The dread boars pause at the sound of something big crashing through the underbrush behind them. Luke watches them twitch nervously as they pick up a familiar scent on the gentle breeze. They turn around to face the approaching threat, several of the boars accidentally stabbing their brethren with their tusks. With a mighty roar, an armored warrior bursts out of the forest and bludgeons the beasts with a large war hammer. The knight has his helmet visor down as he effortlessly knocks the dread boars around the clearing. Some of the dread boars transform back into their krypter forms as the knight proceeds to pulverize the skulls of the ones that refuse to retreat.
“I got you,” Luke hisses, sprinting at the panicking monsters. He sees pink energy envelope his sabers as he decapitates two of the krypters. Their bodies disintegrate and their heads bursts into magical sparks, leaving burn marks in the grass. Luke spins around, cutting the remaining krypters in half while the knight drives his war hammer through the last dread boar’s face.
“I apologize for interrupting your battle, but I was nearby,” Lord Highrider states, lifting his visor. “I heard about a pack of unusual dread boars in the area, so imagine my surprise when I saw a griffin attacking them.”
“Thank you, Lord Highrider. I was in a lot of trouble,” Luke admits, cleaning his sabers with a rag. “I’m surprised you’re out here alone.”
Lord Highrider tucks some orange hair into his helmet and grins. “Being in charge has some advantages like claiming missions for myself. I might as well take advantage of it because I will have to . . . behave if I’m voted permanent mayor. Though, I’m sure I can convince people to let me join their hunts and battles. Have you made any progress with the krypters or are we still reacting instead of taking the offensive?”
Luke is about to answer when the dryad floats into the clearing and wraps her arms around his neck. Lord Highrider politely looks away when the dryad kisses Luke. An amber energy rolls off her moist lips and into the forest tracker’s mouth. The kiss is intoxicating as the auras of Luke and the dryad roll and mix in her mouth. He is vaguely aware of green energy wisps leaving his mouth and entering the dryad until the kiss is over. The dryad licks her lips and pats her gradually bulging belly.
“Tell your naiad that I am sorry for intruding on her territory, but you did give me permission,” the dryad says before yawning and lazily drifting to the trees. Her voice carries back on the breeze as she continues speaking. “I know how territorial water fae can be when it comes to their mates. I never heard of one named Kira though.”
“You made a deal with a dryad,” Lord Highrider mentions with a chuckle. “It happens a lot this time of year. I have men who purposely enter the forest in search of the dryads. They never believe me when I tell them that it’s only a kiss.”
“I take it you’ve made such a deal,” Luke says, touching his tingling lips.
“Only in my younger days,” the knight claims, slapping Luke on the back. “What naiad was she talking about?”
“I have no idea and I’m not going to dwell on it,” Luke declares, putting the mystery out of his mind. “I should report to Tzefira and get yelled at. That woman is almost as angry and violent as Selenia. Honestly, they’re very similar, so I’m surprised Tzefira hates Selenia so much.”
“That’s because she blames Selenia for the death of her family,” Lord Highrider casually mentions.
Luke stares at the half-orc knight in surprise and wonders if he meant to reveal Tzefira’s secret. The calm look on Lord Highrider’s face tells Luke that he is up to something, but the half-orc is not going to openly say what is on his mind.
“Care to elaborate, sir?” Luke cautiously asks. “Also, why are you telling me this?”
“Tzefira is a brave and broken woman. I’ve been watching her lately and something is eating at her. I believe it has something to do with your connection to Selenia,” Lord Highrider explains, pulling out a rag to clean his bloody war hammer. “Her irritation began when you arrived and I don’t think she expected a student of Selenia to be with Nyx. It’s what makes the most sense considering she wanted Nyx here and has had very little contact with your gypsy friend. You probably don’t see her frustration because she hides it around you, but I’ve seen her eyes filled with pain over the last eight days.”
“So, I’m making people upset without realizing it,” Luke says in a voice full of doubt. “Do you know why she blames Selenia for her family’s death?”
