Guardians of Evil

by C. R. Daems

  “No, the danger outweighs our curiosity.” Tali’s musical laugh echoed in Liada’s ear.

  “The inside of the temple depicts the history of humans and First Ones. You’ll be surprised to hear that you helped the humans kill other humans, and when they stopped, you kept on killing them. You would have killed all of us except the Quag stopped you. And that the First Ones colors are drab and you are all malformed while the Quag are beautiful. I know. The frescoes tell the story, and there is a statue of a Quag in the middle of the temple.” Liada wondered what Tali’s response would be to her revelation.

  “That was clever of them. The Quag are beautiful and saved the humans, and the First Ones are ugly and evil. All zealots believe their goals will bring perfection whereas their failure will bring evil.”

  Liada frowned. “I don’t like zealots, and I don’t like people who want to hurt my friends.”

  * * * *

  Liada woke to a tickle in her ear.

  “Tali?”

  “No, it’s Kaim.”

  “It’s very early.” Liada yawned and stretched. A beam of moonlight through the one window gave the room a misty light. She wished Kaim was visible and she could see the beautiful little Seadragon. She could imagine those delicate leaf-like wings floating in the air. “What did you find, Kaim?”

  “The day was very interesting. I’m going to enjoy helping you. Madam Rychael and Sechael had several people visit her, including a junior priest. I entered with the first one. Each gave Rychael a sack of gold coins. The priest asked for a list of people who would oppose them. Each person put at least one name on the list. Everyone left, including the priest who took with him half the gold Tarsses. Afterward, Sechael and Rychael talked for a long time about the upcoming threat from the First Ones. Later, a man was shown into the room. He was given the remaining gold Tarsses and the list of names. When he left, I followed him to Jett Alley where he went to number 344. I waited until early morning. When no one came out, I came back.”

  “Did you hear the man’s name?”

  “Maybe. He introduced himself as ‘Jym,’” Kaim said.

  Kaim’s snout brushed her ear. It tickled and she couldn’t help a giggle. The touch seemed to help her relax though. With thoughts of her strange and wonderful friends, she lay back down and drifted off to sleep.

  * * * *

  The next day was peaceful except for Girt complaining her food was too fancy. Liada just snorted. The morning after when she was halfway to the kitchen, a junior priest dashed towards her.

  “Where are you going?” He grabbed her arm and grinned. “It’s too early for you to be out. Come with me.”

  Liada didn’t know what to do, but she knew going with him would be a disaster. Something about the grin.

  A door slammed and Girta shouted, “Get your hands off her. She’s my cook.”

  “I’m a priest, woman.”

  “Don’t you ‘woman’ me.” She thrust her hands on her hips. “And what gives you the right to grab girls off the street? I want to talk to a senior priest. Maybe the Supreme Council would like to know what you priests are doing.”

  “The First Ones are coming. We’re here to protect you,” he said, still holding on to Liada’s arm.

  “Well, go fight them. Leave my cook alone. You aren’t even allowed to carry a Quag, so how are you going to protect us?”

  The young priest released Liada and advanced on Girta.

  She made a fist and shook it under his nose. “Touch me and you’ll find out that the citizens of Sporish can protect ourselves against the likes of you.”

  He changed his mind and stalked off mumbling something.

  “Thank you—” Liada stammered.

  “Get yourself off to the kitchen. You have work to do,” Girta said. A small smile took the bite out of the words.

  Liada was still shaking when she closed the kitchen door behind her. If Girta hadn’t intervened, there was no telling what would have happened to her. People the priests took to the temple accused of supporting the First Ones never returned. In this case, they would have been right without knowing it.

  The rest of the day went well except when she thought about the priest her hands shook. It made her dump too much salt in a dish. One time the customer even returned the meal. She corrected her mistake, and Girta just patted her shoulder, which was unusual.

  When she returned to her room, Emmund was sitting in her chair.

  “The priests have grabbed me twice,” Liada said through gritted teeth as she glared at him, arms crossed over her chest.

