The Flames of Deception - A Horizon of Storms: Book 1 (52 page)

Thadius shook his head. “A man who tries to kidnap
one of the family you have pledged to protect is not a man one
should trust,” Thadius said soberly. “He has lied several times
about his motives and his actions. But... he has convinced me
somehow that we
are
doing the right thing. And he gave me this,” he said, and
pulled down his shirt a little so the emblem of Mahalia became
visible across his chest.

Luccius nodded. “That’s worth a lot to a wizard.
To most it means
more
than family.”

Thadius covered the medallion up again. “You are a
man who I see is honest and true. So tell me, Luccius, is he
truly
a good
man?”

Luccius smiled. “My good knight, he is the best of men you
could hope for as an ally in this dark and dangerous world. None of
us can claim to be truly pure of blood.” He shifted his position.
“He was trying to do what was right, Thadius. Kidnapping her wasn’t
the best way to earn anyone’s trust, and neither was lying about
what he was doing, but whatever the methods he has employed, he
saved the princess, that much is certain.” Thadius
nodded.

Matthias stared at the lock of hair with
determination. Or it could have been desperation. Right now, he
wasn’t quite sure. It had been a long time since he was taught
this, and he had only practiced, in his training, to find a pigeon
hidden a floor up from his classroom. Maryn’s image flickered in
front of his vision: her glossy, long auburn hair and those
dazzling blue eyes of hers. His nose seemed alive with her scent,
her perfume, and his heart - beat with the image of her face: her
porcelain skin, her pale lips. His stomach fluttered despite his
best attempts to stop himself. It had been a long time since he had
allowed himself to think about her in such detail. Usually such
thoughts ended with a numbing in his chest: a sucking, vacuous
black hole in the pit of his stomach. Maryn considered him a
traitor to her and she vowed to kill him if she ever even set eyes
on him again. He hoped
that
was said in the heat of the
moment.

He
forced more of the power through himself, funnelled it down through
the lock and map until he was grunting with the strain of it all.
Smoke began to rise from it, and the smell of burnt hair filled the
air.

“
Come
on
,” he growled. “I
know
you’re here somewhere!”

“
Matthias, be careful,” Luccius called to him. “Don’t hurt
yourself.”

“
I
need
to find her!” Matthias panted. “Josephine is
depending
on
me!”

He pushed more power through the earth as his face
began to pale and more veins snaked across his face. He closed his
eyes and pulled everything he could through him, until he felt like
the world was spinning away from him and his body would burst into
pieces. Maryn’s voice echoed in his mind. Was it just a memory? Or
was he hearing her through the world? She was talking about… fennel
- weed and… milk of the poppy? He couldn’t recall ever talking to
her about
either
of those. The image of a house flickered and then melted
away, only to be replaced by Maryn’s face again, as clear as if she
were stranding in front of him.

He
opened his eyes as he heard a gasp from Thadius, and stared down at
the map. The lock of hair was on fire. Above it, a glowing
star-like object shimmered. It remained where it was for a moment,
and then it was moving, back and forth to all areas of the map,
spinning around as if possessed, its white light sparking and
pulsing until it rested above the map, towards the centre of
Olindian territory, and stopped. “There we go!” Luccius breathed.
“You did it Matthias! That must be where she is!”

Matthias exhaled heavily, and fell back. He let the power go,
and Luccius reached forward and threw his coat over the burning
hair, putting out the flame.

“
I could
hear
her,” Matthias whispered. “It
wasn’t
just a memory.”

Thadius pulled Luccius’s coat from the map. “You
burnt your
keepsake
,” he said, picking up what remained of the lock of hair
and passed it back to Matthias. He took it and reviewed the damage.
Thadius squinted as he studied the map. “Where exactly did the
light shine above?” he asked.

“
By
the looks of it, it was not too far from here,” Luccius replied. “I
think it was above this area,” he indicated.

Thadius tutted. “There must be at least a dozen towns in that
area! How do we know which one she’s in?”

Matthias grimaced. “I should have waited, seen if I could
have narrowed it down.”

“
It’s a clump of hair and a ball of
light!
” Thadius exclaimed. “How
specific
could it get? I’m amazed
anything
happened at
all!”

Matthias smiled. “That almost sounded like some kind of
admiration.”

The knight stifled a grin, but his eyes gave away
his mood. “I would not go
that
far,” he said.

“
You
couldn’t have carried on for much longer anyway, by the looks of
you,” Luccius added.

Matthias leaned over the map. He studied the place names,
squinting. Finally, he pointed to a town.

“
Kardak Tavna,” he whispered.

“
Sounds familiar?” Luccius asked.

Matthias nodded. “Perhaps.” He shook his head.
“I’m not certain, but it...
feels
right.”

“
It
has to be worth a try,” Luccius said. “Doesn’t it?”

“
It’s all we have to go on,” Matthias said. “All
the chance Josephine has. If Maryn
isn’t
there, we don’t any more time to find
her.” Matthias swallowed.

Thadius rose to his feet. “Come on then,” he said. “Let’s get
going. I’d say it’s a good days or two’s walk from here to that
village. Not to mention we are all exhausted.”

Matthias packed up his map and Thadius took Josephine in his
arms again. The wizard watched her sadly as she flopped to rest on
his arm again. Her hair, once glistening and golden, had turned a
silvery-grey.

