Midnight Quest (13 page)

“Would you make sure my personal thanks are conveyed to everyone that helped today?” she requested with transparent sincerity. “I would have been lost without their support.”

A new wave of astonishment washed over the man’s face, his bushy eyebrows nearly touching his hairline. The fact was, everything done today had been to Ramath’s benefit and not her own. There was no reason for her to thank anyone for anything. He stumbled a moment, lost as to the appropriate response. “I will do so, Priestess.”

“Thank you.” Jewel, unable to see his expression, could not detect anything from his gruff tone.

“Priestess, I must ask, when can you put the barrier back up?”

A shadow passed over her face. “The barrier
is
up, I assure you. But this crystal cannot join in and strengthen that barrier yet. You see,
all
of the crystals must be in alignment before their power can be restored. Until the other three are also in their proper place, I cannot do anything to the barrier.”

That had clearly not been the answer Axheimer hoped for. He slumped in on himself in disappointment. “I see.”

“It shouldn’t take long, though,” she consoled him. “After all, this one didn’t take any time at all to find! I can feel them clearly when I get close enough. You shall not pass another winter fearing the Daath, I can give you my word on that.”

Her words brought him out of his disappointment and he straightened again, hope burning in his eyes. “Those are good words. We will bide and pray for your success.”

“While they work,” Rialt jerked a thumb to indicate the people happily hacking at the building, bits of masonry and wood flying in every direction, “we best prepare to go.”

“Go?” Axheimer protested. “You only just came!”

“Eh, and did you no hear the woman when she said we have others to find?” Rialt responded in exasperation, giving the older man a pointed look. “We have only one task left here, and that be to drag the crystal into the proper place. Jewel can do that in a snap.”

Jewel’s head canted a little to the side as she followed the conversation, nodding here and there. “A very good point, Rialt. I see no reason to stay after the crystal is moved. We might as well put our time to good use and start traveling on to Bryn.”

Sarvell turned sharply towards her, eyes flared wide in surprise. “Bryn?! I thought surely we’d go to Jordia next.”

“No, Bryn.” She said this with such confidence that Sarvell felt foolish questioning her. Her mouth curved up in an enigmatic smile. With that expression, he half expected some profound, spiritual reason for this decision. What came out of her mouth was, “I’d rather travel south until the weather warms up. Wouldn’t you?”

~*~*~*~

The Denzbane citizens were good to their word. When Jewel went to the square the next morning, the shrine had been completely torn down and removed. Only an empty lot remained, swept clean and ready for the crystal once more. She moved the crystal without pomp or ceremony, Sarvell on one side and Rialt on the other calling out directions. Their help turned out to be almost superfluous. She could sense when the crystal settled into exactly the right spot—it felt as perfect as a key inserted into a lock.

The hardest part of the morning had nothing to do with moving the crystal but in trying to leave the city. They all wanted her to go, that wasn’t the issue. The sooner she found the crystals and charged them, the better. Everyone understood that. No, the problem was everyone wanted to help speed her on the way. Jewel couldn’t go five steps without being stopped and some package of food, or medicine, or some other traveling supply thrust into her hands. While she felt warmed by the gesture, the amount in her arms quickly became ridiculous. Jewel felt trapped—she had no idea how to politely turn people down in this culture. She didn’t want to offend anyone, but she couldn’t possibly accept all of this either.

Rialt, bless him, stepped to her rescue and in his usual blunt manner shooed people off. While he dealt with the people, Sarvell snuck up behind her and towed her to a waiting horse. By the time she had been handed up into the saddle with Sarvell mounted behind her, Rialt had packed a few of the bundles onto his stallion and joined them.

Sarvell clicked at his horse, starting them off at a slow walk. Jewel could feel the press of people’s hands against her legs, brushing against her as they moved through a crowd of people. She heard a multitude of voices of all ages call out to her, with good wishes and thanks. She waved all around, calling back with a wide smile on her face.

Her face muscles were aching by the time they left the crowd behind them. She took a deep breath of cool spring air, smelled the vegetation of the farms, and knew they had passed the city limits.

