Conflict (37 page)

A familiar voice reached her.

“It looks as if I got here just in time.”

When she heard him her heart burst with joy.

“Kendas! I can’t believe it! Kendas! You came to my rescue!”

The Royal Lancer smiled and said:

“Of course, Aliana, you didn’t expect me to abandon you in these forests.”

“I knew you’d come for me, I knew!”

“Did you ever doubt me? I’ve been on your trail since you fell in the river.”

The Lancer walked over to her. Aliana hugged him so hard he dropped his bow.

“Thank you, Kendas. Thank you, you can’t imagine how grateful I am.”

“Don’t thank me yet, we have to get out of here first. Let’s get on the move quickly, soon there’ll be other patrols pursuing us.”

“I agree.”

“What shall we do with the Usik girl?” the Royal Lancer asked.

“She’s a friend. She’s coming with us.”

“Really? Interesting. What’s her name?”

“My name Asti. I give you thanks. Not forget you save me.”

“Pleased to meet you, Asti. And now let’s run, I can already make out those big eagles searching for us from the sky. We’d better hide where they can’t see us, hidden under the thickest trees.”

“Will we get out of this alive, Kendas?” Aliana asked, looking for some trace of hope.

“We will, Aliana, I promise!”

The three fugitives went deeper into the forest, running northwards, into the heart of the giant forest which swallowed all traces of their presence.

Komir was sitting on the moth-eaten trunk at the foot of his bed, waiting. He was lost in his own thoughts, looking at the warm morning light creeping into his small room at the inn. That particular morning had not begun at all well. Komir had gone in search of Hartz, intending to talk to him, to sort things out…He had opened the door and walked into the room, excited by the good news that he had been able to activate the medallion and work magic… He was looking forward to sharing the news with the giant. It was fantastic news, deeply important.

He walked in without knocking and was faced with something totally unexpected. Kayti was lying on the bed, completely naked! Her young, snow-white body rested there seductively; her firm round breasts were uncovered, her sensuous hips rested on the sheet and her fiery hair fell around her shoulders. The sight momentarily blinded Komir.

It was a shocking surprise. Not for a moment had it crossed Komir’s mind that Hartz might not be alone. Much less that he would find himself in such an embarrassing situation.

Komir reddened to the roots of his hair, and his face burnt with self-consciousness.

“Hi, Komir,” she greeted him nonchalantly.

Komir did not know what to do, what to say or where to look. He managed to mumble an apology, looking away from the girl.

“So…. so sorry… I need to speak to Hartz… will you please tell him to come see me as soon as he comes back?”

“He went down for some breakfast, he was starving. I don’t think he’ll be long,” Kayti said calmly, looking him in the eye.

“Thank you…” he mumbled again, looking down at the floor, trying at all costs not to stare at the redhead’s curvaceous nakedness.

“Don’t worry, I’ll give him your message," Kayti said without making the slightest move to cover her body, as if the situation did not bother her in the least.

Komir nodded and left the room without looking back, totally confused, flushed by a mixture of self-consciousness and rage.

What had surprised him was not finding that the giant had spent the night with Kayti; in fact, he had suspected something of the sort. But the way he had discovered it was certainly embarrassing. He had more or less known it would end up happening sooner or later, that was the nature of things like that. But, it had troubled him deeply, even though he would never show it in front of Hartz. They were friends, the best of friends, he would bear with the giant’s mistakes, and this was a very big one. Kayti was no good, and although Hartz could not see it because of the love spell she had cast on him, he could certainly see it himself and would protect his friend against tide and storm, even if that meant fighting against the woman who was clouding his friend’s reason.

He had already tried unsuccessfully to remove the silk bandage over the eyes of the big Norriel. The fact that Hartz did not realize infuriated him, for he could not understand how he did not see that Kayti was playing with him. After thinking long and hard about it, Komir had reached the conclusion that the best way to help his friend was to stay with him and try to unmask the treacherous redhead. Getting angry with Hartz would be no good. He had to catch her in the act
,
he needed undeniable proof that she was lying to them, that she was only following her own plan.

