Shadows of Home

by James R. Vernon

  He paused as another round of cheers and applause filled the room. When it died down again, he spread his hands to take in the entire room.

  "Now, please, return to your meals. My mother will grow quite angry if you let any of her cooking grow cold."

  His last comment earned Bran a round of laughter before everyone returned to their own conversations and meals. A few people still gestured him over, most being young, attractive women, but he just gave each a wave. Instead, he moved through the crowd to the only empty table in the room, one set slightly away from the rest of the tables and close to the fireplace. Once Bran reached it, he pulled out a chair and gestured for Ezzy to sit. She put her head down and wormed her way through the crowd to the seat Bran offered.

  Ezzy scanned the room as she took a seat and then let out a sigh. No sign of Shay, Nolan, or Bavian. She half-expected them to have arrived by now. She’d been afraid they might have left Nolan behind so they could arrive as soon as possible. The fact they weren't here meant they hadn't abandoned Nolan to fend for himself, which was good as she would have felt horrible about that.

  What she did notice, however, were three tables full of people who hadn't been as excited at Bran's entrance as the rest. A dozen men and women had pulled together three tables and were obviously keeping themselves separate from the rest of the crowd. A few talked amongst themselves but for the most part, each person stared down into barely touched mugs. None of the other villagers ventured anywhere near the tables, and even the waiters and waitresses didn't seem to pay them much attention.

  "Something wrong?" Bran asked, following her gaze. "Ah, I see you've noticed our newest guests. They've been keeping to themselves for the most part since they arrived with Ean a few days ago. Not the friendliest bunch."

  "They came with Ean? From where?"

  "Rensen." Bran waved a waiter over and ordered them two mugs of ale and a loaf of bread before continuing. "Ean claimed they had been displaced and wanted a fresh start here. Took charge of their tab AND said he was going to pay for their new homes."

  "Sounds pretty generous," Ezzy grunted. She wished the ale was already in front of her so she could try and wash away her growing doubt about the man.

  "Generous? Sure, but that doesn't mean he couldn't have ulterior motives. I mean, look at them." He not so subtly gestured towards the lot. "For being put up in our inn for who knows how long and having new homes eventually built for them, they don't appear to be singing Ean's praises."

  The more I find out about the man, the stranger he seems, Ezzy thought. But none of it points to a reason why he would sabotage my father's caravan and get my father and most of his employees killed.

  "Trying to figure Ean out?" Bran asked with a laugh that held the same hint of sadness she had heard before. "If you come up with anything, please let me know."

  "The more I see him and hear about the things he has done, the more confused I get."

  "But you believe he got your father and those who worked with him killed? Knowing that, I don’t see how you could doubt your anger towards him."

  "Except I received the information from a single survivor whose mind had clearly broken in a few places. At the time, I let my anger override any lingering doubts, but it’s been a year and to finally catch a glimpse of who Ean actually is has been troubling."

  "What exactly happened?” Bran immediately raised a hand in a calming gesture. "Unless of course it’s too painful to talk about. I don't mean to pry."

  "No, its ok." She took a breath. "My full name is Esmerelda Ciantar."

  She paused to see his reaction. Instead of the surprise she expected, Bran stared at her as if expecting more.

  "Ciantar," she said again, "as in the Ciantar Hawkpurse family. Formally one of the most powerful families in Ven Khilada?"

  Bran just grimaced. "Sorry. Am I supposed to recognize the name?" Something in her expression made him rush on. "I mean, you have to remember, Rottwealth was kept separate from the rest of the world. Over a year ago, all we really knew were the gods existed and life outside our little valley was dangerous. The latter alone was enough to keep most of the people here for generations. Now that we're part of the world again, the people of Rottwealth are starting to learn about everything else going on outside our boundaries, but it’s from second- and third-hand sources. Even when traveling outside the village, I learned very little about our lands."

