The Chronicles of Amberdrake

by Loren K. Jones

  Drake stepped up beside Mellody to answer. “They went on toward Carter’s Point. I caught up with them two and a half days up the road. I brought back what they had stolen and disposed of them.”

  The captain looked surprised. “You went after them?”

  “Yes.”

  “Who are you, if I may ask?” the captain asked.

  “This is my husband, Lord Drake Carstairs,” Mellody supplied. Her grin held just a just a touch of evil as the captain took a step backwards.

  “I traced the men from the edge of town and captured them when they tried to waylay me. Based on that, and their confessions, I condemned and executed them.”

  The captain looked uncomfortable. “Sir, you should have returned them for trial.”

  Drake looked him in the eye and asked, “Before who?”

  “Before the lord—” The captain’s voice faltered.

  “Since I am the lord of these lands, there was no need for me to bring them before anyone.”

  Mellody stepped between them. “Captain, those men killed one hundred and seventy-one of our people. Men, women, and children, whole families were slaughtered. They took them into their houses, robbed them, and killed them. Then they burnt the town. And they are not alone.”

  “Lady Mellody?” the captain asked in a stunned tone.

  Drake explained. “General Markinson sent his men out into the countryside to terrorize our people in an attempt to draw off General Preston. We can only guess how many of these groups there are. You will assign five of your men to return to Castle Rock with all haste and spread the alarm. Queen Rochelle needs to know what has happened so she can warn the rest of the lords.”

  The captain bowed to Drake before answering. “Lord Drake, we have a pigeon with us.”

  Drake and Mellody exchanged glances, then Drake nodded to the captain. “We’ll compose a message for the queen.”

  The captain looked at his men and raised his hand with three fingers raised. A private with a cage came forward immediately. An inkwell was built into the top of the cage, and a compartment was filled with thin slips of paper. Mellody took the quill and wrote the message.

  Queen Rochelle, Vernardia is under attack by Bresardian soldiers. General Markinson sent them out to terrorize the people to draw off our army. Warn the lords. We are going hunting. Mel, CAAV.”

  “CAAV?” Drake asked.

  “Chief Adept of the Armies of Vernardia.” She handed the message to the private, who put it into a carrier attached to the bird’s back and sent it on its way.

  Captain Vertalan bowed to Mellody. “That bird will be in Castle Rock by nightfall, and the message will be sent to Mount Royal as soon as Major Delvar reads it.”

  Drake nodded. “Very well. Lady Mellody, what’s next on our agenda?”

  “Moving on,” Mellody replied with a hint of relief in her voice. “The next town on this road is Carter’s Point.”

  Chapter 21

  DRAKE AND MELLODY TRAVELED ON IN the morning. They left Arvin and the farmers with everything Drake had recovered and a promise to rebuild Carelwood, and Captain Vertalan with instructions to sweep south with his men on their return to Castle Rock.

  The trip to Carter’s Point was uneventful, as was their visit. Only one lord called Carter’s Point home, and he was delighted to finally meet Mellody and Drake.

  Several more small villages passed by before they reached the city of Brewington.

  “Please tell me that name is truly descriptive,” Drake pleaded, making Mellody laugh.

  “Yes, guzzler, it is. Brewington is where the Carstairs brewery is located. There is a particularly pure spring that wells up at the base of the hill, and the brewery is built over it. What the brewery doesn’t use is pumped up to that water tower,” she pointed to a tank on the hill, “and piped to the whole city. This is one of the few of our cities other than Blue Ridge that can make the boast of having water piped to every house.” Drake smiled as he sat back and looked around. Their party was met at the city gates by a heavy squad of troops.

  “Halt there and state your business,” a captain ordered.

  Drake rode forward half a length and stopped. “I am Lord Drake Carstairs. Has the warning about the Bresardian raiders reached you?”

  “It has. What proof do you offer that you are really Lord Drake?” the captain asked in reply.

  Drake signaled Mellody forward to his side. “I am Lady Mellody.”

  The captain bowed deeply, and his men followed his example a breath later. “I recognize you, Lady Mellody. Lord Drake, we welcome you to Brewington.”

