by L. Filloon
Alorn is at my side instantly.
“Breathe. Tell me,” he says, his tone soothing and easing some of the sharp pain in my head.
I lie still, shutting my eyes. I try to calm my thoughts, put them in order and find a way to form the words needed to describe what happened.
“I knew Lily had come looking for me in the garden, not knowing I backtracked to the king’s suite. She had at least an hour ahead of me. At one point, I lost her essence and I stopped to call out for her. I waited for awhile before continuing on. By this time I was in a state of panic that I allowed something to happen to her by wasting time on the path. Next thing I know I wake up in...in me.”
Alorn doesn’t react, just continues to stare at me, waiting for me to go on. I shake my head, not sure how to explain, or even if I can.
“It was like I was staring up at a dark sky and I could see the entire universe. Then it started to tremble and resist at the same time, as if it was trying to hold onto its foundation. And I was trying to hold on, but something was wrong – I was weak, as if I were drugged. And because of that I couldn’t fight when a dark entity, an evil being took over. I could literally see the universe being pushed aside and I knew it was me. I tried fighting back, but I was speared by lances of fire, evil and malicious. The fire bore into me, slowly killing me and finally imprisoning me in my own body. Then the evil pulled back, but something else, someone else took over.”
I look up at Alorn. “It was Harlu. And the evil I felt before him was Kolinest.” I grab his arm. “I felt him...so much evil, so much hate.”
Alorn places his hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me. “Breathe.”
I do as he says and lie back. Once again I feel the dragon’s energy soothe my panic. I let it overtake me and Lily’s own energy strengthens me, holding me still. Lily.
I spring to my feet staring at Alorn as he rises, and by the look on his face he knows I remember.
“Harlu has her,” I say as I look around me, trying to get my bearings. I reach to the back of my neck, feeling the hole where the dart hit me. Cowards, couldn’t even face me to try and take me down. I turn back to Alorn. “How did you find me?”
“Tolan,” he answers. “He sent me after you when I got back. I found you in the garden, out cold and no Lily. We’re on the path to the Jōmon Sugi clan in one of the thelas I’ve used before.”
I shake my head, remembering what Harlu left me with. “He wants me to bring Tolan and the key to him. To the garden.”
“But Tolan said you took it from Julia.”
“I did,” I nod. “Harlu didn’t know I had it on me. Which tells me he doesn’t know what it is or that he can sense it. And, there’s a traitor at the Willow.”
Alorn sighs heavily, shaking his head. “Damn it. I thought we got all of them at the Day of the Seating.”
“Kolinest can take over anyone. That’s how Harlu knows I’m now king and that Lily and I are married.”
“Which means,” he finishes, “he no longer needs you in the picture. But if that’s the case, why keep you alive? He could’ve found another way to get the message to Tolan.”
I think about that for a minute and finally shake my head. “I don’t know. I can’t think any more. But there was something I got from Kolinest before he let Harlu in. I just can’t remember. We should go.”
I make to leave, but he holds me back. “Tharin, I have to ask.” He looks me in the eye, “Are you compromised?”
I look at him as if looking at a stranger, but it hits me. He has a right to ask. I was possessed by everything that is of a demonic nature. Kolinest lost any resemblance to all that is elfin after being imprisoned in the UnderRealm since the rendering. I should know, I felt it.
I sigh, shaking my head, unsure. “I was marked by demon fire; it scarred my soul. When Harlu attacked Lily, all I could do was watch and listen...and feel. I felt her kiss; I felt it when he bit her, causing her pain. I felt it when she blasted me with her shield. And there was nothing I could do about it except feel the hate building from within. I was blind to everything I know of honor, of family, of love. All I wanted to do was kill and what drove me was my hate for him, for what he was doing to her.”
“And what saved you, Tharin?” he asks.
“She did,” I answer quietly. I finally face him. “Lily gave me the Healer’s gift, to save my soul.”
“How is that possible?” he asks incredulously.