“I don’t know the details of their connection, but I’ve heard her swear her hatred of Ms. Hamilton on a few occasions. One night of heavy drinking among her men, she revealed that Selenia was the one at fault for her family’s death,” the knight answers. He scratches his chin and tries to remember every word of the exchange. “She said her daughter and village would still be alive if Selenia hadn’t stolen her husband. Her description was very vague. I assume it was either a love triangle that didn’t go in Tzefira’s favor or Selenia killed her husband in battle.”
“Why are you telling me this, sir?”
“I’m asking you to make some time to talk to her and help her,” Lord Highrider kindly requests. “I believe your presence has caused her to think about her hate and pain again, which is why she is weaker and slower than I remember. The Tzefira I knew would never get hurt as severely as she did in her last battle. Now that the goblins and thieves have been settled to some extent, I ask that you talk to her and try to help her. We need Tzefira focused and strong to defeat the krypters.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Luke promises with a small bow. “Is there anything else you can tell me about her family’s death? Maybe Selenia and Kevin mentioned something.”
“All I know is that her entire village was burned to ashes,” Lord Highrider answers, strapping his war hammer to his side. “She never found her daughter’s body, but the child was too young to have survived the inferno and the monsters. I believe the child was two years old and Tzefira did mention the girl had her eyes. At least her original eye color, which I think she said was violet.”
Luke is rushing toward Hero’s Gate before Lord Highrider can finish talking. The knight is left wondering what he said to cause the young warrior to leave in such a hurry.
*****
“You’re going to have to go over this again,” Sari says as she sits on top of a winged gargoyle. Leaning back, she glances through the stained glass skylight of the library where several shadows wander among the stacks.
“We need our lost clan book to help us find the lost shawl and only then can we search for my lost sword,” Kayn calmly explains from his perch next to her. “It isn’t that complicated, Sari. Within the book is a spell that can locate the shawl and there may also be a spell to help us find my sword. It’s a reflector blade, so I assume most locator spells won’t work.”
“I’m surprised our clan managed to hold onto anything with all the lost artifacts you keep telling me about,” Sari mutters, shivering at the feel of cold stone on her legs. She adjusts her skirts, so she no longer feels like everyone on the street can see up them. “You said you needed two things to avenge our clan. This book makes three.”
“The book is a tool, not a goal,” Kayn says, studying the movements of the people in the library. “You should have stayed in your bodysuit. Your skirts are going to get in the way if we have to move quickly.”
Sari slips off the gargoyle and pats him on the cheek. “Do you ever remember my skirts getting in my way?”
“No,” Kayn admits with a sheepish grin. “Though, the color of your skirts will make you easier to see and remember.”
“You just want to see me in a skintight outfit again,” she playfully announces while balancing on the edge of the rooftop.
“It wasn’t a bad look for you, but I’m thinking about practicality here,” Kayn defiantly argues as he nervously watches Sari. “We have to sneak in there and steal the book. I want us to have as few obstacles as possible, which includes flowing clothes that we can trip over.”
“Your plan isn’t going to work,” Sari claims, leaning against the gargoyle. “There’s no way the two of us can sneak into this building, slip around all those people, and get back out without being seen. That’s even if I’m wearing an outfit that leaves nothing to the imagination.”
“I know exactly where the book is, so it will be a quick job,” Kayn argues. He points at the silhouettes of the people in the library. “We’ve been watching them for hours, so we know the guards’ patterns. The patrons won’t pay us any attention and none of them go near the restricted area in the back. Our clan book is listed as a relic tome, so that is where it’ll be. We get in the cage and get out through the window above.”
“And we get chased across the rooftops by the guards standing outside,” Sari adds in exasperation. “You always think more like a warrior than a thief when you desperately want something. We need to make a distraction to draw the guards away from the library.”
“The other thieves will be taking care of that,” Kayn argues. He walks along the ledge and jumps to the next building. “They will be drawing everyone’s attention away in a few minutes.”
