Delver Magic: Book 05 - Chain of Bargains

by Jeff Inlo

  They rested for a while and as Holli's magical energy slowly recovered she continued to feed the small squall overhead. The clouds remained fixed above them, blocking out the stars and adding to the darkness beyond the glow of the flames, but eventually, the sky began to glow in the east.

  "Looks like it's almost dawn," the delver noted.

  With that, the storms above strengthened and the showers turned into a great deluge of rain. The water poured down from the sky and rushed directly into the largest fires.

  "Enin?" Ryson asked.

  "Yes," Holli acknowledged. "He just teleported back. He saw my storm and added his power to it."

  "I guess Ashlan won't burn to the ground after all."

  The wizard flew toward them, encased in a small shield that blocked out the rain. When he reached them, he expanded the magical field to extend over the elf and the delver.

  "You shouldn't stand out in the rain," he exclaimed with a smile.

  "It was only a small shower before you arrived," Ryson noted.

  The wizard looked back and forth between the two of them.

  "Everything handled?" he asked.

  "As much as I can tell," Holli reported. "The draevol is gone."

  "As is the one in Huntston," Enin added.

  "The inferns have been defeated, thanks to Ryson. I am not certain as to the extent of Jure's success, but I do not believe the valleys are in any further danger."

  "I checked on that before I returned here," Enin offered. "He has the situation in control. I imagine he will be here shortly."

  "Then I guess everything has been handled," Ryson acknowledged.

  As if to punctuate that sentiment, the last of the fires flickered out under the heavy rains. Both Enin and Holli ended their spells and the storm clouds overhead disappeared.

  Just as the sun began to rise, Jure walked toward them, coming from the center of town.

  "I'm glad to see you're all alright," the elder wizard exclaimed. "I just saw the town hall. I was worried."

  "Nothing to worry about," Holli proclaimed. "The demon's last gasp. Nothing more."

  "The inferns around the valleys have been removed," Jure acknowledged. "I assume everything else has been taken care of?"

  Enin nodded.

  "So what do we do now?" Ryson wondered.

  It was Jure who considered the tragedy amid their success.

  "If there are no other threats here, I'd like to get Heteera back to Connel," the elder wizard requested as he looked to Enin.

  Enin grimaced and then explained everything that had happened in Huntston.

  "You did what you had to do," Jure stated.

  "I'm thankful you understand," Enin acknowledged.

  "I just wish we didn't have to lose her in all this," the elder wizard admitted. "She had so much potential. Well, at least we dealt with everyone that was responsible."

  "Not all of them," Holli announced. "There is still one last matter we must resolve."

  They all knew what she was referring to, and they all understood that while the valleys had been saved, their work was not quite finished.

  With that thought, the delver scanned the burned out buildings around them. Ashlan had not been completely destroyed, but it had suffered. The demon fires consumed many blocks of the western portion of the city, and it served as a stark reminder as to just how much danger they had all faced.

  "What about Ashlan? Jure was able to use his magic to restore the damage done by the goblins. Should we do something about the damage caused by the fire?"

  It was Enin who answered quickly.

  "No, the people of this city chose their leaders, and they did not choose well. Let them deal with at least some of the consequences of their decisions. Let them rebuild. It will be a good lesson for them."

  Chapter 31

  Queen Therese Folarok, ruler of Dunop, entered Sterling through tunnels reserved for dwarf royalty and their escorts. She arrived with an extremely large contingent of dwarf royal guards, but rather than enter the palace directly, she bypassed the castle entrance and walked across the open streets of Sterling.

  Sterling's own royal palace guards revealed surprise at her arrival. She had stirred a great deal of attention and many of the dwarf citizens gathered around her as she stopped in front of the castle's main gate.

  A diplomat quickly exited the palace to greet the royal party from Dunop, but displayed a sense of anxiety regarding both the queen's appearance and her method of arrival. He bowed to the queen upon greeting her as he regained his composure.