“I don’t know, but I do know what the gift is – it’s a piece of the dragon, Jarhan. And when she died, she gave a part of her spirit to infuse with the gift. Lily carried part of the core of the dragon, until she gave it to save me.”
Alorn eyes widen as he realizes the same time I do. He says it out loud for both of us, “She’s unprotected.”
I nod. “Yes, but not completely. Don’t forget, Lily was coming into her own before receiving the gift. She’s not completely defenseless as Harlu might think.”
“I’d feel better if we have her, all the same,” says Alorn as he grabs my coat now dry. “What’s our next move? Did you get anything from Harlu on where they might be keeping her?”
I grab the coat from him, slipping it on. “No, but they might have taken her to Gastah Point. We should start there and make our way back to the tower through the city.”
Alorn hesitates. “Are you fit to go?”
I feel my face harden. “He has Lily, Alorn. While he possessed me I felt what’s in his heart and what he has planned for her. If I have to crawl with one breath left, I will get her back.”
We made our way to Gastah Point only to find it empty. The giant white oaks are bare, their silver leaves gone. They are now skeletal and bent in reaction to Jarhan’s death. We slipped back through the city gates and stayed within the shadows. Once again we make our way through the streets, now infested with orcs, goblins, trolls, demons and who knows what else from the UnderRealm. Any light we see are from bonfires or fires from smaller buildings surrounding the tower. Our people were evacuated; at least those who survived the attack when it happened. Those who didn’t were either imprisoned or killed.
Alorn leads us through the backstreets, using the dark seedy underbelly of the city to give us cover. Rain, that hasn’t touched the Oak Clan grounds since the rendering, pelts the streets relentlessly. We move through the shadows quickly, working our way back to the tower when muffled sounds from a dark alley cuts through the downpour.
“I count three, and another getting his ass kicked pretty badly,” reports Alorn.
“And I know who that ass belongs to,” I say as I walk out of the shadows and into the rain.
The two orcs and a troll stop their beating of the thief to turn toward me. Obviously they don’t know who I am as one of the orcs addresses me with some hostility. He must be the leader.
“You with him?” he asks, tilting his head toward the guy on the ground.
I remain quiet, my hood keeping my face covered. The orc who spoke looks at the others behind him then back at me, taking a step forward. He reaches behind him and pulls out a short blade. The other two move to stand at his sides, weapons in their hands. A second later the two drop, with the troll’s head rolling to a stop at the leader’s foot.
“What the hell?” he says, looking down at his fallen comrades. He steps back and turns to run only to end up at the tip of Alorn’s double blades.
I walk over to the thief and help him sit up.
“Careful, prince, you’ll dirty your hands,” he says coughing. He turns and spits out blood.
“You’re slipping in your old age, Molker,” I say as I release his arm.
“Yeah, well who the hell let the demons out to play? The city was attacked without warning and it didn’t come from outside the gates,” he says, eyeing me questioningly.
“You of all people should know, thief,” remarks Alorn, wiping his blades on the dead orc lying at his feet.
Molker looks at Alorn and then smirks at me. “Ah, the faithful watchdog
.”
Before Molker can blink the rain off his lashes, the tip of Alorn’s Shakira blade is at his throat.
“Ah, Prince Alorn,” back peddles Molker, “you look exceptionally princely this bright and sunny night.”
The blades disappear as Alorn grabs Molker by the collar, picking him up and slamming him through the nearby door of an abandoned cafe. I follow, looking around for a source of light, nothing. I pull out a panswa and keep it dimly lit, willing it to flow over to a small table. Alorn drags Molker along and forcibly sits him down.
The glow from the small sphere lights up the damaged face of the thief. Again, he spits another wad of blood onto the floor. Wiping his mouth, he glares at me. “Another ten minutes earlier, Tharin. You couldn’t have gotten here ten minutes earlier?”
I sit down slowly. “Yeah, let’s just call it karma. How did you end up alone in a dark alley with a couple of orcs and a troll? They look more like the mercenaries in your guild.”
Molker shakes his head, saying, “Not my men. But Jokni, the ugly one, he and I had history. Once my men were cut down, he saved me for himself. The beating was just foreplay.”
