The Eynan

by L. S. Gibson

  "More," Jhond demanded.

  Eventually, Jhond had eaten and drank all he required and he looked much better. He got to his feet, looking around at those watching him. Girau frowned at the look on his son's face.

  "I'm sorry," Jhond said, "but minister Narivin is dead. I have no way to know whether or not he talked before he died. He was lying in his cell and two guards were preparing to put his body into a sack. However, it did appear he died from physical torture. Not really Suvran's preferred method."

  "So, it's possible he wouldn't talk and someone got carried away and killed him in anger," Girau suggested.

  "Possible, but we can't be sure. Just have to take whatever precautions we can," Ninian said. "Jhond, you need to get some rest. No arguments...you can't hide from me how exhausted you still are. We'll see what we can discover about Amired's men tomorrow."

  Jhond sighed and let his defenses slip. "If I'm going to get some sleep, then I think we should find beds for our two new guests."

  "If by bed you mean pallet, then I think we can manage that," Patinus said. "Leave it to me," he added, as he slipped out of the tent.

  Chapter 32

  Suvran couldn't remember being so angry or so confused and he hated it. The anger he could use; the confusion was dangerous.

  He recognized Jhond Reeve the instant the man appeared, but he hadn't been able to do anything to forestall him taking away the prisoners. It was bad enough to lose two such valuable prisoners before he'd even managed to gather one iota of information from them, but much more momentous was that Suvran had no idea how Jhond Reeve had appeared so abruptly in their midst or what magic he had used to spirit the men away. Suvran considered himself a very powerful mage--he would have said the most powerful mage alive--but he had no knowledge of the kind of spells that would allow a man to travel through space the way Reeve had. Lords, was it possible he had come all the way from Timendra?

  Such a thought was terrifying. A mage with that level of power...

  The minister. Suvran had almost forgotten him in his pleasure at having Lord Girau of Reeve in his hands. There may be much the minister knew.

  "Get me Colonel Shoelin," he ordered one of the guards.

  Two minutes later, the colonel arrived, blood spatters evident on his uniform. "The guard told me what occurred here," he said, as he entered the cell. "I can hardly believe what he said."

  Suvran didn't deign to answer. "Have you made Navirin talk?"

  The colonel dropped his eyes, as he said, "No, sir. I tried every trick I knew, but the stubborn bastard wouldn't talk."

  Suvran's eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. "Do I misunderstand or did you speak of him in the past tense?"

  "He must've been weak. I've used more force on others and they didn't give up the way he did," the colonel replied. His face paled as he caught sight of Suvran's expression.

  Suvran roared and his hand shot out, his fingers clawed as they tightened into a fist.

  Shoelin gasped, his hands groping at his chest, tearing into his shirt to get at his skin. His face reddened and his eyes bulged as he struggled to breathe.

  Suvran smiled as Shoelin strove to draw air into lungs that would never expand again. Suvran opened and closed his fist once more, this time crushing the colonel's heart. Shoelin fell to his knees and pitched face forward onto the filthy cell floor.

  "Take that garbage away," Suvran instructed the guards who had watched with fascinated horror as their officer died. They sprang to obey and dragged Shoelin's body from the cell.

  Suvran paced up and down, frustrated. Then he recalled the colonel mentioning the documents he'd confiscated from the minister's desk. He strode from the cell, calling for a guard to show him where Shoelin kept the papers.

  Five minutes later, Suvran snarled as he threw the sheaf of papers from him. "Patinus!" he growled.

  * * * *

  The next morning, Jhond woke to discover he'd slept later than he'd expected and his father and Patinus had drafted a report and already forwarded it to King Corianus. The king sent a reply advising that they should remain in their present location for another day or so to see if there were any developments from the Illurian Empire as a consequence.

