Kara (15 page)

“That crazy old coot! He’s just a recluse
that people think knows magic.” Dante exclaimed.

“He’s a wizard and we can see if he knows
anything about the necklace.” Snow countered.

“Well, good luck trying to find him.”

Dante was right about that. Snow had never
been to the wizard’s place. She heard rumors that his home rested
in the trunk of a large tree.

Grace piped up with a twitter. “Oh, well, if
Grace knows.” Dante quipped.

“Enough.” Hambone put an end to the arguing.
“I don’t like the idea that Kara will be out in the forest where
anything can happen.”

Kara looked at him. “I’m a big girl and can
take care of myself. Plus Snow and Grace will be with me.”

“Hmpp” Dante said rudely.

Kara glared at the fox. “Your sister took
care of me when someone who will remain nameless left me while he
got a haircut and some pampering.”

Instantly, Dante lowered his head and closed
his mouth.

“Still, I don’t like it.” Hambone said
sternly.

“Then come along. I think Snow has the right
idea to get this necklace checked out. Even if he can’t tell us
anything about the necklace, he might be able to help me get home,”
Kara said.

Snow smiled behind her.

Hambone thought about it then shook his head.
“If that goblin is still out there, I don’t want another
attack.”

“I wouldn’t call what he tried to do an
attack. Plus Dante wounded him pretty badly,” Kara pointed out.

“Yuck…I can still taste’s its blood. Nasty
stuff.” Dante coughed, mock spitting.

A moment passed where Kara thought the dwarc
would change his mind, but in the end he simply said no.

Snow, Kara, and Grace had now been hiking for
almost an hour. The forest did close in and get tighter the more
they trail blazed. Snow mainly led, but then consulted Grace every
so often. Kara felt like a third wheel at times because no one
translated for the sprite.

She was wearing her disguise again. Grace did
not want to put on the illusion, in case the wizard saw through the
ruse and assumed their intentions were not good.

Her hand came up to the necklace, hidden
under the shawl. It remained cool to her touch but the underside
warmed against her skin. Her mind played over her dream, or
memories, or whatever they were. Kara wanted to find out more about
the mysterious Rose, and what happened with her and Miranda.

“I think we might be close,” Snow said from
just up ahead.

They hiked up a small incline. Large, old
trees started to appear in the forest. Many, Kara could not fit her
arms around, but none of them looked like they could hold a
household within.

Grace took point and flew ahead, looking at
each tree. Snow and Kara watched the sprite. She lingered at an
oak, before jabbering in sprite-speak.

“She thinks she’s found it.”

Kara looked at the tree and then back at
Snow. “Really? How can a whole house, let alone one man fit in that
tree?” Snow just shrugged.

Grace muttered something at the tree. Her
green light pulsed, and soon a line drawing appeared at the base.
It looked as if the line were cutting out a door in the trunk. When
the sprite finished, the green disappeared and a door revealed
itself.

An ornate door, like one might find at a
nobleman’s household, stood out in the forest now. A panel chiseled
with birds, similar to those that used to perch outside her window,
lay in the center while a design of vines and leaves decorated the
outside perimeter of the door. A large knocker in the shape of a
dragon’s head graced the center of the door, but there was no
handle or doorknob.

Snow and Kara walked up to it amazed. “How
did you do that, Grace?” Kara asked.

Grace twittered.

“She said it’s complicated.” Snow translated.
After a moment passed, Snow nudged Kara. “Well, go ahead and
knock.”

“Why do I have to?”

“Because we came here for you. Now get up
there.”

Kara nodded reluctantly. She stretched out
her hand and almost had the knocker in her grasp, when the door
flew open. She pulled her hand back to avoid getting hit by the
door. Snow gave a startled gasp too.

“Who dares reveal my door and disturb me?”
Wizard Ynob’s tone came out harsh and demanding. He stared down at
Snow and then briefly glanced at Kara before he saw Grace.

“Oh, it’s you, Grace.” It was hard to tell
from his tone whether he was pleasantly surprised or sarcastic. “I
guess you can come in. And bring your friends.”

