“Last time I trust you,” he called to her fleeting back. He stood up and brushed the snow off before entering the cabin.
“We were beginning to wonder if you two had been abducted,” Landir said as Esselles closed the door. “Come grab some breakfast before these two food devouring demons eat all of it,” he said, indicating Reston and Kyell.
“We were brushing down the horses,” Esselles said as he hung his cloak on a peg.
“Looks like the horses had a lot of snow on them,” Carrel said with a straight face.
“I had a slight run-in with a snow bank,” Esselles said, sitting down to eat. “I don’t know what,” he said with mock emphasis, “could have made me slip and fall like that. Do you Rashel?”
“Why, no, I do not,” she answered in exaggerated tones. “It must be the slippery conditions. Landir, I think it would be a good idea if you did some of their training in the snow. So they get used to it.”
“What an excellent suggestion,” Landir said, playing along. “Granted, we won’t be able to do so for the entire cadet class for a month or so, but up here, Esselles can certainly gain from the benefits of such training.”
“Wonderful,” Esselles muttered.
“What was that, Mr. Hawkblood?” Landir asked.
“I said ‘breakfast is wonderful’,” he answered with his best poker face.
“I see. Glad you like it.”
The noonday sun had melted most of the snow on the lower hills, but up on the mountainside, it still clung in areas, especially on the northern sides of woods or hills. The group had gathered for lunch a good distance up the slopes.
“I think I see a wagon down on the road,” Reston said, squinting to the south.
Everyone else looked where he pointed.
Esselles could barely make out the twin ribbons of brown that marked the road, let alone any wagons. “I can barely see the road.”
“There are a couple other cabins up here,” Carrel said. “And a lot of people make the day trip from Dussel.”
“It’s definitely a wagon,” Reston said. “It just crested a hill. A two-horse affair. Typical farm wagon. Three people in the seat.”
“It must be nice to have Elven vision,” Esselles said.
“It definitely has its advantages. Although bright glare like this is not one of them,” Reston said, indicating the sun reflecting off the snow. “By night, I will have a massive headache. Our eyes do not desensitize to bright light as well as yours do.”
“This glare is bright enough to give me a headache as well,” Esselles said.
“Hey, I see movement,” Reston said, looking to the west. “I see three, no, four deer. And one’s a buck. At least five points on the rack.”
“Grab the bows,” Landir said. “We’ll pack up later. The wind is out of the west. This may be our best chance.”
They spread out as they moved toward the deer. Reston pointed out where they were and eventually the humans were able to spot them as well. Rashel fired first, putting an arrow into the flank of one of the doe. Esselles put an arrow in its rib cage as it turned to run. Reston put an arrow through the heart of the buck. The rest of the deer scattered before anyone else could get a clear shot.
The wounded doe staggered into the woods, but Kyell chased it down and finished it off with his sword. He dragged it back to where Reston had dropped the buck.
“Quite a haul for the first day,” Landir said. “Now, if those rabbit traps are full, we’ll be all set.”
“That reminds me,” Esselles said. “I brought some Arator peppers with me for the stew. My brother’s merchant train brought them. They’re delicious.”
“Your brother’s a merchant?” Rashel asked.
“No. He’s a guard for them.”
“Carrel, Kyell,” Landir called. “Why don’t you two gut these and we’ll head back and break our lunch camp.”
“We could use a third set of hands,” Carrel said.
“I’ll help,” Esselles offered.
Landir, Rashel, and Reston left to gather the gear they had left behind.
*
“This looks as good a place as any to set up an ambush,” Renamir said, noting the short visibility caused by the tall trees. “Although, I don’t like the fact they have a wagon full of soldiers.”
“It’s only three,” Belgar said, sounding defensive.
“True, but one’s a captain, one’s an Uranthian, and one already killed Shingar.”
“Don’t remind me,” Belgar said.
“And, they have an Elven archer to boot.”
“Hey, how was I to know? I told you and Malicar all I knew.”
