“Actually, that part wasn’t all that hard,” Willum said. “Aloysius’ imps distracted all the Roo-Tan patrols with magic. Tarah’s main focus was keeping us hidden from the army.”
The named warrior rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Do you know why the army is here?”
“I think Tarah does,” Willum replied. She had been scouring the enemy tracks for memories that would help them know Aloysius’ plans. “But she’s been pretty vague about it. Maybe she told Djeri. It’s hard to say. Ever since we left the others at the border, she’s been more and more secretive.”
“The others? Who did you leave behind?”
“Well, the academy wouldn’t condone sending any of its warriors into Malaroo uninvited. So Swen, Helmet Jan, and Dinnis left. They were ordered to travel to Reneul and report to the Academy Council,” Willum sighed. “There was a bit of a dust up over it, too. Tarah felt betrayed. To her, nothing is more important than taking Aloysius down.”
“So you and Jerry are here against orders?” Edge said in surprise.
Willum shook his head. “I’m not under academy orders. I’ve been on leave since the war ended. I still haven’t decided if I’m going back to the academy or not. As for Djeri, he resigned from his duties when the orders came. Tarah is his main concern right now. They’re uh . . . together.”
Sir Edge blinked at that for a moment, then shrugged. “Well uh, good for them, I guess. So it’s just you and Djeri and Tarah and Benjo here now? Four people tracking down an army?”
Willum couldn’t tell if the named warrior was impressed with their bravery or if he thought they were idiots. “Actually, I sent Benjo back to Coal’s Keep. He’s great with a spear, but of all of us he had the least amount of training and I couldn’t face Becca if something happened to him. Cletus is still with us, though. And as eccentric as he may be, when it comes to battle, he’s worth a small army on his own.”
“Then what’s your plan now?” Edge asked. “You bring us to meet Tarah Woodblade, then what?”
“We’re hoping that the Roo-Tan will help us stop Aloysius. No one else has been willing to. Not even the Alberri Mage School or the Alberri government.”
Despite the danger, Scholar Tobias had bravely gone back to the capital to plead their case. He and the rest of his “resistance” hoped to build up support in case Tarah failed and Aloysius came back from Malaroo to conquer his own people. Willum doubted it would do much good. Tobias didn’t exactly come off as a credible witness.
“Well if you want Xedrion’s help, the secretiveness has to stop,” said Sir Edge. “He’s not going to put up with a foreign army in his country, but if he doesn’t feel he can trust you, you’re likely to find yourselves locked away again or expelled from the country.”
“I’ll talk to Tarah and Djeri about it,” Willum promised him.
“You do that. I’ll be sure to let them know my feelings on it as well,” Edge said. His eye twitched as if he had heard something unexpected. “I looks like it’s time we head back to the others. Jhonate says that both Qurl and Jerry are getting more and more agitated about the wait.”
“She says?” Willum replied. “You can hear her?”
Edge raised his hand, showing Willum the thin Jharro ring on his forefinger. His look was apologetic. “Evidently, she’s been listening in the whole time.”
“Sorry, Willy,” Theodore said. “I should have seen it sooner. He has so many bonds coming out of him that I didn’t notice it before.”
The named warrior smiled at the consternation on Willum’s face. He placed a hand on Willum’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’m on your side in this. And so is Jhonate. We just need to make sure that everyone is on the same page.”
Sir Edge turned to rejoin the others, but Willum reached out to stop him. “Wait, there’s one more thing.”
“Not a good idea, Willy,” the imp warned.
“Yes?” said Edge.
“I want to tell you, but-.” Willum grimaced. “You need to make sure that Jhonate doesn’t hear.”
Edge frowned. “Didn’t I just finish telling you that keeping secrets was a bad idea?”
“I know,” Willum said, raising his hands. “And maybe it’s not all that important. Just wait until I’ve told you. After that, you can decide whether to tell her or not. You understand their culture better than I do.”
“You realize she just heard you say that,” said Sir Edge wryly. He sighed. “Alright, I’ve cut her off. Now tell me quick before she storms over here and hits me.”
“It’s about Tarah’s staff,” Willum said. “It’s made of Jharro wood.”
“It’s what?” Edge said, his eyes concerned. “How did she get it?”
“It’s really old Jharro wood. Dead wood, Theodore calls it,” Willum explained. “He says that it’s imp handiwork, carved by his people for the specific purpose of binding a soul. Tarah didn’t know about that until recently. Her grandfather gave her the staff when she was twelve.”
Edge winced. “Dead wood. That means that it was either taken from the hand of a dead Roo-Tan warrior or from a Jharro tree that was destroyed during one of the ancient attacks on the grove.”
“See why I didn’t say anything at first? We know that the Roo-Tan are very sensitive when it comes to the use of Jharro wood. Scholar Tobias warned us that it might be a problem. This is the main reason Tarah didn’t come with us into town to meet with the protector. We didn’t know how he would react.”
“Yeah, I don’t know either.” Edge’s brow furrowed in thought. “Can Tarah’s magic disguise her staff?”
“We think so, but-.”
