Authors: Trevor H. Cooley
Jhonate jumped into the back of the cart and he started pulling it again. He made it as far as the top of the incline when he saw two familiar figures walking up the hillside towards him. He smiled and came to a stop.
“The longer you take, the heavier that next load will be,” Jhonate warned.
“That load will have to wait,” Justan said, setting the cart down. “We have visitors.”
She jumped from the cart and joined him as he approached the two men. One was tall and broad shouldered, the hilt of an enormous sword rising from behind his shoulder. That was Justan’s father, Faldon the Fierce. The second man was the bigger surprise. He was slighter of build and wore a sword on each hip.
“Sir Hilt!” Justan called. The man smiled and greeted him with an embrace.
“It’s good to see you, Edge!” Hilt said, and as he pulled back, Justan noticed a wide scar that ran from just behind Hilt’s ear and down his neck to disappear into the collar of his coat. He didn’t have that scar the last time he’d seen him. “You know, as much as I have fond memories of this area, the part I miss the least is the winter.”
“Why are you back so soon?” Jhonate asked.
“Where is Fist?” Hilt asked, ignoring her question. “Beth sent me with a present for him.”
“He’s back at the Mage School with my mother,” Justan explained. The ogre couldn’t leave until Darlan was finished with her projects there. “She’s eager to join us here, but they still haven’t filled all the spots on the high council.”
“Wizards,” Hilt said with a snort. “How long did it take the academy?”
“Once the war was over?” Faldon said. “A week.”
“So why isn’t Beth with you?” Justan asked.
Hilt gave an embarrassed laugh, “Well that would be because she’s home with the baby.”
“Baby? That’s impossible considering we just saw you four months ago,” Justan said. Not to mention the fact that Beth was barren.
“We sort of, uh, ‘adopted’ one on the way back to Malaroo,” he said. “She’s sweet as can be. Beth named her Sherl-Ann, after your mother.”
“Wow. I’m sure mom will be flattered,” Justan said.
“I’m planning on sending her a letter about it today,” Faldon said.
Jhonate’s frown increased the longer they talked. “Why are you here?”
“I’m glad to see you too, Jhonate,” Hilt said, embracing her as well.
She patted his back dutifully but when he pulled away her face was serious. “I mean it, Hilt. What does my father want now?”
He grimaced slightly. “We always do seem to meet this way, don’t we? Yes, I am here at your father’s request. Only this time I brought several envoys with me.”
“Envoys?” Jhonate said suspiciously.
“Yes. A few of your brothers and Yntri Yni came with me as well,” he said.
Gwyrtha chose that moment to thunder past. Justan felt a rush of glee coming from her through the bond. She had a rider.
I like this elf
! Gwyrtha sent.
He’s really old
!
Clinging awkwardly to her back and looking concerned was Yntri Yni. Like the last time Justan had seen him, the ancient brown-skinned elf didn’t seem to feel the cold. He wore nothing but his loincloth and the bow and quiver that hung over his shoulder. He was making a rather frantic series of clicks and whistles as they rode past, but Gwyrtha continued on down the hill without stopping.
Hilt watched them go by with a bemused expression on his face. “Your brothers are back at the camp getting some proper winter gear. I warned them about the winter, but they figured if Yntri could handle it, they could. Did you know they had never seen snow up close?”
“Why are all of you here?” Jhonate said. “I am not going back home until my contract is up, I told you that when you left last time.”
“Your father disagrees,” Faldon said. He gave her an apologetic smile. “He sent his delegation here with an offer. He wants to create an alliance between the Roo-tan and the academy. They arrived late last night and have been meeting with the council all morning.”
Jhonate gave Hilt a glare for not telling her. “An alliance?”
“That’s great news.” Justan said. An alliance with their people would make his marriage to Jhonate happen so much easier. But his connection to Jhonate told him that her thoughts weren’t nearly so enthusiastic. “Isn’t it?”
“As part of the agreement, two of your brothers will stay here with us and you will return to your father’s side,” Faldon said.
“Oh,” Justan said, understanding her anger.
“I will not allow him to break my contract,” Jhonate said with a glower.
“He’s not breaking anything. The council is,” Faldon said. “I’m sorry, Jhonate, but the alliance is too valuable for us to throw away just because you want to stay for a few more months. Your contract has been ended as of this morning.”
“We leave in two days,” Hilt said. He looked at Justan with something akin to pity in his eyes. “Xedrion is also quite anxious to meet the famous Sir Edge his daughter is betrothed to.”
“That’s good,” Justan said nervously, feeling Jhonate’s worry rising. He put an arm around her. “That means we won’t have to wait so long to get married, right?”
“Perhaps,” Jhonate said. She pointed to Hilt’s neck. “Did Father do that to you, Sir Hilt?”
“This?” Hilt said, reaching up to trace the scar with his fingers. “Well, let’s just say that Xedrion was none too happy with me for okaying your betrothal.”
Jhonate’s face paled. “Father is that angry?”
“He wounded you?” Justan said, concerned. Hilt was the best swordsman he had ever met. If he could do that to Hilt . . .
“It’s alright now,” Hilt assured them with a hesitant smile. “He and I patched things up.”
“That’s something I wanted to talk to you about, son,” Faldon said, placing a hand on Justan’s shoulder. “When you get there? Try not to get killed.”
The Bowl of Souls series will continue in
The Jharro Grove Saga: Book Two
Summer 2014
Keep an eye on the Trevor H. Cooley Facebook page, Twitter @edgewriter, and trevorhcooley.com for updates.
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