The Crystal Keepers, An Overseers Novel
Page 53
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The going was slow for Tannis and company. The trail that led up the north side of the mountain was narrow and barely noticeable in places. Occasionally they had to dismount and lead their horses around narrow ledges. In those moments Tannis questioned his plans and wondered whether he had timed it well enough to meet up with Katarina.
Finally, they reached the pass and he was able to look ahead to where the trail led down into a canyon. The sun was higher in the sky and the temperature had risen significantly since they split with the other group. He looked over his unit, as they sat mounted on their horses, gazing down below.
He tapped his horse. “Let’s keep moving.”
The others followed. As they descended toward the canyon floor, Tannis thought back over the map that he had studied. There should be a small stream flowing through the canyon and, once they reached it, he estimated that it should only be a few miles to get to the mouth of it. Then they would be on the southern flank of the Great Mountains. Depending on how good the cartographer was, he figured it was a few more miles to get to the old lake bed. He looked up to the sky to determine the sun’s location. It was nearly overhead so he estimated it was late morning. He cringed at how he underestimated the length of time for this journey. Perhaps they could cover ground more quickly once they reached the stream.
“Are we stopping to eat?” asked Anton.
Tannis pivoted his body to look at Anton. “No.”
Anton rolled his eyes. Tannis caught Pria’s gaze and she smiled at him as though she found humor in Anton’s whiny tone.
They reached the stream and Tannis kicked his horse. He wondered, as he glanced at the canyon walls, whether there might be other caves that led to the crystal. He had seen a couple small openings along the way but they were high in the cliff and the walls offered no way to climb. Besides, there really wasn’t time for exploring but he noted it for future exploration.
He was getting impatient and drove his horse harder. The others picked up the pace as well. He was so focused on getting through the canyon that he almost missed the small stone cottage that butted against the rock face. It was cleverly built of irregular shaped stones and blended fairly well with the background. He noticed that on the other side of the house, the canyon wall protruded toward the stream, which blocked it from view of the other end of the canyon. It struck him as an odd location to build a house. He couldn’t put his finger on it but something about it seemed suspicious. He slowed his horse and the others did the same.
Then he saw her. Sitting on the ground, leaning against the front wall of the house, was a woman. She watched them approach, as if she had expected them.
FIFTY SIX
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Adele, Overseers
Great Mountains
Adele sat in the warmth of the late morning sun. Her brow furrowed as she thought about Morten’s note. He’d had a vanishing rod delivered to her along with a note that explained its use. She assumed the other sentries received the same but didn’t know since they were located farther down the mountain range. She hadn’t crossed paths with them in a long time.
In all her years as an Overseer, guarding this post, she had never been asked to use a vanishing rod. She had always carried a sword or dagger but observant eyes, morphing and fast thinking often prevented their use. She was aware of the rod’s existence but had never held one. She sat on the ground and leaned back against the house, examining the wand in her hands. It was hard to imagine that something so lightweight wielded so much power.
Things must be serious, she thought. In the past, when there was a threat, Morten sent an extra swordsman to help guard the post. This time, his note said that no blades were to be used. She wondered if Gwynn’s death was the tipping point to cause him to take more drastic measures to end the Guardians’ and the Brethrens’ lust for the crystal.
His note was cryptically written:
Threat is real. No bladed weapons this time. Enclosed is vanishing rod. Gold crystal to vanish someone. Point and say ‘abeo.’ Clear crystal to permanently remove memory. Point and say ‘eximo memoria.’ Use at your discretion but use it, you must.
If it has come to this, she wondered, then why bother to hide? Why bother to morph with the rock wall and try to avoid conflict? Although, she had to admit, when she was provoked it made the choice more clear. Without that, well, it was harder.
She reminded herself of the purpose of the Overseers: to ensure that neither the light nor the darkness got out of control. She recalled whom and what she was defending. Besides protecting the secrecy of the Overseers, the fairies needed help. They deserve to survive but they won’t if the crystal is removed. They depend on us to stop this craziness. Some things aren’t meant to be found and should never be placed in the hands of mankind. It’s time to end this greed-driven search.
