“I see something,” Wren said. “I think its Rook. Can you see him?”
Taliesin swiveled her head and looked at the muddy ground. The tall, green stalks gave a hard shake and she tensed. Rook and Jaelle stood up. Both were covered from head to toe with mud and looked frightened. Taliesin heard a deep snarl as they ran toward Wren and their horses, and Thalagar reared as a large shape rushed toward Taliesin from the opposite direction and cut in front of the stallion. She spotted a contorted human face that morphed into a long muzzle with sharp fangs. The Wolfman lunged toward Taliesin, and she thrust the spear with all her might. It pierced the beast’s chest and came out its back; the creature let out a roar and jerked away, pulling Taliesin off the horse.
She landed in the reeds, not far from the flailing arms of the wounded Wolfman, and released the spear. He thrashed, his efforts growing weaker, and Taliesin stood up when he stopped struggling. Thalagar had trotted out of the reeds. She spotted the spear sticking out of the body of a naked man, but he looked different from the other Wolfmen. His body was covered with blue tattoos; they were tribal designs that told the story of a boy turned into a wolf. Taliesin drew her sword and made swift work of removing the head from the body before she tugged the silver spear out of the Wolfman’s chest. As she turned toward her friends, Rook appeared beside her and reached for the spear.
“There are more,” Rook announced quietly.
Rook held up two fingers and pointed to where the Wolfmen were hiding. Two giant wolves slid from the reeds, and, once in the clear, came rushing toward the Ravens. Rook threw his silver spear, which slammed into the first wolf, and it dropped to the ground. Taliesin swung her sword at the second wolf and struck off its head; it fell into the reeds. Returning to Rook’s kill, she cut off the head, and watched as the body turned into human form. Rook yanked out the spear, a worried look on his handsome face.
“Do you think these are Wolfgar’s men?” Rook asked. “It would mean they move faster than we originally thought, and only you and I are armed.”
“I can’t be sure until I look at the Deceiver’s Map,” Taliesin said. “I know Wolfmen can run all day without tiring, but that means they would have slipped past Roland and Sertorius in order to reach us, and I don’t think that’s what happened. It makes more sense that they were stationed here and waiting for us, which means more could be waiting in the desert.”
“We can’t stay here and wait for Roland and Hawk,” Rook said as he pulled himself onto the large bay horse. He wore only pants, and Taliesin noticed his tattoos were similar to the Wolfman, though Rook’s were nautical in nature. She wondered if the Wolfman had been Erindorian, since tattoos were common in the south, but now wasn’t the time to inquire.
“I’m sorry,” Jaelle said. “If Rook hadn’t come after me, I would have drowned.”
“You nearly got him killed!” Wren exclaimed. “Don’t pretend you can do things, Jaelle, if you can’t! Do you even have you any idea where we are going?”
The gypsy girl looked offended and didn’t say a word. The last thing Taliesin wanted was an argument in the ranks, so she gave Wren a stern look.
Taliesin rode to Jaelle, looked her over, and saw no bites or scratch marks. Nor had there been any on Rook. The sun was starting to sink behind a line of purple-tinted clouds, and the breeze had picked up. She smelled the dead Wolfmen on the wind, knew other predators would catch the scent soon enough, and wanted to leave immediately. She tapped her heels to Thalagar and headed west over a grassy hill.
“We need our clothes and gear,” Rook said. “Going into the desert without supplies is foolish, Taliesin. Where are you going? We have to return to the river where we crossed. All our weapons and supplies are there, along with our saddles.” He spoke with ease, as if he’d never pretended to be mute and deaf, and Taliesin felt annoyed to hear him talking so much. She looked over her shoulder and reined in her horse.
“Our saddles were destroyed,” Taliesin said. “We can’t go back to salvage the rest of our gear; not with Wolfmen hiding in the reeds. If we keep going west, Roland, Hawk, and Zarnoc will eventually find us, and they’ll have supplies and weapons. For now, we’ll have to find food and water on the way. I have the map, so I’ll lead from now on.”
