Shattering Dreams

by Catherine M Walker

  Alex emerged, his fingers interlinked with Amelia’s as they walked toward the main group. He took in the jacket that Alison was wearing and his eyes flicked to Kyle as he recognised it as one he hated. Mostly due to the bright red colour.

  “Should I ask? Or don’t I want to know?” Alex was relaxed and amused. “Ali, I’m not sure you want to be wearing that skirt thing. If it doesn’t detach from the pants, let Kyle cut it off with one of his daggers. I take it what’s under the jacket is even worse, since it’s a little big on you and belongs to Kyle.” Alex stood with a slight smile on his lips, his eyes drilling into Alison’s, waiting for a response.

  Alison went bright red, her fingers pressing against her lips in shock at Alex’s blunt assessment. Alex, not waiting for a response, walked up to his sister and kissed her on the cheek. “Morning Eliza, so Father gave in to your pleading?” He gave her a quick hug then planted a kiss on Jess’ forehead. “Morning, Jess.”

  Alex looked around, appraising Kyle’s efforts with his knife as he cut off the skirt from Ali’s pants with one of his blades. Ali mostly stood silent, somewhat mortified with the response she had received at her clothing choice. When Kyle was done, he tossed the fabric aside at one of the passing servants who disposed of it in the last of the carts as it pulled out of the camp and headed down the road. They had a fair bit of distance to cover and would reach the next camp much later than the rest of them. Still, they would change drivers and horses at the next campsite and the carts would leapfrog the camp and head toward the next to start the set-up in preparation for the King’s arrival.

  Nodding, Alex grinned at the others as their horses were led to them by the remaining guards.

  “Sorry we kept you waiting. Let’s go, shall we?”

  At their murmured agreement, he took the reins of Amelia’s horse while she mounted, waiting as the others followed suit before mounting his own.

  “Let’s ride.” Alex spurred his horse forward, leading the party out of the camp.

  Jess glanced back at her sister’s miserable face, noticing that Elizabeth was also looking a little tired. She then checked on Amelia, although she needn’t have worried on that score. Not only was Amelia holding up well compared to the other two ladies, Alex was keeping a close eye on her fatigue levels.

  Trying to hide her impatience at their slow pace (and not succeeding all that well), Jess captured Alex and Kyle’s attention and drew their attention to a suitable spot to rest. Kyle looked as irritated as she felt but indicated agreement with a gesture that Alex mirrored. Jess sighed and spurred her horse into a gallop toward the forest edge; it was off their usual path but they didn’t require as many regular breaks as they had been having. She could hear her guards, who’d followed her; they were getting used to her now. Jess glanced to either side and with some simple hand signs let them know she was checking out the site ahead.

  Both guards acknowledged and passed the message back. Or Jess thought they must have, since more of the guards broke away from the main party and spurred their horses to catch up, or at least follow, in their wake.

  Jess breathed a sigh of relief to get away from the main party—or rather, her sister. That Alison had joined them today instead of riding with the King’s party was painful. Alison was everything their mother thought a lady should be and looked down on her little sister with disdain. Jess smiled; this was her element, not her sister’s. She was more wild, along with both Kyle and Alex. They were even seen that way in the palace. Still, where everyone more or less gave her a wide berth due not only to her own reputation but because of her association with Kyle and Alex, Alison did not. There was the inner power circle. Then there was the three of them, both within that circle of power, yet separate.

  As she approached the forest edge, Jess slowed her horse to a trot as she searched for a suitable glade close enough for ease of access but far enough in that the trees would screen them from view of the casual observer. She knew there was a small village nearby but the rules governing the moving of the Royal Court prevented them from utilising any of the facilities outside of an emergency, so the local tavern in the village was out of the question, which was a shame. Jess grinned at the memory of one occasion when the three of them had gone there despite the rules. That tavern made the best potpies and had a decent brew that the tavern owner and his wife made themselves. It turned out they were related to the owner of one of their favourite bars in Taverns Row: The Barrel in Callenhain. Grinning as she came to an idea, Jess drew in a small amount of the veil and reached out to Alex and Kyle.

