Elysiam laughed. “She is a wood elf and a druid, like me. She is probably the only one of our kind that has no fear of Sath. Never has, as far as I know.” Her face darkened a moment. “Well, doesn’t now anyway. I have heard the story of how they met, and I am sure that she was terrified of him once she learned who he was.”
“Terrified of my brother? Impossible,” Kazhmere said, shaking her head vehemently. “I will have to discuss with both her and Sathlir this Bahn of…”
“Bane,” Elysiam corrected her, grinning.
Kazhmere smiled. “Yes, Bane of… of the wood elves. Now, I am feeling much better. Can we please go help my brother the bane and save Taeben from that awful dragonkind sorceress?” Elysiam’s eyes narrowed. “Whatever he has done to you and your kind, Elys, he has more than made up for here. Salynth’s treatment of him has been worse than if he had been a dog at her feet. He and I have shared this cell on occasion as of late, and the condition in which she leaves him…well, it is shameful to say the least. But throughout it he has kept his dignity, something I only wish I could say for myself.” The Princess’s eyes darkened. “I would take it as a personal favor if you and your friends would help rescue him from Salynth. What he does after that is on his own head.”
“We’ll be lucky if Gin will let us leave him behind,” Elysiam said, scowling. “Seems she knew him when they were children and she has a heart as big as all of Orana. She can forgive anyone anything. That must be why she’s so in love with…” The druid stopped short, pursing her lips together. “That’s why she is such a good member of our team; she’s devoted to all of us like we’re family.”
Kazhmere looked over at Anni who was growling softly in the corner, and leaned in closer to Elysiam. “When this is all over you will tell me more of this elf that so adores my brother. Sathlir needs a good female to keep him straight.” She winked conspiratorially at Elysiam, who grinned back, ignoring the increasing volume of Anni’s complaints from the corner.
“I have had just about enough of this,” Teeand snarled as he advanced on Salynth. “I’m not afraid to hurt Sath; he knows why I am doing what I’m doing.”
“Oh, you do not pick your friends well, Rajah,” Salynth hissed at Sath, a fangy grin spread wide across her face.
“And your Qatunari is almost as bad as Gin’s,” Tee said. The sorceress spun to face the dwarf as Hackort snuck up behind her and Sath. Sath’s eyes darted down to Hackort, who placed a tiny finger over his lips and winked at Sath. Unfortunately, Taeben saw the gnome as well and stood up to defend his mistress. Hackort focused his will into his weapon and charged at the wizard, bonking him soundly on the head. He jumped back before the wizard’s unconscious body pinned him to the floor and then kept on his path toward Salynth.
“A dwarf that speaks Qatunari!” Salynth clapped her hands with glee again. “What’s next? A wood elf that speaks dwarfish?” She pointed a clawed finger toward Gin’s lifeless body. “Oh, no, not that one I suppose, she’s a bit…indisposed…” She dissolved into cackles as Teeand advanced on her. Ancient symbols shot from her fingertips and surrounded Teeand as he froze in his tracks, howling in pain.
“That’s it! I don’t like you!” Hackort shouted as he threw his axe and embedded it in Salynth’s leg. She roared in pain as she pulled the axe from her thigh. She looked up in time to see the tiny warrior advancing on her. He leaped into the air and swung at her head with his sword. She batted him away but he shook it off and was back on his feet and after her in no time.
“You will pay for that, tiny man!” she shrieked. “Sathlir! Save me from this pest!”
“Ikara’s TEETH!” Sath roared as his body turned and advanced on Hack, clawed weapons raised. “Don’t make me do it, Wee Man! Go help Gin! I can’t stop myself!”
“I don’t want to hurt you, Sath, but I will,” Hackort said, standing his ground. Salynth limped away from him. She could do a great many things with magic, but heal herself was not one of them. Her dragon heritage brought accelerated healing abilities with it, but Hackort’s well-placed strike left a chance she would still bleed out before she healed.
“That’s it, Hack!” Teeand struggled to get to his feet after the spell forced him to his knees. “Attack Sath. Just trust me and do it.”
“Do it, Hack!” Sath shouted through gritted teeth.
