Kara (12 page)

Hambone nodded.

“How can we find out? I don’t think I want
this on. And what if Katrena comes looking for it, and I can’t give
it back?” Kara started to get hysterical again.

Hambone stood and put a hand on her. “Don’t
worry about Katrena.”

Snow also got up. “We can take you to see a
wizard near the market who might be able to help.”

“Who? Ynob? That old hack?” Dante scoffed
“He’s just a crazy old man.”

“Do you have a better idea?” Snow stared her
brother down.

Dante closed his mouth and looked away.

“Can we go now?” Kara was anxious.

“I think we all need to get some sleep. It is
pretty dark out there.” Hambone said, stifling a yawn.

“Plus the Lire wolves will be out. I’m not in
the mood to ward them off.” Dante said and followed it with a big
yawn.

“Would Ynob know how I can get back to
Faldoa?” Kara said, a yawn escaping her.

“Maybe.” Hambone matched her yawn.

Soon there was an outbreak of yawns. It had
been a rough, long day.

Maybe tomorrow there would be answers for
her. Maybe she would be back home by nightfall.

Chapter Ten

Skrag now crept slowly through the forest. A
crescent moon peaked through the foliage. He needed to locate the
human thief from the afternoon. He would do anything for his
mistress, even risk his life in the dark. Although the goblin
himself was tired, the mistress commanded it. Even ran a finger
down under his chin. That was more than enough encouragement for
Skrag.

“Now there are two places I believe this girl
will be.” Katrena had given him instructions to locate the girl.
The mission was to find her and then report back immediately.

The first spot, Skrag almost missed because
it blended with the forest—the home of the dwarc, the one who had
been rude to Skrag. Once the goblin made it in the house, he
quickly discovered no one was home. When the cat is away, the
goblin will play. And that is exactly what he did.

Skrag left the residence in a shambles. He
broke the dishes could be found, filled the bed with clumps of mud,
dung, and whatever else looked non-inviting, and shredded the large
blanket with his teeth. The last bit he particularly enjoyed. It
brought out the primal animal in him.

The goblin tried to take a pot shot at a crow
that watched him. The last dinner plate shattered in a nearby tree
easily missing the crow. Instead of flying off, the crow just
switched trees. Skrag cursed at it before returning to his
task.

The second location was a good hike through
the forest. This forest at night did not bother Skrag at all. Like
all forests, it turned to a different color, a different mood when
the sun went down. Skrag traipsed along, not caring whether anyone
or anything heard him. He wasn’t close yet, so he would save his
stealth for time of need.

Stopping at a tree to get his bearing, he
heard a flapping noise behind him. In the tree to the right of him
sat a crow, staring down at him.

“Follow me?” Skrag croaked.

The bird cocked its head to one side.

Skrag looked down at his feet and tried to
find a stone or stick to throw at the creature, but nothing was
available or usable. Gritting his teeth, he looked up to yell at
the bird, but it was not there. His goblin eyes scanned the nearby
trees and found the bird perched closer looking at him.

“Go!” His voice boomed, the mission forgotten
for the moment. Skrag still did not want to draw attention, but the
crow did not heed his command. Anger started to spark with a tiny
drop of fear. He hated those birds, ever since they had eaten his
dead brother in front of him.

“Can’t get me.” The goblin thumped his chest.
Turning his back to the crow, Skrag continued on, but worry and
fear kept him looking back. Sometimes the bird was right behind him
and sometimes it flew farther ahead. Once when he turned to look, a
caw
right beside him caused him to yelp and jump. His small
dagger instantly appeared in his hands, but the crow was still a
safe distance away.

That drip of fear now intensified. The forest
closed in more, and the goblin thought he heard other rustling
noises farther ahead of him. But his resolve was strong still and
he pushed forward.

Caw
!

A black object flew over his head. Skrag held
out his dagger.

“Come. I fight!” But the bird perched on a
nearby branch, staring at him. Skrag waved his dagger around,
though it did not make him feel safe. Another
caw
sent a
shiver through him that almost sent him running.

