The Kallanon Scales (3 page)

“Around the
time Thane goes on sabbatical taking the original Medaillon with
him. It is likely he went to help and was murdered also.”

“That is what
we figured,” Kisha said.

“Cressel was
murdered in Farinwood,” Torrullin said, “and Merle fled. The Mantle
didn’t know of the baby, she clearly tried to protect you. She
stayed on a farm between Farinwood and Galilan for a few
months.”

“Did she die
there?” Kylan asked. That was not in the report.

“She was found
on the way to Galilan.”

“How were they
killed?”

“Cressel was
trampled by a horse. He survived the mauling by two days, telling
the authorities it wasn’t an accident. He had no idea who did
it.”

Kylan
swallowed. “And my … Merle?”

Torrullin
stared at the table. “Her throat was slit and she put up a mighty
fight. I am sorry.”

“No wonder you
said nothing.”

“How do you
know this?” Kisha asked.

“The
authorities closed the files, but the Mantle went on with it.
Eventually we admitted defeat. Those files form part of the inner
archives.”

“Where are
they?”

“I studied
them after you asked about your parents Kylan, and that is all
there is.” Torrullin shrugged when Kylan continued to stare at him.
“At the Keep.”

“You still
keep secrets.”

“Part of who I
am.”

“You will want
to study them after I tell you the rest.”

“You may be
right. What of this map?”

“I couldn’t
make it out. M-something-something, O and R. We looked for mention
of strange maps, actual maps, and redid stuff we already waded
through. Eventually we found another letter, from Ugarth of the
Society after Drasso. He wrote to his daughter about a glimpse of a
map Shannon had in his possession …”

“Shannon was a
first rank sorcerer,” Torrullin interrupted. “I seem to recall he
told a tale of another race and possessed a map to prove it. Kylan,
a long time passed between Shannon, Ugarth and your parents.”

“I would
agree, but Ugarth mentioned the Mysor, which fits with Merle’s
spelling. I’m not saying it’s the same map, but could be. It was
lost and Cressel found it. Did Shannon die of natural causes?”

Torrullin
released an explosive breath. “Shannon was found in a ditch with
eyes gouged.”

“There must be
a link,” Kisha stated.

“You suggest a
millennia old conspiracy.”

“Older. There
is more on this map, further back.”

Torrullin
rubbed at his face and waited. They would get to the part that
brought him. He had to understand the process, the background, and
they knew that. Besides, he was not in a hurry. He felt better for
being outdoors.

“We found a
diary of Father Rees in Gasmoor,” Kylan said.

“Rees of Round
Temple fame?”

“The same. His
dates run 256 a.s. to 329 a.s. and we assume that to mean ‘after
settlement’,” Kisha said.

“Dropped
around year 500.”

“Father Rees
spoke of a map, but was unsure, called it a treasure map, an
astrochart, and further down, ley lines. He called it a Mysor map,”
Kylan said.

Kisha added,
“Somewhere, somehow, there is a mysterious chart that causes
trouble.”

Torrullin
nodded. “Most odd, but I doubt this is why you called. Murders old
and ancient are one thing, no offence, and strange indeed if
committed over a map, but carries no urgency.”

“Urgency lies
in the connections,” Kisha murmured.

“A key is
mentioned in an anonymous poem we found last night,” Kylan said.
“We called Vannis because it’s in Valleur.”

Torrullin
frowned. “Do you have it?”

Kisha went
indoors to return with a folded square. Recycled paper, treated, as
the Valleur did in the old days.

“Where did you
find this?”

“Aven’s
papers,” Kylan said.

Aven, passed
on twelve years, was teacher and mentor during Torrullin’s time at
the Mantle. He was also surrogate father, and missed dearly. Lycea
said so a few days ago at the Graveyard, for she was Aven’s ward,
rescued off the streets of Galilan.

“Lycea gave
Aven’s stuff to us,” Kisha said, “when Kylan expressed a wish to
work on the history of Valaris.”

Torrullin
turned the square over in his hands. “I read the book you published
on the Ruby Fiasco.” He glanced at Kylan. “Well done.”

