Thornbear (Book 1) (28 page)

“There are no farmers in the mountains,” he told himself. While he had never made the crossing into Gododdin he knew that the journey took a day and a half before reaching the lowlands on the farside.

He would have to turn back to get supplies, and that probably meant going to Arundel at the very least.

“Why!?” he shouted, listening to his voice echo back faintly from the rocky hills ahead.

Tired, frustrated, and angry, he turned Pebble around and began the long ride back to Castle Cameron. They plodded through the night, and a few hours after the sun had set he spotted a campfire beside the road.

Suddenly hopeful he hurried forward, but he soon discovered that it wasn’t Alyssa. Perry Draper and two guardsmen from Cameron were preparing a late supper. Fire-blind they were startled to see him emerge from the black night.

“Hello,” he greeted them.

“No luck eh?” said Perry.

“No.”

Perry gave him a sincere look, “I’m sorry, Gram. There’s still some hope, though. We sent out several search parties, to Arundel, Lancaster, and even the valley farms.”

“That’s good,” said Gram, but deep down he knew they wouldn’t find her. It was quite clear to him that she knew exactly what she was doing, and she was sufficiently skilled to make certain no one would find her.

The entire world is my weapon, what have I to fear?
He remembered her words clearly, and looking at Perry he recalled how she had handled him during the festival. She had taken him down with such casual competence, and made it look as if he had fallen.

Her uncle taught her a lot more than just that phrase.
He was sure of that.

Chapter 26

They returned to Castle Cameron the next day.

As he had expected, the other search parties had found no sign of her, though her horse was discovered grazing in one of the pastures not far from Washbrook. The sympathetic stares he had to endure upon entering the castle yard were almost more than Gram could take. If anyone had been unaware of his romance with Alyssa, they all knew by now. The story of her flight and Gram’s frantic chase were the talk of the castle, and most likely the town as well.

Returning home, he shut himself in his room. It was bad enough facing his mother’s stare as he entered, his sister’s worried look was more than he could bear. Going to his bookcase, he took out his father’s heart-stone and held it tightly. From his window he watched the afternoon sun wane until darkness reclaimed the world.

Slipping out of his clothes he climbed into bed, still holding the red gemstone. In the blackened room he could almost imagine she was there beside him, sleeping perhaps. The pain in his heart was beyond anything he had imagined it could be, like a physical wound. Clutching the stone tightly he buried his face in his pillows, hoping they would muffle any sound he might make.

Alone in the dark no one could hear him cry.

Morning came, unwelcome, bringing with it the misery of a new day. He didn’t want to wake. Waking meant facing the future, a future that didn’t include Alyssa. A knock at the door heralded the arrival of his first visitor.

“Go away,” he said, raising his voice.

The door opened anyway. His sister entered and closed it behind her.

“I think you misunderstood me.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, quietly approaching the bed.

“Did mother send you?”

“No. She said you probably wanted to be left alone.”

“So she plans to wait a while before telling me what a great fool I am. That’s wonderful,” he responded bitterly.

“That isn’t fair,” said Carissa. “None of us are happy about this; we liked her, mother included.”

“Doesn’t change the fact of my stupidity, though.”

“Being smart isn’t everything,” she told him. “We would probably argue a lot more if you weren’t so dumb.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at that, but the humor brought new tears. “Please go, Carissa. Mother was right, I need to be alone.”

“I’ll save some food, in case you get hungry later,” she said, and then she left.

The rest of his morning was quiet. He finally rose sometime around mid-morning. True to her word he found a tray of cold meat and cheese outside his door. He satisfied his empty stomach with that before returning to sit on the side of his bed.

Another knock interrupted his dark thoughts not long after lunch.

“Go away.”

The door opened, only to be filled by the form of a very large man. Cyhan stood there. “It’s time for your training. You missed the morning session.”

“I don’t feel like it today.”

“Ask me if I care.”

Gram glared at him. “I’m not in the mood old man.”

“Too fucking bad. If you don’t like it, you can
try
to take it out on me.”

