by J. B. Jenn
“I may have something to do with that,” the woman whispered. She wrung her hands for a moment. “A few years ago, when I was… When I was someone else, he came to me for his future. At the time, I didn’t quite know what I was doing. You see, I had a nasty habit of taking mind-altering herbs and went into a trance. Or, so I’m told. I told him about some kind of prophecy. It’s why his men were here. You were supposed to be here around this time. Unfortunately, because of the state I was in, I don’t recall anything I said. All I know for a certainty is you were in this prophecy.”
“And during this prophecy, you knew I’d arrive here on this day? That seems unlikely. Prophecies are never so precise.”
The middle-aged woman chuckled. “Yes, being a Seeress isn’t so precise. I only gave a general time. The soldiers told me I had believed a Servant would arrive this year in the late fall, and she would come here for me. Those soldiers have sat here for a few weeks now, waiting.” The woman looked to Arem. “He can tell you. He’s one of them.”
Mercea looked to Arem. “Yes, I know. Fortunately, he was here, otherwise, they may have succeeded.” When she turned back to the Seeress, she caught the woman glaring at Arem. “I’ll be taking my leave now.”
“Wait.” The woman reached out to touch her, but thought better of it and allowed her hand to fall to her side. “Please, let me come with you. What if they come back?”
Mercea didn’t answer at first. There was something odd about the woman. Something magical. The feeling hadn’t left. As she met the woman’s gray eyes, Mercea knew what her answer was. If this woman was an enemy, it was better to keep her close.
“I’ll see you to safety, and then I’ll deal directly with King Barend.” The woman started to say something but fell silent. Mercea turned to Arem. “As much as I don’t want to invite a wytch along, I don’t see another choice. If anyone saw your betrayal, they’ll want you dead.”
“That you can be sure of,” the Seeress said, looking at Arem again.
Mercea glanced at the woman before leaving the shop behind. As she stepped off the wooden walkway, she stopped, staring into the trees along the lake’s shore. She turned toward the Seeress who had grabbed a plain, black cloak and wrapped it around her thin frame.
“Any ideas?” The woman stared at her, furrowing her brow. “Now would be the time to tell me if you remember anything about the prophecy.”
There was still only silence. Mercea watched the woman. She placed her hand on the hilt of her sword. She had a feeling she’d have to cut down this woman before too long.
“We should go to Kenokel.”
“What?” Arem demanded. “That’s ridiculous! The problem lies in Carthoda. That’s where you’re needed, Mercea.”
Mercea held her hand up to silence him though her eyes never left the woman. “Why there? That’s a long way off. These men are from Carthoda. The problem does seem to lie in that kingdom. Why direct me away from it?”
“I have a feeling it’s where we’re needed. You asked. I answered.”
Mercea studied her. The woman’s face was expressionless. It was what concerned her. After going through what they’d gone through, she would’ve thought the woman would be frightened and eager to leave.
“I’m going to need more than that.”
The woman sighed. “If you need a reason, we should go there for protection. King Delane and his soldiers can help us. More specifically, they can help you. You might need it. It seems the people in Carthoda have expected you for a long time now. Don’t you think King Barend and his wife are prepared for your arrival and the failure here?”
Mercea narrowed her eyes. She ran her tongue over the top of her teeth. Glancing at Arem, she felt she could trust the wytch more than she could this woman. And, she didn’t trust him.
Go with her.
“Alright,” she said in answer to the Gods’ direction. It was the first time she had felt Their presence since They’d sent her this way.
“You can’t be serious!”
Mercea gave him a withering look. “We’re going with her. There’ll be no discussion about it.”
Delane
There was annihilation everywhere he looked. From his position in the south tower, he could see Kenokel, his beloved city, laying in ruins. Its tattered streets were lined with broken and dismembered bodies. Blood ran down the lengths of them, pooling in the gaping holes.
From where he stood, he had watched his palace, his home, crumble. Its white walls had collapsed as it took blast after blast from the monster. The red lightning hitting the buildings had sent terror into everyone’s hearts.
Delane looked toward his home once more. Once it had fallen, the monster had turned its attention to the rest of the city. It destroyed building after building as it went toward the towers.
As he stared upon the pile of white stone, he was certain he and his sons were the targets. He was in the eastern tower when the attacks had come and his sons were down in the courtyard with the soldiers. He had stood there staring out across the city, thinking about his unmarried daughter. He didn’t want to force her to marry, but it was time she did. He was planning to take King Maik up on his offer.
His attention turned to the wytches when one of them stumbled forward. They were exhausted from protecting him and this tower from the small monsters flying about the city.
Earlier, he had attempted to send them out to protect the people as they made their escape. They had refused, having sworn oaths to protect him. Whereas he understood their devotion, he still hated them for it. His people were out there dying and they could save some of them. It was too late to save the city, but its people were another matter. Once they had realized the large, black monstrosity couldn’t be harmed, he’d given his soldiers orders to escort out as many survivors as they could.
