The Three Swords (The Ways of Mages)

by Catherine Beery

  Jay Dee smiled and turned with her box. She now had something interesting to do tonight. She showed her purchase to both Grim, Jewel, and… “Where is Terana?”She asked. Eyes widened, Grim and Jewel looked around.

  “Oh great.”Jewel grumbled.“Milisda will have our heads. Do you see her, father?”

  Grim stood at his full height and searched. Being such a big man, he commanded instinctive respect from other people. They tried very hard not to jostle him, though the market was so full, some didn’t have much choice. Grim ignored them. Off in the distance going down a side street he caught a flash of copper hair.“There.”he said.“I think I saw her, come on.”He said beginning to push his way through the throng, Jay Dee and Jewel following in his wake.

  “Here.”Terana said picking up the cane and handing it to the old man. The panic in his dark eyes cleared as his fingers curled around the wood.

  “My thanks, luv.”He said. He shuffled away from the wall.

  Terana glanced toward where she had seen the others go. They were still at the stall. Turning back to the man she asked“Do you need anything else?”

  Before he could answer a group of energetic boys zipped by. Jostled by the boys the man swayed. Glaring after the boys, Terana rushed forward and supported the man by giving him an arm to catch his balance on. Panting the man gave Terana another grateful smile. He didn’t have to look down or she up as they were of like height. Terana guessed that he had been a tall man at some point, but age had made him no taller than she.

  “Where were you going?”She asked.

  “To my shop.”

  “I’ll help you get there. Is it far?”

  The man shook his head.“No, not far. Just down that there alley.”He said pointing.

  Terana glanced between the alley and the man. She bit her lip. Wasn’t it a bad idea to be in a city’s alleys? But she was committed to helping this man and looking at him, he needed the help. She glanced briefly back to check on her companions. They were still at the puzzle box stand. She thought about calling but decided against it. They wouldn’t hear her over the crowd. Perhaps if she got the man to his shop and got back in a timely manner, they wouldn’t notice that she had gone. Turning back to the task at hand she began moving with the man toward the backstreet.

  “Thank you for doing this for me.”The man said.

  “You’re welcome…what is your name?”She asked.

  “I’m Dawnielo, seller of rare and old books.”He said proudly.

  “Books?”Terana asked excitedly.

  Dawnielo laughed.“Yes. Books, many books, my dear….?”He raised an inquiring eyebrow.

  “Terana.”She supplied.

  They entered the alley and walked, or rather shuffled, down it. There were several side ways but Dawnielo gestured to the building at the way end of the alley.“My shop.”He said. Terana’s eyebrows rose. For an alley, the place was wasn’t too dirty. The shop had obviously seen better days, but it also showed signs of being well cared for. On a faded sign read‘Old Market Books’.“It may not seem to be much,”Dawnielo began,“but it is mine and it makes me happy.”

  “Then it is a palace.”Terana replied.“Well, here you are.”She said standing outside his door.

  “Thank you, luv.”Dawnielo said digging in his pockets and pulling out an ornate key. He shoved it into the lock. Before opening it he turned back to her.“Would you like to come in?”

  Terana smiled before shaking her head sadly.“If I go in there I won’t come out for hours and my companions don’t know where I am. I need to go back.”

  Dawnielo sighed.“Well, if you have to you have to.”He said taking his hand from the key and held it out. She took it. He held it a moment longer than she was expecting. He turned it palm up and met her gaze with his dark one.“But before you go, take this. I had a feeling I should have it with me today.”He said pulling something else out of his pocket. All she saw of it was a faded silver chain before he folded whatever it was in her hand. He pushed her hand toward her chest.“A kindness for a kindness, Terana. May it help you in this changing world.”He nodded once more and shuffled into his shop.

