfer off the floor and led her up to his study. He sat her in a chair and crouched beside her with a growing sense of foreboding. “Tell me,” he said.
She began quoting, her voice low and clear,
‘Keep the compact, the shroud to tame
‘til dominant fist doth snuff the flame.
Suffer thy plight the marke to surveye
‘neath yonder stars cleave ye may.
Keep thy course as stillness creeps
Bide thy time lest maidens weep.
Await the watch and make the leap
Her sacrifice will heal the breach.’
Randolf scowled. “What? What does that mean? If this is about you at all, I will not allow it. Darling, I won’t let them take you.”
“I-it’s not me; the keeper of the compact is Commander Haven. He has been touched by the Lady; he is the Lady’s Captain, and he holds the Oath. He is the keeper of the promise.”
“What? No, he can’t be.”
“He is. Taelia is telling him now down in the Lady’s Temple. She didn’t want to tell him, but he overheard us talking.”
“But what does it mean?”
“I’m not sure about all of it, but Taelia says there will be a final confrontation. The Ascendants are trying to bring their ancestors back from beyond the Veil. The only way they can do that is if they force Jerrol to split the Veil; he has to submit to the Ascendants power and tear the Veil in order to find the location of the final meeting. Until now he has resisted their demands, but I fear for him. That’s how he lost his fingers, the Ascendant Var’geris, your advisor,” she said bitterly, “tortured him by cutting them off, trying to get him to tear the Veil. They tried to kill Taelia, using her to force him to breach it.”
Randolf gasped and said, “You mean he is supposed to tear the Veil?”
“I don’t know.”
“But,” Randolf spluttered, “he never said anything about the Ascendants threat.”
“Would you have believed him if he had?”
“Maybe not at first, and then I suppose, it would have made no difference,” Randolf admitted. “But wait, if he has withstood all they’ve tried to do, why would the Lady sacrifice him now? It doesn’t make sense.”
“The Veil is voracious; it will eat you alive,” Jerrol’s voice was conversational, absent of emotion, and Randolf raised his head. Jerrol was alone, and Randolf wondered where Taelia was.
“It seems the Lady has given me my marching orders and it’s time to return to the fray.” He smiled, though Randolf couldn’t see why.
“Those words are ancient. How can you truly know what they mean?” Randolf protested. “You can’t meekly give yourself up to them, not after everything that’s happened. The Lady won’t betray her Captain.”
Jerrol shrugged. “She already has. She has forsaken me, and I can no longer reach her.”
Guin’yyfer shivered at the lack of expression in his voice. “What can we do?”
“Look after Taelia for me. I can’t take her with me in her condition. I would ask Roberion to take her home, but she won’t go.”
“Condition? What condition?”
“Randolf, keep up. Taelia and Jerrol are having a baby.”
“They are? You are? Congratulations my friend.” Randolf smiled with pleasure, though his smile faded as he realised this may not be the time. “How can we help you?”
“Keep doing what you are doing. Stop your generals or our people will die for nothing. The Ascendants will waste hundreds of lives trying to distract us. The final meeting is the key. We have to stop them from breaching the Veil or we will all be destroyed, and if it takes my body to protect my family, then that is what I will give.”
Randolf stared at him in amazement. “What do you intend to do?”
Jerrol smiled grimly. “Well, first of all, I need to speak to the king; update him on the situation here, and then—well, it seems we need to plan a sacrifice.”
Randolf gaped at him, horrified. “A sacrifice? You can’t mean you? I won’t allow it!”
“I don’t think you can prevent it,” Jerrol said with a twist of his lips.
“Then you’ll take Taurillion with you. You’re not going alone.”
“You need him. I’ll have Birlerion with me.”
“Then take Yaserille. I mean it, Jerrol, we’re all in this together.”
Jerrol nodded slowly, warmed by the duke’s words. “Very well.”
47
Summer Palace
Armed with Randolf’s assurance that he would continue to work on his generals to halt their advance and stand down his troops, Jerrol prepared to leave for Stoneford. Randolf did not want to go to war with Vespiri any more than Benedict wanted to go to war with him. Jerrol needed to advise the king and attempt to avert the approaching tragedy.
Guin’yyfer had refused to remain at the palace and Randolf had finally agreed as long as she stayed back from the frontlines. Taelia would accompany Guin’yyfer, and they would help the healers prepare for the impending battle. They all knew Randolf was unlikely to succeed in pulling all his troops back in time to prevent hostilities.
Informing the Sentinals remaining in Elothia that he had created a new waystone outside the palace gates, Jerrol, Birlerion, Yaserille, and Niallerion discreetly used it to travel to Stoneford. The instant transition from one place to another via the waystone, one of the few remnants of ancient magic still to be found in Remargaren, was a convenience Jerrol was getting used to.
Jerrol had agreed with Landis that he and his men would stay seconded to the duke. Marianille stayed with Taelia, giving Jerrol some reassurance that Taelia had protection that he could trust. Having made what preparations he could, Jerrol enfolded Taelia in his arms and breathed in her precious scent in case it was the last time.
