Blood of the Earth

by David A. Wells

  Alexander smiled and chuckled. “You’re most welcome. Any friend of my wife and sister is a friend of mine.”

  “Wren is a treasure,” Jack said. “Abigail introduced her to me when she arrived with the triumvirs yesterday. It seems that Wren wants to sing. We bards are always on the hunt for new talent, so I listened to her for a few minutes. I have to say, I’ve never heard anyone with more natural talent and passion for the craft. With a little coaching, I expect her to be one of the greatest singers in all of the Seven Isles.”

  Wren blushed furiously. “I’m not really that good,” she muttered.

  Adele came bustling into the sitting room and stopped short when she saw the crowd. “Ah, breakfast is ready. There’s plenty for everyone.”

  They ate a leisurely meal, enjoying the food and talking of little things. When only Lucky was still eating, Alexander sighed contentedly and looked to Isabel. She nodded.

  “So tell me, what’s happened since I’ve been out?”

  “The army is staged near the Gate,” Duncan said. “We’ve been using the magical larders in the Keep to produce supplies for them. I estimate we have sufficient food for a two-month campaign without the need to resupply. I’ve received word from Kevin and General Talia. Southport has assimilated many of the refugees from Northport and is busy building fast-attack boats and sending raw timber to Kai’Gorn. General Talia is rebuilding the city and he’s started building boats using Kevin’s design. Between the two of them, they should have over a hundred built and crewed by winter.

  “Andalia has been quiet. Talia sent scouts to take a look and it seems they’re working on boats of their own. He says he has a plan to move a legion of infantry to Andalia if need be. The people of Kai’Gorn enthusiastically came around to our side once they realized that we meant it when we said they would be governed according to the Old Law.

  “Duane is still up north keeping an eye on Rake and his legion of troublemakers. They’ve holed up in the mountains and are busy fortifying their position. I’m not too worried about them, except that they’re keeping a legion of Rangers occupied that I could use elsewhere.

  “The shade is still loose in the camp and killing three to five men every night. Morale is starting to suffer and there’ve been some desertions. The men are afraid and I’m not sure what to do about it,” Duncan said, shaking his head in frustration. “Also, another wraithkin showed up last night at dusk. It attacked openly and killed twenty-three men before disappearing into the darkness. Captain Sava is hunting it as we speak.”

  Alexander nodded somberly and looked to Kelvin.

  “The wraithkin prisoner is safely contained within a magic circle at the base of the Keep,” Kelvin said. “He hasn’t responded to questioning since our initial interrogation. I’ve removed the collar and carry it with me in case we have need of it.

  “Their daggers are a most interesting design. They don’t carry the magic that produces the taint themselves. Rather, they allow the dark magic of the wraithkin to flow through the blade and into the wound of their victim. So far, I’ve been unable to devise a counter to the taint, but I do have a number of wizards working on the problem. They’re pursuing several lines of inquiry that might lead to a solution.”

  “Boaberous tells me there’s been a murder in the Keep,” Alexander said.

  Anatoly nodded. “A serving girl was found dead. She was killed pretty savagely. We have little to go on right now, but Erik has assigned one of his best constables to investigate.”

  “Anything else?” Alexander asked.

  “King Abel is set to arrive today, and Lady Buckwold will arrive tomorrow,” Duncan said. “She has a letter from Duke Warrenton authorizing her to speak on his behalf. Regent Samuel of Northport arrived today and Regent Cery is on his way, should be here by dark.”

  “Good, we’ll hold the council meeting day after tomorrow,” Alexander said.

  Chapter 7

  Alexander took Abigail aside after breakfast and walked her out onto the balcony that opened from the dining room. They were high up on the south side of Blackstone Keep and could see the central plateau of New Ruatha rising like a bump on the plain and the green of the Great Forest coloring the horizon beyond.

  “I have something I need you to do,” Alexander said quietly. He knew Abigail wasn’t going to be happy with his plan, but there was no other way.

