“I’m not familiar with the country in this area. Do you have a suggestion?”
“Perhaps. I’ll know better once I get some news on the conditions at the border. I’m still very concerned about these reports of troops making their way south to secure it.”
The rest of the meal passed with little conversation. Afterwards, they cleared the table and Petrov left to see to the needs of the farm as Keltin and the Destovs moved to the sitting room. Keltin fed some wood to the fire to ward off the chill then took a seat to find the Destov’s all looking at him. Derrick tugged at his mother’s sleeve.
“Now?” he pleaded.
Mrs. Destov shushed her son before turning to Keltin.
“Elaine has kept us well informed of your adventures from your letters, Mr. Moore. I’m sure my sons would be very interested to hear anything you might add to the tales, if you are amendable, of course.”
“Well, I’m not sure what Elaine has already told you.”
“Is it true that you fought a tusked giant all by yourself?” asked Col.
“Well, I did face a tusked giant in the Krendaria campaign, but I wasn’t alone. I had plenty of help, including from your sister.”
Elaine gave him a small smile. “Why don’t you tell us something of your adventures hunting beasts recently? How was Krendaria this year? What sort of beasts did you see?”
Keltin obligingly described several of the beasts that he’d encountered on Mr. Whitt’s landholdings. The boys sat on the edge of their seats with wide eyes, eagerly devouring every detail of the stork-legged beast, whip leg, and armored leech. As he spoke, Keltin glanced at Elaine to see her smiling warmly at him and her siblings. He smiled back, and launched into a lengthy description of Lost Trap and the legendary Ghost that had plagued the prospectors along the Wylow river.
He was just getting to the final hunt for the monster when there was a sudden sharp knock on the front door. Everyone froze. Another knock sounded. Keltin rose slowly and went to his gear lying where he’d left it in the corner. Retrieving his hand cannon, he gave the Destovs a reassuring look before making his way to the door. As he prepared to open it, he heard a soft step behind him. Turning, he saw Elaine standing behind him with his hunting rifle in her hands. She nodded to him and he nodded back before turning to the door and opening it a crack, keeping his hand cannon out of sight. He took one look outside and then threw the door open with relief at the sight of Harper and the rest of his friends along with Quibly of the Brothers of Kerrtow.
“It’s good to see you all safe,” said Keltin. “I wasn’t sure when to expect you.”
“It took a little time to find Ross,” said Harper. “You won’t believe the dive he had ended up in.”
“Is Petrov here?” asked Quibly.
“I think he’s out in the fields,” said Keltin.
“We need to find him. There’s news that he needs to hear.”
Soon all of the adults were sitting around the dining room table while the boys and Wendi played Swift in the sitting room. Quibly took a long drink of spirits that Petrov had provided for him and ran a shaking hand over his eyes.
“This is all like a bad dream,” he muttered to himself. “Freck arrived in Carris just yesterday with his troops.”
“I didn’t think he was that close, based on what you said at the warehouse,” said Keltin.
“Our information was incomplete. He was a full two days ahead of what we expected.”
Quibly’s head sank to his hands. Harper spoke up.
“There’s more, I’m afraid. There was an assassination attempt on Freck’s life soon after he arrived.”
Keltin felt his stomach clench.
“Kor’sa’vor?”
“Yes. The Loopi fired from an upstairs window as the troops were parading down the street. They swarmed the building in seconds, but he’d already taken his own life by the time they reached him.”
“Was Freck hit?” asked Petrov.
“He was, but not badly. He’ll survive.”
Petrov shook his head. “This couldn’t have gone worse. Freck will take his revenge on the whole territory, and the propagandists will have a field day with the shooter being a Loopi.”
There was a long silence. Keltin thought of the impulsive Loopi and his fiery eyes filled with life and anger. For a brief, fleeting moment he wondered if he shared some responsibility for the terrible turn of events for the people of Carris and the surrounding territory. If he had taken the task that Whelks and the others had asked of him...
No. Even if Freck were dead, someone else would have taken his place. Keltin was not responsible for the actions of Kor’sa’vor or the consequences that would follow. For better or worse, Keltin’s time in Malpin had come to a close. All he could do now was focus on getting himself, the Destovs, and his friends out of the country before anything else happened. With that in mind, he turned to Harper.
“What about the troops? Have they been deployed yet?”
“I’m afraid so. Freck is convinced that there are more would-be assassins that are fleeing south to Krendaria. He had the soldiers force-marching through the night to the border. Even if we left now, they’d already be in place. It looks like the door behind us just got closed and locked.”
“They can’t cover all of the border at once.” Keltin turned to Petrov. “Is there anywhere that the military hasn’t been deployed to, or at least, hasn’t established itself yet?”
Petrov shrugged. “I suppose there’s the stretch running through Pike Forest, but that place is more dangerous than anywhere else.”
“Why?”
“Pike Forest runs between south-eastern Malpin and north-eastern Krendaria. The Bent Knee River doesn’t mark the border there, so it’s always been a point of contention since the Three Forest War and the redrawing of the Malpin border. Whether out of a desire to make use of the area or out of simple spite, Malpin has used that forest as a breeding ground for more than a generation now.”