He left Taelia wrapped in Guin’yyfer’s arms. The memory of her brilliant turquoise eyes full of unshed tears haunted him as they made their way up to Stoneford Keep. Jerrol grimaced as he heard the faint shouts of the sentries as they passed word down of their arrival.
Lord Jason was waiting for Jerrol as they passed under the gate. “Jerrol, we had almost given up hope. I thought the sentries needed their eyes checked when word of your arrival came down and that Birlerion was with you. Where have you been? We’ve been so worried.”
Jerrol closed his eyes as Jason engulfed him in a hug. For a moment, he felt safe, but then he had to open his eyes again.
“Birlerion, welcome. Where have you been? How did Jerrol find you? Where is Taelia?”
“Is the king st
ill here?” Jerrol interrupted Jason’s perplexed questions.
“Yes, yes, I suppose it will be easier to tell everything all at once. He has taken up residence in my study.”
Jerrol laughed. “Poor Jason, you’ve lost your bolt hole.”
“At least he didn’t bring the whole court. I don’t know where we would have put them all.”
“This is Yaserille of Retarfu, and you know Niallerion,” Jerrol introduced Yaserille as he followed Jason down the familiar corridors. It felt like coming home, and he relaxed in response. He tensed back up at the explosive greeting from the king.
“Jerrol! Thank the Lady. Where have you been? What news from Elothia? Their troops are massing north of Lervik. Jason and I were just discussing placements. What happened with Randolf? Why did he say you died? Are you alright? We’ve had no news of you for months.” He paused long enough to glare at Niallerion and then he saw Birlerion.
Jerrol held up his hands to fend off the torrent of questions. Fonorion grinned in sympathy and took the opportunity to give Birlerion a fierce hug.
“And you,” the king continued as he glared at Birlerion, pausing trying to find a word strong enough without cursing. “We were concerned about you. Where is Scholar Taelia?” The king finally wound down. “Jerrol, where is your wife?”
Jerrol smiled. “My wife is under the care of the grand duke at the Summer Palace.”
“What? Is he still holding her? Jerrol! What does he want?”
“To not go to war with you.”
“Holding Taelia is not going to help with that.”
“He isn’t holding her; he is looking after her for me. I couldn’t bring her through the waystone, so she stayed with him and Lady Guin’yyfer. I left Landis and his men guarding her.”
“Lady Guin’yyfer? Landis? What is Landis doing in Elothia?” The king exhaled. “You’ve been missing for over four months, Jerrol, where have you been?”
Jerrol passed his hand over his face and cast his mind back to arriving in Elothia all those months ago. “I’m not sure what reports you received, but when we arrived in Elothia, we found out the old duke had died and his son had been in power for a few months.”
“They had kept that quiet.” Benedict murmured, not wanting to interrupt but unable to keep quiet.
“We didn’t even get presented at court. My audience with the grand duke was just an opportunity for Tor’asion to pounce. He had inveigled his way into the young duke’s confidence, and he and Var’geris have subverted all his generals.”
“What?” Benedict jerked upright.
“As I said, the grand duke has no intention of going to war with us, but his generals have other ideas. The grand duke is currently trying to recall them. He will attempt to replace them and stand down his troops. Unfortunately, the Ascendants are going to be driving them to attack, but we have to delay engaging as long as possible to give Randolf time to regain control.”
The king sighed. “We can’t. Deepwater is already engaged, and we have to hold the line into Stoneford else they will just sweep behind us all the way to the towers.”
“We still control the Watch Towers?”
Jason was quick to reassure him. “Yes, though they did try to take them. We managed to hold them off. It was fortunate you sent your Sentinals. Venterion realised what they were doing, so we were ready,” he said with satisfaction.
“Where have you been?” the king asked again.
“I ended up being conscripted into the grand duke’s army and taken to Adeeron, where I finally came out of their training program as a captain in the Third Chevron, and I was sent to Retarfu to guard the grand duke.” Jerrol grinned at their shocked expressions. “Of course, one tiny problem; I had lost my memory and didn’t know who I was.”
The king inspected Jerrol more closely. “And how did you lose your memory?”
“Tor’asion packs a punch,” he said.
Benedict was aghast. For Jerrol to be beaten so badly as to lose his memory … he shuddered at the thought. “Do you need a healer now? Are you alright?” he asked in concern.
“I’m fine. My memory returned when I met Taelia after I returned to Retarfu.”
“I imagine that was a shock for both of you.”
“She knew. She had been waiting for me.”
Benedict scowled at Birlerion. “And what about you?” he growled.
Birlerion smiled, his face bland. “The Ascendants took me to Adeeron. I was waiting for the Captain there.” He ignored Jerrol’s splutter.
