Taylon (7 page)

“We didn’t see the use in slaughtering this
one. I thought it might be useful in guiding us to the major points
of interest.” The soldier seemed very pleased with himself.

Taylon looked down at the poor creature. The
chains were almost too big to contain it.

“Again, well done. I will take the creature
from you for questioning.” The captain quickly dismissed the
soldiers, who left with a whoop of delight. Taylon bent on his
knee. The gnome did not try to escape. After a moment, it looked
Taylon in the eye.

“So ya got me. What now?”

Taken aback for a moment, he pondered the
loud voice that came from that small body.

“Name.”

“Well aye haven’t had yours yet, so why
should aye give mine?” The gnome crossed its small arms and cocked
its head.

“Captain Taylon.” Negotiating with prisoners
wasn’t something he regularly had to do, but he needed information
quick.

“Mighty nice to give me your name. Vulpin
Ganginderslight, but my friends call me Van. You can call me Mr.
Ganginderslight.”

The captain looked at the gnome. A lot of
attitude coming from a small man. Most prisoners he interrogated
never talked this way. Well, they hadn’t talked that way for
long.

“I see. So, Mr. Ganginderslight, what brings
you out into the forest?” Taylon thought it would be fun to play
coy with the little man.

The gnome gave a little half chuckle before
speaking. “Aye was just out walking when yer goons picked me up.
Plucked me like aye was some sort of flower.”

He could sense it was a lie, but he really
didn’t have any proof the little man was anything other than just
another of his race.

“Give me more than that. I doubt you were
just
walking along and my loud soldiers stumbled upon you.
Maybe I should bring them back to help interrogate you?” Taylon
feigned rising from his crouched position.

“Wait!” The urgency in the gnome’s voice
cried out guiltily.

“I think you had your time to speak. I’ll
tell them that you can’t be much help to me.” Taylon stood, seeing
the panic in the little guy’s face. “They can probably use you in a
game of Krawl. You’re about the size of the standard ball
used.”

“Stop! Aye can be of help! Aye can tell you
where the human is!”

Taylon couldn’t repress the look of surprise
on his face, but recovered quickly. “Go on.”

“We didn’t mean any harm to the boy….”

“Boy?”

“Umm, yes?” Van didn’t know what to say.

Silence passed as Taylon stood impassively,
arms crossed, thinking. A human boy? How many other humans were in
the Territories?

Someone brushed by Taylon quickly and stooped
to seize the little man. Euphoria turned on her charm and sucked
the magic and life out of him.

“No!” Taylon cried out, but dared not bat her
away. She was done in a matter of minutes. Chains fell to the
ground, dragging the clothing behind.

Euphoria stood, and then slowly turned to
face the captain, her face unreadable.
Not much of a snack, but
magic nonetheless.
A smile broke on her face—a sinister leer
that made the captain’s heart ice over.

“He was…going to give valuable information.
Maybe even map out the Territories.” He had to take a moment to
shake off the cold feeling.

The queen leaned toward him. He wanted to
step back, even run, but he steeled himself. Her lips came close to
his ear. “I know who you are looking for. Good luck.” Her whisper
was sharp in his ear, yet was not the terrible wraith voice.

Euphoria stepped back, took one look at
Taylon, and turned gracefully to stroll away. Taylon watched her
go, sickened and a little afraid.

Chapter Eight

The elfin army was beginning to gather in
Shalaydis. While the force was small so far, word flew by crow to
the other tribes, and slowly warriors arrived. News about the human
incursion had been varied and sparse. Rumors soared, and the
stories grew about the attacks. They only incensed the elves even
more.

Da’Lynn busily worked on her battle plans,
with Katrena by her side. Kerlick sent word he was rallying his own
band of rebels. Da’Lynn amazed at how easily the elves fell in
behind their new leader.

Katrena, who still wasn’t herself since the
overthrow of the council, barely said much of anything. She showed
no emotion, yet her eyes told a different story. Da’Lynn did not
have the time to investigate further. She was an acceptable slave
at the moment. No need to waste any more control power.

“Mistress Da’Lynn?” A young elf scout entered
the hall out of breath.

