The Silver Arrow

by Larry Itejere

  Iseac broke out in a cold sweat, realizing his leg was tangled by some vines. He focused on getting his foot free while trying to ignore the chirping sound that was getting close.

  With shaking nerves, Iseac hurriedly untangled his leg, but the Rhanagos were already on him. They dove straight for him like bees to their hive as he waved his hand in the air, creating a shield of wind. Like drops of rain, they hit it, claws and teeth exposed as they tried to claw their way to him.

  Iseac hurried out into the open field and, while still trying to catch his breath, looked back more than once to make sure none came through. He moved away from their eerie chirping as he could hear their beating wings around the edge of daylight.

  A gentle breeze brushed over the open field of rich green grass higher than Iseac’s knee, which was illuminated by the morning sun. He walked along the grassy plain with his path closing behind him until he got to a point where there was a steep drop. That was when he realized where he was−on a mountain overlooking the city of Bayshia, which he recognized immediately by the great wall.

  Like an eagle, Iseac’s vision became sharper, as if the city was drawn close to him. He could see faces clearly as one standing next to another. When he looked around, he found himself in the midst of the people. As he moved through the crowd, he caught a flicker of light at the corner of his eye. It was bright enough even in daytime to get his attention, and it didn’t go away. No one else appeared to have noticed. The glow was like a candle in the middle of a dark room, and he was close to it. Curious, Iseac made his way to the general area as faces flowed past him like the wind. He stopped at the corner of one of the buildings and peeked.

  Standing in the alleyway, covered by a silver aura, was a young man with a bow in one hand. The impression of the aura around the young man sent flashes of Iseac’s dream to his mind. He pulled his head back and leaned against the wall in disbelief. After a second, he took another peek, but this time with a little more caution. Another person stood next to the one with the bow and arrow; this person seemed to illuminate the first. Iseac somehow knew that the second individual whose hands were glowing through his gloves was just as powerful. He couldn’t see the face of the second person, as his back was toward him, nor could he hear their conversation, even though he could tell that they were talking.

  He needed to get closer to hear what they were saying, but even more than that, he wanted to find out who the second person was. He looked around and spotted a building that was closer. “Perfect,” he thought. It would provide the cover he needed. Iseac quietly withdrew from his hiding place. When he thought he was far away and would not be heard, he started running to the new location. Halfway to the next building, everything around him suddenly started pulling away. The harder he ran, the stronger the force became, until he was pulled into the air. Desperate, Iseac tried to grab unto anything he could find, but there was nothing. He turned midair, facing a ball of light as he was pulled higher and faster into the sky.

  Everything became a blur, and he closed his eyes.

  **********************

  Squinting, Iseac opened his eyes as his bleary vision slowly came to focus. Looking down on him, shaded by the light behind her, was a woman he couldn’t clearly see.

  “How do you feel?” she asked in the gentle tone used by caregivers to a patient. She moved to his side and propped the pillow behind him.

  “Fine,” Iseac replied, his voice hoarse. His throat was dry and it tingled as he moistened it.

  With his head propped up, Iseac turned to get a better look at the woman as she moved from the side of his bed to the corner of the room, but her back was turned away from him.

  She began fixing something he could not see, but he could hear the clacking sound of spoon against metal with steam forming around whatever she was preparing.

  Since he couldn’t see her face, Iseac took the opportunity to look around his room. He thought the place looked familiar as he returned his gaze to the woman who was now making her way back to him. He recognized her even though she had changed from the young girl he once remembered.

  ‘Gina?’ he was about to say when someone else walked into the room, drawing his attention. The look on his face lit up in surprise.

  “Elena,” he said with a broad smile as she ran over and hugged him. It felt good holding her in his arms again. Her presence seemed to ease all his pain as he smiled back at her.

  Iseac tried to sit up straight, not thinking of what he was doing. His body quickly reminded him that it was a bad idea as a jolt of pain ran through his side; he ignored it, clenching his teeth.

  Gina, who was almost pushed out of the way, grunted under her breath twice to get their attention, and after another second of being ignored, she spoke up.

  “Sorry to bother both of you, but I was told to ensure that he eat something as soon as he was up.” Elena released her grip on Iseac and turned to look at Gina.

  “I’ll take that,” she said as she reached out for the tray, which Gina gladly handed over.

  “I’ll make sure he eats everything and return it to you once he’s done.”

  “Then I will leave you two alone,” she said to Elena as she excused herself and left the room.

  Iseac stared at her, amazed by how much she had changed. Her youthful mannerisms were still there, but inside was a now beautiful woman. Her hair was pulled back from her face, held in place by a yellow ribbon.

  The last thing he remembered was fighting Agoras at the outskirts of Bremah and some creatures that took on human form. He was supposed to be dead, so how did he end up in his hometown of Tru’tia? As other thoughts ran through his head, he asked, “How long have I been here?”