  The Sisters Barrel is in the village over the hill there. How about I take some guards, find a temporary camp and go get us some food packaged up and two skins of their best brew? We can take a longer break so your sister can rest a little and then still make it into camp before nightfall.

  She felt Alex’s immediate interest and even Kyle perked up at the thought. It was Kyle who responded. That sounds like a good idea. Need a hand with the supplies?

  Jess considered her options and grinned. Well I wasn’t planning on walking or riding so yes, why not? It would be easier. I’ll wait for you to get here and while the others are setting up the rough camp we’ll disappear.

  Jess heard Alex’s chuckle as he appreciated her quip. Just make sure the others don’t see you go. Alex’s frustration was clear in his tone. I’d like to come but I’ll keep your sister (and mine) distracted.

  Jess snorted at the likely reaction if everyone saw her disappear into the Veiled World. While the members of the Royal Family knew that the three of them had more of the veil running through their blood, she didn’t think even they realised how much of what the three of them were capable of. Jess wasn’t even aware of when they had kept that information to themselves or why they had thought it necessary.

  As she waited, Jess frowned, glancing around, but could not work out what was making her uneasy. She’d found a small glade that looked suitable for their party and sent one of the hunter-trackers to guide the rest of the party to their location.

  Jess rubbed the back of her neck and pulled in the veil, scanning her surroundings with not only her eyes but ranging out with her mind. The forest became overlaid with the grey strands that pulsed with power; with her vision augmented she could see the glowing, pulsing heartbeats of the small creatures in the forest, power seeping from the ground, trees and even the animals. Finding nothing but small game animals and birds, Jess shook off her unease, dismissing it as likely just due to the unknown location and having the responsibility of seeing to others’ safety.

  Jess sat on a fallen log, leaning back against the trunk of another tree that had fallen nearby with one booted foot up on the log while the other hung down the side of the trunk, her foot on the ground. Some of the hunters had gone off to see if they could collect small game to supplement the evening meal while they were here—saving time at the other end, since it was obvious they would be a little later than normal.

  Jess looked up as the others arrived at the glade and noted her sister’s pinched look of disapproval. Jess sighed and pushed her irritation aside. Alison was suited to many things, like sitting in a bower; however, being on the road was not one of them. Jess ignored her sister and looked toward Alex, seeing that Kyle was already sliding from his horse and extracting an empty leather bag from one of his saddlebags. Jess grinned. Kyle always seemed to be prepared for anything. She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d figured that they would stop somewhere around here and had remembered The Sisters Barrel long before it had occurred to her.

  As Kyle left his horse to the guards, he waved off his own pair of Elite that, as always, had turned to go with him.

  “The path we will use is not one you can tread on.”

  His guards looked at each other then back at Marcus, who waved them back.

  “Be careful, My Lord.” With that sole admonishment, he turned and went about securing the temporary camp.

  As Kyle drew near, Jess stood and joined in ste
p with him as they left the glade. Her own Elite were waved off by Marcus before she had to do anything. When they were far enough from the encampment, they both pulled in the veil and, without breaking step, shifted to that grey place, neither in this world or the other. It allowed them to move from one place to another much quicker than they could in the normal world. Still, thinking about the how and why of the Veiled World and that place between both worlds made their heads hurt. Other than the rare occasions when they tried to make sense of it all, they ignored it. It worked, that was the main thing, and it was a path that few could use.

  Both paused as the veil parted and revealed the village and tavern. It was a sleepy little village but big enough to support a number of taverns. Checking that no one was in the small alleyway behind The Barrel’s Sister, they transitioned, and as they strode forward, the grey mist dropped from them. If someone had been watching at that moment it would be like the pair of them slowly materialised out of nowhere. Jess smirked as she remembered one time when an old drunk had seen the three of them appear in the Old Town. The experience had scared him sober; they’d heard he was sober to this day, thinking the drink had caused him to see things that weren’t there.