  "Forgive me, your highness, but we did not expect you. If I seem a bit stunned, it is because we received no word of your visit. I'm also slightly concerned about your safety out in the streets. May I direct you into the palace?"

  Queen Therese smiled but then revealed her own surprise.

  "You feel I am in danger among the dwarves of Sterling? I doubt that is the case. I must admit, though, I am surprised by their apparent lack of grief. I expected a greater display of mourning."

  "I'm not sure I follow you," the diplomat admitted.

  "Surely the death of Sterling's queen would generate some sentiment of sorrow, but they appear as if the tragedy has not even occurred. While I don't expect open wailing from stout-hearted dwarves, I am surprised at the level of ambivalence. I believed the queen was well thought of among her followers, yet I see nothing to indicate her passing—not a single memorial, not one display of remembrance. Have you done nothing to honor her?"

  The assertion agitated the diplomat once more, and he nervously looked about at the growing crowd of dwarves. Many had heard Queen Therese's question, and whispers among them were quickly turning into questions of their own.

  "I assure you, your highness, the queen is very much alive. She and the king have been quite ill, struck down by a harsh disease, but they are slowly recovering."

  The queen showed resolve toward her own assertion.

  "Recovering? I doubt that is possible. No, I am quite certain the queen has passed."

  She then turned to the gathering crowd.

  "Has anyone seen or even heard from the queen in the past season? No? The season before? No? When was the last time anyone here has actually seen the queen?"

  The questions were growing stronger among the dwarf citizens of Sterling and the diplomat moved to quiet them.

  "I saw the queen this very morning," he announced. "She is weak still, not ready to venture from the comforts of her room. Certainly, she would like to address her subjects, but we must, of course, focus on her health. When she is fully recovered, she will thank those that have shown concern for her."

  "And would you allow me to visit the queen right now?" Therese questioned.

  "I will check with her, but I believe she is resting."

  "I won't disturb her. Let me simply look in upon her, and then I will return to the fine dwarves of Sterling and reassure them that the queen is in fact recovering."

  "I'm afraid the queen had a relapse this morning," a voice called out from the palace doors.

  Ulet Bulharp marched down the steps and bowed before Queen Therese. She directed her response to the Queen of Dunop but spoke loud enough for all the dwarves gathered to hear.

  "She would have been pleased to see you. She knows you have had a difficult time in Dunop."

  Therese knew that Ulet was referring to the uprising of the separatists that occurred in Dunop many seasons ago, an uprising that was fueled by the very same Strog Grandhammer who had secretly taken over the palace in Sterling.

  "The difficult times are in the past. We have recovered well."

  "And what of the king, Jon Folarok, has he also recovered?"

  "I'm afraid he still has a long way to go."

  "Then you can appreciate how long it will take for our queen to recover. The sickness was severe."

  "What of your king?" the queen asked. "Perhaps I could speak with him?"

  "The king and queen were struck by the same diseas
e. He is also not quite ready to receive royal guests. I hope you can understand."

  "But he is being cared for?"

  "Of course."

  Therese frowned and shook her head slightly.

  "I find all of this very odd. I did hear the king and queen had taken ill, and yes, it was a strong sickness." Therese continued with a firmer voice as her stare bored into the face of the battle commander. "Disease cast by a draevol is very powerful indeed."

  Ulet remained stone faced. If she was surprised by the revelation, she did not reveal it.

  The queen was not deterred by the battle commander's stoic silence and pressed the issue for all to hear.

  "Are you not going to deny the royal couple were struck down by the plague spell of a demon?"

  "I am not a physician. I know they were ill, but from where they obtained the disease, I cannot say. I am somewhat concerned you seem to know so much about this." The dwarf battle commander then saw an opportunity to cast doubt upon the Queen of Dunop. "How is it that you have knowledge of our king and queen's health? You spoke of a draevol. How does a dwarf queen know the source of a mysterious sickness when the castle physicians are unable to identify the cause?"

  "Are you making an accusation?"