The more she thought, the more resolve she felt for what was about to happen and it hadn’t come a moment too soon. She heard riders coming down the canyon and watched, in anticipation of their appearance. Rarely did anyone come over the mountain pass anymore, not since the road had been built to go around the mountains. The road provided safer passage for north-south travel, even though it added length to the route.
Listening intently, she estimated three or four horses and gazed up the canyon, expecting to see the white tunics at any moment. As soon as they came into sight, the lead rider slowed his horse. His face registered some confusion as he looked at the cottage and then glanced around the area, probably trying to rationalize the obscure location for this place. The others appeared around the curve and she counted four riders in all: three men and one woman.
Adele stood and lowered her arm so the wand was hidden behind her leg. She watched as one of the men broke off from the group and headed toward the alcove, where the horses were kept. The other three approached Adele.
“Hello,” said the lead rider.
“Hello,” replied Adele.
“Is this your house?” he asked.
“And, what is yer interest in this house?” asked Adele.
The expression on the lead rider’s face registered surprise, as if he hadn’t expected to be questioned. He sat upright and stuck his chest out slightly, as if the tunic wasn’t already obvious.
“We are members of the Guardians of Light and we are on a quest. Maybe you can help us. Are you familiar with these mountains?”
“What do ya need?” asked Adele.
“Are there caves in these mountains?” he asked.
Adele glanced around the canyon. “Mountains generally have caves. Are ya looking for one in particular?”
The fourth member of the party appeared from the alcove. He walked toward Adele as he led his horse by the reins. “There are several horses behind those trees,” he blurted. “There must be others who live in this tiny place.” As he approached, he examined where the back of the cottage butted up to the canyon wall. “How do you all fit in there?”
“I don’t see how it’s yer concern,” Adele replied. She didn’t see the point in answering their questions but she was also finding it hard to just coldly point the rod and take action.
The lead rider dismounted and took a step toward her. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword and it sounded like his patience was wearing thin. “Look, ma’am. We’re Guardians. Anything we do is for the good of the people and there is something in these mountains that we’re trying to find. It’s your obligation to help us.”
“Maybe it’s not for the good of everyone,” she retorted.
Just then, the fourth member blurted out. “She knows what we’re looking for!” He drew his sword and his body language indicated his readiness to lunge.
She brought the rod out in front of her and pointed the gold crystal at him. “Abeo!”
Mid stride, the fourth member of the group disappeared, without any sound or trace that he was ever there. His ho
rse disappeared with him. At the same moment, she heard swords being unsheathed from their scabbards. The leader was only a few long strides away but she sensed his hesitancy. She glanced behind him at the woman on the horse. She looked like she didn’t dare move and she was the only one who hadn’t unsheathed a sword.
Then Adele noticed slight movement from the other man, the one who was still mounted, and saw his hand slowly moving. Then, in an instant, she saw his body tense as he reached down his leg, on the opposite side of his horse. His body shifted slightly and as soon as Adele caught the flicker of sunlight gleaming off the metal blade, she pointed the gold end.
“Abeo!”
The man and his horse vanished. The lead man, standing on the ground in front of her, was frozen in place. His eyes wide with fear as he stared at the powerful weapon in her hand. Then he glanced at his sword, apparently considering the futility of using it.
“What did you do?!?” said the man.
“Tannis,” said the woman-rider, “let’s go. Look, ma’am. We mean you no harm.” The woman backed her horse a couple steps and pointed it down the canyon. “Just let us pass. We won’t bother you again.”
Adele kept her eyes on them, watchful of sudden movements.
The man, called Tannis, backed up several steps and kept his eyes on Adele as he mounted his horse. He replaced his sword in the scabbard.
Adele said nothing as she watched them. The woman and man kept their eyes on her for a long moment as they tapped their horses and took a few steps downstream. They faced forward, picking up the pace slightly but turned back a couple of times to see that she was still watching them. Then they faced forward again and kicked their horses into a run.
