Elf Doubt

by Bryant Reil

  Eunoe clicked her tongue. “Don’t be such a brat. Of course she can stay with you. I’ll be up late, so I’ll keep an eye open for Aura and let her know what’s going on. I can give up my bed and sleep on the floor, if necessary.”

  Hajar clapped her hands. “We’re going to be roommates.”

  Kyla forced a smile. “Fantastic.”

  ***

  “Carry this, would you, love?” Carmin draped her bag over Marik’s shoulder. She had no possessions besides the clothes she wore when she awakened, but Eunoe had brought her some clothing and camp gear from the human settlement of Whitehall. The pots were polished to a shine and smoothed so there were no dings or dents from the smith’s hammer. Their handles were black and made from an unfamiliar material that Marik called plastic and stayed cool even when the pot was heated. Humans were marvelous craftsmen.

  Marik smiled. Carmin wanted to believe it was genuine but she knew there was irritation behind it. When he received the summons from Sophrosyne regarding a new assignment he wanted to make it just the two of them. But Hajar seemed so lost and lonely, Carmin couldn’t leave her behind and insisted they invite her. He hadn’t stopped grumbling about it.

  He affixed his sword to his belt. She thought it should be flattering but found it odd that he had carved her likeness into the hilt. It didn’t look practical. Ah, well. At least she knew he had missed her while she had been dead.

  “We should hurry. I’ve already missed a lot of work.” He grabbed the door and beckoned her through.

  Carmin through her bag over her shoulder. “Sophie said she’d take care of Anh-Bul.” She said this more casually than she felt. Marik had told her about Sophrosyne’s abilities to read and erase minds, and Carmin wondered if this was why most of her own memories seemed to be missing. She could remember no friends or family besides Marik.

  Marik waved her toward the door. “Yes, she’ll manage it, but I’m missing out on a lot of the information passing through him. Hard to do my job when I don’t know what’s going on.”

  “What does it matter? Sophie will read his mind and gather what she needs.”

  Marik bit his lip. He didn’t like working for the goddess, and Carmin was unclear why Marik kept allegiance with her, except perhaps for fear.

  Marik swung his own bag over his shoulder just as Hajar stepped into the room, carrying a bag of her own.

  “I said you don’t need to come!” Marik snapped at her.

  Carmin stepped back. He had never used that tone. In all her memories, his words were soft and kind.

  Hajar’s eyes dropped to the floor. “Carmin said I could come.” She looked up, her eyes pleading. “You wouldn’t leave me here alone, would you?”

  Carmin leaned forward and drew a finger down Hajar’s cheek. “We won’t leave you alone. He’s just upset, you know, because we’ve been apart so long, and he wanted to spend some time together. But we can manage that later.”

  “She’s got the mind of a child. I don’t want to babysit her the whole trip.” He turned back to Hajar. “Kyla’s got her own assignment. Why don’t you go with her?”

  “She said no. And Carmin already said I could come with you.”

  Marik replied with a throaty growl. Had he changed so much since her death?

  She sighed and placed a hand on Hajar’s shoulder. “I said you can come, and I stand by it. I have been dead for some time, and it will be useful to have another woman around to remind me of the ins and outs.”

  Hajar threw her arms around Carmin’s neck. “Oh, thank you! The first lesson is, how horrible it is to be left alone.”

  Chapter Ten

  Laenith

  “Oh, no,” Kyla breathed as Hajar marched into Sophrosyne’s chamber with Marik and Carmin.

  Hajar waved at Kyla, Aspen, and Eunoe, though only Aspen and Eunoe waved back. Aspen’s face was undisguised disgust, though that was directed at Marik.

  Castor seemed otherwise occupied, as Eunoe’s winged white tiger sniffed at Sophrosyne’s foot that dangled from her cross-legged posture on her chair. The goddess leaned forward and gave him a scratch behind the ears, to which he gratefully licked her hand.

  “Are they coming with us?” Aspen whispered. “Marik and Carmin, I mean.”

  “No,” said Kyla. “They have a separate assignment.”

  “Hajar must come with us! Why didn’t you invite her to come with us, Kyla?”

