strength to defend themselves. Just because I die doesn’t mean it was wrong to do so. If your private war against Sebastian never succeeds, does that mean you were wrong to fight him? We must fight, and fight, so that this dark world knows hope. One day, maybe it will even know victory. I pray to Ashhur it does.”
Kaide crossed his arms and looked away. His voice softened.
“This is as much my fault as yours either way. If not for my rebellion, Sebastian might have ignored this, or only sent a few to find out who had struck at the knight.”
Jerico put a hand on Kaide’s shoulder.
“Blame the evil on those who committed it,” he said. “Not yourself. Not others. Sebastian sent the knights, and the knights themselves burned, looted, and raped. If you must feel wrath, then direct it at them.”
Kaide looked at him with an expression akin to wonder.
“Do you really feel no regret? No remorse? Are you not even human?”
Jerico chuckled, even though he felt ready to collapse from his exhaustion.
“I do. More keenly than you could know. I could have protected her, Kaide. Beth wanted to come with me, but I refused. I told her to remain here. When the knights came, when they… she could have been safe. I was angry. Bitter. I should have said yes. I should have… the way she looked at me, she knows it, too. I’m sorry, Kaide. I should have stayed. I could have given myself up, and spared the rest of the village.”
“And not fought?”
“I’ll die to protect others. If that is what it would have taken, then yes.”
The bandit leader walked to the door, and he rested his weight against it as he thought.
“You confuse me, paladin. But at least I know I can trust you. This is the last straw. Sebastian’s gone too far. Stories of this will spread throughout the North, and we must fan the flames of rebellion while we still can. Tomorrow morning, we ride. I have one ally, and he must be spurred into action. The time for secrecy and stealth is over.”
“And who is this ally?” Jerico asked.
Kaide glanced at him, a tired grin on his face.
“Arthur Hemman, Sebastian’s disgraced brother.”
*
Barry remained behind to oversee the rebuilding efforts, as well as bring in more men from the forest hideout. Food would be scarce, but Kaide had kept a small amount of gold from being distributed, and he told Barry to use all of it to prevent them from starving.
“No loved one of mine goes hungry,” he had said before they rode northwest. “Not now. Not ever again.”
They packed light, Kaide insisting they could fill their packs on the trip there.
“I’ve given nearly every village at least one satchel of gold,” he said as they rode. “If there’s a man more beloved in the North than I, I’d like to meet him.”
“Nothing says loyalty like stolen coin,” Jerico said. Kaide glared but let the matter drop. He was right about the supplies, Jerico soon found out. They stopped at three different villages, and the men and women warmed immediately to their presence when they heard Kaide’s name. After the third, they avoided the towns, for their packs overflowed with waterskins and salted meats, and Kaide wanted no more risk of Sebastian hearing of his ride.
“Where is it we go?” Jerico asked near the end of the first day as they stopped at a spring for their horses to rest and drink.
“They call it the Castle of Caves,” Kaide said. “Though it’s more a prison than anything. Arthur’s been holed up there for years, wary of guests and allowing in only those he approves. Always living in fear of his brother’s assassins, though I’ve heard only rumors of any actual attempts. Arthur’s never done anything outward to give Sebastian justification for open battle between them.”
“You said Arthur’s disgraced. How so?”
Kaide stroked the neck of his horse, who was still breathing heavily from the ride.
“Not sure. He’s the older brother, and should have inherited the Northlands instead of Sebastian. Something ill happened between Arthur and his father, right before he died. I don’t know what, and there’s plenty of rumors saying Sebastian’s actually to blame. The wealth and power passed over him. Arthur could have fought for it, but instead he retreated to his castle. It wasn’t until I came to him, revealing Sebastian’s dishonorable actions in Ashvale, that he agreed to help me in any way.”
“Will he do so now?”
Kaide chuckled.
“He wouldn’t even give us steel weapons for fear they could point back to him. He’s a careful man, but I feel there’s honor in him. I’m hoping you can instill a bit of fire into his heart, since you paladins seem talented at that. I don’t want secrecy any longer. I want a war.”
“You’re certain he should have been the rightful lord?”
“Without a doubt,” Kaide said.
Jerico nodded.
“Good enough for me. Let us hear what he has to say.”
They continued northwest, toward the great ocean that formed the western edge of all of Dezrel. The ride was long, two weeks of hills broken by intermittent forests. At least the road was well-cared for, and remained so by the many people they encountered on their way.
“Plenty of trade in the North,” Kaide had said at one point, after they’d sneaked off the path to remain unseen by a large caravan guarded by Sebastian’s men. “Our towns practically survive off it. Makes the winters particularly harsh.”
“Durham was the same,” said Jerico. “But we at least had the river.”
“No rivers here,” Kaide said, his knife hand twitching at the sight of the loaded wagon. “Just blood and gold.”
Twice more they had to shy off the path as they approached the Castle of Caves, through no fault of Sebastian’s. Men, either dark paladins or priests, rode with the standard of Karak upon their horses. Jerico kept off the road, watching them pass.
“I never heard reason for our hiding,” Kaide asked one night as they camped.
“All forces of Karak hunt for my kind,” Jerico said, the words foul on his tongue. “I fear I’m the last. The Citadel has fallen, and with it went the vast bulk of my order. Whoever is left is like me, alone and in hiding.”
“You’re terrible at hiding, then.”
“I’m at the side of bandits. Who would look for a paladin there?”
Kaide laughed.
“Now I wonder… how much of a reward could I get for turning you over? I’m a good barterer. Maybe I could fund an entire mercenary army with what they’d pay, especially if you’re the last.”
Jerico threw his bread at him.
“You’re not amusing.”
Kaide shot him a wink.
“If you say so.”
At a fork in the road, they traveled west instead of north. The path immediately grew wilder, much of it covered with a thin layer of dying grass. The land, which had evened out for a few miles, once more rose into many clusters of hills. Atop the tallest loomed a castle built of gray stone.
“That it?” Jerico asked, pointing.
“That’s it.”
Before they could reach the gate, a patrol rode out to meet them, four men on horseback. They appeared on edge, but kept their swords sheathed as they formed a circle about them. Their crimson armor bore the standard of the Hemman family, except the rose was violet instead of yellow.
“What brings you to the caves?” asked their leader.
“I’ve come for a stay in your dungeons,” Kaide said, all smiles. “Tell your lord the man from Ashvale comes, and has brought a guest.”
The gruff man seemed unimpressed.
“Keep your weapons at your sides,” he said. “If you want to see our dungeons, them come with me.”
