by Sam Rook
Mercenaries. Lanclor hated mercenaries. A bunch of filth fighting for money.
Mikael handed the man a piece of paper. "Go to this address and ask to see Drewton. Explain the situation and tell him a Guardsman gave you his name. He’ll help you." Mikael nodded in farewell and the man hurried from the alley.
Lanclor shook his head in disgust. "You sent that man to a mercenary for help? His daughter will be dead by the time he raises enough money."
Mikael glared at him. "Drewton is a good man. We ran into each other many cycles ago while chasing the same man. In the end, Drewton ended up saving my life and I returned the favor a few cycles later."
Lanclor snorted, but remained quiet.
"Drewton's a Royal Guardsman stuck in the mercenary company. Don't judge someone before you even know him." Mikael turned and left the alley, leaving Lanclor standing slack-jawed behind.
Lanclor gathered himself and stepped from the alley just in time to see Mikael walk into a tavern across the street. He joined him a short while later and sat down at a battered table in the corner with his back to the wall. It was the same as the other five taverns they'd visited that day.
Mikael began to let it slip in a casual conversation in various pubs about the "legal loophole" of the healing vouchers. He would incorporate it into a conversation innocently, and the ears surrounding his table would pick it up. For a while, Lanclor was sure he saved many of peoples’ lives as they flocked to various healers not of the Healer's Guild.
After a short while, the word must have reached the Council and they closed the loophole. Now, the Council regulated all healing magic. This didn’t include the Knighthood as they were outside the realm of the Council laws. Lanclor dropped a few names to Mikael who let everyone know there were many knight healers who were willing to provide this service if approached properly.
To deny healing was against the Goddess. Lanclor didn't care how they tried to justify it. He longed to expose the corruption of the Council, but he didn’t have the time or any idea of the method. The Daemons grew more aggressive, the number of Changed men was increasing, and as he tried to investigate the rising murders, his patience failed.
Mikael complained he no longer found comfort in his fellow Guardsmen as they discussed petty thefts and magic voucher violations. What Mikael had seen went so far beyond the normal crimes seen by Guardsmen every day; Lanclor suspected he was starting to view himself as an outsider.
Lanclor assumed he'd get a new knight before the cycle was out.
"Mikael, I think it's time for you to take some time off," Guard-Commander Warren said in a concerned voice. "I hate to say it, but you've been working too hard trying to link these Changed men with the black quills in the Daemons. There probably is no connection. We may just have another ally out there who wants to remain anonymous. I can't see anything wrong with killing Daemons."
"Maybe you're right." Mikael's frustration started to affect his work. Lanclor had spoken to Warren earlier in the week and found out Mikael snapped at his fellow Guardsmen. "Maybe I should take Jenna to Filippe's so she can meet her cousins. I haven't seen them in over two cycles. With your permission, I'd like to leave for a couple days and take a break."
"That's an excellent idea. Your brother could probably use the company. I don't know why he insists on living out in the middle of nowhere with only his girls." Warren shook his head. "I suppose he couldn’t bear leaving the cabin he built for his wife, the Goddess keep her. Give him my best."
"I will, sir. Would you mind if I brought him some extra blankets from storage? You can take it out of my pay next month. I fear a cold winter is approaching."
Lanclor remembered how cold it was in the mountains. Mikael and he used to visit with Filippe all of the time when Marrilynn was alive. Even after Elcara had passed away, Marrilynn still liked to visit with her nieces. "If you don’t mind, I’ll tag along as well. I need some time away."
"That's fine, Sir Lanclor. Mikael, there are some nicer quality blankets toward the back if you feel like digging through the shelves. We just had them come in from the Guild. I’ll see you in a better mood upon your return, I hope."
"Yes, sir. Thank you for bringing my current behavior to my attention. I’m sometimes blind to it when I get caught up in an investigation."
The truth was sometimes hard to take. Lanclor had learned a long time ago that many people lash out irrationally when you tried to tell them something they did wrong. He vowed he would keep an open mind and pay attention if someone tried to help him. Anger never helped anyone, but it was so hard to let go.
The next morning, Jenna, Mikael, Lanclor and the dog were only a short distance from Filippe's house when they heard it. Silence. No birds chirping, no animal noises from the dense forest, no children playing. The lack of noise disturbed them more than if the clash of steel from a battle were ahead. Something was wrong.
Jenna sensed something out of the ordinary as well and seemed to shrink inward. "What's wrong, Mikael?"
"I don't know. Just hold tight in case we need to leave in a hurry." Mikael cautiously guided his horse toward his brother's house and Lanclor moved his horse up alongside, drawing his sword from its sheath. The house was just over the rise in a small valley. He never would have seen the body if it wasn't for the black quills sticking above the grass.
"Mikael." Lanclor gestured with his chin. Lanclor's first thought was that a Daemon had attacked the cabin and their unknown allies attacked it.
"Stay here, Jenna." Jenna rode in front of Mikael, her small hand white-knuckled in the horse's mane. "Sir Lanclor and I will go on ahead. If I tell you to run, you pull Lightfoot right around and make him run back to town. Understood?" She just nodded with wide eyes as she looked back over her shoulder at him. He handed her the reins and dismounted.