“What do they breed there?”
“Sleevaks.”
Harper shot Keltin a worried look. Keltin saw him but stared at the space between himself and the table, considering. If he went any other way, he’d have to deal with well-armed soldiers. Of course, some would say that a feral sleevak was worse than a man with a rifle, but Keltin saw the beasts as just another monstrous creature, one he had killed more than once in his life. Besides which, he had no compunctions about killing the boils, as opposed to soldiers who, for all he knew, were simply following the orders of a government that they resented but were otherwise unable to do anything about.
On the other hand, he had the Destovs to consider. While he knew that he could rely on Elaine to be a cool head and a steady aim, there was her mother and the two boys to consider. There was no telling how many sleevaks were in Pike Forest. Could he keep all of them away from those under his protection? Then again, he wasn’t the only capable one in the group. Besides Elaine, there was Ross and Kuff, along with Wendi and Harper. Between them all, they could travel with some degree of boldness during the day and keep two-man watches in the night.
Keltin looked up to see all faces turned to him, waiting for his word. He turned to Petrov.
“How large is Pike Forest?”
“It would probably take you two-to three days traveling with the carriage to get to the border, if you knew the way.”
Keltin nodded. “Then I think we should go that way.”
“I don’t think that’s wise. I know that you have a moral objection to the possibility of taking human life, Mr. Moore, but that’s not good enough to risk everyone’s life in the breeding grounds of those monsters.”
“Ross and I were both on the Krendarian campaign. We know how to travel through a forest full of beasts. And Harper, Wendi, and Elaine all have experience with beasts as well. If we travel quickly and carefully, we should be able to get through safely.”
“I still don’t think it’s a good idea,” said Petrov.
Keltin turned to Ross. The Krendarian hunter blew out his cheeks before answering.
“Well, Kuff has never faced a sleevak before, but Captain Tallow always used to say that a good hound can bring down any pair of those brainless boils. At any rate, he’d have a better chance against those monsters than a patrol of armed soldiers. I vote for Pike Forest.”
“I can respect that,” said Harper, “But I’m inclined to side with Petrov on this one. He has the connections and the network to potentially make our crossing at a military-controlled border much safer. I vote we try crossing somewhere else.”
Keltin turned to Elaine and her mother. Mrs. Destov sighed and shook her head.
“This has all been so difficult. I know that each of you would do anything to help my family, and I am eternally grateful. But I fear that I have no experience in these matters, and would only complicate things by trying to guess at what decision would be best.” She reached out and took the hand of her daughter sitting next to her, smiling sadly at Elaine as she continued. “My daughter has been such a strength to me since we left home. I trust her judgement, and will defer my vote to her.”
Elaine squeezed her mother’s hand before turning to the group. She met Petrov’s eyes first. “Like my mother, I could never fully express my gratitude for your generosity and assistance since we arrived here.” She then turned to Ross. “I don’t know you sir, but I have known several other veterans of the Krendarian campaign, and I am convinced that only the very best of your profession would have survived those horrors. I thank you for your insightful input, just as I thank you for yours,” she said, directing the latter statement to Harper.
Elaine then turned her brilliant eyes to Keltin. As she spoke, her words were loud enough for all to hear, but her whole being seemed focused solely on him.
“Keltin, you are the reason that I am here. Without you, I would have been lost in my uncle’s farm just a year ago. And now, you’ve come here, ready to do whatever must be done to see my family reunited in a safe land. I believe with all my heart that you would sacrifice anything to see that happen. I know you would.”
Keltin couldn’t speak. His throat was tight. He swallowed and could only nod, slowly. Elaine continued, her eyes sparkling.
“Keltin, you know my heart. I have faith in you. I will follow you wherever you lead for as long as you will let me.”
Keltin felt his heart pounding in his chest. He glanced at Mrs. Destov to find her still holding Elaine’s hand with a proud smile directed to her daughter. Keltin took a deep breath and forced himself to acknowledge the rest of those gathered around the table.
“It’s settled then,” he said. “We will go through Pike Forest.”
Petrov sighed. “Well, if you insist on going, I can at least write you a letter of introduction to our Brother in Velef. It’s a small village just north of Pike Forest that caters to the sleevak breeders. He should be able to tell you the best route through the forest to the border.”
“That’s very courteous of you,” said Mrs. Destov. “Thank you.”
“I wish I could do more for you, but circumstances are becoming more complicated all the time, and will likely only get worse. I suggest you leave soon. It’s a few days’ journey to Velef, even with the wagonette.”
“I fear that it won’t be large enough to carry all of us,” said Mrs. Destov.
“Those of us who are able will take turns walking and driving,” said Keltin. “It won’t be very quick traveling, but with the wagonette’s lanterns we should be able to do most of our traveling on the road after dark. Petrov, are we likely to run into any other traffic on the main roads in that direction?”
“I doubt it, aside from the odd parcel coach, you should be able to make the journey without meeting anyone as long as you hide during the day.”
