by Narro, B. T.
Sannil would hate the surprise redecorating, not because he didn’t care for nice things, but because he’d feel guilty that his house wasn’t good enough for Vala in the first place. It was a sad thought. He and Vala wouldn’t get along, though they would smile and regard each other with the utmost politeness.
Calvon’s voice interrupted Jek’s musings. “If we don’t find the camp going this way, we’ll at least find those who retreated.” He pointed to an open patch of dirt on the otherwise grass- and tree-covered ground. “We’ve caught their trail.”
There were footprints. Calvon picked up a leaf to hold in front of Jek. On it was a drop of blood.
“From Peter’s arrow,” Calvon said. “They’re probably waiting until they get back to camp to remove it from the skunk’s shoulder. Should give us a chance to surprise them.”
Jek couldn’t help but notice they weren’t whispering. “Should we keep quiet in case they’re waiting to surprise us?”
“The wind will cover our voices so long as we’re not loud,” Calvon said. “If they can hear us, then they’ve already seen us.”
“Are you nervous?” Peter asked him.
“No,” Jek answered.
They both looked at him in disbelief. “You don’t have to lie to us,” Calvon said.
“I don’t usually get nervous about things like this.”
“Then what do you get nervous about?” Calvon turned away from Jek and continued to lead them.
My darkness. Jek didn’t feel right bringing it up, as there was no point. “What I can’t control, especially when it’s inevitable.”
Calvon and Peter both stopped to give him a look. “Bastial hell,” Calvon said. “You make it sound like death is hunting you.”
Jek shrugged, hoping that would be the end of the discussion.
“Our young mage seems like he has a secret.” Peter eyed Calvon.
“Who doesn’t?” Jek argued.
Calvon turned to lead them again. As he studied the forest ahead, he spoke in a soft voice. “A dog.”
“What?” Jek asked.
“They don’t have secrets.”
Jek chuckled with Peter.
“Calvon misses his dog,” Peter informed him.
“Are you both from Zav?” Jek asked.
“We are,” Peter said.
“Is it common for people there to have dogs?” It wasn’t in Goldram.
“No, but Calvon’s family is wealthy,” Peter said. “It’s more common for them to have pets.”
“My father’s in charge of the shotmarl stadium in Zav,” Calvon said reluctantly. “Working with the King’s high-ranking men has given him some connections. I think he wants me to prove I can be an officer, and so do they.”
“Is that why…” Jek stopped himself. He’d spoken without thinking but at least had the sense to realize what he was saying before it spewed out. “Never mind.”
“Whatever it is, just say it,” Calvon urged, swinging his leg over a fallen tree.
Jek tried to think of a better way of wording his question.
“Go on,” Calvon said. “Is that why what?”
“Why you tortured the skunk to find out where their camp was? Because you’re determined to be an officer?”
Calvon spun around and came right up to Jek’s face. Surprisingly, he was a forehead taller, his knob of a chin bending down to show Jek a hard look.
“If I was determined to be an officer, then I would lie to Tobkin about how many men I’ve killed. I would force my way into discussions of strategy, standing beside those with the rank I wish for myself in some hope of proving my worth. But I hate those kinds of men. I won’t act like them.”
“Which is why you’ll never be an officer,” Peter said.
Instead of anger, Jek was surprised to find Calvon nodding. “Exactly.”
“Then why risk your lives taking an enemy camp?”
“What’s your reason, mage?” Calvon retorted.
Jek cursed himself. He’d led them to a question he couldn’t hope to answer.
“Now that’s a good question,” Peter added, studying Jek. “All we know is that you just got here, yet no one new has come in weeks. Why are you here? It can’t be for your own purpose.”
“No, I didn’t choose to come here on my own. I came with…do you know Micah Vail?”
“He’s here now?” Calvon said.
“Who is he?” Peter asked.
Jek let Calvon answer, more to see what someone from Zav knew. “The highest-ranking councilman to Danvell Takary. And you came with him?” He pointed at Jek, his eyes wide. “Just the two of you?”
