The Wolf At War

by Terry Cloutier

  “It’s an idea,” I said without much enthusiasm, having already considered it. “But sneaking around doesn’t sit well with me.” I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed. “Besides, Son Oriell may be a fool, but he’s not entirely stupid. He will know I had something to do with the man’s disappearance. I don’t want to skulk around like a thief in the night, Shana. The dead of Corwick deserve better than that. They need to witness Grindin’s death properly.”

  Shana moved behind me, putting her hands on my shoulders as she kneaded the stiff flesh there. “Let me think on it, my lord. There’s still plenty of time to come up with a solution before you are healthy again.”

  I looked back and smiled at her, patting her hand affectionately. Shana had taken the news about the codex better than any of us had. Once again, I was struck by how strong and resilient she was. If my wife had been born a man, I knew she could have ruled the world. “Thank you, my love,” I said. “I couldn’t have done any of this without you.”

  “Of course you couldn’t have,” Shana agreed with a chuckle. She bent and kissed my neck, then stood. “Shall we head back, then? By the sounds of things, it’s already past midday.”

  I nodded my agreement, my mind already turning back to Grindin and the dilemma of his death as Shana worked to propel my chair through the grass. But, try as I might, I couldn’t think of a solution that would satisfy both my vow as well as keep me safe from Son Oriell’s vengeance.

  Luckily for me, Shana already had.

  I received two visitors the following week. The first was Saldor, dressed in Gander clothing. I barely recognized him as we met in my customary place by the kitchens.

  “You are well, I take it, Chieftain?” Saldor asked once we had greeted each other warmly.

  I nodded, indicating a stool for him to sit. “The healing process is slow,” I said. “But I’m told I will recover completely.”

  “This is good,” Saldor said. He saw me studying his clothing and he smiled sheepishly. “Piths are not exactly welcome here, Chieftain,” he said. “It seemed prudent to try to blend in.”

  “A sound plan,” I said with a laugh. I shifted on my chair. “So, how are things with the Amenti?”

  “All is well,” Saldor said. “I have taken the liberty of picking the rest of your Blood Guard. We are moving further south for the summer hunt soon, and I was not certain when you would be returning.”

  I frowned. “I told you when we parted last that I would not be returning to rule the Amenti.”

  “Yes, you did say that,” Saldor acknowledged. He looked around him with distaste. “I had hoped that after living within these walls again that you might have changed your mind. Men such as we are meant to live free, not penned up like animals.”

  I laughed. “Walls have their advantages, my friend.”

  “Perhaps,” Saldor said, looking unconvinced. He leaned forward. “The Amenti cannot go indefinitely without a chieftain, brother, so if you will not return, then you must choose another to take your place. Three candidates have an interest in leading the tribe.”

  “Only three?” I asked with a grin. I waved a hand. “There could be fifty for all it matters. We both know who I will pick.” Saldor just stared at me steadily, his face expressionless. I realized that this was some kind of Pith formality that needed to be addressed, so I smoothed my features, trying to look disinterested. “So tell me then, Saldor. Who are these three men that I must choose from?”

  “Stig the Crow, Shar the Moody, and myself.”

  I nodded, pretending that I was thinking. “All sound choices,” I said. I glanced at my companion. “But Stig is old and his bones ache all the time as I recall.”

  “That is true,” Saldor agreed.

  “And Shar is a mean bastard who drinks too much,” I added.

  “We all drink too much, Chieftain,” Saldor replied. “That should not be held against him.”

  “Perhaps,” I said. “But Shar was rude to me once. I think he called me fat and slow with a sword.”

  “Shar can be impudent at times, brother,” Saldor conceded, the ghost of a smile on his lips now. “It was wrong for him to say that, for clearly you are not fat.”

  I glared at him in mock annoyance. “And the other thing?”

  Saldor smiled. “Your swordcraft does have holes, but there is hope for you.”

