She placed her hand on my arm. "Oh, please don't interrupt my husband. I've already told you what he knows. You can report straight to me." She released me and reached into a pocket of her skirt. "I have your fee right here." She opened a small coin purse, extracted two gold crowns, and held them out to me. When I opened my hand to receive them, she pressed the coins into my palm and closed my fingers around them, holding my hand closed with both of hers.
She looked directly into my eyes, with tears beginning to pool in her own. "Please find Tam. This is very unlike him, even if he was angry with his father. I'm worried that something bad has happened."
I patted the top of her hand with my free one and reassured her. "Try not to think like that. We don't really know anything yet." I nodded over my shoulder at the door. "Tam could walk in at any moment."
She looked down, blinked the moisture from her eyes, and released my hand. "I hope you're right. Well, I suppose I shouldn't keep you. Will you be staying the night in Delta?"
I nodded. "I was hoping to. Can you recommend a place to stay?"
She nodded and pointed north. "Yes, go to the Eagle's Rest just up the road. My friend Penny runs it. Tell her I sent you and that I'll take care of the charges. It's a small boarding house, but you'll be comfortable."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Thank you. That's very generous."
She waved my thanks aside. "Penny could use the business. If you like it there, perhaps you could spread a good word for her."
I smiled and chuckled at Greta's irrepressible focus on business. I was sure that the success of Overland Mercantile was not all her husband's doing. "It's a deal," I told her.
***
I left Overland Mercantile feeling much better about my finances and a little better about the contract. I learned that Jergen Overland had directed his wife to manage the search for Tam and to keep it quiet. Greta didn't share all of the details with me, but it seemed that her husband didn't want everyone to know just how wide a rift had developed between him and Tam, and he was convinced that Tam had run away, not just gotten lost. The five crown fee made much more sense if I was going to have to pursue the boy across the province. Jergen still hoped to secure the future of his business, and the confidence of his suppliers and customers, by convincing Tam to take over for him one day.
Before I departed, Greta gave me a description of Tam and told me where I could find Tam's friend Alain. The boy's father was the local wainwright, and Alain worked for him.
Patches perked up his ears and gave a soft nicker when I came out of the shop to collect him. He seemed to have recovered from our hasty trip down here. I patted him on the neck and promised a treat later. The wagon shop was just down the street, so I didn't bother riding. Instead, I led Patches down to a stand of trees next to the shop, and I left him there to graze in the shade.
As I approached the big open doors at the side of the shop, sounds of industrious sawing and hammering greeted me. I inhaled deeply, enjoying the smell of freshly cut wood. The shop had plenty of windows to admit as much natural light as possible. Each pane was dimmed somewhat by a thin layer of sawdust. Inside the shop were two wagons, two large work benches, and a collection of metal tools stored along the back wall. One of the wagons was a well-used buckboard that was getting a wheel repaired. The other wagon was being newly built and was still just a frame on stands at this point.
When I stepped up to the doorway, a stout, clean-shaven man looked up from marking measurements on a new wagon frame and nodded toward me. "Afternoon. What can I do for you?" he asked. A thin young man looked up from his work repairing the broken wheel.
I introduced myself to the older man and told him that the Overlands had hired me to find Tam. I asked if I could speak to Alain for a few minutes. He looked over at the younger man, and his son glanced back at him. The man sighed. "Go ahead, but don't take too long. That wheel won't finish itself."
"Yes, sir." Alain set down the hammer he was using and stepped around his workbench. As he came outside, the late afternoon sun lit his shock of unruly, bright red hair and emphasized the freckles on his face and sawdust-sprinkled arms.
Alain wiped his palms on the heavy apron he was wearing and we shook hands. He waited for me to speak first.
"I spoke with Tam's mother a few minutes ago. She couldn't tell me much, and she's very worried. What can you tell me about what happened last night?" I asked him.
