by T. Norman
“You mean I could have it?”
“Yes, as well as all of us.” Carn showed his frustration.
“How do you heal it?” Gant was more worried for his friend than anything.
“Unfortunately, you don’t. No one has ever survived it.” Carn looked away.
No, not Gayle, too. “So, he’s going to die?”
“Yes.” Carn was staring off into the woods. He turned to face Gant again. “In a little while he is going to be in a lot of pain. When that comes, it will mean he’s at the end. Unfortunately, the pain will be unbearable. I can end all of it now, though.”
“You want to kill him?” Gant protested. He refused to accept that his friend was doomed.
“I want to spare him the pain that is going to come.”
Gant shook his head. “How can you be so sure? What if he doesn’t have it?”
“You saw the wound yourself; do you think anyone can live through something like that?” Carn was growing impatient. “This is for the best, and you know it. He won’t feel a thing, I promise.”
Gant couldn’t believe it, but he actually trusted what Carn was saying. “I should be the one to do it.” He wasn’t sure he could do it, but Gant didn’t want his friend to be in pain.
“No, I won’t let the first person you kill be your friend. I will do it.” Thank you, Gant thought, relieved, though he couldn’t bring himself to say the words out loud.
Carn walked over to Gayle, who hadn’t moved since they left. “Gayle, I need you to do me a favor. Close your eyes for me.” Carn’s voice was calm and cool.
Gayle looked at Gant and saw the tears in his eyes. Knowing what was about to come, he willingly complied. Carn pulled out a dagger and in one swift motion, Gayle’s head went limp.
Gant couldn’t hold the tears back anymore; all his emotions came flowing out. He fell to the ground, sobbing loudly. He could barely see through his tears as two soldiers came over, picked up Gayle’s body, and placed it on a stack of wood. He watched as they lit the wood on fire and started throwing blankets and other items Gayle had come into contact with on the fire.
Gant didn’t process what he was seeing; all he knew was that death continued to follow him. First his mother, then all of Wayton, and now his best friend; they were all taken from him. All the soldiers avoided him, letting him wallow in his own misery. He cried until there were no tears left.
14
Rysh and Apo'k slept only a couple hours that night, waking before sunrise to continue their journey. They traveled mostly in silence, focused on the goal ahead of them.
It was near midday before Apo'k gave an update on their location, using his hawk to keep track of the enemy party. "If we keep up this pace, we’ll catch them by nightfall," he reported.
Rysh spirits were lifted with this news. "How far away is Vendos?" He didn’t want to encounter soldiers from the city before they reached the ones who had his son.
"They could arrive there before the day is over. Luckily for us it seems they had a delay this morning, otherwise they would be there well before nightfall.”
Rysh stumbled as fright swept over him. “What kind of delay?” Please be okay, Gant, Rysh prayed.
“Gant is okay, I saw him leave camp this morning.”
“Good, let’s keep moving.”
By midafternoon, Julia was exhausted. They had been traveling fast the past day and a half and had barely taken any time to rest, and now it was taking its toll. She refused to stop, however, knowing they had to be getting close to the others. As they neared the top of another hill, Julia had to stop to catch her breath.
“Let’s go around this way,” she said quickly, pointing down the hill to the east. She didn’t want Alric and Mic to reach the top, where they would be able to survey the land around them and realize—and stop—her plan.
“I want to see if we can get our bearings,” Alric retorted. She could tell he was suspicious.
“Nothing to see, just trees and hills.” She started walking back down the hill. “Come on, let’s get moving.”
“Julia!” Alric yelled at the girl. “What city is that?”
With her head down, Julia turned toward the others. “It must be some small farming village.” She knew she was a horrible liar.
“You must have misheard me. I asked, what city is that?” Alric had caught her and she knew it.
“Vendos,” she replied softly.
“And why exactly are we heading toward Vendos?” Alric was furious with her.
“I couldn’t just leave Gant! And there’s no way Rysh and Apo’k could take out all those soldiers!” She was determined to defend her choice. “I figured we could make ground and get ahead of the soldiers while Rysh and Apo’k attacked them from the rear.” She looked at Mic, who had a smile creeping up the corners of his mouth.