  Terana blinked after him before opening her hand. A large black ring was threaded onto the faded silver chain. Etched into the black band were green symbols that were obviously writing of some sort. Marking the beginning and ending of the phrase was a simple etching of a sword. Terana frowned at it. What did the writing say? And even if she did know and agreed with it, the ring was too big to wear on her fingers, all of which were too slender. She glanced back at the door to the shop thinking. She couldn’t imagine it meaning anything bad. And it had been a gift given in thanks. And wearing the chain doesn’t mean I am wearing the ring she thought to herself. So she slipped the chain over her head and tucked the ring in her shirt. She would ask Jewel later if she could read it.

  Terana headed back the way she had come. A quarter of the way down the alley two men stepped from one of the side alleys.“Hey pretty thing, what’cha doing‘ere all alone?”the thinner of the two men asked. The fat one just leered. Terana gulped. It wasn’t so much their worse for wear clothes, the tattoos, or the scars and missing teeth, though those were a bit worrisome, it was the threatening way they looked at her. The hair rose on the back of her neck and she glanced behind her. Three other men, they also had the tattoos, stood behind her.

  She slowly raised her hands as her mind raced to figure out what to do. She could use magic, but she honestly didn’t know how to use it. She had guided a woman out of the darkness. She had also struck an evil thing with a bolt. There had also been the time when she had blasted a way clear to the surface when a landslide had trapped her. She guessed she could do something about the situation she found herself in, but she honestly didn’t know how. Her escape from the landslide had been panicked instinct. Granted, she was close to panicking as it was, but she didn’t want to chance blowing up the street, which is pretty much what happened with the landslide. The bolt and guiding Jewel back to herself she had only been able to do with help…

  “Please, I don’t want any trouble.”She said softly. Perhaps she could talk herself out, diffuse the situation before she did anything drastic, not that she thought asking for help was drastic. Using magic seemed a bit much, though. But if she had too she would. It was just her last recourse.

  The thin man grinned at her, showing off the few teeth he had left. He gestured innocently with his hands. Terana wasn’t fooled. A malicious hunger burned in his eyes.“I was just a asking. Per’aps we could escort you somewhere?”

  A man behind her sniggered “Yeah, somewhere nice and private.”More sniggers followed.

  A chill went down Terana’s spine. Perhaps now would be a good time to call for help. The thin man shook his finger at her.“Now, now, Pretty, no need to scream. Besides not a one will hear you.”Terana was very aware that the men were closing in on her. Well it looked like it was time to try something more drastic...

  Before she could reach for her magic a strange thing happened. A light breeze touched her skin as her eyes widened. There was a thunk and the tall man crumpled to the ground. A man with black hair tied at the base of his neck stood behind him. His hand lowered, having finished clouting the man in the back of the head with his dagger’s hilt. Terana blinked at him. He had the build of an athlete with lean muscles granting him both strength and speed. Terana couldn’t figure out how he had gotten there without anyone seeing him. His mud brown travel clothes were unremarkable, but didn’t seem to be enough in the kept alley.

  “She isn’t alone.”He said looking at the rest of the men.“You okay, miss?”He said looking at her with chocolate brown eyes. Terana nodded mutely.

  Her movement managed to shake her attackers from their shocked stupor. The chunkier man lunged toward the newcomer. The dark headed man grabbed the fist coming toward him and turned out of the way. He added to his attacker’s momentum with a push that sent the man rushing into a wall. He then continued the turn, drawing a
dark steel blade from its sheath at his shoulder to face the two attackers charging him. The last attacker grabbed Terana to him. Terana cried out, the feel of cold steel against her neck highly unwelcome.

  The swordsman glanced her way in a pause in the fight.“Don’t do it, man.”He said.

  The man holding Terana laughed, his breath fanning against her cheek.“Why don’t ya drop the sword an’I won’have to slit her purty throat.”The other two attackers smiled.

  Before the swordsman could come to a decision there was a commotion at the opening of the alley.“Terana!”Thomas GrimHolden called when he saw her. Terana felt hope as her companions came toward them. The man holding her snarled and pulled her tighter against him. She gasped feeling the blade tighten against her throat.“Let her go.”Grim commanded as he came closer. Terana saw Jay Dee touch her hand to her hair as if checking the pin’s placement. Jewel was watching the whole scene waiting for something to happen.

