The Divine Path (The Divine Series) (27 page)

“You should have him come to the back of the tavern so we can give him some
spiced meat.  He would love it,” Garig said with a smile.

“I’ve fed him
already,” Kade said, starting to get thirsty as he looked at the empty mug.

“I am sure he would
like this meat.  It’s like none other that I have ever tasted.  Why don’t you call him to the back, and I will have one of the men put a huge bucket of it out behind the bar.  Then we can take care of that thirst of yours,” Garig said, noticing the way Kade was eyeing his cup.

“If you are certain it is ok,” Kade said, knowing his dragon could never have too much.

“Oh, I am more than certain,” Garig said with a broad grin.  Kade decided he did not like when his father drank, but so far, he was harmless.  It seemed to change who he was, but then again, ale or wine appeared to do that to everyone.

Kade reached out with his mind and found the d
ragon.  He could almost see its head pop up with his mental caress and promise of more food.  The dragon was more than eager to follow Kade’s directions.  He felt for the Transparency Calling that was surrounding the dragon and let it melt away.  He gave directions to be careful to stay in the woods until reaching the rear of the tavern and then turned his attention back to his father.

“Garig, are y
ou okay?” Judeen asked.

“Maybe I have had too much to drink.  I’m sorry,” Garig said, still not looking at her.  He turned his attention back to the bar and flagged one of the men over.  Within seconds, a man came skidding to a stop ne
xt to the table.  “Give him one of your special drinks, and leave a bucket of spiced meat out back for his pet.  Kade will be going to get his pet any moment,” Garig said as he cocked an eyebrow as if to prompt Kade into action.

“He is on his way,” Kade said, casually watching people as the
y mulled around the tavern.  He did not see the confused look on his father’s face.

The man hastily returned to the bar.  On the way
, he stopped one of the other workers and pointed at the table where the small party was sitting while talking very animatedly.  Kade tried to hear what was being said, but there was too much other noise in the bar.  Shortly after, the first man, who had come to the table, disappeared out a back door, and the second man went to the bar.

“Now that that is taken care of
, we can enjoy something to drink.  You will have some wine in a moment,” Garig said as he smiled at the young man.

Darcienna kicked Kade under the table, trying to get his attention.  He ignore
d her as he focused on his father.  She continued to kick him harder and harder until he could no longer pretend she was not bruising his shins black and blue.  He turned toward her, exasperated and ready to scold her when she looked up at him.  Her eyes were blazing.  He did not need to hear the next words out of her mouth to know what she was going to say.

“Danger
?” Kade asked quickly in a whisper.

“It is very close,” Darcienna said in a hiss.

“It has to be that stranger my father was talking to,” Kade said as he quickly scanned the area.  “Father,” Kade said as he leaned close and spoke.  “Where is that man you were talking to earlier; the one that was asking about me?”

Garig seemed taken
aback for a moment as he studied Kade.  Then, he nodded his head as though something just made sense.  He gave a chuckle as he leaned toward Kade to whisper back.

“
He left a short while ago.  Said something about having to change,” Garig said and then laughed as though he had told a joke.

“You have had enough of this,” Kade said as he slid the mug away from
him.  “Keep an eye out for the old man,” Kade said and then leaned toward Darcienna.  “If anything comes up, I’ll be able to handle it,” Kade said in an attempt to sooth her.  “And besides, if I can’t, we can always count on the dragon and your shield to help us, right?”

“I’m not sure,” Darcienna said cautiously
, checking to see if anyone was paying too much attention to them.  No one appeared to be.  Not one person in the bar was looking at them…not directly.

“I’ll tell you what. 
We will leave shortly.  How does that sound?”

“The sooner the better,” Darcienna said as she hid her eyes by pulling her hat down
further.

The server came to the table with three mugs of wine.  He set them in front of Kade, Darcienna and Judeen.  Before the server could leave, Judeen grabbed him by the arm and held him fast.

