Unraveled Homecoming

by J. L. Shelton

  Understanding finally hit Mattie, bringing a bright smile to her face. The last time they were here, the entire area had been decimated by Braxton Stormfell’s attempt to use the spell, Demon’s Fire, to bring the Watchtower down. The ground had been nothing but a blackened ruin devoid of any life.

  Relieved, Mattie leaned over and hugged Garin. “This is wonderful news!”

  His brown eyes twinkled at her joy before he leaned in and kissed her. She wished that moment could have lasted longer, but the couple wasn’t alone. A reminder swiftly brought to the fore when someone behind them loudly cleared his Draconian throat.

  “The sun waits for no one,” said Leto, leaning heavily on his staff. There was a pensive look on his face, but Mattie doubted it had anything to do with her or Garin. The expression had been there since they had first arrived. “And that tower will become a rather cold place to sleep once night comes. We’re not totally immune to harsh temperatures, after all. Perhaps we should be gathering what we need for a fire?”

  “There should already be some firewood inside,” Mattie said while carefully standing back up. When Garin had taken some time to come to grips with Emory’s departure, her father had pulled her aside to share some recent information about the Watchtower. “The men who returned last week reported that they had left many supplies behind in case travelers found themselves in dire need. Jerky, flint, and bedrolls to name a few.”

  Garin rose once he was certain he wasn’t going to have to help steady her. “Personally, I was surprised the tower had been left empty at all. Everyone in Crosshawk seemed determined to keep an eye on this place ever since it was almost destroyed.”

  “My father would never make anyone winter up here!” Mattie said indignantly, surprised Garin would have even considered such a notion. “The weather can turn deadly in an instant, and the passes get blocked by avalanches all the time.”

  “Guards wouldn’t have done much against that spell anyways, except possibly get themselves killed,” said Leto frankly. She grimaced as Garin’s relaxed mood disappeared. The couple remembered full well what had happened at the Von Bos Estate four months ago; the Watchtower hadn’t been the only place Braxton had attacked. “Besides, Demon’s Fire could never have destroyed the tower. Not only has it been heavily warded against that unspeakable curse, but the foundations are also made out of the Star Stone found within the very mountain itself. Have no fear, the structure will remain standing for many ages yet to come.”

  Due to the unspoken reminder about the deaths of men he had greatly admired and respected, Garin’s voice now had an icy tone. “If the tower’s that strong, why are you even here?”

  The Draconian’s eyes narrowed. “Stone may last, but some of the wards may not. While many are untouchable because the very earth holds the magic in place, others were so ancient and complex that they had to be engraved deeply into the blocks. These particular spells include both the most powerful and the most vulnerable of this land’s protections. So when I’m warned by two creatures more ancient than myself that the tower needs checked, I heed their words.”

  “And when was the last time you decided for yourself to just come and inspect it?” demanded Garin.

  Leto put a hand on his chin, a thoughtful expression on his face. “I think it’s been just over two hundred years. Give or take a decade. I only recall that it was before I faked my own death and went into hiding.”

  Garin’s eyes flashed angrily when he bellowed, “A better caretaker would’ve checked on this place anyways! Especially if news of his death might have caused someone to be brave enough to mess with the thing!”

  Leto’s voice turned cold. “While that may be true, my disappearance from history was necessary. Otherwise I would have been tempted to intervene, thus causing future events to have grown much worse.”

  “You were already skirting around that danger when you were spying on Mattie and I when we were growing up! I doubt a quick detour along the way would have been that disastrous!”

  “Outside of my lair, it was too risky for me to stay in any one place for too long! My enemies are not weak ones! The potential for something earth-shattering to occur was too great!”

  Mattie started to rub her temples because Garin’s rage was like a firebrand piercing into her skull. “After hearing Arion call you Fate Changer, why am I not surprised you could have caused another catastrophe? Why in the hell did you crawl out of your hole at all? Just to teach us!? I find that highly unlikely for a history-proven manipulator like you! Tell us the damn truth for once, or so help me—!”

