Elf Doubt

by Bryant Reil

  “Well, killing isn’t for everyone.” Handrin began to squirm his way from the webbing. Kyla stood back lest she get struck by a flailing limb as he fell.

  He was more graceful than she expected. He not only managed to fall feet-first but didn’t stumble as he landed.

  Now that he was free, Kyla’s sense of urgency returned. “We should hurry, because—”

  “Not yet,” Handrin interrupted. “Need to put my aunt to rest. Did you know her?”

  “No. Oh. I’m so sorry. I didn’t.” Kyla stood silent, not wanting to disturb this sombre moment, but the urgency of her friends’ situation broiled in her mind. She looked up at Handrin, who spread his four arms high and began chanting over his aunt’s body. He spoke in a low tone of hums and clicks. It seemed a ritual, of sorts, and she supposed she should wait for him to finish out of respect for the dead. She didn’t want to offend the only person who could help her.

  He finished his chant with a clap of his hands over the body. “Just need to make sure the windows and doors are locked so critters don’t eat her before I can come back and build her a proper pyre.”

  “So…you’re ready?”

  He motioned her to the door. “Lead the way.”

  Kyla paused and looked around. “Oh. I…I think it was that way. To be honest, I was fleeing for my life, but there was a bit of a trail here, if we can find it.”

  “Yeah. It’s right there. Maybe it’ll be easier if you follow me.”

  ***

  Aias pressed and twisted each of the wooden bars of the cage. Eunoe had granted him control of her body with the caveat that his primary goal was to protect Aspen. Juak and Ori had strung her by her feet over the fire, and Eunoe could feel the dryad’s pain and fear. Aspen was not only terrified but hungry and weak from lack of nutrients. She hadn’t been able to meld with a tree since their arrival in Laenith. And now she was being taunted and leered at by the bandits, and Ori and Juak in particular.

  Aspen let out a frightened sob, and Eunoe forced Aias aside to regain control of her body. “Hang in there, Aspen! Help is coming.”

  Eunoe held hope that Kyla might work out a rescue but couldn’t rely on it. Aspen wasn’t going to last much longer.

  Aias sent an image of kicking the bars out and smacking the nearest guard - a porcine-looking fellow with a spear - over the head with a rock. He wanted to run into the jungle and pick off the bandits one by one, but Eunoe insisted that leaving Aspen would mean her death. Even if the bandits didn’t kill her, the dryad couldn’t survive if the distance between her and Eunoe became too great.

  Juak laughed as he picked up a rock and hurled it at Aspen. It struck her in the head, and though she didn’t shriek, Eunoe felt a spike of anger.

  Even the porcine fellow seemed uncomfortable. “Uh…there’s no need to hurt her anymore, guys. Let her be. Won’t get nothing for her if she’s too banged up.”

  “Course we will.” Juak coughed up an irritated laugh. “Let others know how serious we are.”

  Ori’s toothy grin bent down at the edges. “You are weak, Layim. One of these days I will flay you, and eat the skin, and leave the rest for the jaguars.”

  The porcine fellow - Layim, apparently - backed toward Eunoe’s cage. Aias flashed in her mind again that he could take him out.

  Eunoe pressed to maintain control. No. Not yet.

  She would wait a bit longer for Kyla, but Eunoe assured Aias that if she felt Aspen’s life were in immediate danger, she would hand control of her body back to him and let him do as he willed.

  ***

  It was still dark under the canopy, but the creatures were falling silent and Kyla knew morning was coming. “Is it much farther?” she whispered.

  Handrin nodded and pointed ahead with one hand, another drawing a finger to his lips for her to be silent. With his remaining two hands he motioned her behind a tree. “Wait here. I’ll call for you when it’s safe.”

  He seemed unafraid of approaching the camp. Kyla wondered what he had planned. How could he take out all the bandits alone? He walked out of sight, and soon she could see and hear nothing. She waited a minute or two, and decided she had to know what was going on in case Handrin was captured or killed. There was also the chance he would betray her, so she didn’t want to be where he thought she was. She crept forward, staying close to the bases of the trees, until she found a fern through which she could peer and see the camp.