Jek nodded.
“Who are you?” Calvon whispered in a raspy tone, as if he no longer trusted Jek.
It seemed as if Calvon and Peter weren’t going to move until Jek answered them.
“Wait.” Calvon threw out his hands. “My Bastial stars, Jek…as in Jek Trayden. The Sartious mage!” His mouth fell open as he shook his head. “Of course that’s you. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner. Hold on!” Again he waved his hands. “Death hunting you—that’s your darkness! It really exists?”
“It doesn’t really hunt me…”
“Is he famous or something?” With his arms folded, Peter gestured at Jek with a twitch of his elbow.
But Calvon was ignoring him. “Did you really take Lisanda Takary from the palace just before her wedding ceremony?”
Jek nodded.
Calvon’s eyes brightened. “And you managed to make her fall in love with you as well as convince her father to hire you instead of hanging you?”
“Well, it didn’t quite happen like that.” Jek felt himself blushing, incredulous that his story had reached people in Zav.
Calvon clutched Jek’s shoulder and turned his gaping mouth toward Peter. “This is the strongest Sartious mage in Greenedge.”
“But he’s practically a kid.” Peter didn’t believe it. “Show me a spell of Sartious Energy.”
The request brought Jek back to the time he worked with Drent, the blacksmith. Many people were skeptical of his ability. He’d ask them their name, then create the first letter of it with Sartious Energy. He never got tired of seeing their faces melt with awe when he handed it to them.
Unable to contain himself, Jek opened his palm and pointed his wand into it. Focusing, he pulled Sartious Energy to a single point, forcing it together so that it became dense, hard and cool. In less than ten breaths, he was done.
He handed the “P” shape to Peter, who took it with an expression that Jek couldn’t figure out. His imperturbable brown eyes were huge, his teeth clenched, his lip slightly curled. His hand came over it, pressing down to test its firmness.
With a slow turn of his neck, he met Jek’s eyes. “Can you do anything else?” While Peter looked impressed, his tone was mocking.
Jek glanced in each direction, making sure no one else was watching. The growth of the forest enclosed them. He figured another trick wouldn’t hurt.
He snapped his wand and shattered the “P” into dust. Peter let down his hand as he stepped back. Drawing in the Sartious Energy of the forest, Jek formed a cloud. He poured more and more SE into it until there was nearly too much for him to control at once. It had swelled around their small party.
Jek felt like he was using all of his strength to lift a boulder, and he couldn’t hold it much longer. But he wasn’t done. With all the energy already gathered and under control, what he had in mind just took one last drive of force. He grunted, loud and involuntary, as he snapped his wand to press the SE together.
It formed into a circle around them, a shield. Jek held it as long as he could. Catching a glimpse, he saw what he already could feel—it was thick enough to stop more than just a fireball. The emerald color was even greener than usual, reflecting the forest around him. Calvon spun with a fearful look, as if he thought Jek was going to crush them with the energy. Peter did the opposite, reaching out to push his palm again it.
>
Out of breath, Jek let it shatter back into a cloud. It slowly dispersed. But he didn’t want it all to go to waste. Knowing it had been some time since he’d filled his wand, he found stamina in the brief reprieve and focused once again.
Gripping his wand tightly, he stuck both hands into the middle of the spreading cloud. Aiming his wand into his cupped hand, he pulled the SE into the smallest point he could. In his palm, a ball formed no wider than the tip of his thumb. Pulling in nearly a fourth of the cloud with its formation, the heavy ball was hard enough for him to stand on without breaking. Shifting his hand, he made room for another, and then a third. When he was finished, he unscrewed the top of his wand and let the three balls of concentrated SE fall in, energy to be tapped into later if needed. There were already four balls in there, but he never liked letting his supply get below half.
“Was that SE thick enough to stop an arrow?” Calvon asked incredulously.
“I believe so. I haven’t needed to block an arrow with SE before, though, so I can’t be sure.”
“We should test that.” Peter grabbed his bow. “Make a wall beside you.” He readied his arrow.