Before the orders of retreat, the soldiers had fought the monstrosity and died. The black, enormous thing had come from within the depths of the forest. Delane had found it difficult to see what the creature was. It kept spinning around and around, making any identifiable feature on it a blur. All Delane knew for certain was it was black, large, and possibly held a human shape.
Nothing seemed to hurt it. Arrows bounced off of it. Magic had no effect. Swordsmen couldn’t get close enough before they were either disintegrated or hurled so far there was no way they had survived. All they could do now was retreat and hope it didn’t follow.
King Delane shook his head. He had thought they were safe. Kenokel, his once beautiful and prosperous city, was built around an ancient forest, seven hundred years ago. The Stones had ruled since then. Never had anything come out of it.
The Decau Forest was quiet. Peaceful even. There was never indication of anything other than animals living in those trees. With the hunters who ventured into the forest, he was certain they’d have seen something. Rumors would even persist, but there was nothing.
“Your Majesty,” his friend said at his side, “we must leave. NOW. There isn’t any more time.”
Delane turned to the man he’d known since childhood. Irritation flickered through his eyes. “What of my daughter?” he asked. “She’s due to return any day now. She’ll arrive to this. If that thing is still here, she’ll die. She’s the only one I know for a fact who has survived this.” His eyes swept the destruction once again. Tears shined in his old eyes. “I have already witnessed two of my sons die.”
The man, an older man in his sixties, like the king, looked upon Delane gravely. Worry sat in every one of his wrinkled features. “I’m sorry, your Majesty, but you’ll either come with me willingly or by force. My sole job is to get you out of danger. I’ve already allowed you to stay for far too long. It’s beyond what any other man in my position would have done. It may prove a mistake.”
Delane knew the man would do whatever was necessary to make him leave. He shook his head, thinking about what would happen to his daughter should she arrive during this.
“I can’t,” he whispered. �
��I can’t just let her come here and die. We have to hold out.”
“Do you have so little faith in me after all these years?” Osrin asked. “I couldn’t let her come here and die any more than you could. I’ve watched her grow into the woman she is and have protected her as much as I could.” Delane gave his friend an apologetic look. “I sent Galtrand with some other soldiers to stop her from reaching Kenokel. I swear to you he’ll do whatever is necessary to reach her. You have to leave now.”
Osrin led him down the stairs. As he hurried down them, it all seemed to pass in a blur. People screaming. War cries. The horrible sounds the monster made.
As his foot came down on the next step, there was nothing there. Everyone tumbled as stone crashed down around them. Frightened screams sounded. Delane rolled to his back. Something heavy hit him.
Galtrand
Leaving was one of the most difficult things he’d ever done. He had left his home and his family to the monster tearing it apart. His family had lived in the area the monster had first appeared. From the reports coming in, most of the buildings were destroyed within moments. Galtrand closed his eyes.
More than once, he wanted to turn around to fight the monstrosity. He wanted to go back to help save lives, to get his family. He couldn’t. Like Lord Osrin, he knew it was important to keep Princess Janessa out of the city. If she was the last Stone to survive, he had to ensure she remained alive.
The rolling plains of Cascade were fading from green to brown with the changing seasons. Two days ago, the trees had started to thin. In a few more days, the trees would become sparse among the grassland.
Clenching his jaw, he focused on his task and surroundings. He shut out the screams of the dying they’d heard as they fled. Images kept flashing back to him. He had seen so many lying dead along the streets. Limbs torn from bodies or positioned in impossible angles. There was a part of him wondering how many people he could have saved had he remained behind.
He ground his teeth. Thinking like that wasn’t going to help. They had sent him on an important mission. He needed to find a way to stay focused. Janessa’s safety depended on it.
“How long before we reach her, sir?” a young soldier asked.
Galtrand glanced at him. The man wasn’t even twenty yet. “In a day or two. That’s if they’re on schedule. Sometimes she decides certain people need help coming to an agreement. She’ll stay to mediate between them.”
A small smile parted his lips as he thought about her. She was truly an amazing woman who cared about the people of Cascade. They were fortunate to have her. It was one of many reasons he had to see to her survival. Lord Osrin feared this was an attack on the Stone family. He had to suspect everyone and anyone of trying to kill her.
“Where do we go once we find her?” The young man furrowed his brow, glancing back in the direction of his home.
“I can’t divulge such information at this time.”
“You think Cascade is under attack from another kingdom, don’t you? Do you think they were trying to kill the Stones?”
“At this point, there’s no way to know for certain what or who we’re dealing with. Answers will come later. We have to think about safety and security for Princess Janessa.”
The man sighed, hanging his head in shame. “I can’t do this.” His voice was barely a whisper. Galtrand met the man’s eyes. “I can’t stay here. I have to return. I shouldn’t be here. There are so many back there.”
Galtrand nodded and looked to the rest of his men. “Go if you think it’s the right thing to do. I won’t stop you. I will remind you Princess Janessa needs protection. She may be the last of the Stones. She may be our Queen now.”
He paused and took in a deep breath. It was difficult not to remember all the destroyed buildings, or the dead bodies scattered along the streets. Or others dying to protect them as they made their way from the city.