Alain chewed his lower lip and glanced back in the shop at his father before responding. "I'm worried too. We always stick together, so I wasn't sure what to think when Tam didn't return to the clearing with us."
I shook my head and held up a hand. "Let's back up a bit. Tell me what happened last night from the beginning."
He nodded and took a deep breath. "Tam, our friend Jess, and I went out into the forest yesterday evening. We explored a few trails and then headed home. We got separated on the way back, but when that happens, we normally just meet up at the clearing where we started. But this time, Tam never showed up. It was getting late, so we couldn't go back and look for him. We left his belongings in the clearing in case he came back after we left."
Alain's recounting sounded rehearsed and a little hollow. I was fairly certain I wasn't getting the whole story. "Why go out into the forest and explore trails at night? How do you see where you're going?"
His green eyes darted around as he answered me, and he glanced back at his father again. "The moon was nearly full last night, and once your eyes adjust, you'd be amazed what you can see. The forest is different at night. It's beautiful."
That part rang true, if somewhat strange. "So, you boys go hiking at night because it's what? Exciting?"
He finally looked me fully in the eyes. "Oh, yes sir. It's like nothing else. Different animals are awake. The scents are different. The moonlight shining down through the trees is...magical."
I raised my eyebrows at his sudden intensity and nodded. "Okay. If you say so."
I looked up at the sky to judge the sun's position. I had maybe three hours remaining before dark. "Do you have any thoughts about why Tam hasn't returned yet?"
Alain furrowed his brow and shook his head. "No, sir. We've gone out into the forest at night several times and this has never happened before. Tam was always careful about getting back before his father would start to wonder where he was."
"Can you tell me where this clearing is? I'd like to see what I can learn before the day is done."
Some of the tension eased out of his stance, and he nodded. He seemed relieved that our interview was almost over. "Head back on the road toward Northshore. Right after you pass the part along the slough, you'll see a road that goes out onto the peninsula. Do you know where I mean?" He paused, and I nodded for him to continue.
"Take that road until it jogs to the right. You'll see a sign there that points the way to Buckwoods Village. Behind the sign is a trail that will take you into the forest and to the clearing. It isn't far. You should be able to look around and get back by dark."
I nodded my understanding of his instructions. "Thanks, Alain. I'll go see what I can learn."
"Good luck, sir. I hope you find him and bring him home." He looked over his shoulder at his father again. "If that's all, I need to get back to work." He held out his hand.
We shook hands again and I smiled at him. "Thanks again for your help." He nodded and went back into the shop.
I walked over to Patches, gathered his reins, and slowly climbed into the saddle, thinking through what I'd discovered. I had never been to Buckwoods before, but the peninsula it was on certainly narrowed down the area I had to search, assuming Tam was still around there somewhere.
I turned Patches onto the main road and headed out of Delta to see what clues might await me out on the peninsula.
Chapter 10
Sulana stared at Talon's back as he led the way up the steep rocky trail. She hated this part. Their horses threaded along the narrow path across an open area created by a
n old rockslide. She felt like she was perched on the side of the mountain with a looming mass of unstable boulders above her and a hungry cascade of sharp-edged teeth below her. She cringed when her horse kicked a loose stone and sent it skipping and clattering down the face of the jumbled rocks until it disappeared into the trees.
She had to admit the view was spectacular, though. To her right was an incredible vista of trees and mountain peaks for as far as the eye could see. An enormous eagle rode the air currents with hardly a flap, rising in circles higher into the sky. It soared to land on the top of a tall snag where it screeched an echoing cry. Crows flew from tree to tree, cawing at each other and then suddenly swooping over a ridge to the next crease in the mountain.
At least her team was making good time, Sulana thought. They had left Northshore yesterday afternoon after interrogating Raleb, and they had gone as far as they could before nightfall. They made camp in the valley last night, and got up at dawn to head up the trail into the mountains this morning. She expected to reach their destination before nightfall, or at least she hoped they would. These mountains could become unfriendly at night.
