Pyforial Games

by B. T. Narro

  “Around it. I was the one watching for patterns that would indicate a hidden terrislak last time we crossed, and there were enough of us to fight against one of the creatures if I made a mistake.”

  “Are we certain he doesn’t know the terrislaks are gone?” Neeko asked.

  Steffen turned around on his mount to show him a bewildered look.

  “Neeko killed them all,” Shara said.

  Steffen’s expression didn’t change.

  Shara spoke again. “They’re all dead.”

  Steffen just looked more confused.

  “He slayed them all.” Shara sounded a bit perplexed herself. “They’re gone, deceased, defunct, destroyed. How else can I say it?”

  “I understand what you’re saying,” Steffen said. “But I don’t get the joke.”

  “It’s not a joke,” Neeko assured him.

  “Cedri, is he telling the truth?” Steffen asked.

  She perked up a bit at his request. “Yes.”

  “Well, bastial hell! Tell me how!”

  With night upon them, they made camp as Neeko described the attack on the villages.

  By the time he was done, they’d eaten a light meal while sitting by the fire. It felt good to share the tale after having heard about everything Steffen had done. The young chemist, having recently had his eighteenth birthday, was two years older than Neeko, but his stories made him seem much older.

  “We’re going to be happy to have you in Ovira when this is over,” Steffen said. He knelt down beside the cage filled with the four plants he’d brought and carefully ripped a blue leaf from one. He cupped his hands around it and squeezed them together, his face showing strain. Then he lifted his hands over the fire and tilted them. A liquid dripped out. He wiped his hands clean, getting all the residue he could into the fire before wiping the rest on his pants.

  “What did you just do?” Neeko asked.

  “Was that the first potion you’ve seen me make?” Steffen seemed slightly excited at the possibility.

  “Yes.”

  “I pushed hot bastial energy through my hands to melt and mix with the kispree leaf. The liquid it created is the actual potion, something we call ‘blue flame’ in Ovira.” Steffen held up his hand to gesture at the fire. Then he snapped and streaks of blue fire danced around the middle of the flame.

  “How?” Shara uttered.

  Steffen formed a sly grin. “I’ve used blue flame enough times to know when it’s going to start working. I like to make a show of it.”

  Neeko asked, “What does it actually do besides add a tint of blue?”

  “The fire will burn an extra hour or two for each leaf used. It’s nothing extraordinary, but it helps.”

  Everyone began settling around the fire, wrapping themselves in their blankets. Neeko met eyes with Shara, and she came to lie beside him. They shared a kiss.

  Neeko glanced over to find Cedri scowling. “I don’t want to listen to you two kissing all night,” she groused.

  Neeko frowned.

  Cedri leaned down and put a hand over her brow. “I’m sorry.” Her lips pressed together while her eyes shut tightly, making her appear to be in excruciating pain.

  Shara ran over and put her arm around the petite psychic just as she began to cry.

  “I’m sorry,” Cedri repeated, her voice wavering from sobs. “I’m sorry.” She leaned onto Shara’s lap.

  Neeko figured it was a fit of sharp grief, but it still confused him how it could’ve struck her so suddenly.

  “It’s fine,” Shara said, rubbing Cedri’s back yet looking up at Neeko and Steffen with a confused shrug.

  Neeko shrugged back, bewildered how witnessing a kiss could do this to her. But Steffen seemed to know what to do, dropping his blanket and walking over to sit on Cedri’s other side.

  “I know what you’re feeling.” His voice was as soft as the crackle of the blue and yellow fire. “Sometimes the pain comes out of nowhere.”

  A chill came over Neeko as he realized it had nothing to do with the kiss. The loss of his mother, his father, and his friend came on suddenly.

  “It won’t be long before we reach the army,” Neeko assured her. “We’ll kill Darri for what he did. He won’t hurt anyone else.”

  With Steffen holding her hand and Shara rubbing her back, Cedri managed to calm herself quickly. She took a couple slow breaths. “I’m sorry,” she said again. “But I also meant what I said about your kissing. It sounds like two fat-mouthed children trying to suck on thin icicles.”

