The Broken Key (02) - Hunter of the Horde (47 page)

“We will, and thank you,” Chad said.

The guard nodded and moved to join the others as they escorted their prisoners back to the jail.

Following the directions the guard had given them, they left the plaza and headed to the inn. Despite the warnings of the guard, they remained unmolested and arrived at the inn safely. Along the way, Chad wondered about the timely arrival of the guards. And who tipped them off to be there in the first place.

Upon returning to the inn, they found the others gathered in Riyan’s room discussing the best course of action to take the following morning. As soon as the door opened, all conversation ceased as every eye turned toward them.

Riyan’s face turned from jovial to worried the second he saw the state they were in.

Coming to his feet, he exclaimed, “What happened to you?”

“We’re fine,” Chad assured everyone. “We were set upon by thieves but the town watch happened by and aided us.”

Seth turned to Chyfe and said, “Wouldn’t have happened at all if someone hadn’t gotten lost.”

“Hey,” countered Chad. “I wasn’t lost.”

“Then how do you explain we wound up in the bad part of town?” Soth replied with a grin.

Riyan came to Chad and asked, “Was it Durik?”

“No,” replied Seth. “The town watch knew who they were. Said they were locals.”

“They thought we were loaded with gold or something,” Soth explained. “Seemed not to believe Chad when he told them we weren’t.”

“Wouldn’t expect thieves to take the word of someone they were bent on robbing,” said Riyan. He glanced to Bart who acknowledged that he was correct.

“At least you weren’t seriously hurt,” Kevik said.

Chad nodded. “We had barely begun to fight when the watch showed up,” he told the others. Seth nodded agreement then they related the events of the fight.

Once they were done, Bart explained to them their lack of success at the docks and how they planned to return in the morning to inquire further about hiring someone to take them out to the island. Discussion lasted for another hour before Chad suggested they retire for the night.

Riyan nodded agreement as a yawn escaped him. Before the others filed out to their own rooms, he said, “Keep your doors locked. If the attack was a ruse of Durik’s, though I highly doubt that to be the case, there could be another.” One by one the others nodded their agreement then filed out until only Riyan and Chad were left. “Worried about what we may find on the island?” Chad asked his friend.

Before getting ready for bed, he took out his sword and gave it a good cleaning. There wasn’t much on it from the battle, but the Guild had instilled the practice of always cleaning and sharpening your sword after use, even if you had hardly used it.

Riyan was climbing under the covers when he replied. “Some. My biggest worry is that we may find something similar to what was in the Ruins.”

“You mean like whatever killed our horses?” he asked. After inspecting the sword’s edge, he removed a cloth and began rubbing it down.

Riyan nodded. “But whatever we find, it’s sure to be deadly.”

“I don’t like the fact the place is rumored to be cursed,” Chad said. He glanced over to his friend and added, “Rumors usually have some basis in fact.”

“That’s been on my mind too,” admitted Riyan.

Chad worked on his sword for a quarter of an hour before deeming it fit for the scabbard once more. Sliding the blade within its sheath, he propped it against the wall near the head of his bed. Glancing over to Riyan he saw that he had already fallen asleep.

Grinning at his friend’s expense, he blew out the candle and laid down. It didn’t take long before he was out.

The next morning they met in the common room of the inn for breakfast. Instead of the wife of the old man, there was a young lady of about seventeen who waited on them.

“Are you the daughter?” asked Chad when she came to see to their needs. He was eyeing her most appreciatively which annoyed Riyan. Beneath the table he felt Riyan’s foot connect with his shin. Glancing to his friend, he saw the disapproving scowl on his face.

“My names Aryn,” she replied. “And yes, I’m ‘the daughter’.”

“Is your mother really trying to kill your father?” Chad asked which earned him another kick from Riyan.

Aryn sighed. “No,” she told them. “She dearly loves him, which is the only reason she could put up with his nonsense.” After taking their order, she disappeared into the kitchen area to put their meal together.

Riyan was still glaring at Chad. “What?” Chad finally asked.

