Shard Knight (Echoes Across Time Book 1)

by Ballard, Matthew

Ronan set the last piece of wood atop the pile he’d made on the swept earth Tyrell had prepared for the fire. He carved venison from the deer carcass they’d dragged to the edge of camp.

  As the sun’s last light set over the evergreen forest, the heavy scent of campfire smoke blended with the mouthwatering aroma of roasted meat. The perfect evening temperature accentuated the eastern moon rise under a field of stars replacing the orange and yellow hues of sunset.

  Glassy-eyed, Ronan sat staring into the embers. Not bothering with a knife, he gnawed free a chunk of venison where it sat skewered atop a dirty stick. He chewed without any thought to taste as grease coating his lips dribbled down his chin becoming trapped in his thick beard. The grease ran through his beard spattering droplets on the ground between his legs. He didn’t bother to clean his face.

  Tyrell sat across the fire staring at Ronan with concern deepening the lines etched in his face. “How long are you planning to live like a vagabond? It’s time to take control of your life.”

  Ronan leveled a dull-eyed stare at Tyrell. “Master Tyrell, with all due respect, everything I touch turns to ash. I’m a horrible decision maker, and honestly, I’m not that bright. Rika will be better-off without me mucking up her life.” Ronan’s shoulders sagged. “Besides, she’s probably dead by now or worse,” he said, voice trembling.

  “So you’ve decided?” Tyrell stood and stretched. “We’ll pack up and head to Ayralen tomorrow. Traveling by night will be safer, so pack any supplies -”

  Ronan glared at Tyrell. “I’m not leaving.”

  “You said you weren’t willing to help Rika, and I came to save you,” Tyrell said. “Rather than live like bandits, we should head to a country that won’t hang us on sight.”

  “I want to help her. If I could save her this second…I don’t know how Master Tyrell.” His voice shook with desperation. “I’m afraid she’ll die if I intervene.”

  Tyrell settled back into his seat and nodded. “I see. Mind if I ask you a few questions?”

  Ronan shrugged. “Go ahead.”

  “Do you think I’m stupid?” Tyrell said.

  Ronan’s eyes narrowed. “Have you lost your mind? Of course I don’t. You’re the smartest man I know.”

  Tyrell nodded. “Thanks. I appreciate that.” He picked a stick from the wood pile and prodded the campfire’s embers. “If I’m so smart, why did I allow your mother to die on my watch?”

  Ronan froze and set aside his venison. “Master Tyrell, what happened five years ago was beyond your control. My circumstance was far different. I could’ve stopped anytime. Instead, I made one bad decision after another.”

  “Ronan, I lost you for five years.” His voice trembled. “Do you know how many times I’ve replayed that night in my mind?”

  Ronan stared straight ahead into the fire afraid to breathe.

  “I made a series of bad decisions that day. Had I changed a single one, your mother would live today. I should’ve uncovered Pride’s plot before it got that far, and I never should’ve ignored my instincts after your match with Bryson. The lies Pride told us in the changing room narrowly convinced me of his innocence. Looking back, Bryson’s message appears an obvious decoy when combined with everything we knew. I should’ve done my job and protected you and your mother when you needed me most, and I never should’ve left you alone in that townhouse.”

  Ronan held Tyrell’s gaze for several moments before he spoke. “You made the best decisions you could with the knowledge you held at that moment. It’s easy to second-guess yourself.”

  Tyrell stared at Ronan for a long moment letting his advice linger above the crackling fire.

  The realization struck Ronan like a battle knight’s backhand. Running away made Rika’s problems worse, and he could no longer afford self-pity. Wallowing in his own misery couldn’t help Rika and served to make him feel worse.

  Tyrell’s steel blue eyes bored a hole through Ronan. “Ronan, it’s not the mistakes we make that define our legacy. It’s how we react to those mistakes that give us character.”

  Heat spread through Ronan’s face. He’d acted a fool long enough. He used his sleeve to wipe away the grease smears from his beard. “I don’t know where to start Master Tyrell.” His shoulders sagged.

  “It starts with one good man Ronan. One good man can change the world.”

  Ronan met his master’s gaze, and an ember of determination warmed his chest.

