Trail of Bones: A Young Adult Fantasy Novel

by Chris Salisbury

  Neither the Warden, nor his men, drew their weapons in response. Instead, he stood vulnerable and still.

  Kitra raised her blade to strike, but before she could, the Warden calmly spoke.

  “End me, if you wish, but you’ll soon join me in the afterlife.” He tucked the tip of a tiny needle back up into its hiding place within the leather bracer he wore on his wrist and forearm.

  The war maiden paused, still feeling pain pulsate through her hand and creep up her arm.

  “I told you the serpents were troublesome. Pumping through your blood is the venom of the rare, but very poisonous axe-headed sea serpent. I was trying to harvest his unique toxin, but he just wouldn’t give it up… as long as he lived anyway,” the Warden explained.

  “You fiend! I come to you in peace, offer you a fair sum, and this is how you bargain?” She groaned as the pain intensified.

  “Was that before or after you threatened to run me through?” he asked.

  Kitra dropped to her knees, but still held up her sword in defiance. The pain was becoming unbearable.

  “It’s a remarkable poison with some interesting side effects. Unfortunately, it’s terribly painful for the victim. Should they burn your body after you pass, the ashes will infect anyone nearby with an awful rash and an equally painful demise. So I wonder, Kitra, how will you get to the afterlife if no one performs your passing ceremony?” he asked sarcastically.

  Kitra groaned. Her muscles were starting to convulse as the poison coursed through her body. “What do you want?” she asked as she grimaced.

  “Simple. The answer to my question. What do you intend to do with the beast?” He knelt next to Kitra.

  The war maiden paused again, but only briefly. She nodded to one of her men. He produced a small journal and handed it to the Warden.

  The host unlatched the book and scanned through several pages. After comprehending what he had read, he gave the woman a surprised look. “Are you sure?” he asked.

  She nodded. “All the instructions are there. Follow them as described, and you’ll receive ten times the promised amount.”

  “That’ll do!” said the Warden with a smile as he snapped the book shut and tucked it into his tunic. When Kitra moaned again, he casually walked to the table and retrieved a mug full of liquid.

  “Antidote, but I caution you to drink it slowly,” he said as he offered her the mug.

  Kitra ripped the mug from his hand and chugged it down as fast as she could, some of the liquid escaping her mouth. She gulped it down, coughed, and wiped the residue from her mouth. The antidote took affect immediately. As she stood up she nearly stumbled, but caught herself.

  The Warden reached out to help steady her, but she moved out of his way.

  “Don’t touch me ever again!” she yelled as she reestablished her equilibrium. “You do and I’ll feed you to the panthers myself. I swear it.”

  The Warden backed away. “Understood. Will there be anything else, my lady?”

  The pain had subsided and the fog in her head was clearing. Kitra took a deep breath as she regained her composure.

  “This is Dor’van and Sindas. They will remain with you to make sure my instructions are followed to the letter. Should anything befall them or my panther, you will become the hunted, Warden.”

  Two of Kitra’s men stepped forward and presented themselves. Both were large, strong men who appeared to be the sort that could hold their own in a fight.

  “As you wish. A reasonable request considering the coin you’re offering. I will see it to they want for nothing. But this is no easy life. We travel great distances, often through troubled lands. I will treat and protect them like my own men, but I cannot guarantee their safety,” the Warden explained.

  “Nor I yours, should you fail. I will return to claim my prize when the winter season comes again. Make sure the panther is adequately prepared.”

  The Warden said nothing, but simply nodded and bowed.

  “Nor will I forget or forgive this encounter,” she said as she turned to leave the tent.

  Before exiting, however, the Warden offered one last offense.

  “A pleasure doing business with you, my lady. Or should I say General Kitra? Cordale is indeed fortunate to have such a fierce and shrewd warrior leading their armies of the east,” he added with a smile.

  Shocked as she was, Kitra did not wish to continue the verbal sparring. Instead, she scowled as she left the tent with her guards in tow.

