“There are several towns on the desert’s edge,” she told him. “We’ll need to supply at one of these before entering, and there’s a good chance we’ll be able to find out from someone there where the elves are currently residing.”
Jayden moaned inwardly. Just getting there would take them several weeks. And from what his mother had said on the few occasions she had spoken of the desert elves, they lived mostly near the mountains located to the far north. That meant traversing the entire breadth of the sands.
“It won’t take as long as you might think,” Sayia said. “And it will give me some time to train you.”
“What about when you get there?” asked Linis. “Desert elves may not feel hatred toward newbreeds, but they are not alone.”
Sayia shrugged. “A necessary risk. As I understand it, those seeking a new life in the dunes follow the customs of their desert kin. We can only hope I have heard correctly.”
Linis grimaced. “That is not especially encouraging. But I suppose you’re right. It is a risk you must take.”
“There is one other thing,” Penelope chipped in. “Father once told me about creatures that live beyond the mountains. He said that he had a special connection to them. Should the elves not be able to help, you might try to find them.”
Jayden raised an eyebrow. “Creatures? What kind of creatures”
“He didn’t say. Only that they were peaceful.”
He had heard stories of great reptilian beasts wandering about inside the bowels of the mountains. There was no pass between the peaks, only a labyrinth of tunnels going through. No one who dared to enter these tunnels ever came back – at least, that was the rumor.
“Is there a safe way through to the other side?” he asked.
“If there is, Father didn’t say. The elves might know of one, though.”
Jayden then noticed tears in Penelope’s eyes. “What is it?”
“You’ve only just arrived,” she said. “And here we are already making plans to be apart again. We’ve waited for so long to see you, and now…”
He touched her arm. “You’re right. I’ve been waiting a long time too. We can wait a day before leaving.”
His words brought a smile to Penelope’s face. “Yes. We can afford an extra day, don’t you think, Sayia?”
The elf began to protest, but Jayden cut her short. “We will afford a day for family.” His voice was firm and resolute. “There is nothing more to say about it.”
Sayia breathed a heavy sigh. “Very well. I can see there is no point in debating the matter.” Rising to her feet, she turned to Linis. “I would ask you to accompany me to the supply room. You will know better than I what we need to bring. You can help me map out a route. And perhaps offer some advice.”
“I would be pleased to.”
They left the room together.
Now alone with his sister, Jayden regarded her for a long moment before speaking. “I still don’t see why I was kept ignorant of my heritage,” he began. “If they had only sent me here, I could have learned how to control this…whatever it is.”
Penelope nodded. “I understand. But let me ask you this. Remember what it felt like when you were angry, and the flow swelled inside you?”
“Yes. It was like I could feel everything around me all at once. It was wonderful.”
“Well, that was but a tiny taste of what you can do,” she continued. “Everything Sayia said was true. I didn’t believe it until just now. Then I felt how much of the flow you were able to draw in…even without any training.”
“Whatever I’m capable of, you know me,” he objected. “You know I would never hurt anyone. I’m not dangerous.”
“The men you killed on the road to Baltria,” she said. “How did that feel?”
Jayden scowled. “That’s not fair. They were trying to kill us. I only did what I had to do.”
“I know. And I’m glad you did. But I have learned much in my time here. There are some of us who are meant to heal, while others are intended to build. Some, like Mother, have free spirits. And then there are those like Father who carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. They feel its suffering as their own.”
She reached out and took his hand. “Every mortal, great or small, has a destiny: a thing they are meant to do. Those who discover what this is and follow its call are counted among the lucky ones. They live lives of purpose and fulfillment. Maybell and I have learned to recognize this in people by using the flow of the spirit.”
“And you can see this in me?” Jayden asked.
Penelope nodded slowly. “I…we can. But you are unlike other people. We see many things in you: a builder, a father, and also a healer. Yet there is one destiny that dominates them all.”
For a second, her grip on his hand tightened. “You, brother, are a conqueror.”
Jayden was astonished. Pulling away, he huffed a sardonic laugh. “I think you’re seeing something that’s not there, Penelope. I can’t even conquer a field of hay. Sure, I’ve had a bit of a temper lately. But Mother is ill, Father is missing, and people are trying to kill me. Who wouldn’t be angry?”
“I agree with you,” she said. “It’s control that you need. Soon you’ll learn that the flow allows you to feel things with an intensity you have never before experienced. Without guidance, this can be dangerous even for an elf. For you, considering who our father is, it is much more. Pay attention to what Sayia teaches you. She may not possess our power, but she knows more than almost anyone alive about the flow and its potential.” She gave him a playful poke, lightening the mood. “You wouldn’t want to hurt someone by accident.”
Jayden knew she was right. He had felt things more keenly of late. And if he was honest with himself, his temper had always been on the edge of being out of control. It was only his father’s calming influence and his mother’s warnings that kept him from exploding at times.
“I will take care,” he said, smiling. “I promise.”
Penelope slapped both hands on her knees. “Good. Now enough of dark talk. We only have a short time together, and I want to know everything that has happened back home. Do you have a special girl in your life? Surely you must.”
