The Harbinger of Change

by Matthew Travagline

  Chapter 10

  With a few short hours of afternoon sun remaining, Cleo and Aarez arrived at their destination. Inconspicuously hidden among trees, the manor looked both plain and quaint despite rising three stories into the winter air.

  “It’s a little muted-looking now,” Aarez said, dismounting and leading Slipper over to the enclosed stables. “Many of the smaller accents are covered in snow. Come spring, you’ll see how beautiful it is, sitting in this little clearing of the forest. I hate it. Unnecessary opulence. It was my family’s gift to Nimbus for taking me in. Like a fucking echoer-dowry.”

  “I hope I’m not still here come spring,” Cleo murmured.

  Ignoring her, Aarez grabbed Perogie’s reins and led both horses into the stables. “Let’s quickly get them situated so we can go inside and get the fires going. Since the stables share a ventilation system with the house, the horses should be comfortable.”

  “We’re going to have to cut down half this forest to keep that house warm all winter,” Cleo said. “Can’t we close off other rooms and use the heat sparingly?” Cleo unrolled Perogie’s extra blanket from her pack and placed it on her mare’s back.

  “We should be able to,” Aarez said. “My family waited out last winteryear in here, and that was done without too much deforestation.” With the horses watered from a nearby well and set with food in their troughs, Cleo and Aarez stepped outside and started into the forest. “Hey, you know, we are only a few hours from Mirr,” he said. “We could ride there and stay at their inn for the night. It’ll give us all of tomorrow to get the house warm before the night’s chill.”

  “Wait, we are near Mirr?” Cleo spun around, looking for some indication of the cozy town, though the snow-stained limbs of trees choked out any sign of civilization in any direction.

  “Yeah, why?” Aarez asked, though Cleo appeared not to have heard. “Cleo?”

  “Nothing. Let’s go. But we aren’t staying at the inn. I know someone in town who we can stay with,” she mumbled, shivering at the thought of the torture Gnochi underwent when last they were passing through the town.

  “Okay, fine. Let me just check upstairs to see if we have any pigeon messages from Nimbus.” Cleo followed Aarez into the manor’s entryway. She found the inside air as bitterly cold as that outside. Scarce plain furniture, dusty from inactivity, adorned the hall. A bare hearth still bore the scorched remains of its last fire.

  Aarez ascended the massive stairs anchoring the entryway’s wall. She heard him as he crossed a hallway, his steps echoing through the empty manor.

  Glancing out a window, back toward the woods, Cleo remembered the night, months before, when she and Gnochi had fled Mirr and camped in a cave outside the small town. They had rushed off into a maelstrom of rain and wind in order to avoid Cleo’s uncle Bollo and a rotten man he had taken to traveling with. She remembered that when she was gathering wood for a fire, she thought she had seen a building in the woods. Was the Hopewell Forest Manor that which she had seen or was it some hallucination churned up by the rains.

  At the thought, she glanced into her bag, spying the leather armor that she had not worn in weeks. It glared up at her. When she last put it on, the tightness on her skin restricted her breathing, squeezing her heart as if saying, ‘How could you abandon him?’

  She studied the armor’s yet-unblemished surface, then clutched it and brought it through the first doorway she found. Before her was a room lined on each wall with wooden shelves spanning floor to ceiling. It reminded her of her father’s library, though the room was empty save a thick film of dust. She shrugged out of her poncho and lifted her jerkin over her head, shivering in the chilled air.

  Goosebumps rippled across her bare skin. She relished the numbness that came with the winteryear. The discomfort helped her imagine that she and Gnochi, who she believed to be wasting away in a small cell, were facing equal torments.

  The sound of barreling footsteps broke Cleo from her daze. She started strapping her torso armor behind her back when Aarez rushed into the room. “Cleo!” He yelled, “We’ve got two—”

  He stopped in the doorway with his mouth agape as he realized on what he had intruded. Cleo, supporting the armor where it remained unstrapped, turned and glared at the boy who, despite having ridden with her for nigh on a month, still had no grasp of privacy.

  “What are you doing? Ever heard of knocking?” Her words sounded harsh, but she had to force her smile to level out. She enjoyed watching him squirm.