***

“Where is the little…” Katrena paced inside
her home, anger building with each turn. This morning she awoke to
an empty house, no Skrag watching her from the corner of the room.
She searched the house for him thoroughly with no luck. She even
did a sweep outside, but he was nowhere to be found.

Katrena learned early on to keep the mission
simple or Skrag would mess it up. And she had done just that. Find
the girl and report back. Simple. She re-entered her cottage and
paced from window to window, unsure of what to do. Skrag was
reliable and he had not failed to return with the information she
desired from missions she had sent him on before. In addition,
Aladedas would be opening soon, not that anyone would miss her
there, but she always hated to lose opportunities to earn a little
coinage.

Skrag, where are you?

As she turned her back to the front door, a
soft knock came. Katrena paused mid step, listening. Her hand
instinctively went for the throwing knife attached to her hip. A
quiet pivot and a hop, she was at the door. The knock came again,
faint, but unmistakably a knock.

Katrena wrenched open the door, ready to
attack, but no one was there. Her eyes scanned out and then down.
That’s when she saw the trail of blood leading to her door.

Skrag looked up at her. One leg was gone,
while the other had a chunk missing. One slightly chewed on ear and
an eye gone a wicked shade of purple added to the several deep claw
marks on his face that oozed a yellowish green puss.

“Mistress…” His voice weakly called out as a
cough rattled him. He spat blood.

The dark elf knelt beside her slave, close
enough to hear, but clear of any fluids or nastiness coming from
the goblin.

“Skrag. Who did this to you?”

“Lire…wolves…” Katrena grimaced. Usually the
wolves didn’t bother goblins because of their natural scent, unless
Skrag’s wounds came prior to their attack. Blood was enough
incentive for the wolves to overcome their natural aversion.

“The girl.” Katrena wanted her information.
Yes, Skrag was dying but he would not die in vain. He came back to
finish his mission.

“Were…clan…” The goblin broke out into a
coughing fit. It shook his whole body. And then the coughs stopped
abruptly. His eyes widened. Death claimed him quickly. Katrena
stood, looking down in disgust.

“What a mess,” she muttered.

She turned, re-entered the house, and went to
her weapons room. Being prepared for anything was the key to
surviving. Preparation took only a matter of moments. Hopefully,
the girl would still be at the house or nearby.

Katrena stepped onto the porch once again and
stopped by the goblin’s body. No feelings of remorse or guilt
surfaced. There was only anger at having lost a valuable worker.
She kicked Skrag’s body off her porch. Maybe some scavengers would
take care of his remains so she would not have to deal with it
later.

Katrena ran into the woods, tracing back the
trail of blood her late goblin had left for her.

***

Kreitan awoke to La’ard yanking him by his
tunic.

“Where is it?” the king snarled in his
face.

The captain’s reflexes were quick, but only
softened the blow of slamming against the wall. La’ard was strong,
maybe a close match for Kreitan, but fueled by this rage, Kreitan
felt helpless.

“Wha—” was all the captain could say as
La’ard put pressure on his windpipe.

“I will kill you right now without any qualms
if anything happens to Euphoria. Now where is the necklace?” The
king’s arm was like a metal bar. Kreitan’s hands tried desperately
to pull it away. The fingers loosened enough for Kreitan to
speak.

“Necklace?” And then he knew to what La’ard
referred. It came to his mind, a vivid picture of the pendant, bat
wings and all. He also knew who had taken it.

“Necklace.” La’ard pronounced it slow and
loud making sure Kreitan heard. “Tell me.”

Kreitan motioned toward his throat with one
hand, while trying to remove the king’s hold with his other. La’ard
quickly released his grasp. Kreitan’s hands went to his neck. He
coughed a few times. His lungs screamed for more air.

Inside hatred rumbled, anger foamed.
Kreitan’s eyes betrayed everything. But the captain forced himself
to stand and to harden his heart, eyes, soul. Now was not the time
for payback.

“Tell me. That
thing
says you know of
it.” La’ard turned to Kreitan.

“Sire…” He coughed again.

“Dispense with the niceties for now.” La’ard
walked around the room, surveying it while keeping an eye on his
captain.