  The swordsman didn’t wait, however. He took advantage of his opponents' distraction. He kicked out one man’s knee in a fast, precise movement. The other he clubbed in the head with the flat of his blade. That man fell to the ground instantly. The other cried out as he fell. He was also silenced by a hard tap to the temple.

  The man holding Terana tightened his hold on her. The blade nibbled into her skin one moment, the next the man and the blade were gone. Terana gasped her hands flying to her throat. Her gaze met Jay Dee’s. The woman was smiling a satisfied smile. Terana turned slowly to look at the man behind her. A feathered dart was in the man’s eye.

  Terana flinched and stumbled away. Jewel reached her, offering comfort and checking the thin scratch on her throat.“You’ll live.”The she told Terana.

  “Thanks.”Terana said. She turned to Jay Dee.“And you.”Terana glanced back at the dead man behind her. The aim was terrifying. Turning back to Jay Dee she said.“Remind me to never, ever piss you off.”

  Jay Dee laughed.“You’re welcome.”

  Terana then turned to the swordsman who was sheathing his sword and checking the downed men.“Thank you for helping me.”She said.

  He shrugged.“I’m just glad I could help.”After a moment he stood dusting off his hands.“Well these lads will be out cold for a time.”His glanced at the man with the dart in his eye who was most definitely dead. He met Jay Dee’s gaze“Nice throw, by the way. I don’t think that one even saw it coming.”

  Jay Dee shrugged.“He threatened a friend. I don’t care if he saw it or not.”

  The man nodded in understanding.

  Grim studied the man before holding out a hand.“I thank you for stepping in to protect our young friend. I am Thomas GrimHolden. And you are?”

  The man shook the out stretched hand. He met Grim’s gaze with a friendly smile.“The name’s Veil. And as I told the lass, I’m just glad to have been of assistance.”

  “Veil? Now that is an interesting name.”Jay Dee said tucking her arm around one of Grim’s.

  Veil smiled, his chocolate brown eyes dancing. He bowed so gracefully that Jay Dee was sure that most of the gentry she had ever met would have been jealous. And he was playing.“Why thank you, lady. I’m overjoyed that you found it interesting.”

  “Who are you?”Jewel asked crossing his arms.

  Veil chuckled softly.“I am an honest traveling man who seeks entertainment for his easily amused nature.”

  “An easily amused man who knows how to use a blade.”Grim observed.

  “I think you are a thief.”Jay Dee added.

  Veil laughed. Terana liked it. It was amused and genuine. “I may be fast, but not that fast.”Sobering he asked“If I may be so bold, where are you headed now?”

  “Back to our inn.”Jewel answered.

  “Would you like me to walk with you?”

  Grim glanced at the women. Terana gave him a hopeful look. Jewel and Jay Dee seemed skeptical, but shrugged slightly. He was glad to see that he wasn’t the only one who didn’t believe that Veil was exactly what he said he was. But neither could Grim sense anything evil about the man. He had after all helped protect Terana, a stranger. Grim understood Terana wanting to walk with the man for a time. He had saved her life and was easy to talk and listen too. Grim figured that since Jewel, Jay Dee , and himself were present that Terana wouldn’t be in any danger. It wasn’t that long of a walk either.“If you don’t have somewhere else you need to be, we wouldn’t mind the company.”Grim finally said.

  “I do, but it isn’t pressing.”Veil said and gestured toward the entrance of the alley“Shall we?”

  Veil walked with Terana in front of her three older companions. He was telling Terana of some of the places he had seen. Terana was quite obviously fascinated. The others watched him closely. There was just something about him that seemed untrustworthy. He wasn’t threatening or doing anything untoward Terana. They didn’t sense that he would hurt the girl. But there was a hint of danger about him.

  “He reminds me of Tommy T. Towel-Taker.”Jewel observed quietly.“Always in a cheerful mood and always watching everything around him.”

  “He is also a trained killer.”Grim said.“He knew exactly how to take out those men without killing them. He knows the body. He also knows how to use that blade.”