Lanclor dismounted and as they approached the body, the dog at their side. Lanclor glanced around searching for any threat. Only when they were over the body did he allow himself to look down. He saw the remains of Mikael's older brother. What was left of his mouth open in a silent scream. The quills were from close range, straight into his heart.
"They’re not our allies." Mikael said through clenched teeth.
Mikael hurried back to Jenna and the horse and mounted. He guided the mare in ever-increasing circles around the house, searching for his nieces. Lanclor gave the body one last look then ran to his horse, joining in the search. The light faded and so did their hope of finding them. The dog gave a short bark while snuffling the ground several feet to their left. They hurried over and looked at the ground, fighting to hold back their alarm lest they scare Jenna even more.
There were dozens of what appeared to be human tracks, but with too many toes on each foot. They were the size of a grown man, but slender, with what looked like pointed claws on each toe. Scattered throughout the barrage of footprints were the tiny footprints of human children. Whoever—whatever—they were, they took the children.
Chapter 34
As Borith buried the Councilor, he couldn’t help but think of his parents. They had felt cold to the touch as well when I buried them. During his 24th cycle, a wolf spooked the oxen pulling his parents’ cart. The bulls trampled both of them, pulling the machinery after it. He pleaded with the Council to grant a healer permission to attend them. After careful deliberation, they decided that the accident was the will of the Goddess and a healer shouldn’t intervene. He begged and pleaded, but they adamantly refused and called their guards to remove him from the chamber.
He sat with his parents for two days, striving to prevent any type of infection from settling into their bodies. His father remained in a deep sleep while his mother trembled with pain, sometimes moaning for hours on end. Despite his care, his mother died that afternoon and his father followed that evening.
It took him all night to dig a single grave big enough for both of them to remain together in death. He wrapped them in their bed sheets and struggled for over an hour to slide them into the
earth. No prayer. No goddess or god could exist if this could happen to his religious parents. Never again would he depend upon anyone else to survive.
Borith looked down as he made his report to his master. "The smith was right. Councilor Melekir did take the Orb. He sold it to a knight, but he believes the knight died in one of the battles a few weeks ago. Who knows what happened to it after that."
"Will he be able to tell anyone else his story?"
"No. The Councilor had an unfortunate accident. He seems to have suffered from heart failure. Torture usually does that to elderly people. No one will be the wiser. I took care of the body and left some incriminating evidence at his home so everyone will think he ran off with a young man named Nithen."
"Good. We don’t need anyone else knowing the truth about the Orb. I’m sure it wouldn’t have been left upon the battlefield. Its power would have attracted another knight who I’m sure pocketed it without knowing its value. We should be able to track it eventually. I need to get back now. I shall see you in a few days."
His master shifted his wings, then without a backwards glance left the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He’s such a fool. He thought he was the only one who had set plans in motion. If luck was with him, Lanclor, Kathryn and Alextor would be nothing but a tragic memory in the next few months.
Chapter 35
I was worried about you. The Dark One came and told me about your injury, Artemis said as Kathryn entered her stall.
I was in bed for over a week. I’m sorry I missed so many of our rides. The healer put me on light duty today. Would you like to go for a ride? Master Healer Vetera said I could ride as long as I didn’t try any mounted warfare.
Yes, I’d love to go riding. Things are so boring around here without you. As Kathryn saddled Artemis and readied her tack, the mare looked back and said thoughtfully, You know, the Dark One sounded a little guilty when he came by. It’s the only time I’ve seen him since he introduced us. What happened to make him feel guilty enough to let me know you were unavailable?
I assume you’re talking about Sir Lanclor. He sent me on the mission after we had a disagreement. He didn’t realize how many Daemons were down there until they ambushed my squad. I think he feels guilty about throwing me into a situation in unknown territory like that. Sir Lanclor’s a complex man. Half the time I have no idea what he’s thinking.
Ah, so you’re mates then. That explains all of the misunderstandings. I remember when my mother and father—
We’re not mates! I barely even know him, not to mention he’s the Knight-Commander, and I—Kathryn realized that she kept trying to find excuses to explain human relationships to a horse. Oh, never mind. I’m not going to try to explain the intricacies of relationships between bosses and employees. It’s something that’s frowned upon on Earth and I’m sure on this world as well. Let’s just enjoy the day.
Hmm, touchy, aren’t we? You humans are always so stiff. For us, if we want a stallion, we just walk by him when we’re ready for conception and that’s that. I remember this one time, my friend Lanari wanted this big buckskin—
Kathryn wanted nothing more than to place her hands over her ears and drown out what Artemis said. Unfortunately, since the mare's voice was inside her head, she had no choice but to endure the thoroughly detailed story about Artemis' four-legged friends’ sexual exploits.
"I can’t believe Gentorn killed Oliava at the end of that story. Sir Yentin left, thinking she had chosen another over him. What an idiot! Typical of a man to think the woman he loves can be so easily swayed to another’s arms." Kathryn rambled, caught up in her feelings about the latest book Elena had left her.