“Then I suggest we plan on leaving tonight after dark. Are we agreed?” He was met by a series of nods. “All right. In that case, we should all try to get some rest. It’s going to be a long night.”
Keltin was just getting up from the table to follow Elaine into the sitting room when Petrov pulled him aside.
“May I have a word in private, Mr. Moore?”
“Of course. What’s the matter?”
“Come with me.”
Petrov led Keltin up the stairs to the farmhouse’s second floor. He walked to the end of the hallway and stopped in front of a closed bedroom door. Removing a key from his pocket, he unlocked the door and opened it, gesturing inside. Keltin was about to step inside before he realized that there was no room to stand. Every inch of floor-space was occupied with stacks of crates, packages, and boxes. Among the containers were a variety of other items, all of them exotic and fantastic. Keltin realized that he was looking at a treasure trove of art. He struggled to take in all that he saw. Canvases covered in glorious colors stood stacked together between great sculptures of wood, metal and stone, while every flat surface seemed covered with elegant, meticulously shaped figurines and jewelry. Turning to Petrov, he found the Brother of Kerrtow watching him carefully.
“I’m not sure how much you know about the Brothers of Kerrtow, Mr. Moore. Perhaps it’s best that you know as little as possible, though I think the danger of you being apprehended by the government is fairly low now that you’re going to Pike Forest. But this much I will tell you. We’re in the business of rescuing more than people from this country. It is our solemn duty to preserve and protect the heritage of our Loopi neighbors and ancestors that the Vaughs would rather see silenced. This is one of many temporary safe-houses for some of these precious relics rescued from the museums and personal collections of our oppressors.”
“Are you saying that you stole these?”
“Liberated. The original owners were driven from their homes and possessions. We may not be able to return everything to its rightful owners, but we can at least deny some of these treasures from those who took them.”
“I see. I suppose I never really thought about preserving art at a time like this.”
“Art is the embodiment of a culture’s soul, Mr. Moore. Take it away, and the Vaughs will have destroyed more than the Loopi’s way of life. They will have destroyed their heritage.
“I know that there’s limited space in the wagonette, but I was hoping that you would take at least a small portion of this collection with you. We have contacts in Carvalen who can take the items off your hands, and you’ll likely pass through the capital anyway on your way to Riltvin. I won’t force you to do it, but even if you don’t care about our cause, it would be a nice gesture of gratitude for what we’ve tried to do to help you and the Destovs.”
“We’ll take what we can spare the space for,” said Keltin.
“Thank you. We’ll have the pieces ready by the time you leave tonight.”
“Just make sure you pack them securely. I suspect they’re going to have a rough journey before this is all through.”
Chapter 19 – On the Run
Keltin suppressed a yawn and blinked rapidly to keep a clear picture of the road before him. He had never been more than an average driver, finding little need to handle horses in the heavily wooded hill country of Riltvin. His was hampered further by the darkness all around him, though he was grateful for the foresight of the Brothers in procuring a carriage with lights. The two massive, oil-fed lanterns contained brilliant reflectors that shone their light ahead onto the road directly in front of the pair of horses before him. It was slower going than driving during the day, but at least they had the road entirely to themselves.
“Keltin?”
He roused himself from his stupor of driving to look down at the dark silhouette walking alongside the wagonette that spoke with Harper’s voice.
“I think it’s my turn to drive.”
“All right.”
Keltin dropped down to the ground as the newspaperman took his place. He fell into step beside the coach, keeping hi
s eyes on the road ahead to avoid tripping in the dark.
“Are you all right?”
Keltin was too weary to react with more than mild surprise to hear Elaine’s voice next to him in the darkness.
“I’m fine. How are you? Do you need to take a turn riding in the back with your mother and brothers?”
“I’m all right. I bought a pair of men’s shoes before leaving Kerrtow. They’re more comfortable than any of my own. How much longer do you think it will be before dawn?”
“A few hours. We’ll find somewhere well off the road to make camp once there’s some light.”
Elaine was silent. Keltin wondered if perhaps she was nodding, or simply too tired to respond. They plodded along in silence for a time until she spoke again.
“I neglected to ask you how your beast hunting company is doing.”
“Fairly well, so far. Jaylocke and Bor’ve’tai are managing it right now.”
“You’re getting a lot of business then?”
“A fair amount. Sometimes I think I used to get more work when I went off in search of bounties by hunting down rumors and stories of beasts, but maybe that’s just the result of spending so much time traveling from one place to another that it felt like I was working more. There’s a lot more sitting around with a home office.”
“Well, it’s been several months since you opened the office. Have you tracked your average income since starting the company and compared it to when you were out actively searching for bounties?”
“Not really, I’ve never been much of a record keeper.”
“Mmm.”
Keltin heard Elaine lose her footing slightly and immediately reached out into the darkness to steady her. One of his hands inadvertently touched her side, giving him a temporary thrill that drove away all of his fatigue. Her gloved hand took his and gave it a squeeze.
“Thank you.” She released his hand and began speaking again. “Have you considered keeping someone out of the office to search for work while someone else stays at home to handle any jobs that come to you?”
Dangerous Territory Page 20
