by Matt Heppe
“Mother, I’m a spiridus. I can turn invisible.” He forced a smile.
“Not truly invisible,” she said. “Just mostly.”
“Close enough. No Saladoran has ever seen me.”
“You’re the last spiridus. You can’t go.”
He pulled away from her and looked her in the eyes. “I’m not the last spiridus anymore,” he said. “That’s the whole point. I must go so that the spiridus can be free.”
“I don’t care about them,” she said. “I care about you.”
“I have to do this, Mother.”
Kael stepped close and pulled Maret into his arms. Orlos glanced past them and saw everyone had mounted, waiting only for him to depart. Six riders and eighteen horses.
“Come back soon,” Kael said.
“I will.” Orlos’s sisters and brother were there, and he gave each of them a hug. “Be good for Mother and Father,” he said. They assured him they would, although Orlos knew how long those promises would last.
Orlos jogged to his horse and mounted. Their departure wasn’t secret, although their mission was. It seemed all of Belavil was there to watch them go, despite the early hour. Orlos gave his family one last wave and then led the party down the twisty road that curled up the slopes of Belavil.
Sulentis rode beside Orlos. It was hard to think of him as Prince Handrin, and he had insisted on remaining Sulentis in any case. Escalan rode immediately behind them, also preferring to keep his pseudonym. There was a chance, the two thought, that they might still be able to bluff their way past any curious Saladorans.
Telea rode beside Escalan. Her relief that her mission might actually be a success was palpable. But still, Orlos couldn’t get past the demon he saw in her. It was a visible taint on her that only he could see. No matter what she said about the demon, he’d never fully trust her.
Fendal, the dour, noble South Teren elementar, followed Telea, perfectly happy not to speak with anyone. Sulentis had persuaded him to come, saying that he’d need another strong elementar for what he had in mind. Orlos was certain the man would have been much happier to stay in Belavil, if he was capable of happiness at all.
At the back of the group rode two Landomeri leading the train of spare horses. Orlos knew one of them well. Calen was one of his mother’s closest friends, although he rarely came to Belavil anymore. He had arrived the night before with his companion Sindi. He said that the Lady of the Forest had told him to return to Belavil days before.
Orlos believed him. Calen was one of the only Landomeri to have ever seen the Lady of the Forest. Calen and Sindi dressed in Western Landomeri attire, short tunics over breech cloths and leggings. They carried short, recurved Kiremi bows and had huge quivers stuffed with arrows.
Landomere had no warriors, but Calen and Sindi were as close to warriors as they had. They were two of the rangers who patrolled the borders of Landomere, keeping the forest safe from both Kiremi and Saladorans. Orlos didn’t know Sindi as well as he knew Calen, but she seemed just as fierce as he did.
Arno and Enna greeted them at the base of Belavil, at the entrance to the city. “We can send more people with you,” Arno said. “I’ll go myself.”
“Thank you, Arno,” Sulentis said, “but it won’t be necessary. We won’t be fighting our way through Salador. The path we’re traveling is best taken by a small, fast band.”
“If you’re successful in this, our people will be grateful to you forever. The return of the spiridus is almost too much to imagine.”
“We’re a long way from there,” Sulentis said. “But this is the first step. And when we are successful, and the spiridus are free, our two lands will forever be allies in peace.”
Enna stepped forward and raised her hands into the air in benediction. “May the Great Spirit grant you her blessing and protection. May she grant you a speedy journey and a safe one.”
“Thank you for your blessing,” Sulentis said.
“Bring them home to us, Prince Handrin,” Enna said.
“I’ll do everything in my power to do so. I’ll bring them back.”
They rode quickly through the forest along well-used trails. North of Belavil the hills were not so steep, and they made even better time as the day wore on. Orlos was tired, but he tried not to let it show. His ordeal at the bloodstone still hung heavily upon him. Telea had told him it might be some days before he completely felt like himself again.
Sulentis kept up such a pace that talk was impossible. They stopped only twice before midday, each time only to switch horses. Finally, Orlos rode up to Sulentis and asked why he drove them so hard.