  An azure flame flickered at the tip of the Draconian’s staff while the creature’s patchwork of arcane energies became more visible. “Stand down, young one! This challenge would not be one you could win.”

  “Maybe not just yet,” growled Garin as his powers began to softly radiate. “But there will be a reckoning for you some day!”

  The lines and angles on Leto’s face sharpened, as did the tone of his voice, “There will be, but it won’t be by your hands.”

  Garin’s rage unbelievably increased, causing him to only snarl in response. The Draconian’s stance shifted as if he was getting ready for battle. He might not start the fight, but it appeared he was determined to finish it.

  “I am going to see if there’s some firewood!” Mattie finally yelled, frustrated with them both. Now was not the time for this kind of nonsense! She didn’t even wait to see if her words had slapped some sense back into them and headed straight for the entrance of the tower. “If you two manage not to kill each other, there just might be a fire waiting for you inside!”

  ***

  A fire was indeed roaring by the time Garin made his sheepish way to Mattie’s side. She was standing before a new depression in the middle of the dirt floor, one lined with rocks. The fire pit had been a recent addition by the laborers, and her initial surprise at its presence had been augmented by gratefulness when she had found more than enough wood piled beside it to last two winters. Without a need for matches or to clear a safe spot on the ground, it hadn’t taken long for her to get the fire started.

  “Am I going to have to hunt for a Draconian body?”

  Garin shook his head in response to her caustic question. “No. He’ll be in once he has a chance to circle the entire tower. He wanted to do a quick inspection while there was still light.”

  Grabbing a log twice as thick as her arm, she was tempted to violently throw it at him. Instead, she took a deep breath and then carefully placed it in the best spot for it to help feed the flames. “Garin, I understand that the past week has been nothing but one disaster after the other,” Mattie finally said with a weary sigh. “We’re both past our breaking points, to be honest. But picking a fight with Leto was still a little over the top, don’t you think?”

  Garin ran a hand down his face. “You’re right,” he admitted. Then he crossed his arms and lowered his head. “It was the reminder of the spell Braxton used to kill Jules and the rest of my foster father’s guards that hit too close to recent events. Somehow I managed to apologize to Leto, and we’re back to our normal shaky truce.”

  Now Mattie was really worried. “You haven’t called the Baron that in a long while, at least not when you’re talking to me.”

  Garin turned and walked over to the closest wall. Using one hand to support himself, he leaned against the stones. Knowing he was trying, and failing, to push her completely away from sensing too much through their bond bothered Mattie on many levels. His emotions had been tangled up in a mess of confusion all day, and even more so after Dougal had brought him home earlier. The argument with Leto had only made it even worse.

  “I’m not sure who’s who to me anymore,” he finally confessed, hanging his head. “With all the upheavals recently because of Easton and Iantha, I’ve been forced to face the horrible facts yet again. I have two fathers, two mothers, and only the ones who didn’t bring me into this world actually give a damn about me! Hell, even your father
cares more about me than my birth parents ever did!”

  Hugging herself, tears filled Mattie’s eyes. She wanted to run over to him, to hold him, and to let him know she was there for him. But that action wouldn’t be welcomed right now, so she stayed put.

  He turned and gave her a sad yet appreciative smile before a fresh weariness covered his features. “And then I have all these half-siblings,” the frustration in his voice unmistakable even as he crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall. “The only one who ever treated me like a brother from the start was Elita. As to the rest of that elven lot, it’s never been easy for me to figure them out. Crius and I weren’t really close until recently. I mean, we got along well enough that you could tell we didn’t hate each other. And you know that Esus has attempted to kill me more than once, so I won’t go into how I feel about that elf!”

