Champion of the Gods Box Set

by Andrew Q. Gordon

  Farrell held up a finger. “Give me a moment.”

  He changed the terminus of the Door back to where he’d left his guards. “Get a few dozen guards and meet me at the healer’s quarters,” he said to Greigel.

  “Do you expect a problem?”

  “More like I suspect she’s expecting an honor guard or something. But if she is raising trouble, a show of force won’t hurt.”

  “At once, Your Majesty.” Greigel slammed his free hand against his chest.

  Once Greigel left Berstig, Farrell returned the exit to the infirmary. Heather’s scowl had deepened, so he cut her off.

  “I sent Greigel to fetch a company of guards. If Pertrice persists in being difficult, there are few beings on Nendor more stubborn than my guards.”

  Although she tried to fight it, Heather couldn’t hold back a smirk. “I underestimated you. You just pretend to be naïve.”

  “You never misjudge anyone, and you don’t think I’m innocent.” He winked and joined her. “I have too much respect for you to be high-handed in your presence.”

  She patted his arm. “You were always a smart child.”

  She marched toward Samruel’s room. Halfway there, Farrell heard Pertrice sniping at the staff. He had sympathy for her situation, but he didn’t accept anyone mistreating his subjects.

  “Is there a problem?” he asked when they entered the semiprivate suite.

  “Samruel is a prince of Tilerstig. Why are there no guards? And why isn’t a master healer assigned full-time to his bedside?”

  Heather bristled at his side. “As I told you—”

  He put a hand on her shoulder and stepped forward. “Queen Pertrice—”

  Pertrice stiffened and ignored Farrell. “As you told me? Who do you think you are to speak to me like that?”

  Heather glared at Farrell. “Deal with her, or I’ll do it myself.”

  She stormed out before Farrell could respond. He followed her out the door with his eyes and took a deep breath. “That was—”

  “How dare she speak to me like that!” Pertrice appeared on the verge of a breakdown. “Why do you tolerate such insolence?”

  “She’s the best—”

  “And why isn’t Samruel in a private space with guards protecting him?”

  Compassion only cooled his anger for so long. “Be quiet.”

  “What? Did you—”

  “I gave you an order and I expect you to obey me!” He met her angry glare with a determined stare. “This is Trellham, not Tilerstig. I rule here, not you.”

  In the silence that followed, he heard the booted feet of his guards approaching. He waited an appropriate amount of time and motioned toward the chair next to Samruel’s bed.

  “If you want to have a discussion, yelling rarely accomplishes anything.” He paused long enough for her to gather her thoughts and continued. “Before you say anything, Master Heather and I have an agreement; when it comes to matters of healing. She’s in charge. Even if the patient is me. Even if I question her about a patient.

  “Sam’s alive because of her. He had power burns so deep they were bleeding. More than one. Would Tilerstig’s healers have been able to save him?”

  She didn’t answer and Farrell didn’t need one. “She’s the finest healer I’ve ever met, and I’ve needed everything she’s got more than a few times in my life.”

  “That’s why you allow her to talk to your guests like a commoner?”

  “In her space, yes.” The look of shock didn’t surprise him. “This isn’t Tilerstig, I’ve been at war with Meglar for almost half my life. Pomp and ceremony don’t serve me well. When I need answers, I need the truth. If you want that from others, they need to be free to speak their minds.”

  “That’s… that’s….” She shook her head.

  Farrell had her thinking and used the moment to get to the heart of the problem. “What’s wrong, and how can I make it right for you?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You said you wanted guards and a full-time healer, is that right?”

  “Yes.”

  “You can assign a healer from Tilerstig to sit with Sam. Would that help?”

  “Well . . .”

  “As for guards, this is an infirmary. They can’t be inside.” He waited to see if she’d object. “If it helps, my daughter trains here each day. There’s a company of dwarves stationed outside the wing at all times when she’s here. We’re also deep inside a mountain. I won’t say it’s impossible to get to Sam, but even with your guards, you are far more at risk in Berstig than he is here.”

