Phantom of the Heart

by Stein Willard

  “You have changed, my friend. A few months ago you would have taken all the dancers to your tent and had your way with them.”

  Sterling climbed to her feet. “And then I got married to the most beautiful woman in the world. I like it that way.”

  “We all know your appetite, Sterling. I doubt someone as hungry as you can handle celibacy for so long. It is almost seven months now.”

  Sterling grinned. “Well, then you will have to wait and see for yourself.”

  Sterling watched as Miriam studied her carefully. The healer's eyes kept on straying to her hand where her wedding band glinted under the candlelight. She could not help but shake the feeling that Miriam knew more than she was willing to share.

  “What is it about my wife that fascinates you so, Miriam?” Sterling's eyes sharpened. “If your interest is romantic, then I have to warn you that I am not sharing her.”

  Miriam blinked. “Interested in her? No…no…Orla is way too much woman for me. Her size alone scares me off.”

  Sterling smiled, a distant look in her eyes. Everything about Orla was perfect to her. She loved her beautiful eyes, the muscled arms which made her feel safe and her kisses which buckled Sterling’s knees. Looking over at Miriam she shrugged. “She is just perfect for me.” She held up her empty goblet. “I think I will go to bed. Tomorrow we will drive the Hurians even deeper into that hellish desert. The sooner we do that the sooner I can be back in my wife's arms.”

  “Newlyweds,” Miriam teased and held out her hand to take the goblet from Sterling.

  “Besides that, I am eager to start a family.” Sterling chuckled at the horrified look on Miriam's face. “What? It is expected of me to birth the next royals.”

  Miriam raised a shaky hand to her throat. “With…with Orla?”

  Sterling cocked her head to the side. “What a strange question, Miriam. She is my wife, after all.” Miriam's eyes darkened slightly, making Sterling frown. “What is this all about, Healer? You seem to know something that you are not telling me.”

  “You are imagining things, Sterling. Is it so strange for a friend to ask a few questions?”

  Sterling watched Miriam closely. She was hiding something. Miriam was never good at lying, but she was better at hiding something. Sterling was too tired to delve into the mystery that was Miriam right now. Maybe tomorrow she could sit the woman down and question her thoroughly.

  “We will talk about this some other time. For now, I need to sleep.” She entered her tent, but turned back to look at Miriam. “I know you too well, Miriam. You are hiding something from me and I will find out what it is.”

  ***

  “And you are sure that it was her?”

  “Yes, milord.”

  For a few moments silence reigned.

  “Get everyone ready. I will be leaving with you in a few hours.”

  Unable to hide his shock, the servant stared at his master. “I…I…”

  Eerie blue eyes met his. “Was there something more you wanted?”

  “No, milord. Your horse will be ready and waiting for you.”

  “Good.”

  ***

  Cybralle brought her horse up alongside Orla’s and Orla acknowledged the royal's presence with a curt nod. Cybralle looked formidable in her black body armor. Her large frame was bulked up more and the black helmet did little to hide her steely silver eyes. Gone was the smiling image the woman showed around the palace, replaced by this flint-eyed warrior. Orla watched as Cybralle scanned their surroundings before turning back to her.

  “We have made good time today. I believe that we will meet the Arnati camp by noon tomorrow if we keep the same pace.”

  Orla looked at the sun. It was almost dusk now and they would be crossing the border within the next hour or so. This would be the first time that she left Karas. She rarely traveled. Instead people traveled from all over to see her. If the work came to her then there was no real reason to leave the shed. But as she thought back to the past two days of traveling and the beautiful sights she had seen, she admitted that she had done a big disservice to herself. The feeling of riding on the back of a horse and even sleeping on the hard earth at night was incredibly liberating. There was nothing predictable about this. The landscape changed every day, as they made their way toward the renowned, mountainous kingdom of Arnat. She turned to Cybralle.

  “I heard that when the gods molded Mount Olympus, they threw all the waste rock on Arnat.”

  Cybralle smiled and cleared her throat softly. “I cannot attest for something that I have not seen with my own eyes, daughter, but many people accept it as the truth. Seeing the rock creations, it looks indeed as if these rocks fell from the sky.” The silver eyes were twinkling as they looked at Orla. “But what would it say about the gods to fling such big boulders from the sky, not caring if they could crush their subjects? As you can see, I have been thinking about it too, but have never come to a satisfying answer.”

  Orla chuckled. “Is that the only reason why you do not ponder the origins of the mountains?”

  “Partly, yes. But mostly because I find that by trying to question the origins of these rock formations, one fails to truly enjoy their beauty. If it is, indeed, a work of the gods, then I would think it should be enjoyed for the gift it was intended to be.”

  Orla grinned. “I think you are right.” She returned her attention to the passing landscape.

  “Are you happy with my daughter?”

  Orla slowly turned to look at Cybralle. That was such an easy question to answer.

  “I am.”

  Cybralle's silver eyes were intense as they looked at her. “Then please do not die on this mission.”

  “I do not have any plans to die soon, Cybralle.”

  The royal smirked at that. “Good. Mesmeria and I are expecting you to make us grandparents, very soon.” Orla felt her face heating up and heard Cybralle laugh softly. “You did know that it would be expected of you, did you not?”

