Taylon (5 page)

“Who saw the councilman fleeing? I would like
to talk to them.” If she could place a seed of doubt against
Gantha, make him seem responsible for the deaths and destruction,
she could easily make it to the next full moon for the rite.

But before anyone could answer her, a scout
came stumbling in. “Madam Da’Lynn…to the north…the humans.”

Da’Lynn let out an audible sigh. She was sick
of that good-for-nothing race. “Yes? What is it?”

“They have destroyed the wall and looks like
they are planning war.” There was a gasp through the gathered
elves. Da’Lynn’s eyes sparkled.

War meant a distraction, but better yet, it
meant more power. There would be no new members picked for the
council until the situation was resolved. So, she would reign for
the time being.

“Get me the Generals.”

***

It had been a peaceful night for Sank. The
previous day it sounded as if there might be thunderclouds coming,
but none arrived. He rose from his cot and stretched, his hands
almost touching the ceiling. Sank’s house was more of a one-room
log shed. It was comfortable enough; a little small for a gnoll,
but it was what he had.

Slowly he prepared for market. The gnoll
helped at a blacksmith’s forge in Aladedas, usually hammering away
at various weapons. He felt like today would be a good day as he
grabbed his axe for the journey.

But when he opened the door, before him was a
small battalion of humans, who all had their weapons pointed at
him.

“Ahh!” Sank yelled in shock, raising his
hands in the air, one still holding the ax.

“Kill the talking wolf creature!” yelled
someone from the group. A second later, an arrow pierced the gnoll.
Sank did not even get in one hit. A sword sliced his abdomen and
one severed his foot. His last thought was mundane.
I am not a
wolf. I am a gnoll.

***

Taylon hung back as Euphoria sent seven
battalions of men into the Territories.

“Burn them out! Leave nothing alive! One
moment of hesitation can cost you your life!” Her rallying speech
invigorated the men into a frenzy. Taylon didn’t know if he would
ever see those men again.

After blowing up the wall, the army made camp
and fortifications to protect their land. Nothing came out of the
Territories until nightfall. A couple of jet-black wolves ventured
forward. Arrows irritated them. One soldier got the idea to try out
the ballista against them. It took four men to crank, load, and aim
the heavy arrow.

Fwung!

The bolt caught the wolf through the skull
and pinned it to a nearby tree.

Thunk!

This caused several wolves to charge from the
forest. The animals slaughtered twelve men before they found a
weakness. Fire. The archers switched to flaming arrows, which
ignited the wolves instantly. It took only three of the pack to
light up, like torches, before the animals decided to retreat.

After that, all was quiet.

And now, these men were sent off into the
wolf-infested forest, to encounter who knows what else. Taylon
shook his head, knowing there was nothing he could do.

“I know you don’t agree.”

He turned, startled at her presence. She
looked simply beautiful today, glowing and radiant. “I-I….”

“But you will see that I am right.” She
stepped closer and closer as she spoke. Her words were light
whispers in the air.

Taylon became completely entranced. Under her
spell, he forgot all about his cares.

“Don’t you think so?” Her lips were now mere
inches from his, their noses barely touching. Taylon’s eyes began
to close, waiting for the kiss.

Because if you don’t,
the wraith
smiled as the captain’s bliss broke and his heart seized with fear,
there won’t be a Rose for you except on your grave.

The captain staggered back from the shock,
his whole body screaming with adrenaline and panic. Chill ice
slowly melted from his heart as it beat one hundred times faster.
He fell to a sitting position.

Euphoria smiled, before returning to her
tigers.

Taylon felt like disappearing into the
ground. He had let this whole
war
happen, without a word of
warning, and only a feeble attempt at trying to assassinate the
queen. If he weren’t out in the open for his men to see, he would
wallow in self-pity.

“Captain?”

A recruit came up alongside, startling him.
He nodded, not trusting his voice to hide his pain.

“What is our main goal? I know we have sent
out scouting and raiding missions, but it is hard to go looking for
something hypothetical. So what is our objective?”