“There must be some mistake.  I did not order any wine.  Please take this back,” Judeen said as she plunked the mug down on his tray roughly.  The server seemed slightly nervous as he shot Garig a glance.  Garig gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod, and the man hurried away to disappear back into the kitchen with the mug.

“You know I don’t drink,” Judeen said, scolding Garig as she studied him.
  She looked at his mug, wondering how many he had downed already and shook her head in agitation, intending on giving him the scolding of his life.

“I only ordered for him,” Garig said
defensively, indicating Kade.  “I am sure it was just a simple mistake,” he said as he glanced at her and then quickly back to smile at Kade.

Judeen
seemed mollified and turned her attention back to her son.  He looked down at his mug and licked his lips eagerly.  The last time he had had wine was on the rare occasion when Zayle had let him go into Corbin almost two years ago.  He had enjoyed much more than he should have.  He smiled to himself as he played the memory through his mind.  He recalled drinking too much while he and a few strangers played at the game of dice.  The night became hazy the more he drank, but he could swear he met a very beautiful woman.  Too much wine had erased what he was sure was a great memory.  He sighed as he returned to the present and smiled down at his drink, eager to savor the sweet taste of the liquid.

“So, why did this man want to meet me
?” Kade asked as he lifted the mug to his lips.  He closed his eyes and tasted the wine as it flowed down his throat.  After several long pulls, he placed the mug on the table and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.  He glanced at his mother and thought he could see disapproval in her eyes for just a moment.  The look was soon replaced by one of acceptance.  Garig seemed to relax.  Kade paused, seeing an odd look in his father’s eyes that disappeared so quickly that Kade wondered if he were seeing things.

“Father?
  Why did the old man want to meet me?” Kade asked again, pressing for an answer. 

“I could not say,” Garig said with a small laugh.

Kade turned to Darcienna and noticed she had not touched her drink.  Marcole was not sitting on the bench next to her.  Garig noticed, also, and sighed.  They both watched as she stared down at the mug, as though she were trying to figure out what she was seeing.

“Go ahe
ad and take a drink,” Garig urged as a smile slid across his face.

“Yes Darcienna, take a
drink. Don’t you like wine?” Kade asked.

Darcienna had her arm lying on the table with her hand out as though she were going to reac
h for the mug.  Kade watched, his curiosity growing.  Slowly, she moved her hand toward the cup, as though she were going to grab it, but just when she was about to wrap her fingers around it, she paused. 

Were her eyes a shade brighter as she moved her hand toward the mug?
  Kade wondered as he watched.  She narrowed her eyes and then shot Kade a glance.

“Darcienna, what…” Kade was starting to ask
when something feather-light brushed his mind.  He stopped and tilted his head to listen.  He tried to clear his mind, sensing it was important but could not find what had reached out to him.  Darcienna grabbed Kade’s leg under the table and squeezed so hard he was sure her nails were drawing blood.  He could not seem to understand why it mattered as he glanced at her.

“So
, Kade, when do you plan on leaving?” Garig asked with a mischievous glint in his eye.

The apprentice
saw the devious look, and this time, it stayed to be joined by a sneer.  Something was wrong but Kade was having trouble reasoning out what it could be.  He looked at Darcienna to warn her but was having a tough time organizing his thoughts.  He felt his heart start to race and reached out for the dragon, but it was not there.  He put everything into calling to Rayden but found only emptiness.  Kade looked back at his father and noticed his mother was no longer sitting in her seat.

H
e struggled to keep his thoughts from turning into one big blur.  He tilted his head, trying to grasp something.  His mind drifted back to when he had first heard his father talking to the stranger.  Something his father said.  He almost lost it but then it became like a beacon in his mind.

“Father,” Kade said a bit slowly.  “How did you know I was coming to town?  We did not decide that until after you had left.”

And then…everything made sense in a rush.  It had been so obvious.  The way his father had acted like he did not recognize them at first.  The way he would not look directly at Judeen.  The way he had ordered his wife wine when he should have known she did not drink.  The danger signs Darcienna had sensed.  The lack of response from Rayden.  Kade turned back to Darcienna to warn her. 