  How on all of Illyia does he know who I am? My promotion is not even official yet. Only a handful have such knowledge, she thought as she shot the Warden a cold stare while looking over her shoulder. He is dangerous. Clever, without conscience and informed. The worst kind of enemy… a smart one.

  I wasn’t prepared this time, Warden. A painful lesson I don’t plan on repeating. Next we meet… I’ll be ready. She mounted her horse and began the long trek back to Cordale.

  Back in the holding tent, a figure emerged from the shadows and approached the panther cage. Kelor was starting to wake, but neither he nor his family noticed the god standing in their midst.

  “Welcome to the chaos, my friend. You and I have much to do,” said Sedar as he looked down on Kelor with a grin.

  CHAPTER 6

  Adolphus was doing his best to keep pace, but the hike up the mountain had been more difficult than he anticipated. This was the highest he had ever been and certainly the closest to the wolf den he dared travel with or without the safety of others.

  He slipped on a sharp stone incline and was about to make a quick trip down the mountain head over heels until a strong arm caught him, and in one motion, put him back on his feet.

  “Careful, Son, there is no rush. Be sure of each step,” advised Thayne Draghone as he trudged up the narrow trail, the carcass of a large shale elk over his broad shoulder. “The snow makes the rock slick, better to keep to the trail.”

  The barbarian boy shifted the weight of his pack to a more comfortable position and then resumed his place following his father up the path. Adolphus had been assigned to carry assorted goods and equipment for the small group - cooking utensils, spices, and tools for the fire. Along with their weapons, the barbarian men carried the heavier and bulkier offerings of animal meats. The boy, however, did not want to simply observe, he wanted to offer something to the wolves himself.

  “As you wish, but first you must catch it. And whatever you catch, you must carry up the mountain,” Chief Draghone had told him back at the village.

  Adolphus had spent the early hours of the morning searching and hunting for his offering. He was just about to give up when he snared two Thatcher Rabbits with his trap and net. They paled in comparison to the much larger offerings of his father, but these were his to present. Yes, the rabbits were small, but he had caught them himself and had earned the right to give them to the wolf cubs, and that was all the really mattered.

  “Now remember, don’t look directly at them. Keep your head bowed… in respect,” instructed Thayne. “And don’t speak unless they speak to you first.”

  “Yes, Father.”

  “If you must speak, and I hope you don’t, be clear, be strong. But not too strong.”

  “Yes, Father.”

  “If they show their teeth, back away. If their hair stands on end or if they growl … better to just back away.”

  The boy wasn’t exactly thrilled with this part of the conversation. “Yes, Father, I remember,” said Adolphus in a disinterested voice.

  “Put the offering down, back away slowly and don’t look up unless I tell you to. Then stand behind me. Always stand behind me,” the chief continued. “The Shade Wolves are funny that way, always worried about appearances. Step too close and you’re encroaching on their territory. Stand too far back, and they think you’re hiding something and not a true ally. Understand?” he asked.

  “Yes, Father. For the third time, I remember everything you said. Okay?”

  The barbarian chief still
did not seem or convinced. He stopped, turned around and spoke directly at Adolphus. “The wolves have been our allies for many years. I will not have that bond broken because the son of the chief gets excited and forgets to keep his head. The village has enough enemies, no need to add to them, especially in our own forest. I cannot speak more plainly, Adolphus.”

  The boy’s head dropped, the excitement and anticipation of meeting the creatures was quickly fading. “I won’t let you down, Father. I promise. I want the wolves to be my friends too,” he said as he held up one of the rabbits.

  That’s more like it, thought Chief Thayne Draghone. The boy has good intentions, but one can’t be too careful when dealing with the Shade Wolves. The real truth is it’s not the beasts I fear. If anything were to happen to the boy, his mother would serve me up as stew! That woman has a temper more fierce than the God of War himself, I swear it!

  “Good,” said Thayne with a firm nod. He turned and the trek continued. “A smart leader knows when to draw his weapon, when not to, and when to keep his mouth shut. Remember that and you’ll fare well, my son.”

  “Yes, Father.”

