The Elf and the Amulet

by Chris Africa

  "Don't be silly, Chassy, I don't even know how it happened to me. It has something to do with the bracelet that Adar gave me. The Nydwon brought it with her, and the Dalatois don't know anything about it. So, what about William? Where is he?"

  Chassy took a deep breath and told her about their trip to Two Currents, William's disappearance, and their trip back down the River Teal. He left out the visions and the part about having to peel Andrev off the raft—for that, Andrev gave him what he took to be a grateful glance—but decided to come clean on the pendant. Sort of.

  Nita didn't insist on holding the little globe as Andrev had, but she did reach forward and touch it—just for a moment, just long enough for him to see her.

  A glow surrounded her as Nita walked through the Waet groves, reaching up to caress their leaves like the cheeks of precious children. A sea of dryads trailed in her wake, and behind them followed Waet villagers, Dalatois, and all manner of creatures and people. As Nita approached the Mother Tree, Dulisa herself parted the silver leaves and carried forward a crown of godsilver to rest on Nita's head.

  The sting of Nita's slap brought him out of his reverie. "Snap out of it! Andrev, has he been doing this the whole time or just since you got here?"

  "Not at all since that time in the Blackwood," Andrev said.

  "I was just daydreaming. I wasn't staring at you," Chassy mumbled. He had just realized something: these visions couldn't be bits of the future as he had originally thought. Otherwise, Nita would have had short, curly hair and silver skin. But what was it Pookana had always said?

  "Truth and fact sit at opposite ends of the seesaw."

  "What are you talking about, Chassy?"

  "I didn't mean to say that out loud," Chassy said.

  "Well, I asked you a question. Will you please answer that out loud?" Nita sounded a bit annoyed. "What does it do?"

  "As far as I can tell, nothing except call the goddess," he lied. "Possibly this is how the dryads knew to protect us in the forests, or possibly Dulisa just told them to be on the lookout for two completely inept forest travelers. And it glows, even in the Blackwood."

  "Hmm," Nita said thoughtfully. "We'll have to keep it in mind if we have any more emergencies. I just wish she could have seen William. I have this feeling that he needs our help."

  "First, we have to get to Death’s End and take care of that amulet," Chassy insisted. "The longer we try to stick with Lyear the more problems he is going to cause, and we swore that promise first."

  A Dalatois girl rushed up to them with water skins in hand. "You must be tired and thirsty. And maybe you would like some stew?" She motioned to a couple of other women, who linked arms with Chassy and Andrev, dragging them off toward a fire.

  33: Lyear Tries to Run

  The boys were craning their necks around looking at the stars. It took Nita a minute to realize they were trying to avoid looking at all the flesh around them.

  "Oh, I’m sorry, Adar, I didn’t even make introductions," she apologized. "That was rude of me. That was my brother, Andrev, and best friend, Chassy."

  "It’s alright, sorceress. The workings of magic are sometimes mysterious and secretive. We ask no questions where we have no business, and it was clear you did not feel endangered. I’m sorry I sent them away, but I thought you might want to discuss this privately. Lyear is plotting an escape. He does not know that I overheard him talking to Lorthana."

  "In the dark?" Nita was amused that even Lyear would try such a foolish plan, with guards posted all around his tent. "What’s a few more hours? I was planning to leave in the morning."

  "Lorthana has given him the travel stone, and he is preparing it right now," Adar warned. "I think he means to leave alone."

  Nita gasped. Treachery, right under her nose! How could Lorthana be helping him? It should be clear to her by now that Lyear was not some great, honorable elf, but just a miserable thief.

  "Bring Chassy and Andrev to Lyear’s tent. If he thinks he’s going without us, he has a big surprise coming."

  Nita raced across the camp to the tent, threw back the flap, and entered. She didn’t know if she was more furious at Lyear for trying to leave or Lorthana for helping him.

  They were both in the tent. Nita pointed at him, hoping that might be enough to persuade him against anything foolish. Her hand quivered with the desire to freeze him in place or throw him across the room. She maintained control with some difficulty.

  "Give me the travel stone," she demanded. "You aren’t going anywhere without me."