  “Stop punishing yourself,” Tyrell said. “Rika needs you to be Ronan Latimer. Trust her.”

  Ronan winced. Could the man read his mind? “You sound like Rika. She’d have a few choice words for me right now.”

  “She sounds like a smart woman.”

  “I love her Master Tyrell. I’ve never told her, but I do. She has no idea.”

  Tyrell stared into the fire wearing a thoughtful expression. “I’m sure she knows, but the next time you see her, you can tell her yourself.”

  Ronan let out a deep breath. “Thank you…for everything.”

  Tyrell shrugged. “Someday your son will need the same advice. When that day arrives, you’ll know what he needs to hear.”

  “What do we do? I’m open to ideas,” Ronan said.

  “I’ve thought of little else.” Tyrell swallowed a chunk of venison. “We need to head north.”

  “North? Why head north?”

  “There’s a couple of good reasons. We can’t rescue Rika or stop Pride alone. To the north we’ll find friends to help us.” He sipped from a tin cup filled with water.

  “Friends?” Ronan took another bite of venison.

  Tyrell nodded. “Friends. Sir Alcott -”

  Ronan sprang to his feet. “Sir Alcott! Why didn’t you tell me sooner? I haven’t seen him since…” Ronan searched his memory. “Since just after the tournament five years ago.”

  “You haven’t exactly been a wellspring of conversation the past few weeks. But yes, Sir Alcott is alive and in good health. We escaped Freehold the morning of the fire and traveled west.”

  “The night of the fire you mentioned friends in Ayralen,” Ronan said.

  “That’s why we’re headed north.”

  Ronan furrowed his brow. “But, Ayralen is southwest of Kipley’s Vale.”

  “That’s true, but the Meranthian resistance is north.”

  “The Meranthian resistance?”

  “There’s a growing group of Meranthians that don’t care for Pride’s rule. A couple of shard knights and a fair number of soldiers deserted the king’s army following the assassination. We’ve formed ranks in Redkeep.”

  “Doesn’t your brother live in Redkeep?”

  “Yes he does. Devery Tyrell, renegade Lord of Redkeep. It’s the second reason we need to head north. My brother is one of two remaining shield knights that can smith shard blades, and you need a shard blade.”

  “Master Devery doesn’t need to go to that trouble for me.”

  Tyrell laughed. “It’s not just for you Ronan. We’ve four shard knights in the resistance including you. We need to make sure you’re well equipped. You saw what happened to your knife when it hit Pride’s shield.”

  “It melted,” Ronan said.

  “That’s right. A blade infused with shard energy can crack a spirit shield without melting.”

  “The night you rescued me, why didn’t you take a shard blade from one of Pride’s knights?”

  “Those blades won’t work for you,” Tyrell said. “A shard blade forms a unique bond with the knight. Part of its construction comes from the battle knight’s magical essence. It draws power directly from the battle knight’s own supply.”

  Ronan stood and stretched. He felt as if he’d just woken from a long slumber. He reached for his pack and pulled free a clean shirt.

  Tyrell lifted a single eyebrow. “What’re you doing?”

  “I’m getting cleaned up. We need to break camp and head north to Redkeep. Rika needs me.”

  ***

  The chestnut mare chose h
er steps with precision as she leaped over the narrow fissure nearly invisible among the miles of rocky sediment.

  Ronan rubbed the mare’s neck with a reassuring touch. “Easy girl. No need to rush.”

  The journey northward brought with it new terrain and cooler temperatures. Over the last week, lush evergreen forests had given way to the sparsely populated rocky lowlands of northern Meranthia. A few miles ahead, the Snowdrift Mountains loomed like an impenetrable wall.

  Ronan ran his fingertips along the jaw line of his now beardless face. The cool air bit his exposed flesh, but brought with it a feeling of rebirth.

  While traveling, they had avoided roads, towns, and villages choosing a slower slog through the hills and forests of untamed Meranthia. Using their inherent powers, Ronan and Tyrell had an easy time hunting and trapping game during their push northward.

  Tyrell reigned in his stallion and skittered to a halt next to Ronan. “Ronan, we’ve a choice to make. Redkeep lies on the northern face of the Snowdrift Mountains.” He pointed northward toward the mountain range with its snow-tipped peaks disappearing into atmospheric haze. “Winter Haven lies to the west, a half hour away. There’s a mountain pass just beyond Winter Haven, but the road takes us through the village center. Or, we can travel east. There’s a hidden pass that way leading to Redkeep. But, that route will add three weeks of hard travel.”