  The group of barbarians continued their climb up the face of the mountain. The trail, if it could be considered as such, nearly disappeared into the thick forest. Only patches of solid rock broke up the heavily wooded terrain. No one said a word except for the Chief. He continued to offer advice to his son, even recounted a few of his own hunting stories when he was a boy.

  Adolphus liked hearing the stories much more than the ‘do this’ and ‘don’t do that’ banter that had dominated most of the trip. He knew his father was right; the wolves must be treated with respect. He absolutely knew that, but they were also incredible creatures and he couldn’t wait to see them. No other boy in the village was entrusted with such a unique opportunity. Today will be a day I never forget, he thought.

  Snow fell and cascaded onto the forest trees and vegetation. Other than his father’s muscular backside, the scene ahead was breathtaking. The mix of colors, white from the snow, gray and black from the rock, green from the trees and silver from the sunlight breaking through the overcast sky, all came together like a master’s painting.

  The sounds were just as powerful. A slight breeze ran through the trees causing boughs and leaves to groan, creak and wrestle. The boy watched the hot breath of the barbarian’s blast into the cold air. They sound like bears, or Minotaur, marching into battle, he thought with a fanciful imagination. Adolphus stomped his own feet in an attempt to add to the concoction of noises, but his steps didn’t make the loud, dull thud like his father’s.

  Then the boy heard a new sound. At first it sounded like a whisper, a quiet warning that slowly gathered in intensity. He couldn’t quite make it out or where it came from. What was that? he asked himself. Is something there, or is my mind playing tricks again?

  Adolphus stopped and listened. To his surprise, his father and the other barbarians were doing the same. There it was again, but now the sound was much louder… and much closer. It was unmistakable.

  The howl of a wolf echoed throughout the forest. The sound seemed to carry from one end of the great wood to the other. It moved, as if it were a falcon or hawk, floating swiftly on the currents of the wind. Then the sound was gone.

  Standing at the head of the trail and only ten paces from Thayne was a Shade Wolf. The beast was a full grown male, with a light, charcoal-colored coat and deep, brown eyes.

  “Halt!” the wolf ordered in a husky tone. “Go no farther, barbarians.”

  It was the second time Adolphus had seen a Shade Wolf and the second time he heard one speak. Yet this experience was as captivating as the first. He marveled at how clearly the wolf spoke his language. He froze partly out of fear but also out of awe.

  All the barbarians, with the exception of Chief Draghone and Adolphus lowered their heads and slowly backed away. The chief stood tall but did not move. He kept his gaze directed at the wolf scout.

  The boy carefully looked around and then noticed the stance of the other barbarians. None of them looked at the wolf, but remained steadfast with their heads lowered. The list of instructions repeated over and over by his father rushed back to the boy’s mind, and he bowed his head as he moved behind his father.

  “Greetings, hunter. We come in peace,” Thayne said. “We come bearing gifts for your pack.” He raised his hands to reveal no weapons.

  The wolf scout held his ground. He appeared neither agitated nor comfortable. “We need no gifts. Return to your village.”

  Thayne took one step closer to communicate that he was not going to back down easily. The chief, however, was not about to start a confrontation as he could see the back of the wolf stiffen. “We will, but first may I offer Ataris a gift, in honor and celebration of the arrival of his little ones?” he asked.

  The scout retreated a step and then stiffened again. “A kind act, but unnecessary. I will inform him of your gesture. You may go.”

  The barbarian chief took one more step closer. “You protect your pack well, mighty hunter, but I only ask to return the honor Ataris showed me the day my son was born,” said Thayne as he motioned for his son to stand beside him. “This is Adolphus, my first born. In our tongue the meaning of his name is wolf. A name given to him by your leader. Let me pass. I swear to you we mean no harm.”

  The wolf paused, unsure if he should approve the request or fend off the intruders.

  Thayne tore a chuck of meat from the elk carcass he was carrying and tossed it before the wolf scout.

  The scout sniffed the air first, then lowered his snout and gave the flesh a thorough examination with his nose and powerful sense of smell. The wolf looked at Thayne for just a moment, and then bent to snatch the offering. He gulped it down and then answered. “There is no treachery in your scent. Follow me, Two Legs… if you can keep up.”