  Steffen laughed. “It does sound like that.” He made an exaggerated imitation, sucking in air so it rippled the inside of his cheeks.

  Cedri laughed even harder than he did.

  Neeko scowled. “I’m glad to see the two of you getting along better,” he said bitterly.

  *****

  He let his gaze rest on Shara as the four of them rode the next day, the beauty of her dark eyes always a comfort to his heavy heart. He didn’t quite mind the curve of her hips, either.

  She wore leather riding pants with a matching jerkin laced tightly around her torso, her black cascade of curls bouncing down her back. Whenever the dangers of their mission had come to mind, he’d given her another chance to leave their party and stay safe. He’d given her so many chances that eventually she’d grabbed his shoulders and shaken him.

  “I’m coming with you all the way to the capital!” The anger of her voice was fresh in his memory. “So stop telling me not to!”

  It was somewhat of a relief. As strongly as he wanted her out of this, the thought of separating was far more painful.

  Shara explained they should ride through Talmor Desert for two reasons: It increased their chances of catching up to Terren and of encountering the Northern army. Having served on the king’s council, Shara knew the army’s route well.

  Neeko didn’t know what their chances were of ever finding Terren, but seeing King Quince’s marching army of eight thousand was almost a guarantee. They traveled at the speed of their slowest soldier, and because the army had one horse for every hundred men, that was the speed of a walk.

  After a light midday meal, Neeko’s party came to the peak of a hill and stopped to survey the land before them. They spotted the Northern army. It seemed to happen too soon, making Neeko feel unprepared for what was next.

  Hills covered with grass ran south, creating a wide valley for the next twenty miles. It was Commander Jaymes’ chosen path to Talmor Desert, which was where the grass ended and the hills flattened.

  “Gods, some good luck,” Shara said. “We can use the hills to get close without being seen.” She led them southeast toward the next hill.

  Cedri hurried to have her mount catch up. “I’ll be the one who kills Darri.”

  “How can you know whether or not word of your escape has reached them yet?” Neeko questioned. “It’s too risky.”

  Cedri pointed at Steffen. “If I’m a wanted criminal, then he’s in the same position for taking me out of the castle.”

  “Not necessarily,” Steffen said. “I only took you out of your room. I could claim I didn’t know any better. In fact, no one specifically demanded that I stop.” He gave her an accusatory look. So apparently he’d changed his mind and he didn’t fully trust her. Or she’d used psyche previously and the spell had worn off.

  “That’s because the only people who saw us were servants,” Cedri argued. “Guards would’ve come after us and the rest of your party from Ovira. I’m sure Quince sent some after he found out.”

  “That’s another thing,” Steffen said. “They’re less likely to kill me, being that they wouldn’t want to do anything to upset my king.”

  Shara pulled on her reins to halt her mount. “Be quiet, both of you,” she snapped. The rest of them barely stopped their horses from running into hers. “We all already know who’s going into the midst of the army to kill Darri, and it’s me.”

  “No,” Neeko said. He didn’t care how much she pleaded. “Ce
rtainly not.”

  She looked offended. “I’m the only one who has no chance of being shot on sight by archers.”

  Steffen grumbled. “I’d argue the chances of that happening to me are nearly none. Let me go with her.” He looked imploringly at Neeko.

  The wrong plan was developing too fast. Neeko put up his hands. “Cedri and Steffen will go,” he told Shara. “They’ll speak to Jaymes about Darri, and they’ll give Laney a message from me.” He turned his focus to the both of them. “Will you tell her—”

  “That’s not what’s going to happen,” Shara interrupted.

  “I agree with Shara,” Steffen said. “It should be the two of us. We have the smallest chance of being in danger.”

  Cedri jumped off her mount, completely enraged for reasons Neeko couldn’t determine. “But will you actually kill him?” she shouted. “I don’t trust the task to anyone but myself!”