  Ronan’s heart sank. He didn’t know if Rika had three weeks. “What do you know about Winter Haven?”

  “It’s a small village. I’ve been to Winter Haven’s inn several times. It’s run by an Ayralen man who’s friendly enough.”

  “He’s Ayralen? I thought Pride outlawed Ayralen businesses,” Ronan said.

  Tyrell shrugged. “Different rules apply to those living in the Lost Valley, and it’s far enough from Pride’s reach that they’re left alone. Normally I wouldn’t take such precautions but, if we’re spotted, it places the entire resistance in jeopardy.”

  Ronan raised an eyebrow. “I’m not following,” Ronan said.

  “Few villages exist on the northern side of the Snowdrift Mountains. If we’re recognized in Winter Haven, the Order begins their search at Redkeep.”

  “I don’t see that we have a choice,” Ronan said. “Rika doesn’t have three weeks. I think we should go through Winter Haven.”

  Tyrell nodded. “Winter Haven awaits.”

  Over The Trinity Range

  Danielle’s stomach sank, and her breaths came in short hard pulls as the motion from the wind currents wrecked her equilibrium. She loved the thrill of flight but couldn’t adjust to the constant motion.

  Hundreds of feet below, the northern edge of the Heartwood slid from view giving way to the Trinity Range, a series of three towering snow-capped peaks. Beyond the mountains, northwestern Meranthia awaited with its unknown challenges.

  Three wardens and an equal number of guardians made the journey with Danielle to Redkeep where they’d rendezvous with Patron Tyrell. The team made slow progress traveling through the northern Heartwood. The guardians chose the harrier hawk form while flying over the forest canopy. It didn’t allow for speeds achievable in eagle form, but the smaller hawk form preserved their strength. Strength they needed to pass through the rugged mountains.

  Danielle relaxed atop Arber Stroman’s winged form. He’d gone through guard training with her father and protected Danielle as he would his own daughter. She raised her heartwood staff signaling the other teams to begin the ascent. She gave a quick peek over her shoulder and watched for the confirming signal from Brendyn and Maura. “Arber, do you need a break before we cross the range?”

  The guardian shifted into the form of a giant snow eagle allowing him to ride the updrafts with his massive wingspan. “I’m fine. Let’s cross the range, and we’ll take a break on the Meranthian downslope.”

  She thought her stomach might come out her throat as the updraft sent them soaring hundreds of feet upward in seconds. The bitter freeze of the high altitude set her body shivering. She wrapped her arms around her body for warmth and channeled power. A thick suit of rich green moss formed across her entire body leaving no flesh exposed. She added layer after layer of thick moss until the shivering disappeared.

  Arber cleared the smallest peak and shifted into a giant cliff falcon for its excellent gliding ability. He broke free of the updraft and settled into an eastward glide across Trinity Range. Ahead, three monstrous mountain peaks formed an imposing barrier that had cost the lives of many Ayralens over the centuries.

  As the mountains came into view, Salem’s Peak, the largest of the three mountains, carried a dark jagged streak along its western face like a patch of soot staining a white tunic.

  “What’s wrong with Salem’s Peak?” Danielle said

  “An avalanche caused that damage, but I’ve never seen one that size,” Arber said. “But, I’m more worried about those storm clouds ahead.”

  Blackish-Grey clouds obscured the view of the three summits along Trinity Range. The clouds signaled blizzard conditions.

  Danielle’s brow furrowed. High winds and heavy snow could devastate her team at this altitude. She tightened her grip on the saddle strapped to Arber’s back. “Let’s head for that break in Salem’s Peak. We might find shelter in the exposed rock.”

  Arber angled toward the massive outcropping of rock.

  Danielle glanced back at her team and made sure they followed Arber’s lead.

  As Arber drew closer to Salem’s Peak, details on the cliff face sharpened. Arber held up and flapped his mighty wings fighting the wind currents to hover before the cliffs. “Do you see that opening Danielle? Look under that rocky overhang in the peak’s damaged section.”

