Surrounding the estate were a number of smaller outbuildings, each of which was at least three times the size of Ty’s family cottage.
It was truly impressive.
They followed the path around the garden. It led in a circular fashion back toward the front of the main building and the open courtyard. A couple of attendants, dressed in the formal Sidaran green and gold, were there to meet them. After dismounting, the groomsmen walked the horses to the stables.
The stairs leading up to the main entrance were lined with magnificently carved statues. At the top, the double doors opened and an angular gentleman dressed in the same green and gold as the staff trotted down the stairs to greet them. Along with his fancy suit, the man wore a feathered hat and a pair of white gloves. “Welcome, Master Kellen,” the lanky man said with a swooping bow. “Lord Barl has been expecting you.”
“Thank you, Piel.”
Ty was impressed. It was the first time he’d seen someone show that kind of deference to a member of his family.
“If you would be so good as to follow me.” The tall man gestured toward the front doors and started up the steps.
Ty fell in behind the others as they made their way up the steps and through the doors.
The open foyer held two circular staircases leading to a second floor walkway that encircled most of the room. The front wall was lined with windows. The place was a veritable cornucopia of exquisite furnishings. Expensive, breakable items littered every nook and cranny. Ty didn’t think it was a very practical room. There was no place to stretch out.
The décor was heavily accented in the rich tones afforded by the extensive use of wood to which many of the residents of Easthaven had chosen to give prominence. It was a traditional choice stemming from their love of the Sidaran Forest.
Tilting his head down, Ty smiled, and his reflection in the polished marble smiled back. He had known Lyessa was rich, but he had no idea it was anything like this.
The chamberlain led them between the center of the two staircases and toward an adjoining hallway. While passing directly underneath the balcony, Ty gawked at the enormous brass chandelier hanging directly above.
“Lord Barl will receive you in his study,” Piel stated without turning.
Rounding the corner, the chamberlain came to a stop in front of a set of golden oak doors. Opening, he stepped through and allowed his guests room enough to follow. “Master Kellen and his sons to see you, my lord.” The chamberlain bowed. Ty was surprised to see that the man’s feathered hat had not fallen off in the process.
“Thank you, Piel.” The overlord stood from his cushioned seat in front of the fire.
The room was well lit as the afternoon sun poured in from the open draperies on the far side. There was a set of glass-framed doors at the back that gave Ty a perfect view of the open courtyard beyond.
The overlord’s study didn’t appear to resemble that of the rest of the estate, however. There were no shiny marble floors. No colorful tapestries. No exotic furnishings of any kind. Instead, the room had a strong rustic flavor, with full-scribe log walls decorated in natural colors and surrounded by an array of stuffed mounts from the lord’s previous hunts. It was the epitome of a man’s place to escape. Warm light from the open hearth at the front of the room flickered across their faces as the three took in the splendor.
From the other side of the room, Lord Barl broke off his conversation with the man sitting across from him and stood to greet them. “Master Kellen, it’s so good to see you again,” Barl said as he reached out to shake Ty’s father’s hand. The overlord was at least a head shorter than his father, but well-built with a hint of gray showing in his beard and hair. Ty, of course, naturally assumed this was Lyessa’s doing and smiled, up until the point he noticed the amount of gray in his own father’s hair.
Ty was rather astonished at such a friendly greeting from the overlord. Ty had always figured him to be of such a station that would not allow him to pay mind to those of common birth. But instead, Lord Barl appeared to be quite hospitable, if not downright friendly.
“I’d like to introduce you to our Sidaran representative, Ambassador Lanmiere.” The other man was a good ten years older than the overlord and wearing a sling on his right arm.
Ty’s father extended his opposite hand so as not to disturb the ambassador’s sling.
“Master Kellen is my personal gamekeeper and forester.”
“Ah, then it is a real pleasure to meet you, Master Kellen, and I thank you for your service.” The ambassador had a very approachable way about him.
