The Sorcerer's Scourge (31 page)

Bron spent the night in his grove and woke Miles early the next morning. They broke their fast with dried nuts and fruit, the remainder of which went into Miles’s pack. Miles still had a fare amount of food in the rucksack Elli had packed for him in Southport. Bron checked the contents and declared it sufficient to see them to North Haven.

“Bron, we lost our horses yesterday. It is a long walk to North haven,” Miles pointed out.

“I have secured you a mount,” Bron informed him.

As if on cue, an enormous stag stepped nonchalantly from the woods and approached with his large ears forward and alert but not alarmed.

Miles looked to Bron. “Am I really going to ride that?”

“Indeed. You should have little trouble as we will only be traveling as fast as I can jog.”

Bron draped a folded blanket over the stag’s back and lifted Miles onto it. The stag was slimmer than a horse but taller. Miles’s stomach fluttered uneasily, but he trusted the strange druid and his chosen mount. With a wave to Trielle, Bron took off at a jog and the stag bounded along after him.

It was an odd feeling riding the stag. Its gait was far different from that of a horse even at the relatively slow speed in which they traveled. It was springier but smoother compared to a horse’s jarring canter. Miles could not help but smile as he braced his hands against the proud buck’s strong neck.

By the end of the first day, Miles was certain they had traveled much further than they could have on horseback. Bron was not a fast runner, but neither he nor the stag seemed to suffer the effects of fatigue and maintained a strong pace for the entire day and even a few hours after nightfall. Despite years of riding experience, Miles’ legs protested greatly when he dismounted and nearly fell before he could steady himself. His legs and hips were accustomed to the broad back of a horse, not that of a stag.

It was midway through their third day of traveling that they found themselves on the edge of the forest looking at the walls of North Haven. Bron chose a spot where the forest came nearest the wall as the place to part ways. That left a little over a mile of open ground for Miles to cover on foot. The druid studied the open land between him and the city but could not detect any danger. He even sent a hawk to swoop over the area several times, using his magic to see through the bird’s eyes.

“You don’t want to come with me to see the Duchess? I am sure she will be glad that you rescued me,” Miles said.

Bron smiled at the naïve young man. “Few if any people are glad to see me. My countenance makes people see a threat to be dealt with and often react violently before bothering to ask any questions.”

Miles screwed up his face in annoyance. “That is not fair. My father says we need to judge a man by his character and actions and not just the quality of his clothes. I guess that could mean the skin one wears as well.”

“It sounds like you have learned some good things from a wise man. Follow his lead, and you too will make a good king one day.”

“I don’t know if I want to be king after seeing what it has done to my father. He struggles to be fair and just, but so many people still demand more and abuse him to get it.”

“Your father just needs to find his strength and have the courage to fight for what he believes in. A king who is too kind can be just as disastrous and ineffectual as a tyrant can be. A good king must hold love and compassion for all his people with one hand while wielding swift and decisive justice in the other.”

The young Prince looked up the huge druid. “Do you think my father is even alive to learn to do that? Elli said that if people were after me then something must have already happened him.”

Bron looked down at Miles. “My goddess came to me the day Elli died. She told me your father has some challenges he must face, so it stands to reason that he is still alive and able to fight. This battle will decide whether he will learn to be that kind of king. I believe he can. He will or he will fall.” The druid looked once more at the distant gates of North Haven. “I believe the way is clear. Go straight for the gate. I will watch over you from here until you get inside.”

“Thank you, Bron, for everything.”

Bron simply nodded and motioned for Miles to proceed to the gate. He stood and watched as the boy intermittently walked and jogged through the large open field, across the main road, and finally stood before the gates of the city.

Miles found the gates closed to traffic, but a guard stepped through the small postern door nearby and addressed him.

“What is your business in the city? Are you from the school?” the guard asked, making an assumption given the direction from which Miles had approached.

“I came from The Academy in Southport if that is the school to which you are referring,” Miles replied, not knowing anything about the Orphans’ Academy on the hill. “I request an audience with Duchess Mellina.”

The guardsman laughed as if Miles had just told a joke. “Sorry, kid, but the Duchess does not meet with every dust-covered traveler who strides up to the gates. Especially with everything that is going on right now. If you truly have business you think requires the Duchess’s attention, you may file a request with me, I will deliver it to her seneschal, and then it will be decided if your concern merits an audience.”

Miles took a deep breath, stood proudly, and in his most regal voice proclaimed, “I am Miles Ollander, Crown Prince of Valeria, and I demand to be taken to see Duchess Mellina where I shall make an official bid for sanctuary.”

The officer of the watch looked at the proud young man, particularly the strong jaw and piercing blue eyes that were nearly a perfect match of the King’s.

“Forgive me, Highness. I did not recognize you. My name is Lieutenant John Cruthers, officer of the watch. It will be my pleasure to escort you to Her Grace,” the guard officer said as he took a knee.

“Thank you, Lieutenant. There is no need for apologies. You are performing your duties admirably. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.”