He shook his head. “No. Mother chases them away. Though I think that’s more to avoid the village mothers than not liking the girls.”
This remark produced a round of cheerful laughter. For the next hour, Jayden recounted the latest happenings in Sharpstone. Even though none of these could ever be considered exciting, his sister hung on every word. Food was brought to them after a time, and they continued catching up until it was well into the afternoon.
Penelope then led him from the room for a tour of the temple, pointing out several paintings and statues of their father, none of which resembled him in the slightest. Maybell eventually joined them, having spread the word that the temple was to be evacuated.
“No one is very happy about it,” she told them.
“Neither am I,” said Penelope. “All the same, it is necessary. If we were to be attacked, there are no knights here to defend us.”
Jayden had heard of the famed knights of Amon Dahl. They were reputed to be the fiercest of all human warriors – their courage unwavering and their loyalty beyond question.
“Why are none here?” he asked.
“Until now, there’s been no reason to have them,” Maybell replied. “They’re needed in the west. Our enemies might not know where this place is, but it’s better to be safe.”
They stepped out into a spacious courtyard, where a small pond filled with multicolored fish bubbled and rippled from some deep underground spring. With each moment that passed, Jayden felt ever more pained that their reunion would be so brief. He could see that both his sisters felt the same way.
“Will you come to stay with us for a spell when this is over and done?” asked Maybell.
“I hope to,” he replied. “Though Mother and Father will surely have something to say about it.”
&nb
sp; “I think they may change their minds when this is settled,” said Penelope. “Things will be different. I doubt they’ll expect you to stay on the farm any longer.”
They were joined for dinner in Jayden’s quarters by Linis and Sayia. Linis seemed to be in good spirits. Sayia, on the other hand, continued to keep her eyes on Jayden, her expression one of deep concern. After they finished eating, there was only a short time for further talk before Sayia insisted that they all needed to rest.
Jayden was growing to dislike the woman. “I don’t need to be told when to go to bed, thank you,” he snapped.
Penelope quickly spoke up. “She’s right. I’m still tired from healing Linis, and I’m sure Maybell is too.”
Further helping to calm his irritation, Maybell gave him a heartfelt embrace. “We’ll be leaving the temple together,” she said. “So even after we’re on our way, we’ll still have a bit more time.”
Once everyone had left, Jayden took a while to ready his things before slipping into bed. Sleep was elusive. His mind was racing as he tried to get a grip on all the incredible events that had unfolded since leaving home. He had come here for answers. And though he had succeeded in finding them, they had only left him with even more questions.
None of this mattered, he eventually told himself. Saving his mother had to be his primary concern. Everything he had so far discovered suggested that this was not going to be easy. Powerful forces were moving against them. And for this, there was only one person to blame.
His father.
Darshan.
Chapter Eight
The loud clattering of steel jerked Jayden from his slumber. For a moment, he thought it was nothing more than the echoes of his own dreams startling him awake, but the muffled shouts from outside his room quickly told him otherwise.
Throwing back the blanket, he hurried over to where his clothes lay and began frantically dressing. The door flew open just as he was reaching for his sword. Two men in ragged chain mail tunics and bearing small hand axes rushed in. Pulling his blade free, he took a step back.
“Here’s one,” said the man on his right. “Looks about the right age.” He fixed his eyes on Jayden. “Put it down, boy. Come with us and you’ll be spared.”
“Leave now or you won’t be,” he spat back.
Snarling, the pair moved farther apart, weapons gripped menacingly. Jayden could feel his heart thudding. He was not afraid, even though he knew he should be. These two were seasoned fighters; he was a mere novice. Instinctively, he reached out for the flow and felt a surge of disappointment. Rather than the raging torrent he had been hoping for, only a small trickle of power seeped in. It was enough to heighten his senses and make him keenly aware that his enemy was ready to pounce, but a long way short of the power he had previously experienced.
The man to his right leapt forward, axe sweeping low. Jayden twisted aside to avoid having his knees crushed, only to find himself directly in the path of the second foe. He jumped further to one side, stumbling several paces and swinging his sword in a series of frenzied strikes. It was not enough to keep them at bay. The man to his left lunged, smashing the flat of his blade into Jayden’s chest. The impact slammed him into the far wall, leaving him gasping for breath.
“Give it up, boy,” the foe nearest ordered. “Stop now before we end up having to drag you out of here.”
This only enraged Jayden further. Pushing all pain aside, he shifted left and slashed at the man’s midsection. As this attacker was forced back, the other one moved in. But Jayden had counted on this. Pivoting to face this new threat, he raised his sword to just above shoulder level. The man lifted his axe to parry the anticipated downward swing, only realizing too late that the move was merely a diversion. Jayden kicked out with all his strength, the hardened heel of his boot smashing into his opponent’s knee. A sharp snap was immediately followed by an ear-splitting wail of pain. The intruder slumped against the wall, his injured leg bent into an unnatural position.
