The Broken Key (02) - Hunter of the Horde (41 page)

However, if the mixture were to be sealed in a container shortly after the initial mixing, then it would last for quite a while. Just how long wasn’t specified, but Kevik felt it would be long enough for the trip ahead. He then set the book down and went to the bottom floor of the tower where there were many boxes and crates. It had been used as Allar’s storeroom.

With what ingredients he still had on hand in the tower, he figured he could make enough for three batches. Now all he needed was something in which to store it until needed.

The first couple of crates yielded nothing to suit his needs. One had a brace of daggers, all of which were very dull. In fact, they looked as if they had never been sharpened. What use his master had intended for them wasn’t clear. After searching the first floor of the tower and coming up with nothing, he went over to the manor house.

Halfway between the tower and the manor house, the unmistakable sound of swords striking each other came to him from around back. His first thought was that Durik’s men had come for retribution and that Riyan’s two friends were fighting them off. But when he rounded the corner to come to their aid, found the twins sparring with one another.

Kevik came to a quick stop and backed around the corner before they noticed him.

Slightly red faced at his misunderstanding, he left them to their sparring.

He entered through the front door and was quickly into the kitchen area. There he found three flasks full of an unknown clear liquid. He had no idea what the liquid was, but the flasks were of the right size in which to store his mixture. Taking the three flasks with him, he dumped out their contents in the yard outside and then went to the well where he gave them a thorough rinsing. Once they were clean, he took them back to his workroom.

He set the flasks near the fireplace to dry, then sat in a chair and gazed out the window. He’d give the flasks a chance to completely dry before making the mixture to go in them. It was still cool but not terribly so, his robe kept him warm despite the breeze blowing in through the open window. Kevik sat there relaxing, contemplating what Master Mage Frell had said and going over the events in the Well while waiting for the flasks to dry.

“Do we have everything?” asked Riyan.

They had just left a chandler’s shop where they had bought several gold’s worth of traveling supplies and bad weather gear. “I think so,” Bart said. Just about everything they needed had been found in the chandler’s shop and now each had a well stuffed pack slung over their shoulders. “Now to the market. We can get the rest of what we need there.” Chyfe and Riyan nodded as they headed toward the nearest market.

“What are you guys doing in town?”

Turning about, they came to a stop when they saw Chad approaching. Bart patted his pack and replied, “Buying supplies for tomorrow.”

“Is that when we’re heading out?” he asked.

Bart nodded. “Kevik made Practitioner so there’s nothing else keeping us here.”

“Seth and Soth are already at the estate,” Chyfe told him.

“Are you done with what you needed to do?” asked Bart.

With a grin, Chad nodded. “Yes I am.”

“We’re heading to the market,” Chyfe explained. “Want to come.” Chad shrugged. “Sure.”

Bart turned and resumed moving down the street. “Where’s your horse?” he asked.

“Oh, a few streets behind us at an inn,” he said. “I’ll go back to get it when we’re through.” Bart nodded and they continued on.

At the market, they purchased half a dozen loaves of bread, cheese, and other rations which would stand up well on the road. They were about ready to leave when Riyan grabbed Bart’s arm. He directed Bart’s gaze to the other side of the market area. “Look,” he said.

Bart wasn’t sure what Riyan was talking about at first, but then he saw the man. He recognized the man as one of the men who had been with Durik during the chase through the Ki’ Gyrx Forest. It didn’t look as if the man had noticed them yet. Bart ushered the others to the side of one of the stalls, one in which a seed seller was hawking a variety of seeds.

“I thought with Durik dead they would have given up,” Riyan commented.

“They may have for all we know,” added Chad.

Bart glanced to him and nodded. “True, but I’m not willing to trust my life on that assumption.”

“What should we do?” Chyfe asked.

“You, Chad, and Chyfe take the supplies back to the estate,” Bart replied as he handed the pack he carried to Chad. Returning his attention to the man who now stood before a baker’s shop, he added, “I’m going to find out what’s going on.”

“Shouldn’t one of us stay with you?” questioned Riyan. He was worried for his friend’s safety.