“She’s coming this way, Willy,” said the imp.
“Jhonate’s coming,” Willum warned just before the woman appeared.
Jhonate rounded a nearby tree, knocking a branch aside with her staff. Her piercing green eyes were tightened by the scowl she wore on her face.
She advanced on Sir Edge, her knuckles white on the haft of her staff. “What are you hiding, Justan?”
The named warrior was a head taller than her and probably close to twice her weight, but he took a step back, “Tarah Woodblade’s staff is made of dead Jharro wood. They’re worried how your father will react to her having it in her possession.”
She turned her gaze to Willum. “Where did she get such a thing?”
He swallowed. “It’s ancient. It was given to her as a gift when she was a child. No one even knew that it was Jharro wood until after the rogue horse was bound to it.”
“Actually I told Tarah about it before that, Willy,” the imp put in.
Not helpful, Theodore, Willum replied.
Jhonate’s scowl faded to a look of concern. “Can she use her magic to disguise this staff?”
Willum let out a nervous chuckle. “Yes. She can make it look like whatever she wants. The only issue is that the staff’s magic is less effective on some people. Scholar Tobias warned us that people trained in spirit magic may be able to see through her illusions, especially if they know what to look for.”
Sir Edge nodded in understanding, “And since the Roo-Tan are familiar with spirit magic, they might discover the truth.”
“How . . . bad would that be?” Willum asked.
“It is hard to say,” Jhonate replied. “To some among us, it would seem an affront akin to carrying around the bones of our dead ancestors.” She shrugged. “Most of us are not so traditional, but it depends on how my father sees it. The fact that the wood’s source is unknown helps her case.”
“Then what do we do?” Willum asked.
“She must use her illusion,” she replied. “And avoid drawing attention to the staff, especially if witches or listeners are nearby.”
“But we tell Xedrion the truth,” Sir Edge added firmly, his eyes fixed on Jhonate.
She frowned back at him, “I would not suggest a lie. However, subterfuge is sometimes necessary where my father is concerned.”
“And when he finds out later?” Edge said.
Her frown didn’t abate, but she relented. “Very well.”
“Then I suppose we have a plan,” Edge said. “Let’s return to the others. I’m sure they are tired of waiting.”
“Yeah. Great.” Willum followed the two warriors back to the road, still unsure about the plan. They were depending on Tarah to be reasonable in all of this. Considering how erratic she had been acting lately, there was no telling what she might do to mess things up.
Theodore had similar concerns. “Ho-ho, Willy. And what do we do when that idiotic gnome walks up to every Roo-Tan we pass?” He continued with an eerily accurate impression of the gnome’s voice, “‘Ooh, you have a wood staff just like Pretty Tarah’.”
He won’t say that, Willum replied, his thoughts uneasy.
“If you say so. Ho! You’re probably right. It will be much worse!”
When they arrived back with the others, Djeri was pacing back and forth, his gauntleted hands were clenched into fists. The moment Willum came into view, the dwarf strode to Willum and gripped his arm uncomfortably tight. The glare in his eyes pierced through the slots in his helmet.
“And what did you tell them, boy?” he said in a quiet, but intense voice.
“What they needed to know and nothing more,” Willum replied evenly. He had left out the fact that Tarah had a tendency to speak with her dead relatives, for one thing. “Don’t worry. They’re on our side in this.”
The Roo-Tan warriors closed in around the group looking to Jhonate’s brother for orders. Qurl gave Willum and Djeri a curious look as he approached Sir Edge and his sister. “So what did you learn?”
“The woman has magic that disguises her presence,” Jhonate replied.
Qurl’s eyes narrowed. “She is a wizard?”
“No,” said Sir Edge. “The magic comes from a bound weapon.”
“Oh,” the Roo-Tan warrior replied, the tension leaving his shoulders.
“We should go now, brother,” Jhonate said. “It is time we met this Woodblade woman.”
Qurl signaled and the procession continued, Djeri and Willum moving to the front of the group to lead the way to the camp. Willum wondered what Tarah was doing. Surely she had seen their approach by now. He felt a sudden stab of worry. “Uh, Djeri. What about Cletus? These guys are sticking pretty close to us. What if he thinks we’re prisoners and decides to attack?”
“I’m sure Tarah’s keeping an eye on him,” Djeri replied unconvincingly. A few seconds later he took off his helmet. “Turds. Just . . . wear a big smile and look at ease. He’ll be fine.”
They traveled as far as they could by road without incident and Djeri led them into the forest. A short distance in, they came across the campsite. Two bedrolls were laid out on the ground. Neddy and the warhorse stood to the side. The fire pit still contained a few smoldering coals, but there was no sign of Tarah or the gnome.
“Is that Albert?” Sir Edge said in surprise. He strode forward and ran his hand along the warhorse’s flank, briefly touching the scars from the burns Albert had sustained during the battle with the bandham. “Hey, boy. What are you doing here? Gwyrtha, its Al-!”
The rogue horse growled and Edge froze mid-sentence. “Gwyrtha says there’s someone in the trees.”
