Scrivener's Tale (69 page)

‘You didn't see what I did, no,' Ham said. ‘I didn't want to believe it and I thought it happened too fast, so I pushed the notion away. But it won't go away. You were readying your bow for its shot when Princess Darcelle briefly kissed Captain Wentzl.' Tamas gave a keening sound, like an injured animal. ‘Darcelle was seated on her horse, speaking with the captain and was even laughing when your arrow felled her.'

‘I remember,' Tamas groaned. ‘Wait! If Darcelle was moving, surely that means …' His words and excitement trailed off when Ham began to shake his head. He pulled on the reins until the horse stopped.

Ham followed suit and faced the king, turning in his saddle to sigh softly. ‘Your majesty, I could be wrong, but I suspect that Cyricus is one step ahead of us. I believe he transferred into Captain Wentzl, leaving his companion, Aphra, in Princess Darcelle. Meaning that it was Aphra who perished with your arrow, not the demon himself.'

He watched as the king slid off his horse and stomped away. Tamas said nothing, approaching a tree that was one of the first to suggest they were entering a region that might loosely be termed as within the outlying reaches of the Great Forest. Ham winced as he saw Tamas punch the tree, yelling his utter desolation. He looked down and waited for what felt like an eternity before the king returned to saddle up.

‘Forgive me,' Tamas said. ‘Well, we can't be sure one way or the other so I suppose it's best we proceed with caution and follow the assumption that Captain Wentzl is now possessed by Cyricus. Is that Rittylworth?'

Ham stole a glance to see the king's knuckles were bleeding profusely. He nodded. ‘Yes, sire. Um, you may need your kerchief for your hand.'

Tamas wrenched the stained linen from the overhanging branch and wrapped it around his bleeding knuckles. ‘What are we waiting for?' Tamas growled and kicked his horse into motion.

They arrived at the small valley in which Rittylworth sat, unaware that the hill they'd crested before directing their horses down its slope had been, only days earlier, the vantage point of the archers who had begun firing upon the guard that surrounded Empress Florentyna.

‘It's a fine-looking monastery,' Tamas admitted, as they approached its outlying buildings, although Ham could hear sadness in the king's voice. ‘I hope you're right, and that the queen is here, because I don't think I can —'

‘She is here, your majesty,' Ham interrupted and pointed.

Tamas looked to where figures were spilling out from the shadow of the cloisters. Amongst them was the unmistakable figure of Empress Florentyna.

‘Thank Shar's merciful stars,' Tamas breathed and was suddenly leaping off his horse and running towards her; and she towards him just as eagerly, it seemed.

Bemused, Ham and Cassien watched as the two royals stopped before each other, and after an awkward heartbeat of silence were suddenly hugging hard.

‘You made it!' Ham heard Florentyna say and her voice had the shaky sound of someone relaxing from intense worry.

‘I'm lucky to have had Hamelyn for a companion. He suggested we come here. But you are a wonderful sight for sad eyes, your majesty,' he said, taking Florentyna's hand and kissing it, his lips lingering against her skin.

Ham looked away to where Cassien stood watching him intently. He raised a hand and the man of the Brotherhood saluted him with a hand to his heart. Ham slid off his horse and Cassien was with him in several large strides, picking him up and hugging him.

‘Brave boy, Ham. Brave, clever boy!'

When Cassien put him down, Ham could see that the other man's eyes looked misty. He shrugged. ‘It made sense that you'd bring the queen back here.'

‘Only in your mind,' Cassien said, grinning. ‘And in Fynch's. He knew you'd come, urged me to journey here.'

‘Now then, who are our newest arrivals, pray tell? Ah yes, I know you, child. Hello, young Ham,' said the monk in charge of Rittylworth.

Florentyna was smiling, still wiping away tears of relief. ‘Brother Hoolyn, may I introduce the King of Cipres, his majesty, King Tamas.'

‘Shar's light! I think my heart is going to stop with all these shocks. Your majesty,' Hoolyn said, bending low, as did all the monks behind him. ‘Be welcome to our humble monastery.'

Cassien bowed to Tamas as well. ‘We have a lot to discuss, majesty,' he began and the king began to nod, but Hoolyn interrupted.

‘Firstly, eating and resting is what I insist upon. Come along, Brothers, we have mouths to feed and beds to make up for important visitors.'

