The Dragon's Test (Book 3) (8 page)

“My ma and pa raised me here, and their blood waters the ground this day. I will not be run out by you or anyone else,” the man replied.

Gilifan smiled. “What is your name?”

“I am Malek, son of Dorin.”

“Malek, son of Dorin, I would not dream of running you off your homeland,” Gilifan said confidently. “But I would be honored if you would accept a position as captain of the garrison that I assign to this town. I would send ten men that you may order and command as you see fit. Why not help me protect the home you obviously love so dearly?”

“I am not bought with honors,” Malek shouted back.

“I do not esteem your character so little,” Gilifan replied. “What say you? It is obvious the townsfolk look up to you. They would also trust you with the command of the garrison. Any men from this town who wish to join could also become a member of your garrison. It will be a force of your own. You will be watched over by your own people. This way you need not wonder whether I will turn on you like the rabid king. My men can help yours train, and then you may lead them all.”

“Take the offer, Malek,” another young man said. “It would be good to have you at our head.”

Malek stood there silently for a moment before finally nodding. “Alright. I’ll do it.”

A cheer went through the crowd.

“Good,” Gilifan said. “The offer still stands, however.” He looked to the rest of the people. “Any who wish to leave the island may do so. The king’s men came by boats, which are docked to the west of here. We will take their dead back to the boats and bury them at sea. Those of you who wish to leave the island may use the left over boats.” Gilifan waited as some of the gathered people chattered amongst themselves. Then he cleared his throat. “Those who wish to stay, if any of you are able to assist my men with cleaning the ground, I would appreciate it. However, I understand it has been a tragic day, and if you would prefer to go and rest, please feel free to do so.” He turned to one of his men. “Put the king’s dead men on their horses so we can take them back to the boats. We will also help the townsfolk bury their dead. Send a rider back to the keep and get a covered wagon. We will take the dead townsfolk to the hills to the south and give them a proper burial.”

“We have a cemetery here,” someone called out.

“Yes, but I intend to erect a monument to the fallen of the day,” Gilifan said gallantly. “Let all those who look upon it know of the tragedy that has befallen our island, and the catalyst for our independence from the king.” He turned back to his officer. “Go and see that it is done.”

The officer nodded and began shouting orders to the others under Hischurn’s banner.

A woman came up and grabbed Gilifan’s leg. “Thank you, kind sir, thank you,” she said.

Gilifan forced a smile onto his face. “But of course, my dear woman, don’t mention it.” He looked out to the appeased crowd one last time and then pulled the reins out to his right and trotted his horse out toward the south. As soon as he was out of the town his smile disappeared. “Oh the things I do to make them happy,” he grumbled to himself. “Then again, a willing crone is better than a mindless zombie.” He kicked his horse into a run. He would meet his men in the south.

It was some time before he saw the banners of his men. The sun hung low in the sky. A cool, gentle breeze wafted over the waving grass on the hills. Gilifan knew there was not enough daylight left to bury the fallen townspeople, but that had never been his intent anyway. He pulled his amulet out from under his clothing and kissed the warm, buzzing stone. His men drew the wagon in close and uncovered it before the necromancer. The others halted their horses behind the wagon.

“What of the others?” Gilifan asked.

The lieutenant rode forward and clapped a fist over his heart. “We have taken the other dead and laid them in the barges as planned, master.”

Gilifan nodded. “Did any townsfolk go with you?” he asked.

“Yes,” the lieutenant said with a nod. There were slightly more than a score who wished to return to the mainland.”

“And?” Gilifan pressed.

“As you instructed us yesterday, we led them to the barges, killed them on site, and laid their bodies in the barges with the others. Six of my men are steering the barges back around the island toward the docks near Hischurn Keep.”

“And what of B’dargen?” the necromancer asked.

“The men have orders to drop his body into the sea, as you instructed me,” the lieutenant said with a slight bow of the head.