  "So, you've never heard of the Hawkpurse families?" She had to pause to collect her thoughts for a moment as he shook his head. "You said you knew about the gods though, right?"

  "Yes, we worship all of them, although GanZroe is understandably the patron god of most here. Most Rottwealth are farmers, after all."

  "Then you also know about Drenks."

  Bran chuckled. "Of course. My father prays to the deity of fortune, trade, and drink every night."

  "Well, the Hawkpurses control most of the trade across the land in Drenks’s name. My family used to be at the top of those favored."

  "Until Ean Sangrave crashed through your life. Supposedly."

  Ezzy scowled, but only because part of her felt the “supposedly” might have some truth to it. "Yes, and now my mother and brothers live in a ramshackle house in Fisher's Row in Lurthalan. They scavenge and do odd jobs just to get by. I hate seeing them like that."

  "Then why pursue Ean?" Bran leaned back in his chair and shook his head. "I don't see how catching him and bringing him back to Lurthalan will fix what's happened to your family."

  "It won't, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that not only my father but everyone who worked for him who died in the Deadlands gets the justice they deserve. I have to be the one to do it."

  "Why?"

  Ezzy's voice dropped to a murmur. "Because no one else cares enough to do it."

  For a while, Ezzy thought her words had been lost to the roar of the crowd. Bran sat back in his chair, not even moving when the waiter arrived to drop off their drink and food. Ezzy felt his silence like a heavy cloak heaped onto her shoulders. The noise of the men and women in the room laughing and singing only made the silence at her table all the more oppressive. To hide her discomfort, Ezzy grabbed her mug off the table and downed half the bitter ale in a few ragged gulps. As she placed her drink back down on the table, Bran leaned forward and grabbed his own mug. Instead of raising it to his lips, his face took on a sympathetic expression.

  "Listen," he began, "I don't know if Ean is the type of person to bring that kind of ruin to your family. Honestly, I doubt he’s behind the murders here too." He paused to finally take a long swig of alcohol. "But he also keeps more secrets than he shares. When the Hero arrives, he'll get to the bottom of what is going on here. If Ean is found guilty, you'll have the whole trip back to Lurthalan with him to try to determine if he is really to blame for what happened to your father as well."

  "And if he is innocent?" She hated how her voice was trembling.

  "Then you can stay here until you decide what to do next."

  The sincerity in his voice touched a nerve and Ezzy picked up her cup again and kept drinking until she was looking at the bottom of the mug. She continued to stare at the wood until she had her composure then slammed it down and offered Bran a weak smile.

  "Watch what you say. I've been told I'm not that pleasant to be around over long periods of time. You can ask my friends when they arrive."

  "I certainly will." He flashed a friendly smile that warmed her even more than the fireplace beside her and the ale in her stomach. "We said we weren't going to talk about Ean, but so far, we are off to a bad start. How about we order a few more mugs and you can tell me all about your friends instead."

  "Sounds like a plan to me," Ezzy said returning his smile before launching into a long story that started with her first meeting with Nolan.

  Chapter 24

  Ean spent the morning after Zin's return from the Abyss laying in his bed. After a late night of planning their next move, Ean had attempted to ta
lk with Azalea. After dodging a few pieces of thrown wooden furniture, which the villagers had overcharged him for, he had given up for the night and stepped over the splintered remains before slinking back to his room. He had tossed and turned for most of the night and when his mind slowed down enough for him to sleep, it brought dark and disturbing nightmares, the likes of which he hadn't suffered in a long time. When he finally gave up on sleep, he remained in his lumpy bed, staring up in the darkness to just barely make out the cut-stone ceiling above him.

  Auz. The murders. Azalea. This Tataren'bala he was going to summon today. Esmerelda. The Rensen townspeople. Paige.

