The Exodus Sagas: Book I - Of Spiders And Falcons (47 page)

“I have matters of duty here, princess. My loyalty is to the temple and the order, the lady must understand that.” the elf bowed again as he spoke, keeping gaze with this hers.

“She does, and that is one of the things she admires most in you, but she, like myself, can see beyond that and into your heart.
Women
have this gift, and many more that I am sure you are aware.” laughter rolled from those gathered as Finwel-Dur smiled and pointed her finger playfully as the wood elf’s blushing face.

“I am
aware
your highness and I will acknowledge that I keep my emotions deep as to focus on what needs be done at the moment, for the heart can distract.” his face warm and flush, very obvious even in such light as this and even on his tan skin. Lavress glanced at the books on the small pedestal hoping to change the subject.

The sphinx sat down on all four legs, stretched out and comfortable, looked at the fey princess, and began to speak. “Princess, Lavress Tilaniun has encountered Eliah Shendrynn in the south and managed to recover three of the four stolen books of high elven magic. The task was undoubtedly dangerous and tiring, should we now try and locate where he and the fourth book have gone to?”

“How did the renegade noble elf escape you, hunter of the Hedim Anah?” her gaze intent on him, full of interest and care. Several pixies flitted past, leaving a small glass of wine and a tray of fresh berries and herbs.

“His guards were of no trouble my lady, yet his skills in the arts were powerful indeed. Through his distracting spells, I was able to get close enough to attain three books, but he had opened a portal in an ancient cavern shrine. I had no way to follow, and the fourth book was in his hand. I have tracked this one for decades, and watched his movements in and around the Sassari family in Shalokahn. He has sought to weaken the rule of Kilikala and assist that rival family in many political endeavors. I would hope to have the chance to find him again, should we be able to locate him.” the hunter was eager to offer his services to complete what he left unfinished, and to see justice done for far more crimes than even the order was aware.

“We have located him, hunter of Gualidura, and he is north of Shalokahn now, in Caberra. The portal in the old mountain shrine to the Gimmorians took him out of sight from the wizards and elves that hunt him, but not from us. This temple can get you near, close enough to possibly intercept him if we close the circle soon. Would you be willing to perform such a task for the Order of the Whitemoon once again?” Finwel-Dur already knew the answer to that, seeing Lavress’ eyes light up.

“Of course princess, I look forward to it.”

Finwel-Dur cast a glance at Jevendial the wolf lord, and he nodded and walked out of the sacred chamber toward the main temple. He cast a glance and a smile to Lavress in passing, his hand securely on the grip of his scimitar. The princess returned her gaze to the elven hunter. Her eyes were not as full of unbridled joy as they were moments past.

Kilbura the sphinx spoke softly yet stern, “We have a most unwelcome guest approaching the temple grounds. Prepare to close the circle and protect the princess.”

Exodus I:X

White Spider Underground, Valhirst

“God is the absence of fear, the blind trust in mercy and hope, the guidance of love and charity, and the sacrifice of all for his blessing. Alden is the one God; his pain was given freely to man so that man had to endure it no more.”-
from the Aldane texts found atop the Holy Pirradan Cliffs in Altestan, author unknown, labeled as blasphemy by the Altestani emperors.

The swordsman spy from Harlaheim, and new captain of the city guard in Valhirst, watched for his moment to sneak into her chambers unseen. Balric D’Vrelle moved his lithe form around one corner to the next corridor silently and swiftly, noting the sleeping minotaur and young guards of the Prince busy conversing over last night’s raucous at the One-eyed Mermaid gambling hall. His hand on his saber, as much to keep it from breaking silence as to be ready should he have to kill anyone to get his lover out of this place. He had heard that Vanessa Blackflame would be the wizard assigned to stop the troupe from the west in Valhirst, and also to follow should they make open water. The brave Harlian man knew he had been posted away from her for reason, and that he would not be able to follow by ship or abandon his position to remain at her side. He knew the prince was on to him, and that he was being followed and watched. Not being his first mission for Bishop Javiel of Harlaheim, he said a silent prayer to Alden for mercy and hope that he had learned enough, and that he could save the woman of his heart’s desire from this tragic life of slavery. No one, not even the bishop here, drunk that he was, nor Vanessa, knew of his position within the church of the Aldane. Balric intended on it staying that way until he was safely back in his country.