“I’m sorry but this is for the good of everyone.” Adele pointed the clear crystal at them. “Eximo memoria.”
FIFTY SEVEN
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Guardians of Light
Great Mountains
“I would have expected Tannis to be here already,” whispered Katarina.
They slowed their horses to a walk and kept a watchful eye for signs of other people as they entered the area near the old lake bed. There appeared to be no one else but they stayed mounted and in the protection of the forest, where they could watch without being readily seen.
Before leaving the Northland, Tannis had shared his previous experience with Katarina and so she knew to be cautious.
She spoke quietly. “Tannis and the others will come from that direction.” She pointed to the east. “The mouth of the canyon should only be a few miles away.”
Zack asked, “Should one of us ride over there to see if they’re near?”
“That’s a good idea, Zack. Go meet them but only go as far as the entrance to the canyon. If you don’t see them, come right back to let me know. I’ll stay in this spot and keep watch. Geoffrey, I’d like for you to get closer to the canyon wall on the left side of the lake bed. Stay in the protection of the trees. James, you take the right side of the lake. We’ll stay put until Zack returns, alone or with the others.”
Zack pointed his horse toward the east and walked through the trees. He listened and kept watch for about half a mile but then decided it was probably safe to spur the horse into a run. As soon as he saw the stream that flowed out of the canyon, he slowed his horse to a walk and stopped at the entrance. He saw two riders approaching and recognized Tannis and Pria.
He waved to them. They didn’t wave back. That’s odd, he thought. He watched for a moment, expecting to see two more riders with them but none appeared. He waved again. Tannis turned around in the saddle to look behind and Zack wondered whether something was wrong. Maybe there are captors behind them. He pulled the reins of his horse and retreated out of the canyon, staying close to the wall. He drew his sword, expecting the element of surprise to be in his favor and waited.
Several minutes went by before he saw Tannis and Pria again but this time they had crossed to the opposite side of the stream, creating more distance from him. When they exited the canyon, they glanced in his direction.
Suddenly they both drew their swords and pointed their horses toward Zack but stayed where they were. Zack assumed they were joining him in ambushing their pursuers. The three of them stayed in place and stared at each other, from opposite sides of the canyon entrance. Finally, Zack dismounted and edged closer to the rock wall and peered around the corner to look up the canyon. He saw no one. He stepped away from the wall to see a greater distance but still saw no one.
Then he glanced at Tannis and Pria. “Where are Simon and Anton? What’s going on?”
Neither Tannis nor Pria said a word but they kept their eyes on him.
“Tannis. Pria. What’s going on?”
“I don’t know these people you speak of,” Tannis replied.
Zack studied the blank expressions on their faces. He watched as Pria’s eyes wearily stared back, then she looked at Tannis and looked down at her clothes.
“He wears the same clothes that we do,” she said to Tannis.
Tannis glanced down at his tunic. Then he glanced at Pria’s and then at Zack.
“Who are you?” Tannis said.
Zack’s mind whirled in confusion.
“Okay, you guys. This isn’t funny,” spouted Zack but the others weren’t laughing.
He took a couple steps toward them but Tannis and Pria raised their swords and looked like they were ready to strike, so he stopped. Something was terribly wrong. He looked up the canyon and still saw no sign of Simon or Anton. He glanced back at them.
“Tannis? Pria? Are you sure you want to do this? We need you at the lake bed.”
Zack found the look in their eyes to be disturbing. It was as if he was a stranger to them. There was no sign of recognition and he had no explanation for it. He didn’t know what else to do.
“The lake bed is a few miles that way.” He pointed west. “It would be great if you joined us…like we discussed.”
Still, they said nothing. With sword in hand, Zack flung his hands up in a gesture, like he was saying – What gives? He walked back to his horse, glancing up the empty canyon on the way. He mounted, gave them one last fleeting look, and rode west.
FIFTY EIGHT
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