  All mysteries or problems to be solved. The real issue was deciding which to tackle first, what problems were connected, or if he even could solve any of them. Esmerelda seemed like a lost cause. The woman was dead-set on dragging him back to Lurthalan in chains, and the absence of her Vithalos was more worrisome than if she had brought it with the mob the day before. Did the m+ayor even know how dangerous the woman was, or had he just seen her as a pawn to be used against him? She clearly hadn't been too happy with how things had concluded the previous day. If the mayor pushed her too far, there was no telling how the woman might react.

  Ean couldn't even be happy with the thought of her Vithalos tearing through the Golden Coin, not with most of the people from Rensen staying there.

  Azalea and Paige were similar problems, like two sides of the same coin. Both didn't want to see him, Azalea expressing herself through violence while Paige tried avoidance. With the latter, Ean had to find some way to get Paige comfortable enough to spend some time with him. If she didn't let him anywhere near her, how was he supposed to figure out a way to turn her back? Was it even possible, and how long would he try before giving up? How long until he would have to deliver the bad news if he found nothing worked?

  With Azalea, he had hoped that a little space might find her in a better mood this morning, but by the anger and contempt that flowed through their bond, her temper had not cooled in the slightest. If he went to talk to her now, he would just have more furniture broken he couldn't afford to replace. Best to wait to see her again until they all gathered for him to summon up the Tataren'bala. With Zin and Jaan around, Azalea might hold her temper in enough so the only attacks she sent his way were the verbal kind.

  Hopefully.

  The Tataren'bala. Just a title. Its real name, as Zin recently learned, was Qo the Fifty-Seventh. Zin and Jaan had spent a good portion of the evening warning him about the type of creatures the Eish'amalga Aren were and how dangerous they could be. Their name meant “Hoarder of Knowledge,” but apparently, their hunger to know as much as possible and to keep it to themselves was the least of their vices. They were power-hungry manipulators who thrived off chaos. Loyalty was an impossibility. The only way to keep their kind from plotting against a person's best interests was either by keeping it interested or keeping it afraid. Zin's old master had been able to keep Qo the Fifty-Seventh obedient using both methods. Unfortunately, Zin had no idea how. All he knew was Qo's intense interest in Auz's previous incarnation was their best bet to figuring out what had gone wrong with the living sphere.

  Qo was a problem for later. Bringing him up was the last thing they were going to do today. Before then, Ean had plenty to do. Rounds would come first, checking on all his nonhuman friends and making sure he was seen. Despite his reluctance to the position, Ean was the leader of all those he brought out of the Abyss. It was important that they saw him not as their master but as someone who cared about both their well-being and their happiness. He didn't want to be the monster Zin's old master had become. He hoped the ability to be that ruthless wasn’t in him. Continuing to see the Maruks, Crux, his Hound, and even the mindless imps as under his care and not his subjects would help.

  While he was making his rounds, he could check up on the people from Rensen. Lotrug's ability to speak human was improving, but being able to speak a language and understanding the needs of the people who spoke it were two different things. It was always good to double check and make sure they were comfortable and getting time outside the mine. The news that he was finally going to get the ball rolling on building them houses of their own should lift the spirits considerably. But if he was being honest with himself, what he hoped most of all was that he would finally get the chance to talk to Paige. Going by how she was avoiding him, it was wishful thinking, but he had to keep trying.

  He would end his rounds with the Crux, taking up his morning training routine, or what he considered his morning beating when he was in a sour mood, like he was this morning. But he had to learn to defend himself without using his power. The fact that he still barely understood what he could do with the energies of the Abyss was dangerous enough, but adding in the fact that just by using them he ran the risk of corrupting any human those energies touched was more than enough motivation to withstand the daily trouncing he received from Jaan.

  After that, a quick wash to get the sweat and blood off him, and he would be presentable enough to speak with the people of Rottwealth who were going to be responsible for building the Rensen citizens' homes.

