“Aww, why not?” she whined. “We’re low on money and I don’t want to sleep in some roach-infested inn!”
“It’s a lot better than sleeping outside in shifts, so stop complaining, you little princess.” Kaelaire kept a grip on her sister’s cloak and together they trekked away from the Job Board.
Down the path they took, there was a large inn. It’d been built long ago, long before the Job Board and when the traffic on the roads was less cluttered. The inn, called the “Cauldron” had remained steadfast for generations, and the current innkeeper, a pious man named Donaka was an important person. His house was a meeting for the sloth, the jabbermouths, and the curious among the visitors, be they sorcerer or everyman. It was also a resort for mercenaries and wanderers.
Even from the outside, the inn looked pleasant to familiar eyes. It had a front on the main street, and two wings running back on land partly cut out from the lower slopes of the hill, so that the rear of the second-floor windows were level with the ground. There was a wide arch that led to a courtyard between the two wings, and on the left, under the arch, there was a large doorway reached by a few broad paces. The door was usually open, and the light that streamed out of it welcomed travelers. This time it was closed.
Above the arch, there was a lamp, and beneath it swung a large signboard: a corpulent black pot with a plume of smoke rising from its innards. Over the door was painted in white letters: “The Black Cauldron” by Donaka Desigr. Many of the lower windows showed lights behind thick curtains.
It had grown dark, and white stars shined brighter than the Job Board. When Kaelaire and Lunesa reached the inn, they primed themselves to knock, but the door slammed open moments before they could, which caused them to jump back.
“Sisters two, I see,” the doorman, a burly sort with alcohol-stained teeth spoke out loud. “And what’s more, we’ve got another witch. As if we don’t have enough already.”
Lunesa had a strong urge to raise her fist and extend her middle finger. Kaelaire kept her sister’s hand steady.
“We don’t often see sisters traveling at night. You’ll pardon my curiosity when I ask what brings you here? You don’t look desperate enough for work, but you are looking for somethin’. What might your names be?”
Kaelaire furrowed her brow. “Our names, as well as our business is our own, good sir. This is definitely not a good place to discuss either of them,” she answered while Lunesa affixed her hands to her hips. Neither liked the look of the man or the tone of his voice.
“Your business is your own, no doubt,” said the man; “but it’s my business to ask questions after nightfall.”
Lunesa spoke up, “We’re witches from Eastford, and we wanted to sightsee around Estrella, see what all the fuss was about.” She lied quick and kept her breathing controlled. “I’m Mint, and this is Cara. Is that enough for you?”
“All right, all right!” the man barked and raised his hands to show mild submission. “I meant no offense. But you’ll find that more folk inside will ask you more questions than I.”
“And I’ll tell them the same thing,” Lunesa answered. The doorman wished them good night and said no more, but Kaelaire could feel his eyes boring through their backs. She was glad to hear the door thud behind them as they walked inside.
The man stared after the sisters for a moment, and then he walked back to his stool in front of the door. As soon as his back was turned, several spindly figures clad in black shrouds climbed quickly in over the gate and melted into the shadows of Estrella’s streets.
Inside, someone began singing a merry song, and many cheerful voices joined loudly in the chorus. The sisters listened to this encouraging sound for a moment and went searching for a bare table. The song ended and there was a burst of hearty laughter and clapping.
They came across a man in white who stood off in a corner, eyeing the merrymaking with pleased glances. When he noticed the two approach him, he bowed in respect. “Good evening, ladies. What may I do for you?”
“Beds for two,” Kaelaire requested, “and food for our bellies. Hot food, if that can be managed.”
“Are you Donaka Desigr?” Lunesa interrupted, which earned her a sharp leer from her sister.
“That is right!” The man spoke in a lively tone. “Donaka Desigr at your service! You’re from the east, eh?” he said, and then suddenly he clapped his hand to his forehead as if trying to remember something. “Of course! I thought you two looked familiar! I knew your grandmother.”
Both sisters shot the innkeeper wary glances. Kaelaire was the first to speak up: “How is this? I’m pretty sure grandma would’ve mentioned someone as...particular as you.”