  The battle commander remained cool. She could only guess as to how the Queen of Dunop gained such knowledge, but it was in her interest to quell the storm Therese was creating. While Ulet would not make a direct allegation, she certainly did not hesitate to throw further suspicion on Dunop's queen.

  "Accusations? Based on what? I have no knowledge of a draevol. It was you who brought it up. I find that... odd."

  Therese decided to confront the battle commander with the complete truth.

  "What I find odd is that you wish to deny certain events of the past. The King of Sterling is not being cared for at all. He is a prisoner and has been removed from the palace. The queen, as much as it pains me to say, has been murdered... murdered by the rebel separatist Strog Grandhammer, the same separatist who led the revolt in Dunop against my husband, Jon Folarok."

  "I'm afraid your information is incorrect," Ulet answered swiftly, refusing to back down or show any sign of unease. "I do not wish to show disrespect to dwarf royalty. If it will serve you, I will accompany you to the king's quarters and you may see for yourself."

  "And I'm afraid my royal guards would never let me put myself in such peril. We are quite aware that Strog Grandhammer has assumed control of the palace. This is why the king and queen have not been seen. Strog Grandhammer is a murderer, and you take your orders from him. You are as guilty as he."

  Ulet remained unbroken in the face of such accusations.

  "As I said, I am unwilling to show any disrespect, but if you are intent on making unfounded charges, I must ask that you return to Dunop. This incident must be dealt with through proper diplomatic channels."

  "That is how you would leave it?" Therese demanded. "You wish that I would simply turn around and vanish while you harbor a wanted criminal of Dunop, a separatist dwarf guilty of many crimes?"

  "Strog Grandhammer is not in Sterling," Ulet answered resolutely. "As for you, Sterling is not prepared to meet with royalty from Dunop. We ask that you respect our wishes and return home. That word comes directly from the queen."

  It was not Therese who responded, but a familiar voice that rang out far behind Dunop's line of royal guards.

  "How is that possible, since you are unable to speak with the dead?"

  Holli Brances stepped out of the shadows as she let her cloaking spell dissolve. As it did, another figure recognizable to the battle commander came into Ulet's view.

  "I can assure you that Strog Grandhammer is in Sterling and he is in the palace," Ryson Acumen announced. "I saw him there myself. He had me chained and ordered that I be killed."

  Ulet fumed, but did not panic. Once more she spoke for the increasing crowd of dwarves to hear.

  "Now I understand. The Queen of Dunop is obviously under a spell of deceit. She enters Sterling with an elf guard who practices sorcery and a delver who is wanted for killing three dwarf guards of Sterling."

  "I am the one who killed those guards," Holli responded. "They were intent on handing Ryson Acumen over to goblins... a death sentence handed down by Strog Grandhammer."

  "You admit you murdered three dwarf guards, and the delver stands by you. That is enough for me to doubt everything that has been said here."

  One more voice called out from the far side of the wide street before the palace... away from the rest of the crowd.

  "Very well played, but the charade is over."

  Three figures stood previously unnoticed, but when the crowd turned, every dwarf recognized the face of the shortest individual. His face was gaunt and he trembled slightly, but there was no denying it was the King of Sterling.

  Ulet stood frozen, staring at her king.

  Enin called out again.

  "Well commander? I thought the king was being well cared for. Is that why I found him imprisoned in desolate tunnels under a human town to the east? It was not an easy task to find him, dwarves are very resistant to magic, but my friend and I worked together and devised a spell that would call to a royal dwarf's ear. All he had to do was answer, and he did. He led us right to him."

  The third figure, Jure, decided to remain quiet. He simply watched with growing satisfaction as Ulet failed to respond to Enin's revelations.

  "After the draevols were defeated, I took the liberty of contacting Queen Therese. I explained to her all of the occurrences in Sterling."

  Enin went on to list the actions of Strog Grandhammer and his alliances with goblins, demons, and corrupt humans. As the string of crimes grew, the crowd of dwarves listened in hushed astonishment.

