Questing Sucks! Book II (35 page)

Patrick, now beyond the point of exhaustion, buried his face into his hands and continued to massage his eyes while he listened helplessly to Cah’lia and the others. He needed rest. With just a few hours’ sleep, he could be back to his usual self; he could regain control over things.

“Do you hear this?” Cah’lia asked. “Do you hear what he’s saying? That I should abandon my family, leave Nero and Rina to their fate! Am I the only one here who finds this outrageous?”

Shina frowned. “I do too. You’re awful, Patrick.”

“I don’t think he’s awful,” Kellar said. “But I agree: we can’t just let them take away Cah’lia’s brother and the little girl. We should go after them.”

“You’re being too nice, Kellar. Patrick’s being a mean jerk. Right, Orellia?”

“Actually, no,” Mistress Orellia said. “I agree with Patrick.”

With the mage-woman’s words, the room silenced. Surprised, Patrick lifted his face out of his hands, glad to see that Cah’lia’s eyes were no longer on him. Now, Cah’lia, Kellar, and Shina were staring at Orellia, who lifted her chin and reminded Patrick of the strict tutors he’d been assigned as a child.

“I know we’re all upset here,” she began, “and this is understandable. Everyone here has someone they care about—someone they want to keep safe.” Lowering her voice, she walked over to Cah’lia and took the elven woman’s hands into her own. “My entire world has literally collapsed, as I’m sure you know. I was thrown in prison, and a mad Archmage now seems to act without any oversight from the council. Everything I have known has been threatened.”

Cah’lia looked like she wanted to respond, but Orellia continued. “And yet here I am, with you, ready to risk my life to prevent an enemy who is already powerful beyond our understanding from getting even more powerful. Do you think I don’t also want to rush home and sort things out? Of course I do.”

Orellia sighed. “I know that you care for the children, but you must trust me that they will not be harmed; they were taken for a reason, and that very reason is what will likely keep them safe. If the Hawk gets his hands on either the human-held or elven-held Item, this world as we know it will cease to exist. And so, despite how terrible our options may be, the only correct choice here is for Sehn—”

The unexpected sound of swords sliding out of scabbards caused Patrick to jump in his chair, bringing him back to full alertness. All heads turned to the entryway, where just beyond, Patrick could hear loud voices. There seemed to be some sort of commotion going on in the hallway. The guards were shouting at someone—an intruder, perhaps?

“Who dares to utter my name!” thundered a loud, obnoxious voice. “I distinctly heard someone say, ‘Legendary Great Sehn.’ Step aside, fools!”

“Stop right there!” shouted a female guard.

“Who are you?” demanded another. “State your name?”

I should’ve known
.

Of course it wasn’t an intruder: it was just
him
.
Patrick whimpered silently to himself. He was too tired for this. On top of everything else, for Sehn to show up now…why had the Gods cursed him so terribly?

Sehn stampeded into the room in his usual disruptive manner. Guards hollered their displeasure as the trouble-causing elf knocked them on the floor instead of simply asking them to please step aside. One after the other, Patrick twitched at the sound of a loud clang as the armored men and women standing guard were knocked off their feet. He watched, dread in his heart, as Sehn and his “minion” made their way into the mayor’s room like an invading army occupying enemy territory.

Immediately, Shina scowled, Kellar grinned, and Cah’lia’s expression became an uneven mix of the two. Orellia gave off no sign of emotion, which reminded Patrick of Saerina, whom he dearly wished was around at times like these.

She’d know what to do
.

Sehn looked around the room, his arms folded over his chest and a mean frown on his lips. “Patrick!” he shouted. “What…what the hell is going on in here? What is this? Answer me at once!”

Patrick waved, struggling for all he was worth to keep a slight smile on his face. “Good to see you too, Sehn. What’s ‘going on here’ is that we’re discussing how we should deal with recent events. As I’m sure you know, we have a bit of a crisis on our hands, and we’re trying to figure out—”

“No, not that, you fool!
That
.” Sehn pointed to the carpets in the middle of the room, where the mayor’s body had been only a few minutes prior. “Why in the name of Sehn is the carpet bleeding? What kind of fucked-up shit is going on in here? Only the Great Sehn is allowed to be so bloodthirsty that even inanimate objects bleed in his presence!”