“Which, obviously, wasn’t enough,” Renamir said testily, sitting down to wait.
Esselles-demon ignored it all, sitting on the wagon in another one of his trances.
*
The rabbit traps had been full and the six ate well that night. The next day, they had similar luck with the deer. Carrel and Clawson combined to bring down a doe, Landir brought one down himself, and Reston put three shots into a moose, which they then tracked and eventually finished off. The only disappointing part of the trip was the lack of maerling activity.
“Sometimes the season is delayed a week or two, and sometimes they pick a different location,” Carrel explained as they headed to the cabin in the gathering dusk. “This is the second year we’ve had where we didn’t get to see any.”
“At least I saw the one you were chasing back in the Bracken Woods,” Esselles said, shifting the pole the deer hung from to the other shoulder.
“Was that the first one you’d ever seen?” Rashel asked.
“Yes. They don’t live back west, and they are very elusive and rare in the Bracken Woods.”
“True,” she agreed. “I’ve only seen a couple that far south.”
“Thank Uran for that,” Kyell said. “Too many times, they push south in large numbers. Entire villages have been wiped out.”
“I always thought they were solitary,” Esselles said.
“They are,” Kyell explained. “But every once in a while, and I’m talking twenty or thirty years, huge waves of them come charging south, killing everything in their path. No one knows why.”
“Sounds like our seven year locusts, only deadlier,” Esselles said. “Although, locusts have been known to wipe out entire villages, but for different reasons. Starvation. The locusts can devastate an entire countryside of crops.”
“Enough talk of death and destruction,” Rashel said. “I’m ready for some more of Carrel’s stew.”
“If these gluttons haven’t finished it all,” Landir said.
“I could go check the traps to see if we caught any more rabbits,” Esselles offered. “I reset them yesterday.”
“We usually never bothered,” Landir explained. “But then again, we have an extra mouth to feed this trip. And while you don’t eat as much as Kyell or Reston, you certainly eat your fill.”
“Well, it won’t take long to check. In fact, if Rashel wouldn’t mind carrying this end of the deer, I could go check them now, before it gets dark, and meet you back at the cabin.”
“Do you know the way?” Carrel asked.
“Yes. And if I didn’t, how tough would it be to follow the trail we’ve left?”
“I don’t mind carrying the deer,” Rashel said.
“Then, I’ll meet you at the cabin,” Esselles said, transferring the pole to Rashel.
“Be careful,” she said as he left.
*
The rabbit traps were empty, except for a small raccoon. Esselles opened the trap and let it out. He then disabled all the traps and collected them to bring back to the barn. Walking along the road, he saw the glow of a fire ahead around a bend. He was surprised how far he had come – not realizing he was this close to the cabin.
As he rounded the trees, he saw a small farmer’s wagon with a small campfire next to it. Two people were huddled over the fire, trying to keep warm. Esselles lower
ed the traps to the ground and reached for his sword. As he did, he heard the unmistakable sound of a sword being drawn from its scabbard. The sound came from directly behind him.
Chapter Twelve
He turned sideways, trying to keep an eye on both the two men at the fire and the person who had drawn a sword behind him. “Who are you? What do you want?” he asked, releasing the majority of the traps and holding the last few like a weapon.
“You don’t recognize me?” one of the men at the fire asked as he stood up and turned around.
His scraggly blonde hair and thick round face were instantly recognizable. “Belgar,” Esselles muttered. He started to draw his sword.
“I wouldn’t try that,” the other man said. Blue sparks gathered on his fingertips. “Put the traps down and take off the sword belt or I will fry you where you stand.”
Esselles knew enough about magic to know the threat could be very real. He unbuckled his sword belt and leaned it against the traps. “I suppose this is your time of revenge,” he said to Belgar.
“I wish it was,” he said. “But Renamir won’t let me.”
“Who’s Renamir?” Esselles asked.
“I am,” answered the man with the glowing hand.