  “Then I’ll stay hidden on the hills, watching with my seescope,” Neeko began, “while all three of you—”

  “Certainly not!” Shara interrupted. “The only thing we’ve all agreed upon so far is that we should stay in pairs if we need to separate, and that’s not about to change.”

  “Then we’re going to vote,” Neeko said, frustrated and impatient. “I can’t be seen by anyone in the army, so I’m obviously staying.”

  Shara raised her hand. “Shara and Steffen.”

  Cedri raised her hand. “Cedri and Steffen.”

  The two women looked back and forth between Neeko and Steffen. Neeko still wasn’t sure which option was worse. Shara wasn’t at risk of being shot or captured like Cedri, but how was she supposed to kill Darri among eight thousand soldiers?

  “I vote for myself to go,” Steffen said, “and I’ll be the one to kill Darri. You decide who goes with me, Neeko. You know these women better than I do.”

  Their glares bore into him.

  “Well?” Cedri prodded.

  “Horse piss,” Neeko muttered. “Shara, you’re going with Steffen.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  SHARA

  After much discussion, the four of them finally agreed upon a plan. As desperately as Neeko wanted Shara to speak with Laney to see how she was fairing, Shara came to realize it couldn’t be done in addition to killing Darri.

  “You have to choose one or the other,” she insisted.

  “Kill Darri,” Cedri and Steffen answered at the same time.

  Neeko nodded.

  The need for vengeance didn’t drive Shara as it did the others in her party. It wasn’t that she doubted Darri was the one who’d stabbed Charlotte; she just had trouble picturing him carrying out the heinous act. And without being able to imagine him doing it, she couldn’t evoke the same anger.

  He’d seemed gentle and considerate during their talks in the great hall. She sighed at herself. Trusting people too much was one of her foibles.

  She rode beside Steffen. What does he want most from all of this? He certainly wanted to kill Darri, find Terren, and bring Neeko back to Ovira. But how much did he want each of those things? What would he do to get them? Did he even care about Sumar’s war like Charlotte had?

  Neeko rode up to her other side, his face stuck in a look of concern for the past few hours. She already knew what he was going to say, so she said it first.

  “I will be careful.”

  He finally smiled, his dimples drawing her gaze. “I wasn’t going to say that.”

  “Oh really?” she mocked.

  “All right, I was. But I was also going to tell you to meet us in Aylinhall if something prevents you and Steffen from returning to the hills.”

  “Do know how to get there?” Shara asked.

  “More than just how to get there, Shara. I read every book you brought me in the castle.” He spoke proudly. “I know Aylinhall’s history.”

  “If you know Aylinhall so well, where in the town should we meet?”

  His mouth became a straight line. “I have no idea.”

  “I don’t know, either,” Shara admitted. “Because, like you, I’ve never been there.”

  Cedri called from behind them, “Grodger’s Inn.”

  Shara turned and looked at her, waiting for her to expound. When Cedri just stared back, Shara had to hold in a scoff. She’d never understood why some people were curt. Talking couldn’t possibly be as troublesome as Cedri made it seem.

  “So you’ve been to Aylinhall before,” Shara said.

  “Yes.”

  “Are you going to at least tell us where Grodger’s Inn is located?”

  “It’s in the exact center of town. It’s the largest inn of Aylinhall, so it should be easy to find.”

  Shara felt contrition for her earlier thoughts as she noticed how weary Cedri looked. Hasn’t she been sleeping?

  “Did you hear that, Steffen?” Neeko called out.

  “No. Did someone say something?”

  Shara understood Steffen’s distraction. If she would soon be driving a dagger into Darri’s chest, she would have trouble focusing on anything else as well.

  “We’re meeting in Aylinhall if we can’t return to Neeko and Cedri in the hills,” she told him. “At the center of town—Grodger’s Inn, the largest one there.”

  “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  *****

  By the time night came, they were in position to carry out their plan. Shara flattened her hand to examine it. She was shaking. Neeko’s hands came around it.

