The Crooked Knight (The Path of Zaan Book 2)

by C. K. Rieke

  “He said it gives immortality and great power to the bearer,” he said, watching Tilda peer at the stone. Immortality. Is that how all of those thousand year kings and queens lived? Was it the secret of the god’s power? Or was it all just a ruse? It didn’t seem so with how much Xelex wanted it. There was something to the Adÿthyst, but it only seems to gather those who seek great power to it.

  “I don’t see anything special about it,” she said handing it back to him, and he placed it back into his pocket. “It’s pretty though. It’s hard to imagine so much power in such a small thing.”

  “I know, me too. I’m concerned about him. I asked him to meet us. Both of us, together.”

  “And?”

  “He was acting differently than normal. He wanted the stone badly. He seemed obsessed with it.” Zaan could see on Tilda’s face she was trying to connect the dots as well. “He said Elindrill was safe and is looking for survivors.”

  Tilda smiled. “That’s good. Truth be told, I’ve been quite worried about them.” She lowered her head and looked into the candle light. “I feel regret that I didn’t stay and fight with them. It is hard to think about it, leaving them to fight for themselves. Gogenanth . . .” she said, still grieving at his possible demise.

  Zaan looked over at her. “I know how you feel.” He put his hand on her back. She leaned into him, putting her shoulder onto his chest, and her hair wafted underneath his nose. Tilda sobbed, and she reached over and put her hand on his other shoulder and she continued to cry. Zaan’s body became tense from being so close to the woman he had been so infatuated with before, but was rejected by. I care for Lily, but I care for Tilda too. Lily may not even be alive anymore. Is it wrong to feel this way?

  She reached down from his shoulder, and put her hand on his chest. She lifted her head and looked up into Zaan’s eyes. Her eyes were soft, and loving, yet he saw her sadness in them. She moved her head slowly closer to his, and her lips gently touched his. Zaan was caught off guard by the kiss.

  I’ve wanted this for so long, a moment with her. I’m so torn.

  She pulled her lips back, and gave a shy smile. “I care for you, Zaan. I’m sorry I’ve been so difficult. But seeing you in such pain, I . . . I want to take care of you. I want you again.”

  Her lips touched his again, and his whole body relaxed. He felt her hands running along his legs, and he tasted the sweetness of her lips. This feels so good. His hands crept along her arms, her skin was soft and warm. But, if feels so wrong, like I’m betraying Lily, but she’s probably not even alive.

  A look of confusion came over Tilda’s face as Zaan pulled his lips away from hers. The image of Lily’s face had entered his mind, and with all the focus he could muster, he couldn’t get her image out of his head. “I’m sorry,” he said.

  “What’s wrong?” Tilda asked with curious eyes.

  He didn’t answer.

  “It’s Lily, isn’t it?” Tilda asked softly.

  “Yeah,” he sighed. They both sat there not knowing what to say. The uncertainty of the moment turned to awkwardness. Then Tilda finally broke the silence. “Well, I should get to sleep.” She looked at Zaan, implying he had to move so she could lay down.

  “Yeah, me too,” he said as he laid back in the bed. And as he lay there, with the sharp pain in his shoulder gnawing at him, he thought. What if Lily wasn’t even alive? What if not giving into his passion was a mistake? What if what he really wanted was just the loving touch of a beautiful woman? What if this is my last chance to be with Tilda? She saved my life, and I really do care for her, and now we’ve both lost ones we cared for. He laid there, with his hands on his chest, wide awake, staring at the ceiling lit in the candle light, he looked over at Tilda undoing her blond braids, with sparse grey hair throughout.

  He reached up and gently touched her shoulder, and then her neck. He sat up and kissed her gently on both. He could feel the goosebumps run up her arm. “I care for you too, Tilda.”

  “You sure?” she asked with a warm smile, turning to look at him.

