by Bryan Davis
“Could it have been too dark to see them?”
“That’s reasonable.” He led her around the cabin and toward the skunk tree. In the darkness, the trail was impossible to see. He would have to travel by memory. “From what I hear, Starlighters have red hair and green eyes. I noticed your green eyes, but I can’t tell what color your hair is.”
“I know.” She pushed a hand under her hat and rubbed her scalp. “It’s too short. I hope it grows back soon. But before it all fell out, it wasn’t red.”
“Okay, that might disprove the Starlighter theory.”
“It was bright orange.”
Laughing, Adrian stopped and touched her nose. “Regina, you are so funny sometimes.”
“I am? Is that good?”
“It’s excellent.” He picked her up in a cradle and carried her, accelerating to a quick march. “We have to go faster.”
“Do you want to know what Drexel was doing?”
Adrian gazed at her excited eyes, barely visible in the veiled moonlight. “Sure. Tell me everything.”
Regina pointed upward. “He was in those tree branches, the ones above the spring, and as soon as Frederick and Marcelle left with the others, he climbed higher and higher until he met one of the white dragons.”
Adrian stopped. “And then what?”
“That’s all. The dream ended.”
Adrian imagined Drexel talking to the lowest of the three white dragons. Whether the dragon was good or evil, surely he would tell Drexel how to unblock the river and stop the spring’s upwelling. If Drexel thought the dragon could benefit him, he would comply. “If your dream is true, that means Frederick and the others are on their way back to the cabin. Maybe we’ll meet them on the way.”
“Maybe. Should we wait for them?”
“I think I should see what Drexel’s up to. Like I said before, I want to talk to Frederick about those dragons before anyone tries to set them free.” Adrian focused on the path. With Trisarian now peeking through the clouds, the narrow lane between the low-hanging branches of hardwoods and needle-laden conifers was clearer than before. Only the breeze stirred the foliage, no sign of returning cabin dwellers, either by sight, sound, or smell. How long would it take them to return? Would they even come this way? Their physical condition might influence the answers to both questions. “Did the healing waters help them?”
Regina nodded. “A lot for Frederick. He was walking like nothing happened. Marcelle talked some, but she didn’t walk. She just sat in the water until Frederick helped her up.”
“We’d better get going. Maybe we can—” A strange odor filtered in. Besides the distant skunk tree, something else tinged the air, something alive, wet, and foul. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Do you smell that?”
“The skunk tree?”
“No. It’s more like—” A rustling sound cut him off. He stooped behind a bush and set Regina on her feet at his side. Letting out a low shush, he withdrew his sword. A human figure broke through the tree line and emerged onto the path. Holding a thick branch with a sharpened point, he looked both ways, apparently listening carefully. No taller than Orlan, he appeared to be about twelve years old. As the boy turned their way, a feature on his face became clear. He had only one eye.
The boy turned toward the trees and waved an arm. “It’s clear. Come on.”
A smaller boy pushed past a pine bough, followed by a little girl. Then, as if someone had broken a dam of juvenile humanity, child after child walked onto the path until dozens filled the forest lane. The boy with the branch, now in the middle of a sea of children, began touching heads, apparently counting.
“What do you see?” Regina whispered.
“Children. Lots of them.” Adrian tucked his sword away and, taking Regina’s hand, straightened to his full height. “Hail, friend!”
The boy’s head jerked up. “Who’s there?”
“Adrian Masters.” As a whispered buzz rose from the children, Adrian slowly closed the gap. “Who are you?”
“The name’s Wallace.” He lowered his branch. “I came here to find Frederick Masters. Are you related to him?”
“Yes!” Keeping a hold on Regina’s hand, Adrian waded into the crowd. With heights ranging from his thighs to just above his waist, the children appeared to be from four to eight years old. Displaying protruding ribs and gaunt faces, they had to be half-starved.
As he passed, some touched his hips and hands with fawning fingers, while a few whispered hopeful questions.
“Is this the refuge?”
“Did we make it?”
“Who is that kid with the hat?”
