From Blood and Magic

by Dave Skinner

  There was discord to that statement. Andoo felt it but decided not to mention it. He had not seen any destruction. Only Nails had seen it, so there were still multiple paths open to them. It was too early to say which path would be taken. All he was sure of was that they would take it together. That building was part of their joint destiny.

  ***

  Andoo worked with Nails for the next two moons every second morning. He worked with Brayson on the other mornings. Most afternoons, he dedicated to Feenatay. Andoo said that both Nails and Brayson would benefit from training. Brayson needed to develop his ability to see a person’s essence, he explained. Flitter reinforced that this was something common to many of the fey. They could feel a person’s intentions, and influence them along the same lines. During the battle with the Destroyer’s army, the fey had used this ability to affect the ogres who fought for the demons, as well as using traditional weapons. Brayson felt certain that his ability was more consistent after their visit to Crosstown, but he was happy to exercise it.

  “It has deserted me at times when it would have been useful,” he told Nails. “If I can solidify it, it will be a reliable tool.”

  “So far all I have done is think,” Nails said.

  “You could already think,” Brayson answered.

  “This is different. The exercise is to think about only one thing.” Nails was lying in the bottom of a small rowboat they had claimed, while Brayson was behind the central seat, leaning against the opposite side. Fishing poles rested beside them both, although they paid no attention to the lines. The air was fresh with the smell of water and flowers, and Flitter could be seen darting around in the sky above them.

  “Normally,” Nails continued, “my thoughts jump from subject to subject. Andoo says I must be able to concentrate on one thought and follow it to a conclusion. I’m not good at doing that.”

  “You will learn, my friend,” Brayson assured him. “You have learned many new things in the time we have been together. You will be as successful with this.”

  Something fell onto Nails’ face, startling him. He grabbed it and held it up. It was a wingless dragonfly. He tossed it into the water.

  “Flitter,” he called into the sky. “Not over the boat.” Brayson laughed.

  Flitter had a murderous dislike of dragonflies. She refused to explain it to them, only saying that they had caused her trouble in the past. She liked to fly above them and cut their wings off or chase them into the webs of the large brightly coloured spiders that were abundant in the marsh and on the grounds of Delta. Flitter landed on the seat between them.

  “Sorry, Nails,” she said. Her smile suggested that the apology was nothing more than empty words.

  “Why do I find that hard to believe?” Nails asked.

  Flitter laughed. “It was a little dragonfly, nothing for a big, strong boy like you to worry about.”

  “I don’t want to have this conversation, again,” Nails said.

  “Well, perhaps you would like to know that Brayson’s brother has arrived. I saw him getting out of a marshman’s boat over by the big building.”

  Brayson sat up. “We should go and say hello. The afternoon is not a good time for fishing anyway.”

  They both pulled their lines in. Contrary to Brayson’s statement, there was a small fish on his line. He unhooked it and gave it to Flitter who sliced it up with her sword and chose three pieces of meat for them to chew. Raw fish was not something Nails liked all that much, but in single bite-sized portions, it was tasty.

  Their boat was tethered to a tree on the bank, and Brayson stood and pulled them to shore. Once they were off of the boat, they headed towards the main building with Flitter riding on Brayson’s shoulder. Shawn, Brayson’s half-brother, was sitting in the afternoon sun on one of two wooden benches in a pleasant seating area.

  “Don’t sit out here for too long, Shawn,” Brayson said as they came close. “You will get burnt.”

  Although Shawn had a dusky complexion like his sister Remi, his was paler from spending so much time indoors searching through scrolls. He stood and clasped forearms with Nails and then Brayson, whom he pulled into a hug.

  “Good to see you both,” he said as he stepped back. He bowed to Flitter. “And you, Flitter, are looking lovelier than I remember.”

  “So kind of you to say, my Prince,” Flitter responded with her own bow.

  “How did your search through the scrolls at Riverrun South go?” Brayson asked.