“
Darthenna, thith ith a tap,” Kade slurred, but she was no longer sitting next to him.  When had she gotten up from the table?

Trying hard to kee
p his wits about him, Kade looked at the man sitting across from him.  Garig was no longer trying to be coy.  Kade closed his eyes and performed the Reveal Calling.  He did not see the use of the Divine, but he did see that there was some sort of distortion around the man.  He tried to formulate a plan, but the scream off in the distance that must have only been several feet away, distracted him just as his head hit the table with a loud thud. 

Was that Mother’s voice? 
He pondered.  And then he recalled the look his father had had when he had first walked up to the table.  It wasn’t a look that said he recognized who it was, but rather, a look saying he realized who it was.  The last feeling Kade had was that of falling off a cliff.

*CH7*

Darcienna was standing now.  She tried to think back on when Judeen
had left the table, but she was too focused on the mug to have noticed.  Her eyes were blazing bright blue as she looked around the tavern.  Kade was trying to speak, but his words came out all wrong as his head hit the table with a thud.  She reached out quickly and the sense of danger became overwhelming.  She quickly threw up a shield, not caring what anyone thought.  Three men leapt over the bar and raced at her.  They were no match for the shield, and after some effort, stopped and stared. But, it was not her that had their attention.

“Garig!”
Darcienna screamed.  “Do something!”

“As you wish.”
  He reached up and pulled her hands down, causing the shield to vanish.  She struggled violently, but his grip was like iron.

“What are you doing?”
Darcienna screamed in panic.  No matter how hard she struggled, it was useless.  The men had her in seconds.  They were trying to wrestle her to the ground, but she fought like the fiercest wild animal.  She lunged for Kade and grabbed his hand.  He never moved.  She gripped him for all she was worth as the men pinned her to the ground.  Darcienna left deep gouges on Kade’s hand as the men jerked her free of him.  They had her hands tied behind her back and roughly yanked her to her feet. 

“You may call me, Vell,” the man said as his form shifted.  When he was done, he looked like a greasy man with a touch of crazy in
his eyes.  He exuded strength and stood a good hand taller than Kade.  He had enough arrogance for ten men.  There was no mistaking that this man, or whatever he was, was very deadly. 

Vell was holding her son as he cooed at him.  He turned and smiled at Darcienna, mocking her.
  She looked at her boy, and her heart froze in terror. 

“If you hurt one hair on his head, I swear by all that is sac
red that I will make you pay!” Darcienna said vehemently.

“Oh I would not dream of it,” Vell said, pretending fear. 
“You.  Come here,” he said as he thrust the child into an old woman’s arms.  “Take care of that.  I may need it for leverage later,” he said, not trying to conceal his malicious intent.  The old woman took the child without a word and turned toward a flight of stairs.

“On second thought, take it to the cell where that one went,” Vell said, pointing to the chair Judeen was sitting in
just minutes ago.  “Tell her to behave and be quiet or that thing will suffer.”  She nodded once and left the room.

Vell looked at the men and nodd
ed toward the back of the tavern.  They shoved Darcienna roughly toward the door behind the bar.  She stumbled but kept her balance as she glared at the men from beneath her hat.  One of them squinted, trying to understand what he was seeing beneath the brim.

Vell grabbed Kade by the arm and dr
agged him from the chair, heading toward the back door.  He pulled Kade along as if he weighed virtually nothing.  Vell took no care to keep Kade from hitting his head as he rounded the corner of the bar. 

“Oops,” Vell said, pretending concern and then laughed as though he had heard the best joke ever.

              The men shoved Darcienna roughly out the back door.  They were making a game of this, seeing how hard the shove would need to be to send her sprawling. This shove was enough.  She landed on her stomach, knocking the wind out of her and sent the hat flying off her head.  She quickly turned and glared hard at the men.  They instantly stopped laughing, their mouths gaping open in fear.  They swallowed hard and looked nervously at Vell as he exited the tavern.