"You have to remember, though," Elena pointed out, "Oliava had a fight with him over the selling of the store. She was angry he sold it without consulting her and stormed out of the room. When he later saw her on the battlement with Gentorn hugging her to him, he never realized Gentorn was only holding her upright after he stabbed her."
"You’re right, but it still frustrated me." Kathryn smiled and for the first time in months, felt truly rested. "I love the books you bring me. They’re all so different and hard to predict. I think that, and riding with Artemis every evening, has finally helped me sleep easier."
"Well, I think spending time with burly men all day would help me sleep easier. I’m sure my dreams would be very active." Elena looked at her with a mischievous grin.
"Oh, stop. Burly men. I can’t even see their features under their armor."
"Hmm, if only you could. I know I don’t have any problem imagining their bulging muscles underneath their plate."
Kathryn laughed along with Elena. "With some of them, it’s almost impossible not to imagine what they look like. Some more than others." She trailed off, a lopsided smile upon her face. "I think your romance books have awakened my womanly desires. Oh, I remember you said you have a husband. How is he?"
Elena's smile disappeared. "I was married once. He was the strongest and most gentle man I’ve ever known. He was in the Royal Guard and would sneak flowers from the High Garden every month. He would always surprise me with one when I was upset." Elena looked down at her book, tracing the edges with her fingers. "When they told me he’d been killed trying to restrain a knight who had gone mad and forced some women to jump through windows, nobody was there to offer me a flower."
"I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you." Kathryn fought back the approaching loneliness. She’d been so busy, she’d successfully tucked it into the back of her mind for many months.
"No, I’m not upset. It was a long time ago and I’ve learned to look back on only the good times. Tell me, have you had your eye on anyone?" She smiled, changing the subject.
"Me? I don’t have time to have my eye on anyone. Besides, there are more important things right now than romance." Staying alive. Keeping everyone else alive.
"That reminds me. The Ball of Remembrance is coming up in a few weeks. We should go together."
"A ball? You mean with dancing and stuff?" Kathryn remembered some of the best times in her life on a dance floor.
"Yes. Don’t sound so surprised. In the middle of a war, this is one of the few times we can relieve stress. You have to go. There’ll be dancing, singing, drinking and a ton of food. Everyone tends to relax their guard a little, maybe get a little...friendly, if you know what I mean?" Elena’s smile was infectious.
"Wait. They’re not going to be having sex on the dance floor, are they?"
"Kate, men of Av’lor aren’t like that. They’ll at least take us someplace private." Elena’s laugh made Kathryn smile and eventually join in.
"I think it would be a little awkward. I don’t know what any of the other knights look like beneath their armor. What if I hooked up with someone I work with every day? That would make things a little strained during drill the next day." An officer would be even more awkward. Sir Garrent or Sir Lanclor. Even worse, what if it was Jakara? Knife training would have a whole new meaning.
"Oh, rank is suspended for the one day and it’s pretty anonymous. Everyone’s wings will be the same color. License to party." Elena laughed and started thrusting her hips towards the bathtub with a sponge in one hand and a bottle of cleaner in the other.
"So, everyone gets together without any identifying rank or wing color and has a big party?" Kathryn had a hard time believing the chain of command would be flung out the door for even a day.
"Yeah, pretty much."
"Okay, so how do they get rid of rank and wing color?"
"Well, there are spells to temporarily change everyone’s wing color to the grey of a first cycle. Then we have the option to change our hair and eye color as well. You should do that with your coloring. Probably change your voice a little bit too. Oh, and make sure to keep your birth bane spell updated. We don’t want any little knights running around."
"Birth bane spell? That sounds handy." Beats popping a pill every day.
"You should already have it. It�
�s the same spell that keeps your menses from flowing every month."
Jackpot! "I demand to have that spell right now!"
The knights having a party. It just didn’t seem right. She couldn’t picture her fellow knights—some so stuffy they took offense if she removed her helmet—letting loose and flirting with each other without any armor at all. If only she had a video camera.
Lord Alextor chose to send three squads of knights to Hopent, hoping its residents were still alive. Kathryn once again flew in Derrek’s squad. Brownwing and graywing veterans replenished the squad that was now up to its former count of fifty knights. The newcomers treated her with courtesy, most likely because they heard the story of the so-called Red River Battle.
As they approached Hopent under the cover of twilight, they saw no sign of cook fires. They saw hundreds of dead bodies picked clean of all flesh and muscle. Only the bones remained with occasional tatters of clothing and shoes. They circled above the village, and then hovered over the local barracks—what was left of it.
Only a black outline remained on the ground of a 300-militia barracks. Fire had consumed it so thoroughly that there was nothing left—no rubble, no charred timbers, nothing. Kathryn hadn’t heard of this type of power in her reading beyond high-level fire spells.
While they scanned the remains of the building, Daemons rose from the trees. Sir Lanclor noticed their approach and ordered everyone into formation, preparing for battle. Sir Lanclor’s squad took the middle position while he held Derrek’s squad in reserve. Sir Lanclor ordered the third squad, led by Winstern with Kathryn's friend Datera toward the rear, to flank the Daemons once they were in range.
