by Jena Rey
“Ianel was worthy, and will have a place of honor in the Halls of the Faithful. And because he perished this way, there is no possibility for him to return as undead. He’s a martyr, forever sanctified. Knights rarely die of old age, Ephema. It is our honor to die in the service of the people and our Lord.”
“But he’s still dead!” She rubbed at the tear tracks on her cheeks, facing him, but not meeting his gaze directly. “Nothing about where he goes next will make me like it.”
“I don’t like it either.” Darian released her, still standing close. “I’ve lost those close to me, but many in this world lose friends, lovers, sons, and daughters every day. This will keep happening until we put an end to the Lich.” Darian looked back the way they had come. “Ianel knew this. We all do. This is why we fight, so that one day, we won’t have to.”
Ephema sighed softly. “Then… I guess it’s why I need to fight too.” She touched her necklace. “In my own way.” Silence drew out between them until Star nosed her shoulder, pushing her until Ephema fished out the remaining broken pieces of carrot from her pocket. She held them up to the stallion, letting him eat them off her hand. “What happened to you, Darian? When we were in the temple?”
Tabor looked up from where he was cleaning his maul. “I too would like to know the answer to that question.”
Darian wordlessly removed the amulet from around his neck. “I met the god Whilpow, who gave me a device to translate the scroll.” He held up the necklace in the wan morning light, letting the bauble on the end rotate for them to see. “This is what he gave me.”
Ephema tilted her head, watching the disc spin. She sighed, stroking Star’s nose. “I hope it is worth what it cost. Do you know what to do with it?”
“He said to run it across any text and peer through it, and the purpose would be made clear.” Darian shrugged. He hadn’t thought much on the device, certain Fressin and the others would figure it out faster than he could. “Other than that, no.”
Ephema moved away from Star, letting him munch on the dried foliage. “I’m sure Fressin will like it.” She glanced toward Tabor. “I am sorry I was angry. Can we sleep, or do we need to ride again?”
“I know why you were angry. I am angry too, but not at you. It wasn’t your fault.” Tabor ran his hand across his eyes. “You can sleep. Darian and I will keep watch. I have more questions for him.”
Ephema nodded, dragging a blanket out of the supplies and finding a spot to curl up. Star followed her, settling in nearby, the other horses joining him to tear up anything they could, despite having been fed the grains and oats the knights carried for them.
Darian glanced after her, but decided it was best to let her rest. He joined Tabor closer to the roadside. The older knight looked like he had aged five years since the night before. Darian felt older and more wearied himself.
“So, you met a God. I thought he’d been killed a hundred years ago.”
“He wasn’t, though his disciples were.” Darian rubbed his eyes, both yearning for and dreading sleep. He told Tabor everything that had happened from the moment he’d been pulled into Whilpow’s realm until his release. He took his mace from his belt, studying it. “This was the key. It wouldn’t have worked for any weapon that wasn’t touched by both Gods. A feat that was thought almost impossible, thus the best way to protect the realm and Whilpow’s information.”
“I’m starting to think you’ve got a bit of luck to your soul, Darian.” Tabor finished cleaning the ichor off of his maul. “Go rest. I will take the first shift, and I’ll wake you in two hours to take a turn. We should not linger long.”
Darian nodded, looking up at the grey sky and thick with unshed rain, which felt like it mourned Ianel too. “Agreed.”
Ephema clung to Star’s reins, desperately trying to keep herself upright. She was beyond exhausted and muscles she didn’t even know she had throbbed in time with each step. She missed riding behind Darian where she could doze against his back and shift against the rocking motion of the horse. It hadn’t been her idea to ride Star, but without Ianel around, the stallion had taken to following her. After the third time he’d tried to pull her off Raven’s back, Tabor insisted that she ride the warhorse to stop his games. If they had been forced to ride at speed, she would have fallen off, but at the pace Tabor kept she could manage, even if only barely.