  Continuing to scan their surroundings, they wandered around the side of The Barrel’s Sister into the main street. While the village might have been small, thanks to its proximity to the Royal Way, others who weren’t constrained by the rules of the Royal Court could stop at the village. Thus, this acceptable tavern didn’t look like it would have been out of place on Taverns Row in Vallantia or Callenhain. It did a bustling trade not just with locals but with all the through traffic. Well used to strangers wandering through their village, the locals paid them no more attention than they would anyone else who came through. Their travel clothes may have marked them as wealthy, but then again so were many of the merchant caravans that passed through. Their weapons wouldn’t draw much attention unless they drew them with intent to use them. Just about everyone who passed through was armed and the merchant caravans used armed guards. Again, it was familiar. Jess pulled the hood of her cloak further down so it obscured her face within its depths and the cloak itself hid the sigils of the Fourth from casual observers. She didn’t have to look to know Kyle had done the same.

  They walked into the tavern through the large double wooden doors, pausing just inside by habit to scan the room for any threat. As they had expected, the tavern was bustling with an assortment of traders, guards and a handful of mercenaries, a few them professional enough to have noted their entrance and, by instinct, checked their own weapons.

  Jess smiled within the confines of her hood, knowing those in the room couldn’t see her face. They saw two well-armed, unknown individuals and were assessing them for a threat, just as she and Kyle were assessing them. Kyle, she knew, looked dangerous. Dressed in his usual dark, black tones, his every move was a combination of strength and grace. No one who saw him had any doubt at all he could handle himself. She also knew that most, seeing her dressed this way with the weapons she was carrying and in company with Kyle, pegged her as being just as dangerous.

  Moving together, not needing to talk to coordinate their movement, they walked toward the bar, dismissing the assorted people as harmless. Getting involved in a bar room brawl was not their goal today. The tavern owner working behind the bar had noted their entrance and smiled at their approach.

  “Welcome to The Barrel’s Sister, travellers. What can I get for you?”

  The man was well muscled and had scars that proclaimed he’d been a swordsman at one stage in his life, and the way he assessed their own weaponry gave away he’d been a good one. Or at least good enough to recognise good weaponry when he saw it.

  “So formal, Evan? I know it’s been some time since we’ve called in but I didn’t think you’d forget me so soon.” Jess smiled and drew back her hood as she settled on a stool.

  The barman, Evan, looked startled and then grinned. “My, um, Jess, it’s good to see you. I take it you aren’t staying given the time of the year?”

  Jess grinned; not only had Evan been a good swordsman, he was a smart one. Kyle chuckled and threw back his own hood, taking the drink that Evan slid toward him.

  “Thank you, Evan. Yes we’d like nothing better than to stay but circumstances prevent it. Could we get trail lunch, whatever it is today, enough for a party of six, and some extras for, well let’s just say, assorted others—use your own judgement there—and two skins of your fine brew?” Kyle passed the empty satchels both he and Jess had brought across the bar to Evan, who nodded with a grin and disappeared into the kitchen.

  Jess knew from experience that it wouldn’t take long so she settled in and sipped her drink while they waited. She noted that most of the occupants of the bar, given the barman’s reaction to them, had gone back to their own meals and discussions. She’d only just finished her drink when the barman reappeared and passed the full bags back to them.

  “There’s beef and wild mushroom pies today, fresh from the oven, and the usual bread, cheese, meat and some fruit, and two skins of our brew.” Evan grinned at them as Jess slid coins across the bar, not failing to notice she’d paid him well for the food.

