Knights: Book 02 - The Hand of Tharnin (13 page)

Lannon hesitated, feeling revulsion at the sight of the former demon man. Then Lannon nodded in return. "So is there any news on Vorden?"

"None," said Jace, sighing. "The reason I brought Vellera here is so you can understand that anything Vorden does--anything evil--is by no fault of his own. The gauntlet takes complete control of whoever wears it."

"This is true," Vellera said in a shaky voice. "My sons and I attacked a group of Goblins near our farm. We killed them, and found the gauntlet in their possession. Foolishly, I put my hand in it and my mind was overcome. I fled from my farm and was driven by the desire to do evil. That desire led me to the Blood Legion, who took me in. Together, we formed a plan to kill you, Lannon. I knew what I was doing, but I was powerless to stop it. Rest assured that your friend Vorden cannot control his actions."

Vellera was shaking as he spoke. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry that happened to you," Lannon said. His revulsion faded and was replaced by sympathy.

"That's a terrible story!" said Aldreya.

"Even though I had no control over my actions," said Vellera, "I blame myself constantly. It may be a long time before I can learn to forgive myself."

Jerret stood up, looking uncomfortable. "I'm going to wander around a bit, stretch my legs."

Jace turned a piercing gaze toward Jerret. "Is everything okay, Squire? You have a troubled aura. Don't forget you are part of Lannon's Divine Shield. And until the Shield is dissolved, you are required to guard him at all times. If you need a break, you must ask a Knight."

Lannon looked away in disgust, knowing Jerret was eager to abandon him. He didn't want Jerret as one of his defenders.

"What about me?" said Aldreya, looking agitated. "I can't very well share a room with these boys. It's not allowed."

"Of course not," said Jace. "You will continue to sleep in your own room at night. But during the day, you should be at Lannon's side. Taris was disappointed to hear that you two have not been fulfilling your oath, which is why he gave the order for Jerret to move into Lannon's room."

Aldreya looked horrified. "But I didn't know I was supposed to be with Lannon all the time. I just didn't think about it. No one told me!"

Jace chuckled. "Well, now you know. To be a Divine Knight, you can't wait for people to tell you everything. You need to ask questions, read books--take action. You can't expect everyone to do everything for you. This is a good lesson for you Squires. Make the most of it, and you will impress the Knights."

"Very well," said Jace. "You can have your food, but don't wander outside the tower--for your own good. No one is guarding you, Squire, and an attempt on your life has already been carried out by an assassin who was never caught. The safest place you can be is by Lannon's side, under heavy guard. But go if you must. And bring me back a bowl of rice pudding."

 
"I will do better next time," said Aldreya.

"Me too," Jerret mumbled. "So, um, can I have a break? I didn't know I was going to be stuck in this room, and I need to take care of something important. It won't take much time."

"I'm not a Knight," said Jace. "However, I am a member of the Divine Shield who has a bit more freedom than the rest of you, since I am also conducting an investigation that Dremlock's own fine Investigator is ill-equipped to handle." He smiled. "I will take over for you. How long do you expect to be gone, and what is your purpose?"

"Just for an hour or so," said Jerret. "I want to get some food. I didn't eat enough at dinner."

"Certainly," said Jerret, hurrying out of the room.

***

Once Jerret was in the hall, he breathed a sigh of relief. He felt persecuted by Lannon and Aldreya, misunderstood. He thought Aldreya was beautiful, but her heart seemed frozen. Because he couldn't understand Birlotes, he found himself experiencing a growing dislike toward them, but he felt that if he could get Aldreya to shed the icy armor that seemed to cover her from head to toe it might restore his faith in the Tree Dwellers. And Lannon, in spite of his Eye of Divinity, seemed clueless about Jerret's true personality. Jerret was deeply saddened by what had happened to Vorden, but because he was inept at expressing it, Lannon wrote him off as an annoying Squire who only cared about himself.

Shennen and Willan stood guard. Blue Knights always struck fear in Jerret's heart. He knew they were assassins who could kill in the blink of an eye, striking unseen from the shadows. They usually wore blue or black outfits, with only a bit of lightweight armor, so they could sneak around and hide themselves more easily. Jerret hated the East Tower because it was filled with Blue Knights and Birlote sorcerers. It seemed like one huge death trap.