  She had to cover her mouth to prevent herself from crying out as she saw Aspen hanging upside-down over a fire. She looked to be dead, at first. Her face was bruised, and dried blood ran down her arm. Her skin was dirty and rough, and her eyes swollen and purple.

  Someone out of Kyla’s vision was speaking. She didn’t recognize the voice.

  “Ceiba’s been waiting for you.”

  “Why?” Handrin’s voice was defiant.

  “You disappeared.”

  “I don’t work for Ceiba.”

  “You eat here, so you work here.”

  The unknown speaker seemed familiar with Handrin. They didn’t sound like friends, but they didn’t seem like enemies, either. Could Kyla trust Handrin to help her against the bandits after all?

  “I eat my own food,” Handrin grunted. “Where is Ceiba?”

  “He’ll be out in a moment. Had a rough night.”

  “What’s with the dryad?”

  “Rabble-rousers. She and her friends tried robbing the camp. Dryad tried to kill Ceiba. One of them escaped into the woods. An elf. You see her?”

  Kyla’s heart skipped, but she was greatly relieved when he shook his head.

  “Handrin!” Ceiba’s voice boomed from above, though Kyla couldn’t see him until he dropped from his elevated hut. “What news have you brought?”

  “The ciguapa killed my aunt in very suspicious circumstances.” Handrin’s voice shook.

  “Very sorry to hear that.”

  “They seemed to believe she murdered one of them. I thought you might know what happened.”

  Handrin stepped toward Ceiba so their torsos were nearly touching. Ceiba was taller, by a head, but Handrin stood firm.

  Ceiba took a small step back, his eyes darting to his men. “Any of you boys know about this?”

  There was a chorus of no’s from the night shadows.

  “Right.” Handrin pointed at Aspen. “No wonder none of you can get a girlfriend. Never learned how to treat the ladies.”

  “Thieves,” Ceiba spat. “Caught them stealing from the supply wagons. Shot my best man.”

  Ceiba pointed at the ground. Kyla couldn’t see Faron lying there until he raised his hand in protest, for which he received a swift kick.

  Handrin’s voice rose to a shout. “You’ve gone from fool to villain. Kidnapping and torturing innocent travellers. Messing with me.”

  Ceiba rolled his shoulder blades, cracked his knuckles, and gestured with his head to a guard, who raised a bow at Handrin. “Watch your tone. You’re not as popular, or as tough, as you seem to believe.”

  Handrin sneered. “I spent fifty years working for the Royal Court. Do you know what my job was?”

  Ceiba spat on the ground. “I assume there was filing involved.”

  “Well, yes. Plenty of that. But there was another important part.” Handrin raised his upper left hand, pinched his fingers together, and tapped Ceiba’s forehead with his fingertips. Ceiba’s eyes rolled, his knees buckled, and his body collapsed.

  Kyla gasped. Handrin’s head spun her way before turning to the surrounding bandits. “Some of you are good folk, who have been suckered into a bad way. I’m taking over now, and you are welcome to stay with me.” Handrin picked up a rock and brought it down on the lock of Eunoe’s cage. The alseid burst out and ran to Aspen, threw her arms around her, and raised her a few inches higher from the flames.

  Handrin drew a knife and began cutting Castor’s tether. “A few of you are no longer welcome here. You know who you are. So does he, I bet.” The tiger roared at an orcis
h-looking bandit.

  The orcish bandit and the frightening bloke named Ori turned to flee. Castor growled and ran after the orcish fellow, and Eunoe, apparently torn between chasing the toothy one and helping Aspen, found some relief when a trio of other bandits rushed forward to help Aspen. Once Aspen was safely on the ground, she fled into the trees where Ori had vanished.

  Kyla ran from her hiding-place and knelt beside Aspen, fumbling with the knots of the ropes that bound her. “What did they do to you?”

  Aspen whimpered. Her breaths were fast and shallow.

  “Eunoe won’t go far. I guess those guys that ran are the ones who did this to you, huh? You’ll be fine. Just look at me. Eyes up here. Keep them open. Faron, go into Eunoe’s bag! That one. There should be some balm and bandages.”

  He lumbered over to the pile of confiscated bags and emptied them on the ground. He looked through it and scratched his head. “I dunno - I may have used all of it already.”