“It’s from the tomb.” Kreitan stepped away
from the wall. His head throbbed similar to his lungs and throat.
After torturing and eventually silencing Cehwalie forever, Kreitan
had celebrated with a keg of mead and a large roasted boar.
Inflicting pain gave one such an appetite.

“Everything’s from that damn tomb!” La’ard
shook his head, pausing his pacing.

“Yes. Everything bad is.”

The king gave a sharp look to his captain,
who continued quickly. “It was from the crystal cabinet in the
room.”

“So you just thought you could pilfer from
the crown? A little something for yourself?” La’ard quickly stepped
closer to Kreitan.

“No, my liege.” Kreitan dropped his eyes He
might look contrite but he wasn’t really ashamed. He could tell the
story of the rebel miners, but then he would have to reveal the
nature of his box. That was definitely one treasure La’ard would
never get.

“Somehow I don’t believe you.” The king
stepped away, again glancing about the room. “So where is this
necklace now?” The king’s words were spit out, distasteful
bile.

“It was stolen.” Kreitan then suddenly saw
how this was going to play out. A thief breaks in to the castle and
robs the captain of the guards almost four months ago, and this is
the first the king is hearing about it. Kreitan steeled himself
against what was coming.

La’ard turned and stared at his captain. The
rebuttal did not come immediately, but when it did, the king’s
reaction was not what Kreitan was expecting.

“Who did you anger?” La’ard asked.

“What?”

“I know how you run my castle. I have never
feared anything with you in command. There have been no incidents
that have caused me any concern. But someone with a vengeance,
someone wanting to knock that hat from your head and humiliate you,
I can see them stealing from you.” La’ard almost laughed.

“I know who she is.”

“She?” La’ard expression turned to alarm.

“It is a contact I have used for…errands that
are of a…sensitive nature. I tried to get the upper hand with her
after she completed a job for me. My little trap failed. She stole
the necklace to prove a point.”

The king stepped toward Kreitan. La’ard’s
expression did not reveal his mood as he approached, but Kreitan
steadied himself—ready for another attack. “We need to get the
necklace back. And, of course, the shard. I will leave the details
to you.”

“This woman is currently tracking the girl
from yesterday. I may not be able to arrange a meeting.”

“Do it! I do not want to have to question
your loyalty…again.” La’ard stood only a foot away from the
captain, the king’s eyes staring dead into his eyes. Kreitan
suppressed his own anger, showing only calm determination.

“Yes, my king.” Any other royal dignitary
would have sentenced Kreitan to death for such mockery. La’ard did
not flinch at the name. He only stared.

“My daughter…you will not determine her fate,
or I shall determine yours. Am I clear?” Silence fell and thick
tension blanketed the room. Kreitan’s calm slowly ebbed away as his
insides boiled.

“The shard…I have more news. The cook told
more.”

La’ard lost his stern composure. Hope
fluttered in the king’s eyes for a minute. He stepped back.

“Yes?”

“The baker, Kirt, the girl’s father,
mentioned a brother, who might be interested in the shard.” Kreitan
spoke slowly, feeding the king only bits of the information. “His
brother is a Mordock.”

“The Mordock from the river?”

“Perhaps. Upon checking, the brother is a
blacksmith in Willow Haven.”

“Good. Have you sent men there yet?”

“I was just about to get a company together
to go visit him.” A smile appeared on Kreitan’s lips.

“Send your second-in-command. You are to stay
here and arrange the trap for the thief.” La’ard turned on his heel
and started to leave.

“But—”

“Do not disappoint me. There is too much at
stake.” La’ard left, slamming the door in his wake.

Kreitan stared at the exit long after the
king had gone. He felt such the fool and he despised feeling that
way. La’ard had a rude awakening coming once this shard, and now
necklace business, came to a conclusion.

Maybe he would introduce the king to his
little box.

Chapter Thirteen

Kara thought dark and gloomy was the only way
to describe the descent into the hardwood. Wizard Ynob’s house
wasn’t actually inside the trunk, but underneath it. The tree only
provided access to his lair.

Kara couldn’t see where the illumination for
the stairs came from. No torches adorned the walls and there was no
visible light source. The walls just glowed in places with a
luminescence strong enough to show the way, yet were so dim they
provided no details.