“I believe the story Telea has told us. I fear the gate between our world and Dromost could fail at any time. When that happens, nothing will save us. The demons will pour through, and we’ll be destroyed.”
“Maybe we could defeat them.”
Sulentis shook his head. “I’d rather not find out. I’d rather win the war without fighting it.”
“And if we’re victorious, we’ll release the spiridus?”
Sulentis looked over his shoulder at Telea, riding a few horse lengths behind them, before turning back to Orlos. “The singers will come and save them. I have no reason to doubt her.”
Orlos glanced back at Telea. He did have a reason to doubt her—it radiated from her.
They stopped to eat in a Landomeri village. The people knew who Orlos was and graciously welcomed the party. When the villagers learned of their haste and that they were on an important, but unnamed task, they became even more helpful.
“I should have done this a long time ago,” Sulentis confided to Orlos as they prepared to ride out. “I should have confronted her.”
“Your mother? You never asked her for Forsvar?”
“I asked, but I never demanded.”
“I don’t think demanding things from your mother works very well,” Orlos said. “At least not from the stories I’ve heard.”
Sulentis laughed a wry laugh. “No. No it doesn’t.”
They mounted up and rode northeast. It would take two days of hard riding to get to the edge of Landomere. Only Fendal complained about the journey. Although Orlos could see that riding didn’t come easily to Telea, she bore it without complaint.
Another Landomeri village hosted them at the very edge of Salador. The people there were curious why Orlos might want to leave the Forest, but he would only say that the Great Spirit had sent him on a great task. It wasn’t strictly true, he thought. There’d been no dreams and no messages since the discovery of the tomb.
She’s pleased I’m doing her bidding, he thought as he lay down to sleep under the stars. He knew the Great Spirit wished for him to free the spiridus. That’s all she’d ever wanted.
In the morning they crossed the river into the South Teren. “We’re following Hadde and Belor’s footsteps,” Calen said. “This is the path they took to Sal-Oras.”
“You were with them?” Telea asked.
“No, but I knew them both. I’ve learned everything there is to know about Hadde and the slaying of Akinos.”
“You should talk to Rayne, I mean, Escalan,” Sulentis said. “He had a few adventures with Hadde. I only met her once. I was getting a lesson from Orlos the Spiridus when Hadde came into his room to speak with him.” He nodded at Orlos.
Orlos didn’t react, but it drove him mad when people referenced his spirit-father as if he was the same man, or that he might have some of Orlos the Spiridus’s memories. All Orlos knew of his spirit-father were the things Mother had told him or that he had gleaned from others.
“We will follow their path, though,” Sulentis said. “It’s the most direct path to Sal-Oras.”
They came upon a ruined manor later that day. The place had been abandoned for decades. Orlos had never been there, and he wished he could explore it. He’d never ranged this far north.
“We’ll stop here for a rest and then push a little further before nightfall,” Sulentis said. “We still have summer li
ght left to us.”
They had just dismounted when Calen, who had been riding behind the group with Sindi, rode up and said, “We’re being followed.” Orlos was just about to turn and look when Calen said, “Don’t look. I don’t want them to notice. There are five of them.”
“Any idea who they are?” Sulentis asked.
“Saladorans in blue and yellow,” Calen said. “That’s all I could tell. I didn’t want to be obvious.”
“Inquisitors,” Escalan said, joining them. “Maybe even the same ones who have harassed us before.”
“Do they have spare horses?” Sulentis asked. “Can they keep up?”
“They do,” Calen said. “And we don’t have that much daylight remaining to us to get ahead of them. We don’t want them coming up on us in the night.”
“We could ambush them,” Escalan said. “With surprise, we could easily take them.”
“Kill them, you mean,” Calen said, a dark look crossing his face. Orlos couldn’t tell if he was angry or determined.
Escalan shrugged. “Their mission is to kill elementars. They’ve killed several, and we have two with us.”
“And a singer,” Sulentis said. “I don’t think they’d differentiate.”