“Go, crow! Away!” His voice still held anger,
yet trembled. Skrag jumped forward with each word, knife shaking in
his bony hand. Its black eyes stared at him, unblinking. They
seemed to be mocking him.

With another jump forward, his foot caught in
a small hole. Skrag tumbled forward, losing his weapon. Skrag
scrabbled back up fumbling for his dagger. The crow vanished.

He searched the trees and then behind him and
then in front of him. But instead of the bird, he saw a bungalow,
his second location. Skrag did another check for the crow and came
up empty. Sheathing his dagger, he crept forward step by step.

A lantern light came from the window.
Stretching on tiptoes, his large eyes were able to see in.
Something sat curled up on the rug. A dog? He pulled himself up
even more to get a better look when a roar erupted from the
room.

Skrag lost his grip and fell from the window.
He did not move from where he lay, but his dagger came out again.
Only silence. Then the roar came again, only it wasn’t a roar. More
like a snore. He waited patiently, and sure enough it came again,
almost in rhythm.

Cautiously, he pulled himself up to the
window. When the snore came, Skrag remained calm. The form on the
rug didn’t produce the sound. Skrag scanned the room and quickly
found the source. The dwarc’s mountainous form lay prone on a
couch. It rose up with the snore and then fell back a few moments
later.

He had found the dwarc, so the human girl
should be close. But Skrag needed to be sure. Katrena would be
angry if he did not confirm her location. Skrag did not like his
mistress when she was angry, especially with him.

In stealth mode, the goblin crept around the
house. Another window was on the south side of the cottage. This
window opened just enough to let in a slight breeze. Skrag peeked
over the windowsill. Snow and Kara were fast asleep in the bed. The
goblin almost let out a whoop, but caught himself before the noise
escaped his mouth.

Human girl was pretty. Prettier than when
Skrag had seen her disguised at the market. He remained glued to
the window watching the girl sleep. “So pretty.” His voice was
breathless.

Kara stirred in her sleep, half murmuring
something and turned towards the window. The bed cover shifted
aside and the pendant came into view. It glowed softly.

Skrag’s insides almost exploded outward with
an emotional rush. “Neck-lace.” Another sigh escaped him and he
backed away from the window.

Katrena’s orders were specific. ‘Find the
girl and report her location back to me. Do not interact with her
or her friends.’ Skrag always followed her orders explicitly. She
was his mistress. But the necklace? If he could get it, and return
it to her, she would be entirely grateful.
Maybe even give Skrag
a kiss on the cheek.

The goblin’s mind fumbled around with the
logic and the scenarios. Somewhere deep inside, a voice told him to
leave now, but his desire to please Katrena overrode good
sense.

“I could get necklace. Return it.”

“But not orders.”

“Mistress would be happy.”

“But might not work.”

“I be careful.”

Skrag slipped through the open window.

***

Rarely ever did she dream, but tonight Kara’s
mind was alive. She found herself looking out at a room, a room fit
for a queen. Definitely, the room belonged in some sort of castle,
for the walls were made of stone and the space was too large for an
ordinary cottage. Kara sat on a large four-poster bed, centered in
the area, waiting for someone. That much she knew, but she didn’t
know whom.

A fire crackled in the room’s fireplace.
Torches adorned the walls, unlit by flames. Kara did not recognize
the light source, but they glowed. Beautiful furniture decorated
the bedroom. Kara looked all around, but she constantly brought her
gaze back to the door. She was waiting, for what or whom she didn’t
know.

There was a knock and the door opened.
“Darling, I have returned!” The man’s voice was not familiar, but
then again something about it felt like home.

Instantly, Kara felt her body move from the
bed and run to the man who had just entered. They embraced and he
hugged her tight and kissed her.

Am I just a visitor to this dream?
Kara wondered as she embraced the man. When they parted, Kara
looked at her visitor. He wore studded black leather armor. No
sword hung from his belt. Actually, he carried no weapon at all
that she could see. The man was in his youth, but had seen a bit of
the world. She could tell that from his face. Part of a scar etched
into his left cheek. It ran into his short, black beard. The
whiskers had tickled her lips during their kiss.