Pleased, Kylan
smiled. “I’m tackling Drasso now.”

Torrullin’s
brows climbed. “Good luck.”

“Taranis is
helping,” Kisha laughed.

Torrullin
nodded. Taranis had been here, but had not been to the Keep
recently. “As able researchers, would you say this,” and he wiggled
the square, “is the end to your findings?”

Kylan
shrugged. “Besides the actual map, we think that may be it.”

“Why did you
need Vannis?”

“It has both
Mysor and a description of the key in it, and you once mentioned a
blue and green sword in the twins’ future,” Kisha said.

“Were you
afraid of me, Kisha?”

“I told Kylan
to run it by Vannis first. It wasn’t a question of fear, we didn’t
want to trouble you unnecessarily.”

“Forgive
me.”

Kisha leaned
over and touched his hand. “We understand.”

“You are
stalling, Torrullin.” Kylan pointed at the paper.

“Absolutely.”
Torrullin placed the square on the table and stared at it. “You
know what it says.”

“It doesn’t
make sense,” Kisha said.

Torrullin
walked away, leaving the paper on the table. He wandered the edge
of the clearing in deliberate measured paces, running hands though
his hair. Saska’s leaving utterly unsettled him, he found even
simple tasks a burden.

Kisha and
Kylan waited.

Overhead the
sky darkened.

After a second
circuit, Torrullin returned and lowered into the bench. “Cressel
found a map of the Mysor, which Merle saw and possibly inherited
when her husband died, or she inherited the responsibility for it.
Both died, as did Thane for involvement in the conspiracy.
Moreover, this map is mentioned as early as three hundred years
after settlement. This piece of paper,” and Torrullin tapped it
viciously, “speaks of the Mysor in Valleur. It is older than Rees’
entries.” He vacantly glanced at them. “The paper proves antiquity.
Either penned in the Valleur settlement of Valaris, for Vannis
vetoed writings after the humans came, or brought with them. Vannis
is ignorant of this and that could be a surprise we need to deal
with. It further appears this and the map go together.” He focused.
“I am wary of this thing.”

Kisha
nodded.

Kylan said,
“If Vannis’ reaction is anything to go by.”

“Hush,
sweetie.”

“Danger to
whom, to what, Kylan?”

“Kisha and me,
firstly,” Kylan said.

Kisha laid a
hand on her husband’s arm and faced Torrullin across the table.
“Matters haven’t been easy for you.”

“That is an
understatement.” Torrullin pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yet I
am what I am and cannot hide from that. Quilla would say my fate is
my choice and, as always, I choose to know.” He reached out, lifted
the paper and flapped it open. Four words to a line in lyrical
format.

He read it
without expression and tossed it down.

Staring at the
couple he translated, as if hearing the words in the common tongue
would diffuse content.

“
Time’s
timekeeper never sleeps

Forever
telling the tale

Of twin war
gods

Come to their
father

Seeking magic
to eliminate

The monsters
of worlds

And in the
telling

Remind of a
taliesman

Fashioned in
purest gold

A cavorting
little dragon

A key, a
truth

A legend, a
king

The Mysor of
old

Dragons once,
hidden now

Hold in their
palms

A glorious
green sword

A beautiful
blue sword

The magic that
will

Slay the old
monsters

A father must
choose

Remember
eternally the anniversary

A coming of
age

Number five
and twenty

Time’s
timekeeper is awake.”

He lapsed into
silence and remained that way for some time. Drops of rain fell and
he moved to cover the paper.

Eventually he
made eye contact. “There must be a map, the place of fulfilling. We
have to find it. The Coming-of-Age ceremony is days away and I will
not allow anything to mar it. I need to know what I am dealing
with.”

He paused.

Throne.

“I need the
information you found, where you found it, and I need Aven’s
papers.” Torrullin ran a hand over his face, sighing. “Perhaps Aven
did not know what it was that he had, it was in the Ancient Tongue
after all.” He fixed the two before him with a stern gaze. “No
heroics. You stay put, you keep quiet and don’t over-think
anything. The Forest will protect you.”