  Sophrosyne stood and strode forward. “Welcome. I didn’t expect you all to show up at the same time. Hajar, you will be accompanying Marik and Carmin on their assignment.”

  Marik huffed. Kyla caught a few Elvish curses under his breath.

  Carmin put her arms around Marik’s neck. “I thought the kindest man in the world would be happy to have her along.”

  “Eunoe and Aspen would be far better suited to our trip,” he replied.

  “Hey!” Kyla objected. “I was specifically told to bring Aspen.”

  Aspen’s eyes widened. “No! I mean, no, thank you, Marik. Eunoe and I are excited to see Laenith. She’s read so many books about it.”

  “Well, you can still take Hajar,” Marik insisted. “Carmin and I can manage a trip to the Undine. It’ll be a nice way to reconnect.”

  Carmin took Marik by the elbow. “We aren’t going to ditch her, hon. I already said she could come with us.”

  Marik pulled his arm away. “Come on, Kyla. You know her best. She should go with you.”

  “No!” Kyla protested. An expression of hurt crawled over Hajar’s face. It was hard to hate someone so pitiable.

  Kyla turned to see Sophrosyne staring at her. She worried her patron might decide it was better for her to bring Hajar along after all, and the goddess seemed to draw the worry out as long as she could before speaking.

  “Hajar will go with Carmin and Marik. End of discussion.”

  Marik, looking defeated, tried to stammer out a response but gave up before the comment made it all the way out of his mouth.

  “Enough, Marik. You will be heading to the Undine, which will be more suitable for Hajar than the jungles of Laenith.” Sophrosyne gave Hajar a smile. “The Undine is a lovely city under the sea, surrounded by all sorts of fascinating creatures. It will be a less arduous journey than Kyla’s, and perhaps more suited for your first venture.”

  “Oh!” Hajar, though almost looking to break into tears, smiled. “It sounds lovely.”

  “I have only seen it through the minds of others, but I would love to see it in person when I have the chance. Carmin, you will take care of her?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  Kyla tightened her bag over her shoulder. “Well, looks like we got that sorted. Shall we go?”

  “Aren’t you curious where you’re going?” Sophrosyne asked.

  “We’re going to Laenith. I’m sure they have a portal. Oh, I guess we will need the address.”

  “You are going to arrive in Laenith, but you need to find a tribe of ciguapa hidden deep in the jungle. I don’t know where to find them but start by heading to Anima Point.”

  Kyla stood a minute, waiting for more instruction, but nothing further came. “Is that it?”

  “You now know as much as I do, so, you’re going to have to do a bit of searching. You may need to find a guide.”

  Kyla sighed before nodding. “Right. Making it nice and easy, as usual.”

  ***

  It was hot and muggy, and there was a cloud of humming insects hovering several feet away. Kyla felt a tickle on her face and swatted it, only to be alarmed as a beetle the size of her palm buzzed from her cheek.

  The portal in Laenith was surrounded by a series of thick stone columns topped with lintels, but no roof, so she could see cloudless sky above. Some clouds would be nice, she thought, as she could already feel her shirt clinging to her skin. The humidity was like walking in a hot bath.

  Kyla dug through her bag for the map and compass. She was learning to be better prepared for her journeys, though Eunoe had force
d her to carry far more than she needed, and the bag had become heavy. Fortunately, Castor was along, bearing Eunoe’s knitting paraphernalia so she could work during the evenings, and Kyla had strung him with an extra saddle bag to carry the pots and pans.

  “That way,” Kyla pointed to the southwest. As she looked up from her map, she saw that she was in the center of the city on top of a pyramid that towered over the surrounding buildings. The pyramid, the surrounding buildings, and even the roads were made from stone, with roofs of either wood planks or thatch. Each side of the pyramid had a steep flight of stairs to the bottom, and at the base on the eastern side was a mosaic of colorful tents and awnings.

  Tables and rugs covered in fruits, meats, and knickknacks indicated this to be a bustling market. Throngs of interesting denizens pressed their ways to vendors: serpentine folk wearing bright plumage slithered between rows of cat-like beings with velvety black fur. Pockets of stout creatures who looked like dusty dwarves with large heads and noses mingled along the sides, drinking from wooden mugs.

