“I have to admit,” he said, taking my hand, “I did question whether or not you would return.”
His words stirred a strange emotion. Was it fear? I held his hand tight, wanting to tell him what had happened to me in the cave, to tell him that soon I would kill us all. But how could anyone admit such a thing?
“You don’t wish for me to kiss you?” he asked.
How could I answer? “No—I mean, yes, I do. It’s just that…”
A loud cough came from nearby, and Kull released my hand. One of his guards stood behind us. The guard, a wiry guy with shaggy hair and a large Adam’s apple, bounced on his toes as he spoke. I hoped he was good with a sword. Otherwise, I saw no reason why he’d been assigned to protect the Wult king.
“Yes?” Kull demanded.
“I thought you would like to know, your sister has arrived.”
“And you felt you needed to tell me this now?”
“Well, yes. She’s been injured.”
Kull’s eyes widened. “Injured?”
He nodded.
“Where is she?”
“At the inn. She just arrived.”
Kull stood abruptly. “Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”
He cleared his throat. “Well, you…” he darted a glance at me, “you were occupied.”
Kull growled, making the guard shrink away. He grabbed my hand, and together we made it outside the gate and back onto the path toward the inn. Afternoon turned to evening, and as the wind died down, the field of red wildflowers grew still. The fading light turned their petals a deeper shade—the color of blood. Soon their bright hue would be gone completely, replaced by darkness.
Shouting came from up ahead. We followed the sounds until we made it back to the inn. A group of Wults stood outside, but we pushed our way through the crowd and into the building.
Kull’s sister Heidel sat near the fireplace with a bandage on her arm. A spot of dark blood was visible under the gauze. She wore her long, dark hair in a braid slung over her shoulder. Although Heidel had done a good job of moving forward from a troubled past, in her eyes, I saw pain that only survivors of abuse carried with them. When I looked at her, I was reminded of all my clients who shared that same haunted look.
We made it to the table, and she glanced up at her brother.
“Where were you?” she asked.
“Waiting for you. What happened?” He nodded at the gauze wrapping her arm.
“We were ambushed. As soon as our light coach entered the valley, a group of masked men stopped our carriage as if they meant to board. Instead, they killed two of us with basita weapons before we had a chance to retaliate. We fought them off, and they escaped toward the mountains.”
“Who attacked you?”
Heidel took a long gulp of her drink. “Elves. They wore disguises, but I am sure it was them. They were trained to fight. I managed to get a good look at one of their weapons. It was imprinted with the seal of a sunburst.”
“Why did they attack you?” Kull asked.
“I bet they’re trying to steal the staff,” I said.
Kull rubbed his chin. “I don’t like this. To attack so boldly is an act of war.”
“Yes,” Heidel said, pounding her fist on the table. “We must hunt them down and slaughter them all. We can’t let them get away with this treachery.”
“Patience, Sister. We must think through this carefully before rushing after them.”
“I don’t understand,” I said. “If they wanted to stop us from taking the staff, then why did they only attack Heidel? Why not attack us, too?”
“Because,” Heidel answered, “I believe they thought I already had the staff, and they were trying to take it from me. Once they learned we had not already claimed it, they made their journey to the mountain instead.”
The young serving girl who’d helped us earlier came to our table and placed a basket of bread on the tabletop. “Anything to eat for the three of you? Tonight we’ve got boarhound stew.”
“We’ll take four bowls,” Kull said.
“Four?” Heidel asked.
He nodded toward the stairs, where a shadowy form emerged and made his way toward the table. The wolf stayed at his side. When Maveryck reached our table, he stopped, then pushed the cowl away from his face.
“Four,” Kull said.
The serving girl gave a quick nod and then hurried back to the kitchen.
“Maveryck,” Kull said, “please meet my sister, Heidel. She will be joining us on our quest to reclaim the staff.”
“You’re the thief?” she asked.
He nodded, then took a seat at the table. With a snap of his fingers, the dog sat beside him. Threading his fingers together, he scanned each of us, his gaze stopping on Heidel.
“What happened?” he asked, nodding at the bandage.
“My light carriage was attacked by elves.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Elves? You are sure of this?”
She nodded.
“This does not bode well,” he said. “Elves have successfully stolen from the witch in the past. We must make our journey sooner than I expected in order to apprehend them.”
“How soon?” Kull asked.
“That depends on how quickly the elves will arrive at the witch’s castle.” He looked at Heidel. “How long ago did the elves attack you?”
“About three hours.”
“And where did they attack you at?”
“On the outskirts of the village in the forest, near the foothills.”
Maveryck worked his jaw back and forth as he pondered her words. “They are ahead of us. This is unexpected. The elves will likely arrive before us and steal the staff.”
“Is there any way we can get there first?” I asked.
“Not likely, but possible. I have the benefit of knowing a route that will take us into the witch’s vaults without detection. But we will have to leave tonight if we wish to get there before the elves.”
“Very well,” Kull said, “we’ll leave tonight. But once we’re inside, how are we to remove the staff?”
