by Guy Antibes
~
The smell of breakfast woke Jack up. The inn wasn’t the best he had stayed in, but it was better than trying to make camp in the middle of the night. He splashed some water on his face in his room before descending the stairs to the common room. A yawn attacked him as he opened the door. He looked down from the balcony containing the doors to the rooms. Lark was the only one not yet awake.
There were a few others at tables, but Helen and Tanner conferred with a map between them. Ralinn looked on and offered an opinion before Jack reached them. He sat next to Helen opposite from Ralinn.
“Is that a bruise on your face?” Helen asked.
“Bruise?” Jack asked, putting a hand to his cheek. He gasped. Jack had forgotten to put on his veil before coming downstairs. “It must be.”
Helen removed his hand. “Funny. The bruise is in the shape of lips.” She licked her thumb and tried to wipe it off. “I would have thought the mark would come off. It almost looks like an old tattoo.”
Ralinn looked closer. Her eyes widened. “That was there after the vision of Eldora in the Pestersee temple?”
“Uh, what? A mark?” Jack said. He tried to suppress a blush, but he feared his lying was out of practice. “It is,” he admitted. “I wiped off most of the blue lip rouge,” Jack said, “but this mark remained. It won’t come off.”
“I’ve read about the mark of Eldora’s kiss before, but never did I expect to see it or even know someone who had been in the goddess’s presence.”
“It was a vision,” Jack said.
“Not with that mark,” Ralinn said.
“I’ll go up and put my veil back on.”
Jack ignored their calls for him to stay and returned to the table with the veil covering the blue lip marks. He hoped he wouldn’t have to endure the blemish for the rest of his life.
Lark was with them when he returned. Ralinn looked at him funny, but Tanner was the one who finally said, “So where do we go from here? If soldiers are heading south, that means the insurgency is going to impede our progress no matter what path we choose.”
Jack leaned over. He saw the city of Yellowbird on the map sitting northwest of Gameton. There was a small mountain range that created a seam in the insurgencies that would give them a chance to get through. “Why don’t we follow this road going east? It is currently clear of rebels and takes us to the town of Yellowbird. It is Loyalist territory all the way to Gameton from there.”
Lark looked at the path, tracing it with his finger. “It is a dangerous route,” he said. “There are mountain tribes that prey on travelers on both sides of the spine that runs parallel to the mountains and hills to the north of us.”
“Mountain raiders seem better than organized soldiers,” Helen said. “What do you think Tanner?”
“Danger is in front of us and behind us no matter where we go or what we do,” the mercenary said. “I like Jack’s idea. Hopefully, we can avoid the Black Finger Society heading east.”
“If Jack feels we should go that way, then we should,” Ralinn said. “That is four against one,” she said, looking a bit defiantly at Lark.
“Who said I was against it?” Lark said. “I don’t want to pass large groups of soldiers going south and north, so let it be unanimous.”
Breakfast was served. Jack had extra bacon and eggs and was ready to go. He tried to avoid Ralinn, but as they saddled up and headed out, she steered her horse next to him.
“Can I see your ‘bruise’ again?” she asked.
Jack lifted the veil.
“It is still there,” she said. “It makes you uncomfortable, doesn’t it?”
“I don’t feel a thing, but it is how others see it. I’m not whatever this signifies,” Jack said. “I’m just a step up from a country bumpkin.”
Ralinn softly laughed. “You are much higher than a country bumpkin. Anyone with Eldora’s kiss is someone very special.”
“Why the kiss?” Jack said.
Ralinn shrugged. “Why not? I don’t know of anyone who has received a kiss, so that leaves out all the Gameton temple priestesses. Perhaps Eldora is anxious to protect Tesoria.”
“As far as you know.”
She smiled and nodded. “As far as I know.”
“So what do I do with this?” Jack pointed to his cheek, hidden again with his veil.
“Wear it with pride. Those few with the kiss are legends in Tesorian history. Although Alderach is worshipped alongside Eldora, she is Tesoria’s god as far as her adherents are concerned.”
“And you are an adherent. I don’t worship her,” Jack said. “But I don’t doubt her being a goddess.”
“How can you think that way? She has blessed you with her presence,” Ralinn said with a smile. This was the friendliest she had been to him. Even if it was for the faint blue splotch on his cheek, Jack was enjoying the conversation.
“Do you know what the Sanctuary of the Wild River is like?”
Ralinn gave him a blank look. “No. All I know is that it exists below the temple. If anyone has been there, they haven’t spread the word around.”
Jack nodded. “It is involved in what I have to do,” he said. “I also have to meet someone in Yellowbird.”
“That is why you shifted our direction?”
“Everyone agreed without any prompting,” Jack said. “She has some information.”
“A priestess?”
Jack shrugged. “I don’t know; only her name. Pakara Jimaroon.”
“That isn’t a Tesorian name,” Ralinn said.
“But she lives in Yellowbird. I will at least have to try to find her before we move on.”
“Trying isn’t good enough, Jack. You will have to contact her. I will help make that happen. Will your bodyguards object?”
Jack shook his head. “They are here to protect me, not guide me. That is what Lark is for, and now Eldora has changed our plans a little. Does Lark know much about the middle of Tesoria?”
