by Tony Donadio
He looked around, took a few steps to the side, and bent down. He came up with a stout wooden branch. It was green enough not to have become brittle, and still had some small twigs extending from it.
“I’ll take this anyway, just in case,” he said. “It might come in handy.”
Randia removed the knife from her belt and handed it to him, handle outward.
“You should whittle off the rough edges, then,” she offered, with just a hint of a smile. “You wouldn’t want your cudgel getting snagged on something when you need it most.”
Stefan looked at her carefully. It was the first hint he’d seen of her cheerful humor returning since the tragedy at the glade. Afraid to say anything that might disturb the fragile sentiment, he took the knife and used it to strip the twigs from his makeshift shillelagh.
He gave the knife back to her, and she slipped it back into its sheath. Then she extended her hand to him, and he took it. Reaching out with her other hand to touch the wall, she slowly led them deeper into the cave.
The Smiling Nymph
Orion blinked, trying to accustom his eyes to the dim illumination. It was dark in the tavern despite the bright sun outside. All of the windows had been closed and shuttered, and the curtains were drawn. A scattering of candles and lanterns provided the only light in the Smiling Nymph Inn and Tavern.
He stepped out of the vestibule and looked around. The inn was well-kept, and had the look of a prosperous business. Beams of rich, dark brown supported the walls and crossed the ceiling of the large common room. Some of them were inlaid with intricate carvings and designs. Rows of shelves occupied part of one wall, loaded with a display of ornately painted beer steins. A small stage for performers at the far corner was empty.
A group of patrons sat or stood in the room. Orion estimated well over a dozen of them at a quick glance, and they stared numbly at the pair as they entered. He tried to gauge their mood. Most looked haunted or fearful, afraid to speak. Some were quietly praying with fervent intensity.
A large, oval bar occupied the center of the room. He saw a nondescript man in a blue suit come out from behind it to meet them. The one who had let them in closed and re-bolted the door.
“Were you seen?” the man from the bar whispered.
“I don’t think so,” Orion answered quietly. “We came down the lane from out of the woods. They gave us cover until we got near your inn.”
The man — the innkeeper, Orion guessed — didn’t seem to be addressing them. He looked pointedly at the man who had opened the door.
“No,” the man answered. “The sky was clear. I checked first.”
The innkeeper let out a breath of relief. “Thank the gods,” he said in a low voice. “Be careful, Cooper. You saw what happened to the bakery down the road when they were spotted gawking at the monsters. We don’t want to end up like that.”
“I was careful,” Cooper replied quietly. Like the innkeeper he kept his voice low, despite the obvious heat in it. “I’m not a complete fool, you know. But we can’t leave people out in the streets to die in this — attack, or whatever it is. It wouldn’t be right.”
“I know,” the innkeeper sighed. “We’ll do what we can. Let’s just try not to get ourselves killed in the process.”
He turned to Orion and Diana and held out his hand. “Jameson Rivers, owner and proprietor of the Smiling Nymph Inn and Tavern.”
Orion took his hand and shook it. “Instructor Orion Deneri,” he replied. “This is Diana, one of my students. We fled into the streets when we saw a force of Hellmen advancing on the Grand Academy.”
“Diana Dal Meara,” Diana elaborated. She gave the innkeeper a quick curtsy.
Several patrons in the common room perked up at their introduction. A young man who had been sitting alone at a table with a large stein of ale stood up and strode forward.
“You were at the academy?” he asked. His face was bright with interest. “And it was attacked? Were you able to see much of what’s going on in the city?”
“Some,” Orion acknowledged. “Not much once we fled the grounds, though. We were too busy running to pay much attention.”
The man offered his hand to Orion. “I’m Davin Ross,” he explained. “A second year student. My family lives on Bayes Drive just down the road. I was passing the inn on my way to class when I saw the monsters flying out over the city. I ducked in here for safety.”
Orion took his hand. “Good decision, Davin. Had you kept on you’d have been caught.”
“What’s going on, Instructor Deneri?” an elderly woman asked querulously. Orion noted that she was dressed in conservative business attire. A shopkeeper from the street, he concluded. She was shaking, and her eyes were streaming with tears. “What are these creatures? What do they want?”
“It’s a demon attack,” Diana said bluntly. “They’re overrunning the city. Presumably, they want to conquer it.”
Another man slammed his hand on the table. “I told you they were demons, Jamie,” he barked. His voice had a triumphant note.
The innkeeper turned to look at him, and then back at Orion.
“The demons are a myth,” he said stubbornly. “Fables and stories to scare children. They’re not real.”
Orion shook his head.
“I’m afraid they’re quite real. I don’t know where this army is coming from, but it’s entering the city through some kind of magical gateway.”
Another man laughed bitterly. “The people have forgotten the Covenant, Jameson,” he growled. “Just like you have. And this is our punishment. The gods have withdrawn their protection over the Children. We’re all going to be killed because of your lack of faith.”
“Now just a minute, Henry —” the innkeeper began.
“Stop it,” Diana said forcefully. Her tone startled the two men, and they turned to face her.
“Arguing isn’t going to help,” she said firmly, her voice low. “We need to keep calm and figure out what we can do.”
