by Peter Wacht
“Oh, father, it was the most incredible thing,” began Kaylie. “We were in the Burren, when two Ogren appeared, and—”
They were in the Burren, not Oakwood Forest. So that was the lie. If only he could have figured it out beforehand. He tried to follow his daughter’s story, but now all of them were babbling, telling their own versions of the adventure. Gregory held his hands up for silence, and eventually he got it, though Eric had to step on Rohn’s foot to shut him up.
“You see, my lord,” said Maddan, stepping in front of his friends and standing next to Kaylie. A little too close in Gregory’s opinion. His daughter moved farther to the side, trying to get away from him. Gregory decided that he would have to watch Maddan carefully. Considering who his father was, he could become a very dangerous opponent. He had no doubts regarding the man’s ambitions and to what lengths he would go to achieve them. “We ran into two Ogren when we stopped in the Burren. They were monstrous creatures, with huge maces.” He tried to show how large the maces were by stretching out his hands. “They attacked and I kept them away from the girls for a time when suddenly this warrior, he must have been at least eight feet tall, jumped down from the trees—”
Kaylie’s face grew darker and darker as she listened to Maddan’s recounting of the afternoon’s events. She was about to correct him, but she didn’t have to.
“It’s hard to fend off two Ogren when you’re standing in the middle of a lake pissing in your pants from fear,” said Rohn, giving his friend an angry scowl.
Maddan’s face turned red with fury, and he took a step toward Rohn, but Kael stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
“Bragging, or lying, doesn’t make you a warrior,” said Kael, loud enough so everyone in the courtyard could hear. “Your actions do. You should spend more time improving your skills as a warrior, Maddan, because you don’t have much of a future as a storyteller.”
Maddan lowered his eyes. On the outside he appeared chagrined. On the inside he fumed. Two times today he had been humiliated. No more, he promised. Someday everyone in this courtyard would bow down to him. Some day—
“I will meet you at dawn in the circle,” said Kael. “I think it’s time to increase your training. Standing in a lake while facing two Ogren is not a strategy I would recommend.”
Furious, Maddan gave a half-hearted bow before heading off to his quarters. His father was the richest man in all the kingdoms. Some day, Maddan would also be the most powerful. Then he’d be the one providing the lessons, and harsh ones they would be.
“Enough of this,” said Gregory. “I want all of you to take hot baths and get some food. I’ll find out what happened later.”
Kaylie’s friends bowed as Gregory led his daughter into the fortress. Once they were inside, she again began to explain what happened, but he shushed her, making her take a hot bath and eat a warm meal first. That done, she went to his quarters and took a chair in front of the fireplace by his desk. Gregory pulled a chair up and let the heat soak into his bones, waiting for his daughter to begin. She had been eager to explain before. Now she hesitated.
Kaylie looked into the fire, watching the flames dance across the logs. It was much like his eyes, she decided. The burning. The cold purpose with which he fought. She had never seen anything like it before.
“Kaylie?” her father asked expectantly, wanting to get to the bottom of this afternoon’s events.
“I’m sorry for lying to you, father.”
“We’ll talk about that later.” The finality of his words made her cringe. It was not the beginning she had hoped for.
Unable to delay any longer, she started with when they first left Ballinasloe. Kaylie talked of stopping by the lake and beginning to eat, and then having the Ogren suddenly appear. She told all this with calm detachment, as if she were only an observer, rather than a participant. When the large black wolf appeared in the story and the boy with green eyes, she grew more animated, using her hands and arms to better illustrate what happened. She even told him how scared she was, and that even though she had pulled her knife, she couldn’t make her legs move for a time. When she finished, he just watched her, waiting for more. When she smiled, he realized she was done. It was almost too much to believe.
“So you’re telling me that you were attacked by two Ogren, a huge black wolf appeared out of nowhere and came to your defense, buying enough time for its friend, a boy most likely no older than you, to leap down from the trees and in a matter of minutes kill both Ogren without getting injured.”
