Quest for the Sun Orb (7 page)

Tomas accepted the reins of the newly saddled diplo from the drover and headed back toward the clearing, leading it behind him.  When he got there, he dismounted and led the new animal around the edge of the clearing rather than trying to cut through the group of Hunters milling about.  By the time he’d circled around to the tiny, primitive hut, Jenz, Timon, and several others were just leaving for the village, and Kapia and Karma were standing with another woman, their backs to him.

“Lady Techu,” he said, addressing Karma rather than his cousin because he knew Kapia had little liking for him.  “Here’s the diplo you asked for.”

Karma, Kapia and the new woman turned to face him, and suddenly all of the air seemed to leave his lungs.  He’d never seen a woman more beautiful than the one standing with Karma and Kapia, yet he couldn’t have said why he thought she was beautiful if his life had depended on it.  She was covered from neck to feet in a coarse, black cloak with a deep hood pulled up covering everything but her face.  He couldn’t even tell what color her hair was, but he guessed black from the color of the delicate brows that arched gently over large, pale blue eyes.  Eyes that were very strange looking without pupils in the center of them, but he didn’t care.  They were still beautiful with the dark ring of blue around the iris, and the thick black lashes setting them off.  Her face was heart shaped, though too thin, with a sweet bow of a mouth that looked as though it wanted to smile, and a fine, straight nose.

There were also dark circles beneath her eyes, and her skin was far too pale.  He sensed that she was weak, and very nearly at the end of her ability to stand on her own two feet pretending to be calm.  Answering a sudden urge to protect her, he did not wait to be introduced, but stepped forward and bowed politely.

“My name is Tomas,” he said, for the first time in his adult life leaving out his rank and title.  “Would you allow me to assist you into the saddle?”

“I am pleased to meet you, Tomas,” she said, her voice so soft and sweet he had to struggle to focus on her words instead of the sound of them.  “I am Tiari.”

Tomas smiled and held his hand out to her.  She hesitated a moment, glancing nervously at the diplo over his shoulder before reaching out to take it. 

“I’ve never seen one of these animals before,” she said. 

“This is a diplo,” Tomas said, making an extra effort to keep his voice low and gentle.  “He is well trained, and will not harm you.  I’m certain that Lady Techu and Princess Kapia will teach you all you need to know about riding.  You’ll be an expert in no time at all.”

“You’re very kind, Tomas,” Tiari said shyly, faint pink staining her cheeks. 

“Are you ready to mount now?” he asked.

Tiari glanced sideways at Karma, then Kapia.  Tomas followed her gaze, half expecting to see disapproval in the eyes of the other women.  He was very surprised to see that they were both smiling at him. 

“You go ahead and let Tomas get you into the saddle, Tiari,” Karma said, surprising Tomas further.  “You’ll be quite safe in his care until we return.”

“All right,” Tiari said, stepping closer to Tomas.  He gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile, and led her the short distance back to the side of the diplo. 

“When I lift you up, swing your right leg over to the other side.”

“All right,” Tiari replied nervously. 

Tomas placed his hands at her waist, noting that she was far thinner than he’d expected.  When he lifted her, she seemed too light.  He had the strangest sensation, as though he already knew this woman, or was
supposed
to know her. 

Once she was in the saddle he gave her a brief lesson on how the reins worked, then showed her where to put her hands on the saddle to help keep her balance if she felt the need.  By then both Karma and Kapia had mounted their diplos and come to stand nearby. 

“We’ll ride with her between us,” Karma told him.  “She’ll be safe.”

Tomas wasn’t sure why Karma had said that to him, but he was grateful for the reassurance.  He nodded his thanks, smiled at Tiari, and then, knowing he was no longer needed, he turned and headed back across the clearing for his own mount.  He had an unfamiliar warm feeling inside of him, unlike anything he’d ever felt before.  He wasn’t sure what it was, but he liked it.

Chapter Four

Bredon awoke feeling disoriented and confused.  The sun’s position indicated that it was perhaps three hours before sunset, maybe more.  He was lying in his bedroll with his pack beside him, and his diplo was tied by the reins to a nearby tree, still saddled.  He had no memory of where he was, how he’d gotten there, what he’d done, or why he was alone. 

