Delver Magic Book VII: Altered Messages (38 page)

Shantree caught herself. She was criticizing the elf captain openly, going well beyond acceptable behavior, and she knew the reason. She calmed herself and offered an explanation.

"I am sorry," the elf elder stated sincerely. "I do not wish to sound so critical. I had to show great restraint with the dwarf emissary, and I believe I am now taking out my frustrations on you. You simply showed up at the wrong time."

"I understand. Apologies are not necessary, but I also have to be honest with you. I believe you have placed far greater concern upon the dwarves than has been warranted. I have made that clear from the beginning."

"And I have appreciated your honesty, but from the
beginning
, I have sensed that this is as much about the dwarves as it has been about Petiole. Look at what has happened. Petiole appears in Pinesway and then outside Dunop. He is being guarded by dieruhnes. As a captain of the elf guard, what does that tell you?"

"That someone is targeting the dwarves, trying to incite them."

"And you believe that my actions have only added to that, correct?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Assume I did nothing, kept all guards away from the dwarves. Do you think the individuals responsible would have ceased their attempts to provoke the dwarves, that everything would simply return to normal?"

"Perhaps not," Birk allowed, but he felt it necessary to view the situation from an even larger context, "but consider the news just brought to us by the emissary. Therese is concerned that we are adding to the tension with our suspicions."

"How much more suspicious would we look if we simply ignored the entire situation and appeared ignorant of everything that has happened? Do you believe the dwarf queen would be satisfied with our behavior, or would she start to question our aloofness?"

Birk began to see the implications of the elf elder's concerns.

"I believe she might have been more suspicious of us if we showed no concern," the captain admitted. "She would have wondered if we were hiding something."

"I agree."

"Then there really was no alternative," Birk conceded with a nod. "You had to suspect the dwarves from the beginning."

"Actually, there was a choice. I took the path that would hopefully appear the most reasonable. I would rather have the dwarves angry with our suspicions than have them believing we were behind everything that has happened. To that end, you must remain concerned with the security of this camp. That means you need to verify that the remaining dieruhnes have indeed left the forest, even if it means angering the dwarves. Better that than have them suspecting our intentions."

"Very well, but if the dwarf emissary's report is accurate, then there are only two dieruhnes remaining. With Haven Wellseed's talents, we were able to remove one without difficulty. I see no reason why we could not handle two more in similar fashion."

"At least that has gone right," Shantree noted thankfully, but then she turned her attention to another growing problem. "What is the latest word on the dark army?"

"Burbon has fallen to the goblin horde. The town was overrun completely. Any soldiers that failed to evacuate would have either been captured or killed by now."

"I thought the town was cut off by bloat spiders," Therese stated with obvious surprise. "How could the soldiers have left?"

"Through tunnels. This may explain the underground activity we noted around Dunop. My guess is that the dwarves were opening their end of tunnels that led to Burbon. They were assisting the humans."

The revelation surprised the elf elder even further.

"The humans soldiers marched to Dunop underground?"

"That is the only destination that makes sense. Our magic casters have been continuously probing deep beneath the grounds to search for both dwarf activity and rock beetles. We are certain the human guards who escaped Burbon are traveling west within tunnels that were dug by dwarves many seasons ago."

"Does this not concern you?"

"Concern? No. It appears to be a sound tactical plan. The humans could not hope to defeat the dark army..."

"Enin could have," Shantree interrupted.

"Apparently he chose not to."

Shantree tried to place everything in perspective. Certain pieces seemed to fit together logically, but overall, she sensed a persistent wave of turbulence bent on causing confusion.

"Again, this is so much more than it seems. Burbon had no relations with the dwarves. Now, they have been forced to retreat to Dunop. I am not certain if this would benefit the dwarves or create even more tension."

"The dwarves have stable relations with the humans from Connell and Pinesway."