  “I found more references to travelling here from the South, but nothing new. I went to Marshtown also. They have very few records. I was finished there in three days, but I did find evidence that suggests the marshmen were here before the majority of us came to the lake country. I hope the scrolls here are more helpful.”

  They talked the afternoon away until Andoo and Feenatay came to welcome Shawn.

  Life for Nails over the next few moons was enjoyable. He rose early and performed the exercise Ran taught him before he went for food. His mornings were spent on thinking exercises and some attempts at easy spells. He felt his thinking was getting better. He could follow a single subject to conclusion, without getting interrupted by stray thoughts. He wasn’t successful every time, but Andoo said he was improving. They usually worked in Andoo’s office. He would set Nails an idea to think about and then sit at his desk answering correspondence while Nails concentrated. Before the midday meal, they would go to the Seeing Pool where Andoo would show him simple spells or sometimes use his wizard’s sight to look for information. In the time he had been at Delta, Nails had never managed even one of the simple spells. He always became distracted by something else. On the days Andoo was not available to him, Nails practiced thinking through problems and attempted easy magic, like creating fire. He always did that outside by one of the streams. He remembered the spell he had used to hold the miners in place and how it had turned deadly. If he managed to make fire, he didn’t want to burn Delta to the ground. In the afternoons, Brayson, Flitter and he went exploring in the marshes or fished. After an evening meal with Feenatay and Shawn, he would listen to Shawn tell stories about earlier times around the lakes. Shawn had so many stories that Nails believed he had read and memorized almost every scroll ever created about the inhabitants of the lake country.

  The third moon was waxing when Nails had his first success with the fire spell. It seemed to open a door for him, and in no time he could do many more of the small spells. He was also working on the spell required to activate a communication stone. These were oblong-shaped stones used by wizards to speak with others over great distances. Andoo had shown him one. Members of the Wizard’s Council were located in all the cities and most fair-sized towns around the lakes, and important information was passed, using the stones, to Delta where it was transcribed by older wizards before being passed to the Master of the Council. These were the correspondences that Andoo checked each day. Late one morning, Andoo asked Nails to accompany him into the Seeing Chamber.

  “I have received a message from Little Point that I wish to look into,” Andoo explained. “Farmers on the grassland are reporting that something besides sabretooth tigers is killing their animals. The wizards at Little Point, Southgate and Bakerstown have attempted to find the reason using their wizards’ sight without success. We will try to discern it using the Seeing Pool.”

  Andoo dipped the end of his staff into the still, black water of the pool. A single, white strand spread through the water from the staff. It strengthened, became wider and split into multiple colours and strands, and an image formed over the water. They were soaring above a stretch of grasslands that extended as far as Nails could see. Below, he saw large herds of antelope, great deer and bison. All were running, tearing across the grasslands. Sabretooths sprinted behind them. Nails was watching one particular cat who was gaining on an antelope. Just as Nails thought the cat had the animal, it swerved away, but a flash of white sprang up and took the antelope. The visi
on faded.

  “Was that a second sabretooth who killed the antelope?” Andoo asked.

  “I didn’t see it clearly enough to tell,” Nails said. “I didn’t even see it until it struck, but I admit I was concentrating on the cat.”

  “Let us watch it again,” Andoo said, “now that we know what to watch for.”

  He placed the end of his staff back into the water and soon Nails was flying above the grasslands again. This time, their flight was slower. Andoo seemed to be holding them back, trying for greater clarity. Despite the effort, Nails still could not identify the flash of white that killed the antelope.

  After their evening meal, Andoo took the young people back to the Seeing Pool. They watched the vision again, but no one could see anything specific.

  “It is definitely a magical creature,” Flitter said.

  “I agree,” Brayson said. “I also detect a feeling of discomfort or hunger.”