When Adrian reached Wallace, he extended his hand. “I’m glad to meet you.”
Wallace took his hand and shook it vigorously. “Not as glad as I am to meet you.”
“How do you know my brother?”
“If you mean Frederick,” Wallace said, “I’ve never met him. I do know your brother Jason, though.”
“Jason?” Adrian’s heart pounded. “Where did you last see him?”
“At one of the pheterone mines. It’s a long story, but since he killed a dragon, they took him away. Elyssa and I found Arxad who told us Jason is on his way to the Northlands with Koren.”
“Yes, I learned that from Arxad as well. I was hoping to get more recent news.”
Wallace shrugged. “That’s the last I heard.”
Adrian scanned the children again. “Where is Elyssa?”
“She went to find Jason. She and I set up a camp not too far from here, but someone came by and took one of the girls while I was asleep. Her screams woke me up, and one of the other girls told us that a man carried her away. We’ve been looking for her ever since.”
“Drexel!” Adrian hissed through his teeth. “He keeps stooping lower.”
“I wonder if he was the murderer,” Wallace mumbled.
“What do you mean?”
Wallace leaned close and whispered. “I don’t want to scare any of the younger kids, but one of our older boys was scouting our path, and he followed a scent, something that smelled like a skunk. Anyway, he found a boy whose throat was slit. He wasn’t one of the cattle children. Too well fed. The blood was still warm, so he hadn’t been dead for very long. That’s one reason we’re staying together and on the move.”
Adrian stared straight ahead. They had found Zeb. Drexel had likely killed him and hidden the body, but the leaves from the skunk tree led the scout to where he lay. Why would Drexel kill him? Did Zeb try to rescue the kidnapped girl? They might never know.
Fighting back a surge of pity, Adrian shook his head. “Poor Zeb.”
“Zeb? Was that his name?”
Adrian nodded. His throat cramped. He couldn’t say a word.
“So,” Wallace continued, “I’m worried about what happened to Sarah.”
“The girl Drexel took?”
“Right.” Wallace nodded toward Regina. “When I first saw this boy, I thought he might be Sarah. Sarah has flyaway hair, but then I saw he’s just wearing a feather hat, so I knew he wasn’t her.”
Regina stomped her foot. “I’m a girl!”
“Oh!” Wallace laughed nervously. “Sorry.”
Adrian swallowed, loosening his throat. “It’s all right, Regina. He didn’t mean anything by it.”
“If you say so.” She gave Wallace an icy glare. “Just don’t forget I’m a girl.”
Smiling, Wallace lifted a hand of surrender. “I promise.”
Adrian looked into the section of the forest from which Wallace had emerged, an area of closely packed trees and brambles. “Why did you go through there? Did you find a trail?”
“I smelled that skunk odor, so I decided to follow it. I thought it might lead to the killer. I guessed that the killer and the kidnapper might be the same person.”
“You’re a good tracker.” Adrian scanned the children. With heads down and mouths quiet, they appeared to be exhausted. “Come with me. We have shelter.”
“It will be a tight squeeze. We might have to sleep in shifts.”
“Who will look for Sarah?”
“I will.” Adrian nodded at Wallace’s branch. “Are you good with that?”
Wallace looked at the point. “Not really. We’re not allowed to have weapons. But I can ram it through someone if I have to.”
“Good enough. Since Drexel has a girl, I don’t think he’ll go back to the cabin. I’ll leave you to guard the others while I look for Drexel and Sarah. I have a good idea where they might be.”
“The trees,” Regina whispered. “And I’m coming with you.”
Adrian clasped her shoulder. “You need to stay with Wallace. I can go a lot faster without you.”
“But I can help.” Her wandering eyes pleaded. “I know things you don’t know.”
“Like what?”
“Like where Drexel is right now.” She bounced on her toes, her tone growing impatient. “You have to trust me!”
“How could you know where Drexel is?”
“Remember how I saw him in my dream? How I knew what he looks like?”
Adrian nodded. “I remember.”