They nodded. “So, it
is
dangerous?” Kisha said.

“
Monsters of worlds
sounds pretty grim to me.”

Kylan barked a
laugh.

“We will
figure it out.”

“You are
taking it well, Torrullin,” Kisha murmured.

“A façade.”
Torrullin was on his feet. “Vannis! Quilla!”

The two
appeared.

“What are your
conclusions, Enchanter?” Quilla ventured.

“Conclusions,
Quilla? A bit early.”

The birdman
lifted a brow. “Something stuck.”

Torrullin
stared over his head. “I will be lifting the Throne forthwith.”

Vannis was
grim. “It points to you and the twins.”

“A prophecy,
and this time I am forewarned.”

Vannis asked,
“Do you remember the Mysor?”

Torrullin
said, “The soulless arachnids from the Forbidden Zone.”

Kylan snapped
his fingers. “Llettynn told us. The Siric captured one to test the
transmutation.”

“Wonderful,”
Kisha whispered.

“I wish
Llettynn was here right now,” Torrullin said.

The
connections reached back and included the first to the now, with
the Siric along the way.

“A treasure
map, an astrochart, ley lines. We need that map.”

“
I caught a
glimpse of it only, Shannon was most reluctant to share, and what I
saw convinced me there was something to his tall tale.”

~ Excerpt from
Ugarth’s letter to his daughter

Dated after
Drasso

The Keep

T
he Valleur Throne was the seat of
power not merely in leadership, but in sorcery and
secrets.

Hidden for
nine thousand years while holding captive the Immortal Vannis, it
renewed to glory to thwart Margus.

Later, when
Margus sought to undermine it, Vannis again sent it into the depths
of the world. Margus unseated the balances, resulting in tidal
waves and earthquakes, and when all had subsided, the Throne lay
not only in its magical netherworld, but also submerged with no
solid ground to return to.

For Torrullin
to recall it he needed to uncloak it, and move it after having
prepared a place for it.

Saska did not
push him into completing this final sacred site, even understanding
it would solve his dilemma with the boys.

Now he wished
fervently he had, for she would be beside him. He missed her, her
wisdom, her strength, her faith. He gave his boys twenty-five
years, never showing favouritism, which worked both for and against
him, but their futures were due. The time had come for Torrullin to
be husband and lover.

What would Saska advocate now? He tapped his desk with a
slender finger, deep in thought.
Would she
tell me to hide this renewal from the boys until after the fact?
Would she advocate I do so with their full knowledge?

“Quilla.” The
birdman, paging through books, looked up. “I am unable to reach
Taranis. Do you know where he is?”

“Glorium.
There has been another birth. The Sagorin now number nine.”

“That is
excellent news. I appear somewhat out of touch.”

“You are a
hermit, yes.”

“Did Taranis
give a date of return?”

“The twins’
ceremony.”

Three days. He
needed his father’s counsel now. “Quilla, what do I do?”

Quilla
replaced a book and approached the desk. “Tell them. Perhaps it
will bring a revealing without the Throne.”

“They will
believe I am using the Throne against them.”

“Not if you
tell them now.”

Torrullin
nodded.

Quilla studied
him. “You have to bring it, you know that.”

“Bring? You
mean, here?”

“You are not
fooling me, Enchanter. I saw you eyeing the receiving chamber
downstairs.”

Torrullin’s
lips quirked. It made sense. His valley, his Keep, his Throne. The
valley would accept a second sacred site within its confines.

When he built
the Keep he envisioned a separate building for the Throne, a royal
abode, away from his private place. It would now come here, for he
had not the will to commute between it and his dining table.
Torrullin stared through the window. There would be changes within
himself, his sons, and Valleur perceptions. The Keep itself would
be under the aegis of a sacred site.

Prophecy would take on new significance.
So much to do now.
He thrived on
change and perhaps in this he could lay his ghosts to rest. The
enigma of his sons, Della’s Three Voices … Margus. Perhaps even an
explanation for the visions of the dark-haired man.

Torrullin
sighed and looked at Quilla. “Lycea needs to come. Will you fetch
her before this storm contains us?”