The Destroyer Book 4 (4 page)

“If the clans knew that there were humans here, do you think they would come to our aid?” Janci asked.

“Maybe.” I shrugged. “That is what she fears and why she was so desperate to destroy the Radicles. I understood her dilemma enough to make a deal with her.” I left out the part where she attempted to have Yillomar kill me in combat. “If she killed these O’Baarni, I would tell her where my Radicle was located.” I lied again. I had agreed to tell her about her daughter, but Janci didn’t need to know about that now.

“Kannath and his warriors escorted me northward, through Nia, while the empress’s scouts tracked us. When I got to the campsite I found Jessmei and Beltor in good health. Iarin was with them. Then the empress’s assassins did their work. I didn’t want Iarin to die, but they killed him. Which is unfortunate because he was my friend, but also because he knew of the Radicle that Kannath used to get here.”

“I’m somewhat surprised that you had Elvens kill off Kannath and his warriors,” Janci said with concern.

“My goal is to remove the Elvens from this world. If Kannath brought me back to his leaders, he believed I would be immediately tried and executed. Jessmei and Beltor appealed to him for help, and he made it clear that apprehending me was his priority, and there was nothing valuable enough on this planet to encourage his people to come to your aid. Even if they could be convinced, it would take some time. In the meantime, the empress could have discovered the Radicles and destroyed them. Then your land would be hers without question. I’ve lived in a world where Elvens rule, my friend. It is not a good place.”

“I understand. So you returned with the Elvens to the empress?”

“This is where my memories grow less clear.” I closed my eyes and tried to recall the last few days. “I woke up in the campsite. The Elvens were gone, Beltor and Jessmei were gone. They must have knocked me unconscious, or left me for dead. The empress’s sister was in charge of this mission, and she did not care for me.”

“Didn’t the empress want to know where your Radicle is?” Janci asked.

“Her sister wasn’t privy to our deal. I made my way back to Nia and found that Nadea had surrendered her army. They were camped outside of the walls. I met with General Maerc and he said that they were turned away at Brilla. There was nowhere else for the army to go and Nadea had been offered attractive terms for surrender.”

“Do you know the terms?”

“The empress would allow Nadea and Beltor to maintain seats on the Council and manage the eastern part of the country.”

“Do you believe her?”

“Perhaps she will keep her word for a few years. Maybe even for as long as Nadea lives. Eventually though, the Elvens will want slaves. They want to be masters of their world. No peace can last.” Janci nodded at my words and I continued, “I entered the castle through the sewers again with Knight Captain Danor. Do you know him?”

“I’ve heard the name before. He is a great hero in the Nia army. About half a dozen years ago the country was plagued by an organized group of bandits. He led the force that wiped them out.”

“Ahh. I didn’t know of his past deeds. I knew he was trustworthy, and a courageous warrior.”

I took a sip of water from a pitcher Janci set on the table earlier and tried to remember more.

“I’m sorry my friend, I know we entered the castle. I remember talking to Nadea. I remember that she didn’t want to leave, but I convinced her. I recall the reunion she had with her father . . .” My voice trailed off into a whisper. Why couldn’t I remember?

“Did you escape from the castle?”

“I was looking for Jessmei. I think I found her.” There was a pounding in my head like my brain was knocking hard on the inside of my skull.

“It has been a long day, night, and morning, Kaiyer. Perhaps a few hours of rest will clear up your mind. If your last memory is of the Castle Nia, there has to be more story worth telling.”

“You are right.” I rubbed my eyes a bit and cleared fog from them. Sleep did sound wonderful. “I’ll probably remember more after some rest.”

“Do you want breakfast before you go? Sun will be up in a couple of hours.”

“No that is fine. I am hungry, but I can eat when I wake up. I’ll see you later in the day. Thank you for listening.”

“Thank you for telling me of your life, Kaiyer. I wish that Paug
—
” The old man stopped himself and sighed. “Well. No use wishing for things that can’t be. My grandson would have liked to hear what you told me today. Get to bed!” he ordered and pointed to the room that once belonged to my young friend.

The sheets felt cool and I almost didn’t have the energy to take off my clothes before passing out. I tried to remember more of the castle before the dreams took me, but it was no use. As if on a river, my mind slipped from the story I had just told Janci to a dream of fighting hordes of my enemies. In the dream, my screaming death armor felt like it was part of my body.

“Our tribal lands lay over the next hill.” The male escort had told me his name a few times, but I had not bothered to remember it.

I made no response to his statement and he cleared his throat before the sour scent of fear escaped his body. Even in the cool breeze rolling over these grassy hills I could smell him.

“Do you wish to rest here for lunch, or should we carry on?” Gerleita was the other escort from my father’s tribe of Laxile. She also wore the scent of sour fear, but it was less offensive than the stench of her male counterpart.

“How long until we reach the estate?” Corlintha asked for me.

“Six more hours. Which is why I asked if Iolarathe would prefer to rest.” Gerleita smelled of sharp cabbage now. Bitter and pungent.

“We will break here.” I turned to Corlintha and nodded. She blinked her purple eyes and bowed slightly before turning her horse around to face the rest of the caravan. With a click of her tongue the beast cantered down the small slope toward the many covered wagons. She would alert them to my plans and oversee my lunch preparation.