  “They’re preparing for whatever they have planned. Their first step seems intended to raise the tension within the city. I think you were just available,” Emmund said, his voice low.

  “Two senior priests questioned me yesterday. Maybe this was intentional.”

  “When?”

  “I went to the temple to see the Senior Priest from Ostono arrive. I not only saw him but I managed to hear a few words of their conversation. What they’re planning is set for six sixdays from now. After they had their talk, they grabbed me and questioned me. I thought they were satisfied, but couldn’t be sure so I took several hours to get home, knowing Tali could tell if a Quag followed me. But how can I be sure the junior priest wasn’t sent to get me?”

  “I’ll have someone watch you, but you’ll have to be careful. If the priests mark you, we’ll have to get you out of here. Did Tali find out anything yesterday?”

  Liada wondered where she could go. She was a fugitive from Ostono and now maybe Sporish. Gorlack was the only place left. This was more traveling than even she had wanted.

  “The same as Ostono. Rychael was given gold Tarsses and they made a list. Here are the names...” Liada repeated them as Kaim, tickling her ear, whispered them to her.

  “Yes, again very influential people in Sporish society. Anything else?” Emmund asked.

  “Yes, a man they called Jym went in by the servants’ entrance and was given half the gold. He went to 344 Jett Alley.”

  The expression on Emmund’s face hardened. “Dangerous people live in Jett Alley. The question is who is this Jym? If we knew that, it might answer many of our questions.”

  “The man stayed the night, so he either lives there or he is staying with friends,” Liada said. A gold Tarsses was a fortune. “They don’t give people Tarsses for doing nothing, and they gave him a sack of them.”

  Emmund nodded. “You be careful,” he said and slipped out the door just as Zeph walked in.

  “I heard a priest grabbed you this morning and Girta chased him off,” Zeph said, looking her up and down.

  “Yes, I was lucky Girta was around.”

  “I saw Emmund leaving. What did he say?”

  “To be careful,” Liada said with a lopsided smile.

  “That’s a lot of help. The man wants and wants but gives nothing in return.” His face set in anger, he dropped into her chair, hands gripped into fists in his lap.

  “He saved me from l’Engrist, you must admit. And he said he’d have someone watch me. Zeph, I’m scared, even petrified at times, like yesterday and this morning. But it’s worth it if I can help save Tali and Kaim and their circles.”

  Kaim tickled as he landed on her shoulder, and Tali landed on her other shoulder. “We would do anything to help you, but we have a dilemma. If we use our powers, the Quag will know that we are here,” Tali said.

  “If we don’t, you could be caught, imprisoned, or killed,” Kaim added.

  “Tali, Kaim, is there anyway for me to tell if a Quag is nearby?” She would have given anything to know that yesterday.

  “Maybe. The First Ones’ energy is perfectly balanced and can’t be detected unless someone touches us or we are careless and disturb something someone can see. The Quag, however, are not in balance. They will, ever so slightly, disturb things as far away as four or five feet,” Tali said. “It will be very subtle, a movement which shouldn’t be there. A few leaves moving when all the re
st are still, a slight movement of air on your head, face, or hand.”

  “The easiest would be in a room with smoke. They couldn’t avoid disturbing it,” Kaim said.

  A room full of smoke wouldn’t be easy to come by. Liada shook her head. “Kaim, would you try and find out something about Jym?”

  “I’ll watch the house he entered and see what happens.”

  * * * *

  The next day and the next, Liada was up early to prepare breakfast and the afternoon meals, and to bed early nearly exhausted, but at least she didn’t see any priest. Apparently, he hadn’t reported her or Girta to a senior priest. If he had, she couldn’t see them ignoring the incident.

  Unless Girta frightens them.

  Liada chuckled at the idea. It was very possible.

  “Zack, do you want to go to the market?” Liada asked when she found Zeph in the stables, shoeing a black stallion.

  “Give me fifteen minutes to finish the shoeing and clean up,” Zeph said with a smile.

