The Exodus Sagas: Book I - Of Spiders And Falcons (21 page)

“More answers there, right?”

“Yes, but its three days journey on horse, longer on foot. We have to cross the Garalan River, and there are few bridges and ferries …very well then. What about him?” Shinayne tried to rationalize all of it, yet her chances of finding her lover were slim if she stayed in a civilized area like this, Lavress stayed to the wilderness. He had come close to here on his journey south, doubtful he would take his same trail twice, he never did. Hope, and a bit of luck, with that Shinayne resolved the conflict within herself that heading east across Chazzrynn with company would be the best choice.

“I will carry him, do you have money for horses with all your riches?”

“I have plenty of funds, if that is what you mean, but you can not ride a horse my large horned friend. You will have to ride a trained brahma, if they have one. I would not pay to put a horse through what you would do to its poor back and legs.” The elven noble checked her coins, she had plenty, always did, and always traveled with men who did not. That notion put a smile on her face, for even her lover disdained currency and jingling coins.

The minotaur pulled up his polished greataxe, hearing the doors open with plenty of boot steps behind them. The doors swooshed open, revealing Lord and Lady Kaya, several knights of Southwind, and a few serving staff. “Good day, you look rested and refreshed. I hope we have been accommodating?” the lord of the keep met their eyes, save for the sleeping knight, to whom he merely glanced at paying no mind.

“You have been most gracious Lord T’Vellon, Lady Kaya, our thanks. We have decided however, to take our leave and were hoping you would have steeds we could purchase at your stables.” Shinayne said with a slight bow, eyeing the gray horned warrior, making sure the axe was lowered.

“We do, certainly. It seems your friend James Andellis will be unable to ride, however.”

“He will ride, I can make sure of that.” Saberrak snorted with a small grin, knowing James would be hating his life and his stomach in but a few hours.

“He has debts here in the keep and in Elcram, debts we can not pay and many wish repaid. We would like to escort you to Vallakazz, so you are protected, yet it would tarnish our name if we let him go freely.” Kaya spoke sincerely, knowing that many a merchant had come the last day to see her brother, having heard of the return of James Andellis, placing old debts into writing.

“How much? And how do you know we are heading to
Vallakazz
, my Lady?” the elven woman smiled, glancing at Evril Alvander, who shied his eyes down, and then back at Alexei.

“I am afraid, the total adds to twenty three and one half pounds, gold. And I believe father Sancadiun mentioned sending recommendation to a few places, Vallakazz being much closer than Shalokahn, I assumed, Lady Shinayne.” Alexei covered his sisters statements quickly.

The elf knew, from her youth in court, that he may be telling the truth, yet the young spy had given himself up with his eye contact already, and now Shinayne wondered who else the boy was talking to.

“How much gold is that, exactly?” whispered the minotaur to his slender eared ally.

“Around two thousand three hundred fifty gold coins, roughly speaking. Surely inflated and if I offer half that they will most likely take it.” she whispered back. Shinayne knew how these things worked as well, dealing with seedy merchants on sail in the Carisian Sea for years. She reached into her purse, feeling for the cut stones she had, three should cover the debt and the steeds, all they need to get out of this place. She produced three marquis cut round and brilliant sapphires the size of marbles. “Will this take care of our transport and his debt, my Lord T’Vellon?”

Shocked looks from the Lord and Lady of Southwind Keep, as well as the other ten behind them, none expecting such precious stones to be carried on a traveling swordswoman. Alexei stepped forward, eyeing the sparkle and quality of the cuts. He knew they were worth more than was needed by quite a sum. He also knew that was the elf’s intention, to put him in a position that he could only answer favorably to. “Of course Lady Shinayne, more than acceptable indeed.”

