Tree of Ages Box Set

by Sara C. Roethle

  Finn nodded frantically, clutching the writhing dragon in her arms. Naoki grunted and squirmed, but at least seemed to be aware of her mother’s delicate skin. She incurred no scrapes as Kai had.

  Finn’s chest beneath her blouse and corset rose and fell with deep breaths. Her eyes drifted closed and the dragon began to calm. Iseult forced his own breathing to slow, though he knew they were running out of time.

  Kai tip-toed further into the room and lifted a cloak off the small bed, then helped Finn gently wrap it around Naoki before guiding them both out of the room. Once they were all in the hall, Kai took the lead, stepping lightly on the wooden flooring as he guided them past the entrance Iseult had come through and down a narrow hall, ending in a door with a heavy wooden bar across it.

  Together Kai and Iseult moved the bar, and the three of them, plus one dragon, hurried out into the darkening night.

  Avoiding the main thoroughfare, they made their way toward the town gates where their companions would hopefully be waiting with extra horses. Iseult knew it was unlikely that Ainfean would have enough horses to suit everyone, but a few extras would do. Finn had already proven she was comfortable riding with her friend, Bedelia, and the other two women could double up as well.

  A million other thoughts ran through Iseult’s mind as they crept through the darkness. They had gathered enough supplies in the remains of Migris to last them roughly five days, seven at most. He would have liked to resupply more before leaving the port town, but it was not worth the risk. If An Fiach was looking specifically for Kai and Finn, everyone was in danger.

  That led him to another disturbing thought. Why would An Fiach be looking for those two in particular? It didn’t make any sense. The purpose of the Hunt was to track down the Faie.

  Distant shouts suddenly caught his ear, bringing his thoughts to the present.

  “It’s coming from the direction of the gates,” Kai whispered, his eyes darting about their dark surroundings.

  Iseult nodded. “More soldiers were likely waiting outside. They may have stopped the others.”

  “What’s our plan?” Kai questioned.

  “I’ll scout ahead,” he replied, hating the idea, but knowing it was the best one. “Do not leave Finn’s side.”

  Finn watched the whole exchange wide-eyed, clutching her dragon like a child.

  He hoped he was making the right decision.

  “We’ll continue on cautiously,” Kai whispered, more to Finn than to Iseult.

  Still, he nodded, then took off at a jog.

  Nearing the riverbank, he pushed his body to move faster. A row of buildings concealed him from the main road, but occasional doors opened in the backs of homes and establishments. To his left, the River Cair thundered, too wide and violent to be used as a possible means of escape. The shouting seemed to be dying down to be replaced by the low murmur of arguing voices.

  Nearing the final buildings and stables before the gates, Iseult slowed, his hand on the pommel of his short sword. He peered around the nearest building to see a dozen or so figures silhouetted in the moonlight. He recognized Maarav first, arguing with another man, though he could not tell if the man with whom his brother argued was wearing the customary dark brown uniform of An Fiach. Several more men stood in a line, near a row of horses tied to a horizontal post.

  “We are but simple travelers,” he heard Maarav explain, “hoping to make it to the next town before our caravan departs without us. The only way we will accomplish that is to travel through the night. We only stopped here to purchase more horses.”

  “No one leaves until the Captain approves it,” the man said in reply.

  Iseult sighed. Now that they’d drawn attention to themselves, there was no way Kai and Finn would be able to depart with everyone else. He was prepared to turn around to report his findings, when Maarav cocked back his fist and punched the soldier square in the nose. Chaos erupted, accompanied by the metallic sound of blades being drawn.

  He debated going back for Kai and Finn, but adrenaline and instinct took over. He drew his blade and launched himself out of hiding and into the fray. They needed to end this before the other soldiers could rush out of the taverns and inns. Hopefully Kai and Finn would see what was happening, and would use the distraction to sneak out on their own.