"This is true, but now Petiole has threatened Pinesway. That could bring the dwarves and humans closer together, or drive them apart. And what of Enin's decision? He has done much to develop relations between humans and dwarves. He chose not to come to Burbon's aid, but now human soldiers from that town are marching toward the dwarf city."

Shantree folded her hands behind her back as she tried to place all the pieces in some kind of rational order, but very little made sense. She looked back at the elf captain and revealed her fears.

"Your reluctance to blame the dwarves has been a tribute to your instincts from the very beginning. Unfortunately, I believe that there is a force working upon us that will simply press beyond your instincts. Hopefully by now you understand I have been treading carefully. I believe if I showed reluctance to suspect the dwarves, whoever is behind this would have simply caused even greater conflict. The human town is now in the hands of a dark army and the dwarves are becoming more agitated. There may be no way to avoid a conflict with the dwarves, for I believe that is where this is headed. It may not be what any one wants, but it may also be something that cannot be avoided. I suggest you take whatever precautions are necessary to prepare for such a conflict."

While racing through the forest, Ryson bit down hard on his grief, swallowed it, and walled it off. He buried it in a place where he could control it, at least temporarily. He couldn't allow it to distract him, not when there was important work to be done and hazardous terrain to be crossed.

He wasn't really concerned about his own safety. Dark Spruce remained a perilous region, but he could avoid any danger in the forest. As for the dark creatures from Burbon, they couldn't catch him, not even the hook hawks.

Still, the delver would not allow his emotions to betray a trust which was suddenly more important than ever. It was Sy's last wish to see to the safety of his soldiers. In light of that understanding, Ryson needed to ensure they made it through the underground tunnels. For that, he had to reach the dwarf city as quickly as possible, and rather than take the time to mourn the loss of a friend, the delver would honor Sy's memory by securing safe passage for the guard. It was the only thing he could do that made any sense... and that kept the pain at bay.

Ryson reached the entrance of Dunop after a dwarf battle squad had secured the cave and retrieved the bodies of the sentries killed by the dieruhnes. Ryson could not ignore the signs of a struggle near the entrance or the increased activity of dwarf warriors, but he also had to respect the privacy of the dwarves. He was encroaching upon their territory. He could not afford to pester them with delver inquiries to satisfy his unending need for answers.

He also had more important considerations. He had to ensure the dwarves had cleared the tunnels that led from Dunop to Burbon. Just as he did with his grief, Ryson clamped down on his delver curiosity and pushed it aside. He respectfully addressed the dwarf warriors and requested entry into the city.

Despite the circumstances, not one dwarf questioned the delver's intentions. Ryson Acumen was no stranger—not like the half-delver—and though they were angered by the death of two sentries, they showed proper respect of their own. The dwarves did not bar Ryson from entering Dunop, but they did request he report immediately to the queen, a request to which the delver happily agreed for it would serve his own purposes as well.

Without requiring an escort, Ryson rushed down the long tunnel to Dunop and then through the streets to the palace at the center of the underground metropolis. He was granted entry into the castle and directed to a quiet chamber where he could meet with the queen in private.

"You received my message?" Ryson asked immediately as Queen Therese entered the chamber but bid her advisors to wait out in the hall.

"We did," the dwarf queen confirmed. "Had it come from anyone else, I probably would have dismissed it. Opening access to sealed tunnels is not something we do at a casual request."

"But you did open them, didn't you?"

"Do not fear, Ryson Acumen. The soldiers of Burbon will not be allowed to perish in blocked tunnels. Still, I want you to understand the gravity of  the matter."

"I appreciate that, but it was necessary to save lives."

"I understood the severity of the situation. We monitored the activities of the dark army in the forest, saw that they marched upon your village."

Therese saw a hint of surprise in the delver's eyes and felt the need to explain.

"Yes, I knew Burbon was in danger, and I did not take the information lightly. I considered many avenues to assist you, but my advisors reminded me that we do not have official relations with Burbon. I was not satisfied with that, but then Enin appeared. It was a rather strange visit, but your message allowed me to assist your home as you assisted mine."

