Witch Queen

by Kim Richardson

  “We haven’t even entered Romila, and yet you attacked us in the night like a bunch of cowards. Why? You bastards!”

  The Romilian’s good eye hardened as he focused on me, and he smiled again.

  I was furious. I leaned over so that my nose was nearly touching his. My breath came hard and fast, and I smelled the sour stench of the man’s piss-pot odor.

  “You spineless prick,” I said through gritted teeth, my entire body shaking with rage. “Tell me now, or I’ll slice your throat right here, right now, and let you bleed out. I’ll do it. You know I will.”

  “I do not fear death,” said the man in a thick Romilian accent. His teeth were smeared with blood. “The Creator awaits me,” he croaked.

  He paused for a moment as his breath escaped. “Beyond the gates of this world…I will join his kingdom and be cleansed of all my sins…to live for eternity in paradise.”

  “That’s priests’ bullshit.”

  His lips twitched upwards. “I do the will of my high priest. The Creator speaks through him…I am but a messenger.”

  I drew my sword and pointed the tip at his good eye.

  “Well, if it’s death you want, I shall give it to you.”

  My blade trembled, and it took a great amount of self-control not to puncture his eye by mistake.

  “But maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll just keep you alive long enough for the wild boars and vultures to feed on you slowly.”

  I smiled as I saw a flicker of fear in his eye.

  I bared my teeth. “Tell me or I swear to the Creator and the Goddess that I will pluck your eye out and watch as you wither away and die, screaming in agony. I don’t mind. I have all night. I can wait. You don’t have much longer. But I will keep you alive for as long as I can, so that you die screaming the name of your mommy.”

  “Tell her,” ordered Will, stepping next to me. “Or I’m going to help feed you to the boars myself. Boars can smell the scent of blood for miles. They’ll be here soon. Tell her, and we’ll end it quickly. We can give you a warrior’s death.”

  It was good to feel Will’s camaraderie once again, but my reassurance faded when the Romilian spoke again.

  “The high priest of Romila told us,” the man’s breath was ragged, but I could still hear the sneer in his voice. “… that it was the will of the temple, of the Creator, that you should die.” He smiled at the alarm in my eyes. “His eminence said that the Creator would spare all of our families from the black plague,” he paused, waiting for my full attention, “but only if we brought him back the head of the witch skilled with a blade.”

  “Horseshit,” said Lucas as he wiped blood from his face with a stained cloth. But I could see he realized the implications of what the Romilian had just said.

  The high priests had put a bounty on my head. Our quest had just become ten times more dangerous.

  I stood up on shaky legs, my sword heavy in my hands.

  “What else?” I growled.

  The Romilian hacked suddenly in an attempt to a laugh, but it sounded more like the wheezing of a dying animal.

  “Everyone is looking for you, witch.” Blood and spit spilled from the corners of his mouth.

  “Every kingdom and every city in all of Arcania…all looking to kill…the fair witch skilled with a blade. You will never be safe again. You are the bringer of death. And only when you are dead will the lands be cured. The Creator will make it so. You need to die so that the world can be bright again.”

  He laughed, a sick wet laugh that made the hairs on my arms stand up. “To save the world…the witch needs to die.”

  The Romilian’s laugh was cut short as Nugar’s axe sliced through the man’s neck. His head rolled from the bloodied stump, but his smile remained on his face. And even as the blood spilled from the dead man’s neck, I could hear his voice ringing in my ears.

  To save the world…the witch needs to die.

  CHAPTER 8

  WE BURIED GARRICK AT the top of a grassy knoll as the sun rose. A proper and traditional burial would have been to burn him, so that his soul could reach up into the heavens to reside with the Creator and find peace in the afterlife. But we couldn’t risk a fire that would give our position away.

  It was common belief that if the deceased was not buried and provided for properly, he could then visit the bereaved as a demon that would torment their families forever. A fire and the smell of smoke would only give out our location to the hordes of angry and desperate people looking to kill me. And though we’d all agreed to bury Garrick, I could see that the men struggled to shed the beliefs they had held since they were children.

