Gods Of Blood And Fire (Book 1) (71 page)

K’xarr nodded his head in agreement. “At least he won’t die in here with us.”

“I cannot die in here from some wound rot, K’xarr. My death should have been in combat, sword in hand, killing mine enemies. Stupid Abberdonians broke my fall when I jumped from the wall or I would be with Fane in Vinteytium now. When they come for us, I will fight.”

K’xarr gave his friend and ironic smile. “What if they never come?”

“The Gods will not look favorably on me if I die a captive. A Toran should die with the song of battle filling his ears. I will most likely go to hell instead of Vinteytium if I die a prisoner.”

K’xarr looked at Cromwell shaking his head. The people of Camir believed in Vinteytium just like the Torans. The mythical silver city of heroes was said to be made by the Gods for warriors who died in battle. K’xarr had grown up hearing the same tales Cromwell had, he just didn’t believed them. He thought it was all nonsense. “There is no such place, you fool, and no Gods to judge you when you die. You will rot in the earth while the worms eat your flesh, my friend, unless they burn you.”

Cromwell stood up. K’xarr could tell he had upset the Toran. “No, you are wrong, the great city is there. Fane bid it built for those who worshipped at the altar of war. The great Goddess of Justice, Syann, sits at its gates with her silver sword in hand. She weighs each warrior’s deeds, it is her judgment that can open the gate. If the warrior is worthy, she will let him pass through. The warrior’s paradise is real and that’s all there is.”

K’xarr didn’t want to hear anymore of Cromwell gibberish but he had to ask. “What if she judges the warrior unworthy?” Cromwell lowered his voice. “Then you are cast into hell with the Reaper and his Queen, the Mistress of the Dead. There the warrior exists in misery for all eternity. Only cowards suffer a worse fate. They are hung on the Tree of Torment that sits in the center of hell and are tortured forever.”

“That’s the stupidest shit I have ever heard, Cromwell, think about what you’re saying.”

“It is true. Vinteytium does exist and I will go there one day.” The Toran punched K’xarr in the face, hard enough to knock him down. Then he sat down on the rancid mattress like an angry child.

K’xarr rubbed his jaw. He was in no condition to fight with Cromwell, but he knew how to hurt him. “Pray all you want, see if the Gods get us out of here, you over-sized boar.”

Cromwell hung his head, dirty hair falling down to cover his face. “Vinteytium is there, waiting for me,” he muttered.

K’xarr looked down at the Toran and grimly smiled. “If what you said is true, oaf, it’s the Reaper that waits for you. You won’t die in battle, your wounds will fester and you will perish shaking with chills and mad with fever. Then the Reaper will drag you to hell and you will know agony and despair for all eternity.”

Cromwell said nothing. K’xarr knew he had said too much. Cromwell was his sword brother and had always stood by him and the fool truly believed in all that religious tripe. He had taken out his anger at being helpless and imprisoned on the big warrior. “Stop sulking, you overgrown child. If they won’t let you in to Vinteytium, we’ll kick the damn gate down and go in anyway. Maybe we’ll kick Fane in the ass and just take the place for ourselves.” K’xarr heard Cromwell chuckle. At least he could let the Toran die believing in his idiotic fantasies. He twisted his hands on the filthy bars of the cell, wishing he too had something to believe in.

***

The snow was almost gone but the cold mornings still froze the wet grass, making it crunch as her horse walked through it. Endra spotted the two men walking through a frosty field. She had been gone from Turill over a week now, the whole time wondering if Kian was alive or dead. Now she knew.

She rode towards the two men, it was not hard to tell it was Rhys and Kian, she would know them anywhere. Her belly had begun to hurt a bit yesterday and it was worse today. The child inside her was having a fit. She didn’t know who she was happier to see, Rhys or Kian.

This baby didn’t feel anything like the other three she had borne. She loved Kian, but Endra was becoming more and more afraid of what was growing in her womb. Her people were unaccustomed to magic and had a simple people’s fear of it. She needed to talk to Rhys about what was happening inside her body.

