Servants of the Old Gods (Hartland Book 1)

by J. B. Jenn

  “Yes.” Maik watched Mercea. Worry took over the anger. “He was in Kenokel. There haven’t been reports of him moving yet. As soon as he does, I’m certain we’ll hear of it.”

  “Unlikely.” Maik frowned. “Urian will kill everyone in his path. None of you have any idea what you’re getting into or what’s happening, though you don’t have a choice. It’s the way things work in Hartland.” Mercea shook her head. “It doesn’t have to be this way, but it is.”

  Maik stared at her. “Yes, it seems information becomes buried. Perhaps we should start at the beginning. I’ll tell you everything I know and you can tell me everything you know.”

  “It’s a long story.”

  He waited for her to elaborate, but she remained silent. “Mercea, please. All we want to do is help,” Janessa said, reaching out to touch her hand.

  When their hands connected, Mercea’s gaze softened. She met Janessa’s eyes for the briefest of moments before taking a seat. As she sat there, she appeared tired and worn, making him wonder what she’d gone through to reach him. He doubted she’d tell him everything. Maik looked toward Janessa wondering if she asked, if the Servant would tell them. There seemed to be a connection between the two.

  “First, I need to tell you about a wytch who’ll arrive sometime tomorrow. He’s with me. Please see to it when he arrives, he’s allowed inside the gates.”

  “Your Majesty!” Several guards rushed into the room with swords drawn. Maik shook his head. The Servant certainly knew how to get to someone. If she had wanted to kill him, he’d already be dead, and she’d have left before anyone found her.

  “It’s fine. I’m fine. I was expecting her. Go back to your posts and take care of the men in the hall, please.”

  “There are also two on the walkway,” Mercea added.

  “Also, there’s a man coming to the palace tomorrow. Please allow him inside. He’s with this woman.” They closed the door behind them, but not before passing each other concerned looks. Maik turned toward Mercea. “I want to thank you for coming. However, I’m curious as to what delayed you.”

  “We’ll get to that. First, have you sent word to any other kingdoms about what you’ve discovered?” Maik glanced at Janessa feeling foolish and selfish. “Well, we should send word out immediately. Furthermore as Yul borders Carthoda, I think it’s imperative we send someone experienced with training soldiers. The last time I was in Yul, a while ago, I was concerned. They had willingly chosen to set aside the knowledge of how to defend themselves despite my protests. I trust they still follow the same beliefs?”

  “Yes,” Janessa answered. Her voice was soft, ashamed she had forgotten about other kingdoms. This wasn’t just the Desert’s problem. This was Hartland’s.

  “I have a horse who’ll get the person there in just a few days. However, he can’t shy away from him. Grace isn’t a normal horse and he doesn’t have much patience for fear.”

  “I know just the person,” Janessa said. She opened the door. The two guards outside had already been replaced. “Please send for Lord Osrin.”

  “Are you sure?” Maik asked. “Isn’t he training Galtrand?”

  “Galtrand will be fine. He knows what he’s doing. Always has.”

  “After what I saw,” Mercea said once Janessa had joined them again, “we need an army. We cannot allow King Barend to move any further than he has. We’ll never be able to stop him if he’s allowed access to more people.”

  Maik furrowed his brow. “Access to more people?”

  “Yes.”

  The two sat there as Mercea explained everything. During it, Janessa held his hand. Every once in a while, she’d squeeze it.

  Querra

  “Do you think any of the royal blood are alive?” Querra asked, lying next to Eiden.

  He tried wrapping his fingers through hers, but she pulled away. She rolled to her side and stared at him. “I don’t know. Why?”

  “If they were alive, don’t you think we’d have seen someone by now? Why would they leave all their people alone and vulnerable? Why haven’t we seen anyone? Are they all dead? Is the only thing keeping Cascade alive, us and the few men King Maik has sent?”