Sari quietly follows Kayn, who is swiftly climbing down the building. She gracefully bounces and flips from one ledge to another, her skirts hypnotizing Kayn. She lands without a sound and darts between two stacks of crates to wait for him. He hits the ground in a crouch and rushes to press her against the wall. The sound of armored footsteps outside the alley causes the gypsies to hold their breath. Sari smiles at the warm feeling of Kayn’s smooth cheek against her forehead.
“It’s clear,” he whispers, moving away from her. “Are you going to go along with the plan or not?”
“I’ll follow your plan,” Sari promises, her voice a little sad from Kayn pulling away. “Though, I maintain the right to improvise if we’re about to be caught.”
“You have no faith in me,” he says in obvious disappointment.
“I have a lot of faith in you, Kayn,” Sari assures him with a tender hand on his chest. “It’s that I don’t think this is a foolproof plan. You’re so focused on the target that you aren’t paying attention to the obstacles. I just found you, so I don’t know what I’d do if you got arrested or killed.”
“I’ll be fine. Come on.”
Kayn takes Sari by the hand and cautiously leads her out of the alley. They stop and quietly talk about dinner plans until enough time has passed for people to forget them. Hooking his arm around Sari’s waist, Kayn guides her up the marble stairs to the gothic-style entrance of the library. They stop inside the doors to stare in wonder at the beautiful stained glass windows. Blue marble busts of legendary scholars sit at the end of each aisle. Kayn peeks at the back where he sees a solitary case of books behind an iron gate that rises to the ceiling. Three guards are standing at the locked entrance to the small alcove, their eyes cautiously scanning the area for signs of trouble.
Sari nudges Kayn, getting him to follow her gaze to the second floor where more guards are lurking. They are difficult to pick out because they are dressed like the daily visitors and their small weapons are expertly hidden. The only reason Sari notices them is because they are the only people without books and they never wander far from the railing. She mentally kicks herself for not picking up on them while she was observing.
“Can I help you?” asks a young woman in a plain, white dress. She adjusts an armband with the elven word for truth embroidered in blue letters.
“My boyfriend and I were looking for some special books,” Sari replies in a hushed voice. She nervously looks around the library as if checking to see if anybody is near enough to hear her. “A few friends of ours told us we could find one or two here.”
“I’m not sure what you mean by special books,” the young woman politely admits. “We have a relic tome section that is forbidden to the public.”
Sari shifts from foot to foot before moving closer to the young woman and whispering in her ear, “We’re looking for very special books that are available to the public. These books were probably written by elves or gnomes if I had to guess. Look, this is very embarrassing to ask about.”
“I still don’t-” the woman begins before her eyes widen in understanding. Her cheeks flush and she glances at Kayn, who bashfully clears his throat. “Those types of books are on the first floor in that direction. All we ask is that you don’t do anything indecent while you’re on the premises.”
“Thank you so much,” Sari says, giving the young woman a weak hug. She takes Kayn by the hand and leads him in the direction of the special books.
Kayn waits until they are among the stacks before covering his mouth to stifle his laughter. Sari elbows him in the ribs and ushers him through the aisles in search of a secluded spot. Finding a dusty corner, she turns to face her red-faced companion.
“You’re a dirty woman, Sari,” Kayn gasps when he stops chuckling.
“I didn’t say anything dirty,” Sari contends in mock offense. “I merely asked about the special books and she jumped to that conclusion. If anyone has a dirty mind in this building, it’s that young woman. She could have assumed I was talking about a medical condition or that we were investigating marriage laws before eloping.”
“Most people aren’t as creative as you,” Kayn mentions, pulling Sari in for a friendly hug. “You were always good at getting people to jump to the wrong conclusion to manipulate them.”
“You make me sound like a horrible person,” Sari mutters. She pushes him away and shifts her attention to the nearest bookcase. “I manipulated people to get out of trouble or get money that they weren’t using. I may have done some mean things when I was a child, but I stopped manipulating people for fun when I turned ten.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” Kayn insists, confused by her brief rant. “Is something wrong, Sari?”