“May we eat with you?” Gerleita asked. Her heart beat quicker and the sour stench grew hotter in the midday heat. I was surprised at her boldness and considered the consequences of acceptance. My father had sent his top traders to escort me and my servants from my mother’s lands. Despite traveling together for the last month, I had done nothing to build a relationship with them. My mother would be displeased, but her opinion hardly mattered anymore.

“Yes, but sit downwind of me. For the love of the Dead Gods you both reek like you expect me to kill you any second.” The woman’s emerald eyes opened along with her mouth.

“We are sorry, Mistress. We don’t wish to offend you
—
” the male said.

“Silence. I don’t want to hear your bullshit now. You may join me for lunch, but do not speak unless I address you.” They both bowed deeply off the side of their horses and the sour scent increased.

I dismounted my own steed and handed the stallion’s reins to Gerleita. He was a spirited warhorse that disliked anyone’s presence but mine. He must have sensed my displeasure because he didn’t balk at the woman’s touch when she tied him to the nearby juniper.

Twenty humans set up my pavilion downwind, so that I would not experience their stench. They would just handle the framework and the canvas top of the structure. Then my personal servants would place the furniture, rugs, tables, and deliver my meal.

Corlintha approached me from the direction of the caravans and offered me one of her rare smiles.

“You, Gerleita, and the male escort . . .”

“Chirtlan,” she reminded me.

“Will join me for lunch. Unless you have other plans?” I raised an eyebrow.

“I need to see to one of the wagons. The wheels have cracked and it might not make it the rest of the way.” She couldn’t hide her smirk and the scent of apricots drifted to my nose.

“Don’t leave me alone with them.” I tried my best not to sound frustrated since I knew she was joking with me.

“It would be unthinkable for me to deny the Singleborn.” She chuckled a bit. “Soon you will be on your own though.”

“Don’t remind me. Ugh. They approach. Their fear is rotten like month old fruit.”

“Maybe if you were nice to them they would smell better?” Corlintha suggested.

“Not my nature.”

“You are nice to me.” Corlintha shook her head with a sigh.

“You are mistaken. You just fuck up less than my other attendants.” I crossed my arms and smirked at the purple-eyed woman. Her hair was the color of weathered silver wood and she kept it cut short.

“You are a liar and will miss me when I return home.” She smiled in full now and I enjoyed the apricot scent of her humor.

“See that is where you are the one mistaken.” I laughed a little and winked at her. “You are staying here with me until my brother and sister come to visit.” The escorts approached and stood north of me. Corlintha held off her response with a bite to her lip and then turned to them.

“Your servants have prepared the pavilion,” the male whose name I had forgotten again said.

I nodded at him and walked toward the tent. Inside were a scattering of leather chairs, plush carpets, and dark wood tables laden with food. Lavender and pine incense burned to smoke from various places under the tent and my nose could finally ignore the fear that permeated my escorts.

I sat in the prominent chair and raised one of the empty crystal glasses for my servants to fill. It looked as if they had decided on mead for this afternoon’s treat and the honey spice aroma along with the incense almost made it feel like home. I swirled the golden liquid in the glass for bit to mellow the taste and then took a small taste.

“Thank you for sharing this meal with us,” Gerleita said while she placed a few thin cuts of boar meat and cheese from a nearby table on her plate. I nodded at her and took another sip of the mead. The warmth ran through me and I held back a shudder of pleasure.

The breeze picked up and carried the scent of grass, juniper, and water to my nose. I inhaled deeply and the first positive thought about my relocation came to mind: at least my father’s lands were beautiful. I could appreciate the desert, with its howling salt winds, jasmine forests, and fresh springs. But the hay meadows and forests of the western lands were filled with much more interesting scents and sights. I was actually looking somewhat forward to riding through the endless pastures and exploring the various glens scattered through them.

Of course, I would never admit such desires.

“When was the last time you spoke to your father?” the male asked after Corlintha set a plate of food in my hands.

“A decade or so ago. He came to visit me on my twentieth.” The mustard was made with ground chunks of seeds and agreed marvelously with the cuts of dried and salted roast beef. I guessed that the cooks were using the last of our best food since our final destination was near. I nibbled on a ripe green fig after the bite of meat and mustard and then washed it all down with more of the mead.

“He must be thrilled to see you,” Gerleita said. She favored the orange melon over the cuts of meat. It was a typical habit of those less attuned to the Elements, but I fought back my sneer.

“I care not for his feelings.” Their scents intensified with an overcooked vegetable stench. Fucking shit, they were so sensitive.

“I am just a pawn in their political games. He hopes to breed me with another tribe’s champion in exchange for whatever frivolous bauble he thinks will help him gain power. My mother has been trying to do the same for the last twenty years. I am tired of it."

“Don’t you have to obey your chieftain’s wishes?” the male asked. His curiosity made me think of pumpkins. Rotten pumpkins.

“I am the Singleborn.” I laughed at them and finished the remainder of my mead with a quick swallow. I held up my glass and a servant filled it immediately. “As soon as either one of them presents me with a suitor that is worthy, I might become aroused. Until then . . .” I looked across the ocean of waving green grass. I never paid much attention to the physical characteristics of my surroundings, since there were so many scents to occupy me, but this place was beautiful. “I will attempt to amuse myself here for the next twenty years. What is there to do for fun in your backwater tribe?”