  He let loose a sigh and ran a hand down his face before he stared fixedly at the ceiling far above. “My other sisters…” he began with a dejected shake of his head. “I never really felt like I was their brother. Oriana has always been kind to me, but she mostly kept me at arm’s length without being overly cruel about it. But her relatively cold behavior was better than Aelia’s. That twisted sister has always been too forward whenever she thought she could get away with it. Which was too often because she was a known tease and never publicly went beyond what the elves would consider an innocent flirtation, even towards her own damn brother!”

  Mattie’s brow furrowed. He had never mentioned the problems with his sisters before, though Orla had told her about the shocking way Aelia had behaved during the feast in Arduenna all those months ago. Maybe Mattie should not have resisted the gut instinct that had screamed to immediately hunt the elf down and to give her a beating she would never have forgotten!

  “That definitely would’ve had Iantha banning you from Arduenna a lot sooner,” he said with a soft chuckle, having heard her last thought.

  “But in that case, it would have at least been worth it!”

  “Perhaps,” he said with a wry grin before it swiftly disappeared within a troubled countenance.

  Mattie wandered towards him and placed a hand lightly on his arm. Her voice was gentle when she asked, “It wasn’t just the thought of Jules that brought this on, was it?”

  Garin closed his eyes, guilt and anger heavy within him. “Someone manipulated the hell out of events to turn Braxton into a murderer, Mattie; something he obviously wouldn’t have become if he hadn’t been ensorcelled and then systematically isolated as a kid! And Stephan trying to kill me the other day!?” He let loose an angry snort. “Granted, we had often fought like wolves and bears—but he had never started an altercation with deadly intent!”

  “And with what he told us—”

  “Another brother of mine is being manipulated somehow! Now Renard’s disappearance is even more troubling. Is he a villain on the run or another possible victim in need of help? Damn it! I wish I knew the truth because, intentional or not, I am tired of feeling like my own flesh and blood is out to get me!”

  “That, unfortunately, is the nature of things,” grumbled Leto as he entered the building. Mattie and Garin glared at the Draconian for his untimely interruption, but he ignored the couple and headed straight for the fire. “Backstabbing, both figuratively and literally, has always found a home amongst the powerful. You can hate that truth all you want, but only a fool ignores it.”

  Garin shook his head, staying right where he was. His angry thoughts were still too rambunctious for him to tolerate being close to the wizened figure. Hoping to give him a chance to collect himself, Mattie was the one who approached Leto and asked, “Were you able to learn anything from your walk around the tower?”

  “Yes,” Leto said with a growl. “I learned that I was once again a fool.”

  Chapter 48

  Garin couldn’t believe how quickly one small phrase pulled him out of the misery caused by his family issues. The safety of the people he had met in Crosshawk was just as important to him! His whole body snapped to attention, ready for a fight if necessary.

  His eyes had narrowed at Leto before he angrily demanded, “Are you trying to tell us that something happened to the Watchtower since the last time you bothered to come here!?”

  Mattie had already reached that same conclusion because anxious fear came from her direction when she barked, “Well, is he right!?”

  Leto paused in the process of warming his gnarled hands over the fire. “Yes,” he answered brusquely before his shoulders hunched down. “Unfortunately, I am not quite sure which spell has gone defunct. Only a theory or two at the moment based on the difference I’ve felt.”

  “So why are you sitting on your ass instead of hurrying to discover what’s been broken?” growled Mattie, her hands starting to clench into fists.

  “Because there are no easy fixes for either one!” snapped the Draconian in obvious frustration. “The original spells can be found in one place only, and that is within my northern lair.”

  Garin knew a deflecting excuse when he heard it. He took a step forward, fingers resting on the hilt of his sword. “So just use that magical traveling trinket of yours to go and get the damn things.”

  “That so-called ‘trinket’ is an ancient family heirloom and has its limits!” snarled Leto. “At least a full day is required for the spell within it to recharge, so that is not an option at the current moment. If I have to wait anyways, I’d rather take the time to warm myself up first.”