Her smile was deliciously seductive, yet
powerfully cruel. “Yes.” The word made the young elf forget his
message for a moment.

“Um…there is a band of rebels at the gate.
They are requesting permission.”

“Sound the alarm! Take a few soldiers…”
Jaloik, her battle commander, quickly sputtered out. Da’Lynn waved
her hand at him.

The scout paused, not sure what to do and
waited for the councilwoman to speak.

“I have called for the rebels to fight with
us. Allow them into the city.” She waved again but the scout
remained.

Jaloik turned toward her, confusion and a bit
of anger on his face. “Mistress, these are rebels! Outcasts! They
will destroy the city if left unchecked.” Other officers stopped to
watch the confrontation.

Slowly, Da’Lynn turned to fully face the
commander. Her smile disappeared, but the cruelness remained. She
closed her eyes, and then opened them again.

“You can easily be replaced Jaloik. And I do
mean easily.” Da’Lynn took a moment to stare at the quivering elf.
A haughty and proud man, reduced to jelly by a simple woman.
Such power.

Da’Lynn turned back to the scout. Fear
registered on his face, as his eyes went back and forth between the
mistress and the commander.

“Go!” The harsh word sent the scout away.

Jaloik crept out of the hall, still visibly
shaken. Da’Lynn watched him leave and smiled. They would learn she
had a method to her madness. The chaos she would spread once the
Palace of Nine was open to her would be untold insanity.

Katrena came from the wall and approached her
mother. She stood by her side, not speaking. Her left hand cradled
her right arm; the missing hand plainly visible.

“Your mate comes.”

“Why do you torment me so?” Katrena cried
out.

“Because that is what I do. It is all in
jest.” Da’Lynn turned toward her daughter. She looked down at the
missing appendage. “Have you gone to the blacksmith? He could fit
that with a nice blade or other weapon.”

Katrena met her mother’s eyes, showing no
emotion. “With all that magic you have, surely you can regenerate
it for me.” Her words dipped with sarcasm, but otherwise held no
emotion. Katrena didn’t wait for a reply and began walking
away.

Da’Lynn clamped down on Katrena’s shoulder and spun
her quickly.
You dare mock me, elf?
She appeared too numb to
be frightened.

Quickly the ugliness of anger vanished and Da’Lynn
released Katrena. Both stood staring at each other. Katrena left
without a word.

Da’Lynn took a moment to compose herself. Soon she
would have to decide what to do about Katrena. Something was
different about her, but Da’Lynn could not deal with it now—no
matter how irritating it was getting. She turned to meet the
rebels.

Outside, Shalaydis looked to be in ordered confusion.
Soldiers trained in small groups as blacksmiths worked overtime,
smoke rising from their pyres. Elf merchants sold their wares in
makeshift stalls, set up wherever they found room.

Farther down the road that led to the main gate, the
sea of people parted as the rebels rode forward. Their presence
calmed the activity, wide eyes staring at the criminals that
strolled through town.

Da’Lynn watched the ragtag group, questioning if this
was a crucial part of the plan. It would indeed spread chaos,
especially when the army turned against the criminals but she did
need some genuine order if she was going to obtain the magic from
the Palace of Nine.

Kerlick directed his men to the center of town, right
in front of the hall. Some of his thugs cowered in their saddles,
while others sneered at the surprised citizens. Soldiers came
forward to watch. Many of them looked toward their mistress,
waiting for the word to attack. It did not come.

Eventually, all eyes came upon Da’Lynn. “We welcome
our brothers back into the fold. I know some may not agree with
this decision, but it is a time of war. We do not need to
underestimate our opponent.” She stepped down off the steps.

A few of the bandits scoffed. Kerlick dismounted.

“They will fight alongside us as comrades. Previous
wrongs or misdeeds should be put aside for now.”

One rebel, not really caring about the speech,
decided to nudge his horse over to a fruit cart. He reached out
quickly and snagged an apple.

Hardly anyone—including the man—saw the blade fly
through the air, but all saw the effect. As the outlaw went to take
a bite of the fruit, the dagger pierced the hand and apple.

AAAHHH!