“It’s the same now when I’m awake.” Regina grasped his hand. “Let me come. Since it’s dark, I can find him better than you can.”
Adrian gazed into her eyes, sparkling with life in the moonlight. Without a doubt, she had proven her ability to see Drexel. Maybe she could help. “Okay. I’ll take you. Let’s see if we can get these kids some food and a place to sleep, and we’ll go.”
Sitting on the bench, Marcelle stared at the cell door, not quite as dark now that more light seeped in through the gap at the bottom. Morning had arrived and with it the rays of dawn, likely coming through the skylights in the courtroom’s antechamber. With the execution scheduled for one hour after sunrise, someone would soon come to escort her to the stake.
Something clicked at the door. The lock turned with a low squeak, and the door opened, revealing Orion carrying a lantern. After glancing over his shoulder, he walked in, careful to keep the door ajar, and set the lantern on the wall bracket. He stooped next to the ring on the floor and lifted one of the chains. “This is unfit adornment for someone of your stature, Marcelle. The Stafford name deserves better than this.”
She crossed her arms. “Did you come to have me burned at the stake, or are you going to mock me to death?”
Chuckling, he dropped the chain and straightened. “I came to ask you a favor.”
“A favor?” Marcelle squinted at him. “You’re going to kill me. Why should I do you a favor?”
“The guard told me about seeing someone at your door last night, a red-haired girl wearing a blue cloak. What do you know about her?”
Marcelle leaned to see around him. The guard didn’t seem to be at his post. “Why do you want to know?”
“You are aware that we hope to rid the land of witches, Diviners, and other practitioners of sorcery, so we would like to find her.” He took a step closer, his voice now taking on a slight tremor. “You see, she appeared to have slid under the door from your cell, so it’s fair to assume that she is a sorceress of some kind and that you saw her while she was here.”
Marcelle scanned his face and posture, both exposing a hint of anxiety. Might feeding him some tidbits help her situation? It probably wouldn’t hurt to see what he had in mind. “What do you think she was? Some sort of phantom?”
“I’m not sure. I had an experience with a creature of similar description many years ago, so I want to know if she is the same person I met.” He glanced at the door. “So did you see her? Do you know who she is?”
Staying seated, Marcelle loosened her arms and leaned back against the wall. “Since you’re going to kill me, why should I say anything?”
“I see your point.” He clasped his hands and pressed his thumbs together. “You want to exchange information for clemency.”
“Are you willing to make such an exchange?”
“It depends on how valuable the information is.”
She pulled at a protruding thread on the bench’s cushion, feigning detachment. She couldn’t appear to be too eager. “If I give you the information, I will have nothing left to bargain with.”
“I cannot argue with your point. Do you have a solution?”
She looked at him, raising her brow. “How about a simpler trade? No matter what my information is, allow me to stand at the stake without a gag.”
“A gag?” Orion nodded slowly. “Oh, yes, I remember Leo’s request. He seemed quite insistent. I didn’t see any harm in granting it.”
“Of course,” Marcelle said, copying his nod. “But there is also no harm in granting my request. Allow me to speak freely while at the stake. Just ten minutes. That’s all I ask.”
Orion gave her a skeptical stare. “Your request appears to be benign, but its lack of real value to you makes me suspicious. What are you hiding from me?”
“Hiding? What could a condemned prisoner who is shackled to a stake hide?” Marcelle altered to a condescending tone. “What are you afraid of, Orion? Is it Maelstrom? Surely you have enough authority as governor to rescind this order and repel the counselor’s obsessions, don’t you?”
Orion’s face hardened. “Patronizing me will not help your cause. I’m just trying to discern why the freedom to speak is so important to you.”
She returned her focus to the cushion, picking at the purple thread until it unraveled enough to make a tiny hole. “I assume you are unwilling to tell me why the female phantom is so important to you.”
“You’re right. I am unwilling.”
She glanced at him furtively. “Then we’re on level ground, and I assume it would be patronizing to ask why you fear the words of a woman who is tied to a stake.”