  Lorthana ducked out of the tent. Lyear jerked his head in the healer’s direction, his face twisting in rage. "I can’t close it. If I do, we won’t be able to use it to travel to Death’s End for another full moon cycle."

  Close it? Nita looked around, but didn’t see anything that looked like a portal… although a carpet had been hung lengthwise against one wall of the tent. It seemed too ordinary to be magical. Shouldn’t it be glowing or something?

  "Why not?"

  "It takes time to regain its abilities. So we must go now, or not at all."

  The tent was suddenly crowded, with Chassy, Andrev and Adar all coming in behind her. Adar set Nita’s pack on the ground beside her, and Nita snatched it up.

  "I think he tells the truth, sorceress," Adar said. "I heard the healer telling him."

  Nita barely refrained from stamping her foot in frustration. How could one elf cause so much trouble? They were all exhausted and the boys had not yet eaten dinner. She hated to agree with him, but if this really would take them to Death’s End in a matter of minutes, then they could be there in time to have dinner there. They could end this foolishness with Lyear and start the search for William.

  "Fine," Nita said. "We’ll go now. But I’m going first, and Chassy and Andrev will follow you. Don’t even think about leaving us behind."

  She looked back at Chassy and Andrev, who drew their weapons. Then she held her breath and stepped up to the carpet, hoping this was the portal. She certainly would feel foolish if she ran into it and Lyear laughed at her.

  The carpet evaporated as she put her hand up to it. Nita found herself standing in front of a mirror that apparently served as a portal, in a small but richly decorated study. The walls were hung with strange items—some kind of leather harness for no animal she had ever met, the stuffed head of a snakelike green beast, a portrait of a darkly beautiful woman brandishing a jewel-hilted rapier, and a giant ruby on a heavy gold chain. The desk was thick with bottles, scrolls and pouches.

  No time to look at this stuff now, she thought, turning toward the portal. Lyear stepped through, followed by Chassy and Andrev.

  "Now, who are you, and what are you doing coming through my portal?" A graying man in plain but well-woven robes stepped from the shadows. He was tall and broad in the shoulders, with his faded hair tied back into a ponytail. To her surprise, Nita recognized the fabric of his robes as Waet silk. "And is that the last of you to come through, or do I need to call my guards?"

  Lyear skirted Nita and went to one knee. "You must be Master Zingimir. I am Lyear, the one you are expecting. These others are imposters, trying to steal the amulet from me."

  "Now, there you’re wrong on at least two counts. I’m neither Master Zingimir nor am I expecting you."

  Nita was about to step forward and explain when Lyear leaped to his feet and pulled his dagger. Considering the robed man had just offered to call his guards, that didn’t seem a wise idea.

  "What have you done with Zingimir, and who are you? And how did you get the mirror?"

  Nita had felt intimidated by the elf on some occasions, but the robed man just looked amused. Even through the robe, Nita could tell he was heavily muscled.

  "Not that I have to answer your questions, but Zingimir is being tried for crimes against the council, and I am simply… borrowing… his mirror to see to its safekeeping. You can never tell what kind of riffraff will try to come through a portal, as you have just shown. As for who I am
—well, you may call me Xander. And you are?"

  This Xander was certainly being civil for someone whose home had been invaded. Considering the scrolls and potions on his desk, he was some kind of magic user and probably wouldn’t have a problem disabling or even killing them all if necessary.

  "We are terribly—" Three Dalatois interrupted Nita, bursting through the portal with their daggers at the ready.

  Lyear lunged at Xander as Chassy and Andrev turned to meet the newcomers. For a moment, Nita didn’t know which way to turn or what was happening. She pointed at Lyear, willing him to freeze, but her hand seemed to have no effect. Backed into a corner, Xander chanted something and made a motion with his hand; nothing happened. Lyear stabbed with his dagger, but Xander spun out of the way, the blade whistling past his robes.

  Another Dalatois came through the portal, and another. She could see Andrev struggling just to parry attacks in the close quarters, and Chassy was in a shoving match with one of the Northmen.

