by J. B. Jenn
Hartland:
Book 1
Servants of the Old Gods
By
J.B. Jenn
Text Copyright © 2017 J.B. Jenn
All Rights Reserved
This is a work of fiction and a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Front Cover Image:
Found:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/486811040943548476/
This is dedicated to my loving husband who has always believed in me when others haven’t. He’s the one who has kept me going, even when I’ve doubted myself.
Thank you for believing in me and making sure I believed in myself.
The presence of the Old Gods has faded. The Servants of these Old Gods continue to protect what They care for most: the people.
They protect them from things they don’t understand. Things which have long since been forgotten. Things few people believe in. Despite the betrayal of Their people, the Old Gods remain the guardians of mankind.
Mercea
Rubbing the sides of her head, Mercea released a frustrated groan. She stared at the woman the Gods had sent her to. The middle-aged woman sat on a plain wooden chair and rocked it back and forth between two legs. The timed clacking of the legs against the wooden floor did nothing to temper her mood.
Mercea narrowed her golden eyes as she studied the woman. She wondered if her next attempt would waste her time, too. Sighing, she leaned forward in her chair.
“Since you haven’t cooperated as of yet, I’m not asking this time. Tell me what you know.”
The woman stopped rocking. She placed her wrinkled hands on the worn table between them. Her stony face deepened the wrinkles around her gray eyes and tight mouth. Shadows from the oil lamp to their left danced around them.
“My answer is the same. There’s nothing I wish to tell you.”
Mercea sucked in a sharp breath and sighed it out. She flexed her hands at her side. “Please, just tell me what I need to know. They sent me here to protect you. Believe me, I’m trying to, but I must know what to protect you from.”
The woman remained silent. Mercea took in another deep breath. Patience wasn’t one of her strengths. Even after all these years, it wasn’t. As Mercea stood across from her, she watched the woman trace the woodgrains around a knot.
“Please,” she tried again.
The woman shifted. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what you want of me.”
“I’ve told you what I want.”
The Seeress’s gray eyes flickered across the shop. They landed on the two men who had entered after Mercea had. Mercea glanced at them, knowing there was a third man with them. At the moment, he was nowhere in sight, but she could feel him. She could feel his magic.
“Just leave me alone. There’s nothing you or the Old Gods can do. Things have moved beyond your control. You can’t stop any of this. You’re too late. Your destiny is already locked in place.”
Mercea rose, knocking back her chair in the process. She ignored it as it fell to its side, clattering against the worn floor. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted the two men had moved forward. It looked as if they’d thought about coming toward her and then changed their minds. When she turned to them, they busied themselves with the oddities the shop had to offer. One of them fiddled with the dried herbs hanging in bunches from the ceiling rafters. The herbs gave the small shop a strange smell. The other picked up a few misshapen bowls off one of the shelves and then placed them back down.
Since she had arrived at the quaint shop sitting on the edge of Lake Jejdin, uneasiness was one of many things she felt. The moment she had stepped from the trees lining the southern shore, her sword had started vibrating. It was alerting her to the presence of dangerous entities. Even now, the sword had a soft vibration to it.
Mercea leaned across the table, snorting. The woman didn’t move. She sat there, staring at her. It was almost as if she was evaluating her. Mercea hesitated. Nothing of this made sense. The Gods should have told her why she was needed here. They had always done so before. Their lack of communication was one of many disconcerting feelings she had. She had no idea why They had sent her here, away from the place where she watched her family.
Mercea returned her gaze to the woman. “Listen to me when I say one way or another, you’ll tell me what I came for. You’ll explain to me why you say my destiny is set. The first thing to do is have you leave with me. The area isn’t safe, but I think you know that.”
The woman’s gray eyes darted to the two men inside again. Mercea refused to look away from the woman. She studied her, trying to understand her peculiar behavior. Trying to ascertain what was going to happen.
“Don’t worry about them,” she said, deciding to go on faith. “I can take care of them. It’s important you leave with me. For your safety.”
“Please,” the woman whispered, “don’t make this more difficult than it has to be.”
Glancing toward the two men, she wondered if it was their fault the woman wasn’t cooperating. But, she couldn’t dismiss the fact there was something odd about the Seeress. Most of them were a little odd, but never disobliging. Having the gift of sight was a gift from the Gods. All the Seers she had met over the centuries knew it and welcomed the Servants. This one, was nonchalant, at best.
“I know you know what’s endangering Hartland,” Mercea continued, hoping for something. “They wouldn’t have sent me here if you didn’t. Besides, I can see it in your eyes you know something. Just tell me. It doesn’t make sense why you’re fighting me.”
The woman rose, wringing her hands. She shook her head and backed away. “I warned you.” She vanished into a back room.