The cry echoed through the forest. He flung his
injured hand away and quickly lost his balance in the saddle.

Da’Lynn composed herself after the throw. All eyes
came back to her.

“We accept you as brothers, but your old ways will
not be tolerated. Let that be a lesson to those that think this
will be a free ride.”

Kerlick looked back at his fallen rider. Some of the
other elves dismounted to help him. Before turning back to the
mistress, he scanned the crowd, looking at the faces of the
soldiers.

He approached Da’Lynn and extended a hand. They
shook, mainly for the crowd’s sake.

“I have a job for you and your men,” she whispered
and then escorted him into the hall. Unseen by both, Katrena led a
mare away from the activity.

***

All remained quiet in the house, as the noise of
soldiers echoed from outside. Ra’na was ready to run or fight
depending on the situation, but the human army never found
Hambone’s cottage. It was nearly dusk when they all felt safe to
move.

Reggie came back to announce the humans had
retreated. He felt he deserved some biscuits with his pie for that
information. The crow received thanks, but the group quickly
ignored him.

“Why are the humans attacking us?” Ra’na asked as she
wrapped her arms around the Dwarc. Hambone caressed her hair.

“The queen has to be looking for me. That creature is
back and wants revenge.” Kara’s voice was stern but tinged with
sadness.

“Don’t be ridiculous! Why attack the Territories to
find you? Why not come directly to Willow Haven and save a lot of
trouble?” Jesset rebuked.

Kara turned to him, her sadness evolving to anger.
“Maybe they did, and followed us here.” It came out harsher than
she meant, and Jesset looked away.

Silence now engulfed the party. Each member was a
little confused, frightened, and sad. The crow watched from his
perch, black eyes staring.

Do you perhaps have a small piece of pie that I
could have?
The request was so out of the blue it caused Jesset
to laugh. The others looked at him.

“He wants…to know…if you have any pie.” Jesset could
barely get out the words. Ra’na smiled, and Hambone added to the
laughter with a chuckle of his own. Only Kara held on to her
bitterness.

“Stupid crow.”

As the laughter died down and Ra’na magically came up
with a piece of pie, a small piece, the silence came again.
Reggie’s beak smacked together as it dug into the boysenberry
dessert.

“We need to let the others know. Ynob, Snow, and
Gantha. Lourak too,” Ra’na stated. “That is, if they don’t
already.”

“I guess the crow can finally earn his keep,” Kara
said, giving the blue-beaked bird a nasty look.

Reggie ignored the talk and continued to peck
away.

Hambone went next to the bird, calling his name. It
took two tries to get its attention. “Can you take a message to our
friends for us?”

Well, I would really like to oblige and all, but no
can do on account I just ate. It does break my heart, but flying on
a full stomach can be deadly, especially at night.

Ra’na decided to try her hand at convincing the crow.
“That’s too bad. I just finished baking a whole load of goodies for
my friends right before I left. Oh well, I am sure Jesset can
contact another crow for us.”

Just hold on a minute! Now that I get to thinking,
this was just a small piece of pie. I’m sure I won’t cramp up
delivering your message.

Jesset jumped in to help. “We better not risk it.
Just like you said, flying at night can be dangerous. Get too low
and the wolves could get you.”

Ha!
Reggie cawed.
Lyre wolves don’t scare
me. Give me your message and I’ll take it.

Ra’na quickly scrawled a note for the crow to carry.
It was better to put it in writing than to let the crow deliver it
from memory. Reggie held out a leg while the elf attached it and
told him where to find Snow, and the rest. With a stretch of his
wings and a caw, he was off.

***

Queig and Chele managed to put away all the
merchandise before the first howl from the wolves came. The sound
still made Chele flinch, even though she was safe inside. Queig
offered a weak smile, and then looked for a place to collapse.

It had been a rough go ever since Katrena and her
mother left. The goblin could sense something was different or
wrong with Da’Lynn, but he knew it wasn’t his place to say
anything.

Katrena had given him command of the booth while she
was gone. “No use you two standing around doing nothing.” Queig was
fine with that, because he didn’t like standing around. Chele, on
the other hand, would have been perfectly fine doing nothing.