The Flames of Deception - A Horizon of Storms: Book 1 (35 page)

“
The
princess is like family to me,” Thadius said. “I have grown up
looking after her. My father and the king are close friends. This
might be your idea of fun Matthias, but believe me, it’s not mine.
If anything happens to the princess I will never forgive
myself.”

Matthias leaned forward and his eyes regarded Thadius with a
steely gaze. “I won’t let anyone hurt her Thadius,” he
said.

“
You
just want your pendant back,” the knight scoffed after a
pause.

Matthias smiled. “Perhaps a little. Why don’t you get some
sleep? I’ll keep watch.”

“
I’d
rather-”

“
You
can’t stay awake for our entire journey Thadius.”

The
knight looked at him with a pained expression and then begrudgingly
nodded. “Alright. Just you keep your eyes peeled!”

Matthias saluted. The knight shifted wearily and arranged his
pack into a pillow, pulling his coat over himself. In moments he
was snoring. Matthias laughed under his breath and then turned back
to his map. He traced the river with a finger.

“
Onwards and upwards,” he sighed.

“
You
failed us Grimm,” grumbled the malevolent voice of the old man who
stood shrouded in darkness. His anger was withering and the figure
of Taico Grimm cowered back at his rage. His hair had grown thinner
and his already sunken eyes had settled even further into his
skull. The room he stood in the centre of had no windows to speak
of, but the candles flickered all around him and cast their warped
light on his emaciated body and a thin, pink scar stretching all
around his neck.

The figure that towered over him was cloaked in a
thick, black shawl. Only his eyes flickered a deep purple in the
light. “We gave you a taste of our power. We even sent out demons
and the names of people who would help you enter Aralia unseen. Not
to
mention
the building sketches and maps! You had all the hidden
passageways and routes through the city to get you into the palace.
All that coupled with your
unique
insight should have been
more
than enough. Yet you let yourself
be
decapitated!
”

Grimm felt his neck warily, his eyes darting back and forth.
“The events were new,” he swallowed. “I am not used to that which I
have not seen before.”

“
Nevertheless she is only a
girl
, her powers not yet realised!
Destroying her should have been as easy as crushing an egg.
Especially how
well
you should know her.” The figure shook his head. “We
trusted
you, Grimm, with
the
most
important of tasks.”

“
I’m
sorry!
” Taico sobbed, and a tear trickled over his
yellowing skin. “I
tried
my best, but the wizard overpowered me!” He shook his head.
“I was unprepared for how strong he really is. The powers you gave
to me were not enough!” He raised a shaking hand to his brow. “I
was not meant to be
part
of this, and yet, here I am. You have
changed
things.”

“
You became a part of this when you stumbled across
our plans,” the voice said coldly. “You agreed you would help us to
change what you know. You
agreed
it was for the
best
, remember?”

Grimm nodded. “I know I did,” he swallowed. “It is for the
best.” His face contorted. “It is for the best?”

“
It was not easy for me to knit your body back
together again,” the figure continued. “I’m not getting any
younger, you know! It was just fortunate that the wizard did not
burn your body, or else we would not be able to get you back.
You’re not important enough for
that
effort.”

Grimm shook his head sadly. “I
should
be dead! Twice over now! Flesh and
bone clinging to life,” his eyes narrowed. “Such a long time ago it
was since I felt human!” His head twitched. “Flame and ash.
Flame and
ash!
” He
looked up. “You
ripped
me from my grave!” He fell to his knees. “My head...
my
thoughts
... so
confused!
I don’t know what to do anymore!”

The
cloaked figure stood, and walked to Grimm, where he towered over
his brittle figure. “Are you doubting your loyalty to us again?” he
asked.

Grimm shook his head. “No. No, I know what
must
be done! But
it
is
difficult.” He
swallowed heavily. “My
son...
” he cried. “I miss my son!” The tears fell from
his chin to the floor and pooled on the stones at his
feet.

“
He’s dead,” the figure said bluntly. “Everyone you
knew and cared for is dead. After all you have
seen
, you
still
cling to your petty relationships. If we
are to succeed you must rid yourself of your old life completely.
Nothing else matters but what you have been asked to
do!”

Grimm nodded, wiping his nose with a sleeve. “I am
Taico Grimm. I am. I
know
I am.”

The man sat down again. “Yes you are. You
have
no son. You have no
life except to complete your mission.”

Grimm nodded. “Then I will be at peace?” he asked.

“
If you
succeed
.” The figure readjusted his cloak and cowl. “You
will go to the third of our party in the mountain village of
Gormal. There he will instruct you as to your next task and what
new opportunities await you to deal with this
threat.”

“
I
will do as you command my lord,” Taico snivelled. He looked up at
the figure and then bowed his head. “I am sorry I doubted
you.”

“
You
are still young, Grimm, in many ways,” the man said. “You will
learn perhaps, in the time that remains for you.”

“
Young,” Grimm mouthed and looked at his hands. They were
pallid and snaking veins pulsed against his thin, dirty skin. “By
your count perhaps.” He shook his head and turned to leave the
room.