“I know what you’re trying to do, and it won’t work. I’m not leaving this room today,” said Gram stubbornly.

“You ain’t got no choice, boy. If you won’t get up I’ll just beat your ass right here. One way or another, you’ll fight,” Cyhan stepped into the room, exuding menace.

Gram leapt up from the bed, angrier than he had been since his fight with Perry. The stone was still in his hand and it seemed to pulse in his grip, filling him with a sense of power. He tossed it on the bed and looked at the other man. “Why don’t you just try then?”

The old warrior moved forward, and Gram misread his feint. He almost put himself directly in the path of Cyhan’s first jab, but he changed directions at the last second, narrowly avoiding the blow. A look of surprise was on his teacher’s face as he struck back, hitting the big man hard in the chest, sending him flying backward.

“Not bad,” said the old knight and then he moved forward with deliberation.

Gram was surprised by his lucky blow as well, and he felt his mind slipping into the empty space that it always did when they fought. The room turned into a battleground as they moved back and forth.

They were not evenly matched. Today Gram was faster, stronger, and meaner. He was as tall as Cyhan now, and while his frame was not quite as muscular yet, he had all the benefits of youthful speed and endurance. He pressed the big man back, forcing him into a defensive posture.

Within seconds he saw his opening, and moving to one side he caught his teacher off-balance, twisting to throw the older man back toward his bed frame. Cyhan crashed into with a sound like thunder, causing one of the heavy posts to splinter and lean to one side.

Gram turned to press his advantage but Cyhan caught hold of the bed and used it for leverage as he avoided the younger man’s sudden kick. Ripping the damaged bedpost free, he slammed it into Gram’s back, sending him to the floor.

He lay there, stunned, staring upward at his teacher, and struggling to draw breath. Eventually he got the words out, “That was hardly fair.”

“The world is my weapon, boy. Did your friend give you another magical boost?” Cyhan was panting.

“No,” said Gram. “I was just mad as hell.”

“Mad is good, as long as it doesn’t make you stupid,” said his teacher, “but that was more than just mad. I’ve been training you for months now. You were faster than normal today.”

Rose looked in on them from the doorway. “I started to call for the guard, but once I saw the two of you, I thought the better of it. We can’t afford to lose good men.”

Gram stared at his mother.
Was that a joke?
He often had trouble figuring out her dry sense of humor.

Cyhan laughed, still holding the bedpost.

Elise Thornbear looked over Rose’s shoulder, “I see he decided to use your favorite weapon, Rose.”

Is everyone in the castle in my room today?
wondered Gram. “Weapon?”

“Your mother once used a bedpost to brain your grandfather Duncan,” said the old woman. “It’s a wonder she didn’t kill him.”

He had never heard
that
story.

“Not now, Elise,” said Rose, giving his grandmother an irritated look.

“Actually, I think this would be a perfect time,” observed Gram.

Cyhan interrupted, “That will have to wait for later, ladies. This young lion has to finish his training for the day.” Dropping the bedpost on the mattress he began ushering Gram out of the room.

“Still?” protested Gram. “I thought we settled that already.”

The knight gave him a frightening grin, “Should we have another conversation?”

“I’m moving. No need to make threats.”

***

Cyhan focused Gram’s training that afternoon primarily on physical exercises and balance, forgoing any further sparring. He never admitted it but when Gram thought about it later he suspected that it might have been for personal reasons. Despite his considerable prowess, the big man had probably taken quite a few bruises. Gram had been far from gentle.

The realization resulted in a mixture of emotions in Gram, both guilt and pride.

As they ended and began walking back to Cameron Castle, Cyhan held his hand out toward his student. “I think this is yours.” A large red ruby lay in his palm.

Gram took it. “How did you get this?”

“You dropped it on the bed when we went at it,” said Cyhan. “I had a feeling you didn’t want your mother seeing it when she came in.”

He nodded.

“That was part of your father, wasn’t it?”

Gram slipped the stone into his belt pouch, nodding again. He didn’t trust himself to speak.

“How long had you been holding it before I came in?”

