Guardians of Evil

by C. R. Daems

  * * * *

  Liada danced out of the way as Wilorm threw a pan across the kitchen. It bounced off the wall. Her mouth dropped open as he said some words that would have made her mother faint.

  “The curst butcher sent the wrong meat. Now I’ll have to use a different recipe.” He stalked around the kitchen, his face drawn up in a scowl. “Pick up that pan and finish chopping the vegetables. Then you may try carving the flowers as I showed you. I don’t have time to do it myself, but make sure you get them right.”

  She hid her grin as she wiped away the sweat running down her face. The ovens and fires on the huge hearth made the kitchen blistering hot. But when he didn’t yell at her, being here could almost be fun.

  Two days ago, he showed her how to carve the intricate vegetable flowers and swans he used to decorate the platters of roast suckling pig. Now he was going to let her really do them herself. Yesterday he had even let her prepare a stew as he watched over her shoulder. Afterwards when he tasted it, he nodded and said it wasn’t so bad. But he only added a pinch of thyme before it was served, and she had made a face at his back when he walked out of the kitchen. It wouldn’t have hurt him to say it was good, but she still couldn’t help feeling proud. That was the nicest thing she’d ever heard him say to anyone.

  And she had Tali back. Besides, it was a relief to have Zeph to discuss her problems.

  That night, she dressed in her darkest clothes for her meeting with Zeph. She left just after sunset and by the time she arrived Zeph was already there.

  “Any trouble, Zeph?” Liada asked. She was still frightened about Zeph being seen with her.

  “No trouble at all,” the mystery man said as he stepped out from behind a tree. Although his clothes were designed to mask his appearance, she could see the grin on his face. “But I’m hurt I wasn’t invited.”

  Zeph jumped up and clinched his fists, stepping in front of her. Liada put her hand on his arm. He would be a boy, even if almost grown, trying to fight a dangerous man.

  “I can understand you wanting to hide from l’Engrist, but why from me? I mean you no harm, and I pay well.”

  “How did you find me?” Liada asked. If he could find her so quickly, how long would it take l’Engrist to find her?

  “I knew someone would want to keep in touch with you, and I knew Zeph was your friend.” A hint of smugness showed on his moonlit face. “And I knew you would want to see me since I have another job for you.”

  This was just what Liada had feared. She’d put Zeph at risk and they didn’t have the experience to deal with a dangerous man like this.

  Or a man like l’Engrist, she reflected.

  “I’m not interested,” Liada said although she wasn’t sure how she could just stop. He had the advantage. They didn’t. He could kill them, tell l’Engrist, or turn them in to the priests.

  “That does present a problem, another dilemma, for me, doesn’t it?” he asked.

  “Why? I don’t know who you are or anything about your business. I’m certainly not going to turn you into the priests. Am I?” Liada said. She had to give him a reason not to use one of those options.

  “Why have you decided not to help me? You were eager before. The priests?”

  What could she say? I don’t trust you. He already knew that. At this point, she had nothing to lose.

  “Why should I help you? I don’t even know what you’re up to.”

  He started laughing. “I seem to have a spy with scruples. Interesting. You take the money because it’s expected. You enjoy the thrill of being able to do it, but you don’t want to help me if it goes against your conscience. Or is it getting too dangerous?”

  She shrugged. “All of those, I guess. I’m scared. I’m in way over my head, and you know it. I just want you to leave us alone.”

  “I preferred it when you were in it for the excitement and the money. We seem to be at another impasse. Maybe I have enough to hold over your head that I could let it go—but what about Zeph. How do I trust him?”

  “To hurt you, he’d have to hurt me. He wouldn’t do that,” Liada said, realizing that by entrusting him with her secrets she had done just that.

  “What if I make you a mutually beneficial bargain? You do my job, and I’ll take care of l’Engrist?”

  Liada chewed her lip and twisted her hands together behind her back. She wanted to jump at the offer. L’Engrist was not only a threat to her but to her parents. But at what cost? She wished she could talk to them about this, but they’d never understand. It was bad enough having so many secrets. Now her secrets put them in danger.

  She looked at Zeph but he just shrugged. She sighed. The mystery man’s bargain wasn’t for her benefit but his. He got her to do his job and got rid of someone who could cut off the information she provided. He stood there a long time, quiet and dangerous.

  “No,” she said at last.

  “Answer me a simple question. What do you think of the Priests of Roganista?” The mystery man shifted his stance and somehow looked even more dangerous—deadly.

  “I need time to think,” Liada said.

  “Why? It’s a simple question.”

  “It is not.” She stared at him, trying to figure out what was going on behind that blank face. “I don’t know why you asked that. But you don’t want me to give you an answer that I’ll change my mind about in a sixday.” She suspected the answer could be the difference between life and death—hers and Zeph’s.

  “Tomorrow.” And he was gone in to the shadows of the trees. When she looked at Zeph, he was staring wide-eyed at her.

  “That man is really dangerous,” Zeph said in a low tone.

  She tried to hide her shiver. “The wrong answer will get us killed. I’m not sure what the right answer will do. I don’t know what the right answer is.” Liada shook her head at the puzzle. “Zeph, come here so we can talk to Tali.” Zeph was back to staring, but eventually he came over and sat, leaning his head close to hers.

