Sivish warmly greets them when they enter the inn, offering them a table with hot soup and a drink. He has barely seen any customers all winter, and they are a welcome sight. He asks the group how long they will stay, and Mashaun tells him just one night. He inquiries about the bands of Tsaub roaming the forest and attacks to the north, knowing that nothing crosses the mountains without the people of Myelikkan knowing. They tell Sivish about the group of Tsaub they encountered and they know that some got away. Sivish informs them about the rumors of awrks and ogres crossing the mountains to the south. The group blankly looks at him, shaking their heads as what he is saying starts to sink in. They know about the Tsaub, but the others are a surprise.
When the four ask about the awrks and ogres, Sivish looks surprised, telling them some recent travelers have told him that ogres and awrks have been attacking south of Tenskie. Mai asks him about the awrks, and he tells them that awrks are about human size, and while they aren’t as smart, they are cunning and are always traveling in groups. Sometimes a group will have an ogre as a leader, relying on strength, with the belief that might makes right. Ogres tend to be nearly twice as tall with the strength to match. Both can be outsmarted, but don’t underestimate them—what they lack in smarts, they more than make up with tenacity. Then he leaves the group to talk with a couple of warriors that just enter the inn.
They don’t say much the rest of the evening as Tera and Abigail take one room. Abigail adds another verse to her ballad of the strangers. Wilmer and Berg are in another room, while Mai and Mashaun take a third. One by one, they each head off to bed until Mashaun is by himself, enjoying the solitude and the crackling fire until Sivish joins him, cautiously looking around.
In a hushed tone, Sivish tells Mashaun, “You need to stay out of the Shen Sherin. Word has it that Magdalenia is looking for you.”
“Why? Is she still mad that I beat her in court?” Mashaun asks him.
Sivish shakes his head. “I think there is more to it than you embarrassing her in court.”
Mashaun thanks him for the information and assures Sivish that he will stay out of the city. After another mug of elfin wine, he leaves and goes to bed.
The next morning, as they are finishing their morning stew and getting ready to leave, Mashaun tells them to go upstairs to make sure they have not forgotten anything. When they try to argue, his tone gets harsh, and they all go check one last time, wondering what’s gotten into him. Surprising Sivish by his demeanor, and when he asks him about it, Mashaun tells him that Magdalenia will be walking through that door any minute. He prefers that none of them be around for her to see. Sivish is about to ask him how he knows. Magdalenia enters, slamming the door open, strutting across the room with her patronizing attitude. Sivish recognizes her demeanor and sends the two serving girls to keep everybody upstairs and out of sight.
Everybody scrambles from the room, leaving only Magdalenia, Mashaun, and Sivish, who stands by the bar. One of her guards is standing by the door, with another at the base of the stairs. Magdalenia quickly covers the distance between her and Mashaun, where he politely but nonchalantly offers her a seat. Leaning forward and putting her hands on the table, before speaking.
“You know where my red staff is, and I want it back,” Magdalenia says with a viperous tone.
“I do?” he replies calmly, barely looking up from his stew.
Magdalenia replies, “I know that you do, and believe me, I will make your life a living hell if you do not return it.”
“When did I supposedly have this staff, and what does it looks like?” he asks her, still not looking at her.
“You know what it looks like!” she snarls, getting irritated at his cavalier attitude, slapping the bowl of stew across the room.
“What-are-you-talking-about.” he says, making sure that he pauses between each word as he stands up.
Feeling uncomfortable at his defiance, she leans back. He stands a full head taller, but more than that, he leans toward her, showing no fear. Sivish watches Mashaun face down Magdalenia in disbelief. He is not the same person that was here last fall. The months at Myelikkan have changed him, made him more confident, or foolish.
“Look, miscreant, I know that you have my staff, and I will get it back.” She glares at him.
“I hope you do get it back… because you are nothing without your crutch,” he tells her mockingly.
A surprised Sivish fears the worst by Mashaun brashness.
They stare at each other for several long moments before Magdalenia leans back, looking around the room. All the animals have turned, facing them, ready to pounce if either one of them attacks the other or if she uses any magic.
“We will meet again, that I guarantee, and these animals or my brother will not be there to protect you,” she snarls before turning around and storming out the door.
After she leaves, Sivish joins him, bringing another bowl and something to drink.
“How did you know she was going to walk through the door?” Sivish asks.
“I don’t know, sometimes I dream, and it comes true,” he says.
“Do you always make such an impression?” Sivish asks.
“Not always, just with people that piss me off,” Mashaun answers.
“Well, you have one powerful enemy,” Sivish tells him.
“Yes, I know,” Mashaun, replies as he’s finishing his drink.
“So it is you,” Sivish replies.
“What do you mean?” Mashaun questions, looking at him, puzzled.
“Magdalenia used to be the most powerful and influential person in Shen Sherin, but last autumn, she lost her clone, her staff, and then her slaves in a court battle for ownership. Since then, she has been slowly losing power, and the townspeople have quietly spoken of their disdain for her. Not that long ago, the people wouldn’t dare challenge her. I feel the winds of change blowing, and they will become a torrent before it calms,” Sivish tells him.