“That was a stupid idea.” Alric turned and started backtracking down the hill. “We’re leaving now.”
“No.” Julia held her ground. Alric stopped in his tracks, turning to look at Julia, who stood with her arms crossed. “We aren’t leaving them. We’re already so close; we might as well keep going.”
“I’m with her,” Mic chimed in, taking his place next to her.
Alric shook his head in disappointment. “I see the decision has been made. If I might ask, how did you know where to lead us?”
“I noticed after we left that Ros kept looking in the direction they went. So I started veering that direction ever so slowly,” she responded with a smile on her face.
“I see. I am going to have to have a word with our new friend about that,” he grumbled. “All right, let’s get going.” He looked down at Ros, panting at Julia’s side. “I hope you heard all that.”
Rysh and Apo’k jogged as fast as they could, given their lack of rest. After learning that Julia had led the others toward danger, they knew they needed to catch the soldiers as soon as possible.
Apo’k slowed to a stop as they reached the valley. “Hold on.” He held his head back and closed his eyes. “This is it. I can see the soldiers, maybe a thousand yards behind us.”
Rysh looked back to try and see the men, but his view was obstructed by trees. “Let’s get ready.” They moved off the path and into the nearby woods. As they sat waiting for the soldiers, they heard a rustle from the bushes behind them. Rysh jumped around quickly, only to be met by the friendly faces of Alric, Mic, Julia, and Ros.
“You made it.” Rysh still wasn’t happy Julia led them astray, but he would have to deal with that later.
“Just in time, I see. What’s the plan?” With Alric’s change of character, Rysh had to admit he was starting to grow fond of the old man.
“We ambush them here. We need to stop the caravan, find Gant, Gayle, and Lori, secure some horses, and get out of here.” Rysh knew they didn’t stand a chance facing these men head on.
“I can stop the caravan. You find them and get us a ride,” Alric volunteered.
“All right,” Rysh said, knowing Alric was a capable soldier. “But if things go south, get out of there immediately.”
“What can I do?” Julia asked, eager to help.
“You can stay out of the way.” Rysh responded, still upset with the girl for putting herself in danger.
“I’ll stay with her,” Mic volunteered.
“Ros can stay with you as well,” Apo’k offered.
“Good.” Rysh knew Julia would be in safe hands with Mic and the dog. The soldiers would be within view any minute, so he needed to finish the last details of the plan. “Apo’k saw Gant riding on the back of a wagon with Gayle. Ideally we could just take the wagon, but with this rough terrain I don’t think it would make it. Once we get them stopped, Alric, you keep distracting them. I’ll go for Gant, Gayle, and Lori. Apo’k, think you can get us some horses?”
“Of course.” The old legends said seers were vicious fighters who would eat their prey with their bonded animals. Rysh brushed the myth off, but seeing the bloodthirsty smile Apo
’k gave him, he wondered if there was a semblance of truth.
They all moved into position, waiting for the advancement of soldiers. Alric walked down to the path with his cloak pulled up over his head, only his long beard showing beneath. With his staff in hand, he began staggering and singing a drunken song. He is too good at this charade, Rysh thought.
A few minutes passed, and Rysh’s hairs stood up on end. He didn’t want to move to look toward the soldiers, but he knew they were there. Moments later, the hoofbeats became a pulsing sound over Alric’s drunken ballad.
Alric stumbled and fell, slowly making his way back to his feet.
“You there, halt,” cried out a soldier leading the formation of men.
Alric spun around and jumped at the sight of the soldier. “Ahhh, don’t scare me like that!” He slurred his words as he spoke.
The procession of men stopped along the tree line, waiting for Alric to move on and let them pass. Rysh scanned the group of men, finally finding the wagon with Gant sitting in back. He couldn’t see if Gayle was lying next to him.