  “You what? Oh, pine nuts, you crab-apple sucking piece of wormwood.”

  “Well, pardon me for having an arrow in my chest! And nobody cares about that, do they? Anyway, I can just tear up one of these blankets. We can use the strips.”

  Kyla cursed to herself, returned her attention to Aspen, and gently rubbed the dirt and ash from her wounds.

  There was a roar and a shriek from the trees. Some distance away, another scream was abruptly cut short.

  Eunoe and Castor returned a few minutes later. Castor’s front paws and mouth, and Eunoe’s arms and clothes, were splattered with blood.

  No one asked what happened.

  ***

  Handrin sat on a stump near Kyla and stretched out his legs.

  “You know, Ceiba began a search for the ciguapa before the Long Night. He believes the ciguapa have some sort of stone. He never told me what was so important about it, but he became…I don’t know…crazy, bloodthirsty, and focused, all in one. He put a lot of pressure – violent pressure – on my aunt to help. I can’t help but wonder, what is your interest in the ciguapa? I suspect, you see, that he was one of Erebus’ Avowed, as I heard the Avowed in other parts of the world sought similar stones. I am doubtful you are one, but I’ll bet you are seeking the same stone. I assume you work for someone powerful. King Oberon and Queen Titania, perhaps?”

  Kyla shook her head. “Can’t say. I’m not Avowed, but I can’t tell you who I work for.”

  “How mysterious. Well, unfortunately, the ciguapa find you, not the other way around. And when they come, they come to kill.” Handrin thrust his chin at the mound under which lay the body of Ceiba. “From what I’ve overheard, they keep a black stone in their temple as a relic, protected by an ancient god.”

  “Well, I’ll wander around until they find me, if I have to. I’m sure they can reason.”

  “Maybe. They’d speak to you before me. They hate men, you see. But if you are going to track them, I’ll do what I can to help.”

  “Why? Revenge?”

  “I certainly couldn’t get revenge on the entire clan, but I can perhaps find closure by speaking with them.”

  Kyla took a bite of meat and stared at Handrin through narrowed eyes. “And do you want the stone? Because I need to take it.” If it was a holy relic, she supposed the ciguapa might not be willing to give it up. Handrin might be useful if the mission became violent.

  Kyla noticed Faron was now staring at them. As soon as her eyes met his, he grinned. “Ciguapa? You’re going to visit some ciguapa? I didn’t know there were any around here!”

  “You know of them?” Handrin asked.

  “Of course! Oh, this is like a dream! Women with proper feet. Curupira are always male, you see. Kinda have to shop around for ladies. If I can find the ciguapa, no more trying to date fairies or elves!”

  “Hey!” Kyla objected. “What’s wrong with elves?”

  “Shallow, that’s what! Can’t seem to handle these babies.” He raised one of his feet.

  Kyla found his backward feet mildly off-putting herself, though she wasn’t going to admit it.

  “Well, you haven’t met very good elves, then. Most of us are lovely.”

  “Oh, really? Would you want to go to dinner with me when we get back to Laenith?”

  “No, but not because of your feet. It’s because you’re a jerk who lured me into a bandit camp and got me kidnapped.”

  “Whatever. Anyway, I know how to track ciguapa. I’ve been looking my whole life. I thought they all lived on an island to the north. We’re going to need to wait until the next full moon, and we’ll need to find a cinqueno dog. That’s the tricky part.”

  Kyla nodded. “Of course. And that’s a what, exactly?”

  “Black and white dog with too many toes. They can track ciguapa, but only during a full moon, and you have to follow the footprints backwards—what you would call backwards—because their feet are like mine.”

  “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  “I told you! Shallow about feet. Elves can’t get over it. I can’t help how I was born! And what’s wrong with them?” Faron wiggled his toes as he pointed at his heels.

  “Ew. I mean, the feet are fine. I’m talking about the other thing. Full-moon dog nonsense.”

  Faron shrugged. “Well, that’s the truth. I wouldn’t lie. I am one hundred percent committed to finding them. They are supposed to be beautiful.”

  “I hear they kill men,” Handrin sneered. “Your chances with them may be grim.”

  “Well, most men aren’t as charming as I am.”