  Jhond was feeling a lot better, but Ninian still insisted he eat a good breakfast before he followed through on the plans they'd made the night before. It was mid-morning before Jhond took the strands cylinder in his hands again to try to discover what was happening to the three sailors from Amired's crew. It seemed that the more he used the strands, the easier the transition became and it wasn't long before Jhond watched as the three men were riding slowly between tall trees in what appeared to be the heart of some old growth forest.

  He took the time to listen to what they were saying to get a clearer indication of exactly where they were.

  "Surely it can't be much further now," one of them muttered. "You said it was about half an hour away and that's nearly an hour ago."

  "Damn it, Ekin, I never said I knew the exact spot, just that the border's got to be somewhere around here. There isn't exactly a sign pointing the way, is there?" Jhond recognized Mathias easily enough.

  "I just hope there isn't a patrol around here," the third man murmured, eyes darting about.

  "Let's stop grumbling and just keep moving. Don't want any patrol that might be around to overhear us, do we?" Mathias said.

  Jhond heard enough that he hoped Patinus could help identify their location, but to be on the safe side, he concentrated on Mathias. He already had a history with the man and trusted that slight connection between them would be enough to imprint on him when he used the pendant later. Having sufficient information, Jhond reversed his journey back through the cylinder.

  "They're somewhere in a forest, old growth, talking about a border they're looking for," Jhond said as soon as he was aware of being in the tent again. Looking at Patinus, he asked, "Any idea where they might be?"

  Patinus was thoughtful before he smiled. "That's got to the Paynor Forest. Huge place and very old. It crosses the southern border of Colyon and the northern border of Irobi. Whoever thought to travel that way was sensible. It's a very difficult part of the border to police. Some parts of it are very dense."

  "They were worried about patrols," Jhond confirmed.

  "There are regular patrols, but not over-frequent in the thickest part. We didn't concern ourselves with it too much because it's too hard to get through," Patinus admitted. "Not sure if the Illurians would've changed that much, though can't see why they'd bother when, to all intents and purposes, they control both states anyhow." Patinus didn't hide his bitterness.

  "Jhond," Ninian said quietly, "I know what you're thinking, but you can't risk it."

  Jhond didn't answer right away, and Girau asked, "What does he mean, son?"

  Jhond smiled. "He knows me too well. I was wondering how difficult it would be to transport three men back using the pendant."

  "And he's not admitting how much it took out of him to bring the two of you back. I truly believe it wouldn't work with three. Imagine what might happen if your strength fails and you are only partway back. You could appear in the middle of an enemy camp."

  "Or the middle of the sea," Amired interjected.

  "Or maybe nowhere at all," Ninian said.

  "Jhond, you can't do it," Gallia said.

  "Lords of Light, Jhond, if you don't know if you can do it, you mustn't attempt it. You might die and..." Girau's voice faded.

  "And we can't afford to lose you, Jhond. Besides being a beloved son and a valued friend, you are the Eynan. You cannot put everything in jeopardy for three simple men," Amired said. "They are my men, and I don't say that lightly," he added.

  "I know." Jhond sighed. "I just wish... Right, I'll go and bring back two of them, and go for the third after I've had a little rest."

  Jhond repeated the necessary actions with the pendant to go and find the three sailors in the Paynor Forest. His sudden appearance caused one of the men to
trip over a tree root and Jhond couldn't help but grin when he saw it was Tulier. The three men recognized Jhond from his earlier trip on their ship so, once they were over the shock of his sudden appearance, their utter relief at his appearance was obvious.

  Mathias said, "I have no idea how you got here, Jhond, but I imagine you didn't just come to say hello. You got a plan of some sort."

  "How did you find us anyway?" Ekin asked.

  "Let's just say I have honed my skills and found some really fascinating artifacts," Jhond said. "I can go back to Timendra the same way--"

  "Timendra? You came all the way from Timendra?" Mathias was incredulous.

  "Yes," Jhond replied, "and I have to return the way I came, but I can only take two of you with me at one time. It just takes too much power for any more than that. One of you will have to volunteer to stay. I'll come back for the last man in a little while."