“Yes.”
She wasn’t lying. He would have known. But a boy, admittedly fighting with a wolf — and that was strange enough — but a boy killing two Ogren. A veteran soldier would have difficulty just staying alive against a single Ogren. The only way to fight Ogren without decimating your own soldiers was to swarm the beasts. But a boy! And he’d killed two! It was absolutely unbelievable. Yet it had happened.
“I’m sorry, father,” said Kaylie, adopting her best little girl face. “I promise I won’t lie to you again.” Maybe if she apologized twice, his attitude would soften.
Gregory looked at his daughter’s expression, and he knew it was an obvious attempt at manipulating him. He didn’t care. He’d always forgive her, no matter what. He did think about giving her a lecture, but her frightened expression when she arrived at the Rock told him that what had happened to her was probably the best lesson she could receive. Still, he wasn’t about to let her off so easily.
“We’ll talk about it more in the morning, Kaylie. It’s getting late. Why don’t you go off to bed?”
Kaylie smiled and rose from her chair, crossing the short distance to kiss her father on the cheek and then go to her room down the hallway.
After she had gone, Gregory sat in his chair for a long time, staring into the fire himself, playing her story over and over in his mind. He always came back to the green-eyed boy. It tugged at his memory for some reason. Then he had it. His body might be going because of age, but his mind wasn’t. Talyn Kestrel’s grandson had green eyes. That was the memory that was trying to break through. He had even seen the child once, before the attack on the Crag.
A legend had begun soon after that. At first, only in the Highlands, but then it had spread to the edges of those Kingdoms butting up against that mountainous region, and from there to all the other Kingdoms. Probably all the way to the Distant Islands, he surmised. The legend said that the grandson survived, and that the Lost Kestrel would find his way home to take the throne of the Highlands when his people needed him most. But it was only a legend, and from the reports he had received, he didn’t think anyone escaped from the Crag on that cursed night, least of all a child. Still, it could be true. He wanted it to be true.
Gregory looked back into the fire. Thinking of the Lost Kestrel stirred memories of Talyn. They had been friends, good friends, fighting Ogren, Shades, Fearhounds and worse, but never with the supposed skill of this boy. A legend come to life certainly would make things interesting. After several hours of contemplation, he decided it was time for sleep, but he wanted to talk to Kael first. He left his apartments in search of the Swordmaster, only to find him coming down the hallway toward his room. The man seemed to have a sixth sense. He always knew when Gregory needed him.
“Tomorrow, I’d like you to take a squad of soldiers and check out the Burren, especially around this lake where Kaylie was attacked.”
“I was planning on that, my lord. I was curious about the boy.” Kael had heard the story from Eric and Rohn. He had determined that both stories were too similar to be lies.
“If you happen to run into the boy, see if you can get him to come back with you,” said Gregory. “I’d like to ask him a few questions and to thank him for what he did.”
Kael nodded. “I will, my lord. But if this boy did half of what those two greenears told me this evening, we won’t be finding him unless he wants to be found.”
“I know. But it’s worth a shot, isn’t
it?”
“Yes, my lord. It is.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
Target
Thomas and Rynlin stopped a few hours after full dark, finding shelter underneath a huge willow tree, Beluil having already gone off to explore the surrounding area. Its long, full branches formed a natural hut that protected them from the cold, whipped along by a sharp, biting wind. They ate a quick meal of bread, dried meat and cheese, as Rynlin didn’t want to chance a fire. Nightstalkers always worked alone, but the Shadow Lord would know immediately of this one’s demise.
The howl of a wolf broke the silence of the night from the west. Then another howl echoed the first, this time to the north. Beluil had found a pack. Rynlin relaxed somewhat as the howls of wolves drifted through the night. Wolves hated the creatures of the Dark Horde. Thomas watched his grandfather closely. Rynlin was talking to himself again. He did that when he was concerned. He probably thought that Thomas couldn’t hear him, but he kept catching the words Sylvana, long night and boy. He didn’t know what Rynlin was mumbling about, but he had a feeling it affected him in some way.
