Knights: Defenders of Ollanhar (Ollanhar Series Book 1) (17 page)

“I’m
not going through those mountains,” said Taith, gazing at Lannon and
shivering. “It would be cruel to make me go.”

“We
have no choice,” said Lannon. “Sorry, Taith.”

“We’re
all going to die up there,” said Taith, his words full of grim certainty,
and it was Lannon’s turn to feel chilled.

Many
had vanished without a trace in the rugged peaks of the Soddurn
Mountains—including a small army of Divine Knights sixty years before. The
Knights had chased a powerful Goblin into the peaks, intent of finishing it off
so it would cease to terrorize the land. The mountains apparently swallowed
them up. Not even their bones were found.

“They’ll
never find our bones,” said Taith, as if sensing Lannon’s thoughts. The
lad curled up in the grass, eyes closed.

Lannon
said nothing, his gaze lingering on the jagged peaks that rose up into the sky.
They looked innocent enough from here, but the Soddurn Mountains were crawling
with death. Taking this route was indeed a huge gamble.

“Is
this a wise decision?” Bekka asked Aldreya. “Our mission has barely
begun, yet we could suffer losses in those mountains.”

Aldreya
hesitated before answering. Then she said, “I don’t know, but this is the
fastest route to our goal. And I think we’re quite capable of defending
ourselves against whatever awaits us up there.”

“Yet
what exactly
is
our goal?” asked Bekka. “I know we’re going to
an island, but where is it located? Will we be stopping anywhere along the way?
I haven’t seen a worthy map. We haven’t discussed anything specific.” The
tall, muscular warrior gazed down at Aldreya with deep concern. “Why all
the secrecy?”

“We
will eventually hold a meeting,” said Aldreya, as she walked away. And
that was all she would say on the matter.

“Lannon,”
asked Bekka, “can you answer my questions?”

“No,”
said Lannon. But he didn’t much care what the answers were. He would go where
they needed to go and do what must be done.

Bekka
shook her head, bearing a troubled look. “You’re the High Watchman and
have a right to know everything Aldreya knows, yet she keeps you in the dark.
Shouldn’t you be demanding answers?”

“Birlote
sorcerers are always like that,” said Lannon. “They hide things until
they feel the truth should be revealed. I expect that from her.”

“May
I speak freely?” asked Bekka, pulling Lannon aside where no one else could
hear.

Lannon
nodded.

“You’re
somewhat of a spineless High Watchman,” said Bekka. “You’re letting
Aldreya run everything. That’s not how it’s supposed to be.”

“I
very much disagree,” said Lannon. He was somewhat annoyed at the harsh
words. “We make decisions together, usually with help from the Council.
But sometimes I let her handle things. My mind is often on other tasks.”

“Then
maybe you’re not fit for the role, Lannon,” said Bekka. “It sounds
like you tend to neglect your duties.”

“I
do,” Lannon admitted. “Somewhat. But not entirely.”

Bekka’s
eyes widened. “
Somewhat?
Sorry, but that’s not the attitude of
someone I want being my leader. I expect better from you.”

Now
Lannon was fully annoyed. “Then perhaps you should return to Dremlock,
Bekka. No one is forcing you to stay on the Council.”

Bekka
nodded. “I see. So I reveal my thoughts and you’re ready to toss me out. I
guess I wasn’t allowed to speak freely after all.”

With
a sigh, Lannon calmed himself. “I don’t want you to leave. You’re a
valuable warrior and an important member of the Council. I listened to your
words, and I will consider them.”

Bekka
bowed. “That is all I ask. May I be excused?”

Lannon
nodded, and she walked away.

He
stood for a moment in the grass, contemplating what she had said. Her words
made him weary. He didn’t want to deal with issues concerning his role on the
Council—or anything even remotely similar. He wanted to spend his time
adventuring and doing heroic deeds. Bekka took the business of the Council very
seriously, and Lannon respected that—but anything with the word
“official” attached to it bored him to tears. He was more than happy
to let Aldreya and the others deal with all of that even if it made him appear
spineless.