  Jay Dee nodded. She noted a horse that was still hitched to a produce wagon. It was waiting for people to move out of the way. As Veil and Terana neared the creature flinched and backed away. The driver cursed before softening her voice in an attempt to calm the horse. The creature calmed, but only after the companions passed it. Not long after a pack of dogs raced through the milling crowd, stopping every so often to beg for food. One such dog was at a meat stall. The proprietor was shouting at it to go away. Terana called to the dog, trying to help the stall owner. The dog turned hopefully to her, tail wagging. Then it noticed Veil and fled. The three companions glanced at each other with eyebrows raised.

  “I think,”Jewel murmured thoughtfully,“that the animals are picking up on the dangerous air that our friend seems to have.”The thought jostled a memory, but she couldn’t focus it.

  Eventually they got within a block of where the inn was when Veil bid them farewell. He explained that where he was going was further down the main road. Terana thanked him again. The rest said goodbye. Grim found that he couldn’t quite turn his back on the man until he disappeared from sight. Thomas shook his head, trying to understand the paranoia.

  The ladies left him in the foyer to go upstairs to get Terana cleaned up and to change into fresh clothing. As soon as he entered the common room of the inn he rejoined the table where the guys were still sitting. He wanted to make sure that Kadrean was still living. The looks Jingles and Zeeve had given him earlier had been similar to starving wolves looking at a lone, fat sheep.

  Upon reaching the table Grim found that things were not what he had been expecting. Kadrean smiled at him in welcome.“Why hello Grim, how was shopping?”The other three barely looked at him as they were too busy drinking. Zeeve was somehow managing without falling into his mug.

  “Good.”Grim said slowly sitting down.“Had a little excitement with some petty thieves, but everything worked out. How was the game?”

  Kadrean’s smile became a full-fledged grin.“It was wonderful.”

  “Horse shit.”Zeeve spat coming up from his mug.“The bugger cheated somehow.”

  “Oh aye,”Jingles chimed in.“He said he hadn’t known the game. An’yet somehow‘e wins the whole bloody pot.”

  “They are a little mad because they lost and I won all their money.”Kadrean informed Grim calmly. The healer shrugged.“I cannot help that they didn’t listen to me carefully. I said that it had been a long time since last I played. I never said that I didn’tknow the game. All I wanted was a rehash of the rules.”

  Grim tried very hard not to laugh at the sullen faces of the losers.“You are just sore because you wanted his money and thought he was an easy mark. Good job Kadrean.”He said clapping the healer’s shoulde
r.

  “Well, if you are going to take his side you can buy the next round of drinks.”Jingles muttered.

  Chapter Fifteen–Meeting Puppets

  Reshan Varcress, a prince of Sheyestiva and her secret eyes, wove his way through the crowded street of Ronair. He smiled to himself. He had done his good deed of the day by helping that young woman back in that alley. There had been something about her that had drawn his attention even though he had been up on the High Road at the time to avoid the crowds. He hadn’t known what exactly it was that drew his attention to Terana, if he had heard her companions correctly. Her red hair helped her stick out in a crowd, but the older red head hadn’t caught his attention as she had. Perhaps it had been her compassion to the old man? Reshan knew it wasn’t because he was attracted to her, though she was pretty, especially with those silver-blue eyes of hers.

  “Hey pretty thing, what’cha doing‘ere all alone?” one of the attackers had said to her and for whatever the reason it had roused something in Reshan. He had needed to protect her like she was the younger sister he didn’t have. Along with that need to protect, Reshan couldn’t abide the fact that compassion was going to be rewarded with a brutal attack. It was just wrong.

  So he had done his good deed of the day. Now he had to complete his mission. Perhaps the whole episode had been a balancing act for him. He had saved the woman from a bunch of thugs and now he was continuing his mission to set up the invasion of her homeland. Perhaps not quite on the same level, but it was something, right? His mission was to find a sorceress whom his brother had said would make a good puppet. Which meant that she was ideal for placing a telecy root in. She was only one such puppet the Sheyestivans were establishing.