  “I believe I sense that also,” Andoo said. “I did not want to influence your impressions by mentioning it. We will have to plan a trip to Little Point. Will you be coming with us, Shawn? You could probably use a break.”

  “Thank you, but no,” Shawn said. “I feel I am close to finding what I seek.”

  “Very well,” Andoo said. “We will leave in two days.

  Chapter 32

  Little Point’s walls impressed Brayson. Shawn had told him and Nails about the city before they left Delta, and he thought he had an idea of what it would be like. He was mistaken. Shawn told them Little Point, The Point, Southgate and Bakerstown were all fortress cities, built when big-people first arrived in the lake country.

  “According to what I have read,” Shawn had explained. “Instead of bringing timbers and stone blocks from other locations, they decided to use the earth and grasses available to them. No one knows how thick the walls actually are now, because people have tunneled in and built homes inside them.” Brayson could now see what he had meant. While the outside was smooth, the inside was riddled with door and window openings accessed by numerous stairs and walkways. It had been too dark when they entered Little Point the night before to make out details of the tunnel, and the light glowing from the tip of Andoo’s staff had been dim. The tunnels, there were four of them, one in each wall, were the only egresses for the city. Now, in daylight, Brayson judged that he could barely throw a stone from one end of the tunnel to the other.

  Jory, the sabretooth hunter they had met last night after arriving at their inn, guided them to a corral beside the entrance to one of the tunnels. Brayson saw both horses and large, scaled KaAnian chargers being led out of it.

  “We have some chargers we have been working with,” he said. “Their scales make them ideal for hunting cats. Nails, if you are riding, you will have to ride one of those. They are strong enough to handle someone your size. Princess,” he said to Feenatay, “I assume you will want a charger also?”

  “Yes, thank you,” Feenatay said.

  They would ride out tomorrow with the hunters to find out if just the large cats were attacking the farms or something else was aiding them. Today they had to gather supplies and pick mounts. This would be Brayson’s and Nails’ first experience riding horses, and Nails was worried.

  “What if I can’t ride?” he had asked Brayson the night before.

  “Perhaps they have a wagon you could use. You were okay in the wagon with Len, Bet and West.”

  “We will see,” Nails had said. “We both might have to ride in a wagon.”

  Brayson had agreed. He was sure-footed, but had no experience being sure-seated, if that was what you called it. He allowed his senses to reach out to the horses and chargers tied to the outside of the corral. None of them gave off feelings he found upsetting. In fact, they all ignored him, except for a young pinto. She turned her head and studied the group as they approached. She seemed to pay particular attention to Brayson.

  “If you see an animal that appeals to you, check it out,” Jory said. “If you like it, put it into the smaller corral.”

  Brayson went to the pinto. He ran his hand along the mare’s flank, feeling an immediate affinity for the animal. The name, Patches, came to him. His selection was made. After leading Patches to the other corral, he returned to find Nails. Perhaps he could help his friend with his choice, but Nails was stroking one of the large chargers as if they were old acquaintances. The big lad gave Brayson a large smile when he walked over to him.

  “I seem to know what to do to make him happy,” Nails said. “I also think I know how to ride.”

  Feenatay, who was beside Nails with her own animal, looked over at him. “You must have inherited knowledge of chargers from your father,” she said. “I understand he was a great rider.”

  After placing their mounts in the smaller corral and arranging for the tack they would need, they made plans to meet Jory the next morning and set out to buy supplies. Andoo was bargaining for foodstuff when Brayson heard a woman exclaim his name in surprise. He looked around.

  “Reese! What are you doing here?” he asked.

  “I was going to ask you the same thing,” she said. “Is Nails with you?”

  “He is over there.” Brayson pointed to the back of the store where Nails and Feenatay were discussing something.

  “Is that Feenatay?” Reese asked.

  “Yes,” Brayson said. “She is studying at Delta with Nails and me.” Brayson felt a pinch on his earlobe. “Let me introduce you to our friend, Flitter.”

