First she looked at Elise, then she looked at Jesse. “I know the two of you have been through a lot. I know that passions run deep and you feel this is your last chance. But you have to stop. Both of you.”
“I didn’t know you could hear us,” Jesse said. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re sitting three feet from me, Jesse. Just because my eyes are closed doesn’t mean I’m asleep.”
“I’m thoroughly embarrassed, Sentinel,” Elise said.
“Don’t be,” she said. “But you know this has to end. Whatever relationship you two once shared, it’s gone. Forever. That doesn’t mean a friendship cannot be pursued, but I have to say it probably isn’t a good idea for at least a few more years.”
“I’m sorry,” Jesse said. “This is all my fault.”
“You are only following your heart,” Gwen said. “It was my mistake from the beginning. I should have paid more attention to the relationship you shared. Though at the time it may have been a mistake to take you on as one of the guards, Jesse, I will not mention this to anyone back at the keep.”
“Thank you, Sentinel.”
“So long as you two finish this here and now.”
Gwen knew it wasn’t that simple. She knew that even if both of them looked at each other and solemnly swore to never look at each other again, it would not be finished until they decided it for themselves. Regardless, this conversation served the purpose of ending whatever pursuit that might take place during their mission. It was reckless and could get them all killed if they were more concerned with each other than the enemies they faced.
Gwen watched their faces as they both nodded at her. They looked like two little school children who had been squabbling over a toy. And though their love had sprouted from a youthful age, the roots grew deep and they would have to accept on their own the fact that they would never be together.
Gwen wanted to tell Jesse that there was a reason Sentinels weren’t allowed to be with another person. There were too many distractions and deviations from studies that came with love. Not to mention that to live for a thousand years meant that a Sentinel had no room for a closeness with someone. They had a responsibility to push people away. They weren’t to shun friendships, but to get closer only brought hardship and more distraction.
Gwen knew this more than anybody. Guilt spread through her as she studied the downtrodden faces of Jesse and Elise, but she wouldn’t take back what she had said. Life as a Sentinel was filled with questions. Regrets. To tell them a lie would be to set them both up for hardship later.
Gwen reached out and set her palms in front of the fire, the magical flames warming them instantly. She wasn’t sure what else she should say to the two. In a way, this was part of Elise’s training—accepting her new life as a Sentinel—but she wasn’t about to point that out now. It would do no good and only make Gwen seem cold.
“We have to leave early in the morning,” she said. “Let’s try to get some sleep.
They were up before the sun and had traveled a couple of hours before the light reflected off the white snow of the plains. The group plodded on in silence, probably because of their discussion the night before. Gwen hoped they were trying to set their minds on the task ahead and not dwelling on the past, but she wasn’t willing to make that bet.
As they neared Gnome Country, the flat plains gradually changed into rolling hills. This was a beautiful place to visit in the spring. The hills would be green and smooth with perfect carpets of grass in every direction. Now, like almost everywhere else, snow blanketed the hills. The closer they got to the city, the more small houses and little huts dotted the landscape. If Gwen didn’t have a mind of urgency, she might have smiled as she took in the sight before her. Little houses with little chimneys, puffing out tiny clouds of smoke from tiny fires within. Gnomes didn’t care for company from anyone outside of Gnome Country. It wasn’t that they would hide away or tell someone to get out of their land, but they made few accommodations for larger visitors. Even their hotels were more suited for gnomes from different areas of Gnome Country, but sometimes offered a room or two for the larger folk.
A gnome looked a lot like man to the north but for the simple observation that the tallest of them stood to the height of an average man’s hip. They were thin and wiry, most of them with big bright eyes. The males liked to grow out their beards as soon as they were able and fashion them into peculiar designs.
Being a short people, they were not to be confused with the dwarves to the southwest, who, instead of living on green hills, dwelled within dark caverns and atop rustic mountains overlooking the gray elves. The dwarves stood taller than gnomes by a whole head at least. The gnomes were slim and narrow while the dwarves were thick and broad, carrying a strength no other being could match.
Being a smaller race, an enemy might find the gnomes an easy target. But they were cunning warriors who bordered the Serpent River to the south. Across that river were the jagged rocks known as the Dark Canyons which was home to the ravagers. Being neighbors with the most fierce and grotesquely intimidating enemy Galamore had ever faced, the gnomes had to become great fighters in order to survive.
This probably had something to do with their general no-nonsense attitude as well. Lawlessness was not tolerated in Gnome Country. Justice for the smallest of crimes would come quickly and harshly. If one were caught stealing something, he might only lose a hand or a few fingers. If he were caught stealing something again, he could be dragged to a public square and shot, or have his throat cut. A liar under oath would have his tongue cut out. A murderer would often be burned at the stake for all to watch.
This all sounded harsh, and it was. But crimes happened so seldom within Gnome Country these days. Barbaric as their methods may have been, it worked for them, and they had a tighter bond as a community. This worked in their favor whenever the ravagers got a notion to go on the warpath and move northward.
