Hunter's Bounty (Veller)

by Spoor, Garry

  “From who? You?”

  “No, from an assassin sent to kill anyone who was involved in the dark conspiracy.”

  “I don’t know anything about a dark conspiracy. All I know is that I will be the one to bring in the fugitive Veller.” Boraro grinned and without waiting he attacked.

  She knew this man and his fighting style. She had even managed to best him, but that was only once. Luke had warned her that if she was unfortunate enough to battle Boraro again, she may not be so lucky. He would not underestimate her a second time.

  She rolled out of the way of the sword as it came down, but before it could strike the ground Boraro turned it and came in low on her right side all in one fluid motion. Kile was able to get her blade up between her and the sword, barley turned it away from her.

  This time he wasn’t pulling any punches, if he had connected she would have been sliced in two.

  The sword came around again as Boraro stepped into his swing. She managed to get both Lann up and deflect it over her head as she slipped under his attack. There was no conceivable way she could win this battle, because she had no intention of killing him, but he had every intention of killing her as he reversed the direction of his sword. She jumped back this time avoiding the blade altogether.

  “I don’t want to hurt you.” She pleaded.

  “I’m supposed to believe you?” He said as his sword came dangerously close to ending the fight permanently. She managed to fall back between the slats in the stall as the sword sliced a chunk of the wood away.

  “Somehow I don’t think you care one way or the other.” Kile said as she got back to her feet.

  She was hit with a sudden sensation that something or someone had just jumped onto the stable’s roof and was now slipping into one of the hay loft windows. This was something new. Was she actually seeing it through Hunar’s eyes as it happened?

  Boraro had broken the top slat of the stall.

  “She’s here.” Kile told him. “The assassin is here.”

  “Then tell her to wait her turn.”

  Wonderful, how was she supposed to protect him while trying to avoid being killed by him.

  Another vision from Hunar, or was it Gorum this time caused her to lose focus. Horsemen rode through the eastern gate, four of them in the lead followed by at least half a dozen more. Had the Guild house in Azintar found her at last? She couldn’t worry about that at the moment, if Boraro died now it would be one more death attributed to her, and Scarlet was closer than the hunters.

  She tried to locate the assassin but was finding it difficult to concentrate while trying to stay alive. Boraro’s attacks were coming in faster now, but she was able to block most of the strikes, and what she couldn’t block she just avoided. She jumped back from a wild swing and backed into one of the supporting posts. Boraro’s blade bit into the wood just above her head. She slipped out from under him and realized that she had the perfect opportunity to end the battle now as the weapon’s master’s tried to wretch his sword free, but that would have been rather counter productive since she was trying to keep him alive, not do the assassin’s work for her. Just then something in the hay loft caught her eye, and she saw the shape coming in behind them. A flash of steel shot from the shadows. Kile moved quickly and managed to block the flying dagger with the broad side of her blade as a sharp pain struck her from behind. It couldn’t have been the dagger she thought as she watched it fall to the ground.

  The lann dropped from her hand as she clutched at her side and the smell of blood overpowered her senses. She turned to see Boraro coming at her again. The doors to the stable flew open as more people entered. She wasn’t sure who they were and at the moment she just didn’t care as the black strands of the Maligar were once more reaching out for her, and she did her best to resist them.

  Somebody yelled her name, or at least she thought it might have been her name, she wasn’t sure anymore, and she couldn’t wait around to find out. The vir swung his weapon again and without thinking she turned into his attack, bring her blade down across the back of his hand. He cursed and dropped his sword, doubling over as he clutched the wound and tried to stem the flow of blood. The smell was intoxicating as she came around behind him but instead of delivering the fatal blow, jumped up on his back and leapt for the hay loft. Shapes were now coming in through the second door as people started yelling. She couldn’t make out what they were saying, all she could hear was the blood throbbing in her ears as she ran the length of the loft, kicking open the bay door and jumped to the ground below.

