The Crimson Claymore (27 page)

Noraes returned his smile. “It is nice to see you again, old friend.”

“As always,” Xython replied.

Searon looked around in an attempt to find Karceoles and shook his head as he saw the old man leaning against a pole, speaking with two serving maids. When he turned back around, he saw Noraes raise an eyebrow and Xython chuckling loudly with a cheery laugh. The serving maid returned with five pints of ale that she gently set on the table before she took the empty glasses.

“Searon, there is one condition you must complete before I will go to the council and bid to them that I have a good general for the task.”

“Anything, Brother, of course.”

Noraes smiled. “I must see you can still play the game. If you are to lead my men, I would like to know it would be victory and not death.”

“The game?”

“I believe when you left the last time, I was the one victorious.”

“Crossguards,” Searon whispered with a chill running down his spine.

“Yes.”

“Brother, I have not played since that day.”

“For my support and my men…you will have to beat me. Otherwise, you will have to find your help somewhere else.”

Searon nodded. “Let the games begin.”

Karceoles stumbled into the chair next to Noraes and sat down with a grin. “What game are we playing?”

Noraes turned to the old man. “My brother tells me you are a wizard.”

“He is correct. Has he also told you about my ravishing good looks and brilliant mind as well? For those were the three things I told him when we first met.”

Noraes grinned. “Prove it.”

“Prove what? My charm? Did you not just see me with those two serving maids?”

“Not that, prove that you’re a wizard.”

The old man looked to Searon with a questioning eyebrow raised.

“Just do it,” muttered Searon.

Karceoles looked around a few times to make sure nobody was watching as he held his zylek with his right hand and pointed it to his left as it made a cup. His eyes turned to orange fire as the surrounding air heated around him. A small fiery ball a centimeter in diameter rotated in his palm. With a sheepish grin, he looked at Noraes as he raised an eyebrow.

Noraes raised his left hand and glided it over the wizard’s palm. An eerie chill filled the air to diminish the heat that surrounded them. The wizard’s eyes flashed in surprise when his hand was covered, and he jerked it away. He clenched it and rubbed it with his other hand as a small clinking noise echoed on the table. A small round ball of blue ice spun on the table where the wizard’s hand was. Noraes reached out and grabbed the small globe and dropped it in his ale.

“Unbelievable,” Karceoles whispered. “You can wield magic.”

Searon grinned now. He was aware of his brother’s ability but was surprised the all-knowing wizard was shocked. “I thought wizards knew everything.”

Karceoles shot him a look that only caused Searon to laugh.

“Noraes, your skill has improved,” Searon said.

“I have been studying and training for many long years since you’ve been away.”

Noraes snapped his fingers above his head. Within minutes, a serving maid appeared with a wink and a smile directed at Noraes. “What do you desire, m’lord?”

Searon studied her and noticed her dress was different from the other serving maids. Each serving maid had a dress half white and half black separated down the middle with large white cotton balls as buttons at the bosom. The maid in front of them was wearing a black-and-white silk dress cut past the knees with cotton fringes and balls rather than all cotton like the rest. She appeared to serve only the most important men in the pub, and besides one other table it was only Noraes to whom she directed her attention.

“Another round of ale for my friends and me, and please, bring us a Crossguard board.”

She bowed. “At once, m’lord.” She turned around and quickly walked away.

“Excuse me, miss,” Karceoles beckoned.

She turned to look at him from the corner of her eye even though she faced Noraes.

“May I bother you to grab me a bag of dry roasted peanuts, as I traveled through this city I could not help but hear everyone boast about the quality of the peanuts here?”

“Of course, I will be back soon with your ale, game…and peanuts.” She turned around and strode through the crowd.

Noraes gave the wizard a blank stare with an eyebrow raised.

Chapter 28

T
he stars were out, glistening above the dark city as they reached the outside of the bunker. Starlyn smiled as she looked at the glowing specks in the sky. Her thoughts were warm after seeing Andron reunited with his family. The look on his face was priceless when he glanced upon his children again. She was taken aback when his wife came up to him to slap him. It was strange to her, but Andron had warned her of his wife’s temper. Anger seemed to replace the love and loss of her husband instead of dread and sorrow.