  Aarez backed up, a nervous frown on his face. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he said, placing a hand over his eyes. “I was just so excited.”

  “Just give me a minute,” Cleo said, shutting the door in a swift motion. She felt a wave of fire ripple across her skin as the slam receded into the house, the last echoes finally disappearing. She struggled to secure the last straps. The armor was either too small, as it was on her legs, or it was too tight. She huffed out in aggravation, then tore the armor from her body.

  “Again, I am sorry about—that,” Aarez mumbled through the door, obviously hearing her frustrated breathing.

  Cleo replaced the clothes she had been wearing, then exited the room. “It’s a good thing we are near Mirr. I need to get my armor stretched or fixed.” She closed the door in her wake, taking care not to slam it. “Now, what news is so important that you had to barge in on me?”

  Aarez frowned, his face crimson with embarrassment. “I’m sorry. You know that I don’t—”

  “Aarez, we’ve been traveling together for weeks now. We’ve seen more of each other than we rightfully should. Remember, I’m not qualified, so you should definitely get that blemish looked at by a doctor.” She chuckled. “I was teasing you before. Besides, I know you. Anyway, what’s the news? Is it about Gnochi?”

  “There’s good news, and bad news.” Aarez said, his skin still ripe with embarrassment. “The good news is that Skuddy is on the king’s council. I should note that because of Gnochi assassinating Providence, there is a new king. Someone named Dorothea.”

  “Wait! Dorothea is king? He must know about Gnochi.” Cleo paused for a moment, thinking over the previous months of her journey with the troupe. “He knew of Gnochi and he did nothing. He’s culpable in his own brother’s murder.”

  “Yes, I was getting to that. Skuddy managed to stave off any comments of execution, but eventually, the council will outvote him.”

  “Then we have to go back and rescue him!”

  “Don’t be daft. There’s nothing we can do for Gnochi right now.”

  Cleo deflated, her eyes falling to the ground.

  “But there’s more,” he said. “There were two messages from Skuddy. One that was dated a week past, and one dated just after we left Nimbus. Apparently, he has sent someone that Gnochi knew and trusted to this location.”

  “Just one person?”

  “That’s what Skuddy wrote.”

  “Hmm, so this person should be close behind us?”

  “Within a week, I’d imagine, unless they dallied. Though we didn’t exactly make perfect time ourselves, so could be sooner.”

  “I wonder who it could be.”

  “You can muse it over on the way to Mirr. We’re going to have to speed up if we want to arrive before the evening.”

  ◆◆◆

  After two hours of riding at a brisk pace, Cleo and Aarez rode up to Mirr. She knew immediately that something was off in the small town. Despite there being a crowd of people ambling around when previously, the town sat barren, she finally spotted the difference, then stood in her stirrups.

  Aarez rode further into the town, stopping before a notice board.

  “That is Oslow’s shop,” she mumbled to herself. “And we are in the center of town. Where’s the inn?” She looked to where the building had stood, though in the dusk, she could see only the faintest impression of its scar on the earth.

  Aarez cantered over to where Cleo and Perogie stood without drawing attention from anyone
in the dwindling afternoon. “We had better get to your friend quick,” he said. Cleo made to question him, but he tugged her arm and gestured for silence, so she led them over to Oslow’s storefront where the pair secured their mounts. They walked inside, relaxing as a wave of nauseous heat washed over them.

  Behind the counter, Cleo was shocked to see the innkeeper. Jean had helped her and Gnochi dispose of the men hunting for them back when they were being hunted months prior. She smiled, upon seeing Cleo enter.

  Aarez closed the door quickly behind him, peeking out on watch.

  “Cleo? How are you, dear? Where’s Gnochi?”

  “Jean? What happened to your inn?” Cleo avoided the question about Gnochi. “Is Oo okay?”

  “Oslow is fine. I decided to tear down the inn after that day. I’ve been living here. Helping him out.” She paused as if collecting her nerves. “Where’s Gnochi? And who is this?”

  “This is Aarez,” Cleo said. “Aarez, this is Jean. Gnochi is—”

  “Jean? Did you say Gnochi?” Oslow, with a hurried pace, ambled into the store from the backroom.