  “You don’t have to do this,” he whispered so the others couldn’t hear. “Cedri wishes to go.”

  “No, it should be me.”

  They embraced.

  “Let’s go, Shara,” Steffen said before she felt ready to part from Neeko.

  She didn’t know what to tell Cedri as she came out of Neeko’s arms. A simple goodbye wouldn’t suffice. Perhaps a rhyme?

  Seeing Cedri’s expression of dread gave Shara the answer she needed, and it wasn’t a rhyme.

  “We will get it done,” she assured her. “I promise he will be taken care of.”

  Cedri nodded in approval.

  Shara and Steffen left their horses and started down the hill. Unless mages of the Northern army cast light upon them, they wouldn’t be seen until they were close.

  They’d already learned which tent belonged to Darri. They’d watched with seescopes as the army made camp. Shara closed her eyes and saw the tent in her mind. It was light gray and deep among thousands of others. A campfire burned between two brown tents north of it.

  Darri’s tent was larger than the other tents around it, and from what they’d seen while spying, there were two others staying with him. Shara figured one was the psychic responsible for determining whether Darri was telling the truth about his innocence. The other man, she had no idea.

  Both men certainly would wake when Steffen plunged his dagger into Darri’s heart, which she brought to his attention, but he convinced her that a smoke potion could cover their escape. She’d never heard of such a thing, but it was easy to believe the chemist from Ovira after everything else he’d taught her.

  It was long into the heart of the night when they finally reached the outer tents. The few soldiers who were still awake were sitting by dying fires, lost in their own thoughts.

  No one paid attention as Shara and Steffen came closer to the center, and she didn’t see any reason why anyone would assume they weren’t part of the army. Still, she was dreadfully nervous. Surely her hands were shaking vigorously if she were to check.

  Steffen surprised her by never hesitating, never choosing the wrong direction as they twisted around tents. As long as I’m not seen by someone who would recognize me, we should be fine. She longed to speak with Laney. The one-armed mage must’ve been scared without her or Neeko by her side. But as much as Shara cared for Laney, that reunion wasn’t a necessity like killing Darri. A spy in an army marching to battle was like rotting wood in a carriage. At any point, it could ruin the entire tr
ip.

  “We should be close,” Steffen whispered.

  Shara was just thinking the same thing. “You’re certain you can do this?” she asked.

  “I’m eager. He attacked Charlotte while she slept, and I’m going to do the same to him.”

  Shara noticed a man walking away from them. She stopped Steffen. They waited until he was out of sight and far from Darri’s tent.

  In just another moment, they came to it. Shara took her spot near the dying fire. Thirty tents surrounded her with inhabitants close enough to hear a sneeze. When Darri screamed, they would be on Steffen like dogs chasing after a stick.

  Steffen entered the tent.

  Shara was prepared to shoot anyone who grabbed them. She would send her fireball at their legs, only maiming, but the thought already filled her with guilt.

  Her chest tightened. Her breathing strained.

  Any moment now, she thought as she waited for the scream.

  Surprise came when she noticed Steffen emerging from the tent. He hurried to her and grabbed her hand, then pulled her away.

  “He wasn’t there,” Steffen whispered. “Just two others who didn’t wake.”

  Shara lowered her head in thought. “Where could he be?”

  “Anywhere.”

  “Did you see an empty bed?”

  “Yes, I know it was his tent.”

  “Then, could it have been Darri who we saw walking away from this tent?”

  With shocking speed, Steffen grabbed her hand. “Yes, come on, before he gets too far.”

  He sounded so certain, she felt the need to remind him, “It might not be him, you know.”

  “No, it was him. I can feel it.”

  They hurried in the direction he’d gone, Shara feeling like her hand was in the grasp of a wild animal.

  Soon they caught sight of him again. There was no way to keep him in sight without risking being spotted, but Steffen boldly stayed behind, so close that Shara couldn’t even whisper her worries loudly enough without their quarry hearing. She tugged on Steffen’s hand instead.