“What’s the hold up?” Rysh followed the sound of the voice and felt his blood start to boil. Riding forward was their leader, the man who killed Lord Darren and Don. He rode forward with his scimitar hanging at his side. “Get out of our way,” he called to Alric.
“But you are the ones in my way,” Alric protested, “and moving I can’t do well.” He dropped his staff, fumbling to pick it back up.
“Tie him up and put him with the boy,” the leader commanded. Two soldiers at the front of the column dismounted their horses and moved toward Alric.
Rysh turned to Apo’k and nodded, knowing it was time to act. As the soldiers came upon the kneeling Alric, he swung his staff up, knocking them back in one swift blow. As he rose, he drew his sword.
“Get him!”
A group of men dismounted their horses and moved to attack Alric, giving Rysh and Apo’k the opening they needed.
The pair leapt from the trees on the side of the path, weapons drawn. Rysh went immediately for the man driving the wagon, cutting him down before he could turn to face his attacker.
“Dad!” Gant called out in surprise. Rysh fumbled with the driver’s belt, searching for the keys to Gant’s chains. He turned to see Apo’k knock two horsemen off their steeds, simultaneously using his machetes to end their lives. Rysh found the keys and quickly moved to unlock Gant.
“Where’s Gayle?” Rysh asked his son, getting only a shake of a head in response. “Grab a horse and go,” he told his son. Once he was free, Gant jumped up and ran toward the horse with his bow and arrows tied to the back of the saddle.
Apo’k had dismounted and killed three more men by the time Gant was in his saddle. Rysh moved to the front of the wagon and whipped the horses, sending them into a run. He dove off the wagon as it went crashing into the group of horses and soldiers in front of them.
Rysh ran and mounted a horse at Gant’s side, grabbing the reins of another.
“Let’s go!” he called out as Apo’k mounted a horse with another’s reins in hand. “Go get Julia and Mic; I’ll get Alric,” Rysh ordered Gant and Apo’k, who rode into the trees and disappeared from sight.
Rysh moved forward through a crowd of injured soldiers to see Alric fighting off an advancement of six men. As he rode to assist his friend, he saw out of the corner of his eye a blur move toward him, knocking him from his horse. Rysh collided with the ground, rolling to his knees and leaping back on his feet.
The leader of the soldiers dismounted from his horse, drawing his scimitar. “You’re Gant’s father, I assume?”
Rysh felt a pulse of anger. “Don’t act like you know my son.” This man was going to pay for everything he had done. Rysh raised his sword and charged the man. His rage had made him clumsy, and he threw a few strong blows with no finesse to them.
“Do you really think you can beat me?” the man asked Rysh. “You aren’t thinking straight, and that will only get you killed.” He parried Rysh’s blows with ease, sidestepping and dodging them with no trouble.
Rysh was growing tired. He knew he couldn’t keep fighting for much longer. He made one final attempt to defeat his opponent, lunging forward at close range, hoping to use his size to overpower his foe. In a blink of an eye Rysh was disarmed and had his back to the ground, a sword hovering by his throat.
“Like I said, you stood no chance.” The man simply stood examining Rysh, not moving his sword.
“Do it,” Rysh prodded the leader, knowing he had lost.
The man held Rysh’s burning gaze for a few moments, then lowered his sword. He backed away from Rysh and spread his arms wide. “Let’s see what else you have.” His crooked smile was wiped off his face as he was knocked back from an arrow to his shoulder.
Rysh looked back to see Gant sitting on his horse at the edge of the woods with another arrow nocked.
Before Rysh could react, Alric was next to him on horseback with another horse in hand. “Come on, get up!” he barked at Rysh.
Rysh grabbed his sword before he mounted the horse and rode off into the woods. Before the soldiers were out of sight, he looked back to the scene of chaos. A dozen men lay on the ground, either dead or dying, a number of horses were scattered about in terror, and in the middle, staring at him, was the man who nearly killed him. This fight isn’t over. He turned his horse west and rode off after the others.
15
Carn sat stretching his shoulder. He was thankful Gant’s arrow had hit his left arm and not his right, allowing him to still hold a sword. He could feel that there would be some permanent damage, but all that mattered was that he was still alive.
