“My father hates it too,” he said.
“Tell me about him…your father.”
“Not much to tell,” he said with a shrug. “He inherited the farm from my grandfather. He spends most of his time out of town, trading.”
“And will you take over the farm one day?”
“He wants me to. But I don’t think I will.”
“That’s a pity.”
Jayden gave her a sideways look. “Why do you say that?”
“Land should be passed down. I’ve always felt that heritage and history are important.”
It occurred to him that she had lost everything her family possessed. “I won’t sell it,” he told her. “But I don’t want to be a farmer, either.”
“So you’ll have someone else care for it in your stead? Is that the plan?”
“Probably. There’s time for me to decide. I have two sisters. They might want to run things.”
Even as he spoke, he knew this was a ludicrous statement. The farm would always be as much theirs as it was his, but they would never want to live there again. They hated farming possibly even more than he did. Even when they were very young they’d never seemed particularly attached to their home. This had dismayed their father to no end. Their mother said it was their elf blood calling for them to wander. Of course, when Jayden mentioned to her that he too would like to wander, the subject was quickly changed.
Leanna nodded. “Where are your sisters now?”
“Back home,” he lied.
She gave him a strange look, but did not press the matter.
Jayden quickly turned the subject to Leanna’s life in Baltria, though this was interrupted as they reached a textile merchant. As she busily examined the bolts of cloth on display, he noticed a pendant slip out from inside her bodice. At first he couldn’t tell what it was. Then it twirled on its chain and he spotted the symbol of Saraf etched upon one side. Seeing what he was looking at, she smiled and tucked it back inside her clothing.
“My mother gave it to me for good luck,” she said.
“Are you a….” He was unsure how to put it.
“A believer?” She said it for him. “My mother was. But then many who live near the Abyss are. Does it bother you?”
Jayden smiled. “No. Not at all. Gerath is the patron god of my village. We have many devout followers there.”
“What about you?”
He shrugged. “I was never one for religion.”
“Not even the elf faith?”
“No. But don’t tell my mother that. As far as she knows, I pray to the Creator every morning.”
Leanna laughed. “Your secret is safe with me. I am surprised, though. The people who come here from the small villages tend to be strong in their faith. Elves in particular.”
“Well, nobody’s perfect.”
“So true.”
They continued shopping until the early afternoon. Leanna still had a few purchases left to make, but suggested that they stop to eat before moving on. They found a small café with a covered veranda and ordered a light meal of baked fish and greens. It was spicier than what Jayden was accustomed to, causing heavy beads of sweat to re-emerge.
“I’m sorry,” Leanna said, grinning playfully. “I should have warned you. Chaldari Bluefish can be rather off-putting for some people.”
He dabbed his face with a napkin. “It’s good. Just a bit hot.” He took a drink of water. “In a way, it reminds me of my mother’s cooking. Of course, that’s why my father hired a cook.”
Leanna covered her mouth to suppress a laugh. “What a terrible thing to say.”
Jayden laughed as well. “Don’t get me wrong. I quite like most of her cooking. It’s Father who has the problem. It’s way too spicy for him. He even tried taking over for a while.” He exaggerated a shudder. “Let’s just say that didn’t work out for anyone.”
“And I don’t suppose you took any interest in learning yourself?”
“I did, actually. I’m pretty good as well. Not good enough to work in a manor. But I can make a decent meal.”
“If you hate farming so much, why not become a cook?”
Jayden shrugged. “No time. Besides, to get really good I’d have to go away to school. My parents wouldn’t have allowed that.”
“I see. Determined to keep you at home, are they?”
Jayden rolled his eyes. “You’d imagine I was made from glass. Either that, or once I’d left home I would never come back again.” He sighed. “I just want to see the world for a while, you know? I’ve been working the farm since I was old enough to walk. I don’t think a little bit of freedom is too much to ask. Do you?”
She gave him an understanding smile. “I’m sure they just love you and worry over your safety.”
“They do,” he agreed. “And I think I understand their reasons. But I’m of age now. It’s time they stopped trying to make my decisions for me.”
“My mother used to be very much the same,” she said, reaching over the table to touch his hand. “She wouldn’t even allow me to go to the market alone. I’ve come to realize that she simply wanted to keep me safe. And even though you and I both know that’s impossible, I imagine that parents simply can’t help themselves.” She looked into his eyes, a tiny smile on her lips. “But we grow up. And look around you. It seems to me that you are seeing the world.”
He nodded. “Yes, I suppose I am.”
He longed to tell her his true reasons for coming to Baltria: that this was not some grand adventure, or even something as mundane as accompanying Linis on a visit to see an old friend. He was not seeing the world; he was searching it. And the consequences of failure were as severe as one could imagine. They had been attacked once already, and that was unlikely to be their last such encounter.
Knowing this, he held his tongue.
They finished their meal and started back to the market so Leanna could finish her shopping. Along the way, they encountered a few small groups of elves, all of whom took particular notice of Jayden while passing. Not sensing his presence, they would immediately know him to be a newbreed. Though most regarded him impassively, Jayden could see clear disapproval on the faces of some. Leanna noticed it as well.