Lannon
drew his blade, focusing his power into it. He stood motionless for a moment,
charged with energy, letting it cleanse him of all his earthly burdens. Then he
lashed out at a nearby rock, cleaving it in two. It felt good to wield his
sword, even if it was just practice.

He
glanced about, slightly embarrassed, but no one was watching. He sheathed his
weapon. He felt better, but Bekka’s words still nagged at his mind. Politics
left him no peace, but there was no escaping that burden.

Lannon
would gladly face the terrors of the Soddurn Mountains over another argument
concerning his duties.

***

After
lunch, they rode on until dinner. The grass grew deeper and the soil turned
boggy. The dense fog returned, rolling in from the mountains with a vengeance
and obscuring everything—an unnatural fog that felt cold and evil against the
skin. Ominous purple clouds gathered in the sky to the sound of thunder, and
lightning split the air in the distance. They stopped to camp near some stone
ruins marked by a towering and crumbling statue of a Grey Dwarf holding a
battering ram in two hands. They set up their tents in the shadow of this
ancient warrior, yet no one wanted to end up like Faindan Stillsword, and so
they stayed away from the ruins. The Dwarf’s stone battering ram extended out
over the camp, vines hanging from it—as if guarding Dremlock’s Knights from
the lightning.

Once
the horses were fed and the tents set up for the evening, the Knights noticed
Prince Vannas was missing. A panic spread throughout the camp, and they began a
frantic search for him in the fog. No one saw him depart, and this led to fears
that he had been abducted by a servant of the Deep Shadow—perhaps some foul
Goblin that had crept down from the mountains. Lothrin was especially
distraught, blaming himself for not keeping close enough watch over the prince.

“How
could he just vanish?” asked Lothrin. The lean Ranger’s face was pale,
hinting at some deep fear he refused to reveal to the others.

“We
will find him,” Lannon reassured him, though he wasn’t so certain. Dread
gripped his heart, whispering to him that something was very wrong—almost like
the voice of the Deep Shadow trying to cast doubt in his mind. The cold, clingy
fog seemed to carry a message of doom for the Divine Knights.

They
searched for an hour on foot—using every method at their disposal, including
the Eye of Divinity. Although they located the prince’s trail, it ended
abruptly at a small river—as if he had entered the rapidly flowing water and
not emerged again. This led to speculation that he may have gone into the water
to wash himself and then had somehow drowned.

Lannon
again scanned the water and the grassland beyond, but could glimpse no trace of
Prince Vannas or his dead body. He shook his head. “It’s almost like he
has vanished completely from the world. I don’t understand.”

“His
body could have been washed downstream,” said Bekka. “I suggest we
move along the river.”

Another
highly ranked Blue Knight—named Wreld Greendagger—knelt by the steam, his
expression glum. “I’m not ready to search for a body yet. No, our prince
has to be alive! The White Flamestone would protect him.”

“I
doubt it would save him from drowning,” said Bekka. “That is a fate
that can happen to anyone—even a prince. When I was a child, my older brother
drowned, and he was an excellent swimmer, strong and athletic. I always thought
he was invincible. Yet something pulled him under—a strange current perhaps. There
is no telling how deep this river gets in the middle.”

Wreld
rose, his face hardened with determination. He was stocky for a Blue Knight,
with a bald head and a youthful face. “I refuse to believe that Prince
Vannas died in such a manner.”

Yet
Lothrin looked deeply troubled. “Bekka is right, Wreld. Anyone can drown
if they aren’t being careful—and my cousin has been distracted lately. I could
easily see him doing something foolish.”

“You
must try again, Lannon,” said Vorden, as he paced back and forth. “He
has to be around here somewhere…unless he was taken to that fortress in the
mountains that Jace spoke of. I pray that’s not the case.”

Lothrin
shuddered. “He might be better off drowned than to end up in a place like
that. At least he would be at peace.”

“Regardless,”
said Lannon, “I cannot find him. The water has washed away all traces of
him, apparently.” Nevertheless, he tried again—and failed.