“What happened?” I ask.
“I’m in for a routine visit and everything goes as normal,” he says. “Then suddenly, out of nowhere all hell breaks loose; I mean literally. Demons led by orcs, goblins and trolls running rampant, killing everyone in sight. Mercenaries and creatures I’ve never seen before cutting my people down. By the time the king’s soldiers arrived, it was too late. Not that it mattered. A woman I’ve never seen before led the attack, she was ruthless. She tore through the king’s men like a woman scorned.” He smirks, staring me in the eye. “Are there any other kind?”
“He’s talking about Aureinia,” says Alorn. “Kolinest is having his daughter lead his armies. We take her out first.”
I nod. Molker, thinking the nod is for him, smirks again.
“So, what’s really going on here, prince?” he asks.
Alorn glances at me before moving to the window to keep a look out. Molker’s continued reference to my status as prince indicates the news of my father’s death hasn’t gone pass the Willow walls.
I sigh, leaning back in my chair. “Kolinest is alive.” Molker raises his brow interested in the news but obviously already knowing what I’m talking about.
I pull out a cloth and toss it to him. He takes it and wipes the blood from his face.
“You know the story,” I continue. “Kalinest banished his brother to the UnderRealm, where he was imprisoned since the rendering. When he escaped we’re not sure, but he’s been in the tower for awhile. So, needless to say, he probably knows about the guild and probably your entire network.”
Molker remains quiet in thought. I can guess at what he is thinking.
“It’s no good thinking of continuing your guild at the other clans. Kolinest has the Oak tonight, and if he has his way, he’ll take the Willow tomorrow. He’s hitting the two most powerful clans first. It’s only a matter of time before the other eleven fall, and the realm after.”
“Shit,” is his only response. He throws the bloodied cloth on the table in disgust.
He looks me in the eye and quietly demands, “So what are we going to do about it?”
An hour later Molker slips out of the small cafe and disappears into the night.
Alorn continues to look out the window. “Can we trust him, Tharin?”
“We have no choice. We need all the allies we can get. It’s obvious Kolinest has amassed his army for some time now, the release of the demons was the icing on the cake.”
“But can we trust him?”
I stand and walk to the door. “We have no choice, and he doesn’t either. He knows what’s at risk here. Besides, he has something I want.”
“Ha,” he replies, turning to me. “And, now what?”
“Now we get Lily.”
“We need to find out where she is first,” he says.
“Harlu will want to keep her with him at all times, which means she’s in the king’s suites.”
“They won’t give her up easily.”
I sigh before answering. “I know.”
We continue on our way to the tower by taking the secret tunnel back to the king’s study. We slide the door an inch and light from the study penetrates the darkness in the small tunnel area. Familiar voices, and others we don’t recognize, can be heard.
The plan is to go into the drifting state and slip into the study. If Lily is not in the room, Alorn will search for her while I remain to listen and learn of their plans. We move back down the tunnel to a small alcove that can’t be seen unless you know where to look. We sit and make ourselves comfortable and a moment later we are standing in the dark tunnel looking at our bodies before moving back to my father’s study. As soon as we slip into the room, Alorn moves right while I go left.
“Tharin, she’s in the room,” reports Alorn.
I scan the study and find Lily sitting at my father’s desk with Dorlan standing nearby. I feel Alorn’s need to return to his body, come back and cut his brother down.
“Put your fight with Dorlan aside, cousin,” I say. When he remains quiet, I warn, “Look around you, Alorn.”
Sitting in the lounge area are Harlu, Kalis, Aureinia and two humans who must be Frank and Chris Chase. Standing at the window behind Lily is Dorlan; and near the door is Morlo. In a corner is another, his face hidden by the shadows. Kolinest.
Frank stands in anger. “You told me all we had to do is get Julia to use as bait. But you have what you want,” he says pointing a finger at Lily. “You don’t need us or Julia anymore.”
