CHAPTER IX #4
“Alexis did last night,” Holis replies as Keane finally flicks his gaze to mine, “that home is very real.”
I hold my breath, feeling the intensity behind Keane’s eyes as his face remains taught, giving no emotion away.
“Do the humans know of this?” Lord Alexander asks, “or are they living under the same illusion?”
His question makes me pull my gaze off Keane.
“We believe they know,” I nod to the Lord. “They knew to try to stop the flame before it could be lit. And even before that, I saw it in the barkeep’s eyes. He kept glancing around the pub, aware of his surroundings in a way we were not.”
“Ancients.”
I give the Lord a sad smile and walk slowly to the hut, my heart weighing heavy in my chest as I push open the thin door and look inside. A gasp escapes me, my palm moving to my mouth as I try to stop my small cry.
Elder Father and Mother, this was no way for a person to live.
The ground below is littered in dirt and weeds, the inside small and crammed closer together than I could have ever thought possible.
The remains of a tired and used bedpost lines the corner of the room, the slats of the wood barely holding themselves together.
A single window sits in the wall above it, the wooden shutters not even fastening themselves properly enough to keep out a morning chill.
How anyone is able to make it through winter in a home like this is beyond me.
I want to scream, want to cry out for the people here that have remained resilient, even if they’ve given up. They’ve found a way to survive, if not to live, and for that they’ve earned my deepest respect.
This has gone on for far too long.
I take the deepest of breaths and press my eyes tightly shut before I open them again. I turn in the small room, giving it one last hateful look, before moving back out the door.
Cal takes a step forward when I rejoin the group, walking with the large satchel slung across his back.
I’d almost forgotten about the other of my curiosities, and eye him quietly as he places the bag on the ground.
We all watch him take a kneel, his hands reaching for the tie as he unfastens the top and then tilts the bag upside down.
My eyes go wide, watching as thick slabs of uncut green agate fall to the ground, the only stone in the Old World that can kill a Discerni. My brows furrow as I reach down, crouching at the ground to pick up a heavy shard in pure confusion.
This is not what I was expecting…
I thought there’d be white marble or even crystal in these packs, with the village folk moving around a back trade for themselves, trying to gain more coin. But this is worse… far, far worse.
My eyes dart up to Keane in confusion, noticing the deathly storm brewing behind his eyes. He looks at the green agate mound in front of me with an unnatural silence, his cold composure never wavering.
“I don’t understand…” I shake my head.
“Lord Alexander,” he says the name steadily, voice without emotion as he turns his hard brown eyes on the man. “Advise Commander Lindon to stop just outside the Forest of Quiescence. Lord Desmond will meet him there and provide for the group’s travel through the woods under cover…”
The Lord nods, watching Keane intently as he continues. “Keep the news of what you’ve seen this morning private. I do not want anything to make its way to Etter. I will speak to my mother…”
“Go find Maude,” Keane’s voice remains calm as he looks at the Lord. “She rests in a small home just east of the village, below Cave’s Creek. Follow the stream north until you reach a large oak. Knock twice on its trunk. She will appear.”
Lord Alexander nods again and takes a hard step away from the group before Keane stops him.
“Xander…”
The Discerni turns, eyes cool and reading, listening to his King.
“Nothing gets out. Not to the commander, not to Maude. Tell her that I request an audience. Write to me when you have her and I will give you our location.”
“I understand, Your Grace,” Alexander bows deeply.
“And be careful,” Keane nods his head, “the Discerni still watch us from above.”
Lord Alexander grimaces, the side of his lips scowling before he takes one last look at the poor hovels and then moves in Discerni speed, disappearing from view.
“Brother,” Keane turns quietly to Desmond, his voice still steady but his eyes burning bright, ready to command.
The Master Informer takes a step forward, silent in his movements as his glance flicks to me still crouched on the ground.
“You were right,” he grimaces, turning to meet Keane’s fiery gaze with his own. “This is much bigger. We cannot make any moves until both Troy and the delegation from Aireal are at least a day’s ride from Etter.”
Keane nods, narrowing his eyes. “I need Lindon’s army to move into the forest with stealth. Crisjan cannot be aware of their departure, either.”
“I agree,” Desmond replies quietly.
“Do you have anyone above the residence?”
Desmond shakes his head. “No.”
“We need to get someone up there today. We need numbers and what they’re capable of.”