“So, if you’re not going to kill me, what are you going to do? Rob me again?”
“No. He’s going to take your place,” Renamir said, pointing past Esselles.
Esselles turned to look at the person standing ten feet behind him. He was medium height and medium build, but that was all he could tell, as he was covered head to foot in a large, nondescript, gray robe.
The man sheathed his sword and reached up to his hood. As he pulled it back, slowly and deliberately, long black hair fell out. When he threw it back, Esselles was shocked. It was his own face staring back at him. His dream immediately popped into his mind and he hoped he would wake up soon.
But he didn’t wake up. His mirror image, however, did disappear. With an audible pop, it was gone. The conclusion that it was gone proved to be erroneous. Suddenly, someone was at his back, sweeping his feet out from beneath him – his twin. Esselles went down hard.
He looked up to see his twin standing battle ready, a wicked grin on his face. Esselles rolled onto his stomach and pushed up to his hands and knees. At the same time, hidden from his opponent’s view, he slid his hunting knife into his left hand and up his sleeve.
He stood up and circled his opponent. Esselles-demon did the same, mirroring his every movement. Esselles tried a couple leg sweeps, but Esselles-demon was too quick. He threw a couple punches as well, but none of those landed either. He lunged at him and grappled. They wrestled to the ground, and Esselles slipped the hunting knife out and buried it into his mirror’s stomach. He pulled it out and drove it between the fifth and sixth ribs.
He jumped back with an odd feeling, looking down at himself with a knife stuck in his rib cage. Belgar had started forward, sword drawn, but Renamir held him back. Esselles looked back down at his double. To his surprise, he was moving.
Esselles-demon coughed up some blood, and then sat up, rolling onto his left elbow. With his right hand, he pulled the dagger out of his rib cage with a loud sucking sound. Blood poured freely from the wound, but didn’t spurt out, like it should have.
I had to have hit the aorta, Esselles thought. Or at least the pulmonary.
You did, he heard inside his mind. Only, I don’t have one. Not there, anyway.
“Use your voice,” Renamir shouted.
Esselles-demon shot an annoyed look back at him. He then sat fully upright. He pressed the edges of his chest wound together and waited. Within seconds, the blood had slowed to a trickle. “If you want to get my heart,” he said as he reached down with his left hand, “you have to aim down here.” He indicated his upper right thigh. “Or here,” indicating his upper left thigh. “Or here, or here,” pointing to each shoulder in succession. “Of course, I can live without any of them for a while. I could probably make it without two or three of them. As long as I’ve got this,” and he hit himself in the lower left of his back.
Esselles was totally confused.
“Of course, I don’t imagine you realized you were fighting a demon,” Esselles-demon said as he stood up.
“A demon?!” Esselles exclaimed.
“And were I in my natural form, you’d be dead. The punch I landed on your stomach would have disemboweled you,” Esselles-demon bragged.
“Yes, a demon. A daugilith to be exact,” Renamir said, walking up to them. “But enough of this idle chatter. We must get to work quickly.” He raised his hand and the blue sparks shot forth and hit Esselles in the head. He dropped to the ground in a slump.
When he came to, he was shivering.
“Awake, finally,” Renamir said.
Esselles found himself bound and gagged and in the gray robe the demon had been in.
“I must say,” Renamir said as he checked Esselles’ bindings, “it was awfully nice of you to come out this way alone. We were in a bit of a quandary on how we could abduct you from amongst your friends. We were just debating trying to send someone in invisible when our demon friend informed us someone was coming up the road. What a pleasant surprise it was to find it was you. I guess some of the gods are on our side.”
Esselles looked about for the demon, but couldn’t find him.
“He’s already left. He’s taken your place,” Renamir said.
Esselles worried about his friends.
“They’ll be all right. We wouldn’t want anything out of the ordinary happening.”
Esselles looked surprised.