Starlyn found the behavior of humans strange. Many of the kheshlars would be rejoiced in celebration when their family returned. Instead, it seemed Andron was punished. She only hoped they would be able to make up before he had to leave again.

It was strange seeing Sh’on again after so many years. The last time she had seen him was at the end of the draeyk wars. He had been there to help her capture Arria. Without him, she might not have ever caught her sister. But Arria could not be held for long, and she had escaped after killing two male guards. Starlyn shook her head in disgust with what she had done to them.

When they neared the barracks, Sh’on grabbed her arm. She turned around to look at him. His eyes seemed to blaze, and a smile set on his lips.

“Take your leather armor off, and put your battle armor on.”

“Why?”

“Because your bosom looks better in chain mail.”

“Excuse me?”

“Starlyn, please keep in mind I have already seen every inch of your flawless body before today. There is no need for embarrassment. That washed away the moment I saved you from those cells long ago.”

“What are you getting at?”

“These are humans, not mere kheshlars we seek help from. Enough kheshlars drool when they stare at your body. Think of how these human warriors will react. If we are in need of allies, the best course of action would be to tempt them to follow. The way you look in chain mail and armor is nearly the most tempting thing these men could ever see. Besides, I believe a display of your fighting skills will get these men to crawl over themselves to help you.”

“What you suggest is wrong, for me to use my body to inspire these men to fight; it is not something a kheshlar should do.”

“Ask yourself this: To fight these creatures, to find your sister, how far are you willing to go? Without the help of these men, if they deny you, how long do you think you will survive against the overwhelming number of foes we shall ultimately face?”

Starlyn gritted her teeth. She knew the mage had a point, and a strong one at that. Even Andron’s eyes could barely contain themselves from her body, and he was faithful to his love. She looked around, but nobody was in the small alley they both stood in.

“Could you shield from wandering eyes?”

“Yes, of course.”

A shimmering green glow encircled them in a globe. She could see outside of it in a hazy green mist, but she knew that nobody could see within. Sh’on watched her as she unpacked her armor from her travel bag. She nearly removed her light leather armor before staring deep into his eyes.

“Do you mind?”

“Sorry, I suppose the memory has my mind craving for another glance. I will give you privacy.”

He turned around with a smirk on his face and closed his eyes. Starlyn rolled her eyes as she dropped her leather armor to the ground and began securing the chain mail and plate armor. She secured her hammer on her belt and felt at her pouch with shurikens. When she was satisfied, she nodded.

“All right, Sh’on, let’s go meet this army.”

His green shield faded, and the two of them stepped from the alley to greet the two warriors guarding the black stone barracks. Both looked from Sh’on to Starlyn where their eyes set. She felt exposed as their eyes traveled across her entire body. A flush of red came across her cheeks as she stepped forward.

“Halt, what is your business here?”

Starlyn bit her bottom lip as she stroked the breastplate of one of the guards. “I am here to see the captain. He would not wish it if I were denied. Would you take me to him?”

The guard looked to the other before quickly nodding. “Yes, m’lady. I would be honored.”

As she entered, she heard the guard behind her halt Sh’on. She turned around to raise an eyebrow at the other guard.

“Who is this?”

“That is my bodyguard; surely you wouldn’t want me walking into a barracks of men without protection.”

“Of course not, m’lady.” He withdrew his arm and let Sh’on pass.

Once inside, they went through darkened corridors that seemed to stretch endlessly. They made many turns through the maze until finally reaching a door of finely carved stone and design unlike any other. For a city without much people or an army, they had one of the largest barracks she had seen. Of course she had not seen any other human cities, only villages.

The man pounded hard on the door with his steel gauntlets. Silence followed, making an eerie silence before the sound of shuffling papers could be heard from within. Loud clinking of boots could be heard nearing the door.