But something even more disturbing nagged at him. He could hear whispers, which he immediately realized were only in his mind. The whispers were so faint he couldn't tell if it was a male or female voice or what any of the words were. He wondered if the strain he'd been under recently, and the constant fear, was getting the best of him. That was the troubled aura Jace had noticed.

"I'm off to get some food," Jerret told the guards. "Is that okay?"

Willan said nothing, but Shennen approached him and looked him up and down. "You will be subject to a search when you return."

"A search?" Jerret said in disbelief. "Who ordered that?"

"I have ordered it," said Shennen. His eyes narrowed in annoyance. "I am the highest ranking Blue Knight in Dremlock right now, and with Taris at the Hall of Healing, I am the Master of this Tower. Is that understood, young Squire?"

"Yes, perfectly," said Jerret. "I just want some food."

Shennen stood motionless for a moment, a shadow in the hall, while Jerret fidgeted nervously. At last Shennen said, "Willan, you will accompany Jerret to the Dining Hall."

"Of course, Master Shennen," said Willan.

"It's not really necessary," said Jerret, chills creeping over his flesh at the thought of a Blue Knight walking beside him. "I'm just going straight there to eat, and then coming straight back."

Shennen said nothing.

"So...is it okay if I go alone?" Jerret asked.

Shennen stood as still as a statue.

Fearing he was pushing the Blue Knight too far, Jerret hurried to the stairs. He was about halfway down them when he realized that Willan was behind him, moving silently down the stone steps. Jerret cringed and kept moving.

The Dining Hall was empty save for a chunky, bald-headed Orange Squire named Breld Shieldbreaker who, in spite of his heroic Knightly last name, was doomed to spend his days at Dremlock making sure everyone was well fed. And Breld never seemed to get over the fact that he would never be a Knight. He complained endlessly about how he at least deserved the rank of Brown.

"Greetings," he said to Jerret and the Blue Knight, as he was prying open a crate. "Is there anything I can help you fellows with?"

"Some leftovers from dinner," said Jerret. "And a bowl of rice pudding."

"I'm all out of rice pudding," said Breld. "I've got stew, but it's cold. I can heat you some if you'd like. And what about you, Willan?"

"I'm not hungry," said Willan. "But I'll have a mug of ale."

"A bowl of stew and a mug of ale--coming right up," said Breld. Whistling a merry tune, he disappeared into the kitchen.

The whispers grew more frantic in Jerret's mind--a voice commanding him to flee the tower. He slumped against the wall, clutching his head and struggling to fight off the whispers. And he was winning the fight. The whispers couldn't claim him from a distance if he resisted. He knew the voice of the Deep Shadow could only claim someone if they allowed it. He'd been taught that by his parents long before coming to Dremlock. But who was trying to get into his head and why?

Willan seized his tunic. "What troubles you?"

"Nothing," Jerret said, afraid to admit the truth (that in all likelihood Tharnin was trying to recruit him). "Just a bad headache."

Jerret nearly had banished the whispers, when he heard Vorden's voice in his thoughts. It was begging him to give in and listen. Jerret hesitated, thinking it was a trick. But Vorden sounded so terrified and helpless that Jerret felt he had to act. He lowered his guard and let the voice take control

An evil laugh filled Jerret's mind. Suddenly, Jerret didn't care about anything except obeying his master. Vorden's voice became a sinister, inhuman-sounding hiss that could never be refused--as if a serpent was close to his ear. It commanded him to strike a blow to Willan.

Willan leaned closer. "I think we should--"

Jerret drove his fist into Willan's head, a perfect blow that knocked the Blue Knight unconscious. It was such a swift and sudden move that even the alert Blue Knight never caught a glimpse of it. He dropped like a stone.

Jerret felt like some force had moved his hand. He gazed down in amazement at Willan's unconscious form. But Vorden's voice insisted he flee the tower, and so Jerret had no time to contemplate what he'd done.

He fled from the Dining Hall, while Vorden's voice warned him that an invisible spy was watching him and he needed to flee with all the speed he possessed. Jerret was athletic and fast to begin with, but some powerful force enhanced his speed as he raced from the tower and into the woods. Moments later, he heard the Divine Alarm sound--a series of horns that blew out from the towers and along the wall that partially encircled the kingdom.