“Yes, it would be patronizing.” After maintaining his stare for a few moments, Orion let out a sigh. “Very well. I grant your request. There will be no gag, and your arms will be free. You will have ten minutes to speak from the stake before you burn.”
She continued pulling on the thread, making the hole big enough to fit her fingertip. “And how will I know you will keep your promise?”
“I don’t suppose my word as a gentleman will suffice.”
Marcelle shook her head. “Not a chance.”
“Do you have a suggestion?”
“A witness to our agreement.” She released the thread and looked up at him. “Someone we both know who has unquestioned integrity.”
“Given that parameter, I think you should name the person. You might not trust my estimation of integrity.”
“That’s true. I don’t.” Marcelle bit her lip. He would have to be someone in the military, someone she might be able to persuade to mount an invading force into Dracon. “Captain Reed?”
Orion nodded. “Reed is a good man. I will summon him at once.”
“And I want him to lead me to the stake. I don’t want Counselor Leo to lay a hand on me.”
A scowl etched Orion’s face. “How many more demands are you planning to add?”
“I’m not sure yet, but the sooner Captain Reed arrives, the less time I’ll have to think about it.”
His face slackening, Orion laughed softly. “Marcelle, if nothing else, you are certainly a persuasive woman.”
“Then allow me one more word of persuasion.”
“And that is?”
“You’ve seen the power Maelstrom—”
“I wish you wouldn’t call him that. He is not—”
“He is dangerous!” Marcelle shot to her feet. “And I will call him whatever I please. Think about it. With his power, why is he here? As important as the Counselor position is, it was a step down for him.”
Orion gave a light shrug. “He obviously has an obsession with rooting out sorcery and—”
“Oh, stop it! He didn’t come here out of the goodness of his heart. His only obsession is with gaining power. Wit
ch hunting is just his pretext, his mask.” She jabbed a finger toward Orion’s nose. “And when he finally removes that mask, you’ll learn that you can’t control him. Then he will take your place and command our military forces. Mesolantrum can muster a fine army, and if he uses his magical influence, he can forge alliances that will overwhelm Tarkton. Maelstrom will soon be king, and you will be a trampled pawn.”
Orion’s expression didn’t flinch. “An intriguing theory, but you have forgotten one factor.”
She set her fists on her hips. “And that is?”
“I am no fool. You might not approve of my ideals or methods, but you would do well to honor my intellect. I would not have brought Leo here if not for the safeguards I have put in place.”
“Safeguards?” She cocked her head. Normally Orion wouldn’t provide any further information, but maybe her Starlighter gifts, even if weaker than Cassabrie’s, could draw out his secrets. Focusing on his eyes, she altered to an alluring tone. “What do you mean by safeguards?”
“Let’s just say that the military commanders would not dare make a move without my approval. I have leverage that our new counselor cannot remove.”
Marcelle batted her eyes, feigning surprise. “You wouldn’t stoop to threats, would you?”
“Not threats. Certainty. It seems that a few families have reported missing children, and it would be a shame if they were never found.”
Biting her tongue, she kept her expression calm. This monster had to be stopped, but blistering him verbally now would dam the stream of information. “Missing children,” she said with a hum. “Do you have any idea where they are?”
Orion laughed again. “Your anger makes your attempts to probe my mind all too transparent, Marcelle, but I will tell you that the children are well cared for. My purpose is to protect the king, and as long as Leo stays in check, the king will enjoy a prosperous reign for many years, and as long as the military leaders maintain appropriate discipline and honor the line of command, everyone will be safe.”
“Safe,” she murmured as she crossed her arms in front. “Just summon Captain Reed, and let’s get on with this.”
“Very well. He is part of the security detail for your execution, so it shouldn’t take long. Still, I am not sure whether or not I will grant your desire to be led to the stake by him. I have to throw Maelstrom some kind of bone in this affair.” Orion walked out and closed the door behind him, dimming the cell again, though the lantern remained on the wall mount, providing a weak, flickering light. A moment later, the lock clicked.