  “Five days,” she replied in her so-familiar voice that felt melodious to him.

  “For a while, Berta wasn’t sure you would make it. Your fever took longer to break than Berta had thought.” Elena didn’t mention she had been coming every day to check on him since arriving at Berta’s.

  “You were found lying on Durack, with his reins tied to the horse of an Ackalan.” There was a hint of another discussion to come.

  “Mosley was badly injured, but he’s well. The first thing he asked about when he gained consciousness was how you were doing. When he was told you were being taken care of next door, he got out of his bed and walked over to check on you, ignoring the protest of Berta and her maids, who were in the middle of removing the arrow in his shoulder. Your safety meant more to him than his own life, it appears.

  “At your side, he asked several questions on your condition; when he was satisfied there was nothing else that could be done, he walked back to his room with blood dripping on the floor.”

  Iseac listened while sipping his soup. The first bite stung, as his mouth felt raw, and the sensation was no different as it slid down his throat. Like quicksand, it seeped into his bones, leaving him feeling warm inside. He continued eating, not saying a word, listening, until she mentioned a stranger who came looking for him the same night.

  “I was told a group of armed men stopped at the Two Arrows Tavern, and another group came here. They were looking for two dangerous men who were badly injured and asked if they could look around. The one who led this group here spoke with the authority of a man who expected to be obeyed, even though he saluted Gina. This man she said had the accent of a northerner and the mannerism of a high Lord. Gina knew that regardless of what she said, they were going to look around. The only thing she could do was make them feel that while they were welcome to look around, it would a waste of their time.

  ‘We’ve not had any new visitors as of late, but you are welcome to look around if you wish,’ she told them.

  “Even though the man she was talking to was civil, the one standing behind him had his eyes fixed on her. This man that stood behind his commander had no warmth in his expression as he stared fixedly at Gina with his deep green eyes while stroking the hilt of his sword, as if searching for a reason to use it. When their comma
nder gave the signal to search the rooms, the men split into two groups. “The green-eyed man walked up the stairs, his hand firm on the hilt of his sword as he peered through the curtain on the first room, which was empty. The man cautiously walked toward the next room. He pulled the curtain open, and a young man, Dan, with his father, turned to see who it was that had entered their room. The man at the door stared at them for a minute and then turned around and left. As he withdrew from the room, a call came from downstairs. It must have been urgent, because he immediately ran back down to join the others and they left. What happened next was strange; Gina said the ground shook for a brief second after they left.”

  It was obvious they came for him and Mosley. “But not here,” Iseac said to himself. This was not supposed to happen−people tracking him down to his family.

  “So what would dangerous men like those want with you?”

  Iseac looked at her for minute, gathering his thoughts. “I don’t know, but I have a feeling they might be back,” he said, not expanding further.

  Not satisfied with his answer, Elena was about to press him for an explanation when Mosley walked into the room.

  They both turned to face him. Elena’s face was a mixture of concern and frustration, which she quickly changed, not wanting to appear impolite.

  “I will leave you two alone,” she said rising from her seat and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Iseac knew it wasn’t over; she would be returning with more questions, but at least this would give him some time to prepare.

  Elena was sometimes headstrong, and this was going to be one of those occasions.

  As she walked past Mosley, she bowed her head, greeting him in their native tongue, and he replied in the same manner. Iseac spoke up as soon as she left the room.

  “We leave for Bayshia in two days; will you be ready?”

  And while most people would have been taken aback by Iseac’s words, Mosley appeared unperturbed. “You look like a beat-up rug; I’m not sure you are ready yet for the road,” Mosley replied.

  “I look worse than I feel. A good wash and some real food and I’ll be good to go.”

  Iseac was loosening the band around his head as he was speaking. His body felt stiff and his side still hurt as he moved his hand around his head.

  “What about your father and mother?” Mosley asked “They’ve been here, worried about you, since you arrived.”

  “I know,” Iseac said solemnly. He knew how hard it must have been for them to see him this way. “I plan to let them know that it’s all right.”

  He knew it was not safe for him to remain here for his family’s sake, but more importantly, he needed to get to Bayshia fast. He had seen the face of the first. While there were lots of inns and taverns in Bayshia, all he had to do was find the building where he took cover and start from there. Hopefully, he would be able to sense his presence when they got close enough.

  Chapter 11

  Why They Ponder

  Elye was among the crowd exiting the show when he spotted Samuel sitting on the ground with his back toward him.

  “What happened to you?” he asked, walking over to stand next to Samuel. “I told you I wasn’t going to wait, but I waited. I was one of the last ones to go in.”

  “I was held up helping someone,” Samuel said, turning to look up at Elye.

  “For almost an hour?” Elye asked suspiciously, a smile creeping onto his face. “She must have been very pretty, then, for you to have lost track of time.”

  “No, it wasn’t a girl,” Samuel said, getting to his feet.