Even though she wasn’t angry anymore, Ephema still found it hard to talk to the Knights. She understood everything Darian had said about Ianel’s death, but it still hurt. Other people had died before, between the people in Tallet and some of the sailors on the ship. She’d felt sad, but none of them had hurt her like losing Ianel. None of them had been her friends.
Ahead, the road to Hawthan stretched before them, the gates to the city walls clearly visible in the morning light. Even from this distance, she saw the gates open and a contingent of riders leave the city. The riders wasted no time in hitting full stride once they were outside the walls, and made a beeline for them.
Darian slowed Raven to a walk and turned in his saddle to face Tabor, frowning. “Tabor, do you see the colors? Those banners under the main flag.”
Tabor held his hand up to his brow to shield some of the light and squinted. “I do, but I’m not familiar the meanings. I’ve only stayed in Hawthan on visits to the High Temple.”
Darian turned back to the city; his expression troubled. “They mean there was an attack from the sea and the city is on high alert. There’s more smoke than there should be for this time of day too, but I can’t tell if some part of the city is burning or something else. Something happened while we were away.”
Ephema chewed on her lower lip, then shrugged. “Whatever happened, it doesn’t look like the city is closed. Riders just came out. Can’t we keep going?”
“We can, and we will.” Tabor turned Valor’s head back to the road. “The riders are probably advance scouts of the guard, coming to ensure that we are friendlies. They can tell us what to expect at the city.” He made a noise and Valor broke into a run, quickly followed by the other warhorses. Ephema bit down on a shriek as it felt like Star might run right out from under her. She tangled her fingers in the reins and gave him his head to follow his herd.
Coming home was always a moment of reflection. Lately, it seemed to Darian that his returning trips to Hawthan were destined to be with fewer people than he left with. Darian looked up at the walls of the city, his weary eyes searching for signs of new damage. From this entry point, there appeared to be nothing substantial. Whatever attack the flags signified, this entrance hadn’t been damaged.
The city guards that they rode with called out to the ones on the walls as they passed. As Tabor had surmised, they had been watching for riders and come to ensure their safe return. As it turned out, they weren’t the only ones. Darian recognized the familiar sight of his mother and her warhorse approaching as they entered the gates.
Knight Proctor Lauret pulled her horse up to a halt beside Tabor and Darian, her eyes pained as she spotted Ephema on Ianel’s horse. “He’s gone, isn’t he.” It wasn’t a question, and everyone knew it. She turned to Tabor. “We felt something at the Temple. A great loss. What happened?”
Tabor shook his head, pushing his visor away from his face. “Wights. A full nest of them centered on the ruined city. The biggest nest I’ve ever seen. We found the temple, but the full explanation should wait until we are off the road. For the short version, it took longer than we expected as one of us had to speak to a God. Ianel took a gut shot and called down Osephetin’s Favor in order to save us.”
“Dark Lord Protect.” Lauret closed her eyes, a quick prayer crossing her lips. When she opened them again, she looked at Ephema. There was an attempt at humor in her voice as she said, “Most Knights’ steeds as old as Star won’t allow another on their back. Have you decided to pick up some training and cross over into Osephetin’s service? Typically, we would have to put him through extensive training for a new Knight, or retire him
to the breeding fields.”
Ephema shifted in the saddle, running her fingers through Star’s mane. “I do not wish to be a Knight. Star just wants a friend and kept trying to pull me off Darian’s horse. We tried walking, but that’s too slow.” She shook her hair back from her face. “I think he misses Ianel and I have, or had, carrots.”
“Well, they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. This applies to horses, too. We will arrange for a saddle and tack proper to your build. You have made yourself a new friend and with Ianel… With Ianel gone it would be cruel to take you away from him too.” The hints of humor left Knight Proctor Lauret’s voice. “Dammit. At least his place in the Halls is assured, and he is out of the sway of the Lich. That is a small blessing.” She turned her horse and fell in stride beside Darian. “I am curious over who among you spoke to a God.”
