by J. K. Barber
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to… that is if you’re…” her voice trailed off.
“It was my mother’s,” Jared replied, “It’s the only thing that survived the fire.” He looked into Katya’s eyes, wondering why he was revealing to this woman, whom he barely knew, such an intimate detail of his life. Her eyes held his, seeming to offer comfort and shelter, both yielding and protective at the same time. Katya’s eyes suddenly glistened with fresh tears.
Jared mentally slapped himself. You’re an idiot Jared, he said to himself. She just lost her mother. She doesn’t want to hear about yours.
“Listen, I’m sorry,” Jared said, as he raised a hand to her shoulder. “I didn’t mean to bring that up. I don’t know why I did, but you asked. I just didn’t think… and I apologize… and… and….” Jared drew his hand back and let out a large sigh. “And I’ll just stop talking now.”
Katya rushed forward and nearly slammed her head into Jared’s chest, her tears mingling with the water left over from his bath. Jared hesitated a moment and placed an arm around her shoulders, using his other hand to keep his towel securely in place. They were all but standing in the middle of the hall, and the last thing he needed was for someone, especially Mala or the girl’s father to come walking up.
Almost, as if summoned by his thoughts, Jared heard a heavy tread coming up the stairs to the second floor. He tried to disentangle himself from Katya, but with only one hand it was difficult, and Katya was stronger than her soft curves made her look.
“Katya” he whispered. “You need to let go.” When she did not respond, he put a hand to her shoulder and pushed her back. Resisting at first, the sorceress finally yielded and took a step back, removing her arms from around his waist. Her face held an expression of sorrow and confusion.
“What?” she asked.
Jared inclined his head down the hallway, where the sound of approaching footsteps was still coming. “Your father…”
Katya at once straightened, passed a hand over her face, and whispered a word. Although her eyes were still red and puffy, all their moisture was suddenly gone; both the water of her tears and Jared’s bath had vanished. Jared thought he saw a thread of mist trailing away from the corner of her eye, but he could not be certain.
“I’ll be down in a minute. I need to dry off…” the woodsman started to say. Again, with a quick gesture and word from Katya, Jared was no longer wet, anywhere. The young sorceress smirked, her eyes lingering on his lean muscled torso once more before turning away. “…and put on some clothes,” Jared finished, his free hand out wide as he stared in amazement at his dry chest hair.
Katya began walking down the hall but said over her shoulder, as she moved away, “Sorry, that I can’t help you with.” Jared saw Katya’s smirk turn into a devilish grin, as she turned her head away.
Jared closed the door, locked it and began getting dressed, as he tried to get his breathing under control. What am I doing? He thought. Katya is Sasha’s sister and, more importantly to my immediate health, Branden’s daughter. Why had I told her about my mother’s medallion? I’ve never told anyone about that. Only Sirus knew, and Sirus was the one who had told me.
Quickly dressing and locking the door as he exited the room, Jared went down to dinner, wondering the entire way what kind of woman the twins’ mother must have been to have two daughters such as Sasha and Katya. Digging into his dinner, Jared did his best to ignore the disapproving glares of Brandon and Mala, the covert looks of Sasha and Katya, and the curious stare of Talas.
Luckily, a commotion at the door of the tavern saved Jared. Looking up, as his hand went to the large hunting knife at his belt, Jared noticed that similar actions took place all around the table, except for Katya, who simply dropped her knife and fork to free her hands.
Standing in the doorway stood one of the constable’s men, barely holding onto the leash of a huge mastiff. On the dusty floorboards of the tavern, the man’s feet started sliding across the floor, losing his battle with the enthusiastic canine. Jared relaxed, and his laughter joined the other patrons around the common room.
“Let him go,” Jared called to the beleaguered deputy and turned his chair to face the oncoming animal. “It’s okay.” As soon as the young man released the leash, the huge dog launched himself through the air at the huntsman. The impact knocked the breath out of Jared and slid his seat a few feet back across the floor, threatening to tip it over backwards. Jared leaned forward, as best as he was able, and grabbed the skin around the dog’s thick neck. He was immediately rewarded with several wet slobbery licks all over his face.