“
Grimm?” the figure barked at him as he opened the
door and the cold of night spilled into the room. “Do not get
yourself killed a
third
time. We are only
so
generous, even in spite of your unique foresight. Think
of
that
torment before you do something stupid. You will never be
at peace then.”

Grimm nodded. “Yes master. It is as you command.” Grimm
sighed. A single tear slid down across his face again. “I will do
what must be done.”

“
Oh thank the
gods
,” Josephine exclaimed as she plonked herself down
into a wooden chair by the lit hearth in the inn’s common room. “I
have never been
so
happy to see a chair in
all
my life!” She closed her eyes and leaned her head
back.

Despite Matthias’s misgivings, the others had agreed to rest
at the nearby inn when they arrived in the village of Tykal.
Luccius strode immediately to the bar and ordered drinks for them,
knocking his back before the others had even taken a sip of their
own. He returned to get another.

“
I
can’t believe we made it to Tykal so fast,” Thadius said as he
placed his pitcher down and took out his pipe.

“
The
poor horses,” Josephine groaned from her chair.

“
My poor
backside!
” Thadius interjected. “
Sorry
princess,” he said.

Josephine waved him away. “You are not alone in that
respect,” she said, shuffling in her seat and wrinkling her nose.
“I shan’t be able to sit right for days!”

Luccius returned to the table, a pewter pitcher in hand,
froth spilling over its edges. He collapsed into a spare chair and
sipped at his drink.

“
You know, a few days ago I was travelling across
Triska, making my way from tavern to tavern and sampling the
different ales.
Why
I agreed to come with you I can’t think. I must be mad! I
should have learned from the
last
time we went on a trip together
Matthias.”

“
What happened last time?” Josephine asked.

“
You
don’t
want to know,” Luccius said. “Suffice to say I
came out of it with a broken jaw. That’s saying nothing about poor
old Vala!”

“
Vala?” asked Thadius. “Who is he?”

“
A
friend,” said Matthias, taking a sip of his ale and smacking his
lips as he analysed the taste.

“
He
went hobbling back to Mahalia with some of the harshest
words for
you
I have ever heard!” Luccius burst out laughing and slapped
his thigh.

“
Perhaps not a friend any more,” Matthias muttered into his
pitcher.

“
Well, I do not intend to come out of this journey with a
broken anything!” said Josephine haughtily.

“
If we have
finished
telling stories,” Matthias said and gave Luccius a
scolding look, “we really should carry on with your training
princess.”

“
Oh no,” Josephine exclaimed. “We are not
doing
anything
of the sort. We are going to sit. Right here, by the fire,
having
pleasant
conversation. After which I am going to sleep on the boat
until we reach wherever it is we are going to next.” Matthias
opened his mouth to interject, but the princess raised a hand.
“Uh-uh!
Shush
you! No protesting. I have my mind made up!” Matthias shut
his mouth, folded his arms, and sighed.

“
How
are we going to book passage on the boat?” Thadius asked, changing
tack.

“
Well it’s quite complex really,” advised Luccius.
He beckoned with a hand and Thadius leaned in closer. “You see, we
go to the dockyard,” he began, and Thadius nodded. “- and we
ask
one of the captains
‘can we book passage on your boat please?’”

Thadius leaned back and frowned, before tapping tobacco into
his pipe. Josephine giggled.

“
There’s no need for that,” the knight grumbled,
sticking the pipe stem into his mouth and waggling it around
huffily between his teeth. “Cocky
elf
,” he muttered.

“
I
will go in a moment and arrange it,” Matthias announced
wearily.

“
Are
you alright Matthias?” asked Luccius. “You don’t seem
yourself.”

Matthias nodded. “Fine my friend. Just tired I
suppose.”

“
Is
that a weakness I hear uttering from your lips?” Thadius
jibed.

“
Even wizards get tired, you know,” Matthias
rebutted.

“
Well I am not surprised,” Josephine chimed in. “We have been
riding so hard and I have not seen you sleep since we left Rina!”
She shook her head. “When we get aboard a boat you really should
get some rest. My training can wait a while. We have been doing
well, have we not?”

“
We have, but we also have a long way to go. And I
will rest. But
right
now, I need to book us passage on a boat.” He stood wearily
and made his way out of the door, swaying as he went. Josephine
shook her head.

“
I don’t know. You’d think
he
was the one who has to shore up the
dragon’s prison,” she said rubbing her eyes. They were bloodshot.
“Oh what I wouldn’t give for a bath and a hot
meal!”

“
I’m
sure that could be arranged,” Luccius replied. “We have more than
enough coin left to pay for it between us I’ll wager?”

Thadius nodded. “The king provided me with ample coin for our
journey and I have some myself besides.”

Luccius nodded. “This is a good tavern. Many of
the better Aralian inns I have been to have bathing tubs. The last
place I went before we met had the
biggest
copper tub you have ever seen!” He leant
to Thadius and whispered in his ear. “It even had enough room to
fit two people in,” he said and elbowed the knight in the ribs. The
man looked at him and shook his head.

“
Are
all
your people so lascivious?” he
asked.