Darian half-smiled, though it took effort. Smiling had not come easy after Ianel’s death. He knew it would again, but not yet. “I did.”
“You?” Lauret frowned. “Did I give birth to a prodigal?”
Ephema tilted her head, “Prodigal? I do not know that word. He unlocked a secret and got what we needed.”
“You did?” At Darian’s nod, Lauret looked relieved. “Thank heavens for that. It’s been a trying time here since you left. Good news is welcome.”
“We saw the flags and the smoke.” Tabor gestured to the sky, where smoke still trailed off into the clouds. “How many ships were there?”
“Just three. They managed to sink a few merchant ships in the harbor, damage some of the docks, and lob flaming debris into the city before we chased them off. But make no mistake, I expect them to return; they flew the same colors as the ship that attacked us.”
“So, they were testing the defenses to see what we might and might not have, and left before too much damage was done to their ships.” Darian grimaced. “Did they come from the deep water or the shallows?”
“Deep. They came under the cover of night and storm. They came in with the mainsail hoisted and their topsail furled. The steamers were undergoing repairs, and we never heard them coming. Got their hits in and ran like dogs once we mobilized to return fire, but the damage was done. We lost 15 sailors and one family in town whose house caught fire.
“The Council has been arguing for years about a standing navy, suddenly they’re regretting their choices.” She shook her head, the thick greying braid of her hair rolling across her shoulders. “And the attackers weren’t really serious. They just wanted us to know they’re out there and capable of hurting us. They’re waiting for an opportunity, and it’s not hard to bottle us in here, the bay that protects us also traps us.” There was an even calmness to Knight Proctor Lauret’s voice that Darian knew quite well. She was beyond angry. People had died. She’d been unable to protect them, and the persons responsible had gotten away. There would be hell to pay once she caught up with them.
“So, what now? The horses have come a long way. They’re going to need to rest up and feed. Ephema’s exhausted, Tabor is resolutely Tabor, and I could use a bath and a long nap.”
“All of that will have to wait until you’ve seen the High Priest. Except for the care of the horses, of course.”
Darian nodded as they passed deeper into the city, more guard everywhere he looked. “That makes sense. Tonight, we should…” He paused as the sorrow hit him again and cleared his throat. “We should meet with the resident Knights tonight. To honor Ianel.”
“Indeed.” Tabor muttered.
Behind them the city gates rolled to a close, welcoming them home.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ephema sat in a small alcove outside the chamber of the Eternal Flame. After their report to the High Priest, she had slept hard. She remembered dreaming, but she couldn’t remember what about, only that this time it wasn’t bad. When she woke, she found that Darian had been dragged off by Fressin to work on the scroll. Tabor had left the High Temple, but no one knew where he’d gone.
She’d spent part of the evening in the stables with the horses before finding this quiet spot. She didn’t want to talk to the worshippers or the devout. They all had questions in their eyes that she didn’t know how to answer. It seemed so unfair that life should go on so normally when it didn’t go on for Ianel at all. What was the point of connecting yourself to people when they all went away?
Footsteps from the hallway caught her attention, and she looked up just as Fressin strode by the alcove. He caught her eye and came to a halt, one eyebrow raised in question. “Good evening. You haven’t, by chance, seen my brother, have you?”
Ephema shook her head, careful not to knock her head against the stone wall she leaned on. “Not since earlier. I think he was hoping for sleep.”
“Drat. He took the necklace with him, and I’ve had an idea.” Fressin leaned up against the wall. “Typical of him, really. No matter, I’ll get it from him in the morning.” He smiled, the first time Ephema had ever seen him truly smile. “You held your promise. You brought him back. Thank you.”
The smile surprised her. Ephema blinked and then nodded, drawing her knees to her chest and resting her arms around them. “You’re welcome. I wanted to bring them all back, but there were so many wights.”