  “Thank you for your honesty, brother,” I said sarcastically. I scowled as I stroked my beard. “An old man like Stig, so close to walking the Path to the Master, cannot be asked to lead the Amenti,” I finally said. “Nor do I think someone like Shar would be the best choice to serve the tribe.” I sighed and then shrugged. “So, it would seem you are the best qualified of the three to take my place, Saldor.”

  “If that is your wish, Chieftain, then I have little choice but to accept.”

  “It is,” I said, fighting to keep the smile from my lips. “Just promise me you will try to teach those bastards some decency when you get back.”

  Saldor allowed himself a low chuckle. “Consider it done, brother.”

  ‘Good,” I said, relieved that was over. “Was leadership of the tribe the only reason you came to see me?” I asked, suspecting that it was not.

  “No, brother,” Saldor said with a quick shake of his head. “The Pathfinders have a clearer message now, and Einhard asked me to deliver it to you personally.” I felt my heart skip a beat as I motioned the Pith to continue. “The words written in your Gander book appear valid, and the Piths will not be making war on Ganderland. There is much for us to consider and reflect upon in the coming days.”

  I hadn’t realized I’d been holding my breath, and I let it out in relief. “That is good news, brother,” I said. Whatever repercussions the codex would have on the House, at least we didn’t have the Piths to worry about anymore. “So, what happens now?” I asked.

  Saldor shrugged. “That is not for me to say.” He stood then. “I must return to my people and tell them of your decision, brother. It was good to see you.”

  “It was good to see you too,” I said, meaning it. “The Amenti are in good hands.”

  The Pith turned to go, then he paused and looked back, a grin on his face. “Einhard had another son. He says to tell you that he’s already two ahead of you and you need to hurry if you want to catch up.”

  I laughed, waving a hand to Saldor as he strode away. Everything was a competition with Einhard, even babies.

  My second visitor came the very next day, arriving at the castle in a wagon guarded by four House Agents. A Blazing Sun emblem was painted on each door. I waited with Shana in the sunlight, knowing who would be inside. One of the House Agents dismounted and he moved to the door and opened it. A sandaled foot appeared from the shadows with a bright yellow robe flowing above it.

  I shared a look with Shana. “This should be fun,” I whispered sarcastically, not relishing the coming conversation with Daughter Gernet.

  “You have no idea,” Shana said with a knowing smile.

  I stared at her for a moment, perplexed, then turned back to the wagon as the Daughter finally stepped out into the sunlight. I gasped in surprise. It wasn’t Daughter Gernet as I had initially thought—it was Jin.

  “What is this?” I asked Shana as Jin strode toward us. Gone now was the child I remembered, replaced by a self-assured, elegant young woman elevated to the status of Daughter. I could only stare at her in shock, mesmerized by the glow of inner peace coming from her.

  Jin stopped in front of us and she smiled, her teeth dazzling white. “Are you surprised, Hadrack?” I nodded as Jin bent to kiss me on both cheeks. She straightened, regarding me critically. “You don’t look as bad as I had feared.”

  “That’s because I’m being well taken care of,” I said, shifting my gaze to Shana.

  “I can see that,” Jin said as she embraced Shana. I heard her whisper something in my wife’s ear, but I couldn’t make out the words. The two women broke the embrace, holding hands as they shared a lo
ok.

  “Would someone care to tell me what this is all about?” I demanded, getting angry now.

  Shana smiled down at me. “I have errands to attend to, my lord. I trust you and Daughter Jin will have much to talk about while I am gone.”

  Shana turned then and headed into the kitchens, with me staring after her in confusion.

  “May I sit with you, Lord Hadrack?” Jin asked. I nodded and gestured to the stool. Jin sat, smoothing her robes, while the horses attached to the wagon stamped their feet and the House Agents sat their mounts in stoic silence.

  “So, you’re a Daughter now,” I said for want of anything else to say. The girl had matured greatly since I had seen her last, looking relaxed and confident in her yellow robes with her hair piled high in the traditional Daughter fashion. I realized the last time we’d seen each other had been just a few months ago in King Tyden’s camp during my trial. It felt to me as though a year or more had passed since that day.