“Wren is right about me,” Jaelle said as she rode up to Taliesin, a troubled look on her face. “I have never been this far west before. Tamal and the brothers know this place, but I don’t. I’m not a tracker, either, or a warrior. Everything I own is at the river, along with my weapons and cards. Without them, I will be useless, Raven Mistress. It would have been better if Rook had not come after me; you would still have your supplies.”
“Jaelle, your life is far more valuable than supplies,” Taliesin said. “Wren! Rook! We aren’t going back for our gear, so forget about it. I don’t want to hear another word about who is at fault, who isn’t able to swim, or who doesn’t carry their own weight. I have the map, the key, Wolf Killer, and faith in what we are doing. Navenna has not brought me this far to let me fail. There is no looking back and no regrets. Now let’s get moving.”
Taliesin rode ahead of her friends and led the way over a small hill. The river and the shade of trees was left behind, and a low valley, covered with rocks, yellow bush weed, and green cacti was revealed. Beyond the valley was miles of white sand. Jaelle came alongside her, and Wren and Rook were right behind.
“Don’t look so worried, Jaelle,” Taliesin said. “Zarnoc will find us. I’ve no doubt that raven we saw at the river was the wizard. You’ll see your brother again.”
“I know of no towns in this area,” Jaelle said. “And it will be night soon. We’ll be camping in the open. No wood for a fire means no flames to keep the Wolfmen away. I can’t help but wonder if we shouldn’t have misled Prince Sertorius and his men. I sent them miles down the river to cross a bridge that isn’t there. We would be safer with them.”
“No, we wouldn’t, and you did the right thing. I’ve been in worse situations than this before. Trust me.” Taliesin offered a smile. “We ride until its dark. I’ll find someplace where we can make camp.”
As they rode, Taliesin removed the magical map and checked positions, locating Wolfmen scattered throughout the area, but no ambushes. The prince was far to the north and stuck at the river, unable to cross, but the map refused to show Roland, Hawk, or Zarnoc, no matter how hard she willed it to obey. Nor did it offer a place to camp, as if it wanted them to fail; it only showed open sand that stretched ahead as wide and expansive as the sea.
They rode for an hour, and the temperature started to drop as the last rays of sunlight offered a splash of purple, orange, and red throughout the sky. The dramatic beauty was not lost on Taliesin, and she felt hope lift her spirits and her gaze.
In the waning light, she spotted a raven winging its way toward them and knew it was Zarnoc. Taliesin lifted her arm, whistled, and the raven landed on the offered perched and gave her a wink.
“I had a feeling it was you, Zarnoc,” Taliesin said. “We have no water and no provisions. Lead us to a safe place to camp. We’ll follow.” She tossed her arm upwards and Zarnoc flew into the air and took the lead. “No worries, my friends. I told you Zarnoc would find us. Never doubted it for a second.”
“Your goddess looks after you, Raven Mistress,” Jaelle replied.
Taliesin knew someone was watching after them, and that person was an old wizard, though she didn’t discredit the help of her spiritual protector. They were going to need all the help they could get to reach the Cave of the Snake God, and she knew it.
* * * * *
Chapter Twenty-Two
Taliesin felt her mind connect with Zarnoc’s, and through the eyes of the raven, she watched four riders cross the sand dunes. The raven flew ahead and she spotted a lone torch stuck in the sand, a bright flame that glowed in the thick blackness. There was no sign of a camp, only the torch. Zarnoc broke contact, and she was back in the saddle. Taliesin kicked her horse into a gallop, an
d reached the torch ahead of her friends.
Jumping off her horse, she ran to the torch, pulled it out of the sand, and held it high. Before her eyes, a camp appeared, with three large tents and a large campfire, but no sign of life. Zarnoc returned and landed on her shoulder. At his loud caw, Roland and Hawk came out of the nearest tent, looking refreshed and well-rested. Roland had shaved off his beard. Startled, she couldn’t help gasping out loud. There was no doubt he was handsome, but the lower half of his face was pale and in sharp contract with his sunburned head. The other riders came to a halt, stirring a cloud of sand.
“Couldn’t see us, could you?” Hawk said, laughing. He went over and took the reins to his sister’s horse. “Zarnoc has cast an enchantment over the camp, so it can’t be seen by anyone else.”