  All that was going to be easy compared to the last thing he had on his agenda for the day: Qo the Fifty-Seventh. If everything Jaan had said about the Eish'amalga Aren race in general was true, as well as what Zin had added about Qo, he would be the most dangerous thing Ean intentionally released from the Abyss.

  But that was a concern for the end of the day. First, he had to shrug off all of his worries that were holding him in bed and get moving.

  ***

  When Ean had finally gathered in the Heart with Jaan, Zin, and Azalea in the late afternoon, he was already exhausted.

  The inspection went well. At least, as well as expected. The Maruks seemed indifferent to the gifts of ore he offered them. The imps fell to their knees at his approach, although he doubted they were smart enough even to understand the gesture. If Ean ever found out who had taught them to act like that, he would make sure they knew how little he thought it funny. Even his Hound had given off a feeling of boredom during the small amount of time he spent with him.

  The people from Rensen had given him only a slightly better reception. He had caught a smile or two at the mention of homes and getting them out of the mines, but that was it. He had left the cave assigned to them without receiving a single word, and Paige was nowhere to be found.

  The Crux had been the most positive part of his morning. They had all been waiting for him and asked for a few moments of his time individually. At first, Ean worried this was the result of some small slight he hadn't even realized. When most of the Crux left the small cavern they had made into their barracks, he expected the remaining Crux, Kaian, to attack him. Instead, the intimidating hulk of a creature asked for painting supplies.

  Painting supplies.

  Ean had barely contained his laughter, which was good as Kaian had been serious. Apparently, the Crux had spent a great deal of time painting in the Abyss, using materials scavenged from the glands of different creatures to provide the colors he desired. While those creatures certainly couldn't be found outside the Abyss, Kaian was excited to hear that paints and dyes could be made from a variety of plants and were inexpensive to purchase. Ean promised he would acquire both some paints and canvases for the Crux to use.

  This one simple concession opened the floodgates for the other Crux to make similar requests for materials to continue creative hobbies they had enjoyed in the Abyss. Morva, the only female Crux, wanted chisels and other stone carving tools. Yagani wanted sewing supplies and access to prepared leather. Both Creavas and Jaan wanted woodworking tools and a supply of wood. They spoke of crafting a game that involved different pieces and rules that all the Crux learnt in order to better understand the concepts of strategy. They even promised to teach it to Ean once they had crafted a few game boards. The last request came from Lotrug, who asked for a few children's stories so he could practice and become m
ore comfortable reading and speaking the human language.

  The rest of the day had been less enjoyable. Jaan put Ean through his paces. He suffered bruises and dislocated his shoulder twice during their sparring. The act of cleaning himself up afterwards had been less than enjoyable with how sore he felt. Unfortunately, it wasn't the worst experience of the day.

  The meeting with the people from Rottwealth who could build the homes he needed was worse. While Jaan had beaten Ean up physically, the people from Rottwealth abused him financially. They started off negotiations by stating that without their help, the homes wouldn't get built, which put all the power in their hands. From there, it was just a matter of making sure they didn't gouge him on the price to the point it would have been cheaper and easier for him to grow the trees and build the houses himself. By the time they left, the workers from Rottwealth were all smiles while Ean tried not to think about how much money he was going to lose.

  Which was why he already wasn't in the best of moods when he walked into the Heart to find Azalea and Zin already arguing in the Crux language.

  "You should have told him." Azalea had a finger shoved in Zin's face. "Bringing an Eish'amalga into this world is risky enough as it is. Add to that everything you just told me about Qo--"

  "Qo the Fifty-Seventh." Surprisingly, instead of facing the Yulari down, Zin's eyes were downcast. Shame with the tiniest tinge of fear floated through Ean's bond with the imp. Both emotions were rare in his friend, and the fact that Zin had never shown any fear before in the face of the numerous times Azalea had threatened him made the hairs on the back of Ean's neck stand up. "You know his kind are sensitive about their position in their brood. Best to keep in practice now using his full name so misunderstandings don't occur after Ean summons him."