  Iseult’s blade met with another man’s, just before he could bring it down across Anna’s back. He couldn’t help but think, as he turned to knock another man in the head with the pommel of his sword, that he should have left Maarav and the others behind, escorting Finn to safety. A fainter, secondary thought coursed through his mind, that by the gods, it felt good to enter into battle again, for a cause that truly mattered.

  Kai could hear the sound of blades meeting, and the thudding of footsteps as the fight broke out. Since Iseult had not returned to them, he knew he must have joined the fray, which meant the rest of their party was also involved.

  “We shouldn’t go any closer,” he whispered, his back pressed against the wooden wall of a guard tower beside Finn’s.

  “They may need our help,” Finn argued, moving to peer around the building. Naoki was beginning to struggle against her grasp. Finn had shown no change in attitude at his proclamation of love, and he half wondered if she’d even heard him. He truly hadn’t expected her to return the sentiment, but she could have at least said something. Of course, he’d only said that Malida thought he was in love, not that he actually was.

  He sighed, knowing now was not the time to dwell on it. Glancing down at the bundled dragon, he gently pushed Finn’s shoulder back against the wall, then moved around her to assess the fight.

  It was difficult to tell in the darkness, but Anna, Maarav, Iseult, and Sativola seemed to be doing most of the fighting, while Ealasaid and Tavish had snuck off to a row of horses tied near the gates. Bedelia and Rae where nowhere to be seen, though they could have just been fighting outside the gates.

  Taking in the short expanse between the horses and the gates, and hearing doors slamming open and shut down the main road as others heard the fight, Kai made his decision. He turned back to Finn and motioned for her to follow.

  Still struggling with her dragon, she jumped at the opportunity. Together they hurried forward, keeping to the shadows near the city gates until they reached the row of tethered horses where Tavish and Ealasaid were covertly untying reins from the post. Ealasaid glanced at them, her eyes wide and startled, then relaxed.

  With a smile and a wink, Tavish handed Kai the reins of a horse he’d freed. “They’re looking for the two of you,” Tavish whispered. “Use the distraction to escape.”

  Nodding to Tavish in thanks, Kai helped Finn and Naoki onto the horse’s saddle, then climbed up behind them. He would have liked to stay and aid in the fight, but Finn’s safety had to be his priority at that moment, lest Iseult kill him later.

  With one arm around Finn’s small form, and the other gripping the reins, he jabbed his heels into the horse’s side and galloped toward the gates, skirting around the fight.

  They sped through the gates without interference, only to be met by three guards on horseback, barring their way. Finn screamed as Naoki escaped from her arms, tossing the cloak aside to fly past Kai’s head and onto the ground.

  Letting out guttural squawks, Naoki took flight, then spiraled down through the air toward the men. Their nervous horses pranced and bucked, throwing one of the men while Naoki dove in and out, pouncing to the ground, then springing erratically upward. Bedelia and Rae appeared from the darkness, drawing the soldiers’ attention away from the dragon.

  While Finn shouted for Naoki, Kai urged their horse forward, taking off into the dark trees away from the road.

  Finn gripped onto the saddle’s pommel for dear life, while Kai’s arms trapped her on either side. She could hear the thundering of hooves behind them, but did not know if it was their companions or some of the soldiers. She tried a few times to glance back, but it was too dark to see much of anything.<
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  “We’ll find them once we’re safe!” Kai shouted, pressing the insides of his arms more firmly around her to keep her from turning.

  “What about Naoki!” she shouted back. She couldn’t see her little dragon anywhere.

  Kai’s arms did not slacken, and instead he flicked the reins to urge the horses on. “She’ll find you! She can track your scent better than any wolf!”

  Finn’s heart shuddered. She wanted to tell him to go back, but what could she do if they did? She wasn’t sure she could survive another incident of her odd powers running amuck, melting the skin from a man’s bones, or swallowing them up with the earth. It was probably better for her to be far from any fight. She trusted Iseult to find her again, but of Naoki, she was unsure. What if one of the soldiers harmed her? Most men would run the other way at the sight of a Faie creature, but some would be brave enough to fight.