  Rose had always let me question my own beliefs. She was never one to side with the priests, or with any religion for that matter. Rose believed the Creator was in all things, and one could have faith in a higher power in your heart, in your soul. She’d always told me that one could be spiritual without being religious. I’d never quite truly understood what she’d meant until I’d seen the evil perpetrated by the priests in the name of religion. My beliefs trusted more and more in Mother Earth, in the Goddess and her own magic.

  Although I didn’t say it to the men, after we’d buried Garrick, and we’d all made silent prayers for his soul and his travels in the afterlife, I felt a whisper of wind on my cheek as though the Goddess herself was telling me that she would watch over the young lad.

  Max took Garrick’s death the worst. He’d taken it upon himself to dig Garrick’s grave alone, like some sort of punishment. I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d somehow convinced the young lad to come on this journey, or maybe he’d told him that he’d keep him safe. After the burial Max had withdrawn. He was obviously fighting an internal battle, and it looked as if anything would set him off. I made a mental note not to piss him off.

  But I couldn’t stop blaming myself for Garrick’s death. He shouldn’t have come.

  As we packed our things and made to leave, I couldn’t help but feel exposed out in the open. We hadn’t met any travellers or merchants, which was strange for this time of year. They’d usually be off selling their goods and stocking up before winter set in.

  The road was too quiet, too desolate, wrong. The forests were dense with giant Anglian pines and thick walls of spruce trees, but the Romilians had found us easily, even in the dark. We were nearing their border. I knew that more of them would be hunting for me. There were only six of us, and if another group of skilled warriors like the ones we faced last night found us, they’d slaughter us all.

  The pounding of our horses’ hooves on the dirt road could be heard for miles. We were being careless. In our grief, we had forgotten to think. I had forgotten to think. I began to feel anxious. We couldn’t keep on the main road and ride into Romila. We had to find another way.

  I pulled out my map.

  “We should get off the main road,” I said. This was my quest, and I needed to lead. Now that I’d had a glimpse and suffered what it was like to lose an innocent, I wouldn’t be so careless with their lives again.

  “We can’t ride into Romila like this, so exposed. No one else is on the road, and we’ll draw too much attention. After what happened last night, more will be looking for us,” I said and then added, “…looking for me.”

  I watched as the men all nodded in a silent agreement. A few of them caught my eye, but most of them still stared away. I peered at my map more closely.

  “There’ll be lots more looking for us, possibly even Girmanians, so we need to stick to the shadows, to the roads less traveled. I can’t see any other roads leading into Romila this far north. There’s another road four days south from here, but it’s through a wide plain, and I don’t want to take that chance of being spotted. Does anyone know of another road we can use? One that the horses can use as well?”

  We couldn’t risk the horses’ lives. We wouldn’t reach Witchdom without them.

  “I’ve heard of one.”

  I looked up from my map, and we all peered at Nugar. I co
uldn’t hide my surprise. He looked as if he’d challenge anyone who doubted him, and he cocked his head to the north.

  “It’s a path used for black market traders. I know it’s been used for years to avoid paying taxes to those bastard priests.”

  My spirits lifted at the possibility of a secret road.

  “You said you’ve heard of it. So you’ve never used it before?”

  “No.”

  I glanced at my map again, but Nugar said, “You won’t find it on that map of yours. It’s not on any map. But I know it’s there.” He paused for a moment. “We just have to find it.”

  “He’s right,” said Leo, rubbing his temples. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of using it before.”

  I frowned. “You’ve heard of this road too?”

  My voice rose, and I didn’t care about hiding my frustration.

  Leo nodded. “Yes. Jon even used it, but I never did.”

  My heart did a somersault at the mention of Jon’s name. As I fought to calm my feelings, I saw a softness in Leo’s eyes before he became all business again. He clearly understood my feelings for Jon.