  Silence met her. Querra sighed and rose from the bed. It was the first night in a few weeks she had actually slept. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the Tharroh. The half-human, half-demons kept making their way back to her thoughts. She tried to forget about them, but they had such power. She had no idea how they had come about, but she was grateful they had saved Eiden’s life, and her own. The only problem was she wanted them to join the Relentless. With their power, the demons in Cascade wouldn’t stand a chance. Less people would die.

  “What’s bothering you?” Eiden asked from where he lay. He studied her for a moment before shaking his head. “It’s those people who saved us, isn’t it?”

  She glanced back at him, smiling sadly at the wounds on his face. They were healing, but it would scar him. “I just don’t know what they are and I wanted that man to stay with us. He hurt the monster. We need that here. I guess,” she sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. “I guess I’m just disappointed in people. They seem perfectly content in allowing the people here to suffer.”

  “At least he took the damn thing with him. Cascade is far safer than it was. There are still demons, but the numbers are fewer. For the first time in months, the Relentless can rest a little. We’ve earned it.”

  “You’re right.” She sat down on the edge of the bed. “What do we do now? We can’t let our guard fall. What if those things return in full force? If we had one of the ruling family with us, these decisions would be easier.”

  “For you,” Eiden said gently. “They’d still have to be made by someone.”

  “True enough!” Querra fell silent. Her eyes studied the dirt floor of her tent. “I’m just so tired of sending our men and women out to die in order to save those who cannot fight.” She took in a deep breath. “At least, it seems things have eased up. Maybe we can boost our numbers so if another attack comes we’ll be more prepared. I don’t trust this lull.”

  She rose and started to dress. Eiden was beside her, pulling her toward him. When she turned an irritated gaze on him, he laughed gently. “Where are you going?”

  “To try to find them. We need them.”

  “The Tharroh?” He furrowed his brow. Querra nodded. “Please. Don’t do it. You won’t find them. You searched twice before. They don’t want to be found. I don’t blame them. If others saw what they were, they’d kill them. We would have, too, if they hadn’t saved our lives. We would have seen them as monsters. I think you’re better off leaving them alone and focusing on Cascade. You’re its leader. Don’t leave. There’s no one else to take your place. Right now, the people see you as an acting queen.”

  “You can lead the Relentless until I return. We need the Tharroh on our side. They could kill the demons so easily.” She met his eyes. “I don’t want to see any more people die.”

  “Querra, please, listen to me. Please stay. It’s for the best.”

  She stared at him for a while before sighing. She could see genuine fear in his eyes. “Fine,” she whispered, shaking her head.

  Ogden

  The palace sat in the distance. For the last several days, he had avoided the black monster. He hoped he had arrived before it had. The sword hadn’t vibrated in the last three days. As he traveled through the desert, pushing himself despite his overwhelming exhaustion, knowing what would happen if he failed, he wondered why the monster hadn’t attacked the other towns along the way. He was grateful for whatever the reason.

  There was a man in the distance. From his gait, he appeared exhausted. Ogden was, too, but he didn’t have time to be tired. Other people didn’t have time for him to be tired. He hurried his pace. It didn’t take long to reach the man.

  “Good day,” Ogden called to him.

  “It depends on how you describe good,” the man answered in a sour tone.

  “D
id you see it?”

  “See what?”

  The man had answered his question. If anyone had seen what he’d seen, they’d know exactly what he was talking about. Ogden pushed himself forward, leaving the unfriendly man behind. He hoped not all the people in the Desert were this way. If they were, it might prove difficult to get them to see the danger coming towards them.

  The gates to the palace were closed, but when the guards saw him approaching, they opened it. Ogden frowned at the oddity. One of them stopped him with a quick raise of the hand. He met the man’s eyes, wondering what was going on. When he had first planned on approaching the North Gardens Palace, he thought he’d struggle to get inside.

  “Are you the wytch they informed us was arriving?”

  Ogden didn’t hesitate. “Yes. Please show me to the king.”