“Down!” Jared commanded in a voice that was firm but not angry. He could feel a huge smile split his face, as the dog sat down, his large tail thumping the wooden floor like a mallet. Jared scratched behind the canine’s ears, and the dog flopped his head into Jared’s lap.
Jared raised his eyes to his dinner companions, expressions of amusement and confusion mingling across their faces. Even Brandon and Mala had a small smirk. “Everybody,” Jared announced. “I’d like you to meet Jugger.” The large mastiff looked up at the sound of his name. “We… uh… we work together sometimes.” Jared looked back to the dog. “Isn’t that right boy?” Jared asked, a playful tone to his voice. Jugger put his paws into Jared’s lap and started licking the woodsman’s face once again. The dog’s tail continued to pound the wooden planks of the tavern floor.
Jugger’s owner, a young sandy-haired man barely a season into adulthood, followed the dog over to the table. “I’m sorry,” he said. “He just started going crazy earlier tonight, and I figured he wanted to go for a walk. The next thing I know he’s making a beeline for the tavern and dragging me along with him.”
“It’s alright,” Jared replied, feeding the dog a piece of chicken from his plate. “It’s nice to see a friendly face.” Jugger wolfed down the food Jared gave him and then stood up, jumping in place. “I’m sorry, Jugger, I can’t play right now. Maybe tomorrow.”
Jugger would not take no for an answer though. The mastiff bounced around, started for the door, then ran back, and finally latched his strong jaws onto Jared’s boot, almost dragging Jared out of his seat. The young deputy, who Jared now remembered was named Robert, raised a hand as if to strike the dog, but Jared was immediately on his feet, grabbing the young man by the wrist. All mirth was now gone from the woodsman’s expression. Jared looked hard into the youth’s eyes, and Robert quailed, taking a step back. Jared didn’t say a word.
Looking back towards the dog, Jared took hold of Jugger’s leash and said, “Okay, boy.” Excusing himself to his dinner companions, Jared said, “Apparently he wants to show me something. I’ll be right back.” Giving himself over to the insistent pulling of the dog, Jared was led out of the room into the cooling night air.
Jared was led north through town and continued past the blacksmith’s shop, which for all intents and purposes was the edge of the town proper. Jared looked back at his companions shaking his head in confusion. Why everyone had decided to come along, he wasn’t sure.
Talas indicated with a jutting of his chin that they should continue. Though not armored, Talas had stopped by his room briefly to retrieve his mace. Branden had done likewise, hefting his large maul across his shoulder before venturing out into the night, following the insistent canine. Never seeming to be without their swords, Sasha and Mala had simply waited for everyone else to fetch their various weapons and then followed. Katya carried her staff, using it as a walking stick. Jugger led the group off the dirt road that led into town and tromped through a field just outside Binford’s Bluff.
Branden was the first to broach the subject that was on everyone’s mind. “What are we doing? Why are we out here in the middle of the night chasing this mutt towards the Great Mother knows what?” The smith’s look of exasperation was mirrored by Mala, who strode in front of him through the field.
“He wants to show me something,” Jared simply replied.
“That’s great,” Mala retorted. “For all you know he killed a rabbit and wants you to see it.”
“Hunting dogs don’t take their master to the kill; they bring the kill to their master. Jugger wants me to see something that he couldn’t bring to me,” Jared stated the fact like he was lecturing a small child. He may not know about battlefield strategy, but he did know about hunting. He was enjoying the opportunity to lord his superior knowledge over the graying swordmistress.
Mala responded in kind. “Fine, so your dog...”
“He’s not my dog,” Jared corrected.
“Okay, so this dog,” Mala huffed. “He is dragging us out into this field in the dark of night for what?”
“No one forced you to come,” Jared replied. “You’re the ones who insisted on following me in the first place.” Actually, Sasha and Katya had insisted on going with him, the former for protection and the latter out of curiosity. Branden and Mala then followed suit for the obvious reason of keeping an eye on Jared around the twins. Talas’ reason for coming was a mystery, but the woodsman suspected the older man was accompanying them for moral support.