  “Tali, what do you think of the priests of Roganista?” Liada could feel the movement of air as Tali was hovering next to her and Zeph’s ear. She knew Zeph felt it too since he flinched.

  “You know any answer of mine will be biased because of our years of being hunted by them.”

  “Yes.”

  “The priests truly believe they are the protectors of humans. They believe their cause is just, and they are on the side of good. They believe that the Quag are the real First Ones and are here to save you. I don’t think they really believe we First Ones are on the brink of attacking humans though. But they still think their actions are justified. They say we are evil. So they do evil to destroy us.”

  “Are the First Ones on the verge of attacking humans?” Liada knew it was a silly question since if they were, Tali wasn’t likely to tell her.

  “I don’t know about the Firebirds in Gorlack or the Seadragons in Sporish, but the Sprites are not.”

  “Which means the priests or the Quag lied,” Liada said, remembering the priests’ message to Imorla.

  “They believe anything they do, including lying or torturing people, is justified. And they want to make everyone believe what they do—even if they have to lie to do that. They are zealots. And they like having power.”

  “Does that make them evil?”

  “It makes them dangerous. Whether they are evil or not is for the gods to decide. If I killed people because I think they were trying to kill me even if they aren’t, I wouldn’t be evil exactly. But I would be dangerous. I would have to be stopped. The Roganista priests are wrong and dangerous, and will cause much harm. They must be stopped.”

  “I never gave the priests much thought. I was taught they were protecting us,” Zeph said when Tali had finished.

  “I think we have our answer. I’ll see you tomorrow, Zeph.” Liada poked his arm and grinned. “Stay out of trouble,” she said.

  “Yeah, I’m always the one who gets into trouble.” He started down the road but stopped to give
her a worried look over his shoulder before he turned the corner.

  * * * *

  The next day, Wilorm let Liada prepare the almond-filled pastry baked in honey. He’d never let her touch the desserts before and stood over her the whole time. When he finally turned his back for a second she stuck out her tongue. But she knew it was a real vote of confidence. When it was done, Wilorm tasted it. Like always, he just nodded and said it would do. He took the grater and added a little nutmeg.

  “There,” he said. He rubbed his chin as he looked down at her. “You may be a master cook one day. I believe you’re slowly learning. But you mustn’t spend so much time dawdling. I looked for you last night to help me, and you were gone.”

  She sighed. He was impossible to please, even if his food was wonderful. After cleaning up, Liada dressed in a dark tunic and trousers and sneaked past the kitchen for her rendezvous. She arrived a bit early and no one was in sight.

  “Your mystery man is here. He has been since you arrived,” Tali said.

  “You’re early,” Liada said and sat. “I suppose it’s better safe than sorry.”

  “I’d love to know how you do that.”

  “You have a presence about you that’s hard to miss.” Liada smiled, trying not to look smug. He, however, still didn’t show himself.

  “What is your answer?” he asked. Still hidden. Liada thought he was deeper in the forest behind one of the trees.

  “I’ve come to the conclusion that they’re zealots.”

  “Do you support them?”

  “No. They’re wrong and dangerous. What they might do scares me when I think about it.” While she was talking, Zeph walked between the trees and sat down beside her.

  “Liada, for a young woman you demonstrate amazing insights that most older people couldn’t.” With that, he emerged from behind one of the larger trees.

  “What is he?” Zeph stuttered. The mystery man had no dark and concealing clothes. He had no head covering and no shirt. His chest, arms, and face had tatts in swirling designs of blue, green and purple. In the middle of his forehead was a complex knotted pattern.

  “He has a tat on his forehead,” Zeph said. “He’s…”

  “Yes, he’s a high ranking Gorlack,” Liada said.

  Tali whispered in her ear.

  “Probably Gorlack security,” Liada repeated, fascinated by the designs. She could have spent all night investigating and getting him to help her understand the various tatts.

  “You’re well informed, Liada. Yes, I’m a senior member of Gorlack’s security organization.”

  “You’re a spy,” Zeph blurted.

  “Every empire has people who spy on the other empires. Since the great wars, we’re all paranoid. Fortunately, none of the empires seem inclined to make war. However, the Priests of Roganista recently began communicating with the other empires’ priests. In addition, they are making many arrests—of people who never reappear. We found the same in each of the empires. I’ve concluded that the priests are plotting some action.” He put on his shirt as he talked. “My investigations led me to Stonecross where the seat of Roganista power emanates. Liada, you have been instrumental in uncovering an evolving plot.”

  “You’re talking about the priest’s conversation with Imorla?”

  “Yes. Now are you willing to help?”

  Liada considered her conversation with Tali, and her description of the meeting with Imorla, and what he said. What he said agreed with what Tali had overheard. And he had revealed his identity. He could still be lying or in league with the Firebirds and an attack on one or the other empires. Her head was spinning. Keeping Tali a secret gave her an advantage if she were wrong, and knowing who he was also an advantage. She looked at Zeph, but he just stood there, face slack with shock. Finally, he nodded.

