“Once mortal? What...happened?”
“The First Born humans came. Humans can tolerate the side effects of magic for a longer time than any other race. The First Borns' leaders were the Wizards of Solaris and they taught my people magic. It was new to us and we excelled in its use under their guidance. Over many years of using magic, my people slowly became tainted, twisted and changed... When we noticed, it was already too late. The magic, and the power it brought, was addictive and sent many of our leaders mad. My family was partially to blame as we ruled our people poorly at that time.”
“You’re royalty?”
“Yes, I was. I was the last prince of my people.” He stepped out of the shadow toward Finn. “Or should I say, our people.”
“What?” Finn took a step back and his legs hit the edge of the fountain. “What do you mean?”
“I was born Prince Mordan of the northern eldon realm of Everwhite.”
“You’re eldon?”
“I am, or was once. Do not be so surprised. We took pity on the First Born, these first humans, and gave them sanctuary from the evils that stalked them. In return, they taught us magic. We lived peacefully together for hundreds of years, but we eldon were changing. It might have had something to do with our longer lives...
“You too will be slowly affected every time you take a life with that sword. The more you kill, the faster its magic will change you.” The alp noticed the shock on Finn’s face. “Don’t worry, you will not wake up one evening and want to drain people of their blood.” Mordan smiled. “That will happen later.”
“What have you done to me?” Finn’s mind raced. Did the sun hurt him? Did he want to drink blood? No, he felt the same.
“Nothing you didn’t ask for. When we met, you asked for help and the sword was all I could offer at that time. You have the knowledge that all magic corrupts. Our people did not.”
“Does that mean Anna will become tainted?”
“Humans can resist the effects of magic longer than any other race. It might take decades for her to change physically, but no doubt her mind will change long before then. Remember who took her from the palace.”
“Belkavan?” All this information was too much for Finn to take in, but he wanted to know more. “How do we rescue her?”
“Does she want rescuing?” asked Mordan.
Finn was silent, playing back in his mind his last moments with Anna. She did seem to go willingly with the shadow dragon. Maybe that was the life she wanted now. Or was she protecting him? He made up his mind—he needed to ask her face-to-face.
“I will find her. I must.”
“I hoped you would choose another path.”
“How can I? I...love her.”
Mordan smirked. “Love? Go home, lover boy, and I will bring you information of her location if I can. But I can do no more to help you in this endeavour. I am powerless against Belkavan’s magic. But I will aid you if I can.”
“How?” asked Finn.
It was too late as Mordan had stepped back into the deep shadows and disappeared.
“What does all this mean?” he muttered to himself.
Mordan is an eldon...
Anna still needs me. She said she loved me.
I must find her.
Chapter 29
It was midday when Finn left Karok at Freewater’s outskirts. He was surprised that Freewater’s ale had only tempted the dwarf for a moment. That was out of character for his bearded companion.
Without a backward look, the dwarf drove the wagon away. He had half a day of light and many days of travel before he reached his home of Apgrim. The pair said their goodbyes and Karok drove the wagon around the small-walled town and headed along the northern road toward the snow-capped mountains in the distance.
Finn paused at the southern gate and breathed deeply, taking in the familiar smells. This end of town always smelt of smoke, horses and straw. Not far away, a blacksmith’s hammer beat out a steady rhythm.
Favouring his good leg, he slowly walked through the gates and the short distance to the warden’s cottage. It was good to be home finally. On the warden cottage’s porch, he turned the door handle. It was locked. That’s strange, the door is never locked. He rattled the handle again and knocked on its wooden surface.
“You there,” said a voice from the street. “State your business.”
Finn turned to see a familiar face coming toward him and sighed inwardly. Kirk and two of his friends stood in the centre of the road and as usual, the blond-haired man had a smug look.
“Kirk—”
“Before you start, eldon, things have changed around here since you’ve been gone.” Kirk deliberately adjusted his green cloak on his shoulders. It was fastened with a leaf brooch—a warden’s brooch.
“What’s going on?” asked Finn.
“Well you see, puke, it’s like this.” He tucked his thumbs into his belt, exposing a sword at his side. “Us humans are back in charge here, the way it should be. You and your brother are finished—”
“Where’s Garm?”
“Relax, puke, your brother’s safe. But you pair are no longer wardens here. We are.” Kirk indicated himself and his two grinning friends. They were obviously enjoying this.
Outwardly Finn was calm but he desired to draw the black sword. Kirk and his friends had never seen a real battle before and would scatter at the sight of bare steel. The thought amused him, but it wouldn’t solve anything. These men were cowards and only brave with superior numbers. “Who made you wardens?”
“My father. He’s the mayor now,” said Kirk. “Old Bohmer has...retired.”
“What have you done?”
“Me? You’re the one who rode out of town and left your over-grown brother in charge. That was a recipe for disaster. After the outlying farms were raided and your dopey brother couldn’t find anything...well, let’s just say the people weren’t happy. And after a bit of...persuading, the town voted my father in as mayor and he appointed us as his wardens. Sorry for being the bearer of bad news.” Kirk’s friends started laughing. They no doubt started all this trouble. “Now, get on your way, vagrant.” The three new wardens were no longer laughing and gripped their sword hilts aggressively.
Several concerned locals stopped, forming a small group and watched on with interest. The atmosphere grew tense and Finn knew that Kirk wouldn’t back down. He would have to cut these men down where they stood. Out of the corner of his eye, Finn noticed a large shape push his way through the group of onlookers.
