Quest's End: The Broken Key #3 (57 page)

Burly Soldier’s face turned red at his laughter. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be,” he said, laying his hand on the hilt of his sword. Behind him, his men did likewise.

“Kevik,” Bart said as he motioned him forward. When Kevik rode forward and Burly Soldier saw the staff he carried, Bart had the satisfaction of seeing the soldier’s confidence leave him. “If you would be so kind?”

“Of course,” replied the magic user. A second later, the six soldiers were firmly entrapped with goo.

“Release us this minute or it will go worse for you!” Burly Soldier demanded. Struggle though he might, there was no escaping the sticky mass that held him.

“Now,” Bart said to Eryl, “just what has been happening around here since we left?”

“Well...” began Eryl.

Eryl’s story was anything but pleasant to hear. From the first appearance of those seeking their whereabouts, things went from bad to worse. Then the culminating confrontation when the trader Raestin arrived which led to the Magistrate sending to the Duke for help.

When the soldiers arrived, everyone thought that things would be better. And they were for a few days. Then one of the village boys had turned up dead. He had been assaulted in a way no child should. The citizens of Quillim were outraged and demanded the ones responsible be made to pay. Though an investigation into the boy’s death was conducted, those responsible were never found.

It was shortly afterward they heard that the Magistrate had left Rupert in charge while he went to Wardean to speak directly to the Duke.

“That was six days ago,” Eryl related to them. “Mother and father are alright,” he assured his brother. Then to Riyan he said, “So is your mother. She’s staying at our place with her trader friend.”

“Thank the gods,” Riyan breathed in relief.

“We heard that the mill was gone,” Chad said.

Eryl nodded. “Two days ago. For whatever reason, the soldiers set fire to it and several homes, including yours Riyan.”

“My home?” he asked. He couldn’t believe it.

“Yes,” he replied.

“Rupert!” cursed Bart. “I sense his hand in this.” Turning to Riyan, he said, “He’s never forgiven you for causing Freya to make their betrothal last so long.”

“So father believes,” agreed Eryl. “But there’s nothing any of us could do. Rupert and Captain Glaver, who is the leader of the Duke’s soldiers, are tight as thieves. Also, there’s another person in this. His name is Daniel. Showed up shortly after you took off.”

“What’s his business in all this?” asked Riyan.

“I don’t know,” he said. “But from what I’ve heard, he’s often seen coming and going from the Magistrate’s home.”

Riyan took that in then asked, “What about Freya? Is she okay?”

“She turned up missing shortly after the Magistrate left for Wardean,” he replied.

“What?” he asked. “Hasn’t anyone searched for her?”

“Your mother and her trader friend did,” explained Eryl, “but they couldn’t find her. Your mother thinks Rupert may have her at his estate.”

Bart could see the worry and fear for her in Riyan’s eyes. “I’m sure he hasn’t hurt her,” he assured his friend.

Riyan’s eyes turned deadly as he said, “If he’s so much as laid a finger on her…I’ll kill him.” After going through so much in the last year, now this. It was almost more than he could stand. Anger began to build within him.

Chyfe came and laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry,” he said, “we’ll help you find her.”

At that, the burly soldier laughed. “You aren’t going to do anything,” he said. “Our men have the village securely in hand. If you want to see her again, you had better release us and come along quietly.”

His words caused the barely controlled rage within Riyan’s breast to blossom like the sun. Drawing his sword, he moved to the burly soldier and demanded, “So you do have her?” Jaws clinched together, his fingers flexing upon the hilt of his sword, and the flame of rage in his eyes gave a most menacing appearance.

One of the other soldiers, a red headed man of middle years said, “I don’t know if she’s the one you are asking about, but several days ago, a lady was brought into the manor at the edge of town. As far as I know, she’s still there.”

“Quiet!” Burly Soldier ordered.

Moving to the red headed soldier, Riyan demanded, “Where in the estate is she?”

“Don’t you tell him!” Burly Soldier shouted.

Before he even thought, Riyan’s sword leapt toward Burly Soldier and struck his head from his shoulders. The act caught everyone off guard and Bart looked with disbelief as the man’s head hit the ground.

“Where!” he shouted to the red headed man.