Sulana breathed a sigh of relief when the horses left the open scree and entered the trees once again, but she also tensed a little and looked carefully around through the thick trunks that limited her visibility. As they had ascended into the mountains, their journey had become more shadowed by the clouds that gathered around the upper elevations. The clouds were a blessing for their horses as they slogged up the trail, but it made the forest understory seem darker and more sinister.
Daven closed the gap between their horses. "Sulana, you never told us. What does the ring do?" Barek and Talon perked up at his question, and cocked their heads to hear her answer.
She considered his question for a moment. She didn't remember receiving any instructions regarding secrecy among her own team, and these men were all trusted by the Archives. They wouldn't have been sent with her if that weren't the case. As a general rule, information about sorcery was withheld from the mundane, but her team had put their lives on the line for her, and they probably deserved to know why.
Before she could reply, Daven's disappointed voice came from behind her. "Okay, fine. Don't tell us."
"I'll tell you," Sulana chastised. "I was just thinking, that's all."
Talon spoke over his shoulder from his position at the head of the group. "Give her a break, Daven. You know there are some secrets she can't share with us non-sorcerer types."
Before Daven could retort, she shook her head and raised her voice. "That's not the case here, though. The ring is a Portal Key."
"I've heard of those," Talon said. "They let sorcerers travel quickly from one place to another."
Sulana nodded. "Right. Portals are scattered throughout the empire, and a Portal Key allows sorcerers to use them. You enter one portal and come out through another."
"But the portals could be miles apart," Daven concluded.
"Exactly," Sulana responded, "and now we need to know who was trying to get his hands on the Portal Key and why."
"So that's why you wanted to go after the buyer right away," Daven said. "You should have told us about this. Maybe we should have gone after him while we had the chance."
Sulana shook her head. "No, Talon was right. If this sorcerer has plans that involve a Portal Key, he probably has the power to back up those plans and possibly the support of other sorcerers. We can't confront someone like that with only my limited abilities."
Talon nodded. "Carrying the Portal Key to someone who has the power to take it away from us would have defeated the purpose of our mission to retrieve it."
"So you said before," Daven retorted. "I don't think I fully understood why until now. This guy could be real trouble. Any idea who it is?"
Sulana shook her head. "No. We don't even know enough to guess. I'm hoping Ebnik or one of the councilors will have some theories. But we may not be the ones to find out. They may send a more experienced team to deal with this."
"After all we've been through? Isn't this our mission?" Daven asked.
"Our mission is done when we return the ring," answered Talon.
Barek spoke up for the first time in the conversation. "Yes. We finish this mission first. If we get a new mission to go after the sorcerer, we find him and deal with him."
"Barek's right. One thing at a time," Sulana agreed.
Everyone was silent for a moment. Then Daven asked, "If time is critical and these portals are all over the empire, couldn't you have used the key to get us to the Archives faster?"
Sulana shrugged. "Possibly. But I've never used one before, and I've never seen anyone else use one either, so I'm not sure how it works. I'm not comfortable experimenting with sorcery that makes you disappear from one place and, hopefully, reappear in another."
She raised an eyebrow and looked back at Daven, who shuddered.
Interrupting their conversation, Talon suddenly raised his hand and shushed them. "Listen," he said as he stopped his horse. The line of horses closed up behind him and stopped as well.
Sulana listened, but didn't hear anything at first. Then she did hear something. Thump, thump, crack. Her horse's ears twitched and it raised its head, nostrils quivering.
Something large was near them in the forest. Talon heard the crack as well and peered into the trees to locate its source, which seemed to be somewhere off to their right. He slowly drew his sword. "Sulana, I think you'd better ready that crossbow of yours," he said quietly.
She did as he suggested, and spoke just loudly enough for him to hear. "This isn't a good place for a fight. Do you remember there being any defensible positions nearby?"