“You have returned to me in one piece.” It
was her voice, yet not her voice. She was just a guest in this
body.

“In one piece, my dear. Scarred and badly
burnt in places, but still in one piece. The war is over.” They
embraced again, and Kara felt him wince as she squeezed him
tight.

“Come, lie down. You need your rest.” She
coaxed him with an arm around his waist.

He moved forward, but only a few steps. “I
regret, there is more to do, my dear wife. But I have a present for
you. Spoils of war.”

Kara felt a pang in her heart when she heard
that he could not stay. She pulled away from him a bit.

“Surely the king can do without his mighty
Guillaud for one night.” The tone was ripe with sarcasm, anger, and
sorrow.

“Hush, dear. Be still. All will be well soon.
But see this present.” From his pocket, he took a small wooden box.
The case fit in his hand. It looked simple, almost what a peasant
would keep his snuff in.

Her anger abated, but her sorrow lingered.
Guillaud always had a kind word, a gift, a smile to bring her
spirits up. Kara took the carton and slid the cover off.
Never
judge a container…
ran through her mind as the pendant inside
sparkled to life. It was the bat pendant! She couldn’t speak, for
the mystic captured her once again.

“Say you like it.” The voice almost pleaded,
as if Guillaud thought that this marvelous gift would not impress
his wife. The words hung there.

Kara’s arms threw themselves around the man,
and she felt herself kissing his cheek. “Guillie, how could you
ever think that I would turn away anything you gave me?” She
squeezed even tighter, and he spun her in a circle. Her skirts
flared out around her ankles. The sorrow disappeared, blasted away
by their soaring love.

“Put it on. I want to see you in all your
glory,” Guillaud exclaimed, as he released his wife.

In a few moments, Kara could feel the touch
of the necklace around her throat. It was warm, yet had a cool
center. Once he closed the latch, she felt herself spin around and
face the man.

She did a partial twirl. “How do I look?”

His face said it all. Guillaud’s mouth
dropped open a bit, the shock and awe evident in his eyes.

“Absolutely radiant.”

Again Kara felt the surge of love and
emotion, almost bringing her to a giggle. Her arms wrapped around
her husband and drew him in for a kiss.

The image started to fade out and change. The
touch of him drifted with the scenery. The dream, memory, shifted
to another time, another location. It happened within seconds, but
the emotions from before still lingered.

When all came clear, Kara was sitting down at
a table in the middle of a meal. Her husband and another man sat at
either end, while across from her sat an unknown woman. Her red
hair fell upon her shoulders and her green eyes twinkled, reflected
in the wine glass she was drinking from. For some reason, Kara felt
instant disdain for this woman—a dislike, but not jealousy.

Guillaud laughed, as the other man talked,
telling some story to which Kara only heard the ending. A feast of
roast boar was on the table, currently half-devoured by the looks
of it. Potatoes and vegetables garnished her plate, while some of
the boar remained untouched. Her wine glass was empty, with only
small hints at the red vintage left behind.

As the laughter subsided, Guillaud caught her
eye. “The boar is not to your liking, dear?” All eyes instantly
came upon Kara.

“My tastes are more for the side dishes
tonight. And, of course, the wine.” Her hand picked up her empty
glass and gave a brief smile. The rest of the group picked up their
glasses and toasted her. Soon her glass filled once again, the
liquid the color of dark blood. She swirled the liquid in her
goblet and sniffed its hefty aroma.

“So, Henry, another campaign to start up
soon?” Guillaud asked. He savored his boar greedily.

The other man, Henry, had a broad firm face,
the mask of a warrior. Instead of a beard, his facial hair only
encircled his mouth. His light colored hair was short on top but
the sides drooped to his shoulders. Kara concluded that he might be
a knight or of the king’s guard.

“The trolls in the north are breaching the
barrier again, causing havoc for the villages nearby. King Titius
wants it resolved quickly, before word spreads.” Henry hungrily
devoured his food.

“All this fighting. When is it going to end?”
the redheaded woman asked. She sipped from her wine. Before anyone
could answer, she spoke again. “Don’t you agree, Rose?” The
question, directed to Kara.