  She just had to make it to the western gate. From there she would be safe back in the wild.

  Lights were coming on. Vir with torches were after her now, hunting her. She had to escape. She went to the hill, making for the west wall as she passed the kitchens. She could hear the voices behind her. She could hear the hoofs of the horses closing in on her. The gate came into view, and although it was still open, guards blocked her only means of exit. As the horses overtook her they parted each side of her, riderless they made for the gate. The stampede broke the guard’s line opening her exit to the forest beyond.

  ***

  “Damn that bitch.” Boraro cursed as he grabbed a rag and started to bind his bloody hand.

  “Let me look at that.” Daniel said as he approached.

  “Why would I do that?”

  “If you ever want to use your hands again, you’ll let me look at it.” Daniel replied as he took a hold of the Weapon’s Master’s hand and began to remove the cloth. The wound was deep but not disabling. Whether it was meant to be or not, he didn’t know as he fell into his edge and began to unravel the small strings of energy.

  “You brought it on yourself.” Erin shouted

  “I did? You saw her, she tried to kill me.”

  “No, I saw her protecting you, or trying to.” Erin replied as she retrieved the dagger from where it had fallen. The blade had been dipped in something, but she couldn’t tell what it was, poisons were never her specialty.

  The stable doors opened as a rather large, heavyset man entered. He was dressed in just his underwear and a robe, a sword was strapped around his waist but what really set him apart was the large scar that ran down the side of his face starting somewhere in the center of his forehead and ending just below his right cheek, leaving a milky white orb where his eye should have been.

  “I have confined the cadets to the dorms, the last thing we need now is a bunch of unskilled wanna be hunters getting under foot.” Sir Oblum said in a gruff yet tired voice.

  “That’s probably for the better.” Erin replied.

  “So will you at least tell me what in all the levels of hell is going on in my academy?”

  “The fugitive Veller was here.” Grey announced as he entered the stables through the far doors followed by two other hunters from the Azintar Guild House.

  “Veller… Kile Veller was here? Why?” Oblum asked.

  “To kill me obviously.” Boraro replied as he pulled his healed hand away from Daniel. He looked it over carefully, trying out each of his fingers before he grumbled a thank-you.

  “I don’t see anything obvious about if.” Erin said as she held up the dagger.

  “May I see that?” Daniel asked. He held the dagger carefully in his hands as to not touch the blade, and then fell into his edge once more. When he opened his eyes he set it carefully on one of the workbenches.

  “Poison for sure, natural in origin, venom would be my guess, but from what, I don’t know, either way it looks to be the same compound that killed Saybela.”

  “So if Kile wasn’t trying to Kill Garrett, then who was?” Oblum asked.

  “A hired assassin from the Assassin’s guild I wouldn’t wonder.” Erin replied. “It would appear that someone involved with the death of Prince Jonland has targeted anyone associated with the matter.”

  Erin wasn’t sure if she was supposed to divulge the identity of the man who hired this assassin, but figured it was better to
be safe than sorry. They were not entirely convinced that it was Prince Jonland who was behind the assassinations of the members of the so called dark conspiracy or just someone seeking a skewed form of justice for something that had been done. Erin pushed past Grey and stepped out into the night air. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Noise from the Eastern Gate caught her attention as more guards, more dogs and more hunters began to filter in. It had become some kind of circus and Kile was the main event. Where was Master Latherby she wondered, if anyone could put a stop to the inevitable disaster that was about to take place, it was him. She turned as another Hunter approached.

  “She’s out there somewhere.” Folkstaff said as he turned and looked back toward the west. “I followed her trail as far I could, I got close to her, but lost her somewhere in the woods. All I know is she’s hurt, and she’s hurt bad.”

  “And this isn’t going to help bring her in.” Erin said as she gestured to the crowd that had gathered outside the stables. Grey was already giving his motivational speech as he dividing the hunters and members of the city guard into groups.