A moment of truth and clarity from someone
other than him. Others saw the foolhardiness of Euphoria’s plan.
But this recruit was asking
him
, so all the planning fell
back upon his shoulders. If they failed, Taylon would be to
blame.

“The main resistance is a wizard.” Taylon
tried to hide his surprise.
A wizard? Why was that
familiar?

“A wizard? A wizard of one of the races?”

“No, a human wizard.” Again, something in his
mind worked and spilled forth this information involuntarily.

“But sir, that’s absurd. Why would a human be
helping the other races hurt the humans? It doesn’t make any
sense.”

And in one clear flashback, Taylon remembered
the mirror and the standoff. When he was still second-in-command to
Kreitan, Euphoria was possessed, bewitched. Flickers of what had
come and gone came forth, and now he remembered. A girl and a
wizard. A fox and a glowing ball of light.

“Captain?”

“We must find this wizard, and a girl.”

“A girl?”

“A young girl the wizard travels with. We
must find them. They will help us end this conflict.” His voice
sounded confident, more confident than it had in weeks.

The recruit hesitated. “But sir, where do we
go about finding them? The Territories are expansive.”

He paused for a moment before quick-stepping
to his tent. The recruit followed him, hesitating slightly. Inside
the tent, he pulled out a map of Faldoa.

“Look here to start.” His finger jabbed down
on the parchment, almost tearing the fragile thing. It was west of
their position, close to where the wall met the river. A small town
called Willow Haven.

Chapter Six

They were definitely lost now, Kara was sure
of it. A day ago, Jesset and she had set out to venture into the
Territories. Her father stayed behind, laid up due to one of the
horses kicking him in the leg. Kara didn’t wish to leave him, but
knew they would travel faster without him.

She used the assassin elf’s key, shuddering
as she inserted it into the secret door. Yes, she would hopefully
see her friends again, but there was a chance Katrena could still
be out there holding a grudge. Kara shook the nightmare away, and
focused on the forest before her.

The first day started off promising, until
night began to fall. Luckily, they found shelter away from the Lyre
wolves. Jesset did his best to communicate with the few that
wandered close by last night, but all he received were grunts of
anger.

Today had begun hopeful, when they stumbled
upon a trail. It was an east-west trail, and of course, Kara and
Jesset had split opinions. They compromised by going east, Jesset’s
choice, which soon turned out to be a dead end. They backtracked
the trail and went west, which also turned into a deadend.
Eventually they just trailblazed straight ahead.

“How much longer should we be hiking here in
the Territories?” Jesset asked.

Now thirteen, she wore her brown chestnut
hair in a braid that hung at the middle of her back. Also, her
voice had changed from that of a kid to one becoming a grown
woman.

“I know it will be around here somewhere. We
need to talk to Hambone, or Snow; warn them about the army.” She
rested a hand on a nearby tree trying to peer farther into the
depths, without any luck.

Above them, in a fluttering of wings,
something perched in the tree above them.

CAW!

“Oh great, a crow.” Kara didn’t care too much
for any kind of feathered creature. Jesset had a power to
communicate with animals of all kinds. Birds, squirrels, deer, and
of course crows. They were always willing to chat, but they wanted
something in return, where most animals were just happy to talk
with a human. Plus the black birds didn’t always come across as
reliable, in her opinion.

What’s this girl talkin’ about? I hear the
sarcasm in her voice.
The crow said. Jesset translated for
Kara.

“Don’t mind her. A little put off when it
comes to birds.” Kara shot Jesset a snide look before he continued.
“I wonder if you could help us.”

Just call on ol’ Reginald here. I’ll get
the job done
. The bird fluttered its wings almost as if it were
puffing out its chest.

“Reginald,” Jesset said sounding satisfied
with the name.

“Reginald?” Kara came off condescending.

Mom named me it. Friends call me Reggie.
What can I do for you?

“Well, we are sort of lost and need
directions Reggie,” Jesset began. Kara stifled a laugh. The crow
turned its head toward her, glaring.

That’s easy, cuz. I can direct you anywhere.
Lookin’ to go to Aladedas?

“Um…no. We are looking for the home of a
friend. A Dwarc named--”

Hambone!