  “Well met, Flitter,” Reese said, but she hardly looked at the faerie. Her eyes were locked onto Nails and Feenatay. Brayson felt the wave of jealousy that arose from Reese. Flitter must have felt it also.

  “So, you are the woman Nails talks about,” the little sylph said.

  Reese’s head snapped around. “He talks about me?” she asked.

  “Only once or twice a day,” Flitter told her. Her statement put a smile on Reese’s face.

  “What are you doing in Little Point, Reese?” Brayson asked again.

  “There was a regatta here two days ago that I raced in.” Her eyes swung back to watch Feenatay and Nails. “Are you staying here for long?” she asked.

  “We head out with some sabretooth hunters tomorrow,” Brayson explained. “The cats are causing a problem for the farmers. Attacks have increased, and we are to investigate the reason.”

  “Are you all going?”

  “Yes.” Brayson had begun watching Nails and Feenatay too. Nails had his back to them, but Feenatay had seen Reese, although she did not wave. Suddenly, Feenatay laughed as if Nails had said something humorous. She stepped close to him and put one hand on his arm. Brayson heard Flitter snicker in his ear.

  “Have I missed something between those two?” she whispered.

  Brayson was wondering the same thing; Feenatay’s movements were out of character. Maybe away from Delta she was more relaxed and this was an attraction to Nails he had not seen before. He was also curious about the laugh. He could count on his fingers the number of times Nails had knowingly said something humorous. Brayson did not have to look at Reese to tell she was upset.

  “Excuse me,” Reese said. “I must say hello to Andoo.”

  As soon as Reese moved away, Feenatay lowered her hand from Nails’ arm and stepped back.

  “I detect a contest between those two,” Flitter said. “Feenatay knows how Nails feels about Reese. She did that to make Reese jealous.”

  “And it worked,” Brayson admitted.

  A short time later, Andoo finished his bargaining then spoke with Reese for some time before calling everyone to the door. Nails greeted Reese warmly.

  “Reese is going to join us on our excursion,” Andoo announced.

  “Is that a good idea, Andoo?” Feenatay asked. “What can she add to the group?”

  “She is excellent with a sword,” Andoo said. “She comes with us.”

  Brayson saw Reese smile with satis
faction. He expected that. He did not expect Feenatay’s smile to mirror Reese’s. I think I missed something here.

  “I need to pull my boat up,” Reese said. “Would you help me, Nails?”

  “Be happy to,” Nails said with a big smile.

  Nails and Reese headed out the door and turned towards the tunnel. Everyone else exited the store after them but turned in the opposite direction, and Brayson found himself walking beside Feenatay.

  “Well, that worked better than I hoped,” Feenatay said.

  “I was wondering about that little bit of theater you performed,” Flitter said. “You are lucky the big girl held her temper.”

  “Reese and I have known each other all our lives. She would never hurt me, but she is shy and awkward around men, and Nails had told me about their encounters so I thought she needed some help. A few days together riding across the grasslands might do the trick, as long as Reese is motivated to try.”

  “It appears to be working,” Flitter said.

  “As long as Nails can stop saying things that make her mad,” Brayson added.

  Chapter 33

  The next morning, Jory led them out the tunnel and down the road heading onto the grasslands. He had introduced them to the nine other hunters who made up his squad and explained that the grasslands were riddled with gullies that were almost impossible to see until you were upon them.

  “Do not allow your mount to run anywhere except on the roadway,” he had explained. “Also, our mounts are trained to snort when they smell a cat, but it only works when the beasts are upwind. Remain alert at all times.”

  “Surely, a cat would not attack a group of mounted men,” Reese commented.

  “It happens. They often hunt in packs, also, so do not assume safety from numbers.”

  Brayson had an itch on his back. After getting Flitter to scratch it to no avail, he realized it was because he felt exposed. The open spaces were completely different from the woods he was used to travelling through.