Ty’s father bowed. “It’s my pleasure, Ambassador.”
“And these must be your boys?”
His father stepped back to introduce them. “Yes, this is my eldest, Breen.” Breen followed with a proper bow.
“Yes, quite the strapping young man,” Barl commented as he sized Ty’s brother up.
“And this is my youngest, Ty.” Ty managed a slight bow without looking too awkward.
Glancing in Ty’s direction, Lord Barl’s face brightened. “I believe I had the opportunity to hear our young Master Ty perform for us a couple of weeks back. Quite the talent you possess with those pipes of yours, son. Don’t believe I’ve heard better.”
Ty, feeling a little self-conscious from the praise, forced a polite smile. “I thank you for your generosity, milord, as undeserved as it is.” He had all but forgotten that the overlord had been seated front-row center for his musical debut.
“No need to get embarrassed. If I ever told you what Lyessa did the first time I made her perform in public, she would probably lash me six ways from Eighth Day.”
“Yes, she would,” came a curt reply from directly behind them. Ty spun around to find a perfectly poised Lyessa standing in the doorway, wearing what looked to be layers of soft green chiffon with white lace trim poking out from beneath her collar and cuffs. The material clung to her figure in a way that nearly made him blush for looking. To Ty’s dismay, on her left stood an even more impressively arrayed Aiden. Why is he here?
Lyessa’s eyes brightened as they met Ty’s. “Some things are better left secret. Wouldn’t you agree, Ty?”
Ty’s eyes narrowed. He refused to capitulate to her teasing. She turned her head and the light revealed a powdered-over bruise on her right cheek just below her eye. Ty suddenly found himself enraged. If Aiden had laid a hand on her— Clenching his fists, Ty fought back the urge to do something stupid. Besides, he had no idea what had taken place. As clumsy as Lyessa was, she might have just fallen out of bed that morning.
“Where are my manners?” Barl interrupted, stepping around to where his daughter and Aiden stood waiting in the doorway. “Master Kellen, this is Aiden Raycrest. His family is from Riverton. They own most of the lumber milling in Sidara. Aiden, this is Master Kellen. He’s our gamekeeper.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Master Aiden,” Ty’s father said, offering Aiden his hand.
“The pleasure’s mine,” Aiden replied with a shake.
“I believe you know everyone else,” Barl said as he motioned for the party to take their seats in front of the fire. “Aiden is staying with us for a few weeks while he inspects his family’s lumber holdings here in Easthaven.” Ty wanted to roll his eyes. Lord Barl was obviously proud of finding what he thought was a suitable match for his daughter.
By the time they had all found a seat around the hearth, a couple of serving girls stepped inside with trays of light snacks and some pitchers of drink. All the men, save Ty, helped themselves to a glass of the strongly spiced wine, while Ty and Lyessa opted for the apple-melon punch with a touch of honey. It was some of the best Ty had ever tasted.
“By now I’m sure you’ve noticed that our good ambassador has been recently injured,” Barl said as he caught the eyes of those sitting around the small circle. “One of the reasons I requested your presence today is that I would like for him to divulge the circumstances behind those injuries.
; “If you’d care to elaborate, Lanmiere,” Barl said with a nod in the ambassador’s direction. “With as much traveling as Master Kellen and his sons undertake throughout the year, it might be prudent for them to have some insight into what you witnessed during the king’s hunting excursion. We don’t want them being taken completely unawares.”
“I’d be happy to, Your Lordship,” Lanmiere said as he lowered his glass and shifted slightly in his seat. Ty leaned forward, anxious to hear what the man had to say.
“I had been included in a small expedition, hosted by his majesty. We were hunting grouse, not that that has any bearing on the horrific events that took place, but for clarification. The party consisted of myself, three other ambassadors, the High King, the prince, the Guardian Protector with a few of his High Guard, and a Commander Tolin with at least two company of lancers.”