  “We have to go back!” she shouted finally, making up her mind. Branches whipped at their cloaks, threatening to pull them from their mount, yet Kai did not allow the horse to slow.

  “They are after you and I,” he cautioned, his voice near her ear. “Everyone is safer without us.”

  Tears streamed down Finn’s face, but she could not argue. This was all her fault. Everyone was attacked because An Fiach wanted her. And Kai, she reminded herself . . . though they likely only wanted him because of her. She was a danger to everyone.

  They rode on for what seemed like ages, until their horse tired and slowed to a walk. Kai had kept them away from the road, which was likely wise if An Fiach was looking for them specifically. He now guided their horse deep into a copse of trees, near a rocky crag mostly obscured with vegetation. The deeper shadows within the foliage seemed ominous to Finn, or perhaps it was just her mood.

  “We’ll wait here,” Kai explained as he dismounted. “I’ll keep watch while you rest, then in the morning we will scout for the others.”

  Finn climbed down and waited as Kai tied the reins of their stolen horse loosely to a small fir tree. She wished he would glance at her so she could catch his gaze. Had he truly meant what he’d said in the storeroom? Did he love her, or was Malida mistaken? And if he did actually love her, did he mean in a romantic way, or did he love her like a sister?

  She watched as he began searching the few satchels tied to the back of the saddle. Next, he moved to the bedroll strapped at the saddle’s base, near the horse’s gray dappled rump. She felt a little bad for the soldier that would have to do without, then corrected herself. He was probably dead. She had never seen Maarav in battle, but Iseult claimed he was just as fast as he, and she knew Anna could take care of herself, and Sativola too. They would all escape, and would find her and Kai. They had to. Preferably before they had time to finish their storeroom conversation. She needed time to figure things out.

  Suddenly, something came crashing toward them. Kai threw himself in front of Finn, dagger drawn, but there was no need. As soon as Finn gathered her wits, she recognized the horse trotting toward them, and its riders. Finn had always thought Rada was one of the prettiest horses she’d ever seen with her black and white coat.

  Heaving a sigh of relief at the sight of Kai and Finn, Bedelia climbed down from the saddle, then helped Ealasaid do the same.

  “We’re lucky there’s a full moon tonight,” Bedelia began, “else we would have never been able to track you.”

  “Which unfortunately means An Fiach will be able to track us,” Kai added. “We should keep moving.”

  “We should wait for the others,” Finn protested.

  Ealasaid stepped forward sheepishly, pushing her frothy mess of hair away from her face. “I agree, we should wait. If An Fiach should find us first, I’ll create a . . . distraction.”

  Bedelia smirked. “You can trust what she says. She’s quite good at distractions.”

  Ealasaid looked at the ground, embarrassed.

  Finn wasn’t sure what was going on. Iseult had mentioned that Ealasaid had magic, so she assumed she’d used it to aid in her and Bedelia’s escape.

  Noticing Finn’s unsure expression, Ealasaid stepped forward and took her hand. “Don’t fret. I’m sure the others will be along shortly. Maarav and Iseult are excellent fighters, faster than any I’ve ever seen.”

  “That’s not saying much, coming from a village girl,” Kai joked as he took Rada’s reins to secure her beside their stolen horse. “I still think we should move on,” he continued, “but I know better than to argue with three women at once. You all should get some rest while I keep watch.”

  “I will keep watch as well,” Bedelia offered.

  Kai finished untying the bedroll from the saddle, then pushed it into Finn’s arms. “Sleep with your boots on,” he advised. “We must be prepared to leave quickly.”

  Nodding, Finn turned with the bedroll in her arms and searched for a place to lay it. She felt uneasy, like her journey was once again about to become greatly derailed. Beyond that, she could not shake what the little Merrow girl had told them. All must fear the Dair. All must fear her. Kai would be a fool to love such a frightening creature as herself, like a sister, or otherwise.

  “I know they passed through here before,” Óengus stated coolly, aiming his icy glare at the diminutive, aged bar mistress. He’d tried kindness initially, but the woman had somehow seen through the act.