  Drake nodded to the captain as he rode forward, but his attention was riveted on the sign of an inn up the road. It was called the Capering Bull and looked like a bull kicking his hind feet up. Mellody patted his arm to get his attention.

  “Not that one, Drake. There’s a better inn closer to the brewery. One we own.”

  “Oh?”

  “It’s called the Carstairs Common House. Whenever the brewery tries something new, free samples are passed out to whoever asks. This will allow you to compare recipes with the brewmaster.” Drake’s smile was all the answer she needed, and she laughed at his eager expression.

  The inn was impressive. Three floors were evident from the arrangement of the windows, and the sign above the doors was the Carstairs Crest framed between two beer mugs.

  Drake and Mellody turned their horses over to Halsey and went inside. The innkeeper strolled over and bowed minimally before asking, “How may I serve you?”

  “You can start by being a bit more polite,” Mellody snarled.

  “I don’t know you,” the man replied in a haughty tone. “Who do you claim to be?”

  Drake looked at the man and then looked up at the ceiling. In the blink of an eye the innkeeper was flat on his back against the roof boards.

  Drake snarled, “You are addressing Lady Mellody Carstairs, Lady of Carstairs, Chief Adept of the Army of Vernardia.”

  “And you’ve just met my husband, Lord Drake Carstairs,” Mellody purred, enjoying the fool’s discomfort.

  Drake released the innkeeper and let him fall, catching him again when he was at eye level. “I don’t think I have to tell you that you’re discharged.” Then he let the man float to the floor.

  “N-No, Lord Drake, please,” the former innkeeper pleaded.

  “An inn is judged by its innkeeper,” Mellody said from Drake’s side. “Your arrogance is offensive, and we’ll not keep an offensive innkeeper in our employ. Be gone. You have until nightfall to remove yourself and your belongings from our inn. Were it in my authority, I’d have you removed from our lands. Now go.”

  The man backed away with a look of pure misery on his face, then turned away. He saw the inn staff looking at him and snapped, “Karlah, Morgal, pack my wardrobe and—”

  “You will pack your own belongings,” Mellody snapped. “Those women work for us, not you.”

  Drake looked at the women and bowed his head minimally. “Karlah, go watch him and make sure he only takes his belongings.”

  One woman, Karlah he supposed, had a wicked grin on her face now. “After you, Mardoe,” she said as she indicated the stairs. “It shouldn’t take long. Everything except your clothes was paid for with the inn’s money. I suppose you should be happy that your money is safely on deposit with the Gold Merchants.”

  Drake took a step forward, but Mellody stopped him. “Let him go, Drake. He’s not very different from most innkeepers except for his arrogance.”

  “I’ve spent a lot of time living in inns, Mel. That,” he nodded toward Mardoe’s back, “is not a typical innkeeper, and especially not for someone running someone else’s inn.”

  They had seated themselves and received their drinks when there was a woman’s shout of, “That’s not yours!” followed by a loud thump from upstairs.

  Drake was out of his chair and bounding up the stairs before Mellody could stop him. His senses led him to the correct suite and
he stopped in the doorway. Mardoe was standing over Karlah with an ornate golden candlestick in his hand. He was breathing heavily, seemingly panting with rage, and he turned toward Drake with a snarl and raised the candlestick like a club.

  Drake slapped him off his feet without even crossing the room. Mardoe slammed into a wall and collapsed on the floor as Drake stalked across the room and knelt by Karlah. He touched her throat, then closed his eyes and Healed the fractured skull Mardoe had given her. When Karlah opened her eyes he patted her shoulder, and then returned his attention to Mardoe.

  Standing, Drake motioned with both hands and Mardoe’s body rose until he was facing Drake. “Don’t even think about it.”

  “No,” Mardoe begged, “please don’t kill me.”

  Mellody burst into the room and came to an abrupt stop. “Gods Below, would you look at this place?” she whispered in stunned disbelief.

  Drake nodded. “It looks like our former innkeeper has been living the good life at our expense. This is more opulent than your suite back in Mount Royal.”