Mercea started to go after her, but the sound of the door locking in place stopped her. She knew she could knock down the door and force the woman to come with her. She thought about it for a moment before turning away. The woman wasn’t worth her time. At least, not until she dealt with the enemy here. Maybe then the Seeress would tell her something.
The two men were staring at her. Flaring her nostrils with a snort, she knew she would have to deal with them, but not here. She needed more room. If she engaged them here, she’d destroy most of the woman’s belongings. It was tempting.
Passing under the dried herbs hanging from the wooden beams of the ceiling, she batted a few of them. As she did so, she caught sight of the third man standing behind some shelves. There was something different about him, as if he didn’t belong with the others. It was in his eyes. His gaze seemed to plead with her. Whatever the reason, he wasn’t what she needed. Not with what was out there, waiting for her.
Looking back, through the dried herbs and past mirrors with archaic writing around the edges, she wondered if she should go after the woman. It was too dangerous for her to stay here. The Gods had informed her this Seeress was important in things to come. More importantly, she was convinced the woman knew more of what was happening than she should. No Seeress knew so much. It was part of the gift. The things they saw were hazy at best.
She made the wooden walkway bounce in the water with every annoyed step she took. Halfway down it, she stopped. The small hairs on her arms stood on end, and the back of her neck tingled.
The door to the shop opened, banging against the side of the building. Two men stepped out, but they weren’t the ones she was worried about. As Mercea looked back toward the shop, a muscular man pulled himself out of the water between her and the structure. Another two emerged from the water behind her.
Mercea continued to the lake’s bank, rushing past the two men still pulling themselves onto th
e walkway. Someone grabbed her ankles and pulled her legs out from under her. She caught herself with her hands. The man who had surfaced from the lake continued to pull her toward him. His fingers dug into her flesh but she held onto the wooden planks, resisting him and kicking.
One of her legs broke free from the tight grasp. The bottom of her black boot smashed into his face. A sickening crunch sounded, but the man persisted. Just as she was about to kick him again, another man surfaced from the water in front of her. His massive hands wrapped around the base of her neck and pulled her down. These two were the ones making her sword vibrate.
She struggled against them, trying to reach her dagger at her hip. If she didn’t drown first, the five men on the walkway would kill her. She managed to get her head above the water and sucked in a deep breath. Mercea kicked the man behind her again. He groaned but because of what he was, he didn’t release her.
The man in front of her pulled her head under again. She struggled and struggled against him. Pressure built inside of her chest. Blackness started to claim her, weakening her.
Arem
The trees rustled around him from the gentle breeze blowing off the lake. The thick cloak around him helped keep him from shuddering at the chilliness of it. From where he stood, he watched Mercea enter the small building along the water’s edge. He knew her only from the descriptions he’d read about her.
As he stepped from the trees, heading toward the rocky shoreline, two men entered the building behind her. Arem hurried down the walkway knowing there were others here waiting for her. After all, he had come here with them, carrying the same orders they did. Because of this, he knew his plan was flawed, but it was the only thing he had. Hopefully, she’d know.
Stepping inside, warmth rushed at him, flushing his face. The Servant was already questioning the Seeress. The two men who had followed her inside had remained close to the door. Their arms were folded over their muscled chests. They glanced toward him. He nodded before taking his place behind one of many shelves. The shelves were filled with an assortment of small bones. Arem picked one up wondering what they were used for before putting it back down.
Mercea started for the door. Irritation sat in her eyes. As she was passing him, she hesitated for a moment. Their eyes locked and she shook her head at him. Arem frowned after her, wondering what it had meant.
The two men who had followed her in looked toward Arem before following the Servant out. Arem took in a deep breath as he stepped outside. This was where it all began. Fire sprang to his hands.
Mercea
The pain filled screams above were distorted through the water. Some of the pressure holding her under the lake vanished. One of her arms came free. She jabbed the man hold her head under water in the throat. He released her, sucking in water. He surfaced, choking.
Her head came above the water line and she gasped for air. Strands of golden hair stuck to her narrow face. She did a quick survey of the area.
Three burnt corpses lay on the wooden pathway. As the man she had jabbed in the throat started pulling himself up onto the walkway, Mercea thrust out. Her fist caught his groin, making him squeal and sink back into the water.
She gained her feet to deal with the others. There were four in total. The two from the shop, a large man standing over six and a half feet, and the man who had pulled her legs out from under her.
The tall man unsheathed a curved sword. The blade glowed a wicked orange in the wytch’s fire that lit up the entire walkway. Even the water lapping over the wooden planks couldn’t extinguish the magical fire. The man charged her. There was nowhere to go. There was water to her right and rocks to her left. Mercea remained where she was, waiting.
Diving to the side at the last possible moment, she landed in the cold water of the lake. Her feet touched the bottom and she kicked up. She broke the surface in time to see the man stumble over one of the charred bodies in an attempt to turnabout.