  “I’m sure.” And his lips found hers again.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

  SHE was up and about at dawn, walking through the tall grass fields around Holdenbrook. She ran her hands along the tops of the blades of grass, and it slightly tickled. She examined the tops of root vegetables grown in the ground, and uprooted them to lay in her bag for supper. Looking up into the clear, spring sky, she looked back at the tall mountains behind her, and thought to herself that beyond those mountains was Barrier Cliff, and she thought about Zaan.

  Lily was not only worried for his safety, but she fretted over where he was in the world. Astor had told her that he escaped with Tilda, and since Lily had great confidence in her, she was happy at the thought the Zaan escaped successfully. Hefting up the bag full of fresh food, she began to walk back to the front gate of Holdenbrook. Upon entering, Astor stood, watching into the distance, and peering into the sky often. He sharpened his sword with a whetstone at the entrance.

  “What did you find?” he asked.

  “Plenty of good veggies. This really is a marvelous place. They grow things here I have never seen,” she said.

  “That’s true. This village has stood for many years, and produced great swaths of food for the region,” Astor said, looking at Lily’s sweet face, that always seemed innocent and uplifting. “Hey, how are you holding up?” he asked, putting his sword down.

  “I’m fine, why do you ask?” she said, putting the bag of food down.

  “No reason in particular. We have all been through a lot recently, but none of us as much as you. I know you have lived through more than your share in your young age, but know that we can be your family now. We are here for you, you know,” he said, his eyes were compassionate, and caring.

  Lily stood there for a moment, looking into his eyes, and then hers began to water. She closed them, and tears streaked down her face. She rushed over to Astor and embraced him, and he put his arms around her. “It’s okay,” he said, as she sobbed into his shoulder. “It’s going to be okay.”

  “I’m so worried. I’m scared for the others,” she managed to say with her tears streaming down. “I’m scared to be alone again.” Her face pressed down into Astor’s chest.

  They stood there, holding each other a few moments longer. “It’ll be alright Lily, you won’t ever be alone again,” Astor said. “We are going to find our friends.” She took her arms from around him, and stepped back.

  “You think so?” she asked, wiping the wetness from her cheeks.

  “Yes,” Astor said with a smile. “We are going to find our friends, and we are going to all be back together soon.”

  Lily caught a glimmer in Astor’s eye as he looked over her shoulder, he caught sight of something, and squinted into the distance. She turned to see what had caught his attention, and saw a figure mounted on a horse, galloping towards them. Astor whistled loudly with his fingers in his mouth, it startled Lily.

  The sound of heavy footsteps approached as Zelestiana ran over, along with the Major and a squadron of his soldiers followed. “What is it?” the Major asked, “What do you see Astor?”

  “A figure approaches from the distance, there, from the east.” Astor pointed his hand and finger in the direction of the figure and its horse, a small speck on the horizon of grass plains, stretching out as far as the eyes could see.

  “I see it. You got it Zelestiana?” Astor asked, and she nodded. Gar and Stave came over from the inner part of the town, and quickly a crowd formed to see what the commotion was about.

  “Everyone, get back to your shelters please,” Gar yelled out, many children remained, trying to see into the distance with curious faces, but the adults pulled them back into the wooden houses back in the city.

  The rider came closer at a steady pace. The Major made a few forceful motions with his hands, and the regiment spread out at the entrance. Many of them held up spears, forming
a blockade.

  “Major, tell you men to stand down,” Zelestiana said calmly, and she walked forward, in front of the soldiers. The Major nodded, and the soldiers stood back up at attention.

  As the figure drew closer, Astor began to catch familiar features of the woman on horseback: her silver hair, dark skin, the wrinkles along her face and the kindness in her eyes.

  He and Zelestiana stood out front of the soldiers as the horse rider rode up, and smiled down at her friends. Astor went over and helped his aunt down from her horse.

  “Aunt Elindrill, what are you doing here?” he asked excitedly.

  “Astor, my kin, I have been searching for you,” she said with a smile, holding his face with her cold hands, and put her arms around him and embraced him. Elindrill looked at the faces of her friends. “You all look well.”

  “Where have you been?” Zelestiana asked, “How did you escape the city, and where is the Headmaster?” she asked.