Bron watched as the guard led Miles into the city then turned. “How long have you been watching me?”

“Ghost and I have been following you most of the morning,” Wolf answered, his bow gripped in his hand.

“Very impressive. There are very few who could sneak up on me much less follow me for that long without my knowing,” Bron praised.

“Nothing happens in my woods without me knowing. Who are you, and who was the kid?”

Bron smiled at the young half-elf referring to Miles as a kid when they appeared to be about the same age. “My name is Bron. The boy is Miles Ollander, son of your king.”

“Pfft. Not my king,” Wolf scoffed. “I’m Wolf and this is Ghost.”

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Wolf. Very good to see you, brother,” Bron greeted Ghost.

“Brother? I don’t see the family resemblance, but I can sure smell it!” Wolf brayed, holding his free hand over his stomach as he laughed.

Of the two creatures being offended, only Ghost looked at the half-elf with reproach.

“You seem nicer than you look. Are you going to be staying long?”

“As much as I would enjoy staying and talking with you both, I am afraid I must be going. I am urgently needed far to the north and have little time in which to get there,” Bron answered.

“Too bad you didn’t get here a couple days ago. You could have gone with Azerick and the soldiers from the city. They are going north too. I think the King is trouble again or something. Are you going to go help him too?”

Bron nodded. “We are all in danger, and I believe I will be helping him, but not directly. What I face is a danger to us all. Guard your woods well, Wolf and brother Ghost. Dark times are coming.”

Bron turned one hand palm facing downward towards the ground. The soil began undulating then almost boiling around him. He rotated his hand to face upwards and the ground rose up and wrapped itself around him as if creating a sort of cocoon. Bron looked for a moment like some sort of large effigy made of raw earth before the entire form crumbled and fell back to the ground. Only a small mound of churned earth remained where the eight-foot-tall half-ogre had just been standing.

“Now that is a neat trick!” Wolf exclaimed to his lupine companion.

The earth surrounded Bron but he flowed through it like water rushing through an underground cavern. He did not fly straight like a bird through the sky, but more like a piece of wood cast out into the rapids of a raging river. The earth spirit was in control, and all he could do was brace himself for the ride until it deposited him where Ellanee needed him to go.

CHAPTER
11

Ellyssa picked out a nice dress but not one too cumbersome, deciding that if she were able to infiltrate the palace to see Alonzo Janovin, she would need to look the part. She chose a satin dress in pale yellow with the minimum amount of fluff and frills as current fashion allowed. She chose a pair of gold shoes with heels that made her nearly two inches taller, which not only made fashion sense, but helped her look older as well.

Miranda had left earlier in the afternoon, deciding to spend much of the day with her mother, so she was already gone. Allister should be in the library or in his room reading, Rusty and Colleen would be busy with the twins, and Simon and Teresa were likely preparing for bed already. Sneaking out should pose little problem.

Getting to North Haven was another matter altogether. There was no way she was going to walk five miles in a dress with these shoes. She decided she would need a horse, but Peck watched his horses like a miser watched his coin. She would need to use whatever passed for womanly wiles in an eleven-year-old. At least she was dressed for it.

Ellyssa crept down the stairs from her room barefoot, paused at the landing just above the common room, and quietly darted out the front doors. Once outside, she slipped on her golden shoes and stalked across the grounds until she reached the stables. She peeked through the doorway and saw that it appeared empty. Leaving the door open wide, Ellyssa retrieved a saddle and bridle from the tack room, selected a horse she was familiar with, and set the saddle and bridle down outside the stall.

After opening the stall’s half door, Ellyssa picked up the saddle and stepped in. It always made her nervous to be between a thousand pounds of horse flesh and a wall, but the horse was calm and practically ignored her even after several failed attempts to get the saddle onto its back. How Peck managed to do this with such ease despite being several inches shorter than she was, was beyond her. She finally got the saddle situated properly and cinched on tight.

She then slipped the bridle on after coaxing the horse to lower its head with a handful of oats. Ellyssa stepped out of the stall leading the horse by the reins and stopped short when she saw Peck glaring at her.

“What do you think you are doing?” Peck demanded to know.

Ellyssa squared her shoulders. “I am going to the palace to hear Alonzo Janovin sing.”

“Azerick said no one is supposed to leave the school. Especially after dark!”

Ellyssa glared back. “Well Azerick is not here, is he?”

“Which is even more reason to do as he says.”

“Are you going to tell on me?” Ellyssa challenged.

Peck paused then sighed. “No. But you are not going to take one of my horses. It’s one thing to pretend I didn’t see you. It’s another thing altogether if I actually aid you.”

Ellyssa batted her darkened lashes at Peck. “Please, Peck. You wouldn’t make me walk all the way there in these shoes would you? Besides, Miranda is already there and I’ll stay with her. She can ground me later after the show.”

Peck had had a sort of crush on Ellyssa from the first time he had seen her at the Golden Glade stables where he used to work and was helpless to her pleadings. His resolve withered and died beneath those hazel-green eyes.