“You can be a bit insensitive at times you know,” he replied.

Chad glanced to Bart who nodded. “You don’t bring up something like one parent trying to kill the other to the child,” Bart told him. The others at the table nodded their agreement.

“Fine,” said Chad. “I’ll be a bit more circumspect in the future.”

“Good,” Riyan said. Then he glanced around and noticed for the first time that they were the only ones there. “Think no one else ever comes here?”

“Maybe the father scares everyone away,” suggested Kevik. “He does seem a bit unhinged.”

“Could be,” agreed Riyan.

“The guard last night seemed surprised that we were staying here,” offered Seth. “He didn’t give a reason for his surprise, just commented that the old guy’s been this way for years.”

Bart nodded. “I’m sure his bothering patrons doesn’t do much to help their situation.” Just then Aryn returned and put the platter carrying their breakfast of chicken, eggs, and bread on the table. “There you go,” she said.

“Pardon me Aryn,” Seth said. When she turned to him he asked, “Your inn seems a bit empty. Is it the season?”

A sad look crossed her face. “No,” she replied. “It’s not the season I’m sorry to say.” She sighed.

“Is it because of your father?” Chad asked. No kick this time, just an annoyed glare from Riyan.

“Yes,” she admitted. “Ever since that day he went out to the island, his mind hasn’t been the same.”

“The island?” asked Riyan. At mention of the island, his attention as well as that of the others, was centered on her.

She nodded. There was an empty seat next to Riyan and she sat in it. “It was about five years ago when it happened,” she explained. “He and several of his friends used to go fishing near there. He used to say that fish loved to swim near the island. Whether or not that is true, my mother confirms he never came back empty handed.”

“Then one night he and his friends didn’t return,” she said. “My mother says that they would at times stay out late, but would always return before dawn the next day. When dawn came and he still hadn’t returned, she grew concerned.”

“She and the wife of another of the missing men convinced a friend who owned a boat to help and they set out to search for them. Before they reached the shores of the island, they saw the missing men’s boat upon the water. Altering course, they quickly reached it and found only my father inside.”

“He couldn’t remember what happened to the other four men or how he came to be the only one in the boat,” she said. “And it was shortly after returning that he has been convinced my mother is trying to kill him, as well as exhibiting other odd behavior.”

“Did they search the island?” Riyan asked.

“I think so,” she said. “But the men were never found.” Riyan glanced at the others and could see his worry reflected in their eyes.

“Were other men ever found in the same shape as your father?” Kevik asked.

“Not that I know of,” she replied. Getting up from the chair, she said, “I best be about my chores. You gentlemen enjoy yourselves.”

“I’m sure we will,” Riyan assured her. They waited until she had returned to the kitchen before speaking. Turning to Chyfe he asked, “Ever heard anything about that before?”

Chyfe shook his head. “No. It’s been considered cursed ever since I can remember though,” he replied.

“Now what are we to do?” Seth asked.

“We’re still going out to that island,” Bart said. He glanced to Riyan and received a nod in agreement.

“Maybe we could question the old man about it?” Kevik asked.

“I doubt if he would be able to tell us anything,” Bart said. “If he didn’t know anything when they found him, it’s unlikely he’ll remember now.”

“Perhaps,” said Riyan. “Still…” Just then a man and a woman emerged from the stairwell leading up to the rooms on the second floor, it was the couple from the night before. They no sooner left the stairwell and took a seat at one of the tables when the old man emerged from the back. Riyan was the first to notice his appearance and pointed out his arrival to the others.

The old man looked distracted as he came several feet into the common area. He stopped and looked around when he reached the nearest table. His eyes passed over the couple before coming to rest where Riyan and the others sat. After a quick glance behind him he started moving toward them. So intent was his concentration on his destination that his hip struck the edge of one of the tables in passing. Riyan was surprised that the man took no notice of the contact and continued to approach.

The man’s face didn’t have any of the wildness that had been there the night before.