“According to the stories of old, the prophecy will begin several years before all three moons block out the sun. If the prophecy is fulfilled then the ancients and Thesila will return. The mages will lose much of the control they have over the people.”
“What prophecy?”
“The Thesila Prophecy. You have already put things in motion that are beyond your control. You are the bringer of the Prophecy, and
I think that Magdalenia has figured that out.”
“Wow! One last thing, who’s her brother?” Mashaun asks.
Sivish looks at him as though he were about to say something just as the others come downstairs, peppering Mashaun with lots of questions. The group decides to stay an extra day before leaving for Shen Sherin. All day long, they pelt him with questions, and all he will tell them is that he had a visitor. They all ask him who, but he remains tight lip, only saying that it doesn’t concern them. The next morning, he tells them that he has something to do and won’t be going to the city and will meet them outside Arnbor.
They voice their concerns about him outside the city by himself, but Wilmer and Mashaun remind them that he is better equipped to survive in the wilds than in the city. Before they could argue the point further, Mashaun leaves, disappearing into the forest like a ghost in the night. Mai asks Wilmer if he really thinks he will be OK in the forest by himself, and he quickly tells her, “Absolutely.” Tera tells them Shen Sherin is her home and that they can stay at her house. Abigail is the first to agree as they head down the road.
They continue to the city, each wondering what transpired the previous morning, certain it is why he is hiding in the forest. It is near dark when they approach Shen Sherin. Tera goes first through the pillars, and as she does, one of the guards questioningly speaks her name in disbelief before giving her a big hug. The others look on with bewilderment, and when they escort Tera into the interrogation room, they become even more confused, except Wilmer, then two guards ask the group to join her.
They enter a room full of laughter, and Tera introduces
them to her mother, Kristina, the gate captain. Food and drink are brought into the room, as the guards leave. Tera and her mother catch up on events of the past few years since she left for Myelikkan. They could tell that Tera went to study with Llewellyn with her mother’s blessings. Kristina is both happy and disappointed that Tera has returned. Tera tells her about the training, the living conditions, and friends. Including the ones lost on her patrol, as her eyes start to water. Realizing she should have left that out, at least for now. Kristina can tell that Tera has stopped short of telling her the whole story and starts asking lots of probing questions out of habit.
Kristina is good at asking questions; after all, that is what she does. Tera eventually tells her about the Tsaub, sending Mashaun for reinforcements, the ambush, and her surviving the avalanche. With some more prying, she eventually finishes the story by removing her glove, revealing her four-fingered hand while telling her that she feels lucky to be alive because she is the only survivor of her patrol.
Kristina hugs her for a long time before asking, “How did you survive?”
Tera tells her, “They sent a patrol out to find me, and even though I was outside of the patrol area, they still found me because of one exceptional person.” Mai’s eyes flashed red, thinking that she might have some competition.
Kristina asks, “Who was in charge of the patrol?”
“Mashaun, the same one who was sent back to get help,” Tera replies.
The group tries to leave, giving them some privacy, but the guards would not allow it.
“Has he been to the city?” Kristina asks.
Tera thought for a moment before turning and asking Mai.
There is a short pause as Mai thinks about her answer before replying nervously, “Yes, he has, ma’am.”
“When? Spit it out, Mai,” Kristina commands.
“Last fall, with Pavvo, ma’am,” she finally answers.
Kristina looks at them for a while, and then it is like turning on a lightbulb.
“Is he the one with the red glowing bow?” Kristina asks.
The three of them nod their heads almost in unison. Kristina turns to the guards, telling them in a commanding tone that none of this conversation leaves the room if they value their tongues. Then she instructs the guards to take them to her place and tells them to wear their hoods before they leave the room. They look at her, puzzled, wanting to know why, but she would only tell them that it is for their own safety. She asks Wilmer what his plans are. He tells her that he would go to Pavvo’s for the night.
She nods, sending them on their way, telling Tera to go straight home and no side trips. Tera asks Mai what all the fuss is about as Mai looks at Tera puzzled, shaking her head. “But it’s a good bet that is why Mashaun did not come with us,” Mai asks Tera if he is really any safer outside the city. Tera reassures her that if anybody can survive, he can. Wilmer notices a couple of hooded figures taking a little too much interest in their movements. Wilmer takes a couple of turns, watching the two hooded men follow them. Once on the island where Tera lives, he tells her to go and bar the doors. She can tell by his look that she is not to argue. Wilmer leaves them just a block from Tera’s home, heading down a side street in the other direction.
Kristina lives on one of the inner islands where all the military commanders reside. A modest two-story building with several small windows overlooks a small courtyard. Tera takes them to a medium sized room with a fireplace and running water on the second floor. She offers them something to drink, telling them to make themselves comfortable while they wait for her mom, each one wondering what is going on. Before they finish their drinks, Kristina walks through the door, making sure that all the curtains are drawn.