As he attempted to right himself, the walkway surged with the movement from the water. His head hit one of the large rocks lining the lake’s bank. He lay still among them.
Mercea looked for the man who had slid back into the water. He was making his way back onto the walkway. She grabbed one of her daggers and flung it, watching the blade sink to the hilt in the back of his head. He slid under the surface.
One of the men from the shop had taken a crossbow from his back and was aiming it at her. Mercea didn’t see any other option than taking her chances under the water. Sucking in a deep breath, she dove under again. It was getting dark as the sun sunk below the horizon in brilliant oranges and pinks. The approaching night sky made the water seem murky.
One of the bolts found her shoulder, sending up a cloud of blood. The man’s triumphant shout was garbled through the water, but seemed short lived. When she resurfaced, the man was dead, lying across the walkway. His face bounced in the water. A curved dagger sat in his spine.
Her golden eyes scanned the area for the wytch and found him standing near the shop. She met his brown eyes for a moment, wondering if she’d have to fight him, too. At the moment, he seemed to be on her side.
As she made her way toward the walkway, the wytch killed the man who had pulled her legs out from under her. As his agonized screams ended it sent the area into an eerie silence.
Water dripped from her as she stood on the walkway again. Her attention moved to the man sprawled along the rocks of the shore. He was attempting to pick himself up, but was making a poor job of it. When he saw her coming, his struggle to get off the rocky shore increased.
Mercea made certain he never made it. He took a hard kick in the stomach, sending him flying backwards. As he hit the rocks again, one of the sharp edges cut into his side. He let off a moan. She stepped on his chest, glaring down at him, hating his kind. His very presence insulted her.
With a precision earned from killing far too many, she placed one of her daggers against his throat. There was just enough pressure for a trickle of blood to run down the side of his neck. His breathing slowed as he stared at her wide-eyed, waiting for her to finish him.
“Listen to me carefully, demon, you’ll tell me who you work for, or your death will be the last one you ever experience. I’ll make certain you can never come back. Do we have an understanding?” The man nodded though his eyes were focused on the small shop and not on her. Mercea frowned, pressing the dagger against his throat a little firmer.
“I understand! I understand!”
“Why are you here? Why come after the Seeress?”
The man didn’t respond. He blinked once and his eyes went lifeless. She checked for a pulse and then scanned the area. The subtle magic was hard to detect with all the magic in the air and the demons, but it was there. It was different from the man who had helped her. This magic was powerful and almost undetectable. Once again, she scanned her surroundings.
“I know who they work for,” a smooth, male voice said from behind her. “You don’t need him to tell you that.”
“How do you know who they work for?”
“They believe I work for them.”
Her movements were swift. She unsheathed her dagger and swung, stopping inches from his face. Oddly, he didn’t flinch, though she saw fear in his eyes.
“Leave while you can, wytch. I generally don’t allow your kind to live, but it seems you saved my life, so I’ll do the same in return. Wytches are a nuisance to Hartland. They are an abomination. Wytches shouldn’t plague Hartland. You were allowed to live by one vote.”
When he met her eyes, she saw deep sorrow. “You aren’t exactly my choice for a Servant either, but I understand why They chose you for this. You’ve dealt with their kind before. Hartland needs you more than you know. This is just the beginning of it. Let me show you the rest.”
She studied him for a moment before shaking her head. “I don’t need your help.” The determination she saw in him made her wonder what he’d seen. It made her wonder what was driving him to betra
y his own people “Who do these men work for?”
“King Barend and Queen De’Nae.” He extended his hand toward her. “Arem Dale.”
Mercea glanced at his hand, but made no move to shake it. “I don’t care what your name is, what you do, or anything else you wish to tell me. All I care about is who these men work for and why they want me and that woman dead.”
Arem looked toward the sky. “Why did it have to be her?”
Mercea snorted at him, folding her arms across her chest. “If you know something, tell me.”
“They don’t want you dead. Our orders were to capture you alive. Why? I have no idea, but knowing King Barend and Queen De’Nae, it isn’t good. Also, I should tell you Queen De’Nae is somewhere close. She came here with us. She, too, is a wytch.”
She ignored him and walked toward the shop, stepping over the dead men lying across the walkway. He followed her. Just as the door started to close behind her, he opened it and stepped into the odd shop.
The older woman was sitting behind the counter with her arms crossed. Mercea met her gray eyes. There was something odd about the woman. Something familiar. For a moment, Mercea wondered if she had killed the demon before he could answer any questions. There was something about her she couldn’t trust. There was little magic about her to suggest she was a Seeress, but there was magic about her.
“Why did those men want you dead?”
The woman gave a small smile. “They weren’t trying to kill me, my dear. They only wanted you.”
“Why would King Barend want me alive? What are his plans?”
The woman remained silent. She reached up and smoothed back her gray hair before folding her arms across her chest again. Mercea’s eyes never left her.