“Mr. Chase,” replies Aureinia, sitting next to Harlu, “we needed you to bring your ‘daughter’ to us back in Pathen. You failed. The only reason you’re here is because my father insists upon it.”
Frank’s face turns red, and he leans in, now pointing his finger in Aureinia’s face. “Listen, you demon bitch –” He doesn’t finish. Harlu is up with his hand around Frank’s neck, lifting the big man off his feet.
Chris is up off his chair, drawing a Glock and pulling the trigger. Nothing. I guess someone forgot to tell him his weapon would be useless here. He looks at his gun in confusion, points again at Harlu and continues to pull the trigger. In a blink of an eye, a blade is at Chris’ throat, Dorlan standing behind him silently.
“Enough,” demands Kolinest in a quiet voice. “Harlu, put him down.”
Harlu releases Frank who falls to the floor. He tries to stand as he coughs and gasps for air while rubbing his throat. Dorlan releases Chris who pulls away from the assassin, standing nervously as Frank gets his feet under him.
Fully standing now, Frank looks at Harlu. “I don’t give a damn who you are and what kind of hocus-pocus shit you know, I’ll kill you if you try and take Julia from me. No one touches her but me. You got that, freak?”
Harlu’s response is to turn his back on Frank and return to his seat.
Frank spins to face the man in the shadow. “We had a deal. I want what’s mine.”
It is hard for our enemy to hide from us, even in the dark due to our keen eyesight. However, Kolinest has a cloaking spell around his face. Even if he was in full light, we wouldn’t be able to identify who he is. I try to pick up on his voice and although it sounds familiar, because of the cloaking, I can’t quite make it out.
“Mr. Chase,” says Kolinest. “Bringing Julia to us was part of our deal, but as you can see we no longer need her. However, our deal also consist of a future, how shall I put it, ‘service’ which I need for you to provide. So I will keep my word and give you Julia once we take her from her king.”
Chris takes a step to Kolinest. “Her king? I thought she was marrying the king,” he says, pointing to Lily.
“You idiot,” sneers Kalis. “The king’s brother will be king of the Willow and he plans to marry Julia once he takes the throne.”
“I don’t give a damn if he’s the king of shi
tpot, no one is marry my Juju,” snarls Frank, finally composing himself.
“We don’t plan to allow either king to live,” replies Harlu.
This seems to appease Frank. “That’s more like it. But once you have Julia we’re out of here.” He turns to Chris. “Pick up your gun, you idiot.” Then to Harlu, sneering, “We’d like to go to our rooms now, your royal shitness.”
Harlu quietly answers. “Of course, will you be sharing your bed with your boy? There seems to be an abundance of affection between the two of you.”
“Why you piece of –” Frank doesn’t finish, crying out in pain. Buried to the hilt into his right thigh is Harlu’s blade.
“You son of a bitch, I’m going to kill you, you hear me?” threatens Frank painfully as he falls backward.
Harlu nods to Morlo and the orc moves to Frank’s side, helping Chris carry his father out of the suite. Kalis rises and moves to where Lily sits. Lily doesn’t move, but she looks up at the elf warrior.
Kalis leans in until her face is inches from Lily’s face. “I still don’t see it. What he sees in you.”
“What he sees in me, he couldn’t find in you,” replies Lily quietly.
Kalis slaps Lily across the face snapping her head back. I hold my temper knowing Alorn is ready to disobey my order and return to his body. Suddenly, Lily leaps up and takes one of Harlu’s blades in the shoulder meant for Kalis.
“Wait, Tharin,” calls Alorn when I am about to drift back. “Wait. Lily will divide them from within. She’s no good to them if she’s not able to open the door. One of them will heal her.”
He’s right and I calm down. If we rush in, Lily could be killed.
Kalis catches Lily before she hits the floor, and turns to look at Harlu with an angry glare. “What the hell is wrong with you? You tried to kill me, you bastard.”
Before Harlu reaches her, Dorlan stands between him and the women.
“I owe you no allegiance, Harlu. You touch either of them again and I’ll kill you.”
“You think you can take me, prince?” asks Harlu, grinning at the assassin.