Though the gnomes were perfectly content to defend themselves, there were times when they needed help, and they could always count on their friends to the northeast above them, the wood elves. Gnomes loved the wood elves, and this might have been the only reason there were some rooms for larger folks at all the inns. The two groups had formed a bond over the centuries—the gnomes acting as a barrier against the ravagers, the wood elves acting as support.
Any number of them would be happy to see Jesse traveling into Lorne. That had been the main reason Gwen wanted him to come along in the first place. Gnomes respected the Sentinels well enough, but might be delighted when they saw she was traveling with a wood elf. The only pause they might have would be his man-given name, and perhaps his man-like quirks. Having grown up in the northland, the only thing that set Jesse apart from man was his appearance—his sharp features and long ears. Looking at him, there was no denying he was all wood elf. Talking to him, there was no denying he was raised among men.
As the small party continued forward, gnome eyes spotted them from the distance. Some of them would come out of their little huts to get a good look at the travelers walking their narrow roads, others would peek through the windows.
Gwen kept her stare fixed ahead as they crossed over hill-after-hill. Finally, Lorne was in view. The houses were packed together tightly, and the snow on the frequently traveled road gave way to dead grass and mud. Further into the city, the street changed to stone and their horses clicked loudly as they passed by shops, a blacksmith, a stable or two. The crowds of small gnomes were bustling about, doing their duties until they spotted the trio riding with determined looks on their faces. Then the gnomes stopped whatever it was they were doing and stared.
It was almost eerie, the silence that welcomed them. It wasn’t that the gnomes were nervous about outsiders, or that they were so closed off that it was a strange sight, but it was probably stunning to see a Sentinel traveling through for the second day in a row. Not only Gwen, but a Sentinel in training, and a wood elf as well.
As the three moved past
the streets and through the rolling hills beyond the town, they could see the Serpent River and beyond that, the gray, sullen canyons that led deep into ravager territory. On this side of the river and to the east a bit further outside of Lorne was a small hut, owned by a old gnome named Arlo.
Arlo was different than other gnomes. He was reclusive and enjoyed his life nearly four miles away from the energetic Lorne. His hut stood at the top of one of the larger hills, almost serving as a lookout for the city in the event of a raid. Behind the hut about another half mile, there was an entrance to a system of caves that wound about deep into the earth. The tunnels traveled deep enough and under the river, connecting the Dark Canyons to Gnome Country, but the connection had been closed off by the Sentinels years ago. Too many ravagers had used it to mount surprise attacks on the unsuspecting gnomes, and the gnomes had wanted not just a physical block, but one reinforced by magic. The ravagers hadn’t been through the caves ever since.
If there was ever a time for Gwen to use her magic to locate Kellen, it was now, one might think. There were two problems with doing this, however. First, she didn’t want to drain the energy she might need in the coming hours. Second, using her abilities would alert Kellen to her presence. If he learned that she was close, it might give him a chance to prepare for her.
Either way presented a risk, but she decided to stick with the plan. She would use her magic only if their lives depended on it. If they were pursuing any other enemy, it would have been different. A normal man might not ever sense magic happening near him. Most wouldn’t even understand if Gwen were to go into their minds and search their thoughts. This, of course, was done with powerful magic. She doubted if Kellen had sensed Elise’s magical fires whenever they had made camp. But to seek Kellen’s trail, or to try and find him anywhere within Lorne, would allow him to slip away from them quickly and quietly.
It was entirely possible that Kellen had been using his magic the entire trip, but Gwen had been left so drained that her sensitivity wasn’t what it should have been. And Elise’s senses were not keen in the magical way. Not yet. Essentially, Kellen had had an advantage through this entire journey. As these thoughts passed through her mind, worry started to overtake her.
She cursed at herself silently. She should have just gone after Kellen herself, leaving everyone else behind. At least then they would have had a chance.
Gwen looked at Jesse and Elise and shook her head when they reached the top of the hill. Arlo’s hut stood in front of them, but it was lifeless and cold. There was no smoke coming from the chimney. Before she got off the horse and walked up to his tiny porch, she already knew he was gone. She already knew he had taken Kellen into the caves.
She knocked her fist against the door anyway and called out for Arlo to answer. But as expected, he didn’t come. Gwen ran to her horse and mounted. She didn’t have to bark out an order for the others to ride after her. She kicked at the horse and charged forward toward the caves. There was a chance. Still a chance. Kellen was in the caves. He had to be.
“Sentinel Gwen!” Elise shouted behind her. “Sentinel Gwen!”
Gwen ignored her. They didn’t have time to talk. They had to get to those caves or it was too late. Nathaniel wasn’t equipped to face Kellen. None of them were.
“Sentinel Gwen!” Elise shouted a third time. “Seek him out! He’s too far to outrun!”
The horse sprinted forward, but Gwen’s mind hesitated. Elise was probably right. They truly had come to a point where it didn’t matter if Kellen knew where they were. He had come for The Book of Life. For all they knew, he was on his way out of Lorne, book tucked under his arm.
She pulled up on the reins and her horse slowed to a stop. She turned back to look at Elise and Jesse who stared at her with wide eyes.