“Leave that to me,” he said.
Heidel crossed her arms. “I hope you’ve skills in fighting as well as thievery, or you’ll not last long on this quest.”
He gave her a condescending smile. “I assure you, I can hold my own.”
The serving girl arrived with four steaming bowls, and the rich scent of broth filled the air. I took a bite of the stew and found it a flavorful combination of fresh vegetables and tender meat.
“How do you know of this passage to the witch’s castle?” Kull asked.
Maveryck paused in taking a bite. “That is something I’d rather keep to myself until we arrive.”
“Why?” I asked.
He looked at me. “If I were to reveal my secrets, then anyone listening in on our conversation would also know, wouldn’t they?”
“Have you entered her castle before?” Heidel asked.
“Of course. The dragon king would not have hired me unless he knew I could get the job done.”
“Then why didn’t he hire you before,” I asked, “when we were tracking down the bloodthorn?”
“Because I only have the ability to enter her vaults and nowhere else. I would not dare try to break through the wards surrounding her mountain. I will remind you that while I am good at what I do, my skills are limited. We will enter her vaults and nowhere else, and then we will escape.”
Heidel scrutinized him. “It’s unlikely our quest will go as smoothly as you think. In the past, you most likely stole from the witch when she was unaware. But this time, we’ve got a squadron of elves to deal with, who we’ll most likely have to fight at some point. Have you been trained in combat?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Do you often question people you’ve just met in such a way?”
“Only those who I am trusting to aid me during battle.”
“And
you do not trust me?”
“I cannot say for sure. However, you are too thin and far too pretty to be a fighter. And I doubt that beast at your side would measure up against a horde of elves—or a dragon, for that matter.” She turned to Kull. “Tell me again why we’re taking him with us?”
I tried to keep from laughing, but I felt overjoyed that Heidel had found someone other than me to pick on about their combat skills.
“Sister,” Kull said, “I would prefer if you did not insult our guest.” He turned to Maveryck. “My apologies. Heidel tends to be critical, especially when she’s injured or in a foul mood. Or when she is hungry, tired, upset, or has a headache. Or if it is morning.”
“I can hear you,” Heidel said.
Kull winked at me.
“I am only trying to point out the fact that this thief could very well die in this quest, and he does not have the proper conditioning or training in order to survive. Picking locks and wearing fashionable clothing will not help him to slay a dragon.”
“He has more skills than just picking locks,” Kull said.
“What sort of skills?” Heidel asked. “The training of mixed-breed animals?”
“That’s enough,” Kull said.
Heidel clenched her hands. “Fine. My apologies for trying to keep us all alive.”
“May I have a word with you, Sister? In private?” Kull didn’t wait for her response as he marched to the other side of the room.
She eyed him as he walked away but soon stood. “If you two will excuse me,” she said and then followed her brother.
They moved to stand under an alcove leading to a hallway at the far side of the room. Although they spoke quietly, I decided it wouldn’t hurt to eavesdrop. Having the benefit of elven hearing came in handy sometimes.
“You must stop insulting our guest,” Kull said.
“Why?”
“Because he defended me earlier when you were away. He can handle a sword.”
“You saw him?” Heidel asked.
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?” Heidel asked. “You could have told me at any point.”
“Because you were too busy berating him,” Kull answered. “I don’t understand what has put you into such a foul mood.”
“You don’t? Several of my companions are dead, and you’ve no idea why I am upset?”
“I’m sorry you had to witness such brutality, but that is no reason to insult our guest. He had nothing to do with your attack.”
I heard her sniff as their conversation went silent. Maveryck cleared his throat, and I’d nearly forgotten he was sitting at the same table with me.
“Elven hearing?” he asked me.
“Umm, yeah.” I self-consciously pushed a clump of hair behind my ears.
“I’ve heard of you,” Maveryck said. “Daughter of an elf and human, Sky King’s ward. Faythander is an immense continent, yet word travels.”
“I suppose it does.”
He took a bite of his stew. “They were talking about me, I assume.”
I nodded.
“Anything I should know?”
“Not really.”
He shrugged. “Let me guess—they don’t trust me. It’s nothing new. Trust is something I fail to earn owing to the business I’m in.” He broke off a piece of bread and tossed it to his dog. “I can’t blame them. I wouldn’t trust me, either.”
“Should they trust you?”
“That depends,” he answered.
“Depends on what?”
“On whether or not they want the staff of Zaladin.” He eyed me, trying to act casual, though I saw the shrewd look in his granite eyes. “How much do you know of the staff?”
“Not much. It belonged to one of the Madralorde brothers. If we want to stop the elves from defeating my stepfather and ruling the world, then we need to find it before they do.”
“Do you know of the staff’s dangers?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Other than its ability to work with the other weapons to control Theht? Isn’t that dangerous enough?”
Kull and Heidel returned to our table, cutting our conversation short. Kull sat on the bench beside me, and Heidel sat across from Maveryck. She forced a smile.