  Greigel knocked on the door. Three guards stood behind him. “You asked me to bring extra companies to guard the prince?”

  “Yes, but we both know Master Heather won’t allow you inside on a permanent basis.”

  “Of course not, Your Majesty. I’ll double the guards we set to guard Princess Geena.”

  “Thank you.”

  Greigel bowed and left.

  Farrell turned back to Pertrice. The queen looked like she’d collapse if he gave her the chance. “He’ll only be here another day at most. Then you can bring him home and he can finish healing there.”

  She nodded and started to shake. “Thank you.”

  Acting on instinct, he put his arm around her. “You don’t have to be the queen here. Be his mother until you leave.”

  Farrell left the queen seated next to her son and returned to Berstig with Greigel. It surprised him Kel hadn’t arrived, but he waited for his grandfather before giving his guard new orders.

  “I heard that you knew the prince?” Greigel asked.

  “Samruel trained with me when I was a child. No one knew he was from Tilerstig, much less a prince. He protected me from the older kids.”

  “It is good you could protect him from one of the bigger kids this time.”

  “What…?” He looked at Greigel, who smiled and shrugged. Samruel’s injuries argued Farrell hadn’t protected him well enough. Then again, Meglar would have killed Sam if Farrell hadn’t intervened. “I’ve got a ways to catch up.”

  Before Greigel could answer, Kel entered the room. He appeared tired but not drained.

  “How is the queen?” Kel lowered himself into the nearest chair. “Has she crossed paths with Master Heather?”

  “Yes.” Farrell didn’t hide the irritation in his answer. “It went about as well as expected under the circumstances.”

  Kel looked amused by the situation. “You called your guards to deal with her?”

  “No, but I did station some guards outside the infirmary to make her happy.” He shook his head as he relived the conversation.

  “Outside?” Kel turned and looked at Greigel.

  “His Majesty needed to remind the queen they were in Trellham and he didn’t argue with his healers.”

  “I see you inherited my selective use for royal authority,” Kel said. “It is always those who demand others bow to them who forget their place.”

  “You forgo the trappings of authority only if others offer it to you first.”

  Rather than lash out, Kel chuckled. “I supposed one could see it that way. In truth, I prefer to treat everyone the same, but I abhor bullies.”

  Farrell thought back on all the times Kel threw his rank around. In every instance, the person who felt Kel’s sharp tongue was too full of himself or herself. “I’ve never thought of it like that. Another lesson for me to learn.”

  “Nonsense.” Kel waved his hand. “Even if you didn’t name it, you followed the same principle. If anything, you don’t assert your authority enough and people don’t think you will. Knowing you will is often enough to get others to treat you with the proper respect.”

  Greigel cleared his throat, and Pertrice walked toward the Door. She recovered her composure and shifted her gaze between Farrell and Kel as she left Haven.

  “Thank you, again.” she said to Farrell. “Words do little to convey how grateful I am for Samruel’s recovery. Your healer saved hi
s life.”

  “Master Heather has saved mine more than once.” He resisted the urge to rub his side.

  “Can you tell me what happened?”

  Farrell snuck a glance at Kel, who raised an eyebrow. “As expected, Meglar was waiting for us to attack his ships. Samruel abandoned the protection I left for him to attack the flagship trying to escape. By the time I reached him, Meglar’s attack was inbound and I only had a few seconds to defend us. His shield wasn’t strong enough to stop the spillage from my makeshift defense.”

  “Was this because he gave Meglar some of Sam’s energy?”

  “No,” Farrell said. “I accounted for that in my shield.”

  “What your shield didn’t stop injured Samruel?” she asked.

  “We did tell you Meglar was powerful,” Kel said.

  “Yes, but for the excess energy to overpower his shield is unbelievable.” She turned to Farrell. “How did you survive unharmed?”

  Farrell didn’t answer with words. Instead he stared back, daring her to figure it out. When she didn’t answer, Farrell shrugged. “I’ve had more practice.”