He sat up slowly, his body feeling unexpectedly weak and tired.  Why he should be tired when he had just awakened he had no idea.  He climbed out of his bedroll and got to his feet, noting that he was still wearing his boots, and looked around in confusion.  Why had he chosen such a strange spot for a camp?  There was no clearing, no sign of water, and nothing for him to use as a defensive position if he was attacked.  The diplo pawed the ground and he went to it, noticing that it was tied so snugly against the tree that it couldn’t even graze.  He untied the reins, wondering what would make him do something so thoughtless.  He considered unsaddling the animal, but he wanted to find a better campsite.  He picked up his bedroll and his pack, looked around for a moment, then grabbed the reins and began walking.

An hour later he found a nice clearing with several boulders on one side.  It wasn’t as secure as a cave, but it put a wall of sorts at his back, and there was a stream nearby.  He unsaddled the diplo, frowning at the strange knots holding the saddle in place. 

After the diplo drank it’s fill at the stream, he set it on a picket in the grassy clearing and let it graze.  A little while later he had a nice fire going, water heating for tea, and his bedroll laid out.  He’d noticed that there was a food satchel tied to the diplo’s saddle that he didn’t remember seeing before.  When he opened it up and saw what was inside, he smiled.  There were several small loaves of bread, two roast fowl wrapped in leaves that would help keep them fresh, a bag of mixed dried grain, and another of dried fruit, and a few other items. 

The sight and smell of the food had his stomach grumbling loudly as hunger slammed into him.  He forced himself to wait until he’d warmed the fowl in the fire before tearing into it.  While he waited, he remembered that the Sirelina wrapped their fowl in leaves, and that memory triggered another, and then another, until he remembered meeting Worrow in the forest and camping with him and his men.  He silently thanked the Sirelina for the food, relieved to know where it had come from. 

He hungrily devoured one of the fowl and two loaves of bread before making himself stop.  He went down to the stream and washed up, drinking his fill of water while he was there.  By the time he returned to his camp the ravenous hunger had left him.

He fixed himself a cup of hot tea and nibbled on some of the dried fruit while he stared into the flames, thinking back to the day he’d awakened in the shallow cave and spoken to Marene.  He’d travelled for most of that day, taking more time returning to the Sirelina than he’d taken when he’d left.  He’d trotted, then walked, then trotted, realizing how lucky he’d been that the diplo hadn’t gone lame when he’d pushed it so hard the day before.  He’d just begun to see signs that he was nearing the village when he rounded a bend in the forest path and pulled up short, face to face with Worrow and a handful of Sirelina.

“Greetings, Sir Bredon,” Worrow said in surprise.  “We did not expect to see you on your way back quite so soon.”

Bredon was not the highest ranked Knight in Isiben for nothing.  It took him only a few moments to put it all together.  “They left this morning?”

“Yes,” Worrow said. 

“Were they successful?  Is Princess Kapia well?”

“Yes, they were successful and they are all well, though there was a battle,” Worrow said. 

“Where have they gone?” Bredon asked.

“I will give you that information after I have examined you,” Worrow said.  “Please understand my need to be careful, Sir Bredon.”

“I do understand,” Bredon said.  “You came to help me, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” Worrow replied.  “We came to help you.”

“I thank you.”

“You are most welcome,” Worrow replied.  He studied Bredon carefully for a moment.  “You seem more relaxed than I would have expected, under the circumstances.”

“Resigned, not relaxed,” Bredon replied.  “I have things to share with you, and questions that I hope you are able to answer for me.”

“I will help as I am able,” Worrow replied.  “Shall we camp here?”

“Yes,” Bredon replied.  “Please.”

Worrow turned and spoke to his apprentice, and within moments the other four men were unloading their packs and setting up camp.  While waiting for Worrow’s tent to be set up, Bredon unsaddled his diplo and rubbed it down before setting up a picket line for it.  After a quick bite to eat, he’d joined Worrow in his tent with his apprentice. 

Worrow had asked him to relate all that he remembered of what had happened, which Bredon had done after taking a quick moment to be certain that Marene was asleep. 

“Do you know what this artifact is that she speaks of?” Bredon asked when he was finished. 

“Before I answer, I must ask you a question,” Worrow said.  Bredon nodded.  “Is there a way for you to know whether or not Marene is listening to us right now?”