Kellar’s lips twitched, and then he hurriedly coughed into his hand. Fortunately, Sehn did not see the boy conceal his laughter. A second later, Kellar tiptoed over to Sehn and whispered something into the elf’s ears. Sehn paused and whispered something back. Kellar nodded.

Sehn cleared his throat. “Oh,” he said in his version of a whisper, which meant half of Hahl could hear him. “I knew that. I was merely using a version of elven dialect, which translates poorly and makes it sound like I was implying something about carpets. So, this was the room where Mayor Rumpus died in my name?” Sehn approached the bloodied spot on the floor. His lips curled in disgust. “I’ll make whoever
did this suffer
. Mark my words: I will reclaim my two disciples and bring them back.”

Patrick took a sharp breath. “Wait, you know, Sehn?”

“Know what?”

“About the little human girl, Rina, being kidnapped. And about the mayor.”

“Of course I know,” Sehn growled. “I found out on the way over here.”

At least I don’t have to break the news then
,
Patrick thought.
That wouldn’t have been fun
.

Cah’lia rushed over to Sehn’s side. “Sehn,” she said, grabbing his wrist. “You know already?”

Sehn nodded. “I do. A guard told me.”

Cah’lia stared at him mutely for a moment, then said, “We need to find them.”

“We will, Cah’lia. I promise you. I won’t give up until we have them back.”

“Then you’re going to need to tell that to Patrick, because he thinks we’re going to abandon them.”

Sehn turned his eyes Patrick’s way. This wasn’t good. Patrick fought to find any remaining energy he had left in him. Things were happening too soon; he was both physically and mentally unready for this. His body and mind were drained.

“Is this true, Patrick?” Sehn asked. “Were you planning on abandoning the children?”

“No, no, no!” Patrick shouted. “Of course not!”

“You weren’t?”

“No, I would never abandon them. I’m merely asking for you two to continue making your way to the Pillar of Hope while I deal with things here. Please, Sehn, I beg you. By now, you should know what we’re up against. Our enemy is one who—”

“You can’t be serious, Patrick!”

“Unfortunately, Sehn, I am serious.”

Sehn shook his head. “No, no, you don’t understand me, you fool. I’m literally saying that you
can’t
be serious; I forbid you from being serious. Now, put on a tutu and dance for me, slave! Dance before I throw a harpoon at your face. Oh, and Shina! Buy me some grapes. I shall nourish my divine body and then rescue the children.”

That’s it
.
I’ve had enough
.

Patrick got out of his seat. He slowly crept his way over to the front of the deceased mayor’s private chambers. Even as he placed one foot down in front of the other, a voice screamed at him in the back of his head to stop and think—to slow down. Yet enough was enough. Much like breaking a twig in two, Patrick felt something snap in the back of his mind.

No one paid him any notice as he walked across the carpets. Sehn and Shina had broken out into an argument over something stupid while Cah’lia and Orellia did their best to keep the conversation back on course.

“Buy your own damn grapes!” Shina yelled.

“How dare you refuse to serve me, sister? Prepare to die!”

Patrick reached the opposite end of the room. He smiled at the soldiers standing guard. “Would you four mind standing back, please?” he asked, his voice soft. They nodded. “Oh, and go ahead and tell the men to take a break. Don’t come back for at least ten minutes.”

Then, with one powerful swing, Patrick slammed the double-doors shut with all his might, resulting in a loud, unpleasant snap. Once again, all eyes in the room turned to him.

I can’t stop myself
,
Patrick realized, both horrified and amazed.
I can’t control it
.
I’ve had enough
!

Patrick didn’t care that everyone gave him worrisome glances. He was so far beyond the point of caring. “Listen up,” he said. “No one here is leaving this room until I’ve said what I have to say.”

Sehn barked a laugh. “Foolish prince. Do you really think you can order me to—?”