Embarrassed, Gram didn’t want to admit that he’d been clutching the stone for most of the night. “Several hours.”

“Do you feel anything from it?”

“Sometimes it feels warm, but it might just be my body heat,” said Gram. “Other times, when I think about Dad, or when I feel…” He stopped, unable to continue along those lines. “I like to think there’s something of him in it. It makes me feel better.”

“How often do you do that?” asked Cyhan.

“A lot when I was little,” said Gram, “but not much anymore. It had been months since the last time I looked at it. Yesterday was rough…”

“This morning you fought like a demon, almost like you’d taken an earth-bond,” noted the warrior. “Have any of the wizards seen it?”

Gram shook his head. “I picked it up right after—it happened. I never showed anyone.”

“I won’t tell you your business, but you probably should,” advised his teacher.

He said no more after that and the two finished their walk back. Gram was still upset but he was starving from his exertions and when the time came for dinner, his hunger outweighed his anxiety at facing his friends.

Everyone was glad to see him at the table, his mother in particular, though she avoided addressing him directly so as not to draw attention to him. Carissa rose and hugged him, not caring whether it embarrassed him. Matthew and Moira were happy as well, but they waited for the noise to resume before talking to him.

“I’m really sorry,” said Matthew. “It was a big surprise. None of us thought she would disappear like that.”

“Thanks. I’d rather not talk about it, though,” said Gram.

Matthew nodded, content to leave the topic, but Moira looked as if she had something to say. Gram ignored her.

“Actually Matt, if you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to you about something else after we eat,” said Gram.

“Sure, want to go to the workshop with me? I have more to show you anyway.”

Gram nodded.

“I need to talk to you, Gram,” said Moira.

“I know you mean well, Moira, but I don’t really feel like being cheered up right now.”

“I understand,” she said. “I just need to give you something.” Her face held an emphatic expression.

“Alright,” he told her, “I’ll come by after I talk to Matt.”

***

“Stand against the wall there,” ordered Matthew once they had gone inside the workshop.

“Huh?” Gram had only wanted to show his friend the stone.

“I need to measure you.”

“Oh, fine.” He stood by the wall, expecting his friend to bring out a measuring tape. When he was suddenly engulfed in blue light he yelped in surprise. “What are you doing?”

“Just hold still, or it’s going to look all wonky,” cautioned the young wizard. “Are you ready?”

Gram took a deep breath, “I guess.” He held still, but then decided to ask another question, “Why don’t you tell me what you’re doing?”

Matthew sighed, “Now look what you’ve done.”

Standing beside Gram was what appeared to be a perfect duplicate of him, almost. The doppelganger’s face was distorted and blurred in a disturbing manner. “What is that?!” Gram leapt to one side, putting some distance between himself and his clone.

“Relax,” said the young wizard, “It’s just an illusion.” He moved forward and using a silver stylus he traced several lines on the floor. “There, all done.”

“It’s hideous,” said Gram.

“That’s because you started talking when I made the impression. If anything, I’ve improved on your natural ugly,” said Matthew sarcastically. “Doesn’t matter, though, the face doesn’t need to be accurate.”

“What’s it for?” asked Gram, ignoring the insult.

“I’ll show you in a second. Close your eyes.”

“Why?” asked Gram suspiciously.

“Trust me.”

Fighting down his irritation, Gram did as he was asked.

Matthew turned away and took Thorn out of a large wooden case. He spoke a few words quietly and it vanished, returning to its storage place in the pocket dimension. “I just didn’t want you to see it before you called it,” he said. “You can open your eyes.”

Gram did, giving Matthew a questioning look. “Now what?”

“Call it.”

“You just had it, you could have handed it to me,” said Gram.

“Where’s the fun in that?” said Matthew. “You’ve been spending too much time with Sir Cyhan. I swear you’re turning into an old man before my very eyes. Call the sword.”

Gram tried to remember the sensation from when they had practiced it before. It only took him a second and then the sword was in his hand. His arms tensed as they took the sudden weight, despite its size though, the great sword only weighed a little over eight pounds.