  Mellody focused her eyes on Mardoe in silence for a moment, then shook her head. She looked at the wardrobe, noting the fine silk, velvet, and lace clothing. She looked at the furnishings. Then her eyes fell on the golden candlestick by his feet and she saw the blood.

  “What happened?” she asked, not looking at anyone for the answer.

  “He tried to take—” Karlah began, only to be drown out by Mardoe’s shout of, “Shut up, you slut!”

  Drake looked at Mardoe and suddenly the former innkeeper couldn’t speak. Looking at Mellody, Drake shook his head. “When I got up here, he was standing over Karlah with that candlestick in his hand. I healed her after I slapped him against the wall.”

  Mellody looked at the wardrobe again and everything flew out to the middle of the room. Drawers slid open and their contents joined the pile on the floor. The sheet launched from the bed and wrapped everything. Then she threw the bundle down the stairs.

  “Get out, Mardoe Gestan. Get out before I decide to keep all the stuff you bought with my money.” Mardoe looked at her, then fled down the stairs.

  Mellody looked at Karlah and asked, “Are you all right?” in a soft tone.

  Karlah looked at Mellody, then smiled and said, “Yes, Lady Mellody. Lord Drake healed me.” She took a step, then smiled at Drake. “You healed everything, didn’t you, Lord Drake?”

  Drake nodded. “It wasn’t that bad. Return to your duties now.” She bowed deeply, and then left the suite. “Let’s look around a bit. I think this is supposed to be our suite, not his.”

  Mellody shook her head as she turned toward the door. “I’m afraid you’re right.”

  The inn was very well appointed, with every room equipped with the highest quality furnishings. By the end of their tour, both of them were thoroughly impressed.

  “This is as good as any inn I’ve ever stayed in,” Drake murmured. “Even the Royal Bull in Winterhaven.”

  Mellody answered, “It wasn’t this nice when I visited ten years ago.”

  They returned to the ground floor and common room, and were relieved that Mardoe was nowhere in sight. Karlah and the rest of the staff met them.

  Karlah stepped forward and cleared her throat. “Lord Drake, Lady Mellody, we would like to know what your plans are for us?” she asked.

  Mellody shook her head. “None of you are in trouble. Mardoe seems to have been lining his pockets with our gold, but we have no indication that anyone else has been cheating us.”

  “Keep it that way,” Drake added.

  Now an older woman stepped forward. “Lord Drake, who will be the new innkeeper?”

  Drake glanced at Mellody before asking, “Who has been here the longest?”

  The woman bowed and answered, “With respect, Lord Drake, I have. I have served the Carstairs family in this inn for twenty-two years.”

  Mellody asked, “Can you read, write, and figure?”

  The woman bowed to Mellody before answering, “Yes, Lady Mellody. I attended school by order of your grandfather, Lord Elindan, from age five till age fifteen. Barnet Frost, the innkeeper prior to Mardoe, let us read from his library, but Mardoe forbid us from entering his room except to clean or—” She paused and bit her lips as she looked at the floor.

  Mellody and Drake both guessed what she wasn’t saying and Mellody stepped forward to lay her hand on the woman’s arm. “That will never happen again.”

  “No, it won’t,” Drake agreed. “What is your name?”

  The woman bowed as she said, “Millisan Carindon, Lord Drake.”

  Mellody could read Drake well enough to know what he had in mind, so she was the one who said, “Innkeeper Millisan, have someone bring us two beers,” as she turned away and took Drake by the arm. There was a flurry of whispers behind them, and Millisan herself brought two large glasses of beer to their table.

  “Millisan,” Drake said as he picked up his beer, “have someone, not you, go ask the brewmaster to stop by tomorrow after the midday meal.”

  “Yes, Lord Drake.”

  Mellody added, “And have someone else show our servants up to the suite Mardoe was using. You may use it after we’re gone.”

  Millisan bowed and backed away, still obviously stunned by how quickly her lot in life had changed, then turned and hurried away to follow their instructions.

  “That’s the last thing any of them expected,” Drake said as he smiled into his beer.

  Mellody shrugged. “I was surprised too, but I know you well enough to guess what you were planning.”