“Well, not to be a jerk, but I didn’t ask you to bring them all back. Just Darian. The rest of them can fend for themselves.” He coughed to the side. “Ugh, this cold weather kills me every time it starts to come in, I swear. But, I’m guessing you’ve never encountered a wight before?”
“I don’t think so. I don’t have the same names for all of the undead.” She peered at him before adding. “You should rest. Your body is tired, even if your mind isn’t.”
Fressin snorted, then reached for a handkerchief and blotted his nose. “There’s the pot calling the kettle black. How many days were you gone? You fought bandits and undead, rode almost the entire time, and have only had half a day’s worth of recuperation? Yet here you are.” He shook his head and tucked the cloth away. “I’ll rest when the job is done. I might not be worth much with a mace or a spear, but I know languages, and with what Darian managed to bring with him I will decipher that scroll. Soon.”
He scratched at his side as he continued, “As for the wights, they really should have been expected. Wights are typically found around old religious sites and are thought to be the risen followers of the deities, still bound to the temples. They’re stupid strong, easily two or three times as strong as a man. They live in nests and they never age. There’s usually no more than ten to a nest, but from what Tabor said that nest had lots more.” Fressin’s voice dropped as he continued, “Usually, a Knight is considered equal to no more than one or two wights at once. Any more than that and the best option is retreat.”
Ephema listened, her mind flashing back to that night, to the creatures crawling out of the wreckage. She wondered if Tabor had expected the wights, but never told her. Finally, she sighed. “How do they do it? Keep fighting when there is so much death? When everything wants to hurt them? When it never stops? This scroll is supposed to tell us where something is, something important. That means going to get it. What if we run into more wights, or something else? Something worse? I brought Darian back this time, but what if it’s him next time? I can’t stand it!”
“I used to wonder the same thing.” Fressin crouched down to be at her level. “My Father used to tell me something about the Knights when Mother would go for weeks on end. I never understood it then, but I do now. When I’d ask him why she had to leave, he’d look at me and say, ‘Because if they don’t, no one else will. They risk everything so we can be safe.’ And he’s right. They keep fighting, much as I hate to say it, because they know if they don’t, no one else will step up to take their place.
“This world is down to just one defender and his servants against the undead and the Lich. Without the Knights, towns would gradually be overrun, slowly but inexorably, until none were left. So, we’re glad to ha
ve them. Though,” he paused, flicking a finger at the globe she wore. “maybe it’s more than just one defender. You’ve shown the Goddess is still out there, fighting through her insanity, doing everything She is able to do. And, Darian spoke to another God thought dead for a century. So maybe more than one.”
Ephema fell silent for a long moment before she met Fressin’s gaze. She didn’t understand everything he had said, his accent and word choice still sometimes beyond her, but she understood what he meant. “You will be honest with me, yes? Is it worth the risk of going out again?”
“Before you left, I’d have said no. No way in all the hells.” Fressin stroked his chin, contemplating the question. “Now, there’s new information I didn’t have access to. I don’t have an answer to your question just yet; much will depend on what the scroll actually says. But,” he stood back up and stretched. “If what Whilpow told my brother is even remotely true, then without a doubt it is worth going out again. It would even be worth me risking my life if it would actually bring an end to this madness.
“I, however, would be slaughtered within a few days out there. The Knights will fare much better. So, I daresay, would you. So, my answer to your question is a very solid, ‘maybe.’”
Ephema considered his answer, finding herself somewhat comforted by it. He was an odd man still, but she was beginning to understand him. She even thought she might like him. “Then I will try to do what must be done. And pray for no more losses.”
“You serve a Goddess of Life. They serve a God of Death.” Fressin tapped on his temple. “There will forever be one massive difference between you and them. They literally do not fear death, because they know what’s waiting for them in the afterlife. It’s unnatural. But against the horror of the undead, no better weapon exists.” He placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. “You’ve proven yourself, at least to me. My door is always open, if you need it. Even if you want out of this. I’ll help you. And, I think you’re right. Since Darian squirreled off somewhere with my new toy, I might as well get some sleep.”