  Orla reached for her water skin as a ploy to keep herself from having to look at the royal. She doubted she would ever feel comfortable enough to discuss sex with anyone who was not her wife. She was aware that she would be expected to produce children with Sterling, but she lacked the confidence to ask Sterling how they would go about it. When she was younger she had heard rumors of how the royal pair had conceived, but for her young mind, it was still too much to process. Thanks to Sterling, she could now. She could see Sterling's silver eyes ablaze with passion, her body taut in release and her mouth gaping. Orla sneaked a quick look at Cybralle and blushed when she found the royal consort looking at her. The knowing look in the silver eyes told her that her thoughts were not as hidden as she had hoped them to be. She was relieved when another warrior joined them.

  “We are about to cross into Arnat, milady. I have instructed the men to stay together and keep their eyes open.”

  Orla watched as Cybralle’s playful demeanor evaporated. The silver eyes, which were twinkling only a few seconds ago, grew hard.

  “I will take up the lead now.”

  The warrior shook his head quickly. “If milady would allow me, I would like to do that. I have selected the best men to surround you at all times.”

  Cybralle’s voice was cold when she spoke. “Germi, I appreciate what you are trying to do, but you should not forget that I am a warrior, just like any of these men here. I did not come on this trip to be coddled. Now, as your commander, I relieve you from your position. Until we reach Erfolk, I will lead the men. Understood?”

  The man swallowed hard and nodded. “Understood, milady.”

  Orla saw Cybralle turn to her. “I want you to stay within the group. If something should happen I want you to be protected.”

  “I am not letting you out of my sight. I am going where you go and I will be fighting alongside you.” Orla saw the silver eyes blaze with anger, but she refused to be intimidated. Cybralle would have to get physical with her to get her to back down. Judging
from their sizes, they were evenly matched. Cybralle might have the advantage of experience, but Orla had youth on her side.

  “That was not a request, Orla,” Cybralle said through her teeth.

  “I know, milady. However, I still refuse to follow that particular order.”

  With a deep growl, Cybralle flung herself at Orla. Orla grunted when the large frame crashed into her, tumbling her off her mount and slamming her hard against the ground. Dazed by the landing, she managed to open her eyes and found Cybralle's face very close to hers. The silver eyes were glowing with fury.

  “You will do as I say, if you want to live to see your wife again. If not, I will send you home right now.”

  Orla shook her head. “I will not leave your side, Cybralle. We both have a better chance of returning alive if we stick together.” She exhaled softly. “I do not desert family.”

  She saw the silver eyes lose some of their heat, but still the anger remained. “Do you want my daughter to hate me forever if something happens to you?”

  “Do you want the queen to die of a broken heart if you do not return to her?” Orla saw the anger dissolve at once. “Sterling is young and could probably still find someone else. Not that I wish it to happen. But the queen…she will die without you. Karas is not ready to lose their esteemed queen.”

  Cybralle climbed to her feet and reached out a hand to Orla. Taking a deep breath now that the pressure was off her chest, Orla reached for her hand. When they were both standing nose to nose, Cybralle pulled Orla into a crushing embrace.

  “Do not die, daughter, for I know that Karas will never be the same without you too.”

  They parted, both embarrassed by the public display of emotion. Cybralle turned away quickly.

  “Germi, I will ride out front with Orla. Make sure that we have a row of archers, just behind us.”

  Orla touched the back of her head lightly. Maybe she should wear her helmet and maybe she should also stop underestimating Cybralle. The royal was as strong as an ox.

  ***

  Hidden in a tree above, having witnessed the exchange, dark-blue eyes studied the retreating figure of Cybralle. Rom inhaled deeply soaking up the scent of the warrior. He sat in the tree long after the group had moved on. Sniffing the air, he felt his hackles rise. It was a full moon tonight.

  He jumped down and was just about to blend into the thick, green foliage when he picked up a familiar scent. Turning slowly, he stared at the large man who had crept up on him.

  “I have everything under control. I will not let her out of my sight.”

  Without a word the man walked away.

  ***

  Cybralle's hand moved to her sword, as she scanned the area around them. She had intended for them to ride through the night, but the area was too rocky. There were way too many caves in the area allowing their enemy to ambush them. She held up a closed fist. Germi was immediately at her side.

  “It will be too dangerous to cross the pass through the mountains at night. We will make camp here. Let the men make large fires around the camp. We will all keep watch tonight from within the circle.”

  Earlier she had had the men collect piles of firewood. They were well-trained not to question her, but she could see the confusion in their eyes. She turned to Orla to find her already helping the men lug lumps of wood from the wagon which carried their provisions. She stood a head taller than most of the men. Orla's height would help Cybralle keep an eye on her. The dark head turned and light-blue eyes met hers. Cybralle made a promise to herself at that moment that she would protect the girl with her life. She was too important to the future of Karas.

  “Come on, men, I want the fires burning before moonrise.” An hour later, a sweaty Orla joined her on the rock where she was sitting, talking with her generals. The blue eyes gave off an eerie whiteness in the light of the fires. Cybralle quickly finished her meeting. She pointed to where a small tent was put up.