It would not be an easy task, particularly now that she had the giant under her spell. Komir could only begin to imagine the pleasures that Kayti might be giving his friend. He recalled the sensual body, firm breasts, long soft legs… Knowing Hartz’s generous heart it was more than likely that he was totally ensnared by the charms of that harpy. He imagined him in her arms, like a fascinated child, obeying that deceitful woman’s every wish. He had to stop his friend becoming a puppet and turning against him, which would be sure to happen unless he did something to set things right. On the other hand he would have to tread carefully, since if he pressed too hard Hartz would turn against him, leaving him at Kayti’s mercy. That must not happen, so he would bite his tongue no matter how agonizing it was.

A couple of knocks on the door brought him back to reality.

“Come in!” he said.

Hartz walked into the room and closed the door behind him. When Komir saw the happiness reflected on his friend’s face and the look of pure ecstasy he could not hide, all his fears were confirmed. She already had him, he was tied up in her net. Komir was on the point of saying something bitter, but he stopped himself in time, calmed his urge to lash out at his friend and instead said ironically:

“I see you had a good night…”

Hartz looked at him, sighed deeply and said:

“Absolutely right, a
very good
night…”

“I see… just what a warrior needs after the battle.”

“That’s right, just what I needed.”

They both remained silent, looking each other in the eye, both aware of the delicate situation and of the tension which was growing between them.

It’s not the moment for arguing,
Komir reasoned with himself as he looked into his friend’s eyes.
I’ll just have to go on looking for ways to make him see how mistaken he is. But I mustn’t press him too much or the situation will explode
.

“I need to talk to you,” Komir said.

“It had better not be about Kayti, I’ve told you…”

“No, it’s not about Kayti,” Komir replied at once.

“Oh, right then, tell me, what’s up?” Hartz said. He walked over to the window and looked outside.

“Well, there’s something I want to share with you, something that’s been eating away inside me for a long time, something I’ve decided to face up to once and for all.”

“I gather it’s something serious. Go on, my friend, I’m listening,” said the giant, taking a seat on a small pine stool.

“Do you remember… what happened at the Bear Ceremony…?”

“Yes, I remember… there’s no need to talk about it if you don’t want to…you know I respect your privacy…”

“I know, my friend, and I really appreciate it. You’ve never asked me anything about this power I’ve been marked with, or rather cursed with, by our goddesses.”

“If you don’t want to talk about it it’s okay with me, there’s no need.”

“I think the time has come to talk about it…”

“Ah well, in that case, let’s talk.”

“There’s something inside me, a power, which has shown itself several times already. The first was when Alkog and his pals gave me that beating in the river, you remember?”

“How could I forget it! We almost had bloodshed between families. Luckily, our leader Auburu intervened in time. Besides, the village talked about nothing else for several seasons.”

“That was the first time the power manifested itself in me. The second was at the Bear Ceremony, and as you know, it cost Alkog his life.”

“But that was self-defense! Nobody blamed you for his death. He brought it on himself by attacking you from behind in such a vile, treacherous way.”

“However it was, from that day on I was marked by the tribe as a witch, a heretic. Forever.”

“People are very superstitious… we Norriel are very wary of omens, you know… it’s not that they have anything against you, it’s that they fear you, they fear your power, magic…”

“I know, and I understand. I was aware long before that they were wary of me for being different.”

“I don’t fear you, my friend, although you have that strange power within you, whether you’re a sorcerer or not. To me you are and always will be Komir, son of Ulis, of the Bikia Tribe, of the Norriel.”

“It means a lot to me to hear you say these words. Thank you, my friend, thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“I say what I mean. You know me well, you know that.”

Komir nodded, proud to have such a friend.

“The first times the power manifested by itself, because of what was happening, because I was in danger. But lately it’s been me that has called upon the power. Consciously, calling for its help. And it saved my life.”

“What are you trying to tell me…? That you’re capable of working magic? The bolt that killed Guzmik’s acolyte… that was you, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, it was me, and I also used it to escape alive from the ambush of Lotas’ men. I hadn’t mentioned it before, although I thought you’d guess. Both times I searched inside myself for the energy, the power, and it helped me. But no, I can’t work magic on my own apart from making my inner energy burst forth uncontrollably. That’s what happened at the village, both times.”