  “Perhaps now you realize the true extent of Farrell’s power,” Kel said. “And more important, the danger Meglar poses to everyone. Had we not been here, he would have crushed Tilerstig.”

  Pertrice’s face tightened. “That was his doing.”

  “His treachery hurt, but it was just a piece. Meglar needed to find someone strong enough to overcome Tilerstig’s defenses,” Kel said.

  “You speak as if the threat is gone,” Farrell said. “When I left the palace, there were two large armies camped to the west and southwest. There is also a smaller, but still large, fleet off the southern coast. Shouldn’t we defeat them before we talk about this?”

  “A hundred-foot wave destroyed the southern fleet,” Kel said. “Tharles impersonated Ervend and convinced the army to the south that the way was clear. Believing they were safe, they quick-marched toward Berstig with minimal protections.

  “He was not as successful with the other commander. She kept her shields up and was more cautious in her approach. Unfortunately for them, they still marched onto protected land.”

  “Your spells worked against a guarded opponent?” Farrell asked.

  “Beatrice and I spent years developing these defenses.”

  “Right, but we spent ten years working to defend Haven, and I wouldn’t expect it on its own to stop an army in its steps.”

  “At the risk of insulting your talents, Beatrice and I are a formidable team.” Kel smiled. “When we were devising our plans, we would discuss them for hours. We’d talk about our objectives and then approach it from different perspectives. Sometimes I would try something outlandish with marginal results. Beatrice would take my work, refine the magic, and make it better. Or she would tinker with an idea until she found the solution.”

  Kel looked at Farrell. “Until I met you, Grandson, I didn’t think I’d ever meet anyone as good as she at spell-casting. You’re not her equal, but you’re close. And you’re young. You may prove her better given time.”

  Farrell blushed from the unexpected praise. “Getting back to the defenses.”

  “Accept your accolades when they arise. You already know I will criticize you if it is deserved.” He tapped his staff on the stone and an image of an army appeared on the table. “Ironically, the magic Meglar used to target you and Samruel was the basis for his army’s defeat.”

  The diagram erupted in a flurry of wizard’s fire. “The defenses draw a response from the enemy to get a sample of their energy. If even one wizard involved in creating the shield fires back, the shield will fail.”

  Kel’s staff pulsed, and the attacks on the shield ceased for a few seconds. The ground exploded in a new attack from multiple directions. No two attacks were the same color and each location shifted hues many times. Finally, one line stopped changing and settled on a deep purple. A cascade effect took over as the color spread out on both sides.

  Before the last line had changed colors, the shield burst apart in a brilliant array of light. The magic from the ground resumed its ever-changing color and the individual shields disappeared.

  “Meglar thinks he’s a genius for using my spell, but as with much else, his grasp of the finer points is lacking.” He waved his hand and the image disappeared. “The few survivors from both armies are being hunted down by Tilerstig’s forces.”

  Farrell stared at the table long after the image winked out. There was no way he’d have created something that brilliant on his own.

  “Is something wrong, Farrell?” Kel asked.

  Farrell snapped out of his daze. “Wrong? No, but I’m not anywhere close to Beatrice’s abilities as you suggested.”

  “As I’ve said before, you are still young.” He stood, walked to Farrell, and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ve witnesses some of the spells you’ve created without the benefit of a thousand years of practice. Nor did you have an equally experienced cohort to discuss ideas with. I stand by my original assessment of your skills.”

  Kel’s tone made clear he wasn’t going to change his opinion, so Farrell didn’t protest. There were more important things to discuss. “Have we captured Meglar’s agents?”

  “Agents?” Pertrice asked. “You only showed me one person. How many more are there?”

  Farrell slid his hand into his pocket and summoned the Eye. “I didn’t check yet.”

  “Then how do you know there is more than one?”

  “I don’t, but I’d be surprised if he didn’t send a few.” Farrell formed the query and projected the images into the space between him and the queen.

  Six people appeared in the same spot, creating a distorted visage. He spread them out in a row and their faces took shape. Two women and four men stared at the wall across from them.