  “You will sleep in there,” she said quietly.

  “And where will you sleep?”

  Cybralle felt a spark of anger. It had been more than twenty years since anyone had questioned her actions like this. But then, this was no ordinary person. “I will sleep outside in front of the tent.”

  Orla shrugged. “Then I will be sleeping next to you.”

  “Orla…” Cybralle began, but they were interrupted by the camp cook who held out plates with cold-meat cuts and bread. With a quick nod, they accepted their food. “Stop questioning my every action, blacksmith. You seem to forget that I represent your sovereign and demand absolute obedience.”

  Orla looked up from studying her plate of food. Cybralle saw the blue eyes measure the contents of both plates. With a sigh, she speared her slices of meat and placed them on Orla's plate. She shook her head at the bright smile that came over the dark face.

  “Did you hear what I just said?”

  Orla was already tearing into the meat. “I did, but no matter what you say, I will not change my mind. We are bound at the hip, Cybralle.”

  Cybralle wanted to respond but instead looked away. She was not going to get through the girl’s thick brain. She was even more stubborn than Sterling. Was this what they had to look forward to? Stubborn grandchildren? A silvery light poured over the tree tops and she slowly came to her feet, reaching for the hilt of her sword.

  “Cybralle?”

  She looked at Orla and almost shuddered at the way the girl's eyes blazed in the light of the fire. Instead of the irises expanding, the girl's were shrinking, making her eyes look colorless.

  “Yes?”

  Orla put her plate aside and rose. “What is making you so nervous? I know we are here to fight beasts, but I doubt they will break through the circle of fire.”

  Cybralle looked away. Could she trust the girl with what she knew? Her gaze touched the tree tops again. She had a right to know since she was putting her life on the line. She sighed, having made up her mind.

  “Let us sit and I will tell you,” she said quietly. She slowly lowered herself on the rock next to Orla. She threw a careful glance around her to make sure no one was within hearing distance. “I grew up with my grandmother after my mother died in childbirth.” Cybralle smiled at the memory of her grandmother, missing her more now than ever. “She was the best storyteller in the whole kingdom and all the children in the village used to come to our hut to listen to her stories.” Years of keeping to herself and not talking about her past made her pause, wondering if she should continue. She did, when she saw she had Orla's full attention. The girl was looking at her intently with those strange eyes of hers. “She, however, left the good ones for me. At night we would sit in front of the fire, as she brushed out my hair and she would take me to faraway lands. One night, she told me a tale of this powerful clan who ruled a distant land. They had been there since the beginning of time. Some people said they were there when the earth was created. They were seen as the keepers of the earth, spoken for by the gods. They were just and noble.”

  The sounds of the men joking nearby interrupted her, and she looked at the sky, noting that the light was traveling slowly down the trees. She felt for the hilt of her sword again.

  “Cybralle?”

  Cybralle released her hand on her sword and cleared her throat softly. “To be able to guard mankind against evil, they were given a special gift by the gods. The gift would set them apart from humans.” Cybralle rubbed over her eyes. “They could shift into wolves.”

  Orla chuckled. “Wolves? How?”

  Cybralle considered stopping the tale, but thought against it. Orla might not believe her, but whatever little detail she heard of the tale might save her life in the end.

  “That is perhaps a question you will have to ask the gods one day when you meet them on the bank of the Great River. All I know is what I was told. Now keep quiet and let me finish the story… They could change at will, but when the moon was full they were said to change into man-eating beasts, killing indiscriminately.”


  Cybralle paused, reliving the fear she had felt when her grandmother told her the story. It was an echo of the fear she had felt when Prince Halen had told her about the scourge plaguing Arnat. Beasts that stood taller than a grown man with fiery eyes and large teeth which tore through flesh and bone.

  Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Orla watching her. She looked at the girl. “You probably wonder why I am telling you this.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  She captured the girl's eyes and held them. “I believe they are the ones plaguing Arnat.”

  “No,” Orla shook her head. “You said yourself it was a story your grandmother told you.”

  “I cannot tell you how, but I just know it is them.” She looked at the sky again. The light had moved lower. “I know it is the Ulvs.”

  “Ulvs? What does that mean?”

  “It is the name of the royal house of the clan. It means powerful wolf.”

  Cybralle watched as Orla reached for the goblet that the cook had sent over after delivering the food. “But why would the gods put a beast in charge of their subjects if the same beast could destroy mankind?”

  “That is another question for the gods.” Cybralle came to her feet. “It will be full moon tonight. Keep your weapons close.”

  ***

  A dark shadow tore itself away from the trunk of the tree. A bright smile lit up the dark face, and blue eyes carried the light from the circle of fire into the darkness beyond.

  A shaft of moonlight pierced the dense tree branches and caressed the man's dark head. With a soft sight he lifted his face and looked up at the silver-hued treetops. A small sound on the right made him stiffen as he sniffed the air. He was never alone, but he still hated being surprised like this. Tonight was different. He would not take a chance with her safety. It was the first time he had seen her in almost two decades. She was truly magnificent. Her mother had done well in raising her.

  “How far are they from here?”