Chapter 7 #2
My older brother’s shadows reached out and grabbed two dark elves, pulling them toward him. Their boots dragged over fallen leaves and twigs. They twisted and struggled, but he had them bound with his dark powers. In seconds, he forced them to stand still before him.
Vas put his hands on their chests. “Hmm, their fear tastes delightful. It’s been a long day, and I’m a little parched myself.
Waiting to regenerate magic the Seelie way is so slow and tedious.
This is much faster.” He glanced at Radan and his other soldiers.
“If any of you move, I’ll assume you’re volunteering for this as well. ”
We could do nothing except watch as he drew upon the men, feeding from their emotions. If he kept it to a couple of minutes, it would only weaken them. Instead, he kept going until they fell lifeless to the ground.
“Want to give me a taste next, Uncle? I promise I’ll leave enough that you’ll live,” Vas said with a vicious smile.
Radan actually growled, then looked at the other dark elves. “Let’s go.”
I barely breathed until they were out of sight. The princess didn’t drop her shield even after they were gone, which I thought was wise because I’d only begun to feel a trickle of power returning. The God of Wrath was giving me his strength again, but at a snail’s pace.
My brother turned to me, furrowing his brows. “By the nameless ones, Dare, you look pale. You aren’t having trouble with your wife, are you?” He ran his gaze across each of us until he settled on Lillian. “Hmm, traded up for a princess?”
I refused to dignify that with a response.
“Why did you intervene?” I asked.
He sighed. “I left a note with Aella while you were still in Porrine that would have explained everything, but I suppose she hasn’t had a chance to get it to you.
Let’s just say I need you to reach Earth and will do whatever it takes to make that happen—not that toying with our uncle is a hardship.
I should thank you for the opportunity.”
Of course, Vas had his own motives, but I doubted he’d explain the full details, even in the note. I would check it once I returned to the Andalagar territory. It couldn’t be a good thing that he wanted to help us, though. My brother didn’t have an altruistic bone in his body.
“Stay away from my wife. If you have something to say, then come tell me,” I warned.
He gave me a half smile. “But it’s so much fun seeing you get worked up over a woman you cannot love.
Your jealousy is so amusing. Not to mention, she has a fire in her that is just begging to be released.
It’s too bad her uncle stifled her so much, but I’m sure if you work at it, you can make her burn brightly—in and out of bed.
Hmm, now I’m jealous. What a delicious opportunity. ”
“Go away, Vas,” I said through gritted teeth.
He laughed, then turned his gaze to Lillian and gave her a courtly bow. “Nice to see you, Princess. Do give your husband my regards. I believe he is headed in this direction now from the portal and is deeply worried about you.”
“What about my son?” she asked, urgency in her voice.
Vas shook his head. “I have not seen or heard what became of him, I’m afraid.”
“But…” she began.
He waved and then vanished. Nameless ones only knew where he’d go next.
“I’m not sure what to make of your brother,” Lillian said, turning to me with a frown. “He helped us, but I’m guessing that was for his own gain.”
I nodded. “Or amusement. It’s difficult to say for sure.”
The God of Wrath’s power surged a little stronger inside me, making it easier for my numerous injuries to heal. I could finally push off the tree and stand on my own.
The princess gazed around us anxiously. “Which way is the portal?”
I pointed just beyond her. “That way, Your Highness.”
She dropped her shield, and we began walking through the thick forest. After a few minutes, we found the main road running north-south through Hartoll from Porrine.
There was a village about a mile from here with a portal, though I hadn’t seen a channeler there when we arrived.
Very few people had even been out and about at that time.
Since there hadn’t appeared to be any danger, I didn’t speak to them since my priority had been reaching Manndir.
We made our way down the gravelstone road, avoiding the occasional gaps and fissures. Like other travel paths in Zadrya, it was built many centuries ago and required regular maintenance.
I sensed a small group of people ahead and a slightly larger one behind us. Both were moving our way quickly, but I didn’t worry this time. Most of them were Frostdar by the feel of it. We would be reuniting with my friends and the princess’ husband at nearly the same time.
Lord Jacthor, accompanied by his retinue, reached us first. The massive, blue-gray-skinned man didn’t hesitate to pull his wife and daughter into an embrace, gratitude evident in his light gray eyes as he found them safe and alive.
I noted his dirty, ripped clothing. There was also dried blood all over his arms, silver wrist cuffs, and face.