She rode up in front of the two, smiling from ear to ear. “I knew you would find a way to escape.” She said sliding off her horse. Endra could see both men were hurt. She took Kian by the shoulders and pulled him to her and kissed him fiercely.

Rhys cleared his throat loudly. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but what are you doing out here, Endra?” She looked from Rhys to Kian, her smile fading. “Turill has fallen by now, Havalon’s entire army was preparing to attack when I left. He had called his sons back from the north. K’xarr sent me to find you, but I know he couldn’t have held the city for this long. The witches deserted us and he had few men left.”

“What witches?” Both men said at once.

Endra shook her head. “K’xarr had employed six sorceresses. I don’t know where they came from, but they were keeping Havalon out of Turill.”

“Dealing with witches can’t be a good idea,” Rhys said.

Endra shrugged. “Doesn’t matter now, they’re gone, and if the city hasn’t fallen, it soon will.”

Kian said nothing, he knew K’xarr’s witches had to be the ones he had seen before. He thought it best not to mention his encounters to the others.

Rhys clasped his forehead and closed his eyes. “What about the Queen?”

“K’xarr sent her to Braxton Bluff with Rufio and her court and a thousand men to protect them. I’m sure she’s alright, Rhys, it’s K’xarr and Cromwell I’m worried about. They stayed behind to defend Turill and give the Queen time to get away.”

Kian looked at her, seeming to listen for the first time. “If they live I will find them.”

“You can’t go back, if Havalon has captured the city, its suicide,” Rhys said.

Endra just looked at Kian; she was starting to understand that if her lover decided he was going to do something it was pointless to argue with him.

“If you go, I’m going with you,” she said.

Kian said nothing, he just looked to the healer.

“Well, I’m not staying out here, I don’t know what good I’ll be, but I’m with you,” Rhys said with a shrug.

Endra pulled a soft deerskin shirt lined with rabbit fur from her pack and gave it to Kian. He took off the blood-stained shirt he had on and pulled the fresh one over his head and adjusted his sword belt.

“Do you have a plan, Kian?” Endra asked.

“No, but I will try and think of something before we get there. Let Rhys ride with you and I will run alongside.”

Rhys got on the horse behind Endra and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Let’s hurry, my dear.”

Kian started south, Endra turned the horse and followed him. He ran alongside the horse like it was a spring day and he had just gotten out of bed. She didn’t know how he did it as beaten and battered as he looked he had to be suffering. It was starting to scare her how Kian could just ignore pain and never seemed to be weary. She had defended his humanity and would still if it was questioned, but in her heart she knew the truth. Kian was not human or Elven or a mixture of the two. It was causing a war in her heart between fear and love. She hoped love could hold the line.

***

Lord Dracen Milara and his company had ridden right into the back of the Bandaran Army. Prince Cain had halted his troops and bid them to make camp. Milara as well ordered his men set up his pavilion and stop for the night. He was preparing to meet with the leaders of the Bandarans. The Lord Justice thought he could make use of the young Prince’s men. They were not engaged in a fight right now. So he thought, it should not be too hard to convince them to help him catch the half-breed. There was just one little problem. He was not his usual confident self. He needed to get a grip on his fears. He was Lord Justice Dracen Milara, one of the most powerful men of the Church. It was just the nightmares were so vivid. He had been having bad dreams since the monster escaped. Dracen had dreamt over and over that the devil half-breed had killed him and dragged his body to hell. Was it a warning from God, was the Lord of Heaven trying to tell Dracen to stay away from the half-breed? The Lord Justice didn’t know, but he was starting to have doubts about going to Turill. He had never feared anything in his life, at least not until he had run across this spawn of hell.

He needed to complete his mission. He had to, the Holy Father would not be pleased if he failed. He just needed to find a way to do it without confronting the creature directly. The Bandarans might just serve his purpose.

Deverall walked into his pavilion, his armor heavily polished, the sun reflecting off it right into Milara’s eyes. “Eminence, the Bandarans await your presence.”