  Not surprisingly, this didn't go down too well and Ekin and Tulier started arguing, but Mathias demanded, "Quiet! We don't know who else might be around." He turned to Jhond to say, "We haven't seen any patrols since yesterday, but that doesn't mean there's none around this part just because it's so dense." Mathias took a breath and went on, "I trust you, Jhond. If you say you'll return, then I know you will. I'll stay."

  Ekin and Tulier looked somewhat sheepish, but neither man argued.

  "Thank you, Mathias," Jhond said, gripping his shoulder. "It'll probably be about an hour before I can return. We'd best find somewhere for you to hide until then and I'll know precisely where to come for you."

  Mathias nodded, and they all searched around for the best spot. Tulier spotted a fallen tree trunk nearby, beneath which there was a hollow hidden by thick fronds of tallow grass. Mathias made himself comfortable in there, and Jhond made sure the fronds hid him well.

  With Ekin and Tulier holding onto him firmly, Jhond twisted the pendant and the return trip was over before the two men even realized it had begun.

  The two sailors were relieved to find Amired in the tent and the three men sat explaining to each other what had occurred while they'd been separated.

  At Ninian's insistence, Jhond had something to eat and drink and settled back to rest for a time before going back for Mathias.

  Girau, Patinus and Gallia were seated nearby, talking casually about what the future may bring when suddenly Patinus stiffened.

  "Patinus?" Gallia pressed.

  "Suvran." Patinus closed his eyes, took a deep breath and muttered something so softly his words couldn't be heard. "Pen and paper," he said, and Gallia quickly supplied both. He worked for a short time and then sat quietly for a minute or so before he declared, "He knows!"

  His face noticeably pale, Patinus looked around the group and added, "I didn't say before because so much was happening, but Suvran contacted me last night about the documents I gave to Girau. I replied to him as we agreed and sent the bird off as soon as it was light this morning. He...he contacted me again just now and he... I've never known him so angry; it was as if he was yelling inside my head. Even after I took the time to let his message come through clearly, his rage is unmistakable."

  "He didn't believe you then?" Gallia gripped her husband's hand as he looked down at the words he'd scribbled.

  "No, he called me a stupid liar who should know better than to try and fool him. He..." Patinus paused, as if somehow delaying the words would make a difference. "He told me my people would pay for my betrayal. What have I done?" Patinus' voice broke and he put his head in his hands.

  "Patinus, my friend," Girau said, "you have only done what you could to help your people. You know perfectly well that Suvran and Bardius were only using you for their own purposes and always intended to take Irobi whenever it suited them. Suvran only wants to make you feel guilty, as you now do, but he doesn't know how much you've achieved. Timendra is your ally and you can truly call the Eynan a friend."

  "Indeed," Jhond said. "Suvran will soon learn what it means to have the Eynan as his enemy!"

  There was little else that could be said to comfort Patinus. "The truth is I always knew the day of reckoning would come. I just managed to fool myself that I could delay it indefinitely, but really the emperor--or perhaps more accurately, Suvran--was just playing with me."

  Gallia persuaded her husband to go for a walk, suggesting it might help to clear his head. She linked her arm through his and they walked out of the tent. Jhond deliberated if perhaps she wanted some privacy for a more personal way to distract Patinus from his worries, at least for a time. Amazingly, Jhond found he was pleased for Gallia, happy she was content in her new life with Patinus.

  Amired had taken the two sailors to find them a place in one of the other tents, and Girau had gone to speak with the king again.

  "How are you feeling now?" Ninian asked.

  "Good," Jhond said. "I was just thinking I should go back and retrieve Mathias."

  "Be careful."

  Jhond smiled. "You worry too much, my friend."

  Ninian smiled back. "And you, my friend, give me cause. Have you forgotten you collapsed yesterday? I worry you might grow too confident in your new abilities."

  "What?" Jhond was confused. "You gave me the faith to believe in what I am. What I was meant to be. Are you now saying you were wrong?"

