by Jeff Gunzel
Eric’s eyes began to tear up, and his lip quivered with swelling emotion.
Jacob reached out and touched his friend’s hand. Leaning in close, he said, “There is one more thing.” The words hung in the air for a bit. “He said the daily physical training, the books he had you read every day—well, they were no accident. He was preparing you for a higher purpose.” Then Jacob’s head sank back down again as he whispered, “It was his job.” A long minute went by. “That’s it. That’s all he told me.” Then his voice came strong with renewed energy, “But I’m here now. I’m really not sure what is going on, but I’m not going to leave you. We’ll get through this.”
Eric was all choked up and just couldn’t find the words.
When the waitress came back with their food, they were both sitting in silence with solemn expressions. She almost started her usual flirting but thought better of it, as she could feel the serious mood in the air.
The two of them ate in silence, listening to the fiddler and watching the couples dance.
“I think I’m going to turn in. You coming?” Eric asked his friend in a voice heavy with fatigue.
“I think I’m going to just sit here a while,” Jacob replied, trying to force a smile. “I’ll be in soon. You go on and check on Jade, make sure she’s alright.”
“Alright then,” Eric replied, trying to force a smile of his own. Away he went, down the hall. His heart was heavy, but he still wanted answers. A part of him hoped she was still up so he could get some answers tonight, but the other part of him felt guilty for even thinking that; she was hurt and needed to rest.
When he got to the room, he opened the door slowly. Jade was lying on the floor with the extra blanket and pillow she’d had the bartender bring in. Eric winced at the sight. For starters, she was hurt and needed a bed, but for another thing, she had paid for this room. Eric stepped over her and knelt down. He gently rocked her shoulder a few times. She groaned a bit before opening her eyes.
He whispered in her ear, “Don’t you dare sleep on the floor. Here, let me help you.” He lifted her up gently and set her on the bed, covering her up. He couldn’t help the strange thoughts that struck him after that. She is really light for such a fierce fighter, he chuckled to himself, but the other thought surprised him even more. He wanted answers from her so badly, but now all he cared about was her getting enough rest and feeling better. As he lay down on the floor, he said to no one in particular, “We’ll talk in the morning. Good night.”
Chapter 10
The room was lit up with morning sunlight gleaming through the shades, which were not doing their job very well.
Eric was the first to wake. He stretched hard, with hands and feet going opposite directions, threatening to rip himself in half. A sudden jolt of soreness served as a reminder that he had been on the floor the whole night. Sitting up gingerly, he continued a series of stretches and flexing to try and remove some of the stiffness. He glanced over at Jade, who slept peacefully. He considered waking her but thought better of it. She needed rest more than anything else. Jacob lay face down in the other bed, snoring like a bear. Eric laughed to himself, looking at the two of them. It’s not that any of this struck him as funny, it was just that this was the most peaceful he had felt in a while, and it would seem they also felt the same. No one was chasing them right now. At least, no one he knew of, anyway. He had a feeling this peaceful break would not last, so he wanted to embrace it for as long as possible.
Quietly opening the door to the hallway proved to be difficult, as it creaked and popped with every inch. He didn’t bother looking back to see if anyone had stirred or not. He quickly shuffled out and made the short walk into the common room, flagging down the first waitress he saw. After ordering breakfast for three and asking to have it sent to their room, he slowly walked back, wondering if they would be up by now and also accepting the possibility it was his fault because of the loud door. As he carefully opened the door and peeked in, he saw his caution had been wasted, as both were awake now, stirring in their beds.
There were no chairs or furniture in this room aside from one nightstand with a mirror attached and a filled washbowl on its base.
“Breakfast will be coming shortly guys,” he said rather softly, considering he was unsure of everyone’s mood this morning. Nobody answered, so he remained unsure. Moving over to Jade’s bed, he cautiously took a seat beside her. “How are you feeling this morning?” he asked, softly placing a hand on her shoulder.
She tilted her head a bit, looking at him with messy hair wrapped around her face. “I’m much better than yesterday. Thank you,” she said, brushing the hair from her eyes with one hand and lifting her shirt with the other, revealing a cut that looked like it had healed significantly. It had very good stitching, and was covered with some kind of brown herbs she had dressed the wound with. There were other cuts, certainly, but they were not as deep as this one had been. Whatever those herbs were, they were performing nothing short of a miracle, as far as Eric was concerned. “Eric, we really need to—”
A knock on the door interrupted them. Jacob sprung from the bed to get it, driven by his stomach more than anything else. A tall girl with green eyes and a matching dress stood at the door, pushing a cart with covered plates of fried eggs and bacon. There were also bowls of porridge sprinkled with fruit and a pitcher of tea.
Jade smiled at Eric as she stood up to go pay for the banquet.
“I didn’t know they were going to send this much,” Eric said, a little embarrassed about being so vague when he ordered. After all, neither he nor Jacob had any money. Everything so far had been Jade’s treat. He started to wonder why she had so much coin.
“It’s alright. Don’t worry about it,” she replied over her shoulder as she pushed three coins into the girl’s hand. “This gets pretty normal the farther north we travel.” She took a deep breath. “I have so much to teach you, to tell you, so hurry up and finish, because that part starts today. We have to talk.”