Donaka led the two to an empty table near the rear, away from the merrymakers and the smell of hot cider. “When your grandmother and I met, she was on the hunt for a wand. I immediately ask why she’s searching after a wand if she’s in possession of one already. A fabulous wand crafted from Elder Wood and bathed in the fires of an adult dragon for thirty days—”
Lunesa snapped her fingers to reacquire the innkeeper’s attention. “We already know about our grandmother’s wand. Finish the story!”
“My my, testy, aren’t we?” Donaka chuckled and sighed. “I met your grandmother when I was a young man. Back then, I dedicated my life to holy pursuits, namely the eradication of evil. I was driven by a single mission: the eradication of evil. So, when I heard of the witch of Callister Space, I set out after her. Back then, I was a ...a different man.”
Lunesa raised an eyebrow. “How different?”
“Long story short, I hated you magicians. I believed without a doubt that your power was an affront to God until I met your grandmother. She...was special.”
Kaelaire looked slightly confused while Lunesa’s face scrunched up into an uncomfortable grimace. “Eww... Granny bagged a priest?” Lunesa commented while she stifled a laugh.
Donaka’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head. “Of course not!” he barked before he regained his composure. “Your grandmother was a great woman. Sweet, generous, a wicked fighter. She put herself into danger’s way to make sure every one of the town of Sasan was safe.”
“I might be asking an obvious question,” Kaelaire began, “but safe from what?”
“The greatest evil. The Dark Lady, Entrana. With the wand of Callister Space in hand, she swore she’d rain destruction down on the village but for what reason, we never knew. But their battle... Your grandmother engaged Entrana in a duel that lasted for ten whole days.”
The sisters shared a surprised glance at one another. “Granny did that?” Lunesa inquired. “Who won?”
“Your grandmother walked away from the battle. She sealed the witch away, and Sasan hailed her as a hero. Well, they’d still be singing her praises if Sasan was still standing.”
Kaelaire furrowed her brow, perplexed. “It’s gone?”
“Burned to the ground,” Donaka elaborated. “Every single inhabited charred like kindling, every piece of property reduced to dust.”
There was an uneasy quiet that settled between the trio. It was lifted when the innkeeper asked, “Will you be wanting anything to drink, ladies? And shall I show you your bedroom while your supper is prepared?”
The sisters nodded, and deep mugs of beer were set before them. In a twinkling, their table was laid: hot soup, cold meats, a blackberry tart, new loaves of bread, slabs of butter, and half a ripe cheese. Kaelaire and Lunesa had never seen so much food set before them at once. They’d never seen that much food at all.
Kaelaire was calmed from the excellence of the beer. The innkeeper hovered around for a little and then prepared to leave them. “Just give a yell if you need anything else! It’s on the house!” The sisters dined heartily, and they’ve felt a sense of content they never experienced.
The gathering in the inn was large and mixed as the sisters discovered, once their stomachs settled. They saw Donaka standing near a blazing log-fire, speaking to a couple of elves and a stra
nge-looking man. Lunesa was the first to notice him, followed by Kaelaire, and they fought not to look as if they were sizing the man up. The man was beaten by the weather and he sat in the shadows. Donaka stole glances from the sisters and turned back to the man, who did not stir as his large tankard was filled with beer.
“Who’s that?” Lunesa uttered.
“No idea. Just be ready for anything,” Kaelaire advised as she gently tapped the short sword that hugged the innards of her cloak.
Lunesa peeked over her shoulder and found the man was now looking at her as if he’d heard or guessed all they said. Without warning he skirted across the room, ignoring the looks of the other patrons, and took the seat in between the sisters. He threw back his hood, showing a head of hair that jutted out like thorns. His pale stern face held a pair of keen grey eyes.
“I do not have a name. If you must call me something, call me Nameless.” The sisters felt far from comfortable under Nameless’ keen eyes. “If I were you, I’d be careful who you’d regale yourselves to.”
Kaelaire returned his gaze but said nothing; Nameless made no further motions. His attention seemed suddenly affixed on Lunesa, who fought not to look nervous at the man’s piercing glare. Kaelaire fidgeted, and she wondered what to do. Could she sling her sword fast enough to catch this man off guard if he tried anything?