Talon shook his head. "No. The only nearby open area is the landslide behind us, but that has its own problems." Sulana gulped as she imagined trying to carry on a fight while perched on that narrow path where one misstep would mean a tumble down the face of the mountain. Talon tilted his head forward down the trail. "We may be able to reach a spot where the trail's a little wider, though," he suggested.
Sulana nodded. "Okay, let's try for that. What do you think we heard?"
Talon grinned back at her over his shoulder, a fierce gleam in his eyes. "A troll."
Sulana groaned. Fighting a troll in close quarters was not a good idea. Trolls were all teeth and claws and fury. The best way to fight a troll was from a distance, but that wasn't an option on this section of trail.
Sulana looked behind her at Barek and Daven. "Talon thinks we're being stalked by a troll. We're going to try to reach a wider spot in the trail. Daven, ready your bow. Barek, watch for anything coming up from behind us. It could decide to attack at any time."
Barek slid his broadsword from its sheath with a hiss of steel and a grim smile.
Sulana gave Daven a moment to string his bow, which was not an easy feat on horseback. But he'd had plenty of practice trapping one end of the bow in his stirrup and hauling down the other end to loop the string over it. It wasn't something one did on the move, however.
While Daven readied his bow, Sulana tucked her crossbow under her arm and reached into a small pocket on her belt. She extracted a ring with a silver band and a green stone. She slipped the ring onto her thumb, which was the only finger large enough to wear it securely.
When Daven was ready, he nodded at her and the team started forward. As soon as they moved, Sulana heard a low rumbling growl from behind the trees and more thumping noises. She looked over and caught a brief glimpse of dark brown fur moving between the trunks. Her stomach tightened and her pulse pounded in her neck from the adrenalin that flooded her system.
The troll was enormous. She didn't get a clear view, but even on all fours, it looked like it would come up to her shoulder if she were standing next to it.
She had never encountered a troll before, but they weren't uncommon in these mountains, so she knew a lot about them from the tales of others. Trolls were completely covered in thick dark fur and had a
leather-tough hide. They had long forelegs and shorter hind legs, both ending with paws that were lethally clawed.
They tended to run on all fours, but would rear up when they closed to attack. The moment a troll reared up was when it was most vulnerable, but the animal was so close to you when that happened that the opportunity to do something was fleeting. In the next moment, you would be fighting off claws that could shred you to ribbons and a long muzzle filled with sharp teeth that could take you apart in chunks.
It was all Sulana could do not to kick her horse into a panicked run, but she restrained her fear and trotted behind Talon toward a wider part of the trail that thankfully appeared ahead. The thumping noise followed alongside them through the trees, with an occasional snap of a branch or swish of a shrub being shoved aside.
The team had just arrayed themselves in a tiny clearing along the trail when the troll charged. It led with a roaring bellow that instantly froze the horses in place. Prey animals were devastatingly affected by a troll's roar because a troll had the natural vaetric ability to lace the sound with paralyzing fear. The horses could remain frozen for up to two minutes.
The humans were briefly affected as well, but Talon and Barek, who had both faced trolls before, snapped out of it quickly. Sulana channeled a little vaetra into her Nullifier ring and invoked it with a stiff word. Her muscles unclenched, and she turned to Daven, who was still struggling to move. She reached over to touch him and triggered the ring again. Daven jumped and then nodded at her in thanks.
In the meantime, the troll was closing in on the team with an easy loping gait through the trees.
Talon slid from his saddle, his long sword in one hand and his dagger in the other. He was grinning broadly now, the light in his eyes almost manic as he stalked forward in a crouch toward the oncoming troll. The troll saw his movement and shifted its trajectory straight toward him, exactly as Talon had intended. Barek slid from his saddle as well, and moved toward Talon's right, ready to flank the troll as it came in for the attack.
The Vaetra Chronicles: Book 01 - Vaetra Unveiled Page 9
