Sorcery, Schemes and Skelt: The Kinowenn Chronicles Vol II

by Rachel Ronning

  Technically, despite the fact they had orders to bring Joss back, he was their superior. Normally, Joss was good-natured and got along well with Neville and anyone serving under him. This time, Joss ignored the soldiers for the most part and concentrated on teasing Maya. He knew that unless she stayed in Lerramorre, his time with her was limited.

  “Neville,” Justin broached the subject one day, “Are we prisoners or are we free to go our own way?”

  Neville sighed, “No, you are not prisoners. The only one we have orders to return with is Joss. Sometimes, I dislike ending up in the middle of feuds between him and his father. I prefer to serve under Joss than have orders from his father to bring him in like a naughty hunting dog. The rest of you are free to go at your leisure. King Temarr requests that you visit at your earliest convenience. He would prefer that your earliest convenience be now. He has yet to reward or even thank you for your help. I think he would like to offer permanent positions to anyone interested. I will not force you to come.”

  “Not to be difficult, but if we have more pressing business elsewhere and our earliest convenience is not at this time, would that be acceptable?” asked Justin.

  “Yes. Do you have pressing business elsewhere?”

  “We do,” replied Justin. “It does not concern Joss. We need to report back our findings and take care of a few things. Tell King Temarr, that we appreciate his offer and will take him up on it soon, but not immediately.”

  “He will not like that, but I like the idea of insisting even less. I do not want enmity between us,” affirmed Neville. He liked this group of people. If there was trouble again, Neville wanted them on his side. Neville would prefer it be by choice, not duress. Besides, it had not passed his attention that Maya was dosing Lucy with a sleeping potion each night. Obviously more was going on here than he knew about. He always thought it was best to let magic deal with magic.

  “Nor I. Then, we will part company tomorrow.”

  “I wish you well.”

  The company parted ways. Joss looked dejected at not being able to continue with them, and even sadder that none of them would be staying with him.

  “Sure I can’t convince you to come with me and become a princess?” he asked Maya. “Provided I’m still a prince, that is. My father may have decided to disinherit me after the stunts I’ve pulled.”

  “I’d make a terrible princess,” replied Maya, but she smiled as she turned him down.

  “What if he’s arranged a marriage for me as punishment?”

  “I’ll send a gift,” bantered Maya.

  He kissed Maya’s hand and winked at her, shook hands with the rest of them, and kissed Lucy on the cheek. The rest of them continued south. Maya was curious about what was happening in Lerramorre. She was sure Joss could use their help, but she wasn’t ready to part ways with her other friends yet. They needed to get back to the school and report to Eric. Even if she was done doing quests for the school, it was polite to finish the current quest and tell Eric her desire to quit, or take a break, in person.

  Perhaps after that she could convince Gavin at least to go with her for a while. She enjoyed quests, but also enjoyed being useful. She had enjoyed helping people with her knowledge. Not only the soldiers, but the people who had come to see her after the battle. She had helped a little girl with an infected cut on her foot. She had brewed a potion that helped 2 old men with cataracts and an old lady see again. Wasn’t that what the school was for? Finding a niche in another world? Finding a home where you were comfortable and had a job that brought you joy and satisfaction?

  She knew Justin and Lucy wouldn’t come right away. They couldn’t. Lucy needed to learn control and deal with whatever mental issues had come from the battle and the meeting with the Skelt. She couldn’t take sleeping potions for the rest of her life and she was, quite literally, capable of blowing up a whole town in her sleep with her nightmares. Justin would stay with Lucy.

  As they traveled, Lucy asked Allar about the Elves. Talking was much safer than being alone with her thoughts.

  “Would you mind telling me about Elves?” she asked Allar.

  “What do you want to know?” he asked with a glance at Justin.

  “Can all Elves do magic?”

  “It depends on what you mean by magic. There are many things Elves can do that they do not consider magical, but many humans would. They naturally have long lives. That doesn’t involve any magic although humans with magic tend to live long as well. Most Elves have a talent for making things grow. Elves would call it caring for the earth, though, not magic. Most Elves have a tendency towards healing. I’ve seen a five year old heal a skinned knee.”