Kaelaire suddenly felt very foolish, but she still ran her finger along the sheath of the blade by her leg. She felt the coarse leather around the hilt, and if she drew it, at least the tension would die already. Nameless remained unmoved and gave no sign to his thoughts.
“The granddaughters of Melaine Magdalene. She has chosen you...” Nameless suddenly said.
“I don’t know what you mean,” the sisters said at alternating times, and both sounded annoyed and alarmed. They shot each other uneasy looks.
“Oh, it’ll be more evident once you hear the clacking of femurs like a horrid keening. If you would, sisters, I’d like to have a quiet word with you.
Kaelaire stepped up to ask, “What about?” She ignored his sudden urgency.
“A matter of importance. How you’re the only ones who believe that something is wrong.” Nameless paused, his eyes darted to and fro, and he leaned closer. “You’re the only ones who believe this world could end. Deep down, you both see her in your dreams.”
Kaelaire grew silent and Lunesa felt a lump in her throat. Nameless knew, but what made it worse what they kept the secret from each other. The gazes were shared once more, but a hint of anger grew behind Kaelaire’s eyes.
“Our mother,” Lunesa spoke. “But, what about her?”
“She’s connected to the wand, connected just as much as your grandmother is. They both died without resolution, and now their spirits wander, stuck in purgatory. It is said that a loved one can connect to the spirits of the departed during times of duress, but the Dark Lady has been there all this time, watching and waiting.”
“The Witch... is watching us?” Kaelaire inquired. She couldn’t hide the quivering in her voice. “Just who the hell are you?”
“She was once my master, and I shamefully did her bidding. The wand... is not of this world. If it remains, the fabric of the world will be torn to shreds. To placate the wand, the witch searches for magicians with great talent... and it seems she’s made her new choice.” Nameless turned his unwavering glare back to Lunesa, who felt a dreaded cold caress her spine.
Kaelaire grabbed Nameless’ arm. “You mentioned our mother – did the witch target her as well?”
“She did. Your mother Agatha was a fighter; she refused to be taken. She too fell to the dark magic of the wand. Entrana robbed your mother of her resolution.”
The air chilled, and everyone could feel it in their bones. A deep seething reached the ears of those present, and even the toughest man or dwarf there felt unnerved.
“The bone riders are coming...” one man uttered, his voice quaking like a frightened child. “The bone riders are coming...”
The sisters hesitated not; they bolted from their chairs and hurried themselves up the short flight of stairs. A door was cracked open and Kaelaire slammed it with her shoulder while Lunesa dove inside. Kaelaire shut the door and deadbolted it, her heart thumping harder than an army drum.
There was no light in the room. It was as if the chill engulfed the heat and fire. They looked out of the fogged windows and it was the same across Estrella. Even the job board, the brightest light in the city, was dead.
“Every single light—YOW!” Kaelaire nearly jumped from her trousers. Lunesa turned to see what spooked her and she snapped her fingers to spark a blaze – Nameless had come with them; he calmly stood at their rears, his eyes bone white.
A raspy voice replaced Nameless’ cautionary tone: “She has chosen you... and the Riders of Bone will escort you!” His hand jutted out faster than a viper’s strike and clenched Lunesa’s throat. She felt her strength fail until a quick whip of steel freed her, along with Nameless’ arm.
He howled like a banshee as blood spurted all over the windows and wall. Lunesa struggled to release the grip and once she succeeded, Nameless was in the air in a pounce. Kaelaire brought her short sword up in a desperate cleave and split him at the waistline. Lunesa was splattered with his blood.
“Come on before we end up like him!” Kaelaire reached and grabbed her sister’s arm, who was still struggling with her shock. She wouldn’t believe that she’d be the one in danger, magic or not.
Lunesa took a quick glance at Kaelaire’s sword – immediately she recognized the pommel of the hilt and a small insignia at the base of the blade. “You kept it. Father’s sword.”