“Did you actually see this gate you’re talking about?” Davin asked tentatively.
Diana nodded. “It appeared in the amphitheater. A big dome of purple magic. The demons are walking and flying out of it.”
“But why?” the innkeeper pursued. “Where did it come from?”
“The Hellmen marching on the academy are led by Lord Zomoran of Westreach,” Orion said.
A ripple of gasps and exclamations met his words. He waited for them to quiet before he continued.
“You’ve all heard the story about his confrontation with the princes, and the accusations that he’s a demon worshipper. We think that he may have had a hand in summoning it.”
The merchant woman put her head in her hands.
“Where is the King?” she sobbed. “And the Queen? And the soldiers? They should be protecting us!”
“I’m sure they’re doing the best they can, Else,” the innkeeper said, trying to comfort her.
“We saw a large force fly toward the palace,” Orion said. “I think we’re on our own, at least for now.”
“The Archmage can close this gate and stop them,” another woman said querulously. She looked up at Orion, her eyes pleading. “Can’t he?”
“I don’t know,” he said. His words were gentle, but his face was grim.
“I hope that he can. And I’m sure he’s working to find a way. If he can’t, I dread to think what will happen to the city. But I fear that dealing with a hellgate is outside even his experience.”
“So what can we do?” one of the others asked.
“For now, I would say, nothing,” he replied. “Keep in here, safe and out of sight, as you’ve been doing.”
“We also need to keep an eye on the city,” Diana added. “Arm yourselves as best you can, just in case. And be prepared to act if something develops.”
Orion nodded, and turned to the innkeeper. “I agree. Master Rivers, is there a window on your upper floor with a good view? Where we can take turns as lookout?”
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“There is,” Jameson said cautiously. “But it’s dangerous. If they’re spotted, these … demons … could decide to attack the inn.”
“I’ll go,” Cooper put in. “I’ll stay out of sight and not attract attention.”
“I’ll join you,” Davin agreed. “We should keep watch in pairs. None of us should be alone in this.”
Cooper nodded. The two of them moved off toward a door at the back of the room.
Diana stepped up to the bar and took a seat. She turned to Orion and patted the stool next to her.
“We may be in for a long wait,” she said. “Care to buy a girl a drink in the meantime?”
Finding the Trail
Gorath rose after examining the body. It was a mere half-demon, one of the weakest of the force that had massed to assault the Carlissan capital. It lay, broken, on an outcropping of rock that jutted from the side of the bluff. Its head had been shattered by a blow to its face.
A huge reptilian creature with membranous wings stood to its side. It stamped about restlessly on two wickedly clawed feet. Several of the other fliers patrolling this part of the city had given their reports and stood around it, waiting for orders.
The demon captain looked up the slope. There were signs that the body had struck the rock wall repeatedly as it fell. Its gaze followed the line of scrapes and gore to another narrow shelf in the cliff. Then it turned to one of the creatures and pointed to the spot.
“That ledge up there,” it demanded. “Did you search it?”
“No,” it replied. “We saw no need, and we were busy trying to take down the pegasus.”
“Fool,” Gorath replied. With a quick leap it bounded onto the back of the winged creature and grasped it by the neck. It reared in fright, but quickly settled down under the ruthless ministrations of the demon’s claws.
“Follow me,” it ordered.
The demon captain was large, and the wyvern labored to carry its great bulk up the slope. Its rider took advantage of the slow, spiraling ascent to scan the cliff-side, and to look out at the city. Nagoth had carried out its orders faithfully, blocking off every line of egress from the palace to the east. The wall of demons proved an effective barrier, turning back the few intrepid enough to try to flee.
It saw other signs of resistance developing in the city. Warrior priests of the Divine were running across the church compound, desperately trying to muster their forces. Usnaroth had sent some of his winged troops to harry them. That seemed to be hampering their efforts, but it wasn’t stopping them. Priests wielding magic of the Covenant were striking back at the attackers. A shield of shimmering white had formed over the Cathedral, and blasts of power rising from the forces marshaling there were forcing the demons to withdraw.
Gorath’s gaze shifted eastward. People fled in terror as the battle demons led by the Crimson Slayer rose through the streets and terraces of the Upper City South, destroying everything in their path. In the distance horns were sounding from the walls of their target: the Silver Star Adventurer’s Academy. The Archmage and his associates could see what was coming, and were preparing themselves.
Let the Carlissans think they had a chance to resist, it mused. It will all be for nothing when Lord Borr springs its trap.
The wyvern finally came level with the ledge. Gorath jumped from its back and landed in a crouch by its edge. The creature reared, beating its wings and backing away. The other demons circled or hovered nearby.
Gorath lowered its great head to the grass and inhaled — and immediately caught the odor it had expected to find. It moved toward the rock wall, following the scent. With satisfaction it noted tracks in the undergrowth along the way.
The trail led to a small stand of young trees and brush growing along the edge of the cliff. It rose to its full height and forced its way through the copse. Demonic muscles rippled as it tore one of the saplings out by the roots and tossed it aside. Behind them it saw a narrow opening in the rock.