  “Oo!” Cleo ran around the counter and hugged the burly tanner. Oslow had tucked his beard behind his head as though it were an elaborate scarf.

  A smile lit his face. “It’s good to see you, sweet Sapphire.” His arms encircled her back and he picked her up.

  “Easy, Oo, you don’t want to hurt yourself.”

  “I’ll be fine, Jeanie. Cleo is like a granddaughter to me. I’ll risk a broken back to hug her.” After being set down by her mentor’s old friend, she spied Aarez standing in awkward silence before the counter. She smiled, knowing that when she had told him she had friends in town, he no doubt imagined them closer to their age. “You aren’t wearing your armor. Did you outgrow it already?”

  “Yes, that’s part of the reason why we’re here.”

  “We? Is Gnochi with you?” Oslow had set Cleo back down and moved to the counter.

  “No, Oo. I’m traveling with a friend, Aarez. Aarez, let Oo feel your face.” Aarez inched forward and guided Oslow’s calloused hands to his face.

  “Oh my,” Oslow said, gasping upon feeling Aarez’s face.

  “I’m a eunuch, okay?” Aarez’s voice dripped an acid that begged anyone to comment.

  Oslow retracted his hands, then looked to the floor in shame. “I am sorry, Aarez. I meant no—”

  “Gnochi is in prison.” Cleo knew that this conversation would lead only to frustration, so she thought to change it.

  “I’d hoped those rumors to be false,” Olslow said, frowning.

  “That’s why Aarez and I are here. We’re staying at the manor some ways into the woods. Skuddy wanted to get me out of Blue Haven before the guard came looking for me.”

  “Did you say Skuddy? The Skuddy who heads Nimbus?” Oslow asked.

  Aarez perked his head up at the reference. “Yes,” he answered. “But we need to discuss this,” he said, slapping a piece of paper on the counter. “This was on your town’s bulletin board.” All eyes, including Oslow’s, fell to its torn surface. Drawn on it, with high regard for accuracy, was a woman’s face that looked strikingly similar to Cleo. The description under the portrait named her and informed that the she was wanted for charges of treason, and conspiracy to commit regicide.

  “Would someone care to indulge me?” Oslow said, waving a hand before his face and laughing.

  “It’s a wanted poster,” Jean said.

  “For me,” Cleo said, shock clear in her voice.

  “We’ll have to keep you hidden here then,” Oslow said. Cleo smiled at how quick he responded.

  “We’ll keep with our plan and stay in the Hopewell Forest Manor,” Aarez said, killing the debate before Cleo could chime in support. “All it takes is one person seeing you, Cleo, and the guard could be called down on this place.”

  “I agree,” Jean said, ignoring the sharp stare Oslow sent her way. “It’s not exactly like two new people in Mirr will go unnoticed. We can arrange to give you supplies, should you need any.”

  “Cleo, I need to share a word in private,” Oslow said. Cleo uttered an affirmative noise and grabbed his hand, leading him into the backroom. The door clicked shut after a slight gesture from the tanner’s staff. “I see that you have woken up to your echo.”

  “You knew?”

  “I did. But I did not say anything because neither you nor Gnochi seemed aware.”

  “Yeah, that became an issue later. Apparently, it’s a persuasive echo.” Cleo rubbed her hands together and diverted her eyes from her friend’s blind gaze.

  “You don’t need to go into it if—”

  “We talked it out, Oo. We are good, Gnochi and I.”

  “Oh, good. So, Gnochi was the one to assassinate Providence?”

  “Yes. He sent me off that night. Well, he and Skuddy did. It was Skuddy’s idea to make Aarez travel with me. He is a member of Nimbus, just like Gnochi.” Oslow’s eyebrows rose at the mention of Aarez’s name.

  “I know of Skuddy. Have worked with his people on numerous occasions. You’ll be safe in their care, Sapphire. If Skuddy says that Aarez is good, he’s good.”

  “I need to be working to bust Gnochi out though, Oo.”

  “There’s nothing you can do for Gnochi now. Echo or naught. He’s locked up in a Blue Haven dungeon. They’re notoriously secure.”