“Who disturbs me?”

The guard looked frightened and stared back at Starlyn. He seemed to snap out of his daze of lust into realization that he didn’t know.

“Starlyn,” she whispered.

“My Lord Etherond, Lady Starlyn wishes to see you.”

The door creaked open, and a head popped out. “And who exactly is Lady—”

His breath caught as his eyes fixed on Starlyn. They seemed to travel from her boots all the way up to her face slowly, as if studying every detail. When his eyes finally reached hers, he smiled.

“Please forgive me, m’lady; do come in.”

The door opened farther, and he backed off inside. Starlyn stepped in first, followed by Sh’on and quickly shut the door. She saw the puzzled look on the captain at the man in green robes behind her, but his attention quickly turned back to her.

“Starlyn, is it? I am Etherond and the captain of the army here in Wesiet. How may I serve you?”

She studied him for a long moment. He had gray plate armor over chain mail with green lining. A broadsword hung at his hip in a scabbard next to a collection of throwing knives. He had medium bronze hair that fell into his gray eyes in curls. His jaw and nose were pointed only slightly, and his face was absent of facial hair. He didn’t look young but seemed wise and clean shaven. His appearance would have probably made many human women weak in the knees. A small crescent scar marked his face to the side of his right eye. His shoulders were broad and his arms muscled, but his stature was that of a leader, proud and defined.

“I am here in hope of creating an alliance between the cities to destroy the threat of draeyks from this land.”

He rubbed his chin as he thought and took a seat behind his large oak desk. “Please, sit.”

She sat in the only chair that was in front of his desk and glanced at the stacks of papers and maps. Several fragrant candles littered his desktop, and they spun a wide aroma of cinnamon and spice. He shuffled another handful of papers and pushed them to the side of the table along with his ink and pen.

“A kheshlar. I have not seen one of you in these parts before.”

“This is the farthest I’ve been from my homelands.”

“Tell me then, kheshlar, this alliance you seek, does it have the full support of the kheshlars?”

She shifted her gaze but didn’t speak.

“Ah, so not all the kheshlars have the same hate for these creatures as you do. Why is that?”

“I hold a personal grudge for what they did to my sister.”

“Ah, it is a matter that holds close to the heart. It gives you more strength than the rest. I have lost my brother to these creatures, so do not think you are the only one.”

“Please help us. Join with us and strike into their lands to destroy them once and for all.”

“You come to me as two and expect me to drop everything and follow you? What for, when you can’t even offer the support of the kheshlars?”

Starlyn gulped. “I believe that the kheshlars will join once they see an army united…and there are three of us.”

“Who is the third?”

“A warrior named Andron who left from the village of Guerettos to fight the creatures.”

“So only one of that party has returned. His fighting must be impressive.”

“It is.”

“Still, what have you got that we do not? If I charged my own men out of here to strike without you, how would we be any less successful?” he asked.

“We have a wizard, a mage, a captain, and me. Match me against your best warrior if you wish, but I will be victorious.”

His eyebrow rose as he studied her. “Is this your wizard?”

Starlyn smiled and turned back to look at a surprised Sh’on. “No, this is our mage. He is both wise and powerful.”

“And your wizard?”

“He is foolish and powerful. He rides to the southern cities with our captain to strike an alliance with them.”

“I see.” He paused for a moment to glance at her bosom. “Still, our defenses are needed here; we cannot simply abandon our duty.”

“I am not asking you to. I am asking for an army that you can spare, from this city as well as the few to the north. With enough men to march against this threat, we may be able to extinguish it.”

“You do not seem as if you are much of a threat,” Etherond remarked with a smile.

“Try me.”

“I would enjoy nothing more.” His grin broadened before he cleared his throat. “I have a proposition for you.”

“Speak it.”

“I will battle you, and if I win, you will join my forces to fight the draeyks.”

“And if I win?”

“If you win, I will appoint a new captain in my place and gather a strong force of warriors to follow your lead.”