“The pegasus was a diversion,” it said harshly. “To lead you away from your true quarry, hiding in here.”
The opening proved too narrow to accommodate the demon captain’s great size. Instead it grasped the rock with its powerful fingers, and began to climb. Before long it had found the partially open roof to the glade.
It jumped in, landing with a splash in the little pool. The other demons followed and began to search. They found signs of the two lovers’ presence all over the little glade: footprints, an abandoned picnic lunch, and a lute.
“As I suspected,” Gorath said. “A male and a female. Human and half-elf. The glade is thick with the stink of their rutting.”
It paused as it picked up the lute. “One of the royals, no doubt. Probably the princess. But they’re not here now, and there’s no sign or scent of where they went.”
The skin on the back of the demon captain’s neck suddenly began to prickle. It turned in surprise, and a broad grin opened on its features.
Chapter 9 - The Ring of the Killravens
Blinded
“Are you sure?” Danor asked the messenger roughly. Shock and worry at the news that his daughter was missing added an unintended note of harshness to his voice. The guard winced.
“Yes, Your Highness. Her pegasus was seen flying over the palace early this morning. And her fiancé, Prince Stefan, is missing as well. No one has seen either of them since.”
“That sounds like she may have gone out flying,” Gerard mused. “But Stefan?”
“They took him with them,” Elena said.
The others turned to look at her. New lines of worry had appeared on the Queen’s already drawn and exhausted face.
“Windheart flew off with the two of them earlier,” she continued. “I was hoping they were still out of the city, and had fled when they saw the attack.”
Gerard’s eyes opened in surprise. “She got Windheart to carry them both?”
“You know how convincing Randia can be when she’s wheedling for something,” Elena said. There was a note of gentle affection in her voice. “Windheart was becoming jealous of Stefan. She thought it would be a good way to get her to warm up to him.”
The prince nodded. “I suppose that explains how they got out of the palace without the guards marking her exit.”
Elena shook her head firmly.
“Don’t underestimate your sister, Gerard. She can be quite the sneak when she puts her mind to it, and that’s probably a lot more often than you realize. I’m sure she has plenty of ways to get in and out of the palace without being seen.”
The King’s face settled into an angry frown. “Why didn’t you tell me about this?” he demanded.
“Oh, for Light’s sake, Danor,” she said, exasperated. “Your daughter was trysting with her betrothed lover. It’s not the sort of thing she’d want her father to know about. And don’t look at me like that. You know perfectly well that we did the same when we were courting, and we weren’t even engaged yet.”
The King subsided, coloring visibly at her rebuke. The guard standing nearby went scarlet to the ears.
“How did you know about it then, mother?” Gerard asked, looking suddenly uncomfortable.
“Windheart and I had an understanding,” Elena explained. “I am still the princess of Mount Cassandra, after all, and heir to the Peregrine Throne. She told me just enough about Randia’s activities to assuage a mother’s need to make sure that her daughter was safe.”
“Do you know where she went, then?” Danor pursued.
Instead of answering, Elena turned to the guard. “Thank you, Daria,” she said. “Tell General Banderman to keep an eye out for the princess and her fiancé. Have him send word to us immediately if there is any sign of them. You may go.”
The guard saluted with fist to heart and hurried quickly away.
“Oh, and Daria?” the Queen added. The guard froze at the top of the stairs.
“Let’s keep that part about my family’s “escapades” between us,” she said gentl
y. “I don’t think anyone else needs to know about it. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Daria flushed an even deeper shade of red, and nodded vigorously.
“Of course, Your Majesty,” she gushed, looking mortified. “Of course!”
Elena nodded. “Thank you. Off you go, now.”
The Queen turned back to the others as Daria disappeared down the stairs.
“I don’t want to speak openly about where Randia might be,” she explained. “The tower ward should protect us from eavesdropping, but that may not be enough. I’m going to link our minds and erect a barrier to keep anyone from reading them. We need to be certain that our deliberations are secure.”
“Why, mother?” Gerard asked. “Are you concerned about spies?”
“Yes, I am. I sensed someone earlier, trying to skim my thoughts. Furtive and cautious, and extremely skilled at the art. It’s doing nothing to give itself away.”
“One of the demons?” Danor queried. “The Horde Captain?”
Elena shook her head. “It might be a demon, but it’s definitely not him. I know the touch of his mind from our battle. Incanus Thad is all brute force and rage. This one is much more subtle.”
Gerard felt the mental ward form as the Queen completed her spell. He turned to face the King.
“All right,” he said firmly. “Now that we have some privacy, Father, do you have something that you want to tell me? About what happened in the conference room?”
Danor looked down for a moment, and then back into his son’s eyes.
“Yes, Gerard,” he said. There was an unmistakable note of regret in his voice. “I do.”
He took a deep breath.
“It’s a secret that your grandfather and I have kept for many years,” he continued. “I was forced to reveal it to defend against the demons’ attack. Lord Rugon was right. If I had not called on its power, we would have all died there today.”
He raised his left hand. The golden ring appeared once again on his third finger, its rich blue gemstone gleaming in the sunlight. He removed and held it before Gerard’s astonished gaze.