  “I have ridden from the city of Vallenhalen. I will tell you of many happenings, but first, if you don’t mind, I could use a fire and a warm tea.”

  ***

  “Why didn’t Mäezer Palanzal come back with you?” Gar interrupted Elindrill’s story after they had all settled into the town square around a fire made for her to regain her strength.

  Elindrill gave him an unimpressed expression. “If you would have been paying attention, and shown a glint of patience, you would see I was getting to that point.” Gar sat back and slumped down into his seat.

  “As I was saying, Dillengrad seems to be a safe enough place for Zaan, who is accompanied by Tilda. Their identities and whereabouts still remain anonymous.” She moved her gaze back over to Gar again. “Palanzal stayed behind to ensure their safety, as I rode here to help regather our force.” She looked back up to the Major, Astor and Zelestiana. “But I see you handled that quite well on your own.”

  “So what is next? What’s our plan?” Lily asked Elindrill, in a soft and eager voice.

  Elindrill looked over at Lily, and her golden locks, framing her pale face still wearing the streaks of tears wiped dry. She then looked up into the eyes of all of the people standing around, waiting for an answer. Lowering her head, and looking into the light of the fire. “There are no circles of blue flames that can protect us from these demons unearthed.”

  There was a heavy silence, the cracking of the fire filled the air, beckoning for someone to break the silence with some plan to defend their friends, and protect their new home.

  “What if the dragons have gone?” Lily asked, her voice lifted the spirits of the many around, even if only briefly.

  Elindrill looked over at her. “My dear girl, if only that was the case.” She paused, and took a deep sigh. “Alas, the dragons have not left. They remain at Barrier Cliff, and I fear their only intention is doom. I cannot be certain but I believe they are almost certainly going to remain there until they find Zaan.”

  “Then we must go to him!” the Major yelled out. “Surely if he was to rejoin our party, we could defend him.”

  “No,” Elindrill said. “That was not the wish of the Headmaster. He believed he is safer in hiding. And I would not wish the wrath of those beasts upon these people. The high walls and fortitude of Barrier Cliff were not enough to deter the Crooked Knight and his beasts. Here we would stand little chance fending them off.”

  “How do we know they will not be coming here for us?” Stave asked, taking a step closer to the circle, he held his hands out to his sides. “I believe you are right, we wouldn’t stand a chance in hell here, or anywhere against those dragons. We need a plan.”

  “I agree with you, Stave,” Elindrill said and nodded, then looked over at Zelestiana, and then to Astor.

  Zelestiana dipped her head as if in deep thought. Astor looked up into the sky, and peered at the walls of the buildings in Holdenbrook. He laughed suddenly, and then quieted himself.

  “What is it?” Elindrill asked, “what was funny?”

  “Nothing, sorry,” Astor said, regaining his composure, he cleared his throat. “It is just that, if you were a bunch of dragons, would you ever, ever, suspect someone would set a trap for you?”

  “A trap?” the Major asked as he squinted his beady eyes at Astor. “What are you going on about? How would you go about setting a trap against those things?”

  Astor put his hand to his chin. “I don’t know. That is why I laughed. I don’t think anyone would be stupid enough to try.” He laughed again and scratched his head.

  Zelestiana lifted her head then and looked at Elindrill, who met her eyes. Elindrill curled a thin eyebrow, and then she gave a wry smile. They both looked over slowly in the direction of Lily, who sat at Gar’s side. She gave a confused looked as both the women looked at her.

  “What?” Lily asked. The rest of the party looked at Lily, including Gar and Stave.

  “Perhaps it is time you learned more about your Azulūz,” Elindrill said, her voice rang out like thunder.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

  IN the fields surrounding Holdenbrook, Lily’s bare shoulders basked in sunlight and her ruby colored shirt flapped in the wind. Her eyes were closed and her golden curls danced in front of her eyelids.

  “Concentrate, you must focus on what you seek,” Elindrill said in a soft, dreamlike voice. “You have to feel everything, and you must feel the great nothingness.”