Jerrol glared at Birlerion and then continued. “After that, when I had nearly gotten through to the duke, the Ascendants hounded me out of Retarfu again. By then though, I had found out that they were holding hostage the woman Randolf was pledged to marry, and she’s a guardian to boot. Oh, and I awoke some Sentinals on our way. This is Yaserille.” He indicated the distinctive Sentinal standing by the door, “and also Taurillion and Serenion. I stumbled over Landis during a snowstorm, and between us, we managed to rescue the guardian, Lady Guinyyfer. Randolf joined us at the Summer Palace and brought Taelia, Marianille, Niallerion and Birlerion with him.”
“I get the feeling he’s left a lot out,” Benedict said his voice thoughtful as he observed Jerrol.
“That is a certainty,” Jason agreed. “Why are you here now, Jerrol? What’s happened?”
The king gave a bark of laughter. “You mean what else has happened? I assume you have returned Lady Guin’yyfer to the grand duke?”
“Yes, she is Lady Marguerite’s Summer Guardian. She is connected to the land, and she is the conduit between the Grand Duchy and the Lady.”
“So, part of the Ascendants plan is foiled and the grand duke is himself again. We now need to defeat the generals,” the king said.
“If only it were that simple,” Jerrol hesitated. “The Lady led Taelia to an inscription at the Summer Palace. The generals are not the end game. They are just a distraction. As I said, they could be a very costly distraction if we are not careful. If it wasn’t for the Watchers, I’d suggest we just keep falling back; delay them enough to make them think we mean it and let them have the towers. Save our people.”
“We can’t do that,” Jason exclaimed
“Jerrol, you can’t be serious!” the king said at the same time.
Jerrol closed his eyes briefly as the king’s horrified voice override Jason’s. He took a deep breath. “I said: ‘If it wasn’t for the Watchers’. It’s the towers the Ascendants want. They aren’t going to invade Vespiri. They won’t need to if they manage to breach the Veil and bring their ancestors here.”
“But if they have the towers, they’ll breach the Veil.”
“Not without me,” Jerrol said. “We need to find the location of the Ascendants. I need to confront them.”
“Absolutely not.” King Benedict’s response was immediate. “You just said they can’t breach the Veil without you. We’re not handing you over. You’ve had too many close calls.”
“I don’t think we have much choice.”
“Of course we have a choice. As your king, I forbid it.”
“We need them to tell us the final meeting place.”
“Meeting place? That would be the Watch Towers, wouldn’t it? That’s why they are so eager to reach them!”
“No, I don’t think so. They believe the Watchers may help them breach the Veil. That’s why they want the towers. But the Lady is more thrifty. Sometimes, you just have to use the tools you have, and sometimes, no matter what you try, it will happen anyway,” Jerrol said as he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. He stared down at it, and King Benedict watched him in concern.
“You said Taelia found something. Is that it?”
Jerrol unfolded the paper and handed it to the king. “Guin’yyfer wrote it out for me.”
The king’s face paled as his eyes moved down the paper. “This had better not mean what I think it means,” he said slowly as he raised his eyes to Jerrol’s. From the expression
on his face Jerrol knew he could see that it did.
“What? What is it?” Jason’s worried voice broke the extended silence. Benedict handed him the paper.
“I assume you believe this means you and that this is why you have to find the Ascendants?” Jason said after a quiet pause. “How does a Dominant fist snuffing a flame mean you? It could mean anything!”
“‘Dominant’ was the old term for Ascendants. And well, the flame,” Jerrol opened his left hand and a soft glow filled the room.
“How long have you been able to do that?” the king asked.
“A while.” Jerrol was non-committal as he closed his fist.
“But the only way to extinguish that would be to kill you …” Jason’s voice faded away in shock.
“Maybe not. We need to know where they are going to perform their summoning. We need to find the marke, the place, and it seems I can only get to it by submitting to Tor’asion’s fists.” Jerrol shivered. “And the reference to yonder stars, I think is beyond the Veil, so I must breach it. Otherwise, why reference it? There’s more …” He looked at the king.
“I don’t understand,” Jason said, the worry clear in his voice.
“I’m not sure I do either. The shroud is the Veil?” the king asked. Jerrol nodded. “You said once that the Veil sucks the life out of a person. Is that what it means? It will take your blood to heal it? But you said it was sealed; you sealed it when …” Benedict hesitated, “when you saved Saerille.”
“The Veil is sealed,” Fonorion confirmed, watching Jerrol with an expression of horror on his face. “Why would you deliberately breach it?”
“To save our people and to stop them bringing their ancestors here.”
“You’re not making sense, Jerrol. If you tear the Veil, they will be able to bring them here. Surely we just keep it sealed.”
“The only way to finish this once and for all, and remove this Ascendant threat, is to get their ancestors to cross the Veil so we can destroy them, and that will only happen if I breach it for them.” The room was silent as they all digested his words. “It will happen. The words were carved into the wall of the Lady’s temple at the Summer Palace. Don’t you think I wish it were otherwise?”
Sentinals Justice: Book Three of the Sentinal Series Page 37