He sat outside Lady Velmar’s chambers, waiting to report on the raid. After Rysh and his friends rescued Gant, Carn’s men had been in chaos. Seven dead and eight more wounded, himself included. He was frustrated that he let them get a jump on him, but even more frustrated that he let the girl get away. To make matters worse, five horses were stolen, seven ran off, and four were killed. They had to send riders forward to call for help from Vendos, which shamed Carn even more.
A his mind wandered Carn heard Lady Velmar talking to someone in her chambers as a footman broke his thoughts and indicated he could rise and enter. Inside the room, Lady Velmar and a man he recognized greeted him.
“Captain Sharpe, it is good to see you,” Lady Velmar welcomed him with a smile. “May I introduce you to Brother Greydel?” Carn shook the man’s hand. Does everyone in the Del brotherhood look the same? he wondered. The man looked much like his companion, Brother Brandel, whom the small council had met with during Carn’s last visit to Vendos.
“Pleasure to meet you, Captain.” Greydel turned back to Lady Velmar. “Thank you for your time, My Lady. I’m sure we will be in contact soon.” He turned and walked out the door and down the hallway, leaving Carn alone with Lady Velmar.
“Captain.” Now that they were alone, she almost spat the word out. “I assume you aren’t here for pleasantries. I also see that you have no prisoners. Tell me, why are you here?”
“My Lady, we had two prisoners coming back from Doormon,” Carn said with respect. Allison Velmar was one of the few people who never ceased to intimidate him. “We were less than a day’s ride away when the rest of their party ambushed us. One prisoner died and the other one escaped.”
Lady Velmar’s hand shot through the air and she slapped Carn across the face. “I told you not to return until you had the girl!” she yelled. “Now you defy me and return not only without her, but after you lost your prisoners!” Her face turned red in fury.
Carn cast his eyes downward. “I’m sorry, My Lady, we did what we could. They took us by surprise.”
“Look at me when you are speaking to me,” Lady Velmar demanded. Carn lifted his chin to look her in the eyes. He was almost a head taller than her, but she held head high and back straight. “What of our informant?”
“She died on our journey, as well.” He knew sh
e would find out everything eventually, and he would rather the information come from him.
She slapped him again. Carn felt blood drip down his cheek, his skin broken by the jewels on her rings. “My dear Carn, whatever are we going to do with you?” She almost sounded playful as she spoke, stroking his cheek and admiring the blood as it dripped from his skin.
“Let me pursue them. I know I can find them.” Carn wasn’t a skilled tracker, but he was determined to regain his pride.
“No. I have someone better suited for this job.” She lifted her hand off his cheek, placing a bloodied finger into her mouth. She pursed her lips as she sucked the blood from her finger. “I have a different plan in mind for you.” She turned to look down the hallway and yelled, “Guards!” Three armored men ran down the hall. “Please take Captain Sharpe here and put him in the dungeon.”
“My Lady,” Carn called out in protest as the men grabbed him by his arms. “I can fix this, please, just give me a chance!”
“I already gave you a second chance, my dear.” She smiled at him. “I’m afraid you’ve completely run out of chances.”
Carn fought the guards as they pulled him away, feet kicking wildly down the length of the hall. He threw one off and as he moved to attack the guard on his left, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head as he collapsed to the ground.
Carn shivered as he woke. He was lying half naked on a wooden floor. He reached back to find a large bump on his head from when he was knocked out, the cause of his throbbing headache. He sat up and looked around, recognizing that he was locked in the dungeon. Only a dim light from the stairway illuminated the darkness.
Carn tried to stand, but collapsed as his eyesight began to blur. He resigned himself to simply sitting. After a few minutes in silence, he heard shuffling to his right. He looked at the next cell over and saw a grizzled man standing and staring at him through the bars.
“What brings you here?” the man asked. Carn recognized his voice, but in the darkness he couldn’t tell how he knew the man. Likewise, it would be better not to reveal who he was yet.