  “What’s going on here then?” Folkstaff asked.

  “Grey has it in his mind to sweep the forests with as many men as he can convince to help.”

  “That… may not be a very good idea.” Folkstaff said grimly.

  “I know, they’re going to try to bring her in any way they can, and I can’t help her.”

  “It’s not her I’m worried about, it’s them.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I said I got close to her… she’s not… acting… well, she’s not acting normal.”

  “Normal?”

  “I have tracked a lot of people through the a lot of places, you know that Erin. I know how people act, what they do when they’re being chased. This… This is more like tracking down a wild animal, one that’s been wounded. She’s dangerous, to herself and to anyone that goes after her now, and that’s not the worst of it.”

  “What now?” Erin asked, although she really didn’t want to hear any more problems at the moment.

  “The forest is alive.” Folkstaff replied.

  She had never seen the big hunter so nervous, dare she even say even scared. For Folkstaff to fear the forest when the man spent most of his early career isolated within it was not to be taken lightly.

  “Explain, what do you mean?”

  “I mean the forest is awake and it’s really ticked off. I spotted at least seven wolves and two bears in the short period I was out there. I dare not pursue her any further, it’s too dangerous. She’s too dangerous.”

  “She’s not dangerous.” Daniel shouted as he came up behind Folkstaff. “She didn’t do any of this, this is not her fault.”

  “Fault or no, she’s not exactly herself at the moment.” Folkstaff replied.

  “But you’re talking as if she was an animal.”

  “She’s more animal now than she is human.” Erin said softly as she stared off to the western gate. Was this what Morgan hinted at, was this what the old mystic was afraid of, that she would completely lose herself to the natural world.

  “Then I’ll find her myself and I’ll bring her back.” Daniel said, but before he could even take a step, Folkstaff grabbed him by the arm.

  “At the moment, that would be foolish.” He said. “We don’t know… we don’t know how badly off she is.”

  “But if she’s hurt, I can help.”

  “You may not be able to help this time.” He said shaking his head. “This goes beyond the physical.”

  “I don’t believe she would hurt me.” Daniel replied.

  “Think about it, boy. Would the Kile Veller you know leave that yarrow behind?”

  Daniel reached into the bag he wore over his shoulder to feel the soft, yet very nervous body of Vesper. He was surprised to have seen him in the stables alone, surprised that the yarrow had even come to him when he called. He had tried to calm him down, but it was no good, the yarrow was agitated for some reason. So agitated that he wouldn’t even accept the bit of food that Daniel offered him and for as long as Daniel had known Vesper, he had never seen the yarrow turn down food before.

  “So what do we do?” Daniel asked.

  “There’s not much we can do.” Erin said as she turned to where the men were gathered by the western gate. Grey was giving them their final orders and appeared very pleased with himself as he stood before them in all his glory. The guards appeared a little nervous, but it was no secret that they didn’t trust Hunters and their mystic ways. The hunters on the other hand were eager to get the search underway, a little too eager, but not as eager as the hounds that were straining at their leashes.

  “The dogs.” Daniel exclaimed as he started to run across the field towards the groups of men.

  “What are you on about boy?” Folkstaff called out.

  “Of course, he’s right.” Erin replied as she ran after him.

  “Right? Right about what?” Folkstaff called out as chased his two companions down the hill toward the western gate.

  “Let the dogs loose.” Daniel cried as he came up to the first guard and wrested the leash from his hands.

  “What’s all this?” The guard exclaimed.

  “Release the dogs, all of them.” Daniel said as he unfastened the lead to the dog’s collar. The hound, unhindered, ran for the gate, the other hounds now pulling harder on their own leads, eager to follow.

  “What are you mad boy.” One guard said, pulling the leash out of Daniel’s hand, but Daniel simply unfastened it from the dog’s collar and the second dog was quickly closing in behind the fist that had already passed under the Western gate. The guard took a few quick steps as if to follow, but thought better of it as he turned to Daniel.