“It’s a shame we have to leave so quickly,” she said to Sarvell, smile dimming for a moment. “I’ve never felt so welcome anywhere in my life. I would like to stay for a day more.”

“I have no doubt, Jewel, that you’ll be welcome anytime,” he responded with a reassuring hug around her waist. “In fact, Rialt was rumbling last night that he won’t allow you to live in Belthain after this. He said it’s too dangerous. I think he has every intention to keep you here in Ramath after the crystals are restored.”

Her? Live in Ramath? Could she even do that? After all, she was Thornock’s priestess…

“Now, do no be stealing my thunder, man.” Rialt’s deep voice came from her right side, hooves clipping sharply against the stone road as the stallion caught up to their pace. “I said I would talk to her about it properly.”

“And I told
you
that it wouldn’t work,” Sarvell answered in a tone that clearly said he didn’t like repeating himself. “She lived in Belthain for a reason. She has to be in the center to control the barrier.”

“You do realize, don’t you, that I don’t have to be at the central crystal to operate the barrier? Any crystal will do.”

Sarvell’s head snapped to her so quickly that she could actually hear vertebrae pop. “What?!”

She could almost hear the wheels turning in Rialt’s head. “Then, you can live in Ramath and protect the whole country?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted frankly. “I am, after all, called to be Thornock’s priestess. But since I’m the only high priestess in existence right now…well, I’m not sure if I’m locked into staying in Thornock.”

A deep chuckle rumbled out of his chest. “Sounds like wiggle room to me.”

“Now wait a minute,” Sarvell sounded startled by this abrupt agreement. “Rialt, what makes you think that she’s going to live in Ramath?”

“What are you on about?” Rialt responded irritably.

“Jewel,” Sarvell’s voice vibrated with forced patience, “Ramath is not your only choice. In fact, I was hoping to talk you into living in Bryn. We have just as much barrier trouble as Ramath, only my leaders usually buy our way out of trouble instead of being stubborn and fighting like the Ramath do. You’d be very welcome among my clan.”

Jewel regarded this offer in frank amazement. Never had she imagined that either of these men would want to keep her with them. It was certainly heartwarming, but at the same time Jewel was strongly put in mind of two bandy roosters in the same hen yard. Instead of trying to choose between them, she thought it wiser to side-step the issue.

“Thank you, Sarvell. Both of you do realize, I hope, that the choice isn’t really up to me? Elahandra dictates where I need to be.”

“If herself says in Belthain, we will be having words,” Rialt growled in warning.

“I’ll help you argue the point,” Sarvell promised in a corresponding growl. “We’re not leaving you alone again. You should be properly guarded.”

Why did she not doubt that they both would go toe to toe with a goddess…? Jewel decided it was safer to change the subject. “So how long does it take for us to reach Bryn?”

“We’ll cross into Bryn’s borders in four days or so,” Sarvell answered. “And you’re not changing the subject that easily, Jewel. Why do you not have guards? Traditionally, there are guards specifically to protect the high priestess.”

“The Red Guard, yes,” she said on a sigh. “I only met the Ihan and Nihan once. Warlord Huero said that I didn’t need them in Belthain, and I was to call the Guard only when I left Belthain’s walls. Only I wasn’t ever allowed out of the castle,” she added bitterly. “I had no way to call them.”

“You do wonder why no one in the guard was nabbed by Elahandra to come rescue you.” Sarvell’s voice was deeper than usual, heavy with suspicion. “I wonder if they were bought off by Huero?”

“I’ve often suspected it,” Jewel admitted morosely.

“Not all.”
Everyone jumped a little when Elahandra’s voice suddenly sounded in their minds.
“Jewel, there is one man that is truly trustworthy. He was sent far from you, and so could not reach you in time, hence why I called Sarvell and Rialt. However, this young man is coming even now to help you.”

“We do no need the help,” Rialt stated flatly.

“Rialt,
” Elahandra’s voice was gently chiding,
“this young man swore in all honor to protect Jewel. Would you leave him forsworn?”

“Wait.” Jewel’s head started spinning. “The traditional oath of the guard swears them to the
office
of priestess. Are you saying that he swore directly to me instead?”