  “Yes,” Jin said in a calm voice. For just a moment, her eyes flashed with pride and I saw the excitable girl that I had known before shimmering in their depths. “I’m the youngest apprentice ever to don the yellow robes.”

  “And well deserved, I have no doubt,” I said. “Your grandmother must be very proud.”

  “She is,” Jin replied, composing herself again. She met my gaze. “The First Daughter has died, Hadrack, and my grandmother has been elected to take her place.”

  “I see,” I said, nodding, not that surprised. The First Daughter had been ill well before Tyden’s coronation. It was a wonder she had lasted this long. “Your grandmother will make an excellent First Daughter,” I said. We sat there for a time, not saying anything as the sun slid behind several clouds, then reappeared, the rays gleaming off the White Tower. “Is this about Malo?” I finally asked, wondering why the subject had not been broached yet.

  Jin blinked at me in surprise. “Malo? Do you know where he is?”

  Now it was my turn to be surprised. “Don’t you?” I asked.

  Jin shook her head. “He hasn’t been seen in weeks. Grandmother is beside herself with worry. There are six other House Agents who were with him that have gone missing, too.”

  I sat back in my chair, realizing that Jin didn’t know anything about the codex, which meant neither did the House. “What did you do, Malo?” I muttered under my breath.

  “What was that, Hadrack?” Jin asked.

  I waved a hand. “Nothing. Nothing at all.” Worrying about Malo and what he had done with the codex would have to wait. I had other issues at the moment. “So, Jin,” I said. “Why have you come here?”

  Jin folded her hands in her lap. “Your wife contacted me about your plans.”

  I felt my face tighten. “I’m not letting that little bastard live, Jin,” I said. “I don’t care what the House, you, or my wife have to say about it.”

  “I know that,” Jin said, lifting a hand to soothe me. “I’m not asking you to let him live. But there is a complication.”

  “What complication?” I growled.

  “The First Son is three days ride from here. He has learned that you hold Grindin, and from what I have been told, he is furious.”

  I cursed as I glanced up at the White Tower. Someone was watching us from the top window, though I couldn’t tell which of the bastards it was. “Then I guess my plans have just been accelerated,” I said.

  “You can’t fight them in your condition,” Jin pointed out. “And even if you do and manage to win, your soul will be lost the moment you take Grindin’s life.”

  “What am I supposed to do?” I raged, my anger spilling out from me. I put my hand on Jin’s arm and shook it. “You were there in Corwick, too, Jinny! Grindin helped to kill your mother as well as my family. Every day he gets to breathe is an abomination. You of all people should see that.”

  Jin nodded solemnly as she put her hand over mine. “I do see that, Hadrack,” she said gently. “That is the reason why I am here. I have a plan that will satisfy your vow of vengeance, as well as protect your soul. We will have to move fast before Son Oriell arrives, but it can be done.”

  I stared at Jin for a moment, overcome by the poise and determination on her face. “Tell me,” I said.

  The open wagon I rode in slowed, following the bumpy, barely-seen path that had once led to my farm. An elegant carriage with spoked wheels followed directly behind my wagon, then three more just like it, with men on horseback bringing up the rear. A man wearing a battered hat sat on a high bench high above me, and he turned to look down at me where I sat in my chair.

  “Is this far enough, my lord?” he asked.

  I shook my head. “A little farther,” I said, searching the swaying grass with my eyes. Nothing was left to show a farmhouse had once stood here, not that I had expected there to be. It was almost a year ago the last time that I’d been in this place, and I could tell that little had changed since then. I had planned on returning once I became the Lord of Corwick, of course, but there always seemed to be something else to do that took my attention away. Maybe the truth was that I hadn’t wanted to come back until I had something to offer Corwick’s ghosts. I wasn’t sure.

  The sky above me was a startling blue, with no clouds to be seen for miles. A good day for death, I thought. I glanced to the west as the wagon shook and rattled beneath me, staring up at Patter’s Bog while sunlight glinted off the white stones surrounding it. The bog looked just as dour and menacing as ever, I thought, and I couldn’t help but smile, feeling strangely happy to see the dark, silent trees. We trundled along for a little while longer, then I grunted, satisfied as I instructed the driver to stop.