  “Do you know what you’ve done boy? Those dogs will tear her apart.”

  Grey grabbed Daniel by the back of his tunic and pulled him away from the third dog. “What do you think you’re doing boy, releasing the dogs isn’t going to stop us, it isn’t going to help your friend.”

  “Maybe, maybe not.” He said pulling away from Grey. The larger hunter motioned to two of the guards.

  “Detain him. I will not have anyone interfering with my investigation.”

  “Your investigation?” Erin said as she came up beside Daniel, pushing the two guards back. “If you haven’t forgotten, this is my bounty, assigned to me by the Guild Master himself.”

  “And you have failed.” Grey said as he stepped up to Erin.

  “Whether that is true or not… Hunter Drain placed you under Erin’s command.” Folkstaff added. “Therefore she is still technically in charge of this search, unless of course you wish to go against the Guild Council.”

  Grey quickly turned to where Folkstaff was releasing yet another dog. This one didn’t hesitate as it ran off after the others. He watched the dog head off into the woods but said nothing to stop it. He was already in hot water with Drain over the incident in Littenbeck. If this didn’t go as planned, he wasn’t sure if Drain would be as understanding. He could find himself back to delivering mail for the next few years, and not even the high priority mail, the stupid little correspondences from insignificant people.

  “Fine.” He grumbled throwing up his hands. “But I will not take the fall for this, this is all on you Erin, You’re in charge”

  “Release the dogs.” Erin said.

  “And what do you plan of achieving with this?”

  “What difference does it make, release the dogs.”

  The guards looked first at Grey, and when it was clear that he wasn’t going to say anything more, they started to release the dogs one by one. There were twelve of them in all, not counting the three that had gone on ahead, and not to be left out, both Hunar and Gorum quickly followed, ignoring Sir Oblum’s calls for them to stop.

  “I hope you know what you’re doing.” Folkstaff whispered as he stepped up beside Erin.

  “I haven’t a clue.” She replied.


  “Now what?” Grey asked.

  “We wait.”

  “For what, to pick up the pieces when the dogs tear her to shreds. I guess I can live with that.” The hunter replied as he strolled off to the dinning hall.

  It didn’t take nearly as long as Erin thought it would when the guards at the western gates called out that the first of the dogs had returned. It was one of the guard dogs. As he came forward he stopped just under the arch of the western gate and sat down, staring at the group of men that had gathered. He was soon joined by a second, and then a third and finally a forth, each one just sitting in a line under the arch, waiting.

  “You’re going to want to see this.” The guard at the gate called out.

  A few of the hunters and one or two of the guards attempted to get a better look as they approached the gate, but the four hounds had other plans, and they rose as one, bearing their teeth. The men thought better of it and backed away. Only when they were far enough did the dogs calmly sit back down again.

  “I don’t think we’re in charge of this operation anymore.” Folkstaff whispered to Erin who shook her head in amazement.

  The remainder of the pack, thirteen dogs in all exited the forest and came slowly down the road. Hunar, by far the largest of the dogs, was in the lead. Gorum was walking on one side of a very shaky, very pale young girl who leant on him for support. The pack stopped just behind the four advance hounds.

  “Place her under arrest.” Grey shouted.

  One hunter attempted to do just that, and may have succeeded if it wasn’t for the seventeen snarling dogs.

  Kile said nothing as she fell to her knees. Daniel raced out to help her. The dog did nothing to stop him.

  She looked up at him as he approached and he stopped midway. Her eyes were of a golden yellow with slits for pupils, much like those of a cat. She closed them slowly and when she opened them again, they were the same hazel colored eyes he remembered.

  “I messed up big time didn’t I?” She said with a weak laugh.

  “Don’t speak. You’re going to be alright.” He assured her as he knelt down beside her, pulling back the cotton tunic. He touched the wound on her side and she flinched.