“Yes, I can read your thoughts. Especially the obvious ones.” Renamir stopped talking and looked off into space. “Our friend has reached the cabin,” he announced.
*
“What took you so long?” Landir asked as Esselles-demon entered the cabin.
“I got a little lost,” he answered, setting down his gear.
“Coming up the road?” Carrel asked.
“No, going to the traps.”
“I thought you knew the way,” Landir said.
“So did I.”
“So, were the traps full?” Rashel asked.
“No.” After a pause, he added, “Just a raccoon. I let it go.”
“Well, sit down and eat,” Landir said. “We’ve got to be on the road soon if we are going to make it back on schedule.”
*
“Excellent,” Renamir said. “He’s in.” Renamir looked off into space again.
For some reason, the memory of him checking the traps popped back into Esselles’ mind with vivid detail. He shook his head and cleared it.
Renamir smiled. “And he’s eating dinner. Not much to his liking, he says.” He stood up. “Come on, Belgar. We’ve got to be on the road ahead of him. They can travel faster than we can. I need to get a head start. I can’t get too far away from the demon. Help me get him into the wagon.”
Once in the wagon, they affixed shackles to his wrists and ankles and attached them to a heavy leaden ball. They cut the original bindings, but left the gag over his mouth. When Renamir turned his back, Belgar punched Esselles across the face.
“You’ll be in my care soon,” he whispered.
*
“Come on, help me hook up the horses,” Rashel called to Esselles.
Esselles-demon followed her out to the barn. As he neared the barn, the horses began to get skittish. Once he opened the door, they became alarmed. Any he approached pulled back, eyes wide with alarm.
“That’s strange,” Rashel said. “What do you suppose is causing that?”
Help! the demon transmitted to Renamir.
Suggest that maybe you picked up some wolf scent while checking the tracks, came the answer.
“Maybe I picked up some wolf scent while out checking the traps,” Esselles-demon repeated.
“Perhaps you should send someone else out to help. You are spooking them too much.”
“I w
ill,” Esselles-demon said. Inside the cabin, he asked someone else to help Rashel.
“Strange,” Carrel said when Esselles-demon told him the reason. “I’ve never heard of that happening before.”
“Who knows?” Landir said. “Their senses are much more acute than ours.”
I’ll say, the demon sent to Renamir. You can’t direct your ears, you have small eyes, you can hardly draw any air into your nose, and you have a small tongue. It’s amazing your race survives. You wouldn’t last a day in my world.
“Why don’t you help load up the gear instead?” Landir suggested. “I doubt it will get spooked.”
“Damn,” the demon said. “And I thought I could get out of that. Damn those horses.”
“Just get moving, cadet.”
The demon smiled at himself, proud of his first attempt at Esselles humor.
*
Renamir disconnected his consciousness from the mental link. It took him a few seconds to adjust to his surroundings. While connected through the link, he had received the visual and auditory senses of the demon. The sight was especially disorienting. It wasn’t just that he was seeing in the cabin while he was really sitting on the wagon. It was the sight itself. When looking through the demon’s eyes, he saw in a different spectrum of light, the infrared.
As the demon looked about the room, it saw things of different temperature in different colors. Remarkably accurate as well. He could watch the ghostly footprints of people walking across the floor as their feet, even there for only the briefest of instants, transferred heat to the floor. Renamir wondered how any prey escaped a hunting demon. Especially when combined with its sensitive hearing – when connected to the demon, he could hear everything happening in the room. And when the room was quiet, he could hear the beating hearts and pumping lungs of the others in the room. Even from across the room. And to think the demon had even remarked how dulled his senses were in his transmutated form! he thought. I hope this demon is never coming after me.
He looked back at Belgar, sitting in the back glaring at Esselles. He could easily read the hatred in Belgar’s mind whenever he interacted with Esselles. He hoped it would not interfere with their mission. In order to pull the memories from Esselles’ head, they needed Esselles alive.
Demonified (Hawkblood Chronicles Book 1) Page 13