“As much as anyone who hasn’t spent much time here.”
“So other than knowing we might run into mountain bandits along the way to Yellowbird, not a lot.”
“Is that a problem?” Ralinn said.
“No. Lark knows more than Tanner or Helen. Even with a little knowledge, we know more of what to expect.”
Chapter Eleven
~
T he next town was more an overgrown village. Tesoria didn’t have the same turbulent history that Corand had, but that had obviously changed recently. A new wall of pikes surrounded Faring Flat. The recent construction surrounded the entire town and then some. Tesorian flags, a sun over three wavy blue lines indicating water, Jack guessed, flew over the town.
They were challenged for their papers at the gate and rode into Faring Flat. Lark walked into a guard shack and followed directions to a modest inn just as the sun was about to set.
Once their horses were taken care of, they assembled in the common room. The place was filling up, so they decided to order now with the hopes of getting fresher food.
Tanner sat by himself next to a group of muttering locals. He told Jack a few times that mutterers gave more information, but it wasn’t always the most accurate.
Lark raised his hand and ordered for all. There was no choice as it turned out, just for drinks. Jack ordered light ale along with Ralinn with the others drinking something stronger. Tanner had heard enough and sauntered over to their table.
“Black Fingers have taken over the next stretch of territory,” Tanner said. “So we have wizards to deal with, and then we get bandits, and then we get the mountain folk if they have an itch to make life even more difficult for travelers. What is it with this damned country?” Tanner launched into a brief history lesson on how Corand was before the current dynasty took control of the country. “Tesoria is already in the same condition, but why isn’t the king doing anything about it? I still don’t understand.”
“You wouldn’t,” Lark said. “We should just focus on doing our jobs.
Perhaps the message Jack needs to get to the grand wizard is vital to the preservation of the monarchy.”
“I am surprised that Fasher would become embroiled in Tesorian politics.” Tanner shook his head. “I suppose we can talk about this over and over, but,” Tanner sighed, “you are right. Let’s get Jack to Gameton to do whatever he has to there and then it is on to Wilton for more of the same. Two warded boxes, two destinations.”
Lark nodded. “I don’t see it any differently. I am pledged to return to Gameton and deliver Jack to the grand wizard.”
And they had to go through at least two gauntlets before they even made it to the town of Yellowbird, thought Jack. Life wasn’t proving to be particularly easy.
They set out in a gray drizzle the next day with the morning information that the Black Finger Society had definitely moved across the eastern road and had set up roadblocks about two days away. They stopped at a camping site midday and pulled out the maps.
“Should we go cross-country?” Helen suggested. “The hills don’t start until we are past where the Black Fingers were last reported.”
“Are there parallel roads we can take?” Jack asked.
Tanner’s map had more detail for the area they were to pass through, and there was a way through the territory, but it might take them an extra day. “We will have to eat what we have and not stop anywhere,” he said.
“What about buying food from a farmer?” Lark asked.
“If there aren’t a lot of horses tied up outside, but I’m not excited about being caught by the Black Finger Society. Twice was enough for me,” Helen said.
“Twice?” Ralinn said.
Helen told them a very condensed description of being caught by Simara and her father.
“And you were able to resist them?” Lark asked.
Jack nodded. “I had a sword with spell protections, but I didn’t need to use it. If you don’t want to become a Black Finger, you don’t,” he said.
“That isn’t what I heard,” Ralinn said. “Maybe the Black Fingers in Lajia use a different conversion spell than in Tesoria.”
“It is possible,” Jack said, but he didn’t think it would make a difference for him, although it might for Ralinn and Lark, especially if they believed it did. He rose and made sure all his objects of power were working, including invisibility with his knife.
Jack practiced drawing on the knife’s power to invoke invisibility without touching the knife and was pleased to find out it worked. He could use his wand and remain invisible to his companions. He was ready to help out, but he dreaded if their trip came to that. He clutched the Serpent’s Orb around his neck. Eldora’s Bone had raised the level so that it felt more powerful than when he used the orb to teleport from Lajia to Raker Falls.
Jack felt he couldn’t be more prepared without knowing what to prepare for, and he joined the others commencing their journey toward Black Finger-controlled land. The miserable weather made it an unpleasant experience, especially being past midsummer. It should have been warmer than Pestersee, but Jack shivered in the damp, morning air. They had another day before they turned northward into what was recently Loyalist territory. The Black Fingers were nominally Loyalist, but everyone that Tanner had talked to didn’t believe that.
They took a small lane to the north. Conversation had shrunk to a trickle. Jack could feel the tension in the group. This was the first time they had purposefully plunged into non-Loyalist territory. Lark moved back to ride with Jack.
“How did you shake off the Black Fingers?” the wizard said.
“Nothing I did on purpose,” Jack said, “but I was told later that any strong wizard won’t be converted if they truly don’t want to be coerced. I’m not sure that works. If you want to stay close to me, my sword has been imbued with three objects of power, anti-coercion, something else, and wizard bolts. They are all keyed to me, but still…”
“Ralinn will ride on one side, and I will ride on the other. Helen will lead, and Tanner will trail. Is that acceptable?”