“I couldn’t find you on the map, either,” Taliesin said. “How did you get ahead of us?”
Roland approached her horse and took the reins as she slid out of the saddle. “Zarnoc made us a bridge out of thin air, or we would have lost all of our gear, just like you did. He also told us you had a bit of trouble with the Wolfmen. I’m glad you didn’t wait for us, since we made it here ahead of you. But you’re safe now.”
“Barely,” Taliesin said. “I wasn’t worried though. I knew you’d find me. Why in the world did you shave? I think I liked you better with a beard.”
Roland rubbed his jaw as she slid out of the saddle. “I thought I needed a change,” he said, with a shrug. “You’ll get used to it.”
Tamal and the Nova brothers came out of a tent. Harmattan led Thalagar into a small tent where Khamsin, slender and long-haired, took the other horses. Sirocco, with his defining scar on his left cheek, joined Tamal in brushing away the hoof prints around the tents with large brooms. Jaelle ran to her brother, who paused in his work, embraced her, and listened as she whispered to him. Taliesin assumed Jaelle told him what had happened and how she nearly drowned. At the first opportunity, she meant to let Tamal know his sister was no coward, and despite what had happened, she was proud of her. Hawk led Rook and Wren inside the nearest tent.
“Zarnoc knew right where you were,” Roland said, pulling Taliesin into his arms. He kissed her then pulled away, wrinkling his nose. “You smell like a wet dog.”
“Comes with the job,” she said, laughing.
The raven hopped to the ground and turned into the familiar form of Zarnoc, dressed in a long, flowing Ghajaran robe and slippers. Zarnoc took the torch from Taliesin, placed it into the sand, and the flame grew dim. The horses’ tent vanished, and then the tent where Hawk had led her friends, leaving only one colorful tent still in view. Zarnoc shuffled over, put his arms around Taliesin from behind, and burrowed his head against her back with a contented sigh.
“It’s good to have you home, darling,” Zarnoc said.
Taliesin laughed as she turned in the wizard’s embrace. She leaned over and kissed the top of his rumpled head. He wriggled out of her embrace, walked in the direction everyone else had taken, and simply faded from view. Roland walked her to the one tent in view and held aside the flap.
“Please, come inside, my lady,” Roland said.
Taliesin caught Roland before entering the tent and kissed him full on the lips. “Don’t ever leave me again without making up,” she said. “I’ve been worried about you. Let’s promise to never part after an argument without making up first.”
“I can live by that rule.”
With a growl, Roland kissed her harder, passionately, and when she sank against him, he suddenly gave her a soft push into the tent. Light-headed and happy from the intensity of the kiss, she turned to study the interior of the tent. It appeared far larger inside than it did outside, and Taliesin had to blink several times to make sure what she saw was real. The floor was covered with beautiful carpets. There was a large bed with drapes. In the corner was what appeared to be a commode hidden behind long curtains that hung from the top of the tent. There was a table and chairs and fancy tasseled pillows to lounge on.
“It’s a palace,” Taliesin said. Zarnoc’s magic made the interior of the tent warm, for the desert night was already cold, and the temperature would continue to drop before the sun rose. “This is a bit extravagant, Roland. A bedroll beside a nice, cozy fire would have been fine. Did you tell Zarnoc to do this, or was this his idea? There’s only one bed. Is this for...us?”
“You deserve to be spoiled after the boorish way I acted this morning. I had no right to come down on you like that, Taliesin. I’m sorry. I really am. What about a hot bath? Hmm?” Roland chuckled. “Would that be a waste of magic? I know how much you love a hot bubble bath; I’m sure the old goat would make one for you. And this is his idea. I won’t take credit for it, but I was hoping to sleep here beside you.”
Her mouth fell open. “A bath? Are you serious?”
“Zarnoc would do whatever you ask, of that I’m certain. All this is for you. He didn’t go out of his way inside the other two tents; one looks more like a barracks and the other is a barn. Since you didn’t say no, I assume you want me here.”
Roland removed his sword belt and took Taliesin’s weapon and belt from her, placing them together on a rug. She sat on a chair, and he pulled off her boots.