“I don’t follow, you just told me that you killed Lotas’ men and Guzmik’s Dominator with the power.”

“Well, let me try to explain… it’s complicated, and even I don’t fully understand… You see, the energy used for the spells is mine, it lives inside me, it’s my power. But I don’t know the first thing about magic, I’ve never even opened an arcane volume to study it. No Mage has ever instructed me.”

“But I was there, I saw the bolt burn up that Dominator, I saw it with my own eyes, it had to be you.”

“Yes, it came from me, but I didn’t conjure the bolt…”

“This is getting harder and harder to understand. If it came from you, then you cast the spell, surely?”

“No, it wasn’t me. It was this.” Komir showed him the Ilenian medallion he wore around his neck.

Hartz looked at the jewel, brows raised, eyes wide in surprise.

“It was the medallion that cast the spell? Are you serious?” Hartz exclaimed. There was confusion and amazement on his face.

“Yes, the medallion has a mind of its own. It can work magic using my inner energy. It’s an object of great power. It was the medallion which cast the bolt against the Dominator, drawing on my own energy.”

“Unbelievable!” Hartz said, slapping his thighs. “If you’d told me this a few months ago in our highlands, I would’ve burst out laughing, thinking you’d hit your head or something. But what with all we’ve been through lately, I’m going to have to believe you… In fact there’s something I want to share with you as well. The great Ilenian sword is bewitched too and it speaks to me in battle, it whispers in my ear… With it in my hands there’s no tiredness, no defeat, I’m invincible, or at least the sword makes me believe so.”

“That’s it, these Ilenian objects are bewitched with some kind of very powerful magic.”

“I’m with you there, my friend.”

“Well, now you know there’s power within me and the medallion can cast spells using it, I have one more surprise for you, big guy.”

“Come on, spill it, I’m waiting,” Hartz said, smiling. “But I’d better not fall on my back with the shock, or I’ll give you what for!”

Komir smiled. “I’ve decided to use my Gift, this power I have, the inner energy I’ve been cursed and marked with. I’ll embrace it, use it for my revenge. I’m done with suppressing it and denying it and being ashamed of it for making me different. Amtoko had already told me to follow the path of learning and find out the skills I could develop with a power like this. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do. After all, if it weren’t for my power I’d already be dead.”

Hartz looked at him for a moment with worry, his forehead furrowed and his lips tense.

“In a way I’m glad you’ve decided to follow that path, my friend. I think it’s a good thing that you accept who and what you are. No matter how different you may be. That’s what all of us should do. Denying it has only brought you pain and eaten away at your heart, blackening your soul. That’s been making me lose sleep, I have to admit. But on the other hand I’m worried, it’s a dangerous path you’re starting on, the path of magic and sorcery. That’s a twisting one, very dangerous and treacherous. And yes, I’m superstitious and hate anything magical and arcane, so I’m not impartial on this subject, but even so the danger is real. Even worse, the reasons why you’re doing this are wrong, my friend. You should do it because your spirit wants to be freed from a heavy burden you’ve been carrying with you for a long time, not because of revenge, no matter how justified and permissible it might be.”

Komir stretched his arms in annoyance. His friend’s sermon had troubled him. He was aware that in part, his anger was due to the fact that the big Norriel was right, and that upset him even more.

“You’re mostly right, Hartz, I admit it. Yet despite everything, although you might not completely agree with my reasons, they are mine, and I’m asking you to respect them. I need your help in this, because I’m afraid I can’t do it by myself.”

“Are you asking me to help you with your magic? No, no, no!” the giant said, raising his hands in the air in denial.

“That’s exactly what I’m asking you to do! Please?”

“Not for all of Bandor’s ale! I support you, you know that. But keep me a long way away from all that damned magic! I don’t want to die yet, I’m too young. Besides, I haven’t seen a troll yet!”

Komir laughed, shaking his head.

“And what do you want to see a troll for?”

“A troll and the other monstrous creatures Lindaro says exist in unexplored places of Tremia. We should forget all about magic and go and explore the continent, to search out those abominable beasts and hunt them. I’d a thousand times rather do that than magic! Come on, Komir, let’s go exploring, go adventuring! Forget all this tangle of the medallion and its damned magic!”