One of his dual metal earrings hung loose, almost touching his shoulder.
The five soldiers with him hadn’t fared any better, with one limping heavily and another with a deep slash across his face that had only begun to close.
The Lord of Hartoll pulled away from the princess and turned his attention to me. “Thank you for saving my wife and daughter.”
“It was my honor,” I said, dipping my chin. “I see you ran into trouble on your journey.”
He gave Lillian a mournful look before responding.
“I delivered my son to the palace an hour after dawn and was only a few miles from Porrine when we noticed heavy smoke coming from the capital. We attempted to return and investigate, but we ran into a dark elf contingent at the border. I lost six of my soldiers and had no choice except to flee. They outnumbered us by triple numbers, and more were coming up the road.”
“You made the right decision, my love,” the princess said, voice cracking. “I’m glad you saved yourself, or I’d have lost you as well.”
Lillian had discovered in less than an hour that her parents were murdered and her son missing, possibly taken hostage by the dark elves—or worse. She was attempting to appear strong, but her blue eyes revealed a world of loss.
He looked between us. “Do you have any idea what happened?”
I briefly relayed all that I knew, ending with what became of the king and queen. “I have heard nothing about your son. We must hope that is a good sign.”
Frustration reflected in his eyes. “If I’d only kept to my original plan to arrive in the evening instead, he would be safe now.”
Silent tears fell down Hadrien’s face as she took in the news about her older brother.
As I recalled, they were close siblings, and Zelthor had always doted on his little sister.
She was trying to follow her parents' example and hold it together, but not as well.
The young girl had wrapped her arms around herself and appeared ready to collapse.
“Why did you go earlier than planned?” I asked, turning my attention back to her father.
“I’d heard one of the dwarves from the Isles of Mannoth who can perform portal repair services would be in Porrine today, but only for a few hours. I’d hoped to hire him,” he explained.
There were a couple of channelers who could handle basic maintenance of the rings, but the best for the job all came from the Isles of Mannoth. While they didn’t have anyone who could activate one like Aella, they’d become masters at repairs.
“Did you find him?”
Jacthor shook his head. “No one had seen him or knew about him coming.”
“It was a trick to get you there,” I surmised.
He pulled his wife close, and she ducked her head onto his chest as her shoulders shook. She was losing her battle now, but no one could blame her for it. I understood grief and loss, even if I didn’t feel it as strongly as others.
Jacthor drew in a breath. “A ruse that I didn’t suspect because I never considered a dark elf attack on the capital.”
“It was a surprise to us all,” I reassured him.
I was angry at myself for not uncovering the plot beforehand. While I’d known Karganoth hoped to attempt an invasion one day, I’d thought it was still a long time off before they could manage it. None of the signs had been there, and no seer had predicted it.
More than anything, I wished I knew how they succeeded so well. Something told me we didn’t have the entire picture yet. There was still a lot of land they needed to conquer for complete control, and we had no idea where else they might be at this moment.
“Was there a channeler at the village you just went through?” I asked.
He shook his head. “They were attacked shortly before we reached it. Anyone who fought died. Those who survived said the dark elf soldiers took the channeler with them.”
That was the portal Jax, Loden, and I used to arrive in Hartoll. We must have just missed the attack by the sounds of it, since everyone appeared fine when we passed through it.
From our current position to Aella’s in Doga was nearly 330 miles if we stayed on the road network.
It was less in a straight line, but numerous obstacles, such as lakes, rivers, and thick forests, would slow us down.
Either way, it would take a couple of weeks on foot while avoiding the enemy and dealing with numerous dangerous creatures along the way.
We didn’t have that kind of time, and who knew when we’d find a village with a portal and a channeler who could help us.
About one hundred miles away lay the northeastern Andalagar tribal land.
I hadn’t been there in over eight years and doubted they’d remember me, but they would know the princess and Lord Jacthor quite well.
It was our best chance. They might even have a channeler, or at least a sebeska, so I could send word to my wife, and she could meet us there to get us back.
I informed the others of my plan, and they all agreed.
We’d have to take care on the journey and hope to avoid drawing the attention of the dark elves beyond what we could handle.
Also, we needed to move as quickly as possible because Karganoth’s invasion would only keep progressing, and we had to find out what happened to Lillian and Jacthor’s son.
He was now the next in line to the throne after Prince Armin.