Hand of Fire (The Master of the Tane) (89 page)

             
Krog moved closer bringing his face up to Dor’s, his breath enough to make Dor wish for death. “You like to squirm like worm. Maybe Krog make you die slow so you squirm.”

             
Dor laughed with the trolls this time and then spit in Krog’s face.

             
Krog raged. “You die!” Bringing his sword back, he prepared for the final blow.

             
Dor brought his foot forward with all the strength and power he could muster just as the sword reached its peak. Krog’s eyes bulged as Dor’s foot connected with his groin stealing his strength and his breath. At that same moment, a fury of claws, teeth and white fur ripped into the troll leader and forced his falling body to the ground in a shower of blood and silent screams. The troll holding Dor suddenly went limp and dropped him in the mud as he toppled over dead, an arrow protruding from his neck. Another arrow connected almost immediately piercing the remaining troll through the left eye before it had a chance to move.

             
Dor staggered to his feet and quickly turned toward the goblin, bringing his dagger up and around thinking to catch it off guard while its companions fell dead around him. A flash of lightning lit the knife extended in the goblin’s hand just as Dor completed his turn.
Goblins are smarter than trolls
, Jack’s voice screamed in his mind as the goblin’s blade penetrated his chest. Dor stared in shocked disbelief, his mind barely registering what had happened, just as an arrow pierced the goblin’s throat. Releasing the dagger, it fell into the mud with a sickening thwack, a sneer frozen across its dead face.

             
Dor felt his legs suddenly give under the weight of his body. Lying on his back he looked at the hilt protruding from his chest, warm blood mixing with the deluge of rain coming from above like tears. Strangely enough, he didn’t feel any pain. He couldn’t help the smile that split his lips. He would have laughed, but he didn’t have the strength.

“I guess I have danced my last,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “You have finally caught me.” He tried to lift his arm, but could no longer feel it. Jack’s face suddenly appeared above him.

              “Dor!”

             
The sound was like an echo down a distant corridor. Dor tried to call back, but his voice would not respond. He felt like he was falling deeper and deeper into a pool of water. He suddenly felt cold. His eyes blurred. No longer could he hear Jack’s voice as a soft sheet of black stole over him shutting out the world.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

             
Thane listened to the pouring rain outside as he stared at the ceiling and contemplated his talk with Lord Bedler the night before. Never in his life had he felt more comfortable with himself and with those around him. Something about Lord Bedler spoke to him of understanding and personal worth. A chance to be who he was. A chance to be who he wanted to be. It was almost frightening. Never in his life had he really been allowed to be who and what he wanted. He had become so accustomed to living by what other people thought and by society’s rules that he never even contemplated who he really was inside and what direction he might want to take in his life. Even his curse felt a lighter load to carry.

             
“Not a curse, but a gift,” he heard himself whisper. That’s what Lord Bedler had said when he promised to help him learn how to use it properly. For the first time since their discovery, Thane no longer felt afraid of the powers within him. Bedler was right. He was given something special that, although not fully understood at the moment, could prove to be a magnificent blessing in his life and the lives of others. And, no matter what his father thought of it or him, he had saved his life by throwing fire onto the wolg. Chufa with the QenChe Tane started fires everyday with their hands. Just because he found another way, a way that possibly saved the village and protected his father...they should have thanked him. If it had not been for his communication with the deer, who knows what might have happened or how many others would have died in the troll raid. It was his ability to “ride the wind” that helped them find Tam.

             
“Tam!” Thane sat up with a jolt. With all that had been happening to him, he had let her disappear into the back of his mind. “Oh, Tam. How could I have let you slip from my thoughts?” Thane felt the weight of his life falling back upon him. “I have to go back and help them find you.” His heart sank. He wanted to stay with Lord Bedler and be himself, but he couldn’t leave Tam like that to the trolls. “Wait a minute. Of course! How could I have been such an idiot?” He jumped to his feet and raced to the window. Pulling back the dark drapes he looked out across the valley. The giant, dark sea of trolls was easily seen in the distance like the shadow of a cloud blotting out the sun. They were not two days walk from the tower. “The trolls are coming here! They will release her when we explain the misunderstanding and she can stay here with me!”

             
A knock brought Thane’s head quickly around, a huge grin on his face. “Come in!” he shouted almost skipping to the door.

             
Whar’s bulky, green form filled the doorway as he opened the door and peeked in. Thane easily suppressed his natural instinct to cringe and actually took the goblin’s hand in his, pulling him into the room. “Whar! How good it is to see you.”

             
Whar grinned slightly, a tiny stream of drool escaping his lips.

             
“Whar, you must take me to see Lord Bedler.”

             
“Eat,” the goblin said in his gravel tone.

             
“What’s that?”

             
“Eat.”

             
Thane shook his head. “No, no Whar. I couldn’t possibly eat right now. I’m too excited. First, you must show me Lord Bedler’s room so I can speak with him. Then we can all eat together. How’s that?”