  Drake whispered, “I’m angrier about Mardoe using the women as his personal sex slaves than about the gold. Gold we have plenty of. Good servants are harder to come by.”

  “It was rape, Drake,” Mellody growled in a hushed, angry tone. “Nothing less than rape, with the threat of dismissal as the knife.” She took a long pull of her beer and shook her head. “I despise high-born men who believe any low-born woman or girl is their fair prey. And Mardoe isn’t high-born! He’s as common as clay.”

  Drake raised an eyebrow at his wife’s angry outburst. “And?”

  Mellody shook her head and continued speaking softly. “And unless one of these women comes right out and accuses him of rape, we can’t touch him.”

  Drake nodded, but only to acknowledge her point, not in agreement. “So we do what we can to make up for not stopping him earlier. I’m going to review the inn account books and see how much damage he did.”

  “And I’m going to have a few words with the mayor and city council.” Mellody sat back and looked around, then started talking in a normal tone. “This didn’t happen overnight or by Mardoe’s conniving alone, and the mayor should have informed me.”

  Drake nodded. “Unless he was in on it.”

  They had finished their beer and begun reviewing the account books when Mardoe returned with twenty armed City Guardsmen behind him.

  “There they are!” Mardoe all but shrieked. “Arrest them!”

  Two guardsmen stepped forward and addressed Drake. “You are under arrest for impersonating Lord Drake and assaulting Lord Mardoe Gestan—”

  “Lord?” Mellody demanded shrilly. “Mardoe Gestan is a commoner by birth, and Roe would never have raised him to a lord’s station. And certainly not without consulting me.”

  “Silence, you slut!” the leader snarled as his hand swung back as if to backhand Mellody, but he suddenly found himself kneeling with Drake’s hand squeezing his throat.

  Drake’s voice had a terrifying growl behind it as he said, “You will address my wife with respect or I’ll rip your throat out.”

  All the men around Mardoe drew their weapons, but Drake was through playing nice. Bright golden light flared around every sword and ax, and in that same instant cries of pain resounded through the common room. The smell of burning wood came from the puddles of molten steel on the floor— and Drake blazed with golden power as he looked into the leader’s eyes.
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br />   “I am Lord Drake Carstairs, Lord of Carstairs, and your overlord.”

  Mellody had snapped to her feet and flung the table out of her way as soon as Drake grabbed the leader. Now she stomped forward and confronted the men. “I am Lady Mellody Carstairs, Lady of Carstairs, and the owner of this town. Where is the mayor?”

  The now-terrified leader of the guardsmen stammered, “In-In his chamber in City Hall.”

  Drake extinguished the fires he’d set and threw the man back against the legs of his followers. A whispered spell bound all their hands and Drake pointed toward the door. “March.”

  Mellody and Drake walked behind the men to the city hall and found seven elegantly dressed men waiting on the front steps.

  “What’s the meaning of this?” the man in the center demanded, and found himself kneeling on the cobblestones at Drake’s feet with no knowledge of how he’d gotten there.

  “The meaning of this, you arrogant ass, is that Lady Mellody and I were attacked by your guardsmen.”

  The leader of the men whined, “Lord Stevert, we just did as you commanded! We tried to arrest the imposters and they attacked us!”

  The mayor looked up into Drake’s golden eyes, then Mellody’s, but was distracted by the arrival of the captain and his troops.

  “What is happening here?” he demanded. “Lady Mellody, Lord Drake, has there been trouble?”

  Mellody answered, “Yes, Captain, there has.”

  The mayor looked at him and asked, “Captain Alestan, do you mean to tell me you believe this is really Lord Drake and Lady Mellody?”

  The captain looked startled. “Of course,” he replied in a surprised tone. “I met Lady Mellody two years ago while we were facing off against the Bresardians.”

  The mayor tried to stand, but Drake held him down. “You’ll stay there until we decide what to do with you.” Shifting his attention to the captain, Drake nodded toward the bound men. “That group attacked us on this man’s orders.”

  The captain looked disturbed, but he knew his duty. “Seize them, men. We’ll put them in their own jail until Lord Drake decides what to do with them.”