“That’s a mighty large procession for a simple bird hunt,” Ty’s father remarked. “It’s a wonder there was any game to be found with such a force.”
“Yes,” the ambassador agreed with a smile, “but I have my suspicions it was more for show than for effect. The Overlord of Cylmar has been growing more aggressive in his assaults on the Elondrian borderlands, and I have no doubt the king wanted to set an example.” Lanmiere took another sip from his goblet to wet his throat, which was starting to sound a bit hoarse. “But I digress. We were hunting in the woodlands at the foot of the Sandrethin Mountains, north of Aramoor, when we were attacked by a creature so grotesque, it hinders accurate description.” He stopped and focused on the red liquid inside his glass as though in staring hard enough, the drink would somehow magically refill.
“I am not ashamed to say it was the most terrifying experience of my life. Had I not witnessed the courage of the Guardian Protector and his men, as well as the commander and his lancers, I might have followed the example of one of the other ambassadors and thrown down my bow and run.” He paused again to consider. “Thanks be to the Creator’s mercies I did not. Little did we know there were two more creatures waiting in the forest just behind us. The ambassador, whose name I will not belittle, fled into the surrounding woods and was ripped apart by the other two. They hardly recovered enough of him to send back for a proper burial.” He glanced in Lyessa’s direction. “Pardon the description, my lady.”
“No, please.” She raised a hand. “I find it all rather fascinating.” Ty for once, had to agree. Ambassadors being torn limb from limb, horrifying creatures, mutilated bodies, heroic battles—what’s not to love?
“Master Ayrion, the High King’s protector, was nothing short of miraculous. The way he fought was like something out of legend.” Lanmiere swung his good arm around as if gripping an imaginary blade, jostling some of his wine in the process. “If not for him, I believe the king would have fallen that afternoon.”
“Pardon the interruption, Ambassador,” Ty’s father said, “but did these creatures fight individually or as a pack?”
“Ah, a perceptive question,” the ambassador said, raising his glass in acknowledgement, “and much to be expected from a master huntsman.” He took another sip of his wine. “It was neither, sir. It wasn’t instinctual, it seemed tactical.”
The look on Ty’s father’s face was disturbing. “Are you saying they were intelligent?”
Lanmiere finished what was left in his glass and laid it to the side. “I’m saying, when I looked into their eyes, what I saw was terrifying. I saw . . . understanding.” He slumped back in his chair.
“Those creatures were anything but natural. There’s no mistaking dark magic when you see it. Those things had been created for a purpose, and it was more than obvious they were there to assassinate the High King, and quite possibly the prince as well as the ambassadors.”
“The most dangerous of opponents,” Lord Barl interjected, “is one which holds no fear, and lives only to complete its goal.” The overlord pursed his lips in thought. He turned to Ty’s father. “Have you or your boys seen any signs of creatures such as these?”
“Nothing, milord. If we had, you would have been the first to know.”
Lord Barl seemed pensive. “There have also been reports within the last week or two of strange animal deaths.” The overlord waved his hand flippantly. “Normally I wouldn’t bring something so trivial to your attention, but the list of sightings seems to be growing. Have you any knowledge as to the validity of these claims?”
Ty’s father leaned forward in his seat. “I have recently been made aware that a few of the outlying farms have found some of their herd missing. We could have another pack of timber wolves migrating down from the north. If so, better to catch them before they move on to larger prey.”
Ty didn’t think there were any timber wolves around Easthaven. If there were, he would have felt their presence. He wondered if these deaths had anything to do with the strange sense of foreboding he had felt emanating from the forest of late.
“Furgus was telling a few of the men at the East Inn how he had found a string of ravaged conies in the woods just north of town,” Breen said as he scratched the side of his face. He had taken to letting his beard grow in a bit thicker ever since Fraya commented on liking a little scruff on a man’s face. “There have been dogs missing as well, and a local traveler found a dead horse just off the west road about three to four miles out of town. Something had devoured it down to its bones. What was strange was that the horse hadn’t been there when he had ridden through earlier that morning.” Breen looked around at the others watching. “I’ve never seen a carcass completely cleaned to the bone in just a few hours.”