Shinayne looked, peripherally, and watched as the young Evril cast a quick eyeshot to Lady Kaya, the lady did not look back, kept staring at the elf and the stones in disbelief, yet Shinayne had what she needed. The boy was a rat to the Lady,
and
to the Lord, and there was most likely something more to it. She assumed that the Lord’s information came through his sister, who changed its origins and picked out the pieces she would tell him, saving some for herself, the best parts. Shinayne T’Sarrin knew that the priest did not go to the Lord and Lady and tell them of his assumptions, he went to write letters. Lady Kaya had told her brother what the truth was, her truth, and got him to act. A skill seen often at high court, a skill that takes many years to perfect. Shinayne made eye contact with Kaya, smiling, and bowed to the lady, her elven arrogance shining through every pore of her golden skin. The elf smiled wider, smiled in silent victory. At that, Kaya turned and walked through her servants and men down the hallway, silently.

“I will arrange for dinner in Andellis Hall, dine with us tonight while preparations are made for your escort. I will ensure the letters being sent arrive safely through what men I can assemble with the church and will give you some privacy.” Lord Alexei, young and noble with his composure intact as always, went to see to his sister.

Rising from the slight bow that he had never performed until watching the elf today, Saberrak looked at his elven companion. “And what was all that staring about, elf?”

“Just something between women, nothing more my horned friend, nothing more.” Shinayne knew now that the Lady of Southwind had spies and plans that others were unaware of. Now she fully agreed that their stay would have to be short.

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The next morning James felt the food hit his stomach like bricks, churning bricks to go along with his pounding head and sweats, making the smell of the stables like a nemesis thats soul purpose was to destroy him. He barely knew where he was, thankfully having at least drowned out that anxiety. His moaning with each step did not even catch a comment or glance from his companions, as they had no pity for the pain he inflicted upon himself. Despite his improved appearance and a final shine to his steel, James Andellis still felt much less than human after five bottles of wine. Looking up from his boots, he realized, yes, he had been in Southwind Keep, it was not a nightmare. He paced beside the white mare, vomiting into the dirt and manure. His two friends waited patiently, one atop a brown stallion trimmed with white on the face, and the minotaur high in the air saddled on the two ton brahma.

The giant, black haired, gnarled horned beast of burden let out a low moan as Saberrak pulled back on the reins. “You would not be so sick, had you not drank like a starved troll, Andellis.” His patience was wearing thin, wanting to be away from here, alone, where he could get some sober answers from James about the man under the ruins in the west.

“I don’t get sick when I drink wine, minotaur. I get sick when I eat, or fall asleep with it in my stomach, and from the smell of horse shit on a full belly!” another heave, not much left. His eyes watered and pain ached in his gut, James was empty. He glanced at the pack on his horse and noticed the stable boy had hid and wrapped the bottles as he had paid him to.

“They are sending us with five knights Saberrak, must be dangerous territory.” Shinayne speculated about that many being with, especially with Evril among them.

“My guests, I hope we have been of assistance and may your journey be safe and swift to Vallakazz.” Lord T’Vellon, son after his lordly father, waved the entourage on, not waiting for James Andellis to get comfortable on his steed. “Evril Alvander, my sister sends word that the church has requested you to accompany the messenger to the mission in Shalokahn. You will take the north road to Silverbridge, then the Rivertrail through the Bori mountains to Willborne. From there follow the Erinsburg Way through Harlaheim and on to the mission. You two of Dunmoor ride with him, these brave warriors will only be needing a small escort for three days ride. Farewell.”

“That answers that I suppose.” snorted the minotaur to the elf, happy with fewer prying ears on their travel.

“A thousand thanks Lord T’Vellon, for your hospitality and assistance.” Shinayne bowed her head and kicked the stallion to follow the men of Southwind, keeping eye on James. She let her eyes follow the others heading north, sensing something was not as it should be, but powerless to do much about it.