“I used to think them a mysterious and beautiful people,” she remarked. “Sadly, I now realize that they’re no better than we are.”
He was about to tell her that such behavior didn’t bother him when, from the corner of his eye, he caught a flash of movement. Before he could do anything to stop it, a thin figure ran past them, snatching Leanna’s coin purse from her grip on the way and then darting off into the crowd.
Clutching a hand to her chest, she winced with pain. “That was everything I had,” she gasped to Jayden. “Everything.”
He scanned the market. After a moment he saw the thief pushing his way toward a nearby alley. “Wait right here,” he told her.
Without hanging around for a reply, he set off at full tilt after his man.
He reached the entrance to the alley just as the thief was jumping over a row of crates at the far end. His quarry was fast, but Jayden was faster. Still, the sword on his belt was making running awkward, taking away some of his advantage.
Upon reaching the end of the alley, he could see that the thief was now zig-zagging his way along the busy avenue heading east. Keep your eyes on him, thought Jayden. Once over the crates, he did his best not to smash into passers-by while continuing the pursuit. He might be faster, but the thief was nimble and obviously knew the city well.
He followed his quarry around the next corner and down another alley that ended in a much quieter residential street. Jayden called for the man to stop. As expected, his words went unheeded.
Gradually he was closing the gap. Three more streets and two more alleys sent them racing down an empty avenue near the eastern wall. Jayden grinned triumphantly. His quarry was about to box himself in. This was confirmed when the thief entered yet another long alley that came to an abrupt end at the r
ear of a tall brick building. The man yanked on the door leading inside, but it was locked. He spun to face Jayden, breathing hard and his eyes wide.
Jayden slid to a halt, a hand resting on his sword. He too was breathing quite heavily, though he was in much better shape than the other man. The thief was older than he’d first thought – well into his forties, if the lines around his eyes were any guide.
“Just give me back the purse and you can go,” he said. He didn’t want to get mixed up with the city guard, not when he and Linis were doing their best to remain unnoticed.
Snarling viciously, the man reached to his belt and drew a small dagger.
Jayden could barely conceal his surprise. “Are you a fool?” he demanded. The ringing of steel echoed through the alley as he freed his sword from it sheath. “Don’t make me kill you.”
“I don’t think you’ll be killing me, boy,” he spat back, deftly twirling the blade in his palm.
The alley was plenty wide enough to swing his weapon. Not that it mattered. Jayden remembered the lessons his mother and Linis had taught him about fighting with a dagger. Short, quick, and close. That was how it would come.
He knew he should just back down and leave. But something was growing inside him. It was that same feeling he’d had when they were being attacked on the road. It was rage; a hot fury that penetrated his very spirit. And it felt good.
“Come on then,” he snarled. “Let’s settle this.”
The thief chuckled. “Young and stupid. Just as we hoped.”
The confident look in the man’s eyes took him aback. Even a skilled knife fighter should be wary of a man wielding a sword. Then the man’s words struck him.
Just as we hoped.
The pain in the back of his neck felt as if someone had pierced him with a red-hot needle. He spun around to see a figure in yellow robes with hood pulled up standing a few feet away. Raising a hand to where he had been struck, he felt a metal object protruding. Before he could even start to pull it free, the strength in his limbs vanished, and he crumpled helplessly to the ground.
“We should just kill him and be done with it,” the thief said.
Jayden could feel consciousness leaving him.
“No, we were told to bring him to the temple,” the robed figure replied in a feminine voice. “We must be sure.”
“And the girl?”
“Leave her to me.”
Leanna! A knot of fear for her safety formed in the pit of his stomach. He tried desperately to move but found that he was now completely paralyzed. Gradually his eyes closed and the dull thud of his heartbeat began pulsing in his ears. An instant later he had the sensation of being raised up, although oddly, he was not able to feel even the slightest touch of anyone’s hands. The only thing he was still aware of was the loud scraping of his boots on the cobble stones as he was dragged along. That, and the grunts of the man hauling him.
Never before had he felt so utterly helpless – or stupid. They had laid a trap, and he’d fallen straight into it. This was the thought that continued to mock him until he could no longer hold on to consciousness.
* * * * *
Linis paced anxiously around the courtyard, sitting for brief periods and then popping up again, unable to remain still for more than a few seconds at a time. The sun was almost gone, and still there was no sign of Jayden. Though he had sent one of the servants out to look for him some time ago, he was keenly aware that in a city the size of Baltria, the odds on her finding him were slim.
Once again, he chastised himself for allowing the boy to go out alone. Not that there was anything to be done about it now. And the truth was, Jayden was quite capable of taking care of himself. Even if their enemies were aware of his presence, so long as he remained in public areas, nothing dangerous was likely to happen. Security in the markets was quite good. Any type of commotion, particularly one involving violence, would quickly attract the attention of the patrols.
The gate opened and the servant he was waiting for entered. Upon seeing Linis, she spread her hands and shook her head.