“I need every ounce of strength I can muster if I am to face Kellen,” she said, almost to herself. She shook her head. “If I am too weak to use my magic, he will defeat me.”
“But you’re not alone,” Jesse said. “We can help you.”
She considered him for a moment. She feared relying on Jesse and Elise for backup.
Gwen sighed and dismounted. The three of them stood on top of a bald hill not too far from the caves. She looked at Jesse and Elise one more time before closing her eyes and conjuring up whatever strength she had, searching for an image of Kellen.
In a flash, she saw him. He is not in the cave. He sits inside a train, the third passenger car. It is only he and ten others, covered in black cloaks. Their faces are hidden. They are there to protect the Sentinel. Kellen sits with a smug grin, the book in his hands. It was the first train out this morning. He’s been traveling for an hour at least.
The black figures around him are tall and broad. One of them stands as the attendant comes through. The attendant stops, a look of horror spreads across his face. The cloaked figure reaches for him, throws him to the floor as the others stare straight ahead. The cloaked figure removes his hood and reveals his ravager face. His white skin almost glows above the attendant, and his nose is cut off at the tip giving him a skull-like appearance. The ravager snarls at him, revealing his sharp yellow teeth. He reaches for the attendant’s throat with his clawed fingers and rips it out, blood pooling out onto the floor amidst the sound of a frantic gargle.
The ravager stands from the bloody corpse, places his hood back on his head and takes his seat. Kellen never looks back. He doesn’t seem to notice any of it. He only holds the book more tightly in his grip.
Gwen opened her eyes, too stunned to feel her power draining from her body. Jesse and Elise stood close to her, asking her, begging her to tell them what she had seen.
But Gwen couldn’t think of the words to say. This was beyond betrayal. This was far more serious than a Sentinel trying to do something he thought was right. This had been planned. Kellen had planned this for some time now, and had been waiting for the right moment.
She looked at Jesse, then at Elise. She couldn’t stop the single tear that ran down the side of her cheek, nor did she try to.
“It’s too late,” she said. “He already has the book.”
Joe
Summer, 903 A.O.M.
“Don’t you think we oughta talk to the sheriff about this?” a voice said. “This feller’s been through quite a lot.”
“No,” another voice answered. “He ain’t got nothin’ to talk to the sheriff about.”
“So, you know this man?”
“Nope.”
“Then how do you know he ain’t got nothin’ to talk about?”
A long pause.
“I know because I say he don’t. Do we understand each other?”
Another pause. “Of course. Of course.”
“You’re gettin’ paid regardless. Just do what you can to make him better and we’ll be outta here.”
“I’ve done about all I can for your friend. The rest is up to him. I don’t mind him staying here a few days while he mends, but you and your other friend here might be more comfortable staying at the hotel.”
“So long as we have access to this man.”
“Of course. Any time. You might come in the back entrance if you’re wanting to remain anonymous.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s my job. How about your other friend here? He looks a little banged up as well.”
“I’m all right.”
“You don’t want me to take a look at you?”
Silence.
“Well, fine then. I don’t want you two around here a lot. You’ll draw an eye that you don’t want and I’ll be asked questions. And I’ll tell you right now, I’ve got no reason to lie for you.”
“We’ll take him in the morning.”
“I can’t let you take him. He won’t be roadworthy for a couple a weeks at best.”
“You said the rest was up to his own body, right?”
Silence.
“Then his own body can heal on the road.”
“I ain’t gonna argue
with you two, but all I can say is that it’s dangerous. He’s in no shape to travel.” A sigh. “But I will do what I can to prepare him. If you’re gonna take him, at least consider a wagon. There’s a few for sale up the road. The seller’s a good man and will offer a decent price.”
“I think that’ll be fine.”
Joe felt like he’d been stuffed into a barrel full of dynamite and then tried to light a cigar. The sunlight was shining through one of the windows in his room onto his eyes and he tried to shade the light with his hand, but it was too hard to lift his arm.
“He’s wakin’ up,” a voice said.
Two figures towered over his bed. He was too tired to smile, but he couldn’t help but feel one side of his mouth curl upward. Clive stood at the end, decked out in black. Next to him stood a man that Joe had figured was dead, yet here he was in decent enough health, though he was about as dirty and beat up as he was the day before. The man was Edric.
“How?” was all Joe managed to get out before Clive brought a finger up and shushed him.
“Don’t try to talk, friend. You need to keep up your strength.”
Joe wondered if this was just an excuse for Clive to not have to talk about the day before. Surely there was a lot to explain.
“Right now we need to go,” Clive said. “I saw the sheriff eyeing me in the saloon earlier. He didn’t say anything, but he might be suspicious of our presence here.”
“Where’s here?” Joe’s voice sounded husky and thick and it hurt to speak.
“A small town,” Edric answered.
“How’d you find me?” Joe asked Clive.
Clive sighed and shook his head. He didn’t want to answer these questions at the moment, but Joe felt like he had the right to know.
“After you offered yourself up,” Clive said, looking away, “I tracked the Okoro gang. I figured they weren’t gonna kill you until they got back to their hideaway.”
The Outlaw's Quest (Keeper of the Books, Book 2) Page 16