  Lily’s head made a slight jerk upwards. Her brow began to glisten in the sun’s rays. “Do you feel it?” Elindrill asked as a dull, blue hue formed above Lily’s head. A strong wind gusted in. Zelestiana stood strong as her clothes and hair rustled.

  “Now, Lily, begin the chant,” Elindrill whispered. “Hevelin.”

  Lily’s lips moved, and she whispered, “Hevelin.” The wind whooshed in again. Elindrill had to put her hand on her head to keep her hair from whipping at her face.

  “Havelin,” Lily whispered again, the blue hue grew and flecks of gold floated in the air around her.

  “You must reach out, feel it, and touch it. Do you feel it?” Elindrill whispered into Lily’s ear. “Do you feel its presence?”

  “No,” Lily said and opened her eyes, and her shoulders slumped. “I don’t understand how this is supposed to work.”

  Elindrill looked out into the horizon, all along the grass plains, deep in thought. “Is there anything in particular that has had a strong impact on you recently? Let’s say something that has lifted your spirits, or makes you feel . . . stronger lately?”

  “Stronger?”

  “Or maybe, more comfortable?” Elindrill added.

  “Well, actually, I’ve had this strange urge to head into the woods since I got to Barrier Cliff.”

  “What about the woods draws you into them?”

  “There is this one place in particular, it’s embarrassing to talk about, and I don’t really understand why I go there,” Lily said, and saw Elindrill’s inquisitive face. “It’s a place in the forest littered with spiders, and cobwebs. I go there, and run my fingers along the tiny strands and watch the spiders spin their delicate, yet strong webs.”

  Elindrill turned her head over towards Stave who stood watching, “Go back into town and gather up a collection of spider webs. Try to keep them intact the best you can. Even one good one would do.”

  He gave a confused expression, but took off. Minutes later, he returned with a wagon wheel, with a thin, yet complex, spider web within its spokes that lit white in the sun’s light.

  “Close your eyes again, we will try again,” Elindrill said. “Repeat the chant, and do as we said before, but this time, run your fingers along the web, and feel it.”

  Lily closed her eyes, and repeated, “Hevelin.” The blue aura speckled with gold hues began to float again above her. “Hevelin.” And the blue began to float all around her.

  “That’s it, focus, feel it in the distance. Can you feel it’s dance as it flies?” Elindrill said.
<
br />   Lily lifted her head, and gave a faint smile. “Yes,” she whispered, and another strong gust of wind shot through. Zelestiana, who stood to the side, knelt to a knee to stay herself from the wind. Lily stood unmoved.

  “Hevelin,” Lily said softly, but firmly. “Hevelin,” she repeated. A shadow fell upon Lily’s head from high above. Elindrill and Zelestiana looked up into the sky, shielding their faces from the strong current of wind.

  A single bird was circling high above their heads. As they watched, and as Lily chanted, the bird floated angelically in the sky. It began to glide down to them. It flapped its wings one last time, and gently it landed on Lily’s right shoulder. Lily did not stir, but opened her eyes, and looked at the bird. She reached over and petted its head.

  “I’ve never seen anything like it,” Elindrill said, and she stood up as the winds had suddenly ceased their seemingly relentless torrents.

  A smile crept along Lily’s face. “It’s just like I pictured.”

  Zelestiana walked over and examined the bird. “It’s an . . . owl,” she said, and following down its side, she glided her hand along it. It was indeed an owl, but it was crimson, blood-red with a patch of black feathers along its wings and it had a white underside.

  The owl peered at the three of them, and cocked its head sideways. “You are beautiful, aren’t you?” Lily said. “I remember my father telling me about something like this in one of his stories.” She reached over and stroked its head softly, and it began to howl. “It was called a Bloodlark. I remember it was from the tale of the Tangier and the Silver Lake.”

  “Yes, I know the tale,” Elindrill said. “How does it go again? The Tangier was born from a volcano of fire and ash, and the fire constantly burned the Tangier. The Bloodlark told it the only thing that would extinguish the fire, and free the Tangier was the Lake of Silver.”