“What are you doing here?” King Stefano demanded.
“Who is your talented guest?” the man responded with a wide smile that displayed filed and pointed teeth.
The creepy smile and teeth unnerved me but I hid my uneasiness as I stepped closer to the king.
“Lord Conran Pierce-Seahorn. And you are?”
The man snorted before offering a mocking bow. “Count Giovanni Luigi Barbieri. I think you are more than a Lord, no?”
“As you are more than a count,” I rebutted.
I refused to drop my eyes from Count Barbieri’s piercing black eyes. The intense staring could only have been minutes but seemed longer before Count Barbieri barked a short laugh.
“I heard a powerful wizard has been sent as an ambassador from Argelle. I wanted to see you with my own eyes.”
“You have met Lord Pierce-Seahorn, so you may return to your villa.”
“Am I not invited to the feast that I feel sure you are holding to welcome your guest wizard?”
A nerve twitched by King Stefano’s left eye as he signaled his guards forward. His men moved silently before the count. Each of the men were quite large, but Count Barbieri’s only response was a quick raising of one eyebrow.
“Your position or lack thereof at my court has not changed. I do not forget nor forgive injuries to me or mine,” the king said coldly.
“I cannot imagine what you are referring to,” the count responded as he stroked his dark beard with long, crooked fingers. His nails were long and peculiarly filed.
“Do not play me for a fool. Alphonso, please escort Giovanni out and ensure he does not return.”
Alphonso blew two sharp blasts on a wooden whistle. Four additional guards came jogging up. They were alert with their hands casually resting on their weapons. Two shot poisonous looks at the count.
“Sire, I think it best if your men take you and your guest inside.”
“I agree,” King Stefano concurred. “Send two men to follow Giovanni to his home and ensure he stays there.”
Our small party set a quick pace. I followed the king as he led the way to a different room. King Stefano dismissed his guards and waved me to a chair at a heavily carved, dark table burnished to a high shine. I was surprised to see gemstones worked into the carvings, but didn’t have time to admire them as King Stefano immediately recalled my attention to him.
“I want you to understand my hostility to Count Barbieri. During my father’s reign, his family tried to overthrow him not once but three times. Until recently, the entire family had been exiled from Florenza.”
“They weren’t executed?”
“Giovanni’s father and two uncles were. However, my father couldn’t bring himself to execute women and children after stripping them of their property and wealth.”
Privately, I thought his father had been too gentle.
“But you ordered him back to his villa?”
“Count Barbieri is the last of his family. He did us a great favor. When we tried to pay him for his services, the only payment he wanted was the familial villa.” King Stefano paused and coughed into the back of his hand. “Obviously, I failed to properly assess the situation and fell into the same sentimental and foolish trap as my father.”
I didn’t respond as I privately agreed with him.
“How long has he been back?”
“Only two months and he has already caused dissension at court. We ejected him from our last dinner and he has sought to worm his way back since.”
“Is there sufficient cause to exile him?”
“Unfortunately, not.”
I couldn’t help thinking of my assignment to the Court of Florenza to get me away from Queen Drusilla. Perhaps…
“King Stefano, could you not send Count Barbieri on a mission for the court? Somewhere far away where he cannot do damage? If he has already done the court a great service, he should have no objection to another assignment to prove his loyalty to you, Sire.”
A grin spread across King Stefano’s handsome face.
“I cannot imagine how King Drexel was willing to send you to my court. I have not known you a day and I already find you invaluable. I should have thought of that myself.” He paused to tap his bearded chin. “I know just where to send him. Giovanni will not be able to do any mischief and he’ll be miserable, as well.”
King Stefano laughed as he rose.
“You have made my day, Conran! You must be famished and we try to never keep the court waiting. We are eager to meet the rest of your party.”
Chapter 10
Within the month, I felt completely at home at the Court of Florenza. It had taken me a week to mentally accept how much I was welcomed and accepted by all of the royal family. I hadn’t realized just how much Queen Drusilla’s hatred had undermined my confidence. I was enjoying serving a court that appreciated and valued me.