Jacob nodded as he chewed, even though she was not really talking to him at the time.
Once everyone finished eating, Jade gathered the two guys next to the bed. “Eric, I can see that you trust Jacob as much as I trust you, so I will not send him away for this.” She sat on the bed with her legs crossed, putting her head in her hands. “This is going to sound unbelievable, and for that I will understand your initial doubt and resistance to accept that what I am going to tell you is fact, fact that should have been told to you years ago by your surrogate father. All I ask for right now is that you let me finish, and don’t interrupt. Please keep an open mind.”
They nodded, but both looked a bit uneasy, especially Eric. How ironic, he thought. All this time I’ve been waiting to find out why my whole world had changed right before my eyes, and now that the time has come, I’m not sure I want to hear it anymore.
Jade tried to picture being on the other side of this conversation. She knew how crazy this was all going to sound, but she had their word they would let her finish before coming to any conclusions, so she just let it all out like a flood. Everything, from the well-documented prophecies to what would happen when the planets were aligned in the power phase; her own personal struggles with not remembering her parents; being drafted into this chaos since birth and having no other purpose than to find and guide him; the Gate Keeper’s role in this when the planets became aligned. She would never forget the looks on both their faces as she detailed that part.
To help ease some of the madness, she would tell stories of her time with Ben, even though it pained her greatly to speak of him. They needed to see the human side to all of this, to see that many had lost loved ones and many more would, unless they acted. “I can’t even imagine how hard this must be to accept,” she said with great compassion and patience in her voice, which bordered on pleading, “but I want each of you to search your hearts for the truth, for I can’t make you accept it. All I can do is show you the facts. You must come to your own
conclusions,” she finished.
She couldn’t imagine what they must be thinking. The only reason she believed this madness was because it had been her life for as long as she could remember. “Do you guys need a minute? I can go to the common room and return later, if that’s what you wish.”
Eric was absolutely numb. His head spun in circles. He had no idea what to believe. He was the Gate Keeper, born with innate abilities no other possessed? Henry’s only job was to get him ready for this? How would any normal, “sane” man accept this story without question?
But at the same time, there was a burning logic hidden inside this fable. He had to admit many of the pieces fit. Jade said Henry was to take the child as his own and NEVER give away his location. When Eric came of age and his powers matured, all would be able to detect him. Just weeks after he turned twenty seasons, everything happened. His father started acting really strange after his nameday. Those things attacked Bryer shortly afterward, but as far as he knew, no other town was hit. Jade had been able to ride right to him, even though she shouldn’t have known where he was. The part about her necklace locating his power was nearly undeniable. He had made his decision, but wanted to speak to Jacob first. “Jade, I will take you up on your offer. Please give Jacob and I a moment,” he said in a surprisingly confident voice as his eyes locked onto hers.
Her eyes fell to the floor. She nodded agreement, then scurried off. She closed the door behind her so carefully, it seemed as if she was afraid to make the slightest sound.
Before Eric could even mention what he was considering—that there is truth in this —Jacob blurted out his own thoughts. “I believe her!” he said, staring a hole right through Eric. “I mean, I believe at least some of this has to true. Look at the facts. Henry admitted he is not your real father,” Jacob winced as he said the words, seeing the sadness in Eric’s eyes, but continued on, “he knew this was coming. Search your memory; all the signs were there. Remember how depressed he got when Brinton was raided years ago?”
Eric’s eyes grew wide, as he could see where his friend was going with this. “He thought Jade, the one who was supposed to by my guide, was killed during that raid,” Eric whispered to no one, suddenly with a very blank look on his face.
“Exactly!” said Jacob, pointing a finger right at his friend’s face. “Look, all we know for sure is a lot of people think you’re important. Some are trying to protect you, others are trying to kill you,” he said with a sarcastic smile. Then the smile started to fade as he whispered, “But make no mistake, they all think you are this Gate Keeper, and until we learn more, I think we should stay close to the ones who are trying to protect you.” He kept his eyes locked onto Eric’s for a long while.
“Agreed. So we keep traveling to Taron. I admit, I still can’t wrap my head around this,” Eric said, lowering his eyes as well as his voice. “It’s not like I can go back to Bryer anyway. I have nothing to go back to.” Then he raised his head as he held a clenched fist in the air. “But if those things are chasing me, I have to lead them away. Let’s get Jade and get out of here.”
Jacob patted his friend’s shoulder before using it to whirl him around so they were face to face. “I’m with you every step of the way. I’m not going to leave you!”
When they entered the common room, Jade was easy enough to spot—she was the only girl in the room wearing a black cloak when everyone else seemed to be dressed in bright, festive colors. She might as well have been giving off smoke signals. She looked up from her cup of tea wearing a hopeful, nervous smile that touched her eyes.
Eric leaned down and whispered in her ear, “We have to go, Taron awaits.”
Jade’s smile split her face. She jumped out of the chair and ran to the room to collect the last of her things. Within minutes, they were on the road.