  A half hour later, they left the Inn and turned onto Jutor Street towards the markets. Liada was looking forward to wandering through the stalls. She hadn’t been there for days. She knew Zeph was only coming to look after her. Liada didn’t mind, especially after the incident with the priest, although she didn’t know what he could do if the priest showed up again.

  The market was crowded with sellers shouting and buyers dickering as usual. Liada weaved in and out of the stalls not really looking for anything in particular. She mostly observed people, listened to their conversations and bargaining, and watched the vendors. With Tali on her shoulder, she was beginning to understand the Sporish language although Butosh, the trade language, was used more in the markets. By now, she dressed in the Sporish style skirt and tunic, used their mannerisms, and knew enough words to get by.

  “You’re under arrest.” Someone grabbed her arm. When she turned her head, it was the same young priest.

  “Why? I’ve done nothing,” Liada said. The priest must have been waiting for a chance to find her away from the Inn—and Girta.

  “For aiding the First Ones.”

  “I support the priests and your senior priest, Honorable Hadonn, knows that. I want to see him.”

  The priest dropped his hand and his eyes widened. “You don’t know the honorable Hadonn. You’ve just heard his name,” he squeaked.

  “I spoke with him and the Honorable Roward a few days ago. They know I’m loyal. I want to talk to them about why you are arresting me.” Liada tried to look indignant. She had to bluff her way out of this or Zeph would do something stupid.

  He was standing flexing his hand as he decided what to do, but she was sure he would attack the priest before he let her be taken away.

  “Why would senior priests talk to you?” the young priest asked, his voice rising. He grabbed her arm again.

  “Fine.” She looked down her nose at the priest. “Let’s go ask him. He might be as interested in why you are arresting me as I am.” Liada felt she had the advantage now. It was obvious that the senior priests hadn’t asked him to arrest her. He was doing it for his own interest—whatever that was. By now, a large group of people had made a circle around them to watch the argument. That was bad. They would force him to act or he would lose face. “Yes, let’s go talk to the Honorable Hadonn.” Liada was sure he wasn’t going to take her to Hadonn.

  “You can’t arrest her,” Zeph said, jerking the priest’s arm loose from Liada. “She hasn’t done anything.”

  Now the man spun, face red with fury, to face Zeph. “I’m a priest of Roganista. I have the authority to arrest anyone who I think is supporting the First Ones. We are the protectors of the people.”

  A few people in the crowd began to murmur to each other when he said that. She glanced around from the corner of her eye. They looked angry but she didn’t think they were in a hurry to interfere either.

  “Come. I’m taking you to the temple.” He grabbed her again and started to pull her away.

  “I’m coming along, Priest. I’ll make sure you take her to Honorable Hadonn.” Zeph said.

  “I don’t need you,” Liada said. Once in the temple, he’d never get out.

  “I’m coming anyway.”

  It was a standoff. The priest didn’t intend to take her to the temple, since he didn’t know why she had talked to Hadonn, but couldn’t take her anywhere else with Zeph tagging along. He ignored Zeph and started walking, pulling Liada by the arm. He stalked towards Circle Road and then around to Arbor Street, which led directly to the Roganista Temple.

  Finally, he dropped her arm and glared at her. “I’ve decided to let you go. I’ll check with Honorable Hadonn. I know where you live, Jatia. And you too, Zack.”

  As they watched the priest storm away, Liada scratched her ear, the “someone may be listening” signal they had agreed upon.

  “Tali, follow him,” she whispered. The walk back to the Inn took an hour with neither of them saying anything. When they closed the door to Liada’s room Zeph didn’t hesitate to talk.

  “I think we’re in bad trouble,” Zeph said.

  “I think so too.” Liada’s hands were shaking and her stomach felt queasy.

  “I don’t like saying this—but we need to tell Emmund.”

  Liada nodded. “He wasn’t going to take me to Hadonn. He planned to take me somewhere else. When you insisted on coming along, he had to let me go. We made him look stupid. He’ll want revenge.”

  Things had been getting complicated ever since she went to the temple. As she considered their position, Tali landed on her shoulder.

  “What did he do?” She wasn’t sure what she wanted to hear. Would it be good or bad it he went directly to the temple?