We’d settled in seamlessly. Lady Ilena and Jamila had established themselves as healers and herbal experts. Prince Matteo’s stallion healed completely, further enhancing Lady Ilena’s reputation. Nicholas, Silvesto and the rest of our soldiers were kept busy training and working with the court’s men. Lately, three to four years here didn’t seem long enough.
Nicky’s fiancée was expected any day, so I left him at Florenza while Silvesto and several of King Stefano’s men accompanied me in surveying the northern border. Uneasiness at court had not eased since the unprovoked attack on the princes. After a disturbing vision, I proposed this sortie and King Stefano approved it.
Tension permeated our small group of five. One of our men, Roberto, preceded Silvesto and I while two royal guards followed closely behind. After casting a protective shield, I continuously reached out with my empowered senses, searching for any threat. A dark coldness blocked my probing in a small copse of trees. Shaking, I pulled Scimitar up.
“Conran?”
I held my hand up for silence. Beneath my breath, I chanted the strongest spell I knew to break through the mysterious darkness. When the break came, it rocked me in my saddle. Catching my breath, I straightened and signaled everyone to follow me. I removed my sword with a soft hiss. Each man followed my example.
I leaned from my saddle to whisper to Silvesto. “Signal the men to surround those trees and move in towards us. There are four men.”
With a nod, Silvesto held up four fingers before signaling Roberto to take the right, Marco the left and Francesco to circle around. Once the men were out of sight, I replaced my sword in its scabbard and wiped my damp hands on my pants. Quickly, my hands drew sparkling symbols in the air.
Power surged from my hands into the depth of the clustered trees. Within my mind’s eye, I saw the four men drop in a dead faint. We needed them alive and I didn’t want to risk their injury or death during a skirmish.
“Safe for us to go in now. We should get to the men before the guards.”
“What did you do?” Silvesto asked as we maneuvered our mounts through the small saplings.
“Just put them to sleep. We need to get to them while they are still groggy.”
The brushing of leaves and snapping of small branches accompanied our movements. It was a good thing the men were unconscious as it was impossible to be stealthy in the tightly growing trees. Soon, I noticed chopped trees and we happened upon a small, well-hidden trail.
Within minutes, a small clearing opened before us where four men magically slumbered. I saw Roberto across the small glade. He raised a quizzical eyebrow at me. I signaled him to approach from his right as we moved forward. The remaining two guards appeared. The men startled awake when they felt our sharp blades at their throats.
“Whaa..?” one of the men struggled to rise, his eyes wide at the sight of us.
“Silence!” Silvesto ordered. “Bind them and tie them across their horses with the ropes securing their hands and feet beneath their mounts.”
Two of the guards efficiently tussled and threw the captives across their horses like game while
the rest of us stood guard. I was pleased we’d managed everything without shedding blood. I wondered how the men had been able to put up such an effective cloak.
“There is no need to gallop back. I think we should keep an easy pace to take it easy on the prisoners.”
“You worry far too much about enemies, Conran,” Silvesto offered with a sneer.
“I killed too many without concern,” I murmured, remembering the slaughter of King Crispin’s army that had led to the undying enmity of Queen Drusilla.
“Who? Do you mean King Crispin’s army? You saved King Drexel and all his subjects to become the hero of the realm and a lord! You saved far more people than you killed! King Crispin is responsible for the destruction of his army. He never should have attacked his future son-in-law, least of all on his wedding day.”
I didn’t reply. The gruesome deaths of all those men weighed heavily on me. I didn’t like what I had to become to defeat Crispin’s army.
I glanced back at our prisoners. The four men were silent, except for the occasional grunt from their restrictive bondage. I didn’t doubt their discomfort but they were secure.
Too late I became aware of a bowman. I cast a spell, but not before an arrow sank into one of our prisoners with a squishy thump. The high thwing of a second arrow feel short of another prisoner.