“Sindi and I are here to protect Orlos. We’ll do as the spiridus commands,” Calen said.
Orlos tried to hide his surprise. Was Calen asking him to order an attack—the killing of six men? Who was Orlos to command a thirty-year-old ranger?
Sulentis looked at him. “I don’t know how these men will react if I reveal myself to them. The Inquisitors are my mother’s men. They will obey her orders.” He paused a moment. “This journey is too important to risk. These inquisitors could destroy all our plans.”
“We could kill their horses, although I hate to say it,” Orlos said. “Or I could sneak into their camp during the night and drive their horses off.”
“There’s too much risk to those plans,” Escalan said. “An ambush will finish the threat.”
Orlos looked at Calen. The man’s face was impassive. “They are murderers?” Orlos asked Sulentis.
“Have these men murdered anyone? I don’t know,” Sulentis said. “But that’s what they have orders to do. And the inquisitors are devoted to their work.”
“Escalan, Fendal, and I should not take them on alone,” Sulentis said. “It’s too great a risk. We’ll need Calen at least.”
“Sindi’s a better archer than I am,” Calen said, shooting a dark glance at Sulentis. “Don’t dismiss her.”
Escalan rode a few paces closer to Calen and pointed his finger at the Landomeri. “Watch how you speak to the Prince of Salador.”
Calen gave a short laugh. “He’s not my prince.”
“Stop,” Orlos said. “We’ll do it. I’ll do it, and if Calen and Sindi agree, they can join us.”
“We’re with you,” Calen said. Sindi nodded her approval.
They left the abandoned manor and rode towards a low ridge ahead of them. Orlos managed a glance over his shoulder but didn’t spy the inquisitors.
“Where do we do it?” he asked Sulentis.
“Escalan?” Sulentis asked. “What do you say?”
“How many of us will fight?”
“All but Telea and Fendal.”
“I will fight,” Fendal said, anger clear on his face. “I’m a knight of Salador.”
“You have no arms,” Sulentis said.
“Lend me a weapon. And I have my magic.”
“No,” Sulentis said.
“I shall be left with the foreign lady while you ride off to battle? What will men say of me when they hear of this?”
Sulentis’s face grew red. “And if you are killed, we lose one of the few known elementars.”
As the men argued, Orlos saw a hint of movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned and saw Sindi and Calen riding away, towards a patch of woods. Telea rode up with both strings of spare horses trailing her. When he motioned towards the departing Landomeri she waved him off, as if there was no problem.
“And if you are killed, my prince?” Fendal asked.
“Fight if you feel you must, Lord Fendal, but do not risk too much,” Sulentis said.
They rode over the ridge and into a copse of woods.
“Where are Calen and Sindi?” Sulentis asked as Telea approached.
“They went back,” she replied.
“Back? Where?”
“To deal with the inquisitors. They didn’t want me to say anything.”
“Dromost take them!” Sulentis swore.
“They are hunters and horse archers,” Orlos said. “They can ride circles around the inquisitors and fill them with arrows.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Sulentis asked.
“I just learned of it,” Orlos said, recoiling at Sulentis’s anger.
The Saladorans halted their horses. “We can ambush the inquisitors here,” Escalan said. “Wait for them just behind the ridge.”
“But we don’t know where the two Landomeri have gone,” Sulentis said.
“If they know their business, they’ll hit the inquisitors from behind when we stop them on the ridge.”
Sulentis shook his head. “You don’t know this.”
Escalan shrugged. “Then we just ride on and place our trust in the Landomeri.”
“Damn.” Sulentis regarded the ridge behind them. “We’ll do it. We are two elementars, a man-at-arms, and a Landomeri archer. We can take them.” He glanced at Telea. “Be prepared to heal the wounded.”
Telea nodded. “I’ll take the horses to safety,” she said. “You know, I could sing for you. I’ve sung in battle before.”
Sulentis put his hand to his forehead. “Of course. Do that.”
Orlos pulled his longbow from its sheath and dismounted. He tethered his horse to a tree and ran up the ridge. Keeping behind a tree, he looked down into the valley of the abandoned manor. The inquisitors were already there—five of them and six spare horses. He strung his bow as he watched them.