             
“She cannot hurt you,” Vell said in disgust.

             
“But…her eyes,” one of the men stammered, avoiding looking at her at all cost.  With that, she glared even harder.  She could have sworn he was on the verge of wetting himself.

             
Darcienna looked over in horror to see Rayden lying on his side, secured with chains.  She screamed for the dragon but the special kind of spice in the meat would keep it out for a week.  She turned and glared at the men again and every one of them, with the exception of Vell, immediately found anything other than her to look at.

             
“Bring her,” Vell said as he headed toward another building a little ways into the woods.  The men stood looking at each other, waiting for the others to follow the order.  It was obvious they feared those blazing blue eyes.  Vell walked up to her and said one word in a deep, threatening tone.  “Move.” 

Darcienna started
toward the building, if for no other reason than to be close to Kade.  If not for him, Vell could have beat her senseless and she still would not have complied.  She heard a sigh of relief from two of the men as they moved.  Vell spat on the ground in disgust as he started toward the hidden structure.

             
“Okay you scared little chickens.  Do you think you can handle this one?” Vell asked as he dropped the arm of the unconscious man.

             
Vell grabbed Darcienna roughly and propelled her through the door into an unlit interior.  She stumbled as she found stairs just inside.  Her eyes were far from adjusted to the dark and she paid for it.  She tripped down the steps and hit her head against something solid, almost knocking herself out.  She fought to keep hold of the waking world and succeeded, barely.  Her vision cleared with effort.

             
“You four will pay for this.  I swear this by all that is sacred!” Darcienna promised as her eyes blazed in the dark.  She looked up the stairs and two of the men wilted and started to whimper.  “Oh you will pay!” said the glowing eyes from the dark.

Darcienna fought to ignore the
frustration, anger and helplessness.  Her vision cleared a little more as her eyes adjusted to the dark.  She had stumbled down the seven steps to hit her head against the wall.  She would have gone further if not for the landing that had stopped her fall.  The stairs took a sharp, right turn at the landing and continued down another fifteen steps.  The men started to drag Kade down further into the dark, not caring that he hit his head on every step until Vell exploded.

“Do not k
ill him!” Vell raged.  “Do you have any idea what will happen to you if he comes and finds him dead?” he screamed.  Darcienna was shocked to see this fearless man, or whatever he was, reacting so strongly.  The men instantly handled Kade as if he were a delicate flower that could lose all its petals at any moment.

They struggled with their unconscious prisoner
, trying to get a better hold on him as they reached the landing.  While trying to get by Darcienna, she lashed out with her foot and sent the lead man sprawling down the stairs to hit something with a crack.  Vell hit her in the head so hard her vision swam.  She felt like she was going to empty her stomach but fought it off.  The darkness threatened to overwhelm her, but through sheer force of will alone, she held on.  She found a light at the bottom of the stairs and stared at it, bringing it into focus.  It took a moment, but for the second time, she was able to keep herself from passing out.

“Behave or there will be more of that,” Vell said right into her face.  His breath was like a swamp and she gagged.  He laughed at that an
d grabbed her by the arm, dragging her down the stairs.

Darcienna had to step arou
nd the unconscious man.  Vell pushed her roughly against the wall and shoved past her.  He stuck a key in a lock, and with a loud clank of metal on metal, he opened a wooden door.

“I don’t know if he is going to live,” one of the men said ner
vously as he looked down at the Apprentice Chosen.

“You had better hope he does or you will pray to the Divine for a quick death,” Vell said with a snarl.

The men backed away from Kade, as if to make sure they did not hurt him any further.  They began to argue amongst themselves as to who was at fault.  Vell rounded on them.

“Find something else to talk about.  I am not going to listen to this.  You sound like old women bickering.”

They continued to glare at each other accusingly, but soon, the conversation turned to how much gold each was going to be paid for this when Morg arrived.  This was clearly a much better topic for them.  Darcienna was seriously considering kicking another one when she heard the name Morg and stopped to listen. 