“I don’t know, Tee, if Ginny wakes up and sees me hurting Sath…”
“Fine. I’ll do it,” Teeand said. He ran over to Sath and, looking up at Sath silently and begging his old friend to forgive him, sunk his poleaxe into the unprotected space between Sath’s greaves on his left leg. Sath howled in pain and just as Teeand had hoped, the Qatu’s magical pet tiger appeared and charged at Teeand.
“Kill them!” Salynth bellowed at Sath once she found Taeben to be out of commission. The supernatural tiger shifted its gaze to the sorceress and lunged for her, pinning her to the ground and effectively dissolving the hold of the charm spell she had cast on Sath. He fell forward onto his now bleeding leg but soon recovered and lunged for Salynth.
“You’re mine,” he roared as his pet winked out of existence. Seeing her chance, she hurled defensive magic at him as she crawled backward but still he came after her, his clawed weapon glinting in the candlelight that provided the only illumination in the room. In one fluid motion, he grabbed the sorceress by her throat and pulled her close to his face. “Where…Is…My…Sister?” he snarled at her. Her face split into a grin.
“She’s here…somewhere,” Salynth said. “Now, if you will excuse me and my Pet…” She snapped her fingers and Taeben was on his feet. “We are due elsewhere. Pet?” Taeben spoke some words in Elder Elvish that Sath didn’t understand and a ring of fire formed around him. Salynth looked Sath in the eye and blew him a kiss before disappearing out of his fingers.
“NO!” Sath bellowed, driving his now-empty fist into the floor. “NOT AGAIN!” The smoke cleared from the fire ring and Sath felt another pair of eyes on him. He spun back around to see Taeben standing there with his hands in the air.
“Before you say anything, I know where your sister is,” Taeben said. Sath growled loudly and Taeben took a wobbly step backward. “I could have left with her and left you to find her on your own, but I didn’t and that has to be worth something right?”
“Where is Kahzi?” Sath asked through clenched teeth. He balled up his fist and cracked his knuckles loudly.
“I’ll take you to her,” Taeben said, silently thanking whatever deity might be listening for the wisdom to know when to throw himself on Sathlir’s mercy. Perhaps this way he could get into the cat’s good graces and be able to leave with him and Ginny…she had stirred something in Taeben that would not let him go, and he needed to find her again to find out what it was. He glanced over as the dwarf headed for Gin’s unconscious form, and shuddered.
“Go, Sath, I’ll look after Gin,” Teeand called out over his shoulder. He was already removing books from Gin’s head and gently picking her up like one of his own children. Sath nodded and turned to the wizard.
“Lead on. Any false moves and I will end you, wizard, understand?” he hissed.
“Of course,” Taeben said.
“So I don’t get to kill ANYONE?” Hackort pouted. “Worst day EVER.”
“Can you walk, Kahzi?” Anni asked, moving close to her friend. Kazhmere considered her for a moment, realizing that she could not remain angry. Anni had done what she thought was best, and Sath was the best fighter among the males she knew from home. Sath. Kazhmere’s eyes lit up suddenly. He was very close; she could feel their bond growing stronger.
“Sath is here,” she murmured, stumbling away from them toward the door of the room where she and Taeben were kept. “He’s close!” She broke into an ungainly lope toward the open door and ran face first into Taeben as he rounded the corner, Sath hot on his heels. Both of them lost their balance and Taeben instinctively threw his arms around Kazhmere to keep her from hitting the stone floor. She landed on him wit
h a grunt, and then quickly freed herself from his arms and rolled off him. “Tae…Ben!” she exclaimed. “Are you hurt?” She scanned his face, smoothing his red and silver hair off his forehead gently, avoiding accidentally scratching him with one of her claws.
“He does not matter,” Sath spat as he flew to his sister’s side and pulled her up from the floor. “Kahzi, my sister, my heart,” he murmured in their native language as he held her to him. Kazhmere forgot the elf at her feet for a moment and clung to her brother, tears finally flowing down her furry face. “Are you all right? Has that witch hurt you? I’ll kill her myself if she’s harmed one hair on your…”
“Ssh, Sath,” Kazhmere said. “I’m okay, none the worse for wear.”
“Where is your tiger?” Sath said, looking around the room. “Oops, sorry about the Qatunari, Elys.” She was glaring at him.