The inquisitors were out of arrow range but wouldn’t be for long. Calen and Sindi were nowhere in sight. “They’re coming,” Orlos said. “An arrowflight away.”
The inquisitors rode well, looking up the hill and drawing their weapons as their leader pointed up the hill and gave orders. Who had they seen? Or were they just being cautious?
“Any sign of the Landomeri?” Escalan asked as he fastened his helm’s chin strap. Sulentis had a sword and shield of his own but no helm or armor. Fendal and Telea sat on their horses just behind them.
The inquisitors drew closer. All wore mail over their aketons and carried shields bearing the sign of the lamp and the lightning bolt. Their helms had no visors and Orlos clearly saw their grim faces now.
He drew a sharp breath when he realized he knew them. He saw Keris, Elrin, and their leader Jarham—the same inquisitors who had nearly captured Sulentis, Escalan, and their elementar charges at the edge of Landomere.
“Loose your arrow,” Escalan said, spurring his horse for the top of the ridge. “Aim for their horses.”
Orlos drew a broadhead arrow from his quiver even as he kept his eyes on the first inquisitor—Jarham. They were close enough that the heavy arrow could reach. Orlos paused as the realization of what he was about to do struck him. This was a real fight. People would die. He’d had a chance to kill these men before but had let them live. This day was different.
Orlos drew the arrow to his ear, took just a moment to adjust his aim, and let fly. The arrow flew true, but high, shattering on Jarham’s shield. The inquisitors’ reaction was almost instantaneous. They spurred their horses into a charge.
“Aim lower,” Escalan said. “You’re on a hill.”
Orlos drew a deep breath, nocked another arrow, drew and let fly. The arrow struck the lead horse in the chest, and it was down. Jarham rolled clear.
The horses were coming on fast, much faster than Orlos expected. He loosed another arrow, but it flew
wide. He’d get only one more and they’d be on him.
Escalan’s horse shuffled nearby. He’d charge soon, Orlos thought. He hoped Sulentis and Fendal were ready. “There they are,” Fendal said, but Orlos didn’t know what he meant.
His fourth arrow struck another horse, and it faltered, running another twenty strides before falling.
Escalan charged over the ridge and two inquisitors turned to meet him. The last one came at Orlos. Orlos stared at the man for several heartbeats. Elrin. The inquisitor’s eyes narrowed as he leaned forward in his saddle and spurred his horse faster. Elrin held his sword in front of him—a steel lance aimed at Orlos’s chest.
With no desire to be skewered, Orlos drew his spiridus cloak over himself and dodged out of the way. Elrin’s eyes widened in surprise as he raised himself in his saddle. Still he came on, but Orlos was well clear before he arrived.
Orlos nocked another arrow as Elrin turned to aid his companion. His back was to Orlos now, but before Orlos could even draw, the man sprouted an arrow from his side and slid from the saddle.
Sindi was there, racing past on her Landomeri pony. Then it was over. All of the inquisitors were down. Orlos took a deep breath. It had all happened so fast. Somewhere, someone cried out in pain. He looked down the hill and saw Calen shoot an arrow into a wounded Jarham.
The suddenness and the violence left Orlos reeling and he took a knee. This was no game. It was nothing like the fun he had had with the inquisitors before. Even when he’d had a close call, it hadn’t felt real. But this was real. This was people going after one another with deadly intent. Elrin had meant to kill him.
“Where’s Orlos?” he heard Escalan ask. “I saw him over there.”
Orlos looked up and saw Escalan looking right at him. “He was there just a moment ago,” Sulentis said.
It took a heartbeat for Orlos to realize that he’d covered himself with his spiridus cloak.
He let the cloak fall and saw the look of shock on their faces. Sulentis laughed. “Well, that’s why I wanted you to come. Stealing something is much easier when you have an invisible thief.”
“What shall we do with them?” Escalan asked. Blood covered the end of his blade. Orlos hadn’t even seen him fight.