“Step to the side, Commander, the light.” Deverall looked down at his breast plate. “Sorry, Your Eminence.”

Milara looked at himself in the mirror two young priests were holding for him. “Whom am I speaking with?”

Deverall cleared his throat. “Prince Cain Albana, who is claiming he is the rightful King of Bandara, Talorn Blackthorn, commander of the Bandaran army, and his father Duke William Blackthorn. They seem very anxious to see you.”

“As most people are, Commander.” The Lord Justice brushed the front of his robe and checked his hair, he thought the grey was getting a little higher on the sides of his head, no matter, it was still perfect. “Let’s see what they have to say, Commander, it should be interesting.”

***

“That’s what I think happened, Your Eminence, the Princess had her witches use magic to coerce Bishop Lyfair to seek approval from the Church for her to ascend to the throne of Bandara. I know the man, he would never willingly let that foolish child rule Bandara.” Duke Blackthorn had finished; he hoped he had convinced the Lord Justice to revoke Raygan’s claim to the throne.

Dracen Milara sat with no expression on his face, the duke was good at reading men but he couldn’t gage what the Eye of God was thinking.

“Well, that’s quite a story.” The Lord Justice stood up and walked back and forth, the only sound that could be heard in the tent was the birds singing outside.

“Well, if a Church official was intimidated or charmed by magic, there will be a reckoning and I will have the Queen removed and Prince Cain reinstated, of that you can be sure. The Church is here to see justice is done, and I can see that you are all devout men of God and dedicated to his purpose. I promise I will look into you accusations. However, I do have a problem of my own that will slow my investigation. I was sent on a mission by the Holy Father that I’m sure you men could help me with. If you agree, I can quickly complete my mission then I could spend all my time investigating your accusations against the Queen. This would hasten a resolution to the difficulties in Bandara, which would be advantageous to all parties concerned. Unfortunately without your help, I have no idea how long my mission will take.”

“We would be honored to help the Church in any way we can, Eminence,” Talorn said. Cain and William slowly nodded their agreement as well.

“It is a fine thing to find men so pious, many rulers aren’t, should we say, so affable.”

Milara pulled his chair out and sat down. “Let me explain what I need of you. My mission has to do with an enchanted Half Elven creature, which is very capable with a sword.”

Duke Blackthorn’s eyes widened. “I know of whom you speak, Eminence, he is in league with the Princess.”

Milara stomach got queasy at the mention of the half-breed, the images from his dreams popped into his head. “You’ve seen the devil?” he said, looking at the duke.

“I have, he slaughtered a troop of palace guards in Turill without cause. That thing is very dangerous, a killer, he serves Princess Raygan. I know this to be God’s own truth, Your Eminence.”

Milara was afraid he would lose the help he had just attained. He would need to try and down play the monster’s abilities. “You have an army, Prince Cain, surely you can handle one half-breed, no matter how dangerous he is?”

Princes Cain smirked at his duke. “I believe we can, General Talorn is the finest swordsman I have ever seen,” Cain said, patting Talorn on the shoulder. “This abomination will stand little chance against him. We will handle the Half Elf, Your Eminence, if you see to removing my sister from the throne of Bandara.”

Lord Justice Milara grinned. “If the charges are true I am sure she will be discredited and stripped of her title, maybe even imprisoned if her crimes are severe enough.”

Cain stood. “I thank you, Your Eminence, I knew I could count on the Church to see God’s will is done.”

Lord Justice Milara stood up slowly. “On behalf of the Holy Father, I thank you Prince Cain, now all you have to worry about is King Havalon and the Abberdonians,” Milara said as he walked out of the Prince’s tent.

“That bastard,” Cain whispered to William and Talorn.

“Eminence, wait, I have a question,” Cain shouted as he followed the Lord Justice out.

Talorn made to follow his King, he took two steps before his father grabbed him by the arm. “What is it, Father, I need to see to Cain before he insults the Lord Justice. We pledged to help him and we must, it is a Church matter and that must come before Bandara. I also must ask for his lenience with Raygan. I will not see her imprisoned.”