The glow of the fire tinted the top half of Ty’s father’s face, revealing a layer of deep lines creasing his brow. “I think we might need to take a look around tomorrow.” Ty could tell there was something else weighing heavy on his father’s mind.
“Is there something else?” Lord Barl asked. Ty was obviously not the only one noticing his father’s hesitancy.
Ty’s father took a deep breath. “There is a story,” he began with a hint of mystery, much like he would when Ty was young and his father would sit on the edge of his bed at night and tell him of the great mages of old and the battles of magic waged between them during the Second Age, “that my father told me when I was just a boy. Like now, the townsfolk began finding dead animals around the forest. It started first with small rodents, and then a few cows here and there. Pretty soon they started finding family pets missing, and eventually, a few of the residents living on the outer rim of the city vanished as well.”
The light blonde hair on Ty’s arms stiffened the further into the story his father went. “And then, one day, it just . . . stopped. They searched high and low for those missing families but they were never to be heard from again, almost as if they had never existed at all.”
“What caused it?” Lyessa asked, her fingers nervously clutching the cup in her lap.
Ty’s father shook his head. “No one ever knew. My granddad, and his father before him, were excellent gamesmen, but they never found a single track.” He leaned back in his seat once again. “We’ll make sure to search the surrounding woods to see if we can find any sign of whatever this is. Rest easy, Your Lordship, we will deal with the problem.”
Ty glanced at his father. Thanks for volunteering us.
“Good.” Lyessa’s father slapped a hand to his knee and leaned back against the seat’s cushion. “Do let me know what you find, Master Kellen.”
“You have my word, Your Lordship.”
“I will call a meeting of the Sidaran Assembly,” Barl finally said as he glanced at Ambassador Lanmiere, “to discuss the disturbing events surrounding the High King’s attempted assassination, as well as the growing concern of war between Elondria and Cylmar. We want to be prepared for any repercussions it could inflict on Sidara.”
The ambassador crossed his legs and readjusted the sling on his arm. “I believe that would be a prudent move, Your Lordship. We are seeing an uncomfortable ri
se in aggression from our neighbors of late. We might need to consider recalling the guard and maybe even look at the possibility of conscriptions.”
The overlord’s face twisted. “You know how I feel about conscripting, Lanmiere.”
“I do. The same as myself, I reckon, but we might find it a necessary evil nonetheless.”
Ty wondered if he and Breen might be pressed into service should it become necessary. Great, something else for me to worry about. It wasn’t like he didn’t have enough on his plate as it was.
Chapter 46 | Valtor
LEAVING THE PRINCE to his machinations, Valtor made his way to the top of the north tower. He slid shut the heavy wooden doors to his chambers and slumped against them. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he pushed himself from the door and made his way across his living quarters to his workroom. The tip of his wolf-head staff clicked every third tile.
He marched to the rear of his private chambers and pulled back the covering of the large travel mirror. Calling out the mirrors’ names in sequence, the glass sparked to life. Valtor’s reflection vanished as it morphed into another image, that of a dark room lit only by a single torch on the far wall. As the mirror finished its transformation, he stepped through.
The liquid glass sent a slight shiver through his body as he came out the other side. He turned and watched the image die.
Down through the corridors, stairwells, and tunnels, Valtor marched, never having to guess which one to take. He knew exactly where he was going and why. Deep into the lowest chambers he descended until finally, stepping out from the tunnel, he came to a large chasm lit by phosphorus crystals. They had been planted thousands of years ago when the underground network had first been discovered. Ahead of him lay a stone bridge spanning a subterranean gorge.
The White Tower (The Aldoran Chronicles: Book 1) Page 37