  “Yeah, that’s what Aarez keeps saying.”

  “About him. I take it you know that he is an echoer, then?”

  “Yes. His has something to do with diverting his life force,” Cleo explained.

  Oslow widened his eyes, his mouth opening at her words. “Let me help you, Cleo. I can get in touch with Skuddy and ask around in the city. If they haven’t killed him yet, then they must be waiting for something. I’ll try to find out. In the meantime, you need to stay in the manor as much as possible. There’s no telling who will recognize you if they saw that wanted poster. I’ll have Jean run supplies over to the manor every few days or so. I take it that you and he are staying in the manor over the full winteryear?”

  “Yes,” Cleo admitted, sorrow evident in her tone. “Seems like that’s the plan.”

  “We’ll keep you both fed and warm as coals under a stove.”

  “You’d do that for us? That’s got to be a huge financial burden,” Cleo said.

  “Of course. How else am I going to spoil my granddaughter? Besides, things have been quiet here. I’ve been without work nearly since you and Gnochi left all those months back.”

  “I could do to have my armor tweaked,” Cleo admitted. “Plus, I think we both could use some warmer clothes.”

  Oslow tinkered with a thimble. “If you and Aarez kill anything in the woods, save the skins and pelts and I’ll work anything up for you both.”

  “Thanks, Oo.” Cleo turned for the door.

  “Oh, and Cleo? Just know that no matter what happens between you and Gnochi, you’ll always have a place in front of my hearth.”

  ◆◆◆

  Later that evening, with packs full of food, Cleo and Aarez left Mirr for the forest manor. She had left her armor in Oslow’s shop for alterations. Despite the thickening clouds obscuring the evening sky, the sun behind shown bright enough overhead to provide a faint light by which the two travelers guided their mounts.

  Cleo remembered the path she had taken with Gnochi months back. She convinced Aarez to follow her. “If for no other reason than to be aware of another path back to the manor,” Cleo had argued.

  After nearly an hour, she had lost all recognition of the path. Aarez must have picked up on the fact that she was leading them blind. He accused her of being lost.

  “It was dark and rainy when I came through here last,” Cleo said. “Give me a break.”

  “What are you looking for?” he asked. “The horses are tiring and I’m ready to be out of the saddle.”

  “A cave.” Her eyes happened upon a dip in the squatty mountain. As they neared, it became an
opening. “A cave! Aarez, this is it.” She nudged Perogie into a gallop to close the distance. “This has got to be the cave that Gnochi and I stayed in when we came by on our way to Pike’s Cathedral. I was sure I had seen a building, but—”

  “Yes, I see the manor from here. Now carve your initials on a tree and let’s go!” Aarez said, motioning his mount through the snowy underbrush. Cleo dismounted, examining the ground, which showed significant evidence of recent foot-traffic at the mouth of the cave.

  “Look at this, Aarez,” she called back to her companion as she stepped in. The clop of Slipper’s hooves returned to the cave mouth. In the back of the cave, Cleo spotted a prone shape. She inched close to it. It was a person. “Aarez, come quick! There’s a woman in here.”

  “Good, let’s leave her to her own business and get fires in the hearths or we’ll freeze tonight,” he called out.

  “Says the man who, not days ago, was telling me that I need to be more open in letting people into my life.” She walked around so she stood in the clear sightline of the woman, who was either heavily asleep, or unconscious.

  “That was a marked messenger, not some strange woman in a cave,” he countered.

  “Let’s at least make sure that she is okay,” Cleo said, stooping over the woman’s prone shape. She removed her glove and felt at the woman’s forehead. “She’s nearly frozen!” Remembering one of Gnochi’s lessons, Cleo checked her neck for a pulse, and found it weak to her touch.

  Aarez arrived at her side.

  “Quick, help me get her inside the manor and before a fire.” Cleo hooked her arms behind the woman’s armpits and dragged her out of the cave. Out in the light of evening, the two travelers first noticed that her burnt red hair was matted with dirty snow. Her head lolled as if she had already died. Reluctantly, Aarez grabbed her legs and helped hoist her onto Perogie’s back. They walked the two horses to the manor, careful to support the unconscious woman.