Pulling the key from his belt, slipping it into the lock carefully, the spy waited, his hand wiping the beads of sweat from his brow. The torchlight went out down the hallway deep underground, meaning his archers had positioned themselves as ordered. He had taken the city guard he had thought loyal to their city and Chazzrynn, not the obvious implanted ones by Johnas, and told them in secret that a doppelganger had guised as the prince and taken control of the city. They had him covered on the most direct route out north, for he and Vanessa alone, and he had sent for passage on a merchant ship bound for Harlaheim named the Bronze Harpy. He had also sent message to Vanessa that the preparations for the attack were to be put back one day due to scout reports stating severe snowfall would slow the fugitive group’s travel to Valhirst. Balric did not care for any scroll or capture and ransom of any nobles, just that the doppelgangers and archers were not ready and he could escape quickly. He assured that Vanessa would be in her chambers, rather than awaiting an ambush ordered by the prince. His plan had little time before the White Spider caught on, so he moved quickly.

The door creaked open, candlelight illuminating the hallway, torchlight from the room as well. He thought for a moment,
Vanessa never used a torch in her room.
Movement from inside sent him into drawing his saber, his left hand pulled the door shut behind him. Inside was Vanessa, sitting quietly in her chair by her vanity, the Prince with his emerald pommeled blade at her throat and two guards moving toward him. Johnas had that grin, the one of the devil himself with fine features under a head of blonde hair, a head that Balric wished to take right here. The young man on the left lunged his blade at the captain of the guard, easily parried aside. Balric stepped in close on his attacker, using his outstretched body for cover from the older guard. “
Vanessa run
!!”

Perfect strikes from his sword pushed the young man back, and then Balric let up his pursuit intentionally, and the boy lunged again. This time a saber cut the approaching tip down, then cut up across the guard’s chest and landed point first into his ribs and he was back on guard in one fluid motion. The guard screamed in agony, blood from a deep cut and puncture staining his clothing and the floor. The second guard cut across at the spy’s shoulder, nicking some armor and cutting his black clothing, leaving a small sting on the tip of his ear. The follow up point came toward Balric’s face, which was parried aside and followed with a punch to the man’s nose, immediately knocking him back. The Harlian followed with a kick to the groin, and as his opponent fell he plunged his weapon downward between collarbone and neck, finishing him quickly.

“
Ah ah ah
, careful captain. Or should I say,
assassin
?” Johnas tapped Vanessa’s throat with the tip of his enchanted blade. “I have been shot down with twenty arrows, well,
my duplicate
was anyway. Did you know about the shapechanger that guises as me for protection? What strange irony and coincidence with your plot to kill me.”

The brave swordsman stared, pointed his blade at the prince, and walked very slowly toward him. “Let us talk with our blades, Johnas. I care not for words from the mouth of a snake.” he had thought of drawing his shortblade, then thought it more chivalrous to defeat him one sword to another.

Sparks flew in the elaborately designed bedchamber, the enchanted glowing kris blade of the prince met with intensity that of the saber of the northern spy. Parry after parry, the patriarch of the White Spider could not get past Balric’s defense, and step after quick step, neither could the swordsman cut the Prince. The two danced circles around Vanessa, tied to her own chair, Johnas cutting fast toward the swordarm of his adversary only to be countered with quick flicks of the wrist and crosspiece. Balric cut back, feigning to lunge, falling short, then lunging again twice and piercing the Prince’s thigh. Sidestepping in pain, Johnas cut down across the left shoulder of his assassin, through the chain armor he wore under his garb. Steel rang loudly and echoed rapidly as the Harlian spy unleashed a flurry of crosscuts and short attacks, backing the prince into a corner. His saber cut high twice, then he let his guard down, ducked the obvious attack at his neck and the second was parried as it came to his abdomen. Seeing his target, Balric plunged his saber into Johnas’ chest, missing the heart and landing near the left shoulder, but still piercing deep and out the other side. The prince winced in pain, cut down with his right, snapping the saber blade with a chop cut, and then slashing across Balric’s chest. The blade glowed green and cut unnaturally deep through armor and flesh.