  “He turned off and went towards West Fields Road, which was a little better than Jett Alley but not a good neighborhood. He entered a large house. As I waited, young priests were coming and going. Two had girls with them—and both of them looked afraid.” Liada repeated Tali’s words for Zeph.

  “You were right, Liada. He didn’t intend to take you back to the Temple. He’ll want revenge, and he’ll have help.”

  Chapter 9

  Sporish: Osshaft

  Liada stared into the dark and watched her door that night. She kept expecting the young priest to break in to her room if she closed her eyes. The next day, Liada couldn’t help looking over her shoulder every few minutes. She expected to see him everywhere she went: the kitchen, walking back to her room, and in her room.

  Even with yawning from lack of sleep and distracted from worry, she managed to produce reasonable meals for breakfast and dinner. But it meant checking everything she did two and three times. She forgot she had a pot of porridge on the stove and almost burned it, forgot the salt in the stew, and a dozen other mistakes. The day seemed a week long, and she was exhausted when she finished.

  She crept to the back door and opened it. She spent a few minutes surveying the yard. When she didn’t see the young priest or anyone else, she ran around to the back row of cabins. Opening the door to her room, she peeked in. It was empty so she hurried in and closed the door, propping the chair under the handle.

  Liada fretted over Zeph. He’d managed to foil the priest’s efforts to abduct her, but that would make him a target of the priests’ fury along with her. She’d worked herself into a frenzy by the time Zeph knocked. Liada pulled the chair away and let him in. He was grimy like he’d come straight from the stables.

  “I hate to say it, Liada, but I’m surprised we haven’t seen the priest or his friends by now. Maybe he’s waiting for night time, or to catch us alone, or away from the Inn again,” Zeph said as he sat in the chair with a tired sigh.

  “Cheery thought. If that weren’t enough to worry about, I’m concerned about Tali being so close to priests. I know junior priests don’t have Quag, but what if a Senior Priest visits?”

  “She’s been gone a long time. Maybe the priest reported you to Hadonn, and he’s taken ove
r. Tali wouldn’t know that, and she would be waiting for nothing.”

  “You’re full of cheery thoughts, Zeph. Now I can worry about the young priest, Hadonn, Kaim, Tali, and you. If Hadonn’s coming, he’ll bring his Quag, which could detect First Ones and could put Kaim and Tali in danger. You’re in danger from defending me. I was nervous before you came. Now I’m depressed and petrified.”

  Liada lay back on the bed with her arm across her eyes. “Life’s getting complicated. At home, I dreamed of adventures which were exciting, fun, glamorous, and safe. I never imagined dangerous, terrifying, never knowing when you could be murdered or imprisoned and tortured, and not being able to go home.”

  “Complicated and hard,” Zeph said.

  As she lay there, head pounding, Liada felt Tali’s feather-light touch on her forehead. She smiled, her friend was safe, and her headache faded. No doubt the magic of the sprite. Sitting up, she could feel Tali change positions to her shoulder next to her ear.

  “I’m so glad you’re back. I was afraid something had happened to you.”

  Zeph moved over to the bed next to Liada to hear what Tali had to say.

  “At first it was very boring. Young priests came and went, but your priest stayed in the house. About sunset he emerged and walked down Stoney Street toward the Inn—”

  “He’s here?” Zeph looked around like he might be in the room.

  “No. He walked slowly so he arrived at the Inn after the sun had set. I started to warn you when two other priests arrived. They grabbed him and said he was under arrest. The young priest tried to argue, but the two forced him to go with them past the Inn.”

  “But that’s the wrong direction. The temple’s the other way.” Zeph wrinkled his brow in puzzlement. “That doesn’t make sense.”

  “True, Zeph. I too thought that strange and was confused by their actions. They continued walking past South Fields Road until they reached the end of Stoney Street. There they entered the forest. I saw someone wearing a dark cloak among the trees. I waited and a half-hour later, two men exited in normal clothes. I knew they were the same men who had been dressed like priests. When they turned down South Fields Road towards the market, I returned to you.”