"Then you cleared the way?" Ryson asked one last time, hoping to gain a direct answer on the disposition of the tunnels.

"We have. I have also sent battle squads down in the tunnels to assist in passage. They will guide the soldiers to a secure spot. We have been communicating with our warriors through light signals. I can assure you that the human soldiers are safe." Therese hesitated for but a moment, and then decided that she should be completely honest with the delver. "I have to inform you, due to security risks, they will not be allowed in the city."

"Security risks?"

"Much has happened since we last spoke."

The delver was not pleased with the response, and he saw the restrictions placed on Burbon's soldiers as a direct impediment to what he viewed as a moral obligation. Sy would not have allowed his guards to be treated as prisoners, and it was up to Ryson to see to their well-being.

"And a lot has happened to me... and those soldiers! Burbon was overrun."

"Not a surprise."

"Is it a surprise that the captain of the guard is dead?!" Ryson responded rather harshly. The emotions he curtailed began to seep out in his words. "Don't tell me about security risks! Nothing is secure any more."

Therese was not accustomed to being spoken to in such a manner, but she finally understood the delver's outburst. She spoke in a deferential tone for she knew of Sy Fenden.

"I'm very sorry to hear that. Your captain had the respect of every dwarf warrior in Dunop. His leadership will be missed. He was a friend of yours, wasn't he?"

"One of my very few friends, one of my best friends." Ryson swallowed hard and then turned his focus back to where he believed it mattered. "Sy Fenden wouldn't be pleased to hear his soldiers were being treated as a
security threat
, especially when he surrendered himself to help save them. He counted on me to make sure they reached Dunop safely."

Therese saw both the pain and the determination in the delver's eyes. She knew he was acting on behalf of the slain commander, and she immediately offered more than her condolences. She found it necessary to adjust her orders.

"The soldiers of Burbon
will
be allowed proper shelter in Dunop. They will be allowed to rest here for as long as needed, and we will assist them in any way we can. Give me a moment and I will take the proper measures to see that those orders are carried out."

For a brief instant, Ryson felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He knew he would not fail Sy... in at least that one regard. Before Therese could reach the door and speak to her advisors, he made the full request of what he believed the captain would have wanted.

"I know they can't stay here indefinitely, but they can't go back to Burbon. If you can eventually help them get to Connel, that would be a big help. They'll be safe there."

"I will see that the proper accommodations are made."

"Thank you,"

Therese bowed her head in acknowledgement. She opened the door, spoke softly to several aids, and then returned to Ryson's side. She decided it was time to explain her own misgivings over what had happened.

"It is not my intention to argue with you, Ryson Acumen, but there are other considerations of which you must be made aware. As you know, Petiole has not been recaptured. In fact, Enin's response regarding the elf was wholly unacceptable."

Ryson was not surprised. He wasn't sure what Enin had finally said to Therese regarding the escaped elf, but he had doubted it would satisfy the dwarf queen. After the queen had shown him so much respect, he knew she deserved more, but he didn't know where to begin.

"There's a lot going on," he said with frustration over a situation that seemed to get worse with each passing day.

"Yes, there is, and while Enin did not see fit to explain what happened in Portsans, I will try to be more forthright with you."

The delver could sense the disappointment in the dwarf queen's voice. He wanted to explain everything, but there was no path of clarity through the mist of confusion. He could still see the serps sitting at the large table in the mansion in Portsans, twisting and turning every little action to gain an upper hand.

"Enin was put in a difficult situation," he finally admitted.

"Really?" Therese questioned. "And would that situation explain why Petiole appeared in Pinesway and issued a proclamation to end all logging in Dark Spruce as well as all
illegal
trade with the dwarves? Would it also explain why Petiole is being guarded by dieruhnes, and why they appeared outside the very same entrance you used to enter our city? They issued another proclamation there... one that they nailed to the face of one of my sentries with an elf arrow."

The revelations shocked the delver.

"Petiole was in Dark Spruce?"