“I’m not certain how anyone could have survived.” Galtrand looked to each and every one of the men with him. “I understand the feeling of wanting to return. I’ve been fighting it, too, but I know my duty. My duty is to the last Stone I know lives.”
“I’ll stay. It’s just…” He looked back in the direction of Kenokel again. “It’s just difficult to leave all those people to that fate.”
“I know.”
Janessa
Eyes closed, half sleeping, she listened to the sounds around her. Her head rested against the window of the carriage. The two guards with her were carrying on a quiet conversation. One she found amusing and disappointing at the same time.
“They’re selfish. Do you really think they care about other people like me and you?” Hyal asked the other man, Palit. “I’ve been doing this long enough to know otherwise. They only care about what effects them.”
Palit didn’t answer for a time. “They’re doing the best they know how. You shouldn’t be so quick to judge.”
When the two started arguing, voices rising in volume, Janessa sighed. The nobles of Cascade could do more to help the common folk, but the common folk could do more for themselves. Some people, not all, just expected others to do everything for them. She was trying to open everyone’s eyes and encourage everyone to help one another. Small contributions were always welcome to those in need. A loaf of bread. Milk. A rabbit for the stew. More people needed to help, regardless of their station in life.
She gave another sigh. “Everyone could do more to help people in need, including the both of you. Tell me, if it wasn’t for being on my guard detail, would either of you lift a finger to help if you knew someone needed it?” Silence met her. “I didn’t think so. Humanity is at fault. We need to become more caring and more understanding of one another before anything can be fixed.”
The year was a rough one for everyone throughout Cascade. Janessa probably knew that better than anyone else in the palace. Her brothers weren’t much for helping people. They preferred to stay within the palace, making decisions on things they knew nothing about. They were blind fools. She hated to think one day, one of the two would lead the kingdom. Her father insisted they’d learn.
Janessa pulled her blanket up around her shoulders and stared out the window at the passing scenery. They were still a few days from Kenokel. She was looking forward to the return. This outing was filled with unhappy people, making it long and irritating. They didn’t realize it was difficult everywhere. They didn’t care her father was doing his best to ease their burdens. He had even opened the palace’s own stock of food for the struggling. She had tried to make them realize this without arguing with them. Arguing did little good with people who believed what they wanted to believe.
Acting with diplomacy was draining. She understood why her brothers never wanted to join her, but there were things they needed to see. Life in Kenokel was different from the rest of the kingdom.
She opened her heavy eyelids once more to look out at the land rolling by. There were undulating hills with a few trees here and there. Once they were closer to the city, more and more trees would start to fill the flatter landscape. Before falling asleep, a small smile lifted the corners of her mouth. Home.
It felt as if she’d only slept for a few moments before loud shouts woke her. Her brilliant blue eyes snapped open. It was dark. They were no longer moving. For several moments, she remained seated, listening to her surroundings. As of yet, no fighting had broken out. Her heart raced.
She shoved past Hyal. Before she could leave the last step of the carriage, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back inside. She turned her head, looking at him with regret, just before jabbing her hand into his throat. He fell to his knees, gasping. She was free and left the carriage behind. Standing next to the carriage, she peered around it. She could just make out Yarted’s face in the low light.
“The king has what?” Yarted asked. His eyes were wide. “I… I don’t understand how that could have happened. Kenokel was safe. Cascade isn’t at war. It doesn’t make sense.”
“The city has fallen under some kind of attack.” She recognized that voice. “Lord Osrin sent me to ensure Princess Janessa doesn’t return until it’s deemed safe. She might be the only Stone left living. The city isn’t safe. We are to rendezvous twelve miles north of the city. Me and you are the only ones to know of where we’re going. We don’t know who was behind the attack. If King Delane doesn’t arrive within a day of us arriving, we’re to seek refuge with King Maik of the Desert.”
Yarted furrowed his brow. “Why there? What makes them think he’ll take us in?”
Janessa furrowed her brow at Galtrand’s hesitation. “If Princess Janessa is the only survivor of the royal family, King Maik will take us in to marry her and take over Cascade as his own kingdom. Most of the guard knows the king asked for her hand in marriage a few years ago. It may be the only way to protect the kingdom.”
Janessa fell back against the side of the carriage. Her breath came in bursts. Everyone in her family could be dead? The world spun around her. It took all she had to remain on her feet.
Hyal stepped out of the carriage, hand on the hilt of his sword. He looked to her with disapproval. When he saw the look on her face, he stopped.
“Tell me what happened,” Yarted demanded.
“Kenokel came under attack from something within the forest. That was a few days ago. We need to meet north of the city. Those are our orders.”
“Something came out of the forest?” she asked, stepping around the side of the carriage. Hyal was right beside her. She met Galtrand’s eyes. “Is my father alive? My brothers?” Tears sat in her eyes. The silence between them was unbearable. “We must go back for them.”
Galtrand lowered his gaze. “I’m sorry, my lady. All I know is Kenokel was being attacked when I left. It didn’t look good. It isn’t safe to return. We must get you to the rendezvous and then to the North Garden’s Palace if no one meets us there. Please, don’t make this more difficult than it already is.”