Seeing that his grandfather was occupied, Thomas drew on the Talent, extending his senses to see what was around them. He was right. Beluil was to the west, and he wasn’t alone. He had found a pack of twenty to thirty wolves. Satisfied that nothing dangerous lurked in the immediate area, he pushed his senses to the south, toward Ballinasloe.
His breath caught for a moment when he stared down at the Rock. It looked very much like the Crag in the way it was built, with the huge slabs of stone instead of blocks, the dark forbidding color, the towers located strategically at the junctures of the walls. He watched the waves crash against the rocks surrounding the fortress before circling around the great keep and examining its layout.
This must be where the girl lived. There was something about her that drew him to her. She had been terrified when the two Ogren appeared, but that was only natural. More important, she had stood her ground. She had courage, and a confidence … no, that wasn’t right. It was more like an inner strength. Maybe that was what attracted him to her. That and her eyes. Thomas couldn’t get the picture of this girl out of his mind. He glanced at his grandfather, who was still sitting up against the base of the tree, deep in thought and mumbling to himself. He had never tried to find someone with the Talent before. He might as well give it a try now.
Thomas formed a picture of the girl in his mind — the dark, silky hair and deep, blue eyes — then centered his Talent on the image. In an instant he was inside the Rock in a room with a large fireplace. It was a simple room, with just a few chairs and a desk. His attention was automatically drawn to the books lining one wall. A library, but not as big as the one in his home. He wondered if there were any books on those shelves he had not yet read.
Thomas focused on the other side of the room, where a large fire glowed brightly in the fireplace. Two people sat in front of it. He had found the girl. She was discussing something with a man, by the looks of him her father. But who was she? He looked at the mantle above the fireplace, and then he knew. Carved into the wall was a large shield, and on it was a bear standing on its hind legs, poised to attack. The standard of Fal Carrach. That man had to be the king; Gregory if he remembered correctly. That made the girl his daughter. A princess. He couldn’t believe it. What would a princess be doing in the Burren without guards? Those boys certainly weren’t there to protect her. If they’d actually thought of drawing their swords, and succeeded, they were more a danger to themselves than to the Ogren.
“Are you done eavesdropping?”
“I wasn’t eavesdropping,” said Thomas, letting go of the Talent. “I just wanted to make sure that the girl and her friends got back home safely.”
“Uh, huh,” murmured Rynlin.
Rynlin didn’t believe him, but there was no reason to argue. Once his grandfather made up his mind about something, nothing could sway him.
“Anything around that we should be worried about?” asked Rynlin.
“No,” replied Thomas. “Beluil found some friends.”
Rynlin nodded. The howls of wolves and the sounds of other nighttime animals gave Thomas a sense of security. A silence in the forest always meant danger.
“So why did you help them?” asked Rynlin. He was certain it just wasn’t because of a pretty girl, though men had been known to do stranger things for less.
“It was the right thing to do.”
“So you were just doing the right thing?”
“Yes and no.”
“What do you mean yes and no? Either you were doing the right thing or you weren’t.”
Thomas looked at his grandfather for a moment. Was Rynlin really as irritated as his voice sounded, or he was trying to get a rise out of him? The sharp-eyed sorcerer seemed at ease. His face wasn’t as red as it got when he became angry. Thomas decided not to fall for the bait.
“Yes, I did it because it was the right thing to do,” he replied calmly. “But there was something else as well. The fact that the Ogren were in the Burren seemed wrong. No, it was wrong. I felt the pain of the forest when I walked among the trees. That’s the main reason. I wanted to eliminate the pain.”
His grandfather smiled. In the darkness, even without a fire, Thomas could still see it. He had been right. His grandfather had tried to bait him.
Rynlin examined his grandson, pleased by his response. He had a feeling that might be the case, but he had to be sure. Rynlin had the distinct feeling that Thomas’ dreams about unicorns were visiting him almost every night now. It wouldn’t be long before it was time.