“Circle around, dismount and get behind your horses!” Silvesto shouted.
“Protect the prisoners!” I added. I pressed my heels into Scimitar, pulled out my knife and rode to the three uninjured prisoners. Bending low, I quickly cut the rope on the first prisoner and pushed him off the horse.
“Stay down,” I instructed before cutting the second man free. Marco cut the wounded man and the fourth loose and roughly pulled them to the ground. I dismounted as Roberto, doubled over, crept to me.
“What do you want me to do, Lord Pierce-Seahorn?”
“Guard these men while I take care of our attackers.”
My hands moved swiftly as I wove a stronger protective shield around me. I hesitated only a moment before setting up a large shield around Scimitar. He wouldn’t get hurt if I could help it.
Before Silvesto could stop me, I mounted Scimitar and turned him to where I thought the arrows had come from. I bent low over Scimitar’s neck and sent a powerful wave before us.
The grass and bushes bent and blew in the silent wind. Branches ripped from the tall trees, rotated and sharpened in the storm. I scooped and swept up rocks and stones to join the torn branches and grass in the whirling maelstrom, directing it to the hidden archer.
A slender man came screaming out of the trees. His blade glinted through the swirling dirt. Anger surged within me as I held Scimitar steady. I knew my eyes had gone black.
With a flick of my wrist, I stripped and sharpened a flying branch into a wicked looking stake. It impaled the warrior and carried him fifty feet back until a huge oak stopped his flight. I started to drop the wind, but paused.
Something about the man bothered me. Then I realized - he wore no arm guard or archery accoutrements. Where was the archer? Circling my hand, I caused the wind to swirl around us like a mini tornado. Scimitar snorted, shook his head but barely shifted in place.
I dismounted before sending the gale before me as cover. Reciting the strongest protection spell I knew; I sought the archer. There was no one in the woods.
Fearing he’d circled around to attack our party; I raced to Scimitar and threw myself into the saddle. Wheeling my horse around, I raced back. An arrow whizzed before my face.
Ducking low, I flung a spell in the direction the arrow came from. I turned Scimitar to face it and we galloped to the threat. Fiery pain slashed across my upper arm. Shocked he’d gotten past my shield, I instinctively cast a powerful surge before us and was rewarded with a grunt.
Quickly dismounting again, I ran forward. I didn’t want to give the archer a reason to hit Scimitar. I quickly found the archer as he struggled to his feet. Flicking my hand, I flipped him back on his rump. I drew my sword with a metallic hiss and positioned the point under his chin.
“Who are you and why are you killing our prisoners?”
“Glory to the God of the Silver Bow and the Radiant Daughter of the Foaming Wave!” he shouted before driving his head down upon my sword so quickly I didn’t have time to pull my sword back.
Horrified, I stood over him as blood spurted from the wound. I had to exert some effort to pull my sword free with a disgusting squelching and crunching noise. I shuddered.
My breathing was ragged as I bent to clean my sword on the grass. I couldn’t help another look at the man who’d so brutally killed himself with my weapon. The hair on my arms rose.
I tore my sleeve and quickly bound my wound.
What did his strange words mean? How had he pierced my protective spell? I kept replaying the words as I walked back to Scimitar. I wanted to be able to recite the words accurately. I hoped one of King Stefano’s men would know what they meant.
Despite what I’d just been through, I found myself riding slowly back to my team. Silvesto came out to meet me.
“I was beginning to be concerned. What happened?”
“I found the archer, but he said the oddest thing before he drove his head down upon my sword. Are the prisoners resecured?”
“Yes, and the man shot will make it.” He paused to look behind him. “Something is very strange about these men but I can’t put my finger on it. I think we need to take the dead archer back with us.”
“There’s a second dead man impaled on a tree.”
Silvesto frowned a moment before suggesting, “We can put the wounded man with one of the guards and the two dead men on a horse.
