Hunted
Page 34
“Their approach is to kill from ambush,” I said harshly as I finally figured out that the wolf had been talking about my mother and me. Was that why Father had not come back? Had he and my real mother decided they wanted nothing to do with suicide missions? Even so, something had killed him far earlier than he should have died. Was a Vassago behind his premature aging? Something had bled off his vitality and strength. If a Vassago were behind Father’s quick decline, then it was only a matter of time before it came for me.
The dragon glanced at me before turning her attention back to Sorcha. “I agree with the pup. That has been their approach for at least fifteen centuries.”
Ara sprang to her feet and stood beside me. Her voice rolled out strongly, “Some do and some don’t.”
Demarcus had sat silent since early in the meeting, but he once again leaned forward. His voice wasn’t welcoming, “What do you know that we don’t?”
She took a step forward, stuck one finger under the chain holding the sapphire and flipped it over her hair. Light blazed from the sapphire as she caught it in one hand and raised it above her head. The light was so strong it glowed through the flesh on her hand. Every person in the room other than me, Trey, and Ramona swayed backward as her voice lashed out. “I don’t strike helpless people from ambush and I wield the Talindra Sapphire!”
The sound of Sorcha clapping her hands broke the resulting shocked silence. She spoke, even though everyone was still watching Ara. “Well-timed, and beautifully spoken, Ara.”
Demarcus swung around to look at Sorcha so quickly his chair tilted up on two wheels and then slammed back down. “You knew about this?” he bellowed.
“Yes.” Sorcha stopped clapping and pointed at me. “Reuben used magic to hide himself and his friends from the Vassago during the time it fought with Talindra. He retrieved the sapphire and gave it to Ara after the wounded Vassago flew away.”
“Indeed,” Demarcus muttered and swung around to stare at me.
“Yes, indeed,” Sorcha continued. “I am old and weak, but Reuben and Ara bring hope. Maybe they can succeed where we failed.”
Figures shifted throughout the room as humans, wolves, and dragons exchanged glances. Finally, Demarcus took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His voice held a measure of respect when he spoke. “Reuben and Ara, will you accept the task of trying to rid the Kingdom of the Vassago?”
Dead silence filled the room. I shifted on my feet, trying to think, and then looked down at Ara. She still looked like a twelve-year-old girl, but the maturity in her eyes had grown stronger with every magical encounter in the last week. Besides, the incredibly powerful magical sapphire still gleamed in her clenched fist. She gave a very small nod of assent. I was glad to see Trey and Ramona both nod in agreement when I looked at them.
My thoughts finally started to line up in neat patterns. Father may have been a victim of a long-term encounter with a Vassago. An Effigia had located me and a Vassago had hunted down Talindra. In addition, an unknown evil was seemingly following the four of us. I didn’t have a choice in the matter because they would continue to attack and I refused to run like a whipped pup. However, no one in the room had discussed where they came from and why they had arrived after an absence of nearly two millennia. Ara, Trey and I had considered that question, but we didn’t have any answers.
A surge of resolve gave me the strength to speak clearly as I slowly looked from face to face of everyone in the room. “No one is talking about it, but it seems the long-term solution is to prevent more Vassago or Effigia from arriving after we kill the ones who are already here.”
Another awkward silence descended on the room. Finally, one of the dragons shifted and responded. “Guldur personally set up strong magical protections to keep them out. She went to her grave not long after setting them in place without describing the protections or leaving instructions about how to strengthen them if needed.”
The answer didn’t surprise me and more importantly, didn’t change my decision. This situation was far more intricate than hunting down and killing two or three powerful evil beings. I might be the strongest magician born in the last fifty or hundred years, but I wasn’t the smartest and I couldn’t do this alone. My spine straightened as I continued talking, “If Nairi has fallen, then I doubt that hiding will keep us safe very long. I will try, but there are conditions. First, Trey and Ramona will assist Ara and me. Second, Sorcha will assist us. Third, you will call Zephyr back from banishment and she will help.” I raised one hand and wiggled my forefinger back and forth. “In addition, remove the magical compulsions you laid on her or I will remove them. Also, retrieve the Guldur Stone from the knife shop in Glendale and give it to her.”
The silence returned and then individuals began to shift back and forth and glance at each other. Finally, Demarcus let out a long breath. “Reuben, please let the rest of us discuss the conditions in private.”
The sun had already set before Demarcus sent a messenger to find us. Everyone in the meeting room looked weary when we arrived. Sorcha was back in dragon form, standing beside the other two dragons.
Demarcus started speaking when Ara, Trey, Ramona and I lined up in a row just inside the door. “We all accept the conditions. Most of us are also willing to help.”
The End