“I didn’t see him, and the market is closing now,” she said. “Many of the shops are open until quite late, though. He could have been in one of those.”
He wanted to scold her for not checking this out. But that was ludicrous. It would take all night to check even a small portion of the shops in Baltria.
He forced a smile. “Thank you for trying.”
She bowed her head. “My pleasure. It was nice to get out of the manor for a while. As for the young man, I wouldn’t worry yourself too much. Baltria is a safe city…as cities go. He’ll be along soon enough.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” Linis replied, as convincingly as he could manage.
He continued waiting where he was for a time longer, his fears growing with each passing minute. Eventually, it was too much to bear. He was on the very point of setting off to conduct his own search of the city when he heard footsteps coming from the house. He looked across to see Leanna walking toward him. There was a concerned look on her face that sent his nerves on edge.
“Have you seen Jayden?” she asked.
Linis was astonished at her question. “Isn’t he with you?” he demanded, his tone harsher than he intended.
Rapidly, she explained what had happened at the market. “When he didn’t return, I thought he might have come back here. Perhaps he couldn’t find me again, and this would have been a sensible place to meet up.”
“Did you inform the city guard?” His heart was now pounding.
A frightened look came over her. “No. I mean…I tried to find him. And I wanted to check here first. I…I’m sorry.”
Linis took a long breath. He needed to keep his wits. “Wait here,” he instructed.
Racing inside the manor, he quickly retrieved his sword and dagger from his room and returned to the courtyard. Leanna was waiting, wringing her hands.
“Show me where you last saw him,” Linis instructed her.
She gave a sharp nod and then led him from the courtyard toward the market district.
By now, the street lamps were lit and the passers-by mostly those returning home from a hard day’s work. Linis took note of the fact that the city guard’s patrols were quite numerous – at least one every two or three corners. It seemed that Baltria was determined to keep its citizens safe from the same sort of violence that was plaguing the west.
The market was completely closed when they reached the spot where the thief had taken her purse. Leanna pointed to a nearby alley.
“Jayden chased the man down there,” she explained.
Linis hurried across the square and down the alley. On reaching the end and scanning the area beyond, it soon became clear that the city was far too big for him to have any hope of figuring out their path. A thief would have been twisting and turning in all directions. There was no telling where they might have ended up. He stopped and inquired with a few of the city guards, but none had heard anything that might be of help.
When he returned, Leanna was in tears. “Do you think he’s all right?” she sobbed.
Ignoring the question, he asked her: “Where is the temple of Saraf?”
“The temple? Why would you go there?”
“Just tell me where it is,” he demanded.
Pulling herself together, Leanna directed him to the temple district. “It’s the one nearest to the sea. You can’t miss it. But I still don’t understand. Why would Jayden go there?”
“I don’t think he went of his own accord,” he told her. “I think he was taken.”
Her expression was incredulous. “You mean by someone from the temple? Why would they do that?”
In truth, Linis wasn’t at all certain that this was how things had happened. Just because it was Saraf’s followers who had attacked them on the road, it didn’t necessarily mean the order as a whole was after them. But right now, it was the only explanation he could think of.
“You should return to the
manor,” he told Leanna.
“No. It’s my fault he’s missing. I want to help.”
“You can help by waiting at the manor,” Linis insisted. “You should be there in case he returns.”
Grudgingly, she agreed to do as instructed.
Linis waited until she was around the next corner before starting out toward the temple district. With each step he took, the sinking feeling in his stomach was growing. Jayden might be young and impulsive, but he was not irresponsible. He would not have been lured away by drink and song. And he certainly would not have abandoned Leanna. No. Something bad had happened to him; Linis was sure of it.
The temple district had been rebuilt in a different part of the city shortly after the war ended. The old temples had been badly damaged and vandalized, so it was decided that a completely fresh start would be more advantageous than trying to restore the old buildings.
The new district was quite different. The streets were clean, and lamps lit the broad avenues and paved walkways. The marble façades were highly polished, and so too were the ubiquitous statues, the precious metals from which they were created gleaming in the lamplight. It was a far cry from the days of the Dark Knight. Worship of the gods had seen a major resurgence, and with new worshipers came new wealth. According to Gewey, it was the same in most other cities. From east to west, north to south, temples were being restored and countless new ones being built.
The men and women strolling along the promenade were all dressed in their best finery, many of them stopping occasionally in front of a temple to gaze at the artistry and beauty of its construction. A few monks and priests were about as well, huddled together in small groups and trying to look mysterious by talking in hushed tones. Linis knew differently. His keen hearing told him that there was nothing mystical or secret about their discussions. Mostly they spoke of common events while sneaking a flask from hand to hand.
He could see the temple of Saraf just a short distance ahead, exactly where Leanna had said it would be. But a few buildings before reaching it, he suddenly stopped short. Before his astonished eyes was something he never thought to see within the walls of a human city. The building was crafted from the finest red marble, with gold veins weaving intricate patterns throughout. Proud columns spanned the front, each one of them helping to support a huge frieze that bore the ancient elf symbols depicting the gates of heaven.
The Godling Chronicles Page 9