  “Yes, we’ll help,” she said.

  He held out his hand. “My name is Emmund.”

  Liada looked at his thin, muscular hand for a moment before she shook it. Zeph did the same with obvious reluctance.

  “Good, now I need you to follow Imorla. She plans to contact people who will support the priests. We need to know who they are and what they know,” Emmund said as he finished dressing back into his usual dark and concealing clothing. “I’ll see you later.”

  Liada watched him fade back into the forest.

  “How do I help, Liada?” Zeph asked.

  “I don’t know. We have to figure that out. Neither of us can quit what we’re doing, but we need to talk regularly about what’s happening. We’ll just have to take it one day at a time.” Liada waited for Zeph to leave, giving him time to get well ahead of her.

  “Tali, can you and your circle follow Imorla?”

  “Of course. That should be easy.”

  “Please be careful, I don’t want you hurt. I’d die if I were the cause of you being killed.”

  * * * *

  Liada was distracted for the next two days, but managed to stay functional. She had decided if she were going to be a spy and use Tali, she was going to have to learn to relax. It was hard, but she succeeded by getting immersed in her chores. Wilorm had a party tonight and set Liada working on decorations for the sweets. He showed her how to cook sugar to a point where she could drip it over a bowl or a sheet of parchment, or other object which had the shape she needed. She spent hours dripping it back and forth from a fork into fine threads. She massed it into a beautiful glistening nest.

  She also spent an hour creating a beautiful butterfly. She placed it beside the exotically plumed bird he had fashioned while she worked.

  He nodded. “I’m not ashamed to have that seen,” he said. She rolled her eyes as she turned away. Her butterfly was almost as good as his bird—well, almost.

  Tali didn’t return that night, so Liada retired early. It took some time to get to sleep and her mind ran wild. The mystery man, Emmund, was no longer a mystery, or was he? The priests were up to something, but what? And was it as sinister as it seemed? Did Tali get trapped again in a house or was she in trouble? Exhausted, Liada finally fell asleep, but her dreams of being chased by lightning and fire kept waking her.

  * * * *

  Wilorm was in an exceptionally good mood the next day. His party had raved about the decorations. He actually smiled when she came into the kitchen. “You will still work with me preparing meals. I have much to teach and you to learn. But I’ll give you time to work with decorations. Your butterfly was almost satisfactory,” Wilorm said. “I think you may even have some small talent with sugar. So I’ll have you concentrate on making those.”

  That day Liada created a two-hand-high vine with four differently-shaped flowers. It took four hours and several tries. Sweat ran down her face and onto her neck from standing over the boiling pot of sugar. When the first one broke, Wilorm yelled at her and she almost burst into tears. But she bit the inside of her mouth and kept trying. The result was well worth the effort.

  Wilorm nodded. “Yes, I think you can learn to do this. If you work hard enough, you’ll be an asset and even bring in customers. But don’t get above yourself.” He rapped her hand with a spoon. Eyeing his back, she placed the vine carefully on the tray to be served. She’d love to rap his hand with a spoon.

  Her real reward, however, was when Tali brushed against her neck on the way back to her room. She hummed one of Tali’s songs, hurrying to her room, and closing her door.

  “Tali, I’m so happy to see you. I wish I could go with you but that isn’t possible.”

  “We had no problems, but following so many was complicated. Imorla left the house accompanied by a priest—”

  “With a Quag?” she interrupted in horror.

  “No, he was a junior priest. They don’t have Quags. Imorla went to another house, and I managed to slip in with her. She described her meeting with the senior priests, the Quag, and the threat from the First Ones. She was given a bag with Tarsses in it. I saw because the priest opened it after they left. The priest gave the owner a meda
llion before they left. Imorla also had one.” Tali paused. “I left one of my circle outside the house and followed her. Imorla went to six other places with much the same result at each house. She then returned home and the priest went on his way with the gold. Late that night all of the people who had been given medallions met at the temple. We did not attempt to enter. They left two hours later and returned to Imorla’s house. They were all excited and talked much about what had happened. Apparently, they were shown the Firebird Quag and told of the dangers to all the empires. They had created a list for the priests of all the men and women of influence who opposed the rise of the priests, some forty or more. One of the men had friends in Sporish. He agreed to travel there. He’s going to make a list of those in Osshaft and Breeze Point. The priests insisted the lists were necessary, so no one interferes with the Quag defending the empire.”

  “Why would they want a list like that?” Liada wound her fingers together. “That sounds like they may plan to arrest the people on the list. But the people they arrest never come back.” She was trying to come to terms with what she was hearing. “Do they plan on killing them?” If the priests were planning to kill the people who opposed their authority—then what?

  “The word ‘kill’ was never used, but from the discussions it seems clear that the people on the list were targets of some kind. The people seemed to take satisfaction so-and-so was on the list. No doubt some of those on the list are there for revenge.”

  “How could someone lie like that and want to hurt someone who’d done nothing wrong?”

  “I think they want to make everyone believe as they do and to seize power for themselves. But whatever the case, they are dangerous.”

  Chapter 6

  Ostono: Stonecross