  “All right,” she said with a shrug.

  Alexander hesitated, trying to find the right words, wishing that if he did, it would make the enormity of what he was about to ask of his sister less of a burden, but knowing that it wouldn’t.

  “What is it, Alex?” Abigail asked. “You’re starting to make me nervous.”

  “Abigail, I need you to become the Queen of Ruatha,” he said quietly but intently.

  She looked at him for a moment, then burst out laughing. When Alexander didn’t laugh, she stopped and stared at him like he’d just grown a second head.

  “You can’t be serious,” she said.

  He nodded sadly. “There’s no other way.”

  “Tell me you’re kidding, Alex.”

  “I can’t do both. I need to be the Sovereign. You’re the only one who can wield the Ruathan Thinblade besides me and Dad. He’s already had his children, so that leaves you.”

  She shook her head ever so slightly, backing away from him.

  “I don’t want that sword. I don’t want to be queen. I don’t want any of this,” she said, motioning to the Keep around them.

  “I know,” Alexander said, looking down sadly. “If there was another way, I would gladly choose it, but there isn’t. Ruatha needs a leader—and it can’t be me.”

  “Why not? You found the Thinblade. You’re the one with that cursed mark on your neck. The nobles have accepted you as their king. What makes you think they’ll accept me? I’m just a farm girl.”

  Alexander shook his head. “You’re much more than that. You’re Queen Abigail Ruatha.”

  “No, I’m not!” she shouted, a tear slipping from her eye. “You can’t do this to me, Alex. Please don’t do this to me.”

  When he didn’t relent, she sobbed and then turned away from him and left his quarters, crying.

  The others were still in the dining room discussing the enemies they faced. When Abigail stormed through in tears, they all stopped, looking toward Alexander as he came in from the balcony.

  “What’s wrong with your sister?” Bella asked.

  Alexander sat down heavily in his chair and sighed.

  “I just told her she’s the Queen of Ruatha,” he said.

  “What?” Bella snapped.

  Jack closed his eyes in sorrow.

  Duncan took a deep breath and nodded slowly.

  “It’s the only way,” Alexander said, more to convince himself than to explain it to the others.

  “I agree,” Magda said. “I had intended to bring the matter up during your council meeting.”

  “Abigail doesn’t want to be queen,” Bella said.

  “I know, but she’s the only one who can wield the Thinblade and I can’t be both King of Ruatha and Sovereign of the Seven Isles,” Alexander said.

  “I’ll go talk to her,” Isabel said, reassuring Alexander with a hand on his shoulder as she stood.

  He nodded to her with a smile.

  “There has to be another way, Alexander,” Bella said. “Please don’t do this to your sister.”

  Alexander swallowed the lump in his throat and looked down at the table in misery. He loved Abigail. She was his best friend. This was the last thing he wanted to do to her, but he couldn’t see another choice.

  “Alexander’s right, Bella,” Duncan said. “I hate this as much as you do, but it must be someone from the House of Ruatha, someone who can wield the Thinblade. I can’t wear the crown … you and I have already had our children. Ruatha needs an heir.”

  “But she’s my little girl,” Bella said, stifling a sob. “She’s not ready for this.”

>   “I disagree,” Magda said. “In the time Abigail and Isabel spent with us, I came to know your daughter as a strong and formidable woman. You have cause to be very proud of your children, Lady Bella, more so because they both seem reluctant to accept the mantle of authority. In my experience, the best leaders are those who do not desire power. Abigail will make a fine queen.”

  Bella closed her eyes tightly, as if shutting out the unwelcome reality she faced, tears slipping down her cheeks.

  “I’m proud of you, Son,” Duncan said. “I know how hard this decision must be for you, but you’ve put your duty first. That’s a rare quality in a leader.”

  “If it’s such a good idea, then why do I feel so bad about it?”

  “Because you love your sister,” Duncan said. “She’ll come around. Just give her time.”