“You know, Thomas, you did a brave thing today. It was also extremely dangerous. You need to be careful in a situation like that. One mistake can kill you.”
“I know, Rynlin. I was careful, or rather as careful as the circumstances allowed.”
“I know you were, Thomas. I just want you to understand that you have to weigh all the risks before making a decision.”
“That’s why I did what I did. I didn’t have time to do much else. If I had waited any longer some of those people would have died.”
“You’re right,” said Rynlin, nodding his agreement. “But why didn’t you use your Talent?”
His grandfather looked as if he had asked a trick question, so Thomas took a moment to think. If he answered quickly, and didn’t give the reply Rynlin wanted to hear, he could be up all night stuck in the middle of another of his grandfather’s lectures. Besides, with the excitement of the day having waned, and with it his adrenaline, he was getting tired.
“I did think about it,” he began. “It just wasn’t appropriate. You and Rya explained that people who used the Talent or Dark Magic could sense when another used it. I didn’t want to attract any attention. Besides, with Beluil there to help me, taking on two Ogren wasn’t all that difficult.”
“You’re bragging.”
“No, I’m telling the truth,” said Thomas. He was getting angry now. That was definitely one trait he had picked up from the grandfather sitting across from him — a very short temper. “Both you and Rya made certain that I knew my strengths and my limitations, and the weapons training has drilled that into me even more. When I say I can fight two Ogren, I mean exactly that, and I think I’ve proven it.”
Again Rynlin smiled. It was good to see that all the hard work he and his wife had put into Thomas was paying off. The boy actually listened to them. Rynlin saw that overconfidence, even arrogance, were foreign to Thomas’ personality. The boy knew what he could do and what he couldn’t do. That knowledge would serve him well in the future.
They were quiet for a time, listening to the music of the forest provided by the crickets and the owls. A raccoon even walked into their shelter and was startled to see it occupied. Still, not viewing Thomas or Rynlin as a threat, he curled up to sleep where the low-hanging branches met the ground.
“The Nightstalker was after me, wasn’t it?” Because of Thomas’ cold certaint
y, his question came out more like a statement.
Rynlin didn’t say anything. He was trying to think of the best way to reply.
“Have you had any more dreams about unicorns?” He wanted to change the subject. Talking about the Nightstalker depressed him.
“Yes, almost every night now.”
Rynlin nodded. He had expected that, but it was always good to confirm what you didn’t know for a fact. It definitely wouldn’t be long now.
“The Nightstalker was after me.”
Ah, well. Thinking that he could change the course of Thomas’ thoughts was foolish. Rynlin decided that the best course was to tell Thomas everything. Where one Nightstalker appeared, another could take its place the next day, and another the day after. It was better that Thomas knew what he was up against so he could be prepared. Still, Rynlin felt sad. This young man had never had the opportunity to be a young man. It truly was a cruel world.
“Why do you ask?”
“You’re dodging the question.”
Rynlin studied his grandson. His green eyes flashed with remarkable intensity. Rynlin realized that it would be very difficult for someone to lie to Thomas. If his grandson didn’t smell the lie from the start, the person would wilt under that hard glare. He probably picked that up from Rya, and those glowing eyes of his added an intimidation factor lacking in the glare of his wife. It was remarkable how a woman who came no higher than his chest could have such a commanding presence.
Rynlin chuckled inwardly as his thoughts turned to his wife. “It could have been after me, you know.”
“Do you really believe that, Rynlin? I’ve been off the Isle of Mist for less than a day, and the Nightstalker immediately appears. You’ve gone off the island many times, and you never once mentioned running into something like that. You and Rya never let me off the island. Ever. I know you’ve got wards all around the island, hiding us from those who can use Dark Magic, and that must hinder a Nightstalker’s abilities as well. The Nightstalker hunts until its prey is found, you said. It found me.”