“Send me,” Alanna steps forward. “Stealth me. I’ll head out now and find my way up.”
Both Keane and Desmond stare at Alanna as I stand slowly from my crouch. Cal stiffens at my side when the King gives a quiet nod, his brown eyes holding Alanna’s fiercely as Desmond steps forward and places a hand on her shoulder.
“We’ll write to you when we’ve set up camp with our location. Get as much as you can today, Alanna, but I expect you back before sunset. We’ll need you for what is to come.”
Alanna nods to the Master Informer before she lets her eyes fall on mine. I take a deep breath and hold her cool grey gaze, watching as her lips curve up in a sly smile.
“Do you remember what you told me of Woodlands in Brierman, human?” she asks.
I stand tall, glancing hard at my Discerni friend as I nod in resolute.
“I told you I would disrupt it.”
The rest of the morning passes by in a fast blur.
Our traveling group follows Keane’s lead, moving steadily behind him and Desmond as we continue through the Forest of Quiescence and along the Great Road of Silver.
According to the Master Informer, there were two pairs of Woodlands Discerni farther along the road and watching from the woods.
Our group has to pass by them, sans Alanna and Lord Alexander, in order to maintain our feigned travel onwards.
Once we do, the King and his brother double back, leading us quietly through the forest under stealth until we reach the same small road that we used not two days prior to arrive in Etter.
Keane has our group set up camp off that road, far enough outside the greater area of Etter but still within range to make it to the village under a single turn of the sun.
His large four-poster tent is fashioned under the sparkling trees, serving as a small hub for our newly formed campsite.
All three soldiers set their tents up as well, as does Cal, Holis and Mana, as Desmond walks a large perimeter and shields us from any unwanted incomers.
The first thing Keane does once camp is set up is use his summoning to pull from the ground.
I follow him into his tent, barely catching the flick of his wrist as the earth begins to rumble below us.
The ground darts up sharply, using the roots from the earth to fashion a large table big enough to host a full company of men around it.
Not even two steps inside and the table is already formed, with Keane crossing his arms over his chest as he stands before it.
He lifts a hand over the right side of the table just as Desmond walks in behind me, the wood transforming into a large map of Etter and the other Woodlands cities around it right before my eyes.
Dear fucking Ancients.
His summoning is beyond anything I could have ever envisioned.
And yet, it wasn’t strong enough to fight against his brother’s.
I scowl at the thought and push it away.
“Extend this side to the west,” Desmond looks at the table carefully and walks past me. “I have my men on standby in Brassard…”
I let the brothers do what they need to do and grab both of their packs, bringing them over to a far corner of the tent with mine.
Golem’s padded feet greet us from the entry as I turn around and give him a small smile just as Stormfall flies off my shoulder for the table.
His push into the air is weaker than I’m used to, the sight of it a bit alarming.
“Do you need me?” I ask Keane, staring into Storm’s quiet yellow eyes.
The King turns to me, my voice pulling him out of his deep thought as he notices my gaze.
“I assumed you’d want to stick around to hear of our plans…” he says quietly, “to learn.”
“I would,” I give him an appreciative nod, “but Stormfall hasn’t left my side over the last two days. He needs a proper hunt.”
Keane turns to Desmond, his gaze questioning. “Can you extend yourself one more time, brother?”
Desmond nods from the end of the table. “Holis and Mana?”
“Yes,” Keane replies, “not too far.”
“I’ll speak to them,” the Master Informer turns and walks back out of the tent. I follow a few steps behind him, feeling Keane’s watchful eyes on me as I reach for the flap and catch Holis’ gaze from across the woods.
Thank you, I mouth.
The Discerni brother gives me a small smile and moves with his brother to ready his bow.
“Canon needs a rest,” I tell Keane softly when I walk back into the tent. “He stayed up last night to make sure no one disturbed the room while Golem worked on you two.”
Keane’s eyes are on mine from his stance at the table, looking at me in quiet consideration.
“And you?” he asks softly, taking a step forward, “were you able to get any sleep?”
“Yes,” I lie.
Keane frowns just as Desmond walks back in, his cool brown eyes staying on mine as he starts to head towards the entrance.
“Canon,” the King’s voice says calmly as he steps out of the tent. “Get some rest. You’ve been up for too long.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Cal…” he continues, “we’ll need wood. Lots of it. Take the Warriors.”