“My apologies,” she said. “I didn’t mean to offend you. I was only trying to protect you, as I know our mission is one of grave danger. But now that I know you have skills in swordplay, I shall question you no more.”
Maveryck gave her a courteous bow of his head. “Apology accepted, although not needed. I was not offended.”
Great. Did this mean she would go back to picking on me?
“We should gather our things and leave as soon as possible,” Maveryck said as he stood. “I shall meet you all at the foot of the old church’s bell tower on the outskirts of this village.”
“Why not just meet us here?” I asked.
“I’ve business to attend to. If you will excuse me.” He turned and headed for the staircase, his expensive buckles jangling and silver hound trailing behind him.
“Business,” Heidel said after he’d disappeared upstairs. “He failed to mention what sort of business, didn’t he?”
“He’s a successful thief,” Kull said. “I’m sure he’s got more than one job at a time, or else he wouldn’t be successful.”
Heidel crossed her arms, making her metallic armbands gleam in the firelight cast off from the hearth. “I don’t like him.”
“You’ve no need to like him,” Kull said, “you only have to tolerate him until the mission is over.”
“Then for his sake, it had better end quickly.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Kull, Heidel, and I hiked through the flower field to the old church that sat on the outskirts of the village. Although the sun had set, leaving the world in darkness, the glow of our torches illuminated our path. We walked without Kull’s guards following us. It had taken quite a bit of negotiating on his part, but as he was king, he was finally able to win out. Besides, I doubted any of the guards wanted to confront the silverwitch.
Up ahead, the hulking bones of the church came into view, a crumbling stone structure with a bell tower that reached into the night sky, hiding the stars. Someone must live in the place as there were several lit candles glowing from the remaining windows. We approached the building and found Maveryck and his wolf standing outside under a tall tree. He smiled as we walked toward him and stopped under the tree.
“I’m glad you have arrived so promptly,” Maveryck said. “We shall cross through the field here until we reach the foot of the mountain. The entrance to the vault is through a spellcasted cave. If you’ll follow me.”
He turned away from us and walked toward the open field. As we followed, tall grass brushed against our legs. The chirp of night insects stirred the air, while the soft white glow of nobbinflies appeared now and again.
Ahead of us, the mountain range was almost indistinguishable from the sky, but I could just make out the ridge where the rocky cliffs stood in a jagged line against the stars. Somewhere up there stood the silverwitch’s fortress. Recalling the power she’d wielded made a chill run down my spine. There was a reason Fan’twar had sent us with an experienced thief to her castle. Confronting her directly could very easily end in our deaths. Although Fan’twar had faith in my abilities, I doubted I stood a chance against her in a head-to-head battle.
The flat field began to slope upwards, and small stones and pebbles replaced the grass. Boulders appeared as we drew closer to Dragon Spine Mountain. The balmy night air made my clothes stick to my skin. As we trudged upward, our torches sputtered and grew dimmer as they burned through the kerosene-soaked rags.
Maveryck stopped us as we neared a rock wall. Firelight reflected off the broad, flat surface.
“Wait here,” Maveryck said quietly as he neared the rock face and moved along the wall. His boots quietly crunched stray pebbles as he lightly ran his fi
ngers along the surface, his ever-present wolf pacing at his side.
“What is he doing?” Heidel asked.
“Maybe looking for the opening?” I suggested.
“In the dark?” Heidel asked. “He doesn’t even have a torch with him. How can he expect to see anything?”
Maveryck stopped a distance away from us, almost indistinguishable from the mountain. “Come,” he called to us.
We did as he said and crossed the distance, then stopped behind him. As the firelight illuminated the sheer wall of rock, I noticed symbols etched into the stone.
“Runes,” Kull said, “written in the old language.”
“Do you know what they say?” Heidel asked.
Kull studied the three characters. “Protect,” he said, pointing to the rune on the left. “Power is the rune in the center, and enter is the symbol on the right.”
“Yes,” Maveryck answered. “Your Viking ancestors knew this was a place of power but had no idea how to control it. They placed these runes here in an attempt to protect the powers that lie within the stone.”
“Do you know how to control it?” I asked.
He nodded.
“How? Do you possess magic?”
“Yes, I had an elven maternal grandmother. I’ve got just enough elven blood flowing through my veins to control a limited amount of magic.”
He turned to the wall and rested his hand on the runes. As his thumb, middle finger, and pinkie finger connected with each of the three symbols, magic gathered around him. Electric blue light swirled around his hands, then coursed under his skin and through his veins, highlighting the bones and tendons in his fingers. The light pulsed outward and ignited the runes one by one. First, the rune at his thumb, then his pinkie, and finally the middle rune glowed bright blue, flowing with an almost-liquid magic that pulsed with its own heartbeat.
I stared in awe at the three glowing runes. I’d never felt magic like his—almost as if it were a living thing—but before I could question him, the ground began to shake. Small pebbles dislodged and crumbled, and then a seam opened up in the rock face.
“Everyone step back,” Maveryck instructed.
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