“Hello, pretty Djeri. Hello Willum,” said a voice from overhead.
The warriors around Willum gasped and pointed upwards, some of them brandishing their weapons in surprise.
Peering down from high above them was Cletus. The gnome warrior was upside down, looking for all the world like he was standing nonchalantly on the underside of the branch above him. If not for his floppy ears hanging down towards them, it would have been quite disorienting, but Willum knew that it was just another of the gnome warrior’s uncanny weapon tricks. He could see the thin silvery chain that was gripped in the gnome’s hand anchoring him to the branch above.
“Uh, hey, Cletus,” said Djeri, leaning back to peer up at him. He pointed to Edge and Jhonate. “This is Sir Edge and his betrothed, the daughter of Xedrion. They are the people Willum and I went to get. Remember?”
Cletus blinked and looked at the two of them, who were staring back up at him, mouths agape. “Hello pretty lady. Hello, strong man. Why did you bring so many fighters? Do you want to fight?”
“No one wants to fight, Cletus,” Willum said hastily. “These warriors are our Roo-Tan friends. We brought them here to meet Tarah. Why don’t you come down from there and take us to her?”
“Oh!”
The gnome gave his chain a jerk and it came loose from the branch above. He did a somersault as he fell towards them and landed in a crouch before rising to his deceptively gawky seven-foot height. He wore a thin cotton shirt under a runed leather vest and his baggy pants had multiple pockets. It was gnome warrior gear that Tobias had found for him before they left for Malaroo and Cletus was quite proud of it.
“Tarah went to take a bath in the river. You shouldn’t go there,” Cletus said. His cheeks reddened slightly and he whispered. “She took all her clothes off.”
“I . . . suppose we will wait here then,” said Jhonate.
Cletus bent in closer to sniff at her Jharro weapon. “Hey, pretty lady, you have a staff like Tarah’s.” He cocked his head. “Only yours doesn’t have a horse living in it.”
“See, Willy?” snickered the imp. “I told you.”
“What’s this, Djeri?” called a voice suddenly from the trees beyond them. Willum recognized it as Tarah’s voice but it was amplified and intensified, giving it an otherworldly tone that sent a chill down his spine. “Is Tarah Woodblade so feared that they send an army to greet me?”
Tarah stepped out of the trees and into the small campsite and everyone took an instinctual step back. She was still Tarah, but a more imposing version. She stood several inches taller and broader than usual and the runes on the leather armor that Bettie had given her gave off a dull glow. She was also quite beautiful. Her skin and hair shone with an unnatural luster. Her nose was straight and her teeth flashed a brilliant white as she laughed at their reaction to her appearance. She planted her staff in front of her and it was red as blood. “Well? Are you here as allies or enemies?”
Djeri didn’t respond, his eyes wide with shock. Willum cleared his throat and said formally, “Tarah, this is Sir Edge. With him are Qurl, the Protector of the Grove’s fourth son and Jhonate, the Protector’s seventh daughter. They’re here to take us to see their father.”
The imp sputtered. “Willy . . . she’s naked.”
Willum was going to say something else, but choked on his words. No way.
“I’m serious. Ho-ho! She must have come straight from the river without changing. Look at her feet if you don’t believe me,” said the imp and Willum saw a puddle of water pooling under her boots. “I can strip the illusion away from your eyes if you would like. Do you want me to show you?”
N-no. I’m alright, Willum replied, swallowing.
Chapter Three
What are you showing them, Esmine? Tarah asked, trying to exude confidence. She had a lot of experience putting on a front, but it was ridiculously hard to ignore the fact that she was naked and dripping wet. The eyes of the strangers standing in her camp were wide, though in shock or surprise at her sudden appearance she wasn’t sure. You put armor on me, right? You said you were putting armor on me.
“Oh yeah, you’re clothed,” Grampa Rolf assured her. The old man had appeared next to the terrifying beast that had to be Sir Edge’s rogue horse.
That gave her some confidence. She noticed that Djeri was staring at her, mouth agape. Of course he saw through the illusion. For some reason, Esmine’s magic had no effect on him.
Tarah gave the dwarf a sly wink before addressing the others. She made sure to use their proper titles as Djeri had made her rehearse. “Hello, Sir Edge. Hello, daughter and son of Xedrion. I am glad you’ve come. I have a lot to tell you.”
They winced slightly at the sound of her voice and Tarah knew that
Esmine was putting on a show. You’re doing more than just dressing me, Esmine.
“I remember this one,” Esmine said, using Grampa Rolf’s voice. Esmine still used the forms of Tarah’s dead father and grandfather to communicate with her despite Tarah’s repeated pleas for her to stop. Rolf was the rogue horse’s favorite. There was something about the playful nature of Tarah’s memories of him that appealed to her nature. “It’s Gwyrtha! We used to run in the fields together.”
If Tarah had the time, she would have been fascinated by this interaction. This was one of Esmine’s peers. Gwyrtha was striking; both terrifying and beautiful at the same time. Unfortunately, Tarah had more pressing matters on her mind.
The Troll King (The Bowl of Souls Book 9) Page 5