Bright sunshine beamed in the cold crisp Chazzrynn air, the road hard frozen mud with drifts of snow blanketing the way from time to time preventing the five of them from riding at full run. Crows and hawks, snow vultures and blackbirds all circled above, fighting each other for aerial territory and the meal of ogre from yesterday’s battle. Saberrak had some difficulty with his stubborn steed, pulling back the horns many a time to have a heated discussion about where the road was and how to follow the horses. The minotaur had never ridden anything save a chariot pulled by lizards before, and that circled the arena without any real guidance or skill from him. The gladiators of Unlinn had nothing to ride nor were allowed to learn. Saberrak had seen a castle, dined with nobility, ridden this thing, and learned much about the scroll he had been given. Now his eyes watched the two ahead of them, en route to some new place on the surface, smelling that this was too easy and the two men far too quiet. His mind raced with questions, yet his distrust kept him from mentioning them until he met someone that his senses did not urge him away from.

Azenairk I:II

Southern Cliffs of the Bori Mountains

Evril Alvander stretched from a hard days ride and warmed his body by the fire. “Middle of nowhere in North Chazzrynn, eh priest?”

“Yes, yes. I have never been this far outside the keep, not to mention we are heading through two other countries in our journey to the mission in Shalokahn.” His obvious excitement brewing, nervous and in awe of the Bori Mountains at night, moons rising from the west over them as they spoke. The young man, barely out of his teens from the Sancadiun family kept the rolled and sealed letter in a leather scroll case on his side. His ears perked hearing something in the distance up the mountains not sure of how far or what it could be. He moved to the other side of the fire closer to the armed escorts of Southwind.

“Don’t worry father, you are well guarded should anything come near, most likely mountain goats curious about the fire and smell of our dinner.” Evril looked over his shoulder in the dark of night, seeing no movement from the two Dunmoor men laid out on their bedrolls, throats slit and done bleeding out. The young man, following orders, clicked his hand crossbow into the cocked position and loaded a bolt tipped with white sticky paste
. Pultfish bladder poison
he thought as he carefully, as not to have the weapon discharge into his leg, aimed it up at the night sky ensuring it was in place.

“Evril, there it is again, closer, it sounds like something is coming.” The young priest turned to stand and wake the others, fearing what would make such a noise this time of night in the mountains. He turned and froze, seeing the cold white faces of his protectors, their eyes and mouths open in horror, throats cut open and soaked in blood, unmoving.

“Perhaps it is Alden’s army,
come to save your soul
.” Evril pulled the trigger, bolt releasing mere feet away and lodging deep into the priests back.

“Help me, God help me, Alden please!!” the priest, feeling nothing on his right side at all, sharp pain through his back and shooting everywhere, screamed and cried into the night, trying to scramble down the foothills. His muscles twitched rapidly in his face, turning his neck involuntarily and causing him to stumble down the hill. He tried to scream again, but the mouth would not open, poison was spasming every muscle tight and murmured desperation was all that escaped. His eyes began to darken, seeing only the white moon in the sky and feeling only a slowing heartbeat and hot blood down his backside cooling in the cold snow. The priest, hearing much commotion above, knowing his end was here, eyes tearing in frantic desperation to live, his hand struggling to move once more. Trembling against its own muscles, he reached the scroll case, crushing part of it in the spasming grip of his uncontrolled hand, and began to roll his shoulder forward. To and back again, driving the bolt from the crossbow deeper into his body, he rocked forward with all his shaking strength, hurling the leather scroll case down the foothills and rolling over in the process, his white robes stained red. The tip of the bolt now through his ribs and protruding through his abdomen, Evril caught up to the rolling priest.

“That was not a wise move, father.” Broadsword drawn already, Evril cut down through the young mans throat, spilling what blood he had left onto the white earth. He cleaned his blade on the dead priest’s robes and sheathed it, scouring the dark hillside for where the scroll had landed, curious to read what was on it. A blur, man-sized, yet a little stockier and clanking with steel plate and gear, ran past at amazing downhill speed, skidding to a stop and taking cover behind the overhanging stump of an old dead oak.

“Better hide boy, there a comin’.” Azenairk Thalanaxe did not have time to say much more, let alone notice the dead around the human youth. His breath nearly gone, the ogre, six of them, had been on his trail close for over a day now. The dwarf looked south into the dark seeing foothills and rolling land with little cover. He hung his head, trying to catch air, knowing he could not outrun the ogre. He barely paid mind to this human, what he was doing, just that they were coming.