“
Hold on Josephine,” he whispered. “Please. Hold on for
me.”

King Arwell re - read the scroll that he held
tightly between his hands for the
fifth
time. Captain Tiberius read over his
shoulder.

“
You are
sure
it is from her?” he asked.

“
It’s definitely her writing and I recognise the tone of my
daughter’s voice even in ink. It is her. I’m certain.”

“
There is the possibility she wrote this under duress,” the
captain suggested.

The king smiled and laughed under his breath. “You
have never gotten to know my daughter very well, have you captain?”
he said. “You have
more
chance of dressing a pig in a jester’s robes than making
her do
anything
she wouldn’t want to do. She would rather die.” He cast the
note aside. “No, this
is
from her and that means she is alive and
well.”

“
Then this is
good
news,” Tiberius remarked.

“
But she is still being
followed
,” Arwell added. “By Fenzar and the
gods’
know
who else!”

“
I
received word today on Lord Fenzar and his progress through our
land. Lord Robert informed me he and his other wizard companions
requested the use of his household for the night. That would put
them a week away from Gormal if he leaves tomorrow.”

“
Lord Fenzar doesn’t know the
meaning
of haste, especially when he
has a glass of brandy in his hand,” Arwell sniffed. “Dragon or not,
he is an arrogant,
selfish
man. Perhaps Lord Robert’s home comforts will delay him yet
further.”

“
If, as you said, your grace, the Mahalian Council
believes they can stop the people behind the dragon’s release, then
he may not be worried about the dragon, but more about your
daughter. This respite might mean he doesn’t see her as a threat?
Perhaps he is confident she can be brought to heel
easily
.”

“
I
have given up on understanding the motives of wizards,” Arwell
sighed. “One moment Fenzar tells me my daughter is the greatest of
dangers to this world, and the next he takes up residence with one
of my nobles for a sojourn!” He shook his head. “Did Lord Robert
say anything else in his message?”

“
Nothing of import. However, in my return message,
which I sent this morning, I also informed him that we believed
your daughter was heading for West Riding. Knowing the man as I do,
I would
imagine
this information will find itself easily into the hands of
Fenzar.”

“
That man has a mouth as big as an estuary,” Arwell
scoffed. “Robert has most likely
already
spilt the beans. He is a self -
satisfying, ambitious man.”

Tiberius smiled. “I’m hoping that my misinformation will draw
Lord Fenzar down the wrong road for at least another few
days.”

“
Why I let Robert remain in such a position... I
must be growing
soft
in my old age.”

“
He was of help in securing the North from
rebellion all those years ago. But after these events are over, it
may be that Lord Robert will
outlive
his usefulness?”

Arwell smiled. “Perhaps, my old friend. We shall
see where the wind blows.” He shook his head. “But we can’t assume
Fenzar will
fall
for your ploy. As pompous as he is, he isn’t
stupid
.”

“
Assuming this Matthias Greenwald keeps up the pace he appears
to have so far, then Princess Josephine should keep ahead of them
in spite of my redirections and reach Crystal Ember before they can
be caught. The question is, what happens when Fenzar makes it there
as well?”

Arwell nodded thoughtfully. “Regent Caldur has no
love of Mahalia. And he has one thing we do not: leverage
against
them. He would see
Josephine is safe and returned to us, or else he will harbour her
in the city until an agreement can be reached with the wizards.
That much I am certain of.”

Tiberius nodded. “Then perhaps then the Regent can buy us
time.” He paced the room, tucking his thumbs into his belt. “I will
gather some of my men and arrange for them to leave with me at
first light tomorrow for Olindia. Dragon or not, you will need me
there to defend your daughter and negotiate her release from
Mahalia’s grip.”

Arwell placed a thumb and forefinger to the bridge
of his nose. “My head swims with the twists and turns of it all.
How I long for days when an enemy would simply lob a few boulders
at you. All this
scheming!
Mahalian wizards against their own, some seemingly
intending to help me, and the others seeking to tighten their grip
on my kingdom.” He shook his head. “There
has
to be a way to convince Mahalia as a whole
as to Josephine’s innocence. She could
never
be a threat to them. Not my
Josephine!”

“
Mahalia will only be cowed by a strong hand. They have grown
too powerful. Perhaps the time has come, your grace, that we show
them our resolve on the matter? That we will not be bullied by
them!”

Arwell spluttered with laughter. “You suggest I
wage a war against the wizards? Believe me, Rylin, it would give me
no greater pleasure at this moment. But to do so would be certain
death! Do you know what happened to the
last
King of Rina to question Mahalia in such a
way? Before my ancestors succeeded to the throne?” When Tiberius
shook his head, Arwell continued. “Let’s just say that Mahalia made
sure that he would never be able to produce an heir with the
twisted
assets
he left him! Then they installed my great, great, great
grandfather on the throne, because they knew he
would
cooperate with them. And so they have
left Aralia alone since, as long as we continue to comply.” The
king paced to the window, and looked out upon the fields below. “We
have had a leash tied around our necks for centuries, and it has
only grown tighter.” He shook his head. “It is a collar I have
tried subtly to break free of for decades, without success.” He
sighed. “But I know one thing for certain. War is not the way of
freeing ourselves from its bonds. No, if we are going to find a way
out of this, it must be by using diplomacy.”