  “And how would you know that?” she replied just as coolly. Though she was small in size, with muddy brown hair, and numerous missing teeth, a keen intelligence shone out of the woman’s eyes.

  Óengus knew Kai and Finn had stayed with the woman previously, and were likely hidden away somewhere in her home, along with the others. Still, he’d stationed half his men at the gates, just in case. He had no desire to chase them further down the Sand Road.

  Suppressing a growl of irritation, both at the bar mistress, and at the thought of the men of An Fiach, he turned away from the bar. Though he was used to commanding others, he wasn’t impressed with the soldiers in his contingent. Most of them were mere peasants who’d never held a sword until the day they enlisted.

  He strode through the double doors of the establishment without a word. The icy wind played with his short silver hair, tickling the whiskers of his neat beard, but he hardly noticed the cold. He knew there was a back entrance to the establishment. He’d take the time to post several men outside of it, then would find himself a hot meal while he waited for his quarry to reveal themselves. Just because he was now an imposter Captain of An Fiach, didn’t mean he wasn’t allowed to enjoy himself.

  Before he could walk around the building, the sound of steel on steel caught his ears. He sighed. Incompetent fools. He had no doubt the clanging steel came from his men battling those he sought. His men would lose, and their quarry would escape. Of that he had little doubt.

  Taking long, confident strides, he walked past the townsfolk trickling out into the streets to observe the commotion. He resisted the urge to cut down the curious onlookers getting in his way. He would be too late to catch those he sought, and it would take time to gather all his men and give chase.

  Keiren would not be pleased.

  Another day had come and gone while they waited outside of the Archive. Anders had expected more Travelers to join them, but none had shown themselves. Instead, he was stuck with Niklas, eating meager portions of a grouse he’d snared, along with a few foraged roots, all boiled in a pot with no seasoning. While it was no fine meal, Anders ate it with abandon. Since he’d started traveling with Niklas, his breeches had grown loose, and the occasional reflections he caught of himself in ponds and puddles showed gaunt cheeks and sallow skin. His parents would hardly recognize him, if he managed to see them at all.

  He couldn’t help but wonder where he’d be if he’d stayed with An Fiach. He’d never gone hungry after joining, and had even felt almost safe with Radley and the other men at his side. He’d even briefly envisioned returning home after finding his sister, a proud man in uniform, his life s
worn to protecting the weak.

  Unfortunately, protecting the weak wasn’t what An Fiach was really about. He would never be able to clear from his mind the battle with the refugees, and Ealasaid’s conviction that he had somehow been involved in destroying her village, murdering her kin. Though he’d had no involvement in what happened to Ealasaid’s family, the dead of the ruined city in the North would haunt him forever.

  He shook his head and glanced at Niklas, who stood immobile, staring at the distant Archive. While Anders was terrified of the Ceàrdaman, they weren’t going around slaughtering entire villages or attacking refugees . . . at least, not to his knowledge.

  “There,” Niklas pointed.

  Anders squinted past his outstretched finger. A woman dressed in fine black silks conversed with a guard at the main entrance to the Archive. Her long, fiery red hair stood out in contrast, even from a distance. “She is not one of the Archive scholars, unless someone new was appointed after I left.”

  “Not a scholar,” Niklas replied, “but our cue to approach the Archive.”

  “I told you before, even if the guards know me, they will not let one of the Ceàrdaman past the gates.” He turned to raise a skeptical eyebrow at Niklas, then jumped back in surprise.

  Though Niklas still maintained similar facial features, his skin was now a healthy, tan hue, and his odd eyes were now a normal, deep brown. He gestured toward the archive. “Our cue is getting away from us, and your sister’s life is still dangling in the balance.”

  Anders darted his gaze back toward the Archive to find the woman had been let inside the gates. Shaking his head in disbelief, he started forward, prepared to finally fulfill his part of their bargain. Niklas hurried along beside him, still unnaturally graceful despite his human appearance.