  “But not all Elves are healers,” observed Lucy.

  “Correct. They understand that a society needs more than healers. Elves that show a certain passion and unusually strong talent for healing tend to become healers. Everyone learns basic skills. Someone with a passion and talent to become a blacksmith often finds the knowledge to heal burns through magic or salves useful. An Elf that farms can use salve to heal sunburn and can use small amounts of magic to heal their animals. Yes, your basic Elven town is healthier than your average town elsewhere, but they wouldn’t call that magic.”

  “There are magic users though, aren’t there?” asked Maya, listening in.

  “Yes. The Elves that can use their skills to go beyond healing spend many years training and learning. Their naturally extended lives give them time to perfect their talents and learn subtlety.”

  “Would the Elves be able to help me?” asked Lucy.

  “Probably,” shrugged Allar. “Your school is the best place for you right now. Everyone learns magic differently. Elven magic tends to grow over time. They gain strength as they learn control. They are not used to training someone with so much power and comparatively little understanding. Your school doesn’t carry any of the prejudices that you would face with the Elves. Besides, right now, even they might see you as dangerous. They might be willing to train you later, but not in your current state. They may worry that you would become angry at their teaching methods, or other Elves if they tease you, and blow them up. You should talk to Eric if you are interested. He might be able to introduce you in a way that would make things easier.”

  This gave Lucy a lot to think about. Did she want to go to the Elves? Could they teach her things the school could not? Perhaps she should wait to ask until she had learned all she could from the school. There were definitely classes she could still take and perhaps Eric would be willing to train her independently. The Elves might be more likely to train her if Eric told them she was worth teaching and under control. It was always worth asking.

  “What about Dwarves?” Lucy asked Kinda. “Do they have magic? Are there more men than women?”

  “Dwarves also have traits that humans or other beings might consider magic that they consider normal. Dwarves tend to live longer than humans, but not so long as Elves or Giants. An Elf could probably tell you how far the next maple tree is in a forest. A Dwarf could tell you what lies in the ground you are walking on. Right now, I can tell you there is silver deep below us, if we wanted to mine it, but most likely not enough to be worth the effort.”

  “The next maple is half a mile ahead on our right,” Allar interrupted with a smile.

  “Thank you. An Elf can listen to an animal. A Dwarf can listen to the ground.”

  “What can the ground tell you?” asked Lucy curiously.

  “Many things. It can tell you what walked over it recently. How long ago the last battle was fought. The ground remembers what seeps into it. It can tell you when rain fell or when blood was shed. It feels vibrations. It can tell you how far away a herd of deer is located. It knows what kind of weather is brewing. The ground knows where there is water, snow, or sand. Many things can give you information, if you listen.”

  “Could I hear it?” wondered Lucy.

  “Try it sometime when we are not riding,” said Kinda with a shrug. �
��I don’t have much experience with human mages. I don’t know what you can and can’t do. Also, to me it is normal. I won’t be able to explain to you how it’s done.”

  Didn’t Justin and Taran count as human mages? Lucy was about to ask, but Kinda continued talking. Lucy found listening to her interesting and didn’t want to interrupt. She could always ask later.

  “As for Dwarven mages, we have some. Mostly, they keep what they can do a secret. Often, it is simply taking what most can do to the next level. I can listen to the ground when I try. They seem to be able to do it unconsciously all the time. They can sense when cave walls need strengthening and are able to do so before things cave in. They can sense not only where ore is, but the easiest path to take to get it. They can strengthen weapons and put small spells on armor. I don’t know what their limits are and I’m not sure they know either. They never bring in any outsiders to learn from nor will they teach what they know to any non-Dwarves.”

  “What about magic visitors? Would I be welcome to visit? Not to try to train or learn or teach, but to see how Dwarves live and work?” asked Lucy.