Jerret was astonished at how quickly his crime had been reported. But he also knew it would take sometime for the Knights to organize a search and then carry it out. As he stumbled between the massive Knightwood trees, where the shadows of evening hung thick, Vorden's voice drove him onward.

At last he came to the bank of a small stream. A stone statue of some ancient, heavily armored Knight stood on the opposite bank, covered in moss. This was a spot Jerret was familiar with, as he'd come here to fish during the brief periods of rest between training sessions.

Vorden stepped out from behind the statue. Although the woods were shadowy, with a few bright stars burning in the evening sky, the blue stones in Vorden's gauntlet cast the area in a pale glow. Vorden's eyes gleamed yellow. He grinned at Jerret. "Glad you could make it, my friend."

"Yes, Master Vorden," said Jerret, wanting only to serve.

Vorden frowned. "Enough of that."

The voice departed from Jerret's mind, and he was free. Terror surged through him, and he considered fleeing--but Vorden's stern gaze warned him against it. Instead, he stood trembling, wondering why he'd been summoned.

"Since Dremlock is searching for you," said Vorden, "we don't have a lot of time to talk. So I'll get right to the point. I'm going to be leaving Dremlock this very night. I will be heading far north, to the very edge of Silverland. There, in the frozen peaks of the Bonefrost Mountains, I will join with the Blood Legion in the fortress called Dorok's Hand. So you will tell the Knights that if they want me, I'll be waiting there with an army of Legion Soldiers. If Dremlock doesn't come to me, I will return and I will invade. Do you understand?"

Jerret nodded, relief flooding through him at the thought that Vorden only wanted him to deliver a message.

"After you give my message," said Vorden, "why don't you ride north? You could fight by my side. The Blood Legion does not turn away good fighters--even lazy and undisciplined ones like you."

"I'll consider it," said Jerret.

Vorden smiled. "You'll consider it, huh? You'll do whatever is best for you, Jerret. Like you always do."

Jerret's gaze was fixed on the gauntlet--the glowing blue stones that seemed to draw him in. He desperately wanted this meeting to end, but he sensed Vorden wasn't done with him. Vorden had delivered his message, but he wanted to play games. And games could lead to Jerret's death.

Vorden held up his gauntlet. "You like this? Apparently, since you can't take your eyes off it. I've never possessed power like I do now. I feel invincible--like I could tear this kingdom to the ground. Do you envy me, Jerret?"

"Yes, very much," Jerret lied, hoping he was saying what Vorden wanted to hear. He was certain that Vorden could easily change his mind about using Jerret as a messenger and simply kill him.

"You are a liar," said Vorden. "You think I'm hopelessly possessed, my mind overcome by the demon. Yes, I am possessed, but I'm also the same person I always was. I know perfectly well what I'm doing. I have just been shown a new way--a better way. I embrace it willingly. I was a fool to want to be some heroic Knight battling the forces of Tharnin. I now realize this world is ugly and evil compared to the world of Tharnin. Now I am truly a Divine Knight!"

Jerret said nothing, fearing that any words at this point would work against him. He found he couldn't look Vorden in the eye, for the evil there was too terrible. Vorden was overflowing with dark sorcery.

"You fear I will kill you," said Vorden. "But that's not my goal. Yes, you are a pathetic excuse for a friend, but you are still my friend--until you betray me. Lannon and Timlin are my friends as well."

"What about Aldreya?" said Jerret.

Vorden hissed, and Jerret shrank back. "No Birlote is a friend of mine, least of all a member of the royal house! The Tree Dwellers are the enemy of Tharnin and all that is sacred. Do not speak her name again."

"Sorry," Jerret said. "I promise I won't."

Vorden sneered. "You're a wretched coward. You just do whatever I tell you. You can't stand up to me or think for yourself."

Jerret nodded. "I'm afraid."

"Of course you are," said Vorden. "You're trapped in a kingdom full of misguided fools. Lannon bears a great power, but he wastes it in the service of some filthy beast lurking below Dremlock that some call a god. You
should
be afraid. I was afraid too, though I hid it well. Not anymore. I fear nothing! I have a clear purpose, a grand purpose--to bring justice and peace to this world. Now I want an honest answer. If you lie to me, I will kill you. When you have delivered your message, will you ride north and join us in our cause?"