  “The king? Are you mad? The Servant wants to see you immediately. She has plans for the upcoming battle.”

  Ogden hoped he had remained impassive. As he stood there, he wondered if the man he had passed was the man they waited for. They had him instead, and he, no doubt, carried more important information than the wytch did. If he didn’t tell someone here what was about to happen, a lot of people were going to die. A lot of them were going to die anyway, but at least they could fight. He did, however, find it peculiar he was meeting with a servant.

  “Follow me.”

  The guard stopped at a door on the second level. He gave one loud knock and left him. The way the man hurried away seemed as if he was frightened by whoever was inside. It only made him more curious and perplexed.

  The door opened, revealing a young woman with gold hair. Black streaks shimmered through it. Golden eyes, old and young at the same time, met his.

  “Who are you? Why are you here?” Her eyes narrowed as she scanned him up and down. Her eyes landed on the sword at his hip. “And why do you have my sword?”

  Ogden glanced down at it before meeting her eyes. “Were you the one King Barend’s men were after?”

  “It seems we have much to talk about.”

  “Agreed.”

  Janessa

  As her brother entered her room, grim faced, she found herself relieved she wasn’t the only surviving member of the Stone’s. She embraced Trester, feeling his muscles tighten. For several moments, they said nothing.

  “Please, sit down.” Janessa watched her brother look about the room with a raised brow before taking a seat near the window. He looked out to the ocean. “Trester, why are you here?” she asked. When Trester didn’t answer, she sighed and sat down across from him. “Are you here to take Cascade?”

  Trester laughed harshly. “What? From you? Remember, I didn’t even know everyone was dead.”

  Janessa leaned back in her chair, studying him. “Please tell me why you’re here, so I don’t have to try to guess and make a fool of myself.” Trester ground his teeth. Janessa shook her head. “I see one of us can’t be civil. Why is that? I had nothing to do with you your banishment.”

  “Maybe not, but you certainly didn’t try to reason with father. Everyone knew father had a weak spot for his only daughter. They say it’s because you look like mother. You could have encouraged him to act kinder.”

  Janessa sighed again. “What would you have had me do? I was eleven, Trester. Eleven! I didn’t know what to do. I was horrified you had killed those people. I was even more scared it wasn’t the first time. You were my best friend. After seeing what you did, I was so, so scared. I was… I was frightened of you.” She fell silent, taking in a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Trester. I wish I could have been braver, less scared. I wish I could change things. Trust me. There are many things I’d change.”

  He rose and walked out onto the balcony. He leaned against the stone railing and watched the water crash against the shore in the distance. He was no longer grinding his teeth.

  Janessa watched him from just inside the doorway wishing she knew him better. She could only imagine how he felt. Her father had always loved her. Although they may not have seen eye to eye, she knew her father loved her, especially after King Maik had come to him, seeking her hand in marriage. A small, sad smile lifted the corners of her mouth at the thought of her father. He had never been the same after he had banished Trester. It ate at him daily. She joined her brother at the rail. A gentle breeze moved across her.

  “Trester,” she said, softly, “father loved you. I want you to know that. Jakom and Kalom loved you. They fought for you against father. I remember the screaming arguments they’d have over you.” She lowered her gaze to the sands below. “Father was never the same after that day. I think he knew his actions had been rash. That he shouldn’t have followed what the people wanted. I think if you had come back, he’d been overjoyed.”

  Trester snorted. He wrung his hands for several moments before turning his angry gaze on her. “I don’t know about that. He was so afraid of me. So afraid I might kill him and the rest of you. The thing that bothers me the most is he may have been right. In the beginning, my magic was erratic. I could have killed all of you.” He closed his eyes and took in several deep breaths. “Even now, when I’m angry, it’s difficult to control my magic.”

  Janessa stared at her brother, wishing this was easier. They just didn’t know one another. Too much time had passed. They led two entirely different kinds of life. Janessa felt sorry for her brother.