  “I’m not sure,” said Kinda. “We don’t forcibly keep humans out, but few come to visit unless they are messengers, traders, travelers, or diplomats. You qualify as a traveler. I’m not sure how they would treat you if they sensed your abilities. It might depend on who you show up with.”

  “Would you take me?” asked Lucy.

  “Sometime, perhaps, if you wish. Then, you would probably be considered an oddity, but let in none the less. I don’t hold a lot of power, but they do find my updates on current situations in other lands useful and they value my maps even though they don’t fully appreciate them.”

  “Are there more men than women?” Maya asked again. Although the magic question had been interesting, she was more curious about local customs.

  “I think so, but I’m not sure anyone has done a census. We are spread out all over the mountain. Generally, there are multiple male suitors to any interested female, but not all Dwarves marry. I don’t intend to. Dwarves tend to have one or two children. I don’t know anyone who has more than that, but I’m sure there are exceptions. Other than the love of living in the ground and mining, we have as much variety as most races. Some brew ale, some farm, some keep herds of sheep or goats, and some weave their wool. Anything we can’t grow or make, we trade for.”

  Both Lucy and Maya found this information interesting. Lucy was used to the mental image of a fighting, mining, or blacksmithing Dwarf. Picturing a Dwarf herding sheep was more difficult. Did they herd sheep in full armor? Lucy hoped someday she could see the Dwarven cities, although she wasn’t sure how she would feel about being underground. She didn’t like the Skelt caves at all, but she supposed Dwarven caves would be different. There was so much she wanted to see on Kinowenn. First, she had to get herself under control. Then, she could go on another quest, or see how Justin felt about sight-seeing.

  Mostly, they camped out, but one night they did splurge and stay at an inn. Before he left them, Joss had given them some money as partial payment for their help. He wanted them to have a good time so they did. Maya and Lucy enjoyed long luxurious baths. Luckily there was a small group of musicians playing there that night so they ate, drank, and danced. Gavin was not a dancer and neither was Kinda so they had arm wrestling contests in the corner. Taran was an unexpectedly good dancer. Lucy hadn’t laughed so hard or had so much fun in weeks. She felt, good, happy, and normal. Still, before bed, Maya gave her a careful dose of sleeping potion.

  A week later, they returned to Taran’s cabin. They said goodbye to Allar, Kinda, and Taran. Once again they thanked them for the excellent timing of their arrival and rescue from the Skelt. Then, they walked through a door that appeared in the mountain and into Eric’s office. This time, the return seemed jarring to Lucy. Eric’s office contrasted sharply with the life they had been living over the last few months.

  Chapter 18

  “Good afternoon,” Eric greeted them. “You are back sooner than expected.”

  “That’s my fault,” said Lucy. “We were unable to do much reconnaissance due to capture, threats of torture, and my subsequent destruction of half of the major Skelt cave. Perhaps more. We left while the ground was still shaking and I’m not sure how vast the cave system was to begin with.”

  “That sounds like a story worth hearing in its entirety,” said Eric with his eyes wide. “Perhaps Quinn should hear it too?” Eric directed the question at Justin.

  Justin sighed, then nodded. Eric closed his eyes for a moment.

  “She is on her way down.”

  “She?” asked Lucy.

  Eric looked at Justin, eyebrow raised. Justin looked at the floor. A moment later there was a soft knock on the door and Quinn entered fluidly. She was the most beautiful woman Lucy had ever seen. Wait, not woman, Elf. She was tall with flowing red hair, redder than Justin’s. Her eyes were the most beautiful shade of green, but shaped like Justin’s and Taran’s. When she smiled and arched an eyebrow, she looked like Justin, Taran, and Eric. Quinn was the missing link in the puzzle. It was obvious that Eric and Quinn were siblings. It was also obvious that Quinn was Justin and Taran’s mom. Lucy was looking at a family. Eric managed to move a chair behind Lucy in time for her to sit down. He gave her a look of understanding and Justin one of disapproval. Maya saw Lucy’s surprise and then looked again at the group in front of her and nodded.