“We had a close call, as well,” Roland said. “Wolfgar had set a trap outside the cave, but Lord Valesk’s troops arrived and put him to flight.” He tossed her boots aside, filled two glasses with wine, and handed her one. “We saw no sign of Sertorius. He’ll probably end up in Wolfgar’s stomach. If we’re lucky, we should reach the caves in a few days.”
“Let’s not talk about that royal pain,” Taliesin said. “I’ve had quite enough of that man and his threats. Ran into him at a tavern. Shouldn’t have stopped, I know, and we just barely made it out of there between Wren’s blushing and Jaelle’s flirting. But I suppose it’s really my fault, not theirs. He’s the one who fished me out of the pond last night, which I know I should have told you about, and you have every reason to be upset with me. I’m sure Zarnoc told you about it anyway; that little goat knows far too many things about us. I think he may be in league with the gods.” She laughed. “Not really. But he does know too much.”
Roland put on a broad smile. “Zarnoc knows just enough to be helpful, and we should be grateful he’s on our side.” His voice was tender, gentler than she’d heard it in some time. “Zarnoc also told me I should make more of an effort on my appearance, so I let him tidy me up. I even dabbed on cologne—Hawk’s—but it won’t go to waste. I intend to join you in that bed just as soon as you wash up, get some food into your belly, and catch your breath.”
“I could get used to this,” she said. “Had our own bit of excitement today, but I don’t really want to talk about it. I’m here now, and we’re alone, and I’m happy you’re happy.”
“I’ll go fetch your dinner; I think it’s lamb stew.”
“Wait!” Taliesin caught him at the entrance, standing half-inside, half outside of the tent, took his hand, and held it to her chest. “Even if we do fight in the future,” she said, in earnest, “you must promise to always come back to me.”
Roland laughed, lifted her hand to his lips, and kissed it. “I’m just going to get you a plate,” he said. “I am coming back. We both have tempers, Taliesin. I can promise not to fight about politics, and religion, and the weather. And I will always come back to you.”
“Promise.”
He smiled. “I promise.”
The knight left, leaving her with such a feeling of protection and love that she couldn’t imagine why they’d ever argued in the first place. When she turned, in the center of the tent was a large tub filled with hot water and bubbles. She hastily stripped off her clothes, sank into the tub, and submerged. The bath was glorious; the soap gave off a lavender scent, her favorite, and she sponged every inch of her body, removing sand, mud, and the stench of Wolfmen.
“May I come in?” Wren entered the tent as Taliesin was combing her freshly-washed hai
r. Wren’s gypsy skirts were replaced with baggy pants, her boots with sandals, and she wore a jacket instead of a blouse. Rook came in after her, dropped saddlebags on the floor, and glanced at the tub with envy. It vanished in a twinkle of colorful lights, startling Rook, who backed out of the tent, leaving Wren and Taliesin laughing. Wren turned, admiring the interior of the tent, and offered a shy smile. “I shouldn’t have acted the way I did at the river. You knew what you were doing. I was scared; I’m always scared. If I could be more like you or Jaelle, I wouldn’t feel so helpless.”
“You did fine,” Taliesin said. Wren came and sat beside her, and Taliesin started to brush the girl’s hair. “We’re far from home, constantly on the run, hunted, tired, and yet we persevere. I’ve been watching you, and despite what you may think, I’m glad you’re with us. Bringing Jaelle along was your idea, and it was a good one. Between the two of us, we’ll make a warrior out of you, yet.”
“I can’t swim,” Wren said. “I can’t use a sword. I’m practically blind when it comes to looking for tracks, and I made a complete fool of myself with the prince. I can’t do anything right. I’m useless.”
Taliesin put her hands on Wren’s shoulders. Her muscles ached with the movement, and she was glad to be wearing a soft, wool gown, not her leathers. “Jaelle can’t swim either. Why didn’t you both tell me the truth?” she asked. “I’d have figured out another way across the river.”
“I was too embarrassed. And Jaelle is too proud.”
“You’re a seer. You’re amazing. We can teach you to swim and swing a sword, but no one else has visions, Wren. And no one knows herbs like you do. You can mix a tonic to soothe a belly ache, and you can tend injuries. I can’t do those things.”
Seeker of Magic Page 31