  “Why are you here then?”

  “It was the closest place for safety. I had no idea you’d be here or that I’d discover everyone was dead. When I heard about Kenokel, I never imagined this.” Again, silence passed between them. Janessa shifted her weight from one leg to the other. “There are some rumors floating out there I only came back to lay claim to the throne. I heard some of the servants talking. I want you to know that’s not what I want. I don’t want to be king.”

  Janessa laughed. “What makes you think I want to be queen?”

  “You’ve lived that life all your life. You’ve been royalty. I’ve been a nobody, slowly working my way to some recognition. If not for me, things would be very different right now. King Barend would have Rosha within his grasp for whatever reason he wants her. No. My place is out there, away from people, so I can’t hurt them.”

  Janessa clenched her jaw. “Do you really think my life was that much easier?”

  “Yes.”

  She shook her head. “How could you possibly know what I’ve been through? You think being a public figure is easy? Do you not think my life has been in danger?”

  “I guaranty you your life has been easier than mine.”

  Janessa studied her brother. He was someone she didn’t know and she wasn’t certain she wanted to know him. With the thought, she knew she couldn’t hand Cascade over to him. As much as she didn’t want to be queen, she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t hand over the kingdom to someone she didn’t know, even if they shared blood. Sighing, she looked out at the ocean.

  “Cascade thanks you for the help you’ve given it,” she said, hollowly. “However, I think it’s time we part ways. You said so yourself, you belong out there.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “It’s clear we’re very different people. You pointed that out. Don’t worry yourself over Cascade. I’ll handle everything as I was raised to. I’ll consider myself the sole remaining heir of Delane Stone.”

  “You can’t do this.”

  She looked to her brother. Her heart saddened. “I’m not making you leave. I won’t do that to you. However, I want your assurance you won’t try to lay claim to the throne. It’ll only complicate things.”

  “You can have the throne. I told you, I never wanted it.” Trester hesitated, shaking his head. “I’m sorry.” He paused again, taking in a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I’m not the brother I used to be.”

  “We’ll put that aside and learn how to live with one another again. Right now, there are things I need to tell you, as I’m certain there are things you need to tell me.”
>
  “It seems you’re already well-informed.”

  “Yes. A Servant of the Old Gods is here.”

  “She wasn’t captured then?”

  “No. She almost was, but escaped. The Servant informed us of several things. The most disturbing is King Barend’s demon army and how he’s attained it. I suspect you already know about it. Regardless of what I may or may not know, we still need to talk. We need to tell each other everything we can think of. We both belong to Cascade. We both need to figure out how to protect it and not allow what happened to happen again. Despite how you’re acting, I know you care.”

  Zavad

  Zavad sat beside his wife in silence. His hand was laced with hers. Both worried over what was happening in Hartland. Neither knew the reason, only the horrors of it. Zavad was quite certain he didn’t want to know the reason. Throughout history, the reason was typically greed, bitterness, or arrogance. Sometimes a mixture of them.

  What bothered them was they weren’t protected. Whereas weapons were outlawed in Yul, few citizens carried them or knew how to use them. Yul was a peaceful kingdom who had left behind most crimes. There were occasional crimes which was why they still had need of guards.

  When the knock came at his door, Zavad frowned. He glanced at Balla. She was distracted, barely hearing the knock. Sighing, he wondered if it was Casman coming with an outrageous suggestion again. He knew the man was devastated over losing a man who was a brother to him. There was nothing to be done about it, though. Yes, Gray was the cause behind it, but the man hadn’t murdered Ogden. Not technically.

  “Come in,” he said, distractedly, thinking about the people in Carthoda. How could a king willingly turn his people into demons? When one of his servants entered looking annoyed, Zavad frowned at him. “What is it?”

  “There’s a man wishing to speak with you. He says Queen Janessa of Cascade has sent him. He won’t tell me why he’s here though.”