"According to reliable dwarf witnesses, he was sent to Pine
sway via magical teleportation. We assume he reached the entrance to Dunop in the same manner. Would you like to know what the second proclamation entailed?"

Despite the dreadful news, Ryson could not help himself. He needed to know what kind of order would be delivered in such a coldhearted manner.

"Yes."

The queen stepped to a desk and pulled a bloodstained parchment off the top shelf. She read the contents aloud.

"Dark Spruce Forest has, and always shall be, the proper domain of the elves. Right of passage through the forest must be officially tendered for travel to be legally recognized. Any previous consent for dwarves to pass through the forest is hereby revoked. Dwarves shall be expected to remain in their underground passages. Any embarkation to the surface will be viewed as a hostile act of trespass."

Therese looked back up to the delver and continued with a flush of fury. She did not wish to take out her anger upon Ryson, but she knew he was with Enin in Portsans. She needed to impress upon him the significance of Petiole's actions.

"Trespass! He is stating we are trespassing by simply setting foot in Dark Spruce! The words themselves are bad enough, but the order was signed by Petiole and delivered, as I said previously, nailed to the face of a dwarf guard with an elf arrow! Petiole is acting as if he is authorized to speak for all the elves."

Ryson didn't know what to say. He knew Therese expected something more from him. She wanted a complete explanation, a reasonable justification that Enin had apparently refused to offer. The delver was willing to oblige, but everything was becoming so tortuously complex. Ryson viewed the truth as the only path he could take.

"It's a group of serps," the delver finally responded. "They're the ones responsible. They helped Petiole escape, took him to Portsans. They're behind it all, manipulating everything."

"A group?"

"At least five that I saw, and also the large goblin, Okyiq... the one that led the army of dark creatures through the forest. They've formed some kind of council."

"A council of serps? This is what put Petiole beyond Enin's reach?"

"They have magic casters at their disposal, as well as that whole army of dark creatures."

Therese eyed the delver carefully. She was unwilling to accuse Ryson of anything close to treachery, but certain aspects of his story did not reflect rational thought. They were talking about Enin. Dwarves may have never been able to harness the power of magic with anything even resembling success, but despite living in underground cities constructed to dampen the energy, they were not completely blind to its astounding potential. If any one magic caster had ever come close to fully utilizing the capacity inherent in the energy, it was the wizard from Connel.

"Ryson Acumen, I know you would not lie to me, but there is something very wrong in your explanation. I don't care if the serps had forty spell casters in their service and an army twice as large as the force that crossed Dark Spruce; Enin could deal with them all. What is it you're not telling me?"

"The serps manipulated Enin," Ryson offered without hesitation. "Everything they did, including freeing Petiole, was to bring Enin to Portsans. They forced him to accept a deal that would keep Connel safe and prevent a war. He had to agree to give some of his magic to another wizard. It's created a link he can't break. They're watching everything he does."

The delver had hoped revealing the truth would open some window of light into his soul, offer a way toward ending the madness, but then he thought of Sy's death, and realized how empty of an excuse it all sounded. No matter what he did, it wouldn't change Sy's fate, and any optimism he previously held to simply crumbled.

For her part, Therese found the explanation lacking. She could still not establish the logic in Enin accepting any such deal with serps. And the fact that Petiole had been allowed to roam free and cause continued pain and suffering for the dwarves only added to her dissatisfaction.

"Why would Enin do such a thing?" the dwarf queen asked, unable to fathom such a response by the wizard. "He is powerful enough to protect Connel without having to make some bargain. And to prevent a war? It appears the serps have already started one, or does Enin not know about the attack on Burbon?"

"I'm pretty sure he's aware by now, but that's not the war Enin wanted to avoid. The serps threatened him with another conflict, one that would be more devastating."

Ryson realized he was only walking down one half the path of honesty. He was clinging to the side, hoping to avoid the more difficult ground. It was time to reveal it all. He might not have wanted to discuss any more painful truths, but there was no other avenue to follow.