The door flung open, cracking into the wall behind it, and Heathen marched in, great curved blade drawn and ready to strike the head from the spy’s neck. He grabbed Balric’s hair, lifting him off the ground and away from the Prince, and raised his blade above the bleeding man.

“No, Heathen, stop!” Johnas was gasping from the fight and the pain in his pierced shoulder. “We have much to ask the
captain of the guard
, I need him alive. Fetch the royal priest to my throne room in the castle and take him to the prison.” Johnas Valhera stood up, sheathing his sword, and walked out of the room calmly, but still wincing despite victory. His regal cape was stained with blood, and his armor and clothing shined black from the injury he had received. “Vanessa, get the archers and the doppelgangers ready. Farrigus is in place, I need to know that we have them no matter what way they come into the city or try to reach the docks. This little diversion has put us behind schedule. Understood?!”

“Yes my Prince.” Vanessa bowed her head, and looked at Balric with her head held low. She got up, the ropes falling off without effort, for they were never tied. She made short eye contact with the Harlian man she had been sneaking away with for so long now. The black robed wizard walked out of her chamber. “
I am sorry my love, so sorry
.” not a tear, no eye contact, and she continued her pace uninterrupted to do her Prince’s bidding.

The tears did fall, quietly, calmly, from the bleeding spy as he was carried by the red minotaur through underground tunnels. Without a sword as Heathen had taken the shortblade, bleeding and in need of care, his heart broken like his saber, and betrayed, Balric D’Vrelle was thrown into a small filthy cell and locked behind rusty bars under Valhirst.

“I warned you, Harlian
, I warned you
.” Heathen shook his one horned head, then threw in some rags and ointment from a desktop for him to tend to his own wounds. The prison reeked of the dying, and now there was one more on his way.

“Let me go, Heathen, you are a
slave
! Johnas is evil beyond redemption! Help me get out before they kill me!” his pleading fell on deaf ears, the minotaur shaking his head once more.

“They will not kill you. It will be far worse my friend, far worse. I am sorry.” at that, the guardian of the most ruthless and powerful man in Valhirst walked away, his head held low, trying to ignore the pleas for help from a man he actually had liked. Perhaps the
only
man.

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The western side of Valhirst was open with traffic of merchants and guards, yet James Andellis paid no mind to anything but the destination. His steps were long and quick, his breathing perfect, and he felt like he had purpose, or was at least seeking it here and now. He felt rested, fed, awake, like years before the war that had put him down for so long. He looked at the feathered cross on his tabard and said silent thanks to Alden, the Lord of Heaven, for his recovery. To his lost and mysterious brother Annar, James did not know what to believe.

“James, slow down, you will draw suspicion to us by marching through at such a pace.” Shinayne whispered loudly, the others keeping pace behind her. She glanced at Zen and Gwenneth, catching the same worried looks as her own, and then she looked at Saberrak. His stern face poised and stoic behind the tattoos under his eyes, marching in step, focused the same as the knight in the lead. “Great, we have
two
men that do not listen now, they can take them
all
on then.”

“Don’t think the chatter will do any good elf, they seem to be on a mission. Looks good so far, let’s keep up, shall we?” the dwarven priest watched the walls and battlements as he hurried, not too trusting of human cities, let alone ones with such foul reputations as this one. The smell and shadow seemed to be as thick as the crowded, impoverished, coastal metropolis of Valhirst.

“I sense nothing in the realm of the arcane at work right now, just keep toward the docks. Once we are safely on the Carisian Sea, Harlaheim is but six days.” Gwenne held her black crystal and gold wand in one hand, her dark oak etched staff in the other. She had attuned her senses to magical auras before they entered and protected her flesh with arcane energies should anyone try to surprise them. Maintaining the energies was simple, even at a brisk walk, and she smiled feeling underestimated again. If her mother could see now what she was capable of, perhaps she would have let her leave long ago.