It was Garm.
Kirk followed Finn’s eyes and turned to face the tall eldon walking up behind them. All three wardens drew their weapons. The men’s heads flicked back and forth between the two brothers. It would have been comical if the situation wasn’t so serious.
Keeping back from the three men, Garm stopped and ignoring them, spoke to his brother. “Good to see you, Finn.”
“And you, brother. What have you been up to?”
“Well, you know me.” Garm raised his long arms. He was unarmed. “Trouble is never far away.”
“It looks like we have no home again.” Finn indicated the cottage at his back.
“Yeah. Sorry about that. Let’s get a drink and I’ll explain it to you.”
Finn walked confidently toward the three men and they gave him room to move past. He kept his hand away from the black sword, they were no match for him now and they knew it. Finn stopped in front of his brother and the big eldon leant forward and hugged him. He returned the hug fiercely. For the first time in the past few weeks, Finn felt like he could finally relax. His brother had that effect on him. Garm was a giant among men and had an equally large heart.
“Come on, Finn, something stinks around here.” The two eldon brothers headed toward the tavern at the centre of town. Garm started telling Finn all the things that had happened since he left, but Finn limped along only half listening. Freewater’s familiar sights and smells brought back memories of Anna, and Finn was
lost in his own thoughts.
“Are you listening to me?”
“Of course I was.” Finn acted hurt. “You were talking about Janie Brauer.”
“I wasn’t, but now you mention her, she is a real beauty...” said Garm and Finn smiled. It was good to be with family again.
I must tell him about our father…
Freewater’s new wardens sheathed their weapons and watched the brothers’ backs as they walked away. Kirk was relieved. He sensed that something was different about Finn and he was silently happy that they didn’t have to fight the two eldon, as he wasn’t sure of the outcome. They were both dangerous and needed to be watched.
“What are we going to do about those two?” said one of the men.
“Don’t worry about them, they won’t be here long,” replied Kirk.
The three wardens turned away from the brothers and entered the cottage, closing the door.
Chapter 30
Epilogue
The view from the open window was breathtaking and after many days, Anna still wasn’t used to it. A gentle breeze tugged at her black hair as she gazed down through low hanging clouds and into a deep, snow-covered valley below. In the valley, an endless ocean of tall trees stretched out into the far distance.
The shadow dragon had brought her here during the night, and she was unsure what direction they had flown and where she actually was. Wherever she was, it felt like the top of the world.
She was not chained here and was free to move about this vast stone dwelling at will. But walking around free was not the same as freedom. Looking out this window enforced that there was no escape as any mistake climbing down the mountain would no doubt prove fatal. In all sense of the word, this was still a prison, just without bars.
The building ran back deep into the mountain side. How it was built so high up the steep slope was a mystery to her. She was the only occupant except the household staff, who were goblins, and there were a lot of them. But they weren’t her small friend Flea, as he had been killed in the throne room many days before.
Anna had wandered the long cold corridors and searched many rooms, but hadn’t met anyone else. The goblins did all the household chores and were clean, obedient and understood what she said. Not all of them spoke, only a few of the bossier ones. Maybe they were their leaders. Goblin speech was not a natural occurrence and no doubt it was a ‘gift’ from Belkavan, the Lord of Shadows and her new benefactor. Whatever his reasons were Anna didn’t know, but she was well treated—she just could leave. She shuddered to think why he wanted her—he was a god after all, or so the stories went.
Anna was startled from a day dream, her skin and senses tingling with energy. She spun away from the open window and gazed into the room. In an instant, a shadow appeared from thin air and weaved a protective skin over her, leaving just her head exposed. Her eyes became black orbs as magic pulsed through her body. The air crackled with raw energy and loose sheets of paper flew around the room.
In the bedroom’s doorway trembled three dark shapes. They were goblins and they crouched in fear, avoiding eye contact with the woman they served. Anna breathed out and slowly her eyes returned to normal as the shadow armour dissipated. The hairs on the back of her neck tingled and her skin felt alive as the after effects of the magic faded.
What happened? I can feel the strength of my magic growing...
“Missstresss, don’t kill usss,” hissed the lead goblin. It was the goblin she had named Mouse, on the account that he was the smallest of all the household goblins.
Anna moved to them and reduced her height by dropping to one knee. She felt ashamed, she didn’t mean to scare them. “I’m sorry. You startled me.”
“Sssorry, missstresss,” said the creature softly, little more than a whisper. He gazed at the floor, too scared to make eye contact with her.
“Stand...please,” she said.
Mouse glanced at her and there was fear in his eyes. The small goblin stood and a moment later the other two followed his example. They huddled close to each other and waited silently for the woman, who they were forced to serve, to speak. They refused to make any eye contact with her.
“I’m sorry I scared you,” said Anna. “What did you want?”
“Y-your dinner is ssserved, missstresss,” the goblin stuttered.
“Very good. I’ll be there soon.” The three goblins hurried out the door like rats leaving a sinking ship.
I can feel my power growing...there is magic all around me and...I feel different, stronger...
“Oh, Finn, where are you?” she said to the empty room.
Feeling as lonely as she did in Tollis’s prison, Anna left the plush bedroom and headed for the dining room. She already knew that the food would be prepared and cooked to perfection, but she would sit there at the long dining table and eat alone.
Always alone.
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The Warden and the Shadow Queen: The Warden Saga Book 3 Page 14