Red looked into the eyes of madness as he said, “She’s on the second floor in a room at the end of the hallway.”

“Sounds like it’s across from Rupert’s room,” Bart added. When Riyan turned toward him, he said, “I’ve been in there a few times. It’s the only room at the end of the hall that she could possibly be in.” He left the thought ‘unless she’s in Rupert’s room’ unsaid. In the state Riyan was in right now, there was no telling what he would do if such a possibility was spoken. Never before had he seen his friend behave in such a way.

Seth cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “What do you propose we do with them?” he asked, indicating the five remaining soldiers.

“Kill them,” Chad said, without a hint of mercy in his voice. “The boy that was killed… was David, Devin’s little brother.” Tears welled in his eyes and it was hard for him to speak.

David, being the younger brother of Devin who was one of Chad and Riyan’s friends, was well known to them. A carefree boy who loved living the life of a shepherd, he would have been nine come summer.

“It wasn’t us!” another of the soldiers pleaded.

Riyan turned on them. “But you knew!” he said accusingly. In their eyes, he could see the truth of it.

“They would have done the same to me if you hadn’t come along,” said Eryl.

“No!” a soldier argued. “We were to bring him in for questioning, that’s all.”

Riyan was all for killing them all where they stood. The death of the burly soldier had cooled his rage somewhat, bringing the beginning of reason back to him. He glanced to the others to see what they thought. “Well?” he asked.

“Kill them,” Chyfe said. He more than any of them wanted them dead. Soldiers are to protect, not harm.

“If we kill the Duke’s soldiers,” Kevik said, “won’t that bring his wrath down on us?”

Keeping his eyes on the five soldiers, Bart said, “Only if he learns of it. Besides, we would be doing him a favor.”

“Then it’s decided?” Riyan asked.

“You can’t kill us,” pleaded one of the men.

Looking into the eyes of each of his friends, Riyan knew the answer. “So be it.” Turning back to the condemned, he said, “For crimes against the village of Quillim and its people.” Riyan raised his sword.

“No!” cried out the soldier destined to be the first to die.

Beside him, Seth, Chyfe, and Chad came forward to assist in the executions. Once the cries of the condemned had been silenced, Kevik dispelled his goo spell. Without the support of the sticky substance, the decapitated bodies collapsed to the ground.

When it was over, Bart came to his friend. “Are you okay?” he asked.

Riyan nodded. “Yes,” he replied. The rage that had been so all consuming a short time ago had now abated to a simmer.

“We better get these men out of sight,” Seth said.

Bart patted Riyan on the shoulder then nodded to Seth. “You’re right.” To the others he said, “Let’s make this fast.”

While Kevik remained with the horses and Riyan sort of stood there in a fugue, the bodies and their heads were dragged over to a thicket and deposited within. Eryl came to stand beside Riyan. “Your mother will be glad to see you,” he said. When Riyan glanced down at him, he added, “She’s been very worried.”

“I know,” he said. “It’ll be good to see her too.”

Once the bodies were completely out of sight, they remounted. Chad lent his brother a hand as he mounted behind him. Riyan took the lead with Bart as they left the scene of carnage and entered the forest. Inside, Riyan felt nothing. The rage that had consumed him seemed to have burnt every feeling out of him. Almost as if he was dead inside. As they rode, all he could think of was being reunited with his mother, and Freya.

Riding through the forest, Bart kept casting glances to his friend. The way Riyan had reacted by the river troubled him greatly. Such a reaction had been completely out of character.

Riyan caught him glancing his way. “What?” he asked.

“Just worried about you,” Bart said.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” he assured him. Sighing, he shook his head. “Frankly, I don’t know what set me off back there. But whatever it was, I’m over it.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

Riyan nodded. “Yes, I’m sure.” Emotions had begun to creep back in since leaving the river. Anticipation at seeing his mother again, gladness that Chad would be welcomed home, and most of all a cool anger toward Rupert for everything that has happened and is happening to Freya. This time however, the anger was only part and parcel of his emotions, not the overriding factor like back by the river. Putting aside darker thoughts, he tried to recall the good times of his youth. It wasn’t easy, but they came.

“They have men watching our house,” Eryl suddenly announced.