“You
found me quick enough,” Taith pointed out. The boy was standing by the
river, skipping stones across it.

“That
was different,” said Lannon.

“Why?”
asked Taith.

“I
don’t know,” said Lannon, gripped by frustration. “Sometimes a
person’s trail is easier to find. Sometimes the Deep Shadow can cloak the
landscape and hide things. There is much about it I don’t understand and never
will.”

“I
don’t like the sound of that,” said Taith. “I guess that means I will
end up like you and not know what I’m doing half the time.”

Lannon
had no reply for that.

“You’re
doing your best, Lannon,” said Jace. “The Eye is always
unpredictable, and many forces can interfere with it.”

“If
only there was a way to be rid of this blasted fog,” said Daledus.
“The prince could be very close to us, lying dead or injured, and we still
wouldn’t see him. The Deep Shadow seeks to cloak everything in confusion.”

“If
he was that close,” said Aldreya, “I’m confident Lannon would find
him. Therefore, he must have traveled beyond the range of the Eye—perhaps
through the river to hide his tracks. He could have walked a great distance in
the shallow water by the bank—perhaps for miles.”

“Why
would my cousin want to hide from us?” asked Lothrin. “Are you
suggesting his mind has been claimed by the Deep Shadow?”

“That’s
always a possibility,” said Aldreya. “Or something might have caused
him to flee, perhaps to protect the rest of us.”

“Aldreya
is right,” said Jace. “Even the prince is not immune to Tharnin. It
can creep into a strong mind and lead one astray. I have seen it many times
during the two centuries I have been alive. It doesn’t necessarily mean he is
lost forever. It could just as easily mean he is simply being led to his
captivity or death and could still be saved. If we can find him in
time…”

“This
is a wretched turn of events,” said Galvia. “Tharnin must not be
allowed to gain possession of the White Flamestone.”

Lothrin’s
eyes narrowed. “That, and I don’t want my cousin to die. This isn’t just
about a Flamestone. A human life is at stake.”

“Of
course,” said Galvia. “I’m as concerned as you are about him,
Lothrin.” The young Dwarf’s smooth face reddened a bit, and she stepped
over to Lothrin and squeezed his shoulder. “We will find him.”

“Not
standing around talking, we won’t,” Jerret muttered. He stood with sword
in hand, looking both helpless and restless. “I’m with Wreld on this. I
don’t believe the prince simply drowned. I think an enemy took him.”

“We
need some wise ideas,” said Jace, “so we can refine our search.
Otherwise, we could wander until dark in this fog and more of us could get
lost. We could end up straying far from camp and much time could be
wasted.”

The
moments drifted by with Jace’s pipe smoke.

“The
wise ideas, Jace?” Aldreya reminded him.

 
Jace smiled. “Why don’t you ever call me
Uncle
Jace anymore? Are you too important and grown up, now that you’re
the Green Knight of Ollanhar? You used to be my favorite Squire, and we got
along so well—just like uncle and niece. It was a beautiful thing, really. I
miss that, you know. Now you seem so…well, so much like a Birlote, and so
distant to me.” He gave a huge sigh.

Aldreya
looked away, seemingly a bit embarrassed. “I’m not a child anymore, Jace.
And we have a potential disaster on our hands, so let’s stay focused on the
important topic. So again—about those wise ideas?”

“Wise
ideas,” Jace mused, blowing pipe smoke at her and making her cough.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have any. I was hoping someone else did.”

 
Looking frustrated, Aldreya glanced about at
the others.

“I
can lead a small group through the fog,” said Lannon. “We can search
until dark, and if we don’t find him…return to camp I suppose. We’ll start by
traveling along the river.”

“Count
me in,” said Lothrin.

“Of
course,” said Lannon.

“You’ll
need warriors,” said Jerret, “in case you find trouble. Daledus,
Galvia, Vorden, and I can handle that part of it.”

Lannon
nodded. “Aldreya, Dallsa, and Bekka should return to camp, though. I don’t
think it’s wise to have the entire Council of Ollanhar wandering around in the
fog and neglecting our campsite.”