His comrade’s face twisted in fury as he renewed the attack. Jayden was only just able to avoid a succession of fevered blows unleashed upon him. He made an attempt to counter, but his more experienced opponent easily avoided his strikes.
With his foe once again pressing relentlessly forward, Jayden felt something bump against his hip while backing away. This was followed by the clinking of glass. He grinned inwardly, remembering what old Varis had told him when he was a young boy. Fight dirty if it means your life. At the time, his mother had not approved. She would now, he wagered. He stabbed out awkwardly twice, feigning desperation by allowing his eyes to dart toward the door. His opponent let out a malevolent chuckle, sensing that the fight was all but over.
In one rapid motion, Jayden reached over to the table and seized hold of the crystal decanter filled with plum brandy. Before his foe could react, he heaved it at the man’s chest. The delicate crystal shattered into a thousand tiny shards as it struck the chain mail tunic, sending both glass splinters and splashes of burning spirit flying up into the intruder’s eyes. He staggered blindly back, wiping at his face with one hand with his blade held up defensively with the other. Jayden merely shifted a little to the right before plunging his blade into the man’s ribs. The chain mail offered only a small amount of resistance before giving way, allowing the steel to sink deep. His defeated foe gave a gasp and a gurgle and then sank to his knees, his life rapidly draining away.
Yanking his sword free, Jayden quickly turned to the still groaning attacker with the shattered knee. Rage filled him as he loomed over the helpless man, his now bloodied blade raised threateningly.
“Who sent you?”
Fear penetrated the pain splayed across his face. “I was hired by Lady Leanna.”
Jayden’s eyes popped wide, a sense of betrayal immediately hitting him like a blow to the stomach.
“Leanna?” he repeated, almost as if hoping he had misheard the name. Though he knew that he hadn’t. A memory of the pendant with Saraf’s symbol he had spotted her wearing at the market flashed through his mind.
The man nodded. “She’s with the temple of Saraf. She sent us to capture someone named Jayden.”
There was no time to dwell on her treachery. “How many are you?” he demanded.
“Twenty. But the temple will send more.” He shifted, clutching at his injured leg. “That’s all I know. Please... spare me.”
The clamor of steel drifted in from the hallway. Jayden’s thoughts turned instantly to Maybell and Penelope. “Pray to whatever god you serve that my sisters are not hurt,” he told the man. “If they have been, I swear I’ll come back and gut you like a trout.”
The flow was coming through more easily now, lending strength to his muscles. He could barely contain his rage as he moved over to the door to peer outside. Several temple members ran by along the hall, some of them bearing weapons.
Maybell and Penelope’s quarters were to the left and down a short way. He exited the room at a quick walk. There was some comfort in knowing that his sisters would be able to defend themselves with the flow, but he only had the wounded soldier’s word for it about the number of men that were attacking.
He grabbed a young girl who was running by. “Have you seen Maybell or Penelope?”
The girl shook her head as she gulped for air, her panicked breath at first disallowing speech. Jayden waited until she had calmed enough to reply.
“There are a dozen men outside their chambers,” she finally managed to gasp. “But they haven’t tried to enter.”
“What about Linis, the elf who came here with me?”
“I haven’t seen him. He might be defending the inner sanctuary with the others. There’s a passage leading there from the temple. That’s where everyone is going.”
Jayden released the girl and steadied his nerves, picturing the approach to his sisters’ quarters in his mind. He would need to fight his way through a large number of armed men alone. The prospect should have terrified him. But it didn�
��t. The hand gripping his weapon was rock steady. With the flow increasing in intensity and filling his limbs with ever more power, any idea of failure was lost to him. He would hack his way through, and no one would stop him. Had the situation not been so dire, he would have found it almost enjoyable.
As he drew close to the corner leading to Maybell and Penelope’s rooms, he could hear the gruff voices of his enemy. The few words he could make out over the surrounding clamor suggested that they were unsure what to do next.
“They’ve already killed five of us,” came one voice. “You go in there if you want to. I’m not. They’re not paying me anywhere near enough to get myself roasted alive.”
“Take it easy, lad,” said a second, more commanding voice. “We don’t need to be charging in. He’ll be along soon to sort things out. We just need to keep them from getting away. That’s all.”
Jayden peeked around the wall. Eight men, their backs to him at the moment. If he moved in quickly…
At that instant a hand seized his shoulder, pulling him back with enormous strength. The power in the steely fingers caused pain to shoot down his arm.
After regaining his balance, he raised his sword. Before him stood a tall figure clad in a dark gray cloak, the hood pulled over its head obscuring any features. In its right hand was a short blade. Though the face was hidden, Jayden could feel eyes bearing down on him.
“I hoped you would come here,” a thin male voice said. “You have saved me quite a bit of trouble.”
Fury coursed through Jayden’s veins. Without thinking, he lunged with the tip of his blade. It should have found its mark, but the figure moved to one side with speed the likes of which Jayden had never before witnessed.
The newcomer gave a soft laugh. “That will do you no good. No good at all. So please be sensible. Do not make me fetch those brutish men. They will not take the same care that I will to ensure you are unharmed.”
The Godling Chronicles Page 14