  “I’d like you all to meet Quinn,” said Justin, “The head of the school and my mother. Also, perhaps I should reintroduce Eric as well, her brother, my uncle.”

  Gavin laughed, “Mother? But she’s an Elf. Where are your pointy ears?”

  “My father was a wood carver. That’s where Taran learned the craft. He was a human wood carver,” Justin said, letting that sink in.

  “You’re half Elf,” whispered Maya.

  Justin nodded. Maya walked over to Gavin and took his arm.

  “I think Justin needs to report to you, and I think there’s a story here that Lucy needs to hear. We can hear it later. I think that if Gavin doesn’t eat half of the food in the dining hall, he may faint from hunger. We will see you later,” Maya said as she dragged a slightly confused looking Gavin out of Eric’s office.

  Quinn smiled kindly at Lucy. “I would have liked to have met you earlier, but the resemblance is telling and Justin asked that I remain semi-hidden for a while. I have watched you, though. I’m sure you have some questions so I’ll tell you some of my story. I am an Elf and I fell in love with a woodcarver, as Justin mentioned. Mark did beautiful work and he made me laugh. My father didn’t approve, but he passed it off as a phase. What could his beautiful Elven daughter see in a human? He hoped I’d get it out of my system, come to my senses, and marry an Elf.

  Then, I got pregnant. My father told me that my child would be welcome to stay, but not Mark. He could not accept him. I decided to live Mark’s human life-span with him. My father, to put it mildly, disapproved. He felt it was a shameful choice. I was a talented magic user, and he felt I was wasting that talent. Eric, my favorite brother, came with me. We traveled south and built a little cabin; the same one that Taran lives in now. The school needed teachers so Eric and I volunteered. I lived with Mark in the cabin and used the door trick to come to school to teach.

  We raised Justin and Taran happily until Mark died, much younger than I hoped he would. If I could have gotten there sooner, I could have healed him, but you can’t heal the dead. We were very happy and losing him is the hardest thing I’ve ever lived through. My father asked me to come back after Mark died, and even said that my sons would be welcome. By then, I was running the school. I sent them to the Elves with Eric, hoping they would be better accepted. There is no enmity. My sons learned a lot, but we are happier as we are here. Taran has attended some classes at school, but prefers a generally human life as a wood carver. Justin prefers the school with occasional forays into Kinowenn.”

  Lucy nodded;
doing her best to take all this in. Almost every sentence Quinn said contained a piece of information that implied more than it explained. Eric was her favorite brother. How many others does she have? Are there any sisters? Do Justin and Taran have Elven cousins? How did she meet Mark? How did he die? Her father sounds powerful. How powerful? So many questions.

  “I’m going to need a minute to process all that. Justin, why don’t you tell them about our little adventures? Don’t forget the Garden Gnome. Gavin would be crushed.”

  Both Quinn and Eric looked at Justin with matching questioning eyebrow raised expressions. Justin waved off the Garden Gnome comment and started his report at the beginning. Justin told them about getting involved in Lerramorre. They listened closely to his account with slight frowns on their faces. Apparently, they too worried something more sinister might be going on behind the scenes. Justin told them about the discovery of latent magical powers of Skelt and how organized they were.

  “This worries me deeply,” said Quinn. “We had no idea they maintained any kind of power like that.”

  “Do you think the Elves know?” wondered Eric.

  “I would assume not or they would have told us. Mostly, the Elves and Skelt watch each other from across the Ondra. I’m sure they have magic users on the border from time to time, but if they never looked specifically for things, would they find them?”

  “I don’t think so,” Justin said. “We only found out some of it by looking. If an Elven Magic user was watching a group of Skelt and they disappeared, they might think nothing of it. Perhaps they went out of the magic user’s range. If they weren’t currently a threat, they might not have thought twice about it. The Elf might have assumed magic interference from the Skelt forest was causing it.”

  “Maya said she could sense some amounts of magic around, but could not pinpoint the source or separate it from the forest,” interrupted Lucy. “If the Elves are used to the forest having latent power, they wouldn’t attribute anything odd to the Skelt.”