“Well, it’s not like...” Mala began.
Jared pulled up short, jerking Jugger’s leash so hard that the dog gave a small yelp. Jared took two quick steps and put his face inches from Mala’s. “It’s not like what?!” Jared said heatedly, the frustration of the past few days coming to a head. “It’s not like you can trust the weird guy who lives in the woods with these two defenseless young girls?” Jared waved his free hand at the twins, who began to speak but were cut off as Jared’s rant continued. “Open up your eyes, both of you,” Jared moved his gaze to Branden and back. “Either one of these women separately can take care of themselves. Katya survived in the Bloodwood for weeks by herself, and you trusted Sasha enough to send her out alone to look for her sister. Mala, you personally trained Sasha, so you know she can handle herself. And you, Branden,” the woodsman’s angry eyes pinned the large blacksmith’s, even though the top Jared’s head didn’t even reach the chin of the twins’ father. “You raised two strong daughters, who have taken on some of the worst things I have seen this world throw at anyone, and press on. Elders of forty winters would have trouble dealing with the things they’ve seen, yet these two young women have held up well.”
Sasha tried to speak again, but Jared cut her off once more. “Now, I’m not saying all this to inflate your sense of self,” Jared said to the twins, before turning back to Mala and Branden. “I am saying this to point out that if you trust Sasha and Katya, then maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be too great a leap of faith to trust their judgment, when it pertains to the character of other people. When have I ever given either one of you the slightest indication that I am a bad person or that I had anything but the best intentions when it comes to your daughters?”
Branden opened his mouth, but Jared continued on. “Never is the answer to that question! I have done nothing to earn your mistrust or the suspicion that you have heaped on me since we met. But I have borne it, because, frankly, I am used to people who don’t know me not trusting me. However,” he said stabbing a finger at the twins who were staring at him open-mouthed, “they do know me, and they trust me, so why can’t you?”
Taken aback, Branden let the silence stretch a moment, to make sure that he would not be interrupted again, before he replied, “Jared, you don’t know what it’s like. You don’t have children.”
“No, I don’t,” Jared replied, “not that you’ve made the effort to speak with me and find out. Nor do I have parents or brothers or sisters, so I don’t know what families are like. But I do know how people act, and I have done nothing to deserve the way I am being treated by you two.”
Branden started talking again, but this time it was Mala who stopped him by laying a hand on the smith’s massive barrel chest. “Jared is right, Branden.” Everyone was shocked into silence by the words. “This man did take care of your daughters, my students, when he had no reason to, other than out of his own personal sense of decency. Now, we may not like his methods sometimes or even his attitude.” Mala moved her face an inch closer to Jared’s, her eyes glowing with a fierceness that reminded Jared of a mountain lioness protecting her young. “But, we do have to respect his deeds and the fact that he has won the trust of Sasha and Katya. To disrespect that trust would be to disrespect them.” Mala moved away from Jared and turned to Branden. “We at least owe him the benefit of the doubt.”
Branden nodded tersely at Jared in a gesture that, while not one of respect, was at least not one brimming with the distrust that Jared had sensed earlier. Jared was about to reply, when sudden movement from the twins evoked quick action from Mala, Branden and Jared. Mala’s hand flew to her sword hilt, and Jared caught an odd reflection of the starlight off of the swordmistress’ eyes. Branden’s massive hammer was swiftly in both hands, speaking of a speed that belied the man’s size. Jared’s long hunting knife was in his hand, even before he realized he was reaching for it.
The twins were merely startled as Niko, in the shape of a crow, launched from Katya’s shoulder and took off into the night, heading in the same direction Jugger had been leading them and shrieking at something in the distance. Taking this as his cue to continue, the huge mastiff began dragging Jared once again through the field.
They soon heard Niko’s cawing turn into a tiny voice calling for help. Rushing forward they found the Nhyme kneeling in a small circle where the grass had been flattened. Jared thought the grass had been bent by the thrashings of a small bird, but saw only Niko cradling the still form of another Nhyme in his arms, as he called out.
“Stop!” Jared cried to his companions, and they all froze in place.