  Despite being just as upset as he was, Mattie’s tolerance for any fighting between Garin and the Draconian was close to none. Garin found that out after he started to take a few firm steps towards the ancient creature, his intent uncertain even to himself. She swiftly and purposefully blocked his path. A raised eyebrow was the only warning she gave that he was about to push her patience too far.

  Turning to face Leto, she placed her hands on her hips and demanded, “Just tell us how truly bad this is! On a scale of one to ten—one being an insect bite and ten being a giant suddenly appearing to pulverize the mountainside—exactly how much trouble are we facing because of this?”

  Garin fully grabbed the hilt of his sword when the Draconian sighed and uttered, “Eleven; maybe twelve.”

  “You son of a bitch!” hissed Garin. “This could have been prevented if you had only been more diligent in your duty to this place!”

  “It’s possible,” admitted Leto, keeping his attention on the fire. “Depends on when the engraving was ruined and on how badly. But if this truly is the spell I believe it to be, very little could have been done to prevent this eventual catastrophe. Even if I had come on a more regular basis, they would’ve just waited until I was gone to do the heinous deed anyways. Unfortunately, the damage is most likely irrevocable by now. A decade or so would be all the time required for that to be the case.” Garin could almost swear he heard fear in the ancient creature’s voice when he added, “I just wasn’t expecting it to be so soon.”

  Mattie’s indigence rose her pitch about an octave, “Expecting?”

  “Foretold. Predicted. Soothsaid. Whichever you want to call it,” groused Leto, waving his hand as if shooing away a fly. “Helka told me I was a lunatic for casting the spell in the first place, that someone was just going to come along and destroy it at the most inopportune time. At least she had agreed with me about the wisdom of letting the land recover, giving me that powerful ward to try and hold off the inevitable for as long as possible.”

  There were many things Garin considered to be inevitable, very few of which were good. “Care to share what you mean by that vague statement?”

  Leto shook his head. “Not until I’m certain. Because if I’m right, the answer may make it hard for either of you to ever sleep soundly again.”

  ***

  While Garin had somehow been bestowed with the ability to better contain his magic when his emotions rode high, the rest of his control was nearly gone. If he didn’t get out of
there, he was going to happily strangle the procrastinating Draconian. Mattie must have felt the bundle of rage growing because she didn’t say a word when he quickly exited the building.

  What a bunch of vague and cryptic horseshit! he thought as he glared at the white-stone structure. There was no point in the ancient creature keeping silent, damn it! Danger was danger. And if it was as monumentally horrendous as Leto implied, then they needed all the time they could to wrap their heads around the threat.

  They needed to prepare!

  A snarl left his lips as he stormed away, alone with the buzzing of his angry thoughts. They eventually turned aside from Leto and towards Iantha. Wasn’t too hard considering the fact that all of the traumatizing events at her hands were still fresh in his mind. What kind of mother would purposefully harm her children? What kind of monster would drag one of them into the dark, screaming his throat raw? Or would have nearly beat another to death like she had with Crius? Or would kill her eldest child?

  And what was the true purpose behind the political maneuvering required for her to be the one to mix two royal bloodlines? Oh, she had told him that it was because of some prophecy, the same story she shared with everyone else. But deep down inside, he had always doubted that was the elf’s only reason. Too many of her past actions made it painfully clear that her plans for him couldn’t have been anywhere close to the realm of good!

  Garin shivered from more than the cold and hurried his steps. Even with no real destination in mind, his meandering path had him heading towards the north side of the building. Why he felt drawn to the earthen stable that had been built to resemble a roomy cave, he had no idea. But anywhere was better than inside the tower at this point.

  Garin froze the second he saw a fresh set of tracks leading to his destination. Apparently, someone else had the same idea! Unsheathing his sword, he took a slow and thorough look around. The boot prints in the snow were definitely made by a human, too small to be Leto’s and too large to be Mattie’s. He himself hadn’t been this way, so that left the uncomfortable conclusion that there was a fourth person on this mountaintop.