“We sort of figured they would,” replied Riyan. Glancing to Bart, he saw him nod.

“How are we going to get inside?” asked Chad.

“We’ll figure that out when we get there,” replied Bart.

In the quiet of the forest, four figures passed through the woods. Up ahead, the lights coming from the Kelon home could be seen through the trees. Bart, Riyan, Chad, and Eryl stealthily crept forward.

Bart was in the lead and his eyes scanned the darkness all around to find those watching the home. By the time they were close to where the forest gave way to the Kelon property, he still hadn’t found any indication of where men might be positioned to keep an eye on the house.

Then the back door to the Kelon home opened and Chad saw someone emerge with a bucket in hand. It was his father.

“Father,” Chad breathed. A hand appeared on his shoulder and Riyan said, “Be patient.”

“It’s hard,” replied Chad.

“I know,” agreed his friend. For Riyan’s mother too was waiting within.

Chad nodded as he watched his father cross the yard to the well. There he set his bucket down and began drawing up the one from within the well. As he was pulling the well bucket out, he glanced around at the trees surrounding his home then returned his attention to what he was doing. Once he had his bucket filled with water, he left the well bucket sitting on the side of the well and turned back toward the house. Crossing the distance to the back door, he again scanned the trees surrounding his home before passing back through the doorway.

“Eryl,” Bart said, once the door had closed behind Chad’s father. He motioned for the boy to come next to him. “Just like we discussed. Cross the yard as if you haven’t a care in the world and go inside. If any of the soldiers should make an appearance, run for all you’re worth.”

“Got it,” he replied.

Before he left, Chad said, “Tell mother and father…” then had to stop as emotions overcame him and he couldn’t continue.

His brother turned to him. “I know.”

“Be careful, and be quick,” Bart said as the lad moved out. Stepping from the trees, Eryl walked at a normal gait toward the back door.

Riyan and Chad watched him as he crossed the distance to the door. Bart on the other hand, was watching the darkness in the trees surrounding the home. Eryl had no sooner crossed a third of the distance when two shadows, one to the right and one far to the left moved. Bart could see the men remaining at the edge of the trees as they watched the boy. He pointed them out to Riyan and Chad. Neither of the watchers made a move to intercept him and was soon through the door and inside.

Now, if Eryl conveyed the message correctly to those within, Bart should have at least five minutes to take the watchers out. With a ‘wait here’ to the other two, he moved off toward the watcher to the right.

Waiting for Bart to take out the watchers was one of the hardest things Riyan had ever done. He desperately wanted to enter that house and make sure his mother was safe, despite Eryl’s assurances she was well. But like Bart always said, ‘First things first’.

Movement at the house caught his eye and he saw a curtain being pulled back and his mother’s face appeared in the window. Worry marred her face. Obviously, Eryl had been effective in conveying the need for them to remain inside. A moment later, his mother’s face disappeared as the curtain was put back in place. Someone inside recognized the need for keeping curiosity in check until it was time.

Nearby, a rustle of branches announced Bart’s return from taking care of the man to their right. Passing through, he was soon lost again in the trees as he moved to take out the other. Bart wasn’t sure if there were only the two watchers in the woods. After taking out the first one, he had scanned the trees for others, but hadn’t detected any.

His ability for passing unheard through the forest had grown ever since they first left Quillim in search of the key. Now, he was able to move almost as silent in the outdoors as he could down an alley or across a rooftop. Utilizing this skill to the utmost, he worked his way closer and was soon able to discern the dark shadow of the watcher. The man had his attention fixed on the Kelon home.

Slowing even further, Bart crept closer. In his right hand was clutched a single dart, doctored with one of his lesser poisons. It wouldn’t kill the man, but it would render him useless for the better part of a day.

Bart unwittingly let his concentration shift from moving silently to watching the watcher, which resulted in a twig snapping beneath his foot. The man’s head immediately turned in his direction. Bart froze.

He could feel the eyes of the man pass over him as he searched for the source of the sound. After a few moments of searching, his attention gravitated back to the Kelon home. Bart gave it another few seconds before moving closer. He had to get a clearer shot as the branches of several trees were currently obstructing the dart’s path. Step by step, he worked his way around to a better position. Then, when he reached a point where he had a clear shot, he took it.