  “This is exactly how it was described in my book,” Eunoe noted as she looked at a pair of pyramids in a distant portion of the city. She swatted a large buzzing insect from her face. “The City of Gold.”

  Kyla didn’t notice much gold about. Perhaps they kept it locked up, like the dwarves tended to do.

  Aspen stepped to the edge of the stairs. Her eyes scanned the trees beyond Laenith’s border. “I’ve never seen trees that big!”

  The trees were indeed large, and so were the bugs, Kyla noted as she flicked another insect from the back of her hand. She unfolded the map. “It’s faster to go through the market, but I don’t want to dawdle. We don’t need any more supplies. Maybe we can stop on the way back to get some souvenirs. Come on.”

  “We need to hire a guide first,” Eunoe said. “So we don’t get lost.”

  “We won’t. And we shouldn’t hire a guide. No one’s supposed to know what we’re doing.”

  “You need someone who knows the area. Sophrosyne even suggested it. I’m sure if we pay well enough, a guide won’t ask any questions.”

  Kyla jumped as a nasal voice assaulted her from behind.

  “You said you’re looking for a guide who can keep his mouth shut?”

  The speaker was a short fellow with a round stomach. He had bright red hair and orange eyes and wore only a loincloth of bark and leaves. He extended his arm, and Kyla clasped his wrist.

  “I guess we do. Just to Anima Point. I think. Or was it Animal Point?” Kyla looked at the map again. The writing ran into the lines of the map, making it hard to read.

  “Anima. Yeah, I know the way. Spend a lot of time there. Lovely place. I charge a gold piece a day. That includes an explanation of the flora and fauna.”

  “Fine. Just no questions.”

  “No worries! Most of my work is clandestine. My lips are sealed. Well, except for all the knowledge and humor I shall be imparting on the journey. I’m known as the Wit of the West around here.”

  “You mean the Half-Wit of the West!” came a voice from the other side of the portal.

  “Shut up, Caro!” the little man retorted. He turned back to Kyla and smiled. “Just one of my competitors. We show tourists around for a reasonable fee.” The little man dropped his voice to a whisper. “Though I’m better at it, and he charges a lot more.”

  Kyla looked in her coin purse. She seldom carried money, but this had presented problems on previous journeys, so she had borrowed some from Denzig. “How far is it?”

  “Three days. Four, maybe, if the weather’s bad.”

  Kyla looked up and peeled her sweaty shirt from her skin. “It gets worse than this?”

  “If it rains, you won’t be able to see past your nose.”

  Kyla saw Eunoe and Aspen in her periphery. Eunoe was focused on the young man’s face, and Aspen was looking down at the ground.

  “What was your name again?” Eunoe asked.

  The red-haired boy gave her a big toothy smile. “Hadn’t introduced myself yet, now that you mention it. I’m Faron. And yours, beautiful?”

  Kyla blushed, despite feeling awkward she couldn’t honestly repay the compliment. “I’m Kyla.”

  Faron offered a smile that felt somehow condescending. “I meant the blonde one. But to be sure, that compliment applies to you as well.”

  Kyla, mildly deflated, was unconvinced of his sincerity. “Sure. Anyway, that’s Eunoe. That’s Aspen with the green hair, and the tiger’s name is Castor.”

  “Pleasure to meet you all!” Faron stepped forward to greet each in turn, though backed away from Castor as the tiger offered a warning growl.

  Aspen dropped to all fours, mouth agape, her eyes focused on Faron’s feet. “They’re on backwards!”

  Kyla looked down. From her angle, in front, it appeared he had no feet at all, but when she looked from the side she saw they were indeed pointing the other way. “What happened to you?” The question slipped out before she could filter it.

  He laughed. “I get that a lot from foreigners. I’m a curupira. It’s normal for us. Helps us elude trackers and the like.”

  Kyla gave her sternest face. “If you’re tracked often enough that you need crazy feet, you might bring a lot of trouble.”