“Shut your Gods-cursed mouth, Sehn!” Patrick roared. “And keep it shut!”

Sehn’s mouth dropped open, as did Shina’s. Patrick drew his sword. Breathing heavily, he used his blade to slice open the middle of his dress shirt, so that the tightly fitting clothing allowed some air onto his overheating skin. Cah’lia and Orellia looked at him as if he were mad. Patrick dropped his sword, his fingers shaking. He felt sweat roll down his back, his mind a haze of all the emotions he hadn’t been able to deal with.

“Fool’trick!” Sehn shouted. “How dare you speak to me that way? Did you actually just order the Great Sehn to stop speaking?” Sehn looked around the room in disbelief. “Have you lost your mind?”

Patrick didn’t answer. Instead, he walked up to Sehn and stood toe-to-toe with the life-ruining elf. “I hate you,” he whispered. Sehn’s ears twitched. “I hate you!”

Patrick gripped his right hand into a fist. In a wild fury, he struck at Sehn with all his might. His fist connected with the elf’s chin, and Sehn immediately fell backwards, landing on one knee. Before he could react, Patrick hit him again, on the other side of his face, causing him to land flat on his back.

“Hey!” Orellia and Cah’lia shouted.

“Stop!” Shina cried.

Sehn growled and jumped back up. He wiped a small bit of blood from his mouth, and then shouted, “Oh, you’re so dead, Patrick!”

Before another punch could be thrown, Kellar and Cah’lia had already sprung into action. Kellar was surprisingly strong for a boy; he held Patrick back while Cah’lia, Orellia, and surprisingly even the Champion grabbed and held Sehn. Shina stood still while she watched the two as if too shocked to do or say anything.

“You two, stop it now!” Cah’lia shouted while she struggled to hold Sehn back.

Sehn grunted. “Unhand me at once! This fool is about to get thrown out of a window. How dare you say you hate me, Patrick?”

Shina seemed to snap out of her trance. She gave Sehn a questioning look. “Wait, what?” she asked. “Don’t you mean, ‘How dare you
hit
me’?”

Sehn gritted his teeth. “I meant what I said.”

Patrick knew that if he stopped now, he could prevent himself from saying something he wouldn’t be able to take back. Yet the anger was too great; the need to cause harm too strong. Months of frustration settled onto the tip of his tongue, where it turned to pure acid.

“Of course I hate you, you egotistical, ungrateful demon! That’s what you are, Sehn. A demon! One who has filled me with nothing but misery since the day we met.”

Sehn’s eyes bulged. He tore himself free from Cah’lia, Orellia, and the Champion. Then he pointed a finger at Patrick. “Take that back at once, Patrick! If you value our friendship, you’ll seal your lips.”

Patrick was taken aback. It was the first time in recent memory that Sehn had used the word “friendship” to him. On any other day, this would have had an effect, but not today. He was too angry—too heated. He didn’t care about anything other than causing Sehn to feel pain.

“I was never your friend, you bastard! All those hunting trips, those stupid little ‘adventures’ you dragged us on—this was all because we needed you. You think I’m your friend? Think again. I could never be friends with a worthless pile of trash like you. I’m a prince, and you’re nothing but the lint between my toes!”

Sehn’s face contorted into a vicious snarl. “How dare you…”

“No, Sehn, how dare
you
! I’ve sacrificed everything for this kingdom, for this
world
. And you won’t even give me the chance to speak! I’m done bowing down to your every whim. I’m done indulging you.” Patrick quickly shifted his eyes to look at Cah’lia. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t order every single soldier in Hahl to Capture Sehn, then cut off his arms and legs and have him whisked off to Therril in a wheelbarrow?”

Sehn drew his sword. “You wouldn’t dare!”

Cah’lia grabbed Sehn’s shoulder. “Yes, he would,” she said. “Let’s all just calm down. We don’t need to go that far.”

“No, he wouldn’t,” Sehn insisted. “And even if he did, I would fight my way out of this Gods-cursed city.”

“Oh really, Sehn?” Patrick asked. “You think you can singlehandedly defeat an entire army?”