  “For years, trade between Anglia and Romila had been tricky due to the increasing food taxes,” he continued. “I didn’t think of it before because it’s bordered by rough terrain and thick forests. I didn’t think the horses could make the journey. But with what happened yesterday, I don’t think we have much of a choice.”

  “I know,” I said, still glancing at the map. I knew there was no other way.

  “I think it’s worth the risk.”

  From Nugar and Leo’s description, this road had been operational since long before I was born, and possibly even before the arrival of the priests. It had certainly been kept hidden from them.

  “So if this road is still being used…how busy do you suppose it is now?” I asked. “We can’t rule out the possibility that the black market has heard that the priests want me dead. I doubt that anything goes on without the lords of the black market knowing. I’d want to know everything, if I were them.”

  “I’m sure you’re right,” said Leo. “We’ll just have to be careful.”

  I couldn’t forget that any road itself might prove to be dangerous as well. Still, a secret road was far less dangerous than venturing into uncharted Romilian territory. I was concerned that the high priests would already have bribed the black market traders with gold. There could well be a price on my head; no matter what road we took.

  Although I was still anxious, I knew a decision had to be made.

  “So it’s settled. We’ll use the black market road. It’s not ideal, but it’s the only thing we’ve got.”

  I looked to the sky. The sun was right above us. Our shadows were short, but slowly growing eastwards. “It’s a few hours past high sun. We should get going then.”

  “We could travel by night?” ventured Will. His face was free of a scowl for the first time in days, and his beard made him appear older.

  “There isn’t enough shrubbery here to provide good cover. It’ll be safer for us to travel at night and then rest in the morning. It’ll be slow but safer.”

  I shook my head. “No.”

  I looked up. Will was watching me, but instead of scowling at me in doubt, he was looking to me for answers, like he would have looked to Jon.

  I swallowed hard and steadied my voice. “If this road is as treacherous and dangerous as you all say, we can’t risk hurting the horses by traveling at night. We can’t reach Witchdom without them, so we’ll have to travel by day.”

  I looked to Leo and Nugar.

  “How far are we from this road?”

  “Maybe ten, fifteen miles.” Nugar tapped his fingers on the handle of his battle-axe for a moment, debating. “I know it crosses the northern part of the Romilian border.”

  “We’re close.” Leo looked at me, eyebrows raised to show that he understood my concern about keeping the horses safe. “If we leave now we can probably make it in about two hours.”

  I turned my gaze towards the thick shrubbery and unforgiving terrain to the north. I couldn’t see more than about thirty yards into the dense woods. There was no clearing and no path. It was a labyrinth of dark forest. Even the most experienced tracker could get lost. I had a bad feeling about this.

  “Can you find this road?”

  “What choice do we have?” Nugar stared at me without expression. “I’ll find it.”

  He turned and made his way towards his horse.

  I knew Nugar was right. We didn’t have any other options, but I couldn’t help but feel an icy foreboding.

  I followed the others to the horses in silence, trying to calm my nerves. The men were tense and silent, too, and it soothed my own anxieties to see that I wasn’t the only one concerned about venturing into the thick wall of woods.

  We tied Garrick’s horse to Max’s and piled it up with supplies. The horses had been spooked by the attack last night, and I whispered gently into Torak’s ears in an attempt to calm him. He leaned his head against my shoulder as I rubbed his neck, and I tucked my face into his soft velvety fur. The big strong warhorse made me feel safe. And I trusted him more than I trusted the men.

  As I ran my fingers through Torak’s mane, his head snapped up, and his ears twitched. I followed his line of sight just as I heard the unmistakable sound of hooves in the distance. My breath caught as the powerful pounding of horses’ hooves echoed from across the main road, getting louder and louder. I felt the tremor in my boots that beat in time with my heart.