  Nita grabbed one of the Dalatois’ arms with her silvered hand, and he screamed and dropped his weapon. Only Lyear seemed immune. She pointed her finger and froze each of the Northmen in turn, then realized that Xander and Lyear had left the room.

  "You go after them," she told Chassy and Andrev. "I can’t seem to do anything to Lyear."

  "What about you?"

  "I’ll guard the portal, or close it if I can figure out how." She looked at the frozen bodies of the Dalatois around her. If enough came through, the bodies alone would serve as a barrier!

  34: The Amulet of Hope

  Chassy raced into the hallway trying to follow the shouts of what he assumed must be other guards or household staff. The house was a maze of short, branching corridors and tiny alcoves tucked away in the darkness, lit only by a narrow candle here and there. On any other day, he might have found the house to be wonderfully mysterious. Today, he raced around corners, listened for fighting, adjusted, turned again, listened. He couldn't tell whether the sounds were getting louder or even what direction they lay. And where was Andrev?

  Chassy turned another corner and pulled back just in time to avoid knocking over a fat little child about chest height. They stared at each other for a second, then she turned and fled toward the sounds of battle.

  "Wait!" Chassy followed, easily keeping up with her short legs. She kept running, and after a few more turns led him into a great room with a mammoth fireplace larger than the one at the Two Pumpkin Inn. Andrev, Xander and Lyear circled in the center of the room, Lyear with his back to the door. Xander staggered woozily, a nasty gash over one eye, while a determined Andrev grappled his bo left-handed, his right arm dangling uselessly and soaked in blood. Two men in leather vests were piled in the corner, one unmoving with his face a mask of blood, the other sucking his last breaths through a wound in his throat.

  They were outmatched, and here there was no William or Bruno or Yasmina to save them. It would be up to him. Chassy took a determined step forward.

  Then the child started singing, and Lyear glanced over his shoulder at them. He sneered at Chassy, while stabbing at Andrev's left arm. Andrev belatedly parried, and his bo sailed out of reach.

  The girl’s melody was lilting and fast paced, her voice hitting highs and lows that Chassy had never heard anyone sing. He felt himself side stepping in time with the music, energy and confidence surging through him as he skirted the elf to join Andrev and Xander. Xander was leaning on a chair, nearly ready to topple. Chassy was sure he could take Lyear, if he could only catch him off-guard. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Andrev pull a dagger, a look of determination on his face. He held the dagger awkwardly in his weak left hand.

  Chassy knew he must be ready to protect all of them. Bruno had always said to watch for his enemy's weakness, so he opened up his mind, using all his senses to see Lyear. The elf was breathing hard, his eyes were wild, and Chassy noticed that he favored his right leg.

  "Three on one? That’s hardly a fair fight," Lyear said.

  Chassy concentrated as Bruno had taught him, blocking out Lyear's taunts. He swung with his sword, cutting a great nick in one of the heavy tables, but entirely missing Lyear.

  "What do you want, Lyear? Why are you doing this?" Chassy asked. "You can no longer hope to sell the amulet."

  The tone of the child’s singing changed to a steady, focused chanting. Chassy swung again. He almost caught the elf's leg, but Lyear hopped out of the way. Chassy cursed himself for pulling the sword instead of his daggers. He wasn't good with either, but at least he may have had half a chance with the daggers. Lyear moved left and Chassy followed. He knew he should be pressing his advantage, but swinging wildly wasn't working. He had to think of another plan.

  "I want my gold and my command. Zingimir promised me these things in return for the amulet. I trailed around after that senile wizard for years to get it. Can you give that to me?"

  Xander wobbled forward, as if to rejoin the battle, but Lyear’s boot struck out, hitting him square in the chest. The big man had no resistance left in his maimed body; he crashed backward and simply stopped moving.

  Chassy cursed himself for letting Lyear lead. He gave another slash, using momentum to spin him back in front of Andrev. But now Lyear was at the door again, making a bad situation worse. The elf may escape again, or he could take the child prisoner—and there was nothing Chassy would be able to do about either eventuality.