“Just shoot as soon as you see it. I can’t hold it for long,” Jek said.
He took a moment to prepare himself, as he was still breathing heavily from the recent spells. Then he flicked his wand to his side, causing a Sartious block to float. It was about the shape and thickness of a typical window. Although glass couldn’t stop most arrows, SE was tougher than steel when heavily concentrated.
Peter strained to pull back his string as far as he could. The moment he released, there was a crack like a sword slamming against rock. Jek let the block go. He’d exerted everything he had holding it together and lacked the drive to shatter it. So the block—still whole—crashed into the dirt beside the arrow.
Squatting, Peter investigated the now cracked arrowhead, turning it up before his eyes. “Never seen that before.” He rapped the block of Sartious Energy with the point of his dagger.
“That was stupid,” Calvon chided them. “It made too much noise. We’d better move on.”
For no reason other than it looked unnatural, Jek shattered the block of SE to get rid of it. He turned his back on the dust spreading over the forest floor to follow Calvon and Peter, knowing it would disappear soon enough.
They walked with quiet, careful steps for what felt like half a mile, all three of them looking out for skunks.
“You still never told us who made you come here,” Peter said. “And why did they send only you and the King’s adviser?”
“We came on our own,” Jek replied. “We wanted to make sure we knew where Raymess was. We were separated when the palace was taken by Fatholl, and we guessed Raymess would come here.”
“And now that you know he’s here?” Peter asked. “Do you get to leave…unlike us?”
“That’s up to Raymess, although I doubt he needs me anywhere else more than he needs me here.”
“I see,” Calvon said. “It’s time to get quiet again.” He bent a branch to show them its leaves. “There’s fresh blood here.”
Chapter 15:
JEK
A scream that twisted Jek’s stomach made him stop. Calvon and Peter halted as well, listening and waiting.
Only murmurs followed, voices too soft for Jek to understand. From their tone, it sounded like they were trying to quiet the man who’d screamed. There were whimpers of pain, then the start of another shout before it stopped abruptly, completely muffled by something apparently being shoved over the man’s mouth.
Calvon crept closer to the mangled wall of branches where two trees had fallen near each other, their many limbs twisted together.
“Their camp must be on the other side of this,” Calvon whispered. “Let me get closer to see what I can find out. Stay here.”
Without waiting for confirmation, he stepped in and began weaving his body through.
Jek waited silently with Peter, listening to a groan of pain and then the annoyed mumbles that followed. They watched Calvon move at the speed of a toddler, and with about the same grace, as he slid his body over, under, around, and between groups of jagged tree limbs. His pants got snagged. Yanking them free, he slammed his elbow into the dead wood, then gritted his teeth and grabbed his arm. At least he was quiet. There was no hope of escaping if the skunks heard him.
The few leaves clinging to the branches were enough to hide Calvon from Jek when he went deep enough into the thicket. Instinctively, Jek took a few steps forward, straining his ears for any sign of trouble. Except for the skunks’ groans and mumbles, he could hear nothing.
Eventually, Calvon came back into view and waved for them to join him. Eagerly, Jek ventured forth, followed by Peter.
It immediately became clear that Peter’s bow made it more difficult for him to get through. He took it off his shoulder, forced to push it through the tree limbs first. When Jek could turn around, he held the bow for Peter, allowing him to use both hands in especially treacherous sections.
Calvon stopped them before they got far. “I got a quick glimpse,” he whispered. “It’s only three of the six who attacked us, but there are two more who must’ve stayed behind at the camp when the others left. They’ve removed Peter’s arrow, and they’re treating the man’s wound while trying to keep him quiet. We can take them by surprise.”
They devised a quick plan as Jek tried to ignore guilt digging its claws into his chest. He knew he had to be merciless. This is what war comes to, he told himself.
While the King’s former mage, Exo, was the first man Jek had killed, there had been one other in his time serving Danvell. It was a man wanted for murder. He was to be brought in and put on trial, but he ran at the sight of Jek and a king’s swordsman when they found him at a bar in Vanmark. Jek was reluctant to shoot the man in the back with a fireball and yelled for him to stop instead.