  A dozen riders were coming up fast on the eastbound road. Their black cloaks rippled behind them like wings, and they rode great black warhorses like Torak. Standing out against the black of their uniforms were large golden suns.

  “Temple guards,” growled Will.

  His hand was on the hilt of his sword. There was a flurry of motion as the others drew their weapons. Their expressions hardened at the sight of the advancing legion.

  “They’re riding too fast to be a convoy,” said Max.

  His eyes narrowed. “If I had to guess, I’d say they were after something or someone. They’re coming for us.”

  Max was right. The riders were in hot pursuit of something. The plausible answer was us.

  “They’ve got one of them red demons with them, too,” said Lucas. I sensed a little fear in his voice, and his blades shook in his hands.

  The blood drained from my face as I focused on the threat. One of the riders was clad in blood red. A red monk.

  Fear gripped me. Subconsciously, I reached up and traced my fingers over the stitches that still held the wound at the back of my neck. Despite my healing magic, the red monk’s wound had yet to heal.

  I hated those red-robed bastards more than anything. Having a red monk on your tail was a death sentence in itself, but it was worse than that, much worse. This wasn’t just a group of regular Romilian men out for vengeance, these were the high priests’ guards, armed with black magic and supernatural strength.

  I reached up and gripped Torak’s reins. I almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of the situation, of the unfairness of it all. Why couldn’t the Goddess give us a break?

  My breath lodged in my throat. “I don’t think they’ve seen us yet.”

  I knew the tall trees had provided us with cover, but it wouldn’t last long. “We can use that to our advantage. Quickly, we’ll lose them in the forest.”

  “No.” Nugar’s voice was absolute.

  He straightened, his eyes surprisingly dark with fury, and his axe gleamed in the sun’s light. He seemed bigger and more muscled than I’d remembered.

  “There’s no valor in fleeing. I’ve never run from a fight. Ever. And I’m not about to start now.”

  I clenched Torak’s reins so tightly my fingers ached.

  “I get it,” I growled. “Truly I do. But you can’t win this fight.”

  Nugar’s eyes hardened, clearly insulted.

  “I’m not arguing your
skills as a warrior. These men aren’t men anymore. Their veins flow with black magic. They are stronger and harder to kill. They have a supernatural advantage that we won’t be able to deal with.”

  I looked to Will and Leo for support, and they both nodded in silent agreement.

  “Elena’s right,” said Leo, and I almost hugged him.

  “We’ve seen what the priests’ magic can do. It won’t matter how strong or skilled you think you are, or how many men you’ve outsmarted and killed. We will never be strong enough. It won’t be a fair fight, and we’ll all die.”

  An animal-like growl escaped Nugar, but he said nothing, and as he breathed through his nostrils, I could see the knuckles around his weapon turning white.

  I took that as a yes.

  “Trust me on this. We might not fight them today, but I promise you’ll get your chance to kill some of these bastards sooner than you think.”

  My admiration for the brutish man was growing. “Just not right now—”

  Voices rang in the distance. Although they were still too far to make out the words, the urgency in their tone was clear enough.

  “They’ve seen us,” said Max, taking the words right out of my mouth.

  But what I saw next turned my blood to ice.

  Beneath the black cowl and cloak of what I first thought was a temple guard was the unmistakable pure white robe of a high priest. One of the six high priests rode with them.

  I stiffened and tried to control my panic.

  “Into the woods! Nugar, lead the way,” I ordered, my voice strong and confident. “Hurry!”

  Pride flashed in Nugar’s eyes, and he moved fast. As the others grabbed the reins of their horses, I looked over my shoulder—the priest and his company rode harder, and clouds of dust rose up behind them. I wondered if their steeds were powered with magic. At this rate they would be upon us in minutes. I swore I could almost sense the smile on the high priest’s face.

  I squared my shoulders. I had not come this far only to be defeated by a goddamn priest and his black-eyed cronies. I wouldn’t let Garrick’s death be in vain. His death meant something. It meant something to me. I would make it count.