Rather, there was intelligence behind his eyes. When he came near their table, he slowed, then stopped. For several seconds he stood there and the intelligence in his eyes wavered from uncertainty, to confusion, then back to intelligence. “You must help me,” he said rather loudly, causing the couple at the other table to glance their way.

“Would you like a seat?” Riyan asked, indicating an empty one across the table from him between Bart and Seth.

A slight shake of his head was all the response he gave.

“What’s the problem?” Bart asked.

“My wife’s trying to kill me,” he replied a bit too loudly. Startled by his own volume, he quickly glanced over his shoulder and was relieved to find no one there.

“Why is she trying to kill you?” Chad asked.

Returning his attention to the group before him, the old man asked, “Hmm? What?”

“I said,” repeated Chad, “why is she trying to kill you?”

“Does it have something to do with the island?” Kevik asked.

The old man’s eyes widened at mention of the island. His left hand began to tremble as fear took hold. “I don’t know why she wants to kill me,” he replied in a barely heard whisper. “But I have to get out of here.”

“Just walk out the door,” Bart suggested. He pointed over to where the door sat a mere ten feet away. “No one’s around.”

The old man’s eyes went to the door and he licked his lips but made no move to head in that direction

“Father!”

The old man stiffened at the exclamation of his daughter. She had just emerged from the kitchen area when she had seen him standing beside their table. Turning around, he looked and saw that it was her. The change was instantaneous. Where before he saw his daughter he had been terrified, now his demeanor showed only calmness. A small smile even played across his lips at sight of her.

She walked swiftly across the room and gently took him by the arm. “You know you shouldn’t be out of bed so early,” she said to him. In her voice was the love and kindness a caring daughter has for her father. By applying gentle pressure to his arm, she began to encourage him from their table.

“I’m sorry if he was bothering you,” she told them.

“On the contrary,” Seth told her, “we were enjoying his company.” Her eyebrows rose at that, surprised that her father could be anything but a bother to people. “Thank you,” she said, then returned her attention to her father.

The old man laid his other hand on the forearm that had hold of him and gave it a gentle pat. As she led him away, his head turned towards Riyan. For a brief moment, the fear appeared in his eyes before vanishing once again.

Their table was quiet as they watched Aryn lead her aged and confused father away.

Once they had disappeared through the door to the back, Bart said, “He knows something.”

Riyan nodded. “It would seem so.”

“Did you see the way he reacted when I asked him about the island?” Kevik asked.

“Yeah,” Chyfe replied. “I’ve never seen anyone become so terrified in such a short time.”

“It doesn’t seem natural,” observed Kevik. The others glanced at him and he clarified.

“Just seemed that he went from one extreme to the other quickly. Only two things would cause such an occurrence, magic or madness.”

“He seemed a bit mad to me,” Soth said.

“Either way,” Bart told the others then glanced to Kevik, “you may be right.”

“I am?” Kevik asked.

“You may be right about talking with him before we set out,” he clarified. To Riyan he said, “Take the others and work on securing transportation to the island.” Glancing back to where Aryn had disappeared with her father, he added, “I’m going to find out what the old man knows.”

“Be careful,” warned Kevik. “If his condition is due to magic, there’s no telling what may happen if you press him about it.”

A thoughtful look crossed his eyes before he nodded. “I will.” Not too long after that, Aryn emerged alone from the back and went to help the couple at the other table. Aside from them, the common room was empty. After finishing breakfast, Riyan and the others left to see about transportation. Bart on the other hand stayed behind.

He remained in the common room after the others had left, drinking ale and biding his time. Aryn came and cleared the dirty dishes from the table and refilled his mug of ale when it became empty. He sat at the table, ostensibly just relaxing while looking out the window, but was in fact waiting for the couple to depart so he could make his move.

Aside from the couple, the only other people he has seen in the inn were the old man, his wife, and the daughter.

He figured the daughter must run things during the day while the mother took charge of the potentially busier time at night. Of course, thinking back on the empty common room of the night before, there really wasn’t much difference between the two. With Aryn working out here, and the mother hopefully still asleep, it should be an easy matter to sneak into the back and find the old man.