  Her eyesight couldn’t begin to match his while he remained in the body of a falcon. She scanned the peak, and noticed the dim dark section Arber pointed out.

  In an instant, the storm clouds caught Danielle’s team, and the snow swept over them in a rush. Deadly wind pushed the snow sideways into the team’s face and threatened to send the guardians smashing into the rocky outcroppings. Thick waves of driving snow would quickly drain the guardians sapping their energy reserves.

  Icy spikes stung Danielle’s exposed eyes as the wind, and frozen snow drove with gale force strength. She buried her head into the feathers at Arber’s neck and yelled over the high winds. “Fly hard for that cave.”

  Arber battled the howling wind fighting for every inch of airspace. “I can’t last much longer Danielle. Can you see Keely and Alana?”

  She glanced over her shoulder, and saw only a wall of blinding white. “I can’t see either team in this storm.”

  Loosing a falcon’s screech, Arber pushed hard and flew under the rocky overhang. It provided a slight windbreak a dozen feet from a square man-made entrance built around a natural cave. Arber coasted into the gaping entrance, extended his talons, and stuttered to a stop.

  Danielle slipped from the flight saddle, unhinged it from Arber’s chest, and tossed it aside. She hurried to the cave entrance and scanned the airspace for her crew. The hollow cavern amplified the wind’s roar, and Danielle screamed for Arber to hear her. “I don’t see them Arber!”

  Arber shifted into his natural form and joined Danielle at the entrance. “Signal them Danielle!”

  Danielle tightened her grip on her heartwood staff and planted it into the snow piling up at the cave entrance. She sent energy through her staff, and green light snaked upward around the shaft until its tip shone like a bright green beacon amid an ocean of white.

  Fifty feet away, pinpoints of green light flickered in response shifting and swaying on currents of wind.

  A ripple of excitement fluttered in Danielle’s chest. “Arber!” She gripped the guardian’s shoulder and laughed. “I see them! They’re alive!”

  The pinpoints grew brighter and larger as the guardians battled the storm drawing closer to the cave’s opening. A moment later, the winged forms of Alana and Keely appeared through the driving
snow fighting the driving wind.

  Far below, near the base of Salem’s Peak, distant light pricked the storm’s dark belly.

  Danielle squinted at the light trying to detect movement. “Arber, what’s that light near the base? Do you see it?”

  Arber shook his head. “I don’t remember seeing it before. I can’t tell for certain, but I think it’s a campfire.”

  “Is someone climbing Salem’s Peak?” Danielle said.

  Arber shrugged. “I don’t know, and I’d prefer to be gone long before we find out.”

  Alana reached the windbreak first gliding into the cave with Keely right behind her. Maura leaped off Alana’s saddle and pulled it free while Brendyn removed the saddle strapped around Keely.

  The guardians shifted into their natural human form and collapsed on the ground pulling in deep ragged breaths.

  Danielle pulled a few seeds from her belt pouch and placed them in the snow near the cave’s entrance. She sent a flow of energy into the seeds, and a few moments later, a latticework of thick twisted vines provided respite from the howling wind.

  Maura reached into her pouch and pulled free a vial filled with a thick glowing yellowish green liquid. “Alana, drink this.”

  Alana took the vial and drank the thick fluid in a single gulp. Her breathing returned to normal, and her face gained some lost color. “Thank you Maura.”

  Maura knelt next to Keely, produced another vial, and handed it to the exhausted guardian.

  Keely pushed herself to a seated position and slammed back the healing agent. She sighed with contentment as the restoration elixir’s rejuvenating effect provided instant relief.

  Maura turned to Arber. “Arber, do you need any?”

  Arber stooped to avoid scraping his bald head on the cave’s rocky ceiling. “No. Thank you Maura.” His baritone voice echoed through the small cave. “I’d prefer to save it. We’ll need it later I’m sure.”

  Brendyn whirled on Danielle, his face a mask of rage. “I told you flying through the Trinity Range was too dangerous! We nearly died in that storm! Now we’re trapped!”

  Heat spread through Danielle’s face. “You know why we took this route, and everyone agreed. The Meranthian military would’ve spotted us flying over Sun River Pass. We saved a week taking this route.”