“Yes. He is like you are, Jewel; he is the best and brightest of my children. All three of you will be very glad to have him once you know him. Oh, and gentlemen, in regards to where my priestess abides?”
Her voice became very tart. “
You have no say in the matter.”

“Now wait just a—” Rialt started angrily, only to choke himself off when the goddess’s presence abruptly disappeared. He snarled out between clenched teeth, “It had best no be Belthain.”

“Jewel.” Sarvell sounded a little strangled. “Does your goddess always pop in and out like this?”

“All the time,” Jewel drawled, well able to gauge how unbalanced Sarvell felt just by his voice. “You get used to it.”

Rialt heaved a sigh. “And I thought it bad enough when the wee lass did it. Now I will have a pair of voices bouncing around inside my head.”

Chapter Nine

There comes a time in a man’s life when it’s tempting to disregard courtesy and start knocking heads together. Chizeld had just about reached that point.

Chizeld had been awoken in the dead of night by an irate goddess only to be informed that High Priestess was in imminent danger. Elahandra had issued assurances that help had been called—although it was unsettling that help had been called from men outside of Guard—and so Chizeld didn’t need to worry about reaching Priestess immediately. Just needed to reach Jomadd quickly to protect Priestess while Jomadd completed a task.

What task, hadn’t thought to ask until Elahandra had disappeared in a flash of light.

Tired, worried, and ill-prepared for a midnight departure, Chizeld had hastily thrown together some supplies, saddled a horse, and left immediately for Belthain. No doubt there’d be trouble with superiors over that, but technically, Elahandra
did
outrank everyone.

After a week solid of traveling, Chizeld arrived in Belthain ragged around the edges. Barely breached the city’s gates when rumors flew about Priestess being abducted from the castle. While glad of the escape from the castle—and therefore the sword hanging overhead—Chizeld had to wonder: abducted by who? Intended rescuers? Some other party with nefarious intentions?

Even more worried now, Chizeld found a small temple to stop in and knelt in prayer, fervently asking Elahandra for reassurance. Elahandra responded with, “
She’s fine. Go to Ramath.”

The curt words lacked certain sympathy for the armsman’s taut nerves.

Chizeld left immediately, traveling through Wexel, heading straight for the first major city in Ramath—Denzbane. By switching horses at every hostel, the three day trip had been done in two.

Elahandra’s answer hadn’t given a precise direction. However, Order protocol stated that a high priestess had to visit both the temple of the clan’s god—which would be Juven in this case—and the nearest Temple of Elahandra before having the necessary permission to work in that clan’s territory. Chizeld’s memory was a little fuzzy on the finer details, but according to memory, only a handful of cities boasted a Temple of Elahandra. The first one within range was situated in Denzbane. Chizeld had a personal bet going that Priestess had stopped there first. If that truly were the case, then someone in that Temple would surely know the girl’s whereabouts.

With the late night arrival, Chizeld had been forced to find an inn as the Order would have the gates locked at that hour. But first thing in the morning, the armsman had risen, eaten a hastily prepared breakfast, and gone straight for the Temple of Elahandra. The Temple looked more like an Order building really, as it stood two stories tall and branched out in an L shape, with a strong wall of stone surrounding it. Well, the difference in architecture made sense considering how far north—and how close to the Daath—this city stood. Chizeld paid it no mind and just knocked on the outer door.

“Hello!” he called out. “Chizeld Lorin, Sanhan of the Red Guard is here!”

The door abruptly opened, almost jerked aside at full force. Chizeld blinked to see the woman standing there, who had to be a priestess with that necklace of interlocking circles on her neck, but…the male trousers, riding boots, and tight shirt all said
warrior
not
priestess.
The lethal glare in those dark eyes also had Chizeld’s survival instincts blaring for a retreat. Just who…was this woman?

Chizeld was beyond tired, feeling sixty years old instead of thirty. Dark red and white uniform looked brown because of the multiple layers of travel dust coating it. The feel of the same grime coated skin and fair hair, sticking unpleasantly. To anyone that asked, Chizeld could easily admit didn’t look the best just then.

That didn’t mean that the hostile, suspicious glare from this woman was deserved.

In a very thick northern accent, the Ramathan asked, “Who did you say you are?”