Tamas was muttering about no fuss but Ham noticed how tenderly he took Florentyna's arm and guided her behind Hoolyn.

They'd been left alone by the monks after a simple, hearty meal of chicken stewed with vegetables and aromatics from the monastery gardens. Only Brother Hoolyn had remained to hear the quartet share their news with each other.

He stood up. ‘Well, this is a tale to curl my hair … if I had any,' he said, with a tight smile. ‘I must attend prayers now and I suspect you would appreciate some private time. If you need anything, you know where to find me, Cassien.'

Cassien nodded. ‘Thank you, Brother Hoolyn.'

They all murmured their thanks.

The old man smiled. ‘Your majesties,' he said, bowing his head and taking his leave.

When the door closed, a silence fell like a pall around them.

‘Will you forgive me, Florentyna?' Tamas finally asked.

She looked up from her lap, her face tear-stained, and laid a hand on his. ‘You released her. Forgive you? I worship you for making that heroic shot and giving my sister to Shar.'

Cassien wished he could give them longer to grieve. However, time was not their friend. ‘Ham, you're sure … about what you saw?'

Ham nodded. ‘I'm sure of what I saw, yes. Whether transference occurred I cannot tell you, but my instinct says that Cyricus breathes in the form of Captain Wentzl.'

Tamas gave a sound of disgust. ‘I'll kill him too,' he offered.

‘I think you and Ham should rest,' Cassien said. ‘Meet back here; one of the Brothers will fetch you. The repose will be brief, but it is necessary for you.'

Hamelyn couldn't sleep. He was tired, but the sensation of letting go and drifting into unconscious rest eluded him. Cassien had insisted he put his head down in the small dormitory that Brother Hoolyn had provided, and he'd obeyed mainly to ease Cassien's anxiety. He lay on the cot, staring at a spot on the wall, playing a game he knew from the orphanage, making pictures out of stains on the walls and the ceiling, or from clouds or spilled water.

He cocked his head to wonder what the stain on the wall looked like. His eyes felt suddenly drowsy and the stain began to shift, rolling and changing until he could clearly make out the head of a wolf.

Hamelyn
?

Am I dreaming
?

The king comes
, the wolf said and Hamelyn watched the stain shift its shape again. This time it turned into the head of a dragon.

Ham blinked, trying to shake the drowsiness that had overcome him. When he focused again, standing before him was a man, shimmering in a mist. Behind him Ham could see forest, and an enormous wolf was sitting by the man's side.

‘Master Fynch. I am glad to see you again,' he said, and sensed a great warmth infusing him. ‘Thank you for visiting me here.'

‘I have so much to say to you, Hamelyn, and plenty has passed since our first meeting in Orkyld. However, time is against us. You have a very big and dangerous task ahead. I am sure you have worked out that you are brother to Cassien and Gabriel.'

Ham nodded.

‘Yes, I knew you would with that smart mind of yours. It will be up to you to keep your brothers safe.'

‘I'm not sure I have the —'

‘Listen to me, Hamelyn. Your eldest brother has skills beyond even my imagining for creating stories, images, scenes. He is a scrivener of sorts, although he uses his mind to bring his stories to life. He has no need for the quill. He can place people involved in his stories wherever he wants them.'

Ham frowned. ‘What is his role?'

‘He can call up and tap into wherever and whatever he wants. We're only interested in the Void, which is where Cyricus must go and where Cassien will await him.'

‘And Cassien?'

‘If Gabe is the creative brother, Cassien is brawn. He is powerful, his mind is impenetrable. He will be the one who will fight Cyricus and if it's possible, he will destroy him.'

‘What is my role?'

‘Gabe is the creator, Cassien is the fighter … you, child, you are the power. Your mind can wrap itself around anything. Trust yourself. Trust your ideas.'

‘What is in the Void that might tempt the demon?'

‘Nothing. That is our biggest hurdle. We must get him into the Void in order to have any chance at destroying him once and for all. But, he has experienced the Void and will have no desire to return to it. You must enrage him, taunt him, trick him back to it.'

Ham saw the wolf stand. It nudged Fynch's hand.

‘I must go now, child. Forgive me, this has taken a lot of my strength to reach you.'

‘I have questions, Master Fynch.'