Sari takes a deep breath and gives Kayn a tight hug around his waist. “This isn’t the time or place, Kayn. Let’s get our clan’s book and get back to the hideout.”
A loud whistle erupts from outside and the guards from the second floor draw their weapons. With thundering footsteps, they rush down the stairs and head for the front steps where a large fight has broken out. A few plumes of fire erupt from the crowd of brawlers, a harmless effect that Kayn chose to make the guards believe the library was in danger. Unfortunately, the three guards in front of the restricted area refuse to move from their post.
“That didn’t work too well,” Sari mentions with a disheartened sigh.
“I guess we knock them out or kill them,” Kayn mutters, his hand falling to the hilt of his dagger.
“How long do you need in there?” Sari asks, forcefully removing his hand from his weapon.
“Maybe five minutes.”
“Elf or orc?”
“I don’t follow.”
“Do you want to cheat on me with an elf or an orc?”
Kayn grins at the question when he realizes what she is planning. “I prefer elven women, but an orc woman would make more of a scene. Also, I have yet to meet an elven maiden who could keep up with you.”
Sari bows to Kayn and strides out from behind the bookcase. She marches across the library with an angry scowl on her face. Her target is a tall, gorgeous orc woman with golden hair. The unsuspecting woman is wearing a tight dress and reading a cookbook, which Sari decides to use as part of the scene. A few people watch the gypsy furiously storms toward the statuesque blonde, but they keep their mouths shut out of disbelief.
“You have a lot of nerve,” Sari snaps, smacking the cookbook out of the orc’s hands. “I can’t believe you’re willing to show your face in public after what you did.”
“I think you’re mistaking me for someone else,” the orc politely says, bending down to pick up the fallen book. “I’ve never seen you before.”
“Of course you’ve never seen me before,” Sari loudly counters, shoving the much taller woman away from the book. With a subtle flick of her fingers, she
secretly yanks a hair from the orc. “My boyfriend isn’t going to introduce his whore to me.”
“Now I’m sure you’re mistaken.”
Sari dangles the golden hair in front of the orc and sneers at her. “I found this in my bed this morning. It matches your hair and he always told me he had to come to this library for research. I didn’t realize he was researching how to be a cheating bastard with a heartless whore.”
“You’re pushing your luck,” the woman growls, leaning down to bring her nose to nose with Sari. “I have nothing to do with your worthless boyfriend. Now get out of my face and never call me a whore again.”
“Would you prefer trump, slut, prostitute, home-wrecker, or harlot?” Sari bravely asks with a cruel smile. “Personally, I prefer calling you a gutless . . . whore.”
The enraged orc punches Sari in the face, sending the short gypsy crashing against a bookcase. Sari fights back by trying to tackle the woman, but she is not strong enough to knock her opponent down. Before the orc can push her off, Sari kicks her in the shin with all her might. A solid knee strikes Sari on the chin, forcing her to let go and the orc hops away to lean on a nearby table. Shaking her head clear, Sari looks up in time to see a chair swinging at her chest. She clumsily dives out of the way and continues dancing away from the angry woman. The swirl of Sari’s colorful skirts draws the orc’s attention, so the swings are low enough for the gypsy to dodge with ease.
“I swear to Ymir that I’m going to put you in the hospital,” the orc snarls. She charges Sari and uses the chair to pin the gypsy to a bookcase.
“I’m sure I already caught a disease by breathing the same air as you,” Sari groans, bracing herself for more of a beating.
The orc’s fist strikes her on the side of the head, knocking her to the ground. She leaps up to slap the orc in the jaw, which makes the stronger woman stumble back. Glancing around the tall blonde, Sari can see several librarians talking to the three guards. After the orc delivers a few more punches to Sari’s stomach and throws her over a table, the guards agree to approach them. Sari can see Kayn rush to the door and work on the lock, but her view is blocked when the orc grabs her by the face. She can feel herself get spun in the air before the orc lets go and she crashes into the guards.
Legends of Windemere: 03 - Family of the Tri-Rune Page 25