             
Whar stared at him long seconds and for the briefest moment Thane felt like a piece of meat being examined for the pot. “Come.”

             
“Thank you!” Thane fairly screamed throwing his arms around the massive cook and then quickly released him trying not to gag from the stench.             

             
He followed the goblin out the bedroom door and to the left. Upon reaching the end of the hall they started up a circular stairway that seemed not to end in its climb into the castle’s heights. The stone walls were bare of any ornamentation save for the occasional candle holding sconce lighting the way. Thane couldn’t help but feel somewhat claustrophobic surrounded, as they were, by so much stone.

             
Finally, they reached the pinnacle and a tiny landing. A small door faced them flanked on either side by angled walls supporting a last pair of sconces. Whar pointed to the door and then without a word, turned back and descended the stairs.

             
“Thank you, Whar.” Thane yelled after him. “We’ll be down soon.” When no answer came, he turned back to the door. He reached out his hand to knock, but stopped in mid motion. A strange feeling came over him that gave him a slight shiver. He felt somewhat like an intruder, like he was invading an area where he ought not to be. Shaking the feeling away, he reached out again and rapped his knuckles lightly on the wood. “Lord Bedler?” When no answer came, he knocked again, this time a bit more forcefully. “Lord Bedler, it’s Thane. I need to talk to you about something that’s very important.” Still no answer.

             
Thane stood for a moment unsure of what to do. He guessed he could wait until he saw him later to discuss Tam, but he was so excited about the thought of having her close again that he could barely contain himself. Without thinking, he reached for the door handle and released the latch. Pushing on the door, he was greeted by hard resistance. The door wouldn’t budge. He pushed again, this time putting his shoulder into it but came up with the same results. Pressing the latch again he could feel it release but when he pushed, nothing happened. Keeping the latch down, he commenced to yank it back and forth and almost toppled down the stairs when the door swung out towards him. He couldn’t help but laugh at himself as he picked up on the simple advantage of having the door swing out instead of in. In the case of an attack, a door that swung out would be much harder to breech simply because of how it operated.

             
Poking his head into the room, he called out for Lord Bedler but was still greeted by silence. He was somewhat shocked to discover the room was just smaller than his own. The walls were curved in a circular fashion, the obvious interior to one of the rising towers that jutted skyward all around the castle. A bed, half the size of the one that crowded his room, was against the far wall just to the side of one of four small windows, which gave a spectacular view of the valley in all directions. A small chest snuggled to the foot of the bed and a table hugged the left side just under the east window. Besides the four burning candle sconces on the walls and the large rug that nearly covered the entire floor, the rest of the room was completely empty of anything, including Lord Bedler.

             
Thane suddenly found himself inside, the door closing behind him. “I wonder why Lord Bedler would choose to sleep in here when he could have any room he wanted?” He crossed to the far window and immediately felt he’d found his answer. His breath slip away as he gazed out over the rain-swept valley, his vision barely reaching past the Mogolths to where he thought he could just make out the green of the plains beyond. Rushing to the window on the right, he was greeted by a sight that made his heart yearn. The valley ended at an ocean to the right and what he figured must be the edge of the Mogolths on the left. It was magnificent, simply beautiful. “No wonder,” he breathed softly. With the look of death and torture that took the vegetation that once thrived in the valley, such a view must be a breath of fresh air for the outcast Lord of the keep.

             
Muffled voices suddenly wafted in from beyond the door startling Thane from his longing and flushing him with embarrassment. He looked around quickly. What was he doing? He couldn’t be found snooping around the Lord’s private quarters. He felt hot with shame. But what could he do? “I have to hide.” Without another thought, he dove under the bed just as the door was pulled open.

             
“It’s almost too perfect!” Lord Bedler laughed to an unknown companion.

             
Thane was suddenly gripped with an unnatural fear. It threatened to choke off his air as he felt his muscles tense in pure terror. It was all he could do not to bolt from the room. It was like when he was taken by the...DRAGON! It couldn’t be. Why would Lord Bedler be talking to a dragon? Thane reined in his panicked thoughts. A creature that size couldn’t fit in this tiny room anyway, let alone climb narrow stairs. He felt his breathing return slowly. It was all he could do not to gasp loudly for air.

             
“Are you certain he can be trusted?” a strange voice hissed ominously.

             
Bedler’s laughter filled the room. “Without care,” he said. “I have him so twisted around and wondering that I could kill his own people right in front of his eyes and make him think they did it themselves. I tell you Craklor it was too easy. There was no challenge to it.”

             
“Just the same,” Craklor hissed, “I would not let him know too much just yet. He may not be turned completely.”

             
“Bah! What do you think I am, a complete dolt? I have the boy in the palm of my hand, just where I want him. In another week or two you will see what I have molded him into, and then you will not be so doubtful about his usefulness.”

             
“I still say you should have let me eat him. One less problem to worry about.”

             
“Hah!” Bedler chuckled. “You will have plenty to fill your belly yet dear Craklor. This one probably would have upset your stomach anyway.”