“Good,” Gilifan said. “
He has served his purpose. Did you bring the monument?”

The lieutenant nodded. “It is already in the wagon, underneath the bodies.”

Gilifan slipped his amulet up over his head and held it out in his right hand. “Well then, let’s bring our new brethren back from the dead. Take the others now and set the monument up on the hill over there. After it is erected and these new recruits are raised, we will go back to the keep.”

Somewhere behind him, Gilifan sensed movement. He turned around, but could only faintly see a depression in the grass. He narrowed his eyes, trying to scan the area for his stalker, but he could find no discernable trace.

“What are you after?” Gilifan mumbled.

*****

Gondok’hr exited the courtyard, leaving his assembled army standing in the cold, evening rain. He wrung his hands and shook the water from his robes. He reached up and wiped a pesky droplet from his brow and stormed through the halls until he reached his chamber. He looked to the scrying pool and went straightway to it. He waved a hand over it and whispered a name into the water. “Djekk, can you hear me?”

The pool reflected his confused, glistening face against the dark liquid. No answer came.

“Where is he?” Gondok’hr grumbled. He reached his left hand into a pocket and pulled out an old, warped copper coin. He tossed it into the scrying pool.

The coin
plitted
into the water and sank, swaying side to side until it vanished in the dark liquid. A few bubbles rose to the top and disrupted the surface. A purple glow emanated from the bottom of the bowl and fine, white bubbles rapidly formed around the light and then sailed to the top of the liquid. Soon the whole bowl was alive with bubbles sizzling up and bursting as they tore through the turbulent surface. The purple haze turned gray and then a silver mist rose from the depths of the scrying pool. The mist ascended up a few inches out of the bowl and then formed an oblong sphere, roughly the size of a man’s head.

“You have need of me?” a voice asked from within the mist.

“I do,” Gondok’hr replied sternly. “Are you free to appear?”

“I am,” the voice replied softly.

Gondok’hr waved his hand and the door to his room slammed shut and the bolt slid into place. Then he looked back to the mist. “Hairen, come now,” he said simply. He uttered a few arcane words and the mist floated out to the side of the scrying table. It grew and took the form of an old, slightly hunch-backed woman.

“What can I do for you?” Hairen asked as the mist dissipated to reveal her full form.

“How is our prodigy?” Gondok’hr asked.

Hairen scoffed. “He is proud, and I fear that Silvi’s hypnotism may not be enough to hold him.”

Gondok’hr gestured for the old witch to take a seat in a chair next to the desk against the wall. She nodded her thanks and went to the chair. “But she holds him for now?” Gondok’hr asked.

H
airen nodded. “She does,” the old witch said. “He wishes to dissociate himself from his house. He fears what his mother would think.”

Gondok’hr folded his arms. “Do you?”

Hairen shrugged. “She was always powerful,” she said. “But I think I could handle her if she presents a problem.”

Gondok’hr raised a hand. “No, she must not be hurt. If she is harmed then Eldrik will not go along with us no matter what kind of spells Silvi uses.”

“His name is
Aparen
now,” Hairen put in sarcastically.

Gondok’hr sniggered. “Interesting choice,” he said. “In any case, for our plan to work he must be known for who he is. House Cedreau must join forces with Senator Bracken. It won’t t
ake long for word to spread about the senate hall. Soon, all of the noble houses will know of it, and they will start choosing sides. It is vital that all know House Cedreau aligned itself with Senator Bracken.”

“Will that be enough?” Hairen asked.

Gondok’hr nodded, though he wasn’t sure it was. “So long as Erik Lokton dies, I only need the nobles to fear the name Bracken. That should help stir the pot a bit while I make my exit.”

“But, master, what of the coven?”

Gondok’hr sneered. “The coven can see to itself,” he said. “You existed long before I came along.”

“True, but it was you who had the prophecy about Leanor and Lord Cedreau. Without your foresight, we may have missed our chance to protect ourselves.”