  Pertrice moved closer as if to confront the lifeless constructs. “How did he get so many into Berstig without my knowing?”

  “You trusted him, and he used that trust in his plans.” Kel inched down the line and stopped before a young man. “I know this one. He’s a cousin or distant family member of Meglar.”

  “How quickly can Matyhis and Tharles get back to Berstig?” Farrell asked.

  “Why?” Pertrice asked.

  “Kel and I will need help.” He tagged each of the images with a ball of wizard’s fire. “Once Meglar’s people find out you defeated his forces, they will seek to flee. If they escape, they’ll spread further unrest around the world.”

  “We might need to bring a few wizards from Haven,” Kel said. “If they split up, we’ll be two short.”

  “You speak as if I’m staying here.” Her tone told Farrell she didn’t expect that to be the case.

  “You are,” Kel said “Ervend made a deal with Meglar. It is likely he had a contingency plan in case he didn’t kill you in battle. Before you can leave this room, we need to do a sweep using the Eye. And before we can do that, we need to deal with his agents.”

  Pertrice flinched as if slapped. Her gaze dropped to the floor and she shook her head. “I was such a fool.”

  Kel moved closer and put his arm around her. “That is not a fair comment. I’ve no doubt Ervend loved you very much. At the end he unwittingly did Neldin’s bidding.”

  “Neldin?” She stepped back and faced Kel. “The God of Death tricked Ervend into betraying his family?”

  “Indeed.” Kel pointed to a pair of seats and took the closest one. “Neldin is a master at spinning falsehoods to sound like truths. He knew the only way to destroy Tilerstig was from within. Since He could not recruit you or your sons, He peddled his lies to Ervend.”

  “Why are Matyhis and Samruel not allowed but Ervend is… was?”

  “The Six claimed me and my house as Theirs. Neldin chose Vedri and his line. Neither side may try to enlist members of the other house. Ervend, as you know, was not a member of my house.”

  “That might explain his deception, but not my failure t
o detect it.”

  “If I can offer an observation,” Farrell said. “Like you, Ervend was good at concealing his emotions. Unless you suspected his betrayal and were looking for it, I don’t see how you could have seen it in advance.”

  “You are generous, Farrell, but as his life partner, I should have been more attuned to his behavior.”

  Farrell dropped the issue. Nothing he said could sway her if she wanted to blame herself.

  “Which leads us back to eliminating Meglar’s agents,” Kel said. “Will you recall your son and Tharles?”

  Farrell listened to Matyhis instruct the three master wizards assigned to support them. Four of the six targets had gathered in a warehouse near the wharf. The other two had separated from the main group and each other. Tharles and Kel each led a force to track them down.

  If the Eye hadn’t confirmed the four were inside, Farrell would have doubted the information. They had to know the invasion had failed by now. Given the totality of the defeat, a prudent person would believe the king had deceived them. That they hadn’t split up made him suspicious.

  “Keep close to me,” Farrell said when Matyhis joined him. He didn’t take his focus from the building. “I don’t like this.”

  “You think it’s a trap?”

  “I’ve not felt anything, but there’s no purpose to keeping together. What I can’t explain makes me nervous.”

  “I sense anxiety and fear, Chosen,” Rojas said. “Perhaps they are hoping their master will save them?”

  Farrell forgot Rojas had insisted on joining them. “Perhaps.” Meglar didn’t worry about those who served him, not even his family.

  The Eye also revealed two companies of guards—mercenaries by the looks of their armor. Queen Pertrice wanted to send half a legion to help, but Farrell only took five companies. One hundred soldiers were enough to deal with whatever tried to get away from the wizards’ fight. He hoped the mercs would surrender once the wizards were down.

  Farrell hadn’t had much luck with hoping lately. He checked his energy levels for the third time and chided himself for being nervous. Matyhis’s presence added to his anxiety. Samruel’s near death reminded him he didn’t excel at protecting others. If he failed with Matyhis, his cousin would likely end up dead.