The man ran to the back of the bar where a sealed door stopped him from going any farther. Jek and the swordsman blocked the man’s only way out. Unfortunately, a young woman was in the back room, and he grabbed her and held a knife to her throat. He threatened to kill her if Jek and the swordsman didn’t leave.
Before Jek could think of what to do, the woman started to thrash. Jek could vividly remember the feeling of dread that took hold of his chest as aggression flooded the man’s face. It was clear he intended to kill her. Jek’s fireball was about the size of the man’s head and ended up striking both of them, hitting her shoulder and his chest. They came apart, the knife falling in the struggle. As the man grabbed it, Jek decided he wasn’t about to give the accused killer another chance and ended his life with a fireball twice the size of the first.
The woman’s throat had been cut, her shoulder burned. Luckily, neither injury was fatal. Though Jek still told himself he would stop any others who tried to flee justice; he couldn’t bear the guilt if an innocent person died during an attempted escape.
There were four men to kill this time, five counting the one who’d taken Peter’s arrow to his shoulder. Although the man was too injured to fight, Jek figured he wouldn’t be taken prisoner. There wasn’t enough food at the fort. Guilt was clawing him again as he thought about it, so he clenched his teeth and repeated the plan in his mind.
They reached the end of the farthest fallen tree, which was propped up by a wall of leafy limbs that met the ground. Calvon crouched and signaled for Jek and Peter to find a spot beside him. The skunks were close enough to hear the patter of their feet. Jek could even see their shapes shifting about like shadows broken off from their hosts.
“We have to move the camp,” one skunk insisted. “They could be coming for us.”
“There’s only three of them,” someone else argued.
“Are you stupid? They could’ve joined with another group first.”
“But we can’t move everything. And what about Daril? He’s barely conscious now.”
Calvon tugged on Jek’s green robe t
o get his attention. Both Calvon and Peter were trying to communicate with him, nodding their heads with wide eyes. Figuring they were asking if he was ready, Jek nodded back.
When Calvon held up five fingers, then four, then three, Jek tightened his grip around his wand and pulled in Bastial Energy. His chest burned hot, as if he were gulping cheap whiskey. As Calvon dropped his last finger, Jek stormed out, the urge for relief taking over all sense of guilt and nervousness.
He unleashed the energy at the two men standing closest to him who were drawing their swords. A burst of light shrouded them, showing only their shadowed forms tumbling.
Jek didn’t have time to follow up. If they were still alive, he’d find out soon enough. Someone else was aiming his bow and hastily latching an arrow onto the string. Jek gathered Sartious Energy. He snapped his wand to create a wall as thick and as wide as he could manage in the short time allowed. It covered his head to his waist.
The arrow cracked the wall in its center. Jek let the SE fall, focusing instead on pulling Bastial Energy into his body. It became a race as the skunk hurried to ready another arrow. Jek knew he was faster than most archers. Confidently, he aimed his wand.
Seeing he’d lost, the skunk dove to the side behind a tent, which took a partial hit from the fireball, the rest of it soaring into the trees. Flames washed over the tent. The skunk jumped out with his bowstring already drawn, but Jek was prepared. He’d shattered the first wall of SE and pulled in all the energy to form another, blocking the next arrow.
In a blink, Jek surveyed the rest of the camp. Peter shot a man in the leg as the skunk was trying to take cover behind a tent. Calvon was in the midst of a sword fight.
Jek’s enemy had started to run. Unsure whether to chase him or help his allies, Jek had difficulty gathering energy as quickly. He soon shot a fireball at the fleeing man, but it sailed over his shoulder. Bark exploded as it struck a thick tree, yet the wood was not set ablaze.
Two of the tents were on fire now. A skunk holding his shoulder hobbled away from them, his face sickly pale. Jek ignored him, rushing over to Calvon and looking for an opportunity to help.