  The wolf darted up the narrow trail and nearly out of view.

  “Let’s go!” said Thayne as he picked up the elk carcass and hurried up the trail.

  Adolphus ran behind his father as fast as he could. His heart was pounding, his breathing was fast and deep, and he was feeling more alive than he ever had before.

  They were accustomed to running great lengths through the forest, but the wolf scout was quick, and the incline of the mountain was steep. The additional weight of the groups’ provisions and animal carcasses only increased the challenge of the rapid ascent.

  Still, Adolphus was keeping pace. He peered ahead and could barely see the scout, and then he heard a yelp to his right and another to his left. Two more wolves had joined the procession and were running alongside the barbarians. Run with purpose! the boy thought as a wide smile stretched across his face. Run… or you’ll be left behind!

  Soon two more wolves joined the group. Then three more. Before long, they were running with almost a dozen Shade Wolves. The scout in front of the pack slid to a stop at the end of the trail - a small mound blockaded with a wall of vegetation. The scout ducked and disappeared from view.

  Chief Draghone was the first to arrive, and like the scout, he too ducked below the bushes and disappeared. The other barbarians followed until the trailing Adolphus was left alone.

  The boy came to the end of the trail and looked around. There appeared to be no opening or hint as to where the rest of the group had gone. He was about to call out when his father’s large hand reached up and pulled him into a tunnel tucked just beneath one of the largest shrubs.

  “Come on, Boy,” Thayne said with a smile.

  They ran, hunched over through the rocky tunnel. The height was ideal for the large wolves, but was cramped for the seven-foot barbarians. They all had to duck, except for Adolphus, who only lowered his head a few times to dodge some hanging rocks.

  Finally, the group emerged from the tunnel into a large clearing, surrounded by towering trees, bushes, and the rocky base of Thornmount. A series of stones reached skyward, past the tops of the tallest trees, while at
their base a network of caves and tunnels provided the Shade Wolves their sanctuary. Near the center of the clearing, a cave mouth gaped with stalagmites and stalactites hanging and protruding like the jaws of a giant dragon.

  Sitting atop the mouth of the cave like a regal statue sat Ataris, the alpha wolf of the Shade Wolf pack. He was the largest of all the wolves, nearly 400 pounds, and his coat was as dark as the starless night. He leapt from his perch and landed without making a sound.

  Thayne and the rest of the barbarians were panting as they tried to catch their breath from the impromptu chase. Though there was still a chill in the air, sweat streamed down their faces. Thayne turned and spotted Ataris. He smiled as he watched the wolf approach from the center of the clearing, but his smile vanished as he noticed the wolf’s ears flatten and his top lip curl to reveal a row of ivory fangs.

  “Barbarian!” shouted the wolf.

  Uh oh! thought Thayne as a chill ran down his spine. “Son, when I tell you, run for the tunnel and don’t look back,” he whispered.

  “But Father?” Adolphus protested.

  “Just do it!” Thayne snapped.

  Ataris growled as he crept closer. “I said ‘Barbarian!’”

  Thayne stepped to the front of his group, his hand moving slowly to the handle of his massive broadsword. He scanned the area to see the number of wolves growing significantly. The chief counted at least twenty, and those were just the ones he could see. He knew there was more hiding in the shadows.

  “What took you so long?” shouted Ataris. There was a long pause, followed by the wolf’s baritone laughter. The rest of the pack joined in, yelping and laughing as they ran about the clearing, nipping and chasing each other in a playful frolic.

  The barbarian chief exhaled a deep breath. He shook his head as he walked to the wolf leader. “You knew we were coming all along?” he asked with a grin.

  “Yes, of course! This is Corsar. He’s young, and far too eager, but one of my finest scouts. He’s been tracking you for at least three days,” Ataris said as the wolf scout gave a quick bow and trotted off. “Why you take the southern slope, I do not know. Did you lose your way again, Chief Barbarian?”