‘I know, Hamelyn. We will meet if the Triad succeeds … and I will have answers to those questions for you.' He smiled and the figures blurred into the mist and disappeared, leaving behind a stain on the wall that resembled nothing.

Ham was wide awake and his mind was already reaching, teasing at an idea.

They drank a thin broth quietly together in a small room near the kitchens. Brother Hoolyn had insisted, and seen to it, that the monks gave their quartet a wide berth.

‘Did you sleep, Ham?' Florentyna enquired.

‘Yes, your majesty. I feel much rested,' he lied.

‘Do we have a plan?' Tamas asked into the gloom. He looked around at them with frustration in his eyes.

Cassien spoke up. ‘King Tamas, facing Cyricus is something that we now acknowledge is what Gabe, Ham and myself were brought together for. You have done your bit, your majesty: you've rid us of Aphra,' he said, glancing at the queen with apology in his expression, ‘and now it's up to us to rid Morgravia of Cyricus.' He paused. ‘Ham and I have things we must discuss.'

Florentyna nodded, understood what he was asking. ‘Come on, Tamas, walk with me. I need some air.'

Tamas frowned. ‘It's cold, your majesty, you risk —'

She gave him a wry smile. ‘I have a cloak,' she said and gave him a hard look.

He stood, seeming to understand that the brothers needed privacy. ‘It would be an honour,' he said, offering an arm.

The sovereigns had departed the chamber leaving Cassien and Ham seated opposite one another at the refectory table.

‘You were right,' Cassien said.

‘That Gabe is your brother?' Ham replied.

He nodded.

Ham gave a soft sigh. ‘And that we are brothers too. We are the three … the Triad I saw in Wevyr's crucible. I just can't work out how.'

‘It will be explained,' Cassien said, standing to walk around the table.

‘You know?'

He arrived to seat himself next to the boy and looked into those bright pale eyes that he now realised echoed Fynch so closely. Is this what Fynch had looked like as a youngster … he felt sure he did. Spare, small, wide-eyed, reserved, full of intelligence and ideas, but so quiet at times that he could forget Ham was alongside. He was a good listener and had courage in spades.

He was his baby brother.

Without pausing to analyse his intensifying emotions a moment longer he pulled the boy close and hugged him hard.

‘I'm so glad we met, Hamelyn.' He didn't know what else to say.

Ham pulled back, grinning. ‘Now we both have family. Who are our parents?'

‘I promise you will find out.' At Ham's quizzical look, Cassien put a hand up in defence. ‘I am not being deliberately opaque. Trust me.'

The boy nodded. ‘I should tell you that Master Fynch spoke to me while I was resting. I can't tell if I was dreaming but we talked.'

Cassien looked surprised. ‘What did you learn?'

‘Only what I already know. That it is up to you, Gabe and myself to work out how to rid the land of Cyricus.'

‘Fynch has manipulated us into the position we find ourselves now.'

‘Tell me again about Gabe.'

‘There is only what I've already told. He remained at Pearlis … in the cathedral,' Cassien began and told Ham everything he had learned, except who Ham's father was.

‘I'm the key?' Ham said, looking and sounding both baffled and frightened. ‘Master Fynch said as much but how can that be?'

‘Ham, do you know Romaine?'

His brother shook his head.

‘She's a wolf.'

Cassien saw the spark flash in Ham's pale eyes before his brother bit his lip frowning. ‘Yes, I know her. A wolf spoke to me … in the palace. And she appeared to me with Fynch. She's very beautiful.'

‘She's my wolf. My dearest friend for the years of loneliness in the forest. She's special … enchanted, I suspect, although every hair of her is a wild beast.'

‘She protects you, Cassien. She told me to watch over your body. That's how I knew you were responsible for the deaths in the palace. I watched you slumped … there, but not really there. The wolf didn't say but I was able to piece together what was happening.'

Cassien gave a sad smile. ‘She's always protected me. And now she protects you. But more than that, little brother, she talks to you. She has never communicated with me as she has you. I don't understand her fully. She is of the dragon; one of his watchers, I suppose. But she's there for us and we must make use of her presence.'

‘How?' Ham said, getting up to pace.

Cassien decided it was a family trait. He shrugged. ‘Work it out. You will know how if you search your heart.'