I rode back with Silvesto, Marco and the extra horse. On the way, I told Marco what the man said. His face went still.
“Madre Natura,” he murmured with fear in his eyes.
“What does mother nature have to do with this?”
“Not mother nature, Lord Conran. It is a secret sect that calls itself ‘Madre Natura’. They seek a return to the old ways and gods.”
“Are they usually violent?”
“They haven’t been. They usually stay in the shadows. There are rumors that several high-ranking nobles and a senor church leader are members.”
“They may be responsible for the attack on the princes,” I ruminated before pressing my heels into Scimitar to increase his speed. I wanted to be sure the archer’s body was still there. I heard my companions close behind me.
I saw the archer’s body as we approached the woods. I mentally mocked myself for thinking his body would disappear. Raven’s disappearance after Nicky had shot her had obviously skewed my perspective.
Marco dismounted first and ran to the body. He ripped the archer’s shirt open and rocked back on his heels. Silvesto shot me a puzzled look before we approached. I saw a stylized tree tattooed on the dead man’s chest.
“What is that?” Silvesto rumbled in his deep voice.
“It is the symbol of the Madre Natura.”
I squatted by the body. I hadn’t seen many tattoos in my life. Grunting, I stood back up.
“There was another man, but he’s impaled high on a tree. We could see if he has the same tattoo.”
“If he’s close, I think we should,” Marco said. “We’ll put this one on the spare horse first.”
“Perhaps we should check the other prisoners to see if they are also members of this sect,” I suggested.
“It would explain why this man tried to kill them before we could take them to prison. No Madre Natura member has ever been captured alive,” Marco offered. “He must have feared they would break under torture.”
“Torture?” I asked, shocked. I couldn’t imagine the refined King Stefano allowing such a barbaric practice.
“Conran, torture is a means to an end,” Silvesto admonished. “You may not like it but there are few who do not utilize it.”
I remembered how I’d defeated Ganthor a
nd knew I had no room to criticize others. I nodded and offered Silvesto a sheepish smile. Marco quickly fastened the corpse to the unsaddled horse.
We remounted and I led them to the man impaled on the thick oak trunk. I thought I saw Marco start, but he didn’t say anything. Silvesto and his horse were tall, so he was able to reach the man and tear his shirt open. The same tattoo was displayed around the spike.
‘A secret sect? How many more men were lying in wait for us?’ I wondered.
“I’m going ahead,” I called back to Silvesto. “I want to make sure there are no other threats.” I pressed my heels into Scimitar and leaned low over his neck as he quickened to a gallop. I held my pendant to increase my sight. I saw no other assassins, but didn’t slow until I rejoined our small party.
“How are the prisoners?”
“Fine, Lord Conran. The wounded man stopped bleeding. I think the wound is minor.”
I heard horses and looked behind me to see Silvesto and Marco quickly approaching. Silvesto was frowning. He pulled up close to me.
“That wasn’t wise, Conran.”
“I wanted to ensure we didn’t lose any more prisoners.”
“Hmprh,” he responded.
“Roberto, we can leave now.”
Roberto nodded and managed to bow in his saddle before wheeling his horse around. We arranged ourselves so the three unharmed prisoners were in the middle of us. Roberto set a fast pace and we arrived at court before midday.
“We will take the prisoners to the dungeon, my Lord.”
“I would like to accompany you, Marco.”
“Conran,” Silvesto said warningly.
“I just want to see if they have the same markings as the archer. You can come with me.”
“You don’t need to go into the dungeons for that.”
Silvesto grabbed the shoulder of one of the prisoners and spun him around. In one quick movement, he tore the man’s shirt open to reveal a stylized tree tattoo. He stepped to the other unwounded prisoner and pulled his shirt open, too. His chest was also tattooed by the Madre Natura.
“Conran, you learned what you wanted. We need to report to his Majesty,” Silvesto’s deep voice said softly.
The Sigil of Sobek: Book 2 The Chronicles of Conran Page 14