“Given the family’s past with the coven, I am sure you would have thought of it,” Gondok’hr said.

Hairen shrugged. “Perhaps,” she admitted. “Either way, we have always needed a warlock to lead us. It is the way our order functions. Without the additional ability to see into the future, we will be weakened.”

Gondok’hr waved the notion off. “Then train your new master, Eldrik.”

“He has potential, it’s true,” she started. “But he does not have your capacity.”

“I told you long ago what my goals were,” Gondok’hr reminded her. “I have no care to remain with the coven. I never have. Besides, you have turned the boy into a shadowfiend. That has potential greater than that of a mere warlock.”

Hairen nodded sullenly. “I suppose it m
atters little, if Tu’luh is coming.”

Gondok’hr nodded. “He will subject all to his rule,” he said.

“When you came to us, you were not unlike Eldrik,” Hairen commented. “Older, of course, but still driven in much the same way.”

“Family is a powerful motivator,” Gondok’hr said. “That is why you should not meddle with Eldrik’s mother.”

“What would you have me do, as your final command?”

“Get the boy to openly commit House Cedreau to Senator Bracken.
Tell him that Bracken orders Lokton Manor destroyed, as the family has been declared traitors to the crown. Ply him with promises of glory and prosperity.”

“If he doesn’t want to go along with it?” Hairen asked.

“Convince him,” Gondok’hr said. “Just get him there. After Erik is dead, then place him up as the true head of the order.”

“The other warlocks may not like that,” she put in. “They have gone along with the ruse so far, because you ordered it, but to truly pledge themselves to his service is another matter. I doubt that they will feel comfortable telling their true names to an unseasoned boy who can barely shave.”

“Tell them I command it, as my final wish. If any object, then inform me of their names and I will deal with them personally.”

Hairen stiffened. “I understand,” she said.

“One more thing,” Gondok’hr said with a raised finger. “I doubt his mother would take kindly to our interference. So, make sure Eldrik does not speak of the coven.”

“How should he convince his house to march against House Lokton so soon after their defeat?”

“Just have him say that while in Drakei Glazei he was proclaimed a hero after he helped me apprehend Lord Lokton. I will create an official letter with my personal thanks, in Bracken’s name of course. Then it should be simple for him to convince his house to ally with a senator and go to war with House Lokton.”

“His mother may see through it,” Hairen pointed out.

Gondok’hr nodded. “It is the best option we have at our disposal.”

“Agreed,” she said. “It was fortuitous, you sending Merriam to tell Eldrik where to find Lord Lokton.”

“It would have been fortuitous if I could have foreseen the attack at the senate,” Gondok’hr growled. “But I suppose we may yet turn this to our advantage.”

“Why didn’t you see it?” Hairen asked.

Gondok’hr bristled. “Those of my order have not ever been able to decipher the future regarding the Keeper of Secrets. Somehow it is hidden from our sight.” The warlock kept silent about the fact that it was actually Erik who had attacked.

“But you have been able to see events with Erik, the boy who we are to kill?”

“In the past,” Gondok’hr said with a nod. “That is how Tukai was able to stir up turmoil in House Lokton.”

“What about now?” she asked.

Gondok’hr turned a keen eye on her. “As I said, deciphering events with the Keeper has been beyond our grasp.” He was not about to disclose the truth that none of his order had ever been able to see Erik’s future accurately. He would prefer she think it was some magical barrier around Lepkin, rather than risk her losing the courage to go after Erik.

“And he travels with the Keeper,” Hairen said with a sigh. “Well then, the sooner I go, the better we can prepare.”

Gondok’hr nodded. “You are released,” he said with a wave of his hand.

Another ball of mist emerged from the scrying bowl and moved toward the old witch. It grew in size and opened, as if it were a great beast swallowing the lady whole. As it closed around her body she vanished into the mist and the silver haze shrank away into nothing, leaving only a copper coin on the chair she had been sitting in.