  He reached out and grabbed Elye by the head, locking it under his left arm. With his right, he began ruffling Elye’s hair as he tried to pull his head free. They both started laughing, with Elye tickling Samuel’s side, and he let go.

  After a few minutes of playing around, Elye reminded Samuel, “We better get going, then, before you miss your competition.”

  “Not this time,” Samuel said with little interest in his voice.

  “What?” Elye looked at him, perplexed. “You have been practicing for this competition for the last two years, and I know you are far better than you were before.”

  “Maybe…” Samuel replied. “But something more important came up.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It doesn’t really matter now,” Samuel said, not wanting to discuss it any further.

  “Are you sure?” Elye asked again.

  “Yes…” Samuel replied with no irritation in his voice. The competition no longer seemed so important.

  “Well, if we aren’t going to the Ramthon Flight, then let’s explore the rest of the city before nightfall. We can start with the Homrie-Ale, the finest drinking house in the four Kingdoms. I heard someone inside during the show talking about three new flavors.”

  “That is fine,” Samuel said, “after we visit the Porters Shack. It’s on the way.”

  “Fine,” Elye replied. “Let’s go.” They headed for the shack.

  It was around dusk, with most of the shops closed or closing for the day, when Samuel and Elye arrived at the Stone Hog Inn. A wave of lively chatter filled the room with music, and laughter blazed through the door as they walked in.

  The place was crowded, with visitors talking and drinking as serving girls moved about with drinks. Quite a few people were standing because there were no vacant seats.

  “Elye,” a familiar voice called from within the crowd.

  They both heard it and turned in the same direction, searching as people moved about.

  Samuel spotted Faray standing and waving one hand over his head. He was at the corner of the room, trying to get their attention.

  “Follow me,” Samuel said, tapping Elye on the shoulder. They made their way to a corner of the room.

  “I was wondering when both of you were going to show up,” Faray said. “I was just going to give up fighting people off for these chairs. Sit!”

  “Where is Father?” Elye asked.

  “What?” Faray replied, the noise muting the question.

  “Where is Father?” Elye asked again, raising his voice.

  “Oh, Father, he’s getting things ready for the ride home tomorrow. So, how did it go?” Faray asked Samuel.

  “He did not compete,” Elye answered before Samuel could respond. Samuel glared disapprovingly at him before turning to face his older brother. “Something more important came up.”

  “What? What could have been so important?” Faray asked, his expression almost mirroring Elye’s when he heard the same thing, and just like Elye, he knew Samuel had been working hard in preparation for the competition.

  “Nothing that I can explain right now, and besides, it doesn’t really matter.” It was obvious Samuel didn’t want to talk about it.

  “What about you?” he asked, trying to change the conversation. “How did things go in town?”

  Faray spent several minutes talking about the mundane things he did throughout the day, but he had an edge of excitement in his voice. That was something Samuel had noticed since arriving. Faray was in an especially good mood, as if he were hiding or holding something back. It was good news, but what?

  “Did he do it?” Samuel wondered as Faray told them of his day.

  When he was done speaking, Faray said, wanting it to appear almost as an afterthought, “Oh, and I did it.”

  “Did what?” Samuel asked, even though he could only think of one thing that could make Faray so elated.

  “What I said I was going to do when I saw Klair again,” Faray replied.

  “So, what happened?” Elye asked.

  “She was at the side alleyway by the shop, restacking some crates when I saw her,” Faray said as he explained what happened.

  He had nodded as he said hello to Klair, drawing her attention.

  “Oh hello, Faray,” she had replied with a smile, turning to look at him briefly. “Father is inside.”

  “I know. I’m actually here to see you.”

 
“Well, then, I could use some help moving the bottles in the three crates right here,” she said, pointing to the crate she had stacked. Faray grabbed one of the crates and was glad for the distraction. It kept his heart from pounding while he gathered his thoughts, which seem to have evaded him after all the time he’d spent planning what to say.

  “How is your family?” Klair asked.

  “They are doing well,” Faray replied, “and how is business?”

  “Still busy, as usual; Father had to hire more hands in preparation for the crowds that were coming, so he had to cut down on his travel to oversee things here. But tonight we’re getting things ready for Lord Alum’s party,” Klair said as they continued working.

  “Come on. Think. Say something,” Faray said to himself. “You can best most men your age in a duel, so why are you so worried and tongue-tied with her? You will not hear the end of this from Elye…now say something.” He braced himself for whatever was to happen and opened his mouth.

  “Klair,” he said, placing one of his hands over hers to stop her for a minute. She looked up at him expectantly, and everything around him seemed to stop. “She is so beautiful,” he thought as he spoke. “I want to be the person that makes you smile the way you did a minute ago,” he said, looking into her eyes.

  Those words made her smile again as she tried to stop herself, seeing that he was looking at her. She blushed and looked down, pushing a strand of hair back in place. She knew exactly what he meant.