  “Your father’s right,” Anatoly said. “She’ll see the necessity of your decision and stand by you just like she always has.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Alexander said. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. As much as his mind wanted to dwell on the pain he’d just caused his sister, he had other matters to attend to. He pushed his emotional distress aside and dredged up a mental list of the other problems he faced.

  “Lucky, do you have those books we found in Grafton?”

  “Of course,” Lucky said as he started rummaging around in his bag. Even in the Keep, he carried the magical bag Kelvin had given him. By now it was probably overflowing with all manner of odds and ends.

  He produced the books one at a time, stacking them on the table before him.

  “Kelvin, I’d like you to assign someone to study these and identify the subject matter of each. I’m hoping one or more of these volumes will contain information about my calling that might be helpful.”

  “I have just the man for the job,” Kelvin said, taking the first book and carefully leafing through it.

  “Good, that just leaves a murderer loose in the Keep,” Alexander said. “I’m going to find Erik and see where the investigations stands.”

  “I’ll come with you,” Anatoly said.

  “Me too,” Jack said.

  Boaberous fell in behind them as they left.

  At first Alexander was a bit disoriented. He’d been carried to his quarters when he was unconscious and had no idea where he was in relation to the rest of the Keep. Then he remembered the Keep Master’s ring—when he was within the Keep, it was almost like the fortress was an extension of his own body. He could see the layout of the entire massive structure in intimate detail in his mind’s eye and command any of the Keep’s defenses with a thought.

  Erik was in the offices he’d set up to administer the workings of the Keep. Alexander grinned as he appraised the room. It was big enough to be a conference room. The large table set in the middle was littered with papers, reports, and maps. The walls were covered with rosters, work schedules, and supply requirements. A modest desk was set in one corner so that it faced into the room. Erik sat behind it studying a report. Two of his subordinate officers were standing across the room looking at a duty roster posted on the wall.

  Erik looked up and smiled. “Alexander, it’s good to see you up and about,” he said as he stood.

  “Thanks, Erik,” Alexander said, extending his hand to his brother-in-law. “I wish I could say I just stopped by to say hi.”

  Erik nodded with a frown. “You’ve heard about the murder.”

  “I’m told a young woman was killed pretty gruesomely.”

  Erik signed. “I saw the body, Alexander. She was beaten to death. It looked like her killer toyed with her for a while before finishing it.”

  “I hate to ask this, Erik, but I have to,” Alexander said. “Is there any chance one of our soldiers did this?”

  “I haven’t ruled it out, but I doubt it. We’re interviewing the victim’s friends and family, but so far we don’t have much to go on. I’ve asked Kelvin to help and he offered the services of Wizard Ely. He’s busy preparing a divination spell to see if he can identify the murderer.”

  “Hmm,” Alexander said, “I may be able to help with that.”

  “Anything you can do would be welcome,” Erik said. “I have Constable Ward investigating the matter. He’s meticulous and thorough, but he didn’t find any leads at the crime scene and his interviews have turned up nothing so far.”

  “What do you have in mind?” Jack asked.

  “I may be able to use my clairvoyance to find the killer,” Alexander said. “I can usually find the person I’m looking for if I know who they are. I might as well see if I can find this killer based on his activities rather than his identity.”

  “I won’t pretend to know how your magic works,” Anatoly said, “but I’m willing to give anything a try at this point. I don’t much like the idea of a killer loose in the Keep, especially with all of our allies coming here for a war council.”

  When they arrived at his quarters, he stopped in the middle of the room with a frown.

  “I need a magic circle,” he muttered, turning around, just as Adele came into the room.

  “Is there anything you need, Lord Reishi?” she asked.

  Alexander smiled and said, “I don’t suppose you have a magic circle handy.”

  “Of course,” she said, happy to be able to help. “When I took responsibility for furnishing your quarters, I consulted with Mage Gamaliel to see if there were any items you would require. He was most helpful.”

  She bustled through the room to the door opposite the archway leading to the dining room. It opened to a hall lined with several more doors.