After getting herself something to drink, she invites the group in the living room before quietly asking them if anything strange happened on the way to the city. They look at one another, trying to think. Each, in turn, tells her no until Tera mentions Mashaun rudely sending them upstairs at the Golden Unicorn, and then they weren’t allowed back downstairs. They had never seen him so demanding and thought that was strange for him. When Kristina asks what happened afterwards, they tell her that when they left the inn, he told them that he would rejoin them later before disappearing into the forest. Kristina approvingly nods her head, telling them that was the best thing that he could have done.
Kristina tells them that she has a theory. The other morning, Magdalenia left town before sunrise and returned about mid-afternoon in a fouler mood than is normal. Kristina tells them that Magdalenia has been obsessed with finding the person responsible for killing her clone and taking her staff and believes that Mashaun is responsible. Kristina believes that Magdalenia met with Mashaun at the Golden Unicorn probably to scare him. By the look on her face when she returned, it didn’t go as planned. She asks if any of them saw what happened, and they all shook their heads no. “If Magdalenia believes that that he is responsible, then that puts him and all of you in danger,” Tera asks if that included her. Kristina doesn’t know.
Mai, Abigail, and Berg all look at the two of them puzzled. Before Berg asks what is going on, Kristina tells them that for many years, “Magdalenia ruled the city from behind the scenes—everything, from the merchants to the judges. Nothing went on in the city without her approval or at least her knowledge. Her biggest rival is Pavvo, the same person you came to town with last fall.” The three look at one another with disbelief. Somehow, they had gotten themselves into the middle of a feud between two powerful players without even knowing it. Tera tells them that they will have to be cautious in town. They already figured that, but how were they going to get anything done with Magdalenia looking for them? They think.
It has gotten late, and they are tired from the trip as they decide on sleeping arrangements and settle down for the night. Mai finds a spot by the door and sleeps placing her feet against it like she watched Mashaun do so many times. Morning comes without incident, and Kristina gets ready for work. They have something to eat and get ready to leave when Kristina tells them not to go out, telling them that she would work on finding a safer place but for now it would be best if no one knows they are in town. Hesitantly they all agree, one by one. Shortly after Kristina leaves, they are sitting around talking when they hear a noise from upstairs.
Berg and Abigail hide in the kitchen with daggers drawn while Mai and Tera hide under the stairs. Four masked men sneak down the stairs with short swords drawn. Like cats, they move through the house when one of them points to Abigail’s foot sticking out. Just as he grabs for her, Berg slashes his arm, and the masked man recoils as another grabs Berg. Mai and Tera jump from their hiding place. Tera drops one of the masked men by kicking him behind the knee, yelling at them to run. Berg breaks free. Grabbing Abigail, they run out the back only to their clothes grabbed by someone else before reaching the door. Tera knocks another one over, and the remaining one follows Berg out the back. Mai and Tera are close behind, knocking the two masked men down, grabbing Berg and Abigail as they dash past two hooded archers.
CHAPTER 18
Hide n Seek
The next morning, Kristina sends a guard to bring Pavvo to the room without telling him why. Pavvo is surprised with the request, although it sounds more like a command. He accompanies the guard to the interrogation room, where Kristina is sitting in a chair. She excuses the guard and tells him that they are not to be disturbed for any reason, and no one is to know that he is here. The guard nods as he leaves. She offers him a seat before setting up the four cubes.
“What is this about?” Pavvo asks with curiosity.
“Do you remember the spirit bow that arrived with your caravan last fall?” Kristina asks in her usual stern manner.
“You mean Mashaun, nice young man and a good person to have on your side,” Pavvo replies nonchalantly.
“Yes, that’s the one. What do you know about him?” she asks.
Pavvo thinks for a while before answering.
“I met the
group on the road, and after his help with some bandits, I offered him a guard’s position to help replenish the ones I lost. Why?” he responds casually.
“Before I answer that, I have a few more questions. Do you think that he is the reason that Magdalenia has been losing power, putting her in a belligerent mood?” she inquires. He thinks that is a strange question coming from her.
He thinks for a moment before answering. “I don’t know, but her mood deteriorated about the time he showed up, didn’t it?”
She decides to throw out a couple of stories to see what kind of response she gets.
“Some say that she lost her clone and her staff about the same time, shortly before he arrived.”
He looks at her, trying to read her intentions before answering.
“Yes, I have heard that,” he answers in a neutral tone.
“Do you think he had anything to do with it?” she asks.
“You would have to ask him,” he calmly replies.
“I’m asking you,” she snaps back. This is not usual for her, and he wonders what has her on edge.
“I don’t know… you need to ask him.” His tone gets sharper.
“I would if I knew where to find him,” she snaps back, sounding frustrated.
“Why?” Pavvo finally asks, realizing that there is more here than meets the eye.
She thinks for a moment before replying.
“His friends are back in town, they arrived with my daughter,” she tells him.
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