“What is it?” Katya asked, clearly wanting to rush forward to help the wounded Nhyme.
“There may be more of them around, wounded or unconscious. We don’t want to crush them under our feet.” Seeing the sense of his words, everyone stopped. Katya spoke a quick phrase, and a floating ball of light formed above Niko and the other Nhyme, which Jared could now see was a female with long sandy blonde hair and thin gossamer wings that matched Niko’s. “Niko, are there any more around?”
Niko looked at him blankly, the Nhyme’s face pale with shock.
“Niko!” Jared shouted, trying to snap the tiny being out of his distressed bewilderment. “We can’t help her if we’re afraid to approach. Are there any others around?”
The tiny-winged man took a moment to realize that Jared was speaking to him and then came around. Concentrating for moment, Niko shook his head. “No, she’s alone. It’s just her.”
Katya rushed forward and knelt next to Niko. Talas and Jared stepped carefully behind her and looked over her shoulder. Branden, Mala and Sasha moved to form a triangular perimeter around them, each facing in a different direction searching the darkness for whatever it may have been that hurt the female Nhyme.
“Great Mother!” Katya gasped. “It’s Chyla.”
“Who?” Jared and Talas asked together.
“It’s the... she... she’s a friend,” the sorceress responded. “Niko is she okay?”
Niko looked up, tears streaming down his tiny face. “I don’t… I don’t know. She’s not moving.” Emotion was obviously interfering with his ability to think clearly.
“Niko,” Talas spoke quietly but sternly. “I understand that you’re upset, but being hysterical isn’t going to help her. You’re the most capable healer here. You have to clear your mind, if you are going to make her better. Deep breaths, Niko. Come on, do it with me.” Talas took in a long slow breath and then let it out.
The Nhyme looked at him for a moment and then took three deep breaths in unison with the former priest. Niko carefully laid Chyla on the ground and closed his eyes in concentration. Laying his hands on her head and stomach, tiny motes of light rose lazily from Niko’s small hands. Swirling around momentarily, the small lights rushed to Chyla’s left arm and sank into it.
Niko concentrated several more seconds and then opened his eyes, relief clear on his face.
“She’s okay!” he cheered. “She made a mess of her arm though. She really shouldn’t shape shift into a bird and fly like that, when she’s got a hurt arm. I mean, if you’ve got a hurt arm and you’re just walking around, sure, but if you want to fly on it, that’s not a good idea. I guess you could shift into something that…”
“Niko!” Sasha blurted out, interrupting the Nhyme’s discourse on the finer points of shape-shifting while wounded.
“What?” Niko replied.
“Can she walk?” the swordswoman asked.
“Oh, yeah,” the Nhyme said. “Her arm was hurt, but I fixed that. She’s just exhausted. She needs rest, some water, and some food. Cheese! Cheese would be good, do we have any cheese? You think that human house we’re staying in has any cheese? I didn’t see any. Of course they could be hiding it. I know I would. If I had a lot of cheese, I wouldn’t leave it lying around, where anyone could just take it. Oooh, I bet they have a secret cheese compartment hidden in the back room or something.”
Jared patted Jugger and knelt down beside the mastiff. “You did good boy. Remind me to get you an extra helping of chicken when we get back.” Jugger licked the side of the hunter’s face and wagged his tail happily.
Chapter 29
The Ice Queen had locked The Administrator in his office. He sat on a purple silk rug in front of the lit fireplace and jabbed at the logs with a long wrought-iron poker. Branden had made him the tool and, though plain, it was crafted well. Tomas was sick with worry for his precious eggs and his friends. Grumbling angrily to himself, he wondered how things had gone so awry and cursed himself for getting so close to the current Snowhaven townsfolk and students. All that he had worked for, for the last century lay dead on the streets, their blood soaking into the earth. He felt like a coward for not helping more. I could have saved them, but I was... he pondered. I was afraid. Not at my own potential demise but for the eggs. Despite how I have come to love these people, my ultimate duty is to my kin. I must not allow that frigid ice bitch to corrupt them. If she so much as touches one more egg, I will be forced to act. Keeping my secret is not as important as the eggs.