“Salynth took him soon after I got here. She charmed him to defend her against me, but I would not take up arms against him. She dismissed him and I have not called him back since, for both of our safety,” Kazhmere said. “Sath, she will not rest long before she comes back. If we are to leave this tower…we need to leave now. There is a druid here; she can use her transportation magic to get us to safety, yes?” She looked at Elysiam. “If you have your strength back, that is?”
“I could port us out of here,” Taeben offered, and suddenly Kazhmere remembered that he was on the floor at her feet.
“OH! Ben, dear, are you all right?” she asked, squatting down to study him. She reached for his face again but he flinched away from her. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
“No,” he said, overwhelmed with the notion that she did not remember what he had done to her…or if she did, she had forgiven him. “Kahzi, do you…I mean, while we were here together, I…” He stopped with a pointed look from Sath. “I hope that you are indeed unscathed from your time here in the Tower. I would like to be of service, if you will allow it.” He got to his feet and took several steps back as Sath glared at him, growling.
“Your help would be appreciated, Taeben,” Kazhmere said, rolling her eyes at Sath. “Ignore him, sometimes he is the protective older brother a bit too much.” Taeben smiled at her, but it was not a convincing smile. “Anni? Be sure to get close or the magic will not reach you and you will be left behind.”
“Wait, what about Hackort and Teeand and GIN, Sath?” Elysiam asked, looking pointedly at the Qatu male. “I suppose she will port them out? Are they all right? Why are they not with you?”
“Tee stayed behind to…make sure that the way was still clear and everyone was all right. I am not sure she can port them, though.” Sath frowned, visions of his own hands sending the tiny druid flying into the bookshelves. “Elys, if you can port us out, the wizard can stay and bring Tee and Hack and Gin.” Kazhmere started to say something but a look from her brother silenced her. “No arguments. Annilanshi, come over here by me or I will leave you.” She looked up at him, and then moved close to him, her eyes on the floor. Sath put the tip of one of his claws under her chin and raised her face to look at him. “You and I will settle things when we are away from here.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” she responded, her emerald eyes shining with tears. Sath scoffed and removed his hand, leaving Anni to look back at the stone floor as Elysiam began reciting the spell that would magically transport them to the Outpost and safety. As the spell cast, Anni’s face split into a wide grin. “As you wish, Sathlir,” she murmured.
Gin’s eyes fluttered and Teeand’s breath caught in his throat. “Thanks be,” he whispered. “Gin, Flower, can you hear me?”
“Of course I can, Tee…you’re about an inch from my ear,” the druid said, her voice raspy. “What happened?” In an instant, her last memories flooded back. “Sath! Where is Sath?”
“Ginny’s awake!” Hackort shouted with glee as he ran over to where Teeand was still cradling Gin in his arms. “Good! Now we can go find Sath’s sister and lose the wizard. I don’t trust him and I want to take him off my list, right now.”
“Taeben is a prisoner just like Sath’s sister is, Hack,” Gin whispered. “He didn’t want to help Salynth, she forced him.”
“He hurt Elys,” Hackort said darkly. “I think he’s off my list.”
“Come on, let’s get you on your feet. Can you stand? I’d not like us to be in here if that hag returns,” Teeand said as he gently put Gin on her feet. She wobbled a bit, but then stood on her own. “Need to do a spot of healing, I think?”
“Aye. Everything is so fuzzy, Tee, all I remember is Sath telling you to get me out of here, and then nothing. What did I hit?” She blushed, her oaken-tinged skin turning a peachy color. “I didn’t hit one of you with my magic, did I?”
“What you have to remember, Ginny, is that it wasn’t Sath’s fault. He was charmed, you see, and so when I cut him with my axe…” Hackort stopped talking as all the color, so recently flushed, drained from Gin’s face. Teeand glared at the gnome from behind Gin’s head.
“You what?” she whispered, gaping at Hackort.
“Now, Gin, take it easy. What the gnome says is true. That hag charmed our Sath. He didn’t know what he was doing,” Teeand said, patting Gin gently on the arm.
“Sath…did this to me?” she said, her voice tight and pinched.
“Aye, Flower, but in all fairness he did warn you. I’m just sorry that I couldn’t catch you.” Teeand hung his head. “You’re a lot faster than you look.”