  "I had hoped the queen would offer advice as how to inform the people of Sterling of the truth without causing widespread violence. She was kind enough to accompany us here in order to lend both credence and stability to these most difficult times."

  A long silence prevailed, Ulet unable to answer the charges. It was the weakened yet stout form between Enin and Jure who brought the confrontation to its inevitable conclusion. The crowd separated for their king and allowed the true leader of Sterling to walk up to his palace steps. Dozens of soldiers emptied out of side streets and fell in behind their king who addressed the rebel battle commander with angry disdain and conviction in his trembling voice.

  "You will pay for your crimes. You cannot avoid that, but as of this moment, I am not aware of any offense that would call for your death. Lead these soldiers to Strog Grandhammer and your neck may avoid the executioner's axe. Refuse and any additional blood spilled this day will held against you directly."

  Ulet bowed her head in utter defeat, turned, and slowly stepped back toward the palace. She could not fight. The crowd of dwarves was growing by the moment and they stood behind their king. Dwarf soldiers emerged from nearby barracks and guard posts. There were not enough separatists to defeat them all. It was over for her, and over for Strog Grandhammer.

  The king turned to his guards.

  "Follow her and bring the murderous rebel to me."

  Dwarf soldiers from all over the city moved into positions in and around the palace. While his forces retook the castle, the king offered a grateful bow to the Queen of Dunop.

  "My apologies for making you wait out here, but once the palace is secure, I can offer you my true appreciation in more comfortable surroundings."

  "It is I who should apologize to you," Queen Therese replied. "Grandhammer was allowed to escape Dunop during our darker times. He was our responsibility and we failed in that regard. Because of that, he has caused you terrible pain."

  The king thought of his murdered wife, and almost broke down, but he would not place such blame on the dwarves of Dunop. He steadied himself and spoke a bold truth.

  "We all failed, not just Dunop. Sterling allowed for its share of corruption... I allowed for it. Grandhammer seized power here
because of my mistakes, not yours."

  At that moment, several dwarves exited the palace with a rough hold on the separatist leader. The king wanted to strangle him right there, at the foot of the palace gates, but he curbed his anger. He made one last request to the Queen of Dunop.

  "I know that Strog Grandhammer has been charged with numerous crimes in Dunop. You have a claim upon him that I cannot deny. If you request it, I will turn him over to you, but he is responsible for my wife's death. I want him to answer for that... here... in Sterling."

  "There is no crime he has committed in Dunop that is greater than the crime against you and your people. We leave his punishment to you."

  "Thank you."

  The king ordered the guards to take the separatist away, but Enin asked for one moment with the dwarf rebel. The wizard eyed the belligerent and unrepentant dwarf with both sadness and dismay.

  "You caused a great deal of suffering, Strog Grandhammer. For what? To prove dwarf supremacy or to elevate yourself to some position of grandeur? Is it that you wished to be remembered for some noble idea?"

  The separatist would not answer. He glared at the wizard, but held his tongue.

  "Then let me tell you how you will be remembered," Enin continued. "Your abhorrence of humans is obvious, but others don't share your opinion. Because of your deeds, humans and dwarves are working closer now than they ever have in the past, even during the time of legends. The human town of Pinesway has been rebuilt... through the cooperation of dwarves and humans. While many of the people are returning to the Great Valleys, a substantial portion have decided to remain in the west. They see an opportunity in Pinesway. Another town has been established that shares the unique setting of dwarf construction among human activity. Now, both Connel and Pinesway are tributes to a bond between dwarf and human. Whether you wish to admit it or not, you created that bond."

  Enin said nothing further to the livid dwarf. Instead, he turned to the King of Sterling.

  "I am finished with him, thank you."

  As the king ordered the removal of the separatist, Enin gathered Jure, Holli, and Ryson to his side.

  "It seems like we have taken care of everything now. The king has been restored to power in Sterling and Strog will face the consequences of his actions. None of this would have been possible without the three of you, and I never got the chance to thank you."