  Then he saw Nita slip between the girl and Lyear. She picked up a clay vase half as tall as herself, hoisted it above her head with obvious difficulty, and staggered toward Lyear.

  Chassy prayed she wouldn't drop it. He prayed that the singing would cover up her footsteps. He prayed that the elf wouldn't notice his surprised glance. He kept his eyes steady on Lyear's face.

  "Maybe we can make a deal, help you find this Zingimir fellow," he suggested, trying to buy time.

  Lyear opened his mouth just as the vase slammed into the back of his head. He crumpled to the ground.

  Chassy raced to Andrev and lifted the dagger from his limp hand.

  The singing stopped abruptly, and the girl approached them red-faced, sweating and apparently just as exhausted as everyone else.

  "What—" Andrev started.

  "You’re just going to drop it on your foot in a minute and cut something off," Chassy ordered. "Sit down. The fight is over, and you’re in no shape to even be standing up."

  The child moved to Xander’s side, Nita to Andrev’s, but Chassy turned his attention to Lyear. Blood leaked from a crack in the back of the elf’s head, but he was still breathing. Chassy searched his body, turning up only a few coins and a dull metal ring. He tucked these into his pouch with the other items Vornole had given him. Nita raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

  "It's not on him," Chassy said quietly. "The amulet is missing."

  "How can that be?" Nita said, her voice anguished. "He fought as though he had it."

  Andrev snorted. "That elf was never one to be trusted. For all we know, he fought to make us believe he had it, while someone else was out selling it."

  A narrow coil of rope landed in front of Chassy. "You'd better tie his hands before he wakes up," the child told him.

  Clearly, this was no normal child, to be thinking almost like an adult. He took the rope and tied Lyear’s hands securely behind his back, then went to check on Xander.

  "How is your friend?" he asked.

  "He’ll be fine. Barrick and Lanther are dead, though. They’ve been with us for years. If I didn’t know Xander would want to question that elf, I’d have slit his throat already." Xander stirred a little, and the girl stroked his hair. She looked up at Nita, her round brown eyes angry and full of tears. "Did you close the portal?"

  Nita stopped fussing over Andrev. "I didn’t know how, but it finally closed on its own. But there is still a pile of frozen Dalatois stacked around it."

  "Where did those guys come from, anyway?" Chassy asked her. "Back at the camp, they were
acting like your friends."

  "I don't know, but that elvish healer, Lorthana, was always sympathetic to Lyear," Nita said. "Maybe she had some allies among the Northmen."

  Chassy had a hard time recalling any of the half-naked Dalatois specifically, he had spent so much time trying not to look at their exposed bodies. He turned to the girl, suddenly remembering his manners.

  "I'm Chassy. These are Andrev and Nita, and we're very sorry to have trespassed in your home. We had no idea where we were going when we stepped into that portal," he said. "Do you live here with Xander?"

  "I’m Xander’s cook, Jaumea Songbird of the Songbird Clan of Entertainers, but I prefer Jam," the girl said. "And don't mention it. I did worse in my adventuring days."

  Chassy noticed now that she didn’t look or sound so much like a child as a very small adult. Her ruddy face showed age lines and her hair was threaded with a few silver strands.

  "I didn’t know there were Halflings this far north," a shirtless Andrev said. Chassy was surprised to see that there were no wounds on his arms, despite all the blood on his clothes. Nita grinned and wiggled her silver fingertips.

  "Where I come from, there are smallfolk everywhere," Jam said. "Though not many of the bardish persuasion. What are you doing, following around the likes of him?"

  Chassy recapped their coming through the portal, telling as little as possible about the preceding events. "Something was preventing magic from affecting him," he concluded.

  Jam shook her head. "It was a spell of some sort. But it expired in the middle of our fight. That’s why he didn't swing at you."

  "That was your doing?" Now that he thought about it, it did seem odd that Lyear had kept his distance. He was clearly the better fighter, even with an injury.

  "Bardish music can be a powerful weapon." Jam smiled.

  "May I help your friend?" Nita asked. Jam nodded, and Nita put her hand on Xander's head. In a few seconds, the gash knit shut.