  “Ha!” Kyla burst, though she had to admit despite being an obnoxious back-stabber, Faron reminded her of a dumber version of Saul, and this warmed her up to him a bit.

  Handrin grinned. “He does seem the sort to have applied himself to learning how to find women.”

  Kyla rolled her eyes. “Applied to learning, not doing. And, apparently, failing.”

  “I do well enough for myself, thank you very much. I just have a particular taste in women.”

  Kyla smiled and stood. “We women have a particular taste in men, and you have the flavor of a muddy sow-thistle. Now, I have an idea where we can get a cinqueno dog.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  The Ballad of Kinsel King

  Even with a map, Marik had to ask several passers-by for directions. The roads turned ever-downward into the darkness, where only luminescent blue jellyfish in jars cast a dim light over the fronts of shops and houses.

  The shop rested directly on the ocean floor. It was eerie, with many of the surrounding buildings dark except for glistening eyes and long glowing protrusions extended from fat-headed fish. There were no surface thoughts, besides those from Carmin and Hajar, both of whom currently expressed wonder and alarm.

  The shop was in the shape of a tree and made from the same gray rock that constituted the ocean floor. Branches stretched out with leaves of scrimshawed whale bone. Openings throughout the trunk were framed with colorful adornments and appeared to serve as entryways as no door was visible. The largest hole was nearest the bottom, and had the finest arrangement, with a series of shelves on either side decorated with knickknacks. Marik swam through it.

  He was met, upon entering, by a woman with thick green hair and rough brown skin.

  Welcome! she smiled. Her thoughts carried a chirpy melody.

  Marik turned to make sure Carmin and Hajar were following. Hajar squeezed past, her eyes fixed on the stacks and shelves inside. There was no order to the goods on display. Curios were haphazardly stacked among glistening baubles and oddly-shaped chunks of metal. Some he recognized as human debris.

  Welcome, Daughter of Gaia! The shopkeeper greeted Hajar. Hajar pulled back her hair, which was drifting over her face, looking flushed.

  Do you mean me?

  Yes! You are of my divine creations, descendant of Gaia. A Queen of the earth! Pray tell, what draws you away from your stewardship on land to the depths of the sea?

  Oh! My lad
y! Hajar curtsied. I lost my stewardship over my pond when I was captured by a leshy many years ago.

  Marik had heard of Gaia through myth and legend. Yet what an odd claim. The woman was playing a role of some sort, and the dim-witted Hajar was playing into it.

  She’s just a shopkeeper, he scolded. Not Gaia.

  I am not Gaia, the woman agreed. I am Ymir, progenitor of the nymphs and creator of the trolls and giants. It is rare to see any of my land-born daughters in the depths of the Undine.

  Right. Marik rolled his eyes. She wasn’t playing a role. She was just crazy.

  What brings you down to my little shop? The so-called Ymir asked Hajar.

  I travel with these two elves. They are looking for something.

  The shop-keep looked at Marik and Carmin, then out the nearest entrance. I see only one elf, though I admit his golem is quite life-like.

  Golem? Did she mean Carmin? Crazy or not, the woman had pinpointed one of his concerns. Was Carmin real? Or a fake crafted by Sophrosyne? He forced the thoughts from his mind, lest his concerns sneak out.

  Carmin was inspecting the shelves, and perhaps hadn’t heard the comment, but Hajar had.

  Golem? No, that’s Marik’s girlfriend, Carmin. She’s an elf.

  Are you talking about me? Carmin swam over, a creepy-looking wooden doll in her hand. Yes, I’m an elf. Pleased to meet you.

  Carmin extended her wrist in greeting, but Ymir pulled back.

  It has thought! Ymir leaned forward and peered into Carmin’s eyes. Well-crafted, indeed.

  As much as Marik wished to hear more, he didn’t want to continue this discussion with Carmin and Hajar present.

  We would just like a minute to browse, if you don’t mind. Though, I am looking for an item of particular interest. A black stone, with odd writing on it.

  Ymir became visibly concerned as he mentioned the stone. Hajar perked right up.

  Like the stone I found for Kyla? I’ll find it! It has a very old magic to it. I can see a variety of colors throughout the store. Magic of all sorts!