“Yes,” Bredon replied.  “She is asleep at the moment.  Or, at least, unconscious.  I don’t really know what to call it.  I cannot read her thoughts, other than those she directs at me while speaking.  I don’t believe that she can hear my thoughts either, unless I direct them at her.”

Worrow thought about that for a few moments, his forehead furrowed in thought.  Finally, he seemed to make up his mind about something.  He gestured for his apprentice to leave them, and waited until the flap of the tent closed behind the young man.

“Sir Bredon, I ask that you check now to be certain that Marene is not listening.”

Bredon did as Worrow asked, checking carefully to be sure.  He nodded.  “She is still sleeping,” he said.

“I know nothing of the artifact you speak of,” Worrow said, his brow furrowed with worry.  “But Darkly Fen is a dark and treacherous place that is never spoken of.  Those who enter, do not return.”

“Demons?” Bredon asked.

“That has long been my suspicion,” Worrow said. 

“I know very little of this place,” Bredon said.  “Why do you treat it with such secrecy?”

“Do you know, Sir Bredon, that the female who currently resides within you is now demon?” Worrow asked, his voice almost gentle.

“I felt that she was evil, but demon?” Bredon asked in surprise.  “How do you know this?  How is such a thing possible?”

“She attempted to steal the Moon Orb,” Worrow said.  “She lost the battle and somehow possessed a demon.  When she did that, she became fully demon herself.  The demon was destroyed, however, and Marene had no choice but to find another to possess.  She used you.  Now, she wants you to enter Darkly Fen in search of an object of power.  A place I believe to be guarded by demon-kind.  I wonder why it is that such an object should be surrounded by demons, yet no demon has used it?”

Bredon thought about that, but no answer came to him.  “I don’t know, Worrow,” he said finally.  “All I know is that this is the only chance I have to be rid of her.  I must take it.”

“How do you know that what she told you is true?” Worrow asked. 

“Unless you know of another way, it is a risk I must take,” Bredon said.  “I cannot return to the Orb Quest as I am.  Nor do I intend to wander the world alone for the remainder of my days while sharing my body and mind with Marene, be she demon or not.”

“I might be able to help you,” Worrow said.  “I make no promises, but I am willing to try if you are.”

“I am willing, Worrow,” Bredon said.  “What do you want to do?” 

“That depends,” Worrow said.  “How do you think Marene managed to gain entry into your mind?”

Bredon stared at Worrow for a long moment, his face stoic as his mind raced.  Why had he not expected that question?  Now that it had been asked, he realized he should have prepared for it.  He could not,
would not
, answer it.  But he had to say something.

“I don’t know,” he said finally.  “I was more concerned with how to get rid of her, or how to control her than I was with wondering how she got there.  Can you tell me how it happened?”

Worrow studied Bredon carefully before nodding slowly.  “Yes, Prince Zakiel, Princess Kapia and Lady Techu told me how it happened.”

“They know?” Bredon asked, his lips suddenly numb with shock though he was very careful not to allow his feelings to show.

“Yes, they believe so,” Worrow replied.  “The knife that you gave to Princess Kapia contained dark magic.  Nikura sensed it when the Princess prepared to use it while attempting to retrieve the Moon Orb.  They assumed that was how Marene was able to find them.  Nikura also scented blood on the knife, which Princess Kapia confirmed as being yours since she’d seen you cut yourself with it.”

“I gave that to her so that she could use it to protect herself,” Bredon said.  “Instead, it drew evil to her.”  His eyes widened suddenly in fear.  “Please tell me that she does not still carry the knife.”

“No, she does not,” Worrow replied, mildly surprised by the question.  “Why would you imagine she would?”

“Because the knife has long been important to my family,” Bredon said.  “I was afraid she might retain the knife for that reason.”

“She no longer carries it,” Worrow said.  “I do not know what she did with it.”

“I don’t care what she did with it so long as she doesn’t have it with her,” Bredon said.  “There is nothing more important to me than Kapia’s life and safety, not even
Mintaka-Til,
The Blade of the Builder.  Worrow, do you really think you will be able to help me?”

“I will try,” Worrow said.  “I will have you drink a special tea that will make you sleep deeply for a time.  If you agree to it.”