Bart shook his head. “I can do this better alone.”

Riyan laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Be careful,” he urged.

“Yeah,” added Chad. “Don’t forget what happened last time.”

“I will and I haven’t,” Bart replied. “Now you guys get out of here before he sees you.”

“Alright.” To Chad and Chyfe, Riyan nodded toward a nearby alley and said, “Let’s go.” As they left the market by way of the alley, Bart reentered the crowd and started working his way closer to the man.

Durik’s man was purchasing a large quantity of food, much more than what a single person could consume. From what he was buying, Bart guessed there had to be at least half a dozen others with him, if not more.

Bart positioned himself where he could keep an inconspicuous eye on him. He watched the man enter the baker’s shop and then exit a few minutes later. The man glanced around the market as if to check for anyone watching him, then turned and made his way from the market. Bart watched him enter the street then moved to follow.

He followed the man down the street to the third cross street where he turned right.

His path was leading him toward the more well-to-do area of town. The crowd of people on the street enabled Bart to easily follow the man without being seen. Finally, the man came to a large, three story townhouse. From the looks of it, whoever lived there was very well off. Taking the two steps up to the door, the man opened it and entered.

Bart remained against the wall of a neighboring building for several minutes while he took in the surroundings. He was primarily checking to see if there was anyone else nearby that had been with Durik. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he moved into the side alley adjacent to the building in which the man had entered. Not too far down was a window and Bart carefully made his way toward it. The window was just above eye level. He moved beneath it and then glanced up and down the alley to make sure he remained unobserved. Seeing the coast was clear, he jump and took hold of the window sill. Pulling himself up, he looked inside.

Four men were seated around a table, several papers were laid out upon the table. One of the men wore the robes of a magic user, two others looked to be regular townsfolk. But it was the sight of the fourth man that sent a shiver down Bart’s spine. He didn’t know how it could be, but Durik was alive! He didn’t look well, but he was definitely alive.

Just then, the door in the wall directly opposite the window through which Bart was looking opened, and Durik’s man Pyck enter. He had seen enough. If Durik was still alive, they needed to get out of town, and fast!

Bart left the window and hurried down the alley. Once on the main street, he double timed it back to the estate.

“How could he still be alive?” asked Chad. “He was dead.” As soon as Bart returned to the estate, he gathered everyone together in the front room and told them of his discovery.

“Did any of us actually check to make sure of that fact?” questioned Kevik. When everyone shook their head, he said, “When his man Pyck announced him dead, we took him at his word.”

“Damn!” cursed Riyan. “We better get out now.”

“I need an hour,” Kevik told the others. He then explained about the mixture and how it might come in handy when they reach Catha.

“Alright,” Bart said. “Seth, Soth, you two take your horses out to the road and keep an eye out for anyone coming this way. If we’re lucky, we’ll make it out of here before it’s too late.”

Once Kevik was on his way to his tower and the twins had left, Bart motioned for the others to follow him. “Come with me,” he said. “There’s something to do before we leave.”

“What is it?” asked Chad.

Bart led them up to his room on the second floor. Spread out on the table next to his bed were several pieces of parchment as well as a quill and an inkwell. “I started this before the unfortunate incident with Durik,” he explained. He showed them what he planned to do and then had them help him in completing it. If they had an hour before Kevik was finished with what he was doing, he should be able to get it done. As he began laying out what he wanted Riyan, Chad, and Chyfe to do, he took up the quill and began working on the half completed map.

A little over an hour later, Kevik left his tower with two packs, one which contained a bowl and three flasks filled with the far seeing mixture. In the other were all the magical items they had brought from Algoth. He also brought the sword and dagger bearing the dragon-sword coat of arms for Riyan, as well as his staff.

When he entered the manor house, he found them gathered around the fireplace. Bart was kneeling close to the ashes as he positioned a piece of paper in just the right spot.

“What are you doing?” Kevik asked. He handed the sword and knife to Riyan.

“Thanks,” Riyan said. “We’re leaving clues as to our whereabouts for Durik to find.” He then immediately swapped out his old sword and knife with the ones Kevik had just handed him.