  “Thank you Jess, Kyle, I hope you all come back when you have more time to stay overnight. We’ll always have room for you all.” Evan’s smile faltered then he continued in a lower voice. “I’d show caution on the road, my friends. One of the farmers’ lads went mad the other night, slaughtered the whole family. He’s still out there somewhere—there’s been rumours of a few attacks against caravans by the Sundered of late from the merchant caravans that pass through.”

  Kyle paused and nodded. “Thank you for the provisions and the information. We will keep our wits about us.”

  Jess swung the pack onto her back and pulled her hood up once more as they left the dark confines of the bar, walking purposefully back out into the main street then around the side to the back alleyway they’d arrived in. Without pause, they both drew in the veil and dissipated from view in a matter of four steps down the alleyway, making their way back to the small clearing where they had left the rest of their group.

  Alex had deflected several questions about where Jess and Kyle had disappeared to, and ignored the rest. While Elizabeth wasn’t too bad and took a hint, Jess’ sister, Alison, was getting on his nerves. The only positive thing he could say about her coming on the ride with them was that he doubted she would ever ride with them again. He predicted she would be back in a carriage with the King’s party the next day.

  While he was happy perched on the log he’d seen Jess on earlier with the convenient tree as a backrest and Amelia next to him, that hadn’t been good enough for Alison. She’d thrown a fit and insisted that a camping chair be unpacked. Her mood did not improve when Alex countermanded her order, much to the relief of their staff. So she sat on the other end of the same log with a pained and disapproving expression on her face.

  Elizabeth looked happy and had shrugged and sat on the ground with her back against a log. One guard, seeing her sitting on the ground, smiled then untied a blanket from the back of his saddle and spread it on the ground next to her.

  “Here, Your Highness, it’s not much but you are welcome to it.” The guardsman blushed when Elizabeth thanked him for his kindness and deposited herself on the blanket, lying down and looking up at the canopy above her.

  “I can see why you escape the confines of the palace as much as you can, Alex, it’s so peaceful out here.” Elizabeth cocked her head to one side, looking up at Alex.

  “It is—even more so when it’s just Kyle, Jess and me. The entourage makes it a little less peaceful than it normally is.” Alex laughed and then closed his eyes, feeling the power of the veil flow and pulse through him, around him, not trying to use or control anything; it was peaceful. Controlling and using the power took work; cutting off from the veil took even more, and was not as easy as the healers seemed to think it was. Alex smiled when
he sensed that familiar surge, each of them had their own ‘signature’, and he knew Jess and Kyle were back with their booty from the tavern.

  A few moments later, Jess and Kyle walked into the clearing with packs full to bursting point. They handed the bags to the servants, murmuring a few instructions. While they had been gone, the servants had placed down blankets on the ground with some mugs and napkins. Now, opening the backpacks, they pulled out the wrapped food. The second backpack that held bread, cheese, meat, fruits and even a few of the pies they handed off to the guards, who set about dividing the unexpected food with appreciation. It was much better than the trail fare they had been about to eat. Other than when their charges went off, leaving them behind, it was these thoughtful touches that made all of them vie to remain on duty with Alex, Kyle and Jess, even though others seemed to think the three were more trouble than they were worth. Then again, those of them who worked with the three weren’t inclined to tell them otherwise.

  Both Jess and Kyle wandered over, grinning, and Alex grinned back. “Successful shopping trip, I see.”

  Kyle nodded and sprawled on the rug next to Elizabeth while Jess regained her perch on the log near Alex and Amelia. They all murmured their thanks as the servants bustled around, handing them mugs of the ale they had poured from the skins. Elizabeth propped herself up and took a tentative sip of the brew and then looked up at Alex and across at Kyle. Her surprise clear, she took another sip.

  “This is good. Wherever did you get it from? It’s even still chilled!” Elizabeth grinned and took another sip.

  Alex laughed. “There is a village just over the hill. It has a good tavern; the barman and his wife make the brew themselves and belong to the same family that brews the ale at The Barrel—that inn belongs to his father.”