“When will we get paid?” o
ne of them asked.

“As soon as I can get word to Morg that we have
found the Chosen,” Vell said.

“What do you mean
, as soon as you get word to him?  How long will it take?” a sniveling, young man asked.

“I have no way of communicating with him.  I will need to go get him,” Vell said slowly as if talking to a child.  “It should not take more than a day, maybe a day and a half at the most.  Don’t worry.  You will get paid,” Vell said as he propelled Darcienna into an open cell and slammed the door shut.  It locked with a loud click as the latch caught.

“Open that door,” Vell said, indicating a cell across form Darcienna.

“Wait,” the younger of the two said shakily
.  “You expect us to watch them while you are gone?” he asked nervously.

“Only if you enjoy being alive,” Vell said as he stepped
up to within inches of the man and glared directly into his eyes.  The young man held his breath and turned a few shades of green.  “Just keep them both tied up, and above all else, do not let them have the use of their hands.”

“But, what happens
if they get loose?” the young man asked.  He was scrawny and could not be much past twenty years old.  He had very little, if any, hair growing on his face, making him look like a kid.  He was the type that was afraid of his own shadow but did his best to hide it.  He would talk tough just to convince himself he was not the coward he knew himself to be. Some would even say he had himself mostly convinced that he was brave, but in the end, he would run for his life if things started to fall apart.  He was not frail, but he was not far from it either.  One might even describe him as gangly.  He took a step back to put some distance between himself and Vell.

The
man-boy shook with fear.  He watched as Vell closed the distance as if he were a panther stalking its prey.  The man-boy tried to lift his chin to be brave, but at the same time, he found the exit and firmly planned his route to it, if needed.  Vell passed in front of the light and seemed to shimmer slightly.  By the time he was standing in front of the young man, he had grown long fangs and dagger-like fingers.  He slowly pressed them against the man-boy’s cheek and worked his way down to his throat.

“Are you telling me that you are not going to make sure the Chosen st
ays tied up and in this cell?” Vell asked in a menacing hiss.

M
an-boy tried his best to sound calm and confident, but the sweat that had started to coat his forehead was betraying the bravery he was trying to pretend.  He glanced down at the daggers and tried to take a step back.  Vell easily matched him step for step.  As a matter of fact, you would not have even realized that Man-boy had taken a step away with how easily the shapeshifter matched his pace.  Man-boy appeared to be on the verge of whimpering.

“He will be kept tied up,” the old man said gruffly
from nearby. 

The old man was in his middle years and very much used to violence.  He did not flinch as Vell turned on him.  The old man had seen much in his life and t
his little trick from the shapeshifter was enough to cause him to hesitate, but to feel fear?  Not anything like he felt when he looked into those bright, glowing, blue eyes he was avoiding at all cost.  He had faced death almost every day of his life, but those blue eyes were like nothing he had ever seen and the unknown shook him.  Yes, he was afraid of her.

“I am sure he was only asking as a precaution.  He is a Chosen,” the old man said as he mat
ched Vell glare for glare.  The shapeshifter considered ripping the man’s throat out just to make a point, but he knew he needed him.  Out of the three, this one was the most competent and he could not afford to lose him.  But, that did not mean he could not rip his throat out the next time they met.  He very much looked forward to their next meeting.

“Just make sure he is tied up at all times.  I don’t think he can do anything that would cause us any problems.  He got enough of that stuff to keep
him out for a week,” the shapeshifter said as he turned to head for the stairs.  He paused in front of the quivering man-boy and considered ripping his throat out just for fun. Man-boy wilted as the warm fluid ran down his leg.  After a moment, Vell continued toward the exit.  Without another word, he ascended the stairs and the door slammed with a loud echo.

“He is lucky
he did not try anything,” Man-boy said, but his voice waivered. 

The old man smacked M
an-boy in the back of the head so hard he sent him sprawling.  Man-boy hit the ground and whimpered.  When he looked up, the old man could see a touch of blood on his lip.  The old man moved closer to lean over him.