  “Not really. The odd predator. Certain orcs and ogres. The Ophilim seem to have developed a taste for us. Kind of why I live in the city now – protected by law. Bounty hunters occasionally come asking about. We get into a lot of misunderstandings. But things have been quiet lately, and I wouldn’t mind getting into the jungle for some fresh air. Well, shall we head out? Anima Point, right?”

  Kyla looked at her friends, hoping for advice. The little man might be more trouble than he was worth.

  Aspen was the first to speak. “I think we do need a guide.”

  “See? The lovely dryad here can see the quality of my character.”

  Aspen frowned and gave a half-shrug but didn’t object.

  Kyla sighed. “Well, get us there in three days. I’ll give you three gold now and three more when we get back. But you’re going to have to wait for us in Anima Point. And no asking questions about our business.”

  Faron’s hand flashed up and snatched the coins and tucked them so quickly on his person that Kyla had no idea where he stuffed them. He certainly had no pockets.

  “I’m on the job,” he called out in Caro’s direction. He walked over to a pillar and grabbed a bag that had been tucked behind it. Kyla couldn’t keep her eyes off his feet as he walked.

  “My eyes are up here!” he grinned. “Alright, well, you look supplied up. Let’s go!”

  “Race you down the stairs!” Aspen whispered. Before Kyla could respond Aspen took off.

  “No! You cheater!” She called back to Faron. “Meet you at the bottom!” She ran after Aspen, who already had a considerable head start and longer legs.

  Kyla, abandoning caution for the sake of victory, took three steps at a time as she bounded down the stone steps. She overtook the dryad and laughed as she passed her. When she reached the bottom, she turned to see Aspen lagging behind.

  Kyla held her hands up victoriously. “I’m the best!”

  Eunoe rolled her eyes as she approached, Castor following close behind. Faron followed, keeping a wary eye on the tiger.

  “Hurry it up!” Kyla yelled. She looked around the market as she waited. Most of the stands were selling unusual fruits, though a few had local crafts and homemade jewelry. Kyla was tempted to buy some, but as she was using Denzig’s money felt she should be somewhat responsible with her expenses.

  As Kyla was joined by Eunoe and Aspen they meandered across the market, with Castor following close behind and drawing a lot of praise. No one seemed frightened by the tiger but sounded impressed to see one with wings. Eunoe walked tall and proud.

  When they reached the opposite side of the market, Kyla looked about for Faron.

  “Oh, no,” she muttered to her companions. “He better not ha
ve run off already.” She cupped her hands in front of her mouth and called for him. “Faron!” She waited. Nothing. She called again.

  “Here!” returned his muffled voice. He pushed through the crowd, chomping on a fruit with one hand and carrying several more under his other arm.

  “You bought all those?”

  “Um…yeah. We should go.”

  “Are they good? Maybe I should buy some for the group. Doesn’t hurt to have extra food, I suppose.”

  Faron’s eyes widened. “Uh, no. There aren’t any more. We should go.”

  “You bought them all? We could by a different kind.”

  “Nope. Nope. We should keep moving.”

  There was a commotion in the market, and shouts of ‘thief’.

  “You STOLE them!” Kyla put her hands on her hips. “You take those back right now, mister!”

  “Nope! They aren’t talking about me. Keep moving.”

  Faron stepped briskly into the labyrinthine network of roads that snaked through the stone buildings that lined the markets. Kyla motioned for the others to follow. Though Faron was short, his bright red hair made him easy to follow through the narrow, crowded streets. He led them into an alley behind what looked to be a cooper’s shop, with barrels stacked in front of the door.

  “Tell you what—you can each have one of these,” he said as he doled out the fruit. Aspen accepted it graciously, but of course wouldn’t eat a plant, and handed it to Eunoe.

  “You’re a thief!” Kyla jabbed a finger into Faron’s shoulder. “A no-good thief.”

  Faron looked hurt. “I’m a good thief, I’ll have you know, and if they didn’t charge such ridiculous prices I’d have no problem paying for them.”

  “I just gave you three gold. You have money.”

  “It’s not a question of money. It’s a question of value. Are you going to eat yours or not?”

  Kyla looked at the fruit in her hand. It did look delicious. “Fine. Whatever. We’re getting out of the city now, though, before you get us all thrown in jail.”