“It’s backup and nothing more. Now let’s get going.” The sisters made a beeline for the door, only for it to be knocked down. They fell with the debris, and what stood before them were shambling, lumbering masses of cloth and bone, each vaguely resembling a human shape.
Lunesa conjured another plume of flame and flung it wildly. It spread across the cloaked figures, incinerating their garb in seconds and leaving the sinew-laden horrors underneath for all the world to see. This time the witch tossed a fireball at the window and blew it away, and the sisters propelled themselves from the newfound exit.
They crashed roughly into a carriage that passed by and laid still. It stopped briefly as the driver looked to his rear for any sign of movement. He saw only the black of night and hay in his cart. Lunesa’s breaths quivered as she fought to calm herself while Kaelaire peeked from the hay and checked their path.
Nothing there. Nothing they could see.
“Those were the Bone Riders, weren’t they?” Lunesa asked in a low voice.
“You read the most about the wand; you tell me!” Kaelaire fought to contain her anger and volume, but her sister got the point.
“They can use other people as spies since they can’t see like us. It’s easier for them to travel at night, from what I read.”
Suddenly a coarse hand gripped Kaelaire’s ankle and flung her upwards without effort. She yelled, prompting the carriage driver to stop as she caught onto a balcony overhead. The man looked back, only to see a bony hand jut through his skull. The horse cried and kicked, and it was struck in the side with enough force to careen it down the path. Its body crashed through the wall of a house near the hillside.
Lunesa jumped from the hay and leaped with magic over the Bone Riders. Kaelaire dropped herself and brought her blade down in a mighty cleave; she split a rider from head to legs and liberated the arm from another who tried to punch her.
Another shoved themselves roughly into Kaelaire, and it would’ve been enough to end her life, had Lunesa not put up a shield just in time. Kaelaire’s head smacked against the shield and her world went dark; she struggled to stand, but her legs were less than useless as a newborn babe. Lunesa’s screams and cries for help bled away, a muffled call in the blackened sea of her mind.
When Kaelaire finally came to, she felt warmth and caught the famil
iar scent of the inn. Donaka sat beside her, cleaning the bruise on her cheek. He looked as if he was tending to his own child.
Her voice weary, she spoke, “It’s you... Where’s...”
“They took her,” Donaka answered without a second thought. “Your sister is lost to us.”
Kaelaire couldn’t resist or protest. Her body ached and felt numb. Within moments the darkness overwhelmed her, and consciousness took its leave.
/—-/
She found herself falling, falling until her bottom hit the ground but bore no pain. Kaelaire looked around; she was in a field where the sun sank behind a wide span of mountains, and shadows deepened in a nearby thicket of woods. Dusk had gathered when she finally decided to stand, and Kaelaire trekked until she came to a small hill in the thicket.
As she climbed slowly up, Kaelaire passed many lights, small blinking lights that swirled around in circles. At a great height above the ground, she came to a house so large that it would have served for a grand hall of kings or celebrated heroes. Once entered, she found it was a chamber of oval shape, and in the midst grew a great trunk of a tree. The chamber was filled with soft light, and many seats were positioned all around, all empty.
Her eyes went wide. On the two seats before her, placed side by side was her mother and grandmother. They stood to greet their guest, clad wholly in white, but no sign of age was upon them, lest it was in the depth of their eyes. They saw as keen as sprites in the starlight, their wells of memory deep and profound.
“Your plight is so evil, daughter,” Agatha spoke, the voice calming and soothing as a gentle breeze. “You come in the trouble of your heart, you feel as lost as a child.”
“I feel like a child,” Kaelaire answered. “I went without magic and instead I focused on the sword and my mind. But still, Lunesa was taken. Our family’s old enemy, the witch Entrana has returned.”
Agatha and Melaine looked at one another. The name still filled them with dread from beyond the grave.
“My old friend turned foe Entrana has an unbridled lust for power. That lust will overtake the world if she takes Lunesa’s power. She will come for you too; magic or not, you still have power in your blood.” Melaine walked towards her granddaughter and placed her hand on her shoulder. The light touch made Kaelaire sigh deeply.
The Magical Book of Wands Page 30