“Why in the world would you do that?” Kevik asked. .

“The clues aren’t going to point toward Catha,” Chyfe explained with a grin. “Rather, he will be led to believe we’re on our way west to Island Lake.”

“You see,” Bart said as he finished placing the scorched paper among the ashes,

“there are certain tell-tale signs scattered throughout this house for Durik and his people to find.” Waving Kevik over, he pointed to the paper within the ashes. Most of it had been burned away, but one corner was of a map that had an arrow pointing to a lake with an island. “If you’ll notice,” Bart said with a grin, “it looks like we tried to burn it before we left.”

“But there’s no name on this map,” Kevik stated. “How is he going to know it’s Island Lake?”

“Up in my room,” he explained, “which now looks like it was the most used room in the house, are other clues. One of them is a dispatch from persons unknown which states that he’ll meet us at the lake.” He then stood up. “No one clue will lead them in the proper direction, but when combined with others, will leave little doubt.” Kevik glanced from one to the other. “How do you know he’ll find them? He may not even come here again.”

“I find that remote in the extreme,” Bart told him. “When he comes after us and finds us gone, he’ll ransack this place to discover where we went.”

“But the door’s going to be locked,” countered Kevik. “What if he can’t get in?” Bart laughed at that. “No offense, but your locks wouldn’t stop even the most inept thief.”

“Oh,” he said. “Well, I’m ready whenever you are.”

“Okay then,” Bart said. “Chyfe, go find Seth and Soth and let them know we’re leaving.”

“Right,” replied Chyfe and immediately went outside.

Bart was about to follow him out when he noticed a worried expression on Kevik’s face. “Don’t worry,” he assured him, “I’m sure we’ll get to Catha without them knowing about it.”

“That’s not what’s bothering me,” he said.

“Then what is it?” Riyan asked.

He turned sorrowful eyes to Riyan. “I hate to think of Durik and his men in here,” he said. “This is Allar’s house and, well, it just grieves me.” Riyan placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. He met Kevik’s pained gaze and said,

“I’m sure Allar would understand.”

“I hope so,” he said.

The sound of horses came from out front, heralding the return of Seth and Soth. “We need to go,” Chad told them.

“Bring our horses from the stable will you?” Riyan asked.

“Sure thing,” Chad replied. Then he and Bart went out and brought the rest of the horses out front to join the others.

“Make sure to set the traps Allar had put in place,” Riyan said. “If they plan on storming this place, make them pay for it every step of the way.” Kevik nodded. “Okay. Give me a minute.”

Riyan relieved Kevik of the two packs he carried. When he took the one carrying the bowl and flasks of mixture, Kevik warned him to be extra careful with it.

Kevik then went through the house and set the various protective wards which Allar had put in place. When the house was ready he left through the front door and found the others waiting for him. “Just have to do the tower, then we’re good to go.” Moving over to the tower, he activated the wards there and then returned to the others. Mounting his horse, he said, “Everything is set.” Bart gave him a nod. Then he turned his horse and rode in the opposite direction of the lane leading to the main road. The others followed him as he left the buildings behind and set off cross country.

“Where are we going?” asked Chyfe.

“You’ll see,” replied Chad.

They rode to a wooded area some distance south of the estate. When they reached the fringe of the woods, Bart brought them to a halt. To Seth, Soth, and Chyfe, he said, “Stay here with the horses.” Dismounting, Bart removed the rope from behind his saddle and entered the woods. Chad, Riyan, and Kevik dismounted as well and accompanied him.

“Wonder what they’re doing?” Soth asked his brother when Bart and the others had disappeared into the trees. Seth just shrugged.

Back when they had first arrived in Gilbeth from the Ruins of Algoth, one of the first decisions they had to make was where to keep the two segments of the key in their possession. Kevik had argued in favor of placing them with the other magical items they had brought back with them. But Bart hadn’t liked that idea. It was one thing to lose those items to robbers, quite another to lose the two segments. So they came up with the idea of burying them.