  “You have a study, a personal library, a meditation chamber equipped with a suitable magic circle, and a training room stocked with an assortment of weapons.”

  She motioned to each door as she spoke.

  “Thank you, Adele, your efforts are greatly appreciated,” Alexander said with a warm smile. He hardly knew this woman, but she had taken it upon herself to provide all of the little things that he didn’t have the presence of mind to think about until they were needed. He reminded himself how important it was for him to succeed against his enemies so that people like Adele would be spared the pain, suffering, and death that Phane, Zuhl, and the shades represented.

  She smiled at his praise and her colors swelled with pride.

  “If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave you to your duties, Lord Reishi.”

  He went into his meditation room. It was a simple square room with windows on one side covered with heavy curtains. A brass lamp stood in each corner, and a ten-foot-diameter magic circle inlaid in gold and silver was set into the floor. In the center of the circle was a cushion. Otherwise the room was empty.

  “I have to go for a while, Little One,” Alexander said to Chloe.

  She buzzed into view in a ball of light and flew in an orbit around his head before coming to float a few feet from his face.

  “I know, My Love. I’ll watch over you. Hurry back—I get lonely when your mind is elsewhere.”

  Alexander sat down and cleared his mind. As he’d done so many times in the past, he acknowledged each stray thought and then let it go until his mind was quiet. Then he was floating on the firmament. He could feel the collective angst of the world in the limitless expanse of the present moment as it unfolded in countless lives across the Seven Isles.

  He narrowed his focus and thought of the murderer loose in the Keep.

  Nothing happened.

  When he tried again, he still couldn’t focus on the person he wanted. It seemed he needed a name or at least a passing acquaintance with his target in order to find him. So he decided to focus on his worst fears instead. A single man acting alone would be a nuisance but not a significant threat. He was far more worried about creatures from the dark.

  He focused on Jinzeri. He felt a sensation of impossible speed as his awareness coalesced in a large cave. There was ample light in the natural cavern from several clusters of glowing crystals ju
tting from the ceiling. Along one wall was a jet-black fragment of stone, uneven around the edges but polished to a mirror sheen on its face. It stood about twelve feet tall and was eight feet wide at the base.

  The Nether Gate.

  Twenty feet in front of it was a magic circle surrounding a stone pedestal cut from the same jet-black stone.

  Sitting with his back to the pedestal was Rexius Truss.

  He was possessed by Jinzeri and he was eating a rat—bones, fur, and all.

  Alexander watched for a moment until Jinzeri turned and looked directly at him, smiling with rat blood smeared around his mouth.

  Alexander moved straight up through hundreds of feet of stone until he came to the surface, rising higher still, until he was floating many thousands of feet over the Reishi Isle. He made a mental note of the location in the rugged northwestern mountains of the island and then faded back into the firmament.

  Next, he focused on Rankosi.

  His awareness coalesced over a road cut through pasture. A lone man was walking briskly like he had a purpose in mind. He was older, with white hair and a white goatee. He was dressed in the simple robes preferred by so many wizards. Alexander floated around in front of him to get a better look, when the man stopped and smiled at him.

  “Hello, Alexander,” Rankosi said.

  Alexander was taken aback. He couldn’t imagine how the shade knew his name, let alone how he could see him. Not for the first time, he wished he knew how to speak through his clairvoyant presence.

  “Of course, I know your name,” Rankosi said. “You and your woman brought us into this world … and without binding us to your will first.” He laughed with maleficent glee. “In all of eternity, we never imagined that anyone would be so foolish. As a reward for such a priceless gift, my brothers and I have decided to spare you until the end, so you can watch the results of your carelessness. We are going to ravage your world and there’s nothing you can do to stop us.”

  Alexander wanted to scream. All of his worst fears about the shades were coming true. He took a firm grip on his turbulent emotions and rose high into the sky directly above the shade until he could make out the form of the Isle of Fellenden. He marked the position of the shade and faded back into the firmament.