“Where is Sath now?” Gin said, scanning the room. “Is he…did he…?”
“No, Ginny, he’s okay. He took the wizard and has gone to find his sister,” Hack said. “I just wish we’d killed that sorceress. She was all kinds of awful and she hurt my friends.” The gnome pouted. “What kind of adventure is this anyway? I haven’t gotten to kill anything that wasn’t already dead!”
“If that wizard steps out of line I feel like you’ll have your chance,” Teeand grumbled. “Or that bard…anyone know where she and Elys are?”
“Oh dear spirits, Anni…” Gin leaped to her feet and dashed on wobbly legs to the door and out into the hall. Cursing, Teeand and Hackort hopped up to follow her. From everywhere and nowhere, it seemed, a keening cry was rising throughout the Tower. Gin seemed not to hear it as she ran toward where her tracking ability told her Sath was, but Hackort and Teeand looked at each other and then stepped up the pace to follow her. Salynth knew that her prey was escaping and she was not happy about it.
Taeben pressed himself against one of the walls to avoid touching the magic that flowed from the druid’s fingers and still he felt a tug on the edges of his consciousness. How dare that Qatu order him around as though he was already the Rajah? Taeben smiled wickedly. Sathlir Clawsharp would never be Rajah if he had anything to say about it. His eyes had locked with Kazhmere’s just before the spell went off and he had almost lost his resolve. How could one so kind be related to vermin such as Sath?
He was startled from his musing by another familiar voice and opened his eyes. “Ben?” Gin stood in front of him, peering up at him as she had when they were but children. “Ben, are you all right?”
“Get behind me, Gin, Ikara’s TEETH you are a stubborn one!” Teeand exclaimed as he ran through the doorway and grabbed Gin by the arm. She tried to shake him off but he managed to pull her around behind him. Taeben glared down at the dwarf.
“Is that really the way your kind treat women?” he said, immediately wishing he hadn’t as both Teeand and Hackort drew weapons and pointed them at Taeben’s midsection. “Apologies, good warriors, I fear I am still not quite myself.” He held up his alabaster skinned fingers in a gesture of peace and the warriors re-sheathed their weapons. “Ginny, is that really you?” Taeben gazed at her in wonder. “I have not seen you since…well…we were in the Keep.”
“Since you helped to drive Nelenie from her home?” Gin said, scowling. “Since you turned Elys in for studying and training with Nel?” She pushed Tee out of the way and got
as close to Taeben’s face as she could. “I felt sorry for you back in the Keep, I really did, but…” She rubbed her temple as a memory threatened to resurface but instead slipped into the murky depths of her mind. “Do you have any idea the pain you have caused?”
“Collateral damage,” he said coolly. “I do what I must to survive, Ginny.”
“Ben, for the Mother’s sake, call me Gin, please?” She allowed a tiny smile to curve the corners of her mouth, and Taeben found himself driven to distraction by her lips. “There are only a few that are allowed to call me Ginny.”
“I call her Ginny because I can’t say her full name either,” Hackort announced. Gin patted him on the helmet and he smiled, but the smile faded quickly. The gnome frantically looked around the room. “Ginny, where is Elys?”
“Good question. Why are you the only one here, Ben?” Gin said, her hands on her hips as she stared him down. All traces of her smile were gone.
“The other druid ported them to safety,” Taeben said. “The Qatu male was concerned that you might not be strong enough to port the rest of us out, so he left me here to help if needed.”
“You mean let the rest of us leave so that you can run back to your Mistress and tell her where we have gone?” Teeand asked, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Taeben.
“Hardly. I am a prisoner here, just as Kahzi was. Now if you want my help, please draw in close so that I can make sure we all go together. Ginny, if you are strong enough, may I please ask that I be included in the transport so that I can be a back-up to make sure we get out of here?”
“Of course, Ben,” she said, eyeing him warily and deciding not to chastise him this time for the use of the nickname. “I am strong enough, thank you, all thanks to YOU, Tee.” She smiled at the dwarf affectionately and Taeben felt his stomach flip over. What had gone so wrong with her that she was that close to a dwarf, a gnome, and a Qatu? A fleeting thought of her being close with the Prince crossed his mind and he felt for a moment as though he might wretch. “Ben, are you all right?”
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