  "Lords, no! I'm just saying, be careful. We're still feeling our way through whatever it is that makes you the Eynan. The artifacts work in perfect harmony with the ancient spells, but we don't know what the limitations are, if there are any limitations. I found no mention of such a thing in the books or the crystals, but remember we were forced to leave some crystals behind on the Isle of Truth."

  "But they were in plain sight; it's unlikely they had anything to do with it. After all, the chest was hidden."

  "You may be right, but--"

  "I know. Be careful."

  Chapter 33

  Mathias wondered just how long it was since Jhond and the others had left. Jhond said he'd be back in about an hour, but surely it had been longer than that. Carefully, so as not to disturb his hiding place, Mathias tried to get a look at his timepiece. He cursed that he hadn't left it more accessible before he'd settled in his hide. Finally, he managed to get a look at it, sighing when he saw an hour wouldn't be up for another ten minutes. He put his timepiece away, but made sure it was easier to retrieve.

  What was that? Was it my imagination? He listened carefully and it was not imagination...there was a patrol close by. He heard one of the soldiers saying something about being sure he'd seen something in this area earlier, but as he'd been alone, he'd had no intention of risking himself.

  Someone, the captain Mathias guessed, grumbled at the soldier. "Risk is part of the job. Where exactly do you think you saw this 'something'?"

  "Well, I can't say exactly where, sir," the soldier replied. "It all looks the same."

  The captain growled something Mathias didn't quite get, and the soldier hurriedly said, "This way, I think it's this way."

  "Pikes at the ready and search this lot thoroughly," the captain ordered, and Mathias panicked at the thought of one of those short but lethal iron pikes thrust into his body.

  Then the voices faded as the search presumably moved away. Mathias had to decide what to do, and now. The patrol wouldn't have gone too far and the odds were they'd be back in his location sooner rather than later. He could hope he went undiscovered or move farther away as fast as he could. Mathias had no wish to be taken in for questioning. He'd heard enough about what the cruel bastards did to their prisoners, and he never wanted to risk falling into the hands of that mage Suvran ever again if he could help it.

  His heart pounding hard in his chest, Mathias took the risk of raising his head enough he could peer through the fronds surrounding his hiding place. At first, Mathias couldn't see any sign of the patrol, then right at the edge of a dip in the forest floor, he saw two soldiers and from their posture, they were gesturing and probably talking to other members of their p
atrol below them. Mathias had to either stay where he was or make his move now because he was pretty sure they'd be moving in his direction very shortly.

  He slid out from under cover of the fronds, keeping the fallen log between himself and the patrol. Staying flat on his belly, he squirmed toward the nearest stand of trees. The groundcover was thin there and he had to keep as low as he could until he was among the thickest growth.

  Hiding behind a large trunk, Mathias was very careful as he peered around the bole to see where the soldiers were now. He was relieved to see they were still searching in the opposite direction. He took the opportunity to get as far away from the area as he could, still keeping out of sight as he opened the distance between them. When he could no longer see the area where he'd hidden to wait for Jhond, he got to his feet and began to run, run as fast and as far as he could, darting between the trees, grateful for the dense growth he had cursed only a few hours ago. He only stopped when he could no longer draw breath and he sank to his knees, trying to get his breathing back under control. He pulled out his water bottle and took a small sip, conscious he had no idea when he might be able to refill it.

  He began moving again, but now at a much more sensible rate. Mathias didn't know exactly how Jhond's talent worked, but he doubted the mage would be able to find him now he'd left the agreed meeting place. He regretted that, but wasn't sorry to have escaped from an Illurian patrol. He would just keep heading north toward Irobi. By the Lords of Light, he'd walk to Buchern if he had to. He was a sailor and needed his ship under him.

  He'd been walking for about an hour when he heard noises ahead. Fearful of another Illurian patrol, he took cover, watching carefully. Four men came into view and the first thing Mathias noted was that these men were wearing the uniform of the Iroban army. Utter relief flowed through him and he stepped out from hiding, hands raised to show he was no threat.