  “It feels like we were just here,” Baine said softly, as though afraid to break the stillness with his voice. He stood and stretched, then jumped from the wagon and dropped the rear gate.

  “Are you sure you’re going to be able to control yourself?” Jebido asked doubtfully as he started to untie the leather thongs holding my chair in place.

  “Why wouldn’t I?” I asked, staring at the spot where I believed my home had once stood. I thought I saw a gleam of white for just a moment as the grass danced and swayed. Perhaps I had only imagined it.

  “Because you have a look on your face I don’t like,” Jebido grunted. He finished untying the lines keeping me secure, and then he jumped down to the ground before carefully rolling my chair backward to the edge of the wagon. Tyris and Putt approached, and together, they, along with Baine and Jebido, gingerly lifted me and lowered me to the ground. “Well?” Jebido said, pausing in front of me.

  “I’ll be fine, Jebido,” I assured him.

  “You better be,” Jebido grumbled. He gestured to my leg. “Because Haverty will have my balls if anything happens to that.”

  “You’re too old to need those balls, anyway,” I said with a chuckle.

  Jebido just glared at me, clearly not amused. I shifted my gaze away, gesturing to Niko, who held my crutches. The youth brought the crutches to me as Baine and Tyris yanked pins from beneath the planks of my chair, allowing the end pieces to swing downward on hinges. The two men helped me stand until I was secure on the crutches, then they stepped back.

  I nodded to Jebido. “Find the bastard,” I said. I lifted a finger off my crutch, pointing northwest. “I think he’s over there.”

  Jebido, Baine, Tyris, and Niko spread out, searching the grass until Niko shouted in discovery. I grunted and began to move cautiously over the uneven ground as Putt walked ahead of me, beating back the grass for me the best that he could with his sword. I could hear people talking in hushed tones behind me as they exited the carriages, but I ignored them as I kept my focus on the ground and forged deeper into the field. Finally, sweating and out of breath, I reached Niko, where he stood over the remains of a man’s body. There was little left to see other than a grinning skull, some scraps of cloth, and a gleaming ribcage burnt white from the sun. I guessed most of the other bones had been dragged off by scave
ngers. I could see teeth marks on several of the ribs and I smiled. Hervi Desh’s last moments had not been pleasant.

  I finally turned as my men spread out in a wide circle. The hushed whisperings had finally stopped as six priests, and six priestesses approached through the grass, with none daring to meet my eyes. They were not happy about being asked to witness this, I knew, but I was the Lord of Corwick and they lived on my lands, so they didn’t have much choice in the matter. Berwin followed the priests and priestesses, and he herded them into a tight group fifty feet away to the south, where they would be safe. I took a deep breath, savoring the moment before finally I nodded to Jebido that I was ready. Niko and Putt went back to the carriages, drawing swords before opening the door to the third one in line. I heard Putt bark harshly into the interior, then watched as first the tiny form of Grindin stepped out, then the imposing bulk of Luper Nash.

  “Move along,” Putt said gruffly, giving Grindin a shove. The little man sobbed and almost fell, mumbling to himself. Niko started to shove Luper Nash as well, but the huge man just glowered back until Niko lowered his hand.

  “It’s not fair!” Grindin sobbed as Putt shoved him forward a second time. He was shirtless, wearing only thin trousers and black boots. The little man’s torso was almost as white as Hervi Desh’s bones, hairless and sickly looking. This won’t last long, I thought. Luper Nash strode behind Grindin, his head held high, his massive arms and shoulders rippling with muscle. “Lord Hadrack, please!” Grindin cried, lifting his hands to me. “I swear to you, I’m a changed man.” I just stared at him with hard eyes until Grindin sobbed in despair and looked away, snot dripping from his nose. He saw the priests and priestesses silently watching and he dropped to his knees, arms raised to them. “Please, you cannot allow this! You are of the House, the same as me! You cannot let them get away with this!”

  Not one priest or priestess moved or said a word.