“Yes…that’s the one,” Jesset said, recovering
from the interruption by the crow.

Well, why didn’t you just say so? Hambone and
me are good friends. I can easily take you to him, though I don’t
know if he’s expecting visitors. Got his girl over with him.

Jesset turned to Kara. “Hambone has a
girlfriend?”

Before Kara could answer, Reggie interrupted
yet again.
You bet, doctor. Fine dark elf. Bakes a mean pie as
well. Not that I ever had one. Well, once stuck my beak in one.
Fine, tasty thing.

“Yes, he does have one,” Kara said slowly,
giving a stern glare at the crow. “I think her name is Ra’na. It’s
Katrena’s twin.”

Oh yeah, that’s right. Forgot about that
nasty twin. Fine looking as well, but really up to no good. But ya
don’t have to worry about her. She’s gone away for a bit. Lost her
hand too. Shame messing up a pretty form like that.

Jesset translated Reggie’s squawking. Kara
took it all in. “Something’s up. We should probably get to Hambone,
and quickly. What does the crow want in return?”

Wow girl, you wound me. Thinking I want
something for just simple directions. Hambone’s a friend. And I
like to keep my friends happy. I’ll take ya there for no charge.
But if ya can, see if his chicky babe can whip me up a pie. I like
pie.

With a laugh, Jesset told Kara, who didn’t
laugh as much. The crow flew, and the party followed. Nothing like
putting your faith in how far the crow flies.

***

Nobody said much to Fret all day. Gantha made
some small talk in the morning, but he looked like hell. His night
must have been horrible. Fret had slept soundly, dreamlessly, and
for once peacefully. The ale had not left him with much of a
hangover. His little headache soon disappeared, with a bite to
eat.

The morning meal was rushed. Ynob didn’t eat
anything, and tried to hurry their departure. Before long, they sat
in their saddles and rode away, full speed, from Niava and her
tavern. The snake woman proprietress did not see them off. Instead,
it was a big hairless thing that took their money and grunted.
Gantha told him it was an orc.

Fret wondered if the wizard was angry with
him, but he was hesitant to ask. Something in the conversation last
night led the boy to believe that maybe he was the cause of the
trouble back in the elven city.

He clung to Gantha as the horse bumped and
jolted along. As he looked back at his new life, Fret was amazed at
how comfortable he had become in the Territories. Almost drown,
kidnapped, exploited, and now rescued. He wondered what was in
store for him next.

They rode hard, trees flashing by in a blur.
The rhythm of the horse, the air rushing by, lulled him to sleep.
But as his grip loosened, his body’s reflexes woke him up and
caused Fret to suddenly squeeze Gantha tightly.

“What…?”

“Sorry!” Fret yelled back.

After what seemed like forever, the riders
slowed as the wizard led them into the forest and off the trail.
Fret still felt rushed.

“Why are we going so fast?” Fret asked the
elf.

“I’m not sure.”

“Is…is the wizard upset with me?” Fret asked
nervously.

Gantha answered with a short laugh. “I
wouldn’t worry about it. He’s like that. I’m not sure if he gets
along with many people.”

“So how did you get mixed up with him?” His
curiosity piqued.

“Shh. We’re here.”

Fret quickly looked around, expecting to see
a huge house or castle or something that a stodgy old wizard would
live in. There was nothing but trees. What was here? Maybe it was
resting point.

Ynob dismounted quickly, leaving his horse
free. Gantha nudged Fret, who followed the wizard’s lead.

Ugg, his legs felt like rubber as soon as
they touched the forest floor. They almost buckled underneath
him.

Gantha dropped down and tied his mare to a
nearby post.

Hearing muttering, Fret looked up in time to
see the wizard waving his hands. A door appeared in a large trunk
in front of him.
What the…
Gantha turned to see Fret’s
expression and smirked.

“Come on, that’s nothing.”

Once inside, Fret didn’t know where or what
to look at first. Living underneath a tree was unbelievable, but
the contents in the house left the boy stunned.

A young woman came to greet Ynob, but he
breezed right by her. She looked a little miffed, but turned to
follow him.