If Eric had a lot of things on his mind before, now he was about to explode. Not that he truly believed all of this was real. There had been no hints or clues at any point in his life that he might be destined for bigger things, no memory that he could recall that hinted he might have been born with a power no one else had. But there was no denying that many people had been watching him from the time he was very young, all of them dedicated to playing their roles in his development, giving their lives if necessary.
Again, one conversation was not going to transform how he viewed his own life, but the extreme level of blind dedication from this many people who had never even met him was very hard to ignore.
The journey took about another four days or so. The boys simply didn’t know what they would have done without Jade. She had dried food in her bags and waterskins they could refill when they passed a stream. She was completely prepared, while the guys had nothing. They had brought the clothes they were wearing and not much else. Of course, the circumstances in which they left their homes did not allow for much preparation. However, a simple change of clothes would have at least been something. Still, they traveled on, trying to make the best of what they had. Each of them promised themselves a hot bath and a new wardrobe the second they got to Taron. Of course, the unspoken truth of it was that Jade would have to pay for that too, but the boys didn’t feel like mentioning that part.
At night they camped far off the path, as it seemed the lesser of two evils. If they stayed close to the road, the odds of bandits or something worse riding up on them was far greater, but if they camped farther away from the road, the chances of an encounter with a wild beast went up significantly. There was nothing to be done for it; being anywhere away from a town or city, you were always in danger. Such was the way of life in Tarmerria, hence why travel was so rare. In fact, they had not seen a living soul since leaving the inn, not even a band of merchants. That would have been a welcome sight, given how Jade was the only one who had spare clothes, and not many at that.
After choosing a spot, they made a small campfire to sit around. Each one knew giving away their location like that was not the smartest idea, but they did their best to keep it small and under control, as this somehow justified it in their minds.
Both Eric and Jacob, especially Jacob, would take turns telling funny stories of the mischief they got into back in Bryer. He told the story of how he released a bag full of frogs into the local bakery. Everyone had run out screaming. He got switched good for that one.
Eric told the story of when he nailed two small wooden blocks to the back wheels of old man Crimpy’s wagon, so when he rode down the street, the wagon wobbled back and forth every time it ran over a block. The man had driven through the whole town rocking back and forth, believing it was just an uneven spot along the road.
Jade sat there, listening intently with a constant smile, her eyes sparkling. Of course she had no such stories to tell, given her shallow childhood, but she loved hearing the adventures these two had had over the years. Whenever Eric or Jacob finished a story, she eagerly wanted to hear another, and pressed them hard to keep going. In a way, she wanted to be part of those stories. She felt as if she were part of them as long as they were being told—like she was somehow there, having fun like a normal child.
Other times, the three of them would spar together. At first, Jacob and Eric would take it easy on Jade. Not that they thought she wasn’t capable—far from it! They, especially Eric, knew exactly what she could do. It’s just how they were brought up. There weren’t many girls back in Bryer who knew anything about weapons, and certainly no female warriors, but a couple of blinding strikes across each of their faces made it clear they needed to change their thinking on the relationship between girls and weapons.
As much as Eric had seen of her formidable skill, it was only through sparring that he realized how good she really was. It was breathtaking how flawless and lightning-fast her movements were. At first he thought her preference of using daggers as opposed to a staff or sword had more to do with her being a girl. He just assumed they were her weapon of choice because they were light and didn’t require much strength to wield. But that was
not it at all. Her speed was second to none. She almost always struck the first blow. Although her defensive skills were as good as anyone’s, it almost never came to that. Her objective was to end the battle quickly, before it ever got started, hence her choice of such fast weapons.
Thus the routine repeated for several days, until at last Taron was only a day’s journey away. It was bittersweet for the three of them, as they had formed a tight bond with each other, and in some ways didn’t want to arrive at the big city. For now they were carefree, riding along the open road, but when they arrived at Taron, a whole new set of challenges would be exposed to them. For now, it just seemed best not to think about.
The trio sat around the campfire in silence, each deep in thought, wondering what they were going to do tomorrow.
It was really hitting Eric for the first time that he would have to speak to the queen of Taron. What was he going to say? He had done his best to not think about any of this until now. Jade and Jacob’s wonderful company had done well to distract him, but after tonight, he would not be able to pretend any longer.
Jade curled up by the fire, holding her knees to her chest, with her face hidden beneath the black hood. She was dealing with demons of her own. Having recently promised herself never to get close to anyone again, she had locked all those feelings up in her heart, never to be betrayed by them again. It wasn’t just the unbearable pain of losing another close friend, it was just that sometimes it felt like it had all been her fault —as if anyone close to her suffered a terrible fate. Well, it was too late for all that now. The shield of ice had melted away, whether she wanted it to or not. She now had two friends she could hardly imagine being without. What had she done before she met them? It was like she could not remember her lonely life any more, as recent as it was. She never wanted to feel that way again.
A twig snapping off in the distance made them freeze in place. A bird? A squirrel perhaps? They all knew better than to give away the fact they had been alerted. Nobody lifted their head or made a move, but each one kept a subtle eye on each other, trying to get some idea how they would deal with the possible threat.