The wizard was really spooked by the Black Fingers, and Jack could see no good coming from that. “I can’t guarantee you will be protected, as I said, but why don’t you two follow right behind me? Conversion spells, as far as I can tell need to be administered nearby.”
“I can accept that,” Lark said.
As if he had a choice, Jack thought.
They continued to ride until they reached a tiny crossroads between four farms. They headed east. A map showed a single village, and they all decided to bypass it going cross-country. Once they reached the other side of the village, riders converged on them from the front and the rear.
Jack stopped counting at twenty. From what he could tell there was an equal mix of armed men and wizards. In Tesoria, Black Finger Society members seemed to wear a mushroom-shaped cap with a peak in the center.
“You have hats like that?” Jack asked Ralinn as they stopped waiting for the riders to reach them.
“Something similar enough,” she said. “Ours don’t have a point. We have often joked about the Black Fingers and their pointed heads, but I’m not laughing right now.”
“Split up and head into the fields!” Tanner said.
“Go. If any of us escape, we will free the others!” Helen said. She rode to Lark’s side as they veered to the north side of the road.
“We go south,” Jack said to Ralinn.
The chasers split into groups, but it looked like they hadn’t expected Jack’s group to evade capture. The corn in the field where Jack plunged was higher than Jack on his mount. He looked at the weak sun pointed through low clouds to get some kind of bearings.
Jack had run away from friends and enemies and guards back in Raker Falls and the biggest mistake most people made in a field was traveling in a straight line. “Follow me. Stay behind right behind, or they will easily follow our tracks,” he called back to Ralinn as they pushed to the east and then turned south before turning north again.
They heard shouts behind them. Jack picked up the pace, but after a few quick turns, Ralinn had dropped out of sight. He heard Ralinn scream. She was caught. Jack was tempted to turn back to help her, but now wasn’t the time.
He emerged from the cornfield and spotted two riders stationed in the tiny track that separated the two sections. He plunged into the next field, but in a moment, he turned back and emerged back into the lane relieved his pursuers were currently in the second field as Jack found a spot to stay. He couldn’t flee. He heard riders calling. They were still searching for him, so he found a path that someone had recently made and pulled up.
Jack quickly grabbed some provisions from his horse and tucked the two warded boxes into his shirt and dismounted. He carefully slipped back through the corn a single row away and invoked invisibility.
Two magicians and an armed man arrived at Jack’s horse.
“He is on foot,” one of the magicians said. The man pounded a fist on his thigh. “We won’t be able to find him this way. Take his horse. We will surround this patch and enter all at once. He won’t escape.”
Jack followed the trampled corn back to the path that led to the second field and crossed over in plain view of three riders. He had no idea what had happened to the other three, but Ralinn had been captured, for sure.
Jack slipped through the corn to the other side and stopped the invisibility spell as he made his way to the other side. A small copse of trees and bushes lined the other side of a lane. He invoked invisibility again, crossed the lane, seeing a rider looking right through him, and found a hiding spot.
~
Could things be worse, Jack thought? He doubted it. He waited for an hour in the relentless drizzle before turning back and found two wizards and two armed men milling about where Jack’s group had scattered. Jack made himself invisible and inched close enough to listen to them talk.
A wizard rode up and dismounted. “The fifth person got away,” he said. “Wait two more hours before returning to Kernel.”
Kernel must have been the name of the village, since the wizard had ridden from the west. It also meant that all four of them had been captured. Jack sighed, but not too loudly. They might not be able to see him, but they would be able to smell and hear him.
He withdrew and walked west until he was well away from the watchers and returned to the road before he proceeded to Kernel. What a prosaic name for a village in the middle of grain fields. His feet began to ache, but Jack kept going. It was up to him again, just like it had been in the Amara Soffez’s keep in Lajia.
They hadn’t ridden into the village before, so Jack didn’t know what to expect, but it was a bit bigger than the map had indicated. He found a well-traveled footpath and invoked invisibility as he walked along the outskirts of the place. Jack estimated it might have one or two hundred houses along with a square bounded by some two-story buildings.
He didn’t want to use up all his power, so he stopped the spell and began to walk through alleys and on the side of houses until he spotted the light blue of a temple to Eldora and made his way in that direction. If he could get any help at all, it would be from the sisters. He hoped Eldora’s kiss would help convince the priestesses to assist him.
The sky was clearing, but the sun was setting, throwing the village into zones of light and dark. Jack kept to the dark patches. He had spent his youth evading all kinds of people, so this reminded him of old times. He was usually the last one caught or the last one found, depending on one’s point of view. He slipped across an empty lane to the dark side of Eldora’s temple and tried a side door, but it was locked. He crept around to the front of the modest edifice. There was a covered porch, so Jack entered the temple and quickly found a pew in the back. He knelt down and pretended to pray, trying to calm his mind.
Here he was in a village controlled by the Black Finger Society, and he had no idea what to do next. Jack didn’t even know if his friends were in Kernel at this point. He put his head on the pew in front of him and …
He woke and peeked out the door. Jack sighed and turned around looking into the eyes of a hooded figure right behind him.