“I take it we’re not sparring this morning?”
“No, no sparring. I think I’ll pass out again, though.”
Harruq struggled into a sitting position, blinking as he looked around the main floor of the tower. Slowly, his groggy mind cleared. He glanced at Haern, seeing his many burns. They were bad, but they appeared to be healing.
“Um, what happened to you?” he asked.
“Your brother happened to me.”
“What?”
Haern pulled a pillow over his head. “Ask Tarlak.”
The man went back to sleep. Harruq grunted and used his numb arm to push his hefty self to his feet. The contact of his hand against the floor awoke a thousand shocks within. Each one reminded him of what his brother had done.
Needing answers, he wound his way up the stairs for Tarlak’s room. He was intercepted halfway there by a very angry priestess.
“What are you doing up?” Delysia asked. “Get your gray butt back downstairs and rest.”
“Where’s Aurry?” he asked.
“Upstairs with your daughter. I’ll get her for you, if you want.”
She examined his arms, her mouth locked in a little frown.
“It’ll be another day before they’re fine,” she said, tossing her red hair across one shoulder. “Don’t you dare try lifting anything until then. I need to reserve most of my magic for Haern, the poor dear.”
“What happened to him?” the half-orc asked, knowing he would not like the answer. “Did Qurrah do that?”
“Appears so,” the priestess said, letting go of his arms. “Tessanna as well. Ashhur protect us from those two if they decide to repay our kindness.” She gave him a wry smile.
Anger bubbled up Harruq’s throat. “Tarlak sent him after them, didn’t he?”
Delysia crossed her arms and pointed down the stairs.
“I’ll bring him to you as well, but get yourself back to your pillows before you hurt yourself…again.”
The half-orc reluctantly obeyed. He mulled over the previous days, desperate to understand what had happened. He had struck at his brother, wounded him severely, and then his brother had responded in kind. Now a friend had attempted to take his brother’s life. How would Qurrah respond? Would he accept an apology? More importantly, should he even offer one? The sight of the massacred child in the alley, his young eyes frozen in a death gaze, was a haunting one.
“Ugh. Too much thinking,” he said, plopping beside Haern.
“Do it silently,” came Haern’s muffled reply.
Tarlak arrived a few minutes later, just ahead of Aurelia and Delysia.
“How’s our wonder-orc?” the wizard asked.
“Loud and annoying.”
“Thanks Haern. Seriously, though, your eyes and arms fine?”
Harruq shrugged. “Did you send Haern after Qurrah and Tess?” he asked. Tarlak sat down at the table, sighing.
“Never been one to beat about the bush, eh, Harruq?” the wizard asked.
“Harruq, perhaps this is better to wait for another time,” Aurelia said, sliding in beside her husband. Harruq kissed her cheek but disagreed.
“What happened when I was out,” he asked.
“I sent Haern to retrieve your brother. He went into the King’s Forest and returned hours later looking like a burnt log. End of story.”
The half-orc groaned, fighting through his hundred initial reactions. “You had no right to do that,” he finally decided on.
“No right?” Tarlak stood, marching over to the wounded half-orc. “No right? Last I remember, he was a wanted fugitive for the city of Veldaren. Last I remember, he has the blood of innocent children on his hands. Last I remember, he had struck down a member of my mercenaries. He may be your brother, Harruq, but you are my family, and I do not take kindly to anyone who hurts my kin. Now he has hurt Haern. What did you expect me to do?”
“Just let me deal with him.”
“No!” Tarlak knelt down, his face inches from Harruq’s. “This is no private matter, not anymore. He is a threat and must be dealt with accordingly. He is too dangerous to leave in the wild.”
“He won’t hurt any of us,” Harruq pleaded. “I didn’t mean to hit him. I started our fight, and you sent Haern after him, not the opposite. Just let him be. He will leave us alone.”
“You don’t know that,” Aurelia said.
“Yes, I do. Trust me. I just need to talk to him.”
The wizard threw up his hands. He stood and paced with curses on his lips.
“Am I missing all the fun?” Lathaar asked as he came down the stairs still dressed in his bedclothes.
“What do you think we should do?” Tarlak asked him. “Should we hunt for Qurrah, or let him be?”
The paladin shrugged. “We leave him be until he does more harm.”
The wizard nearly fell over. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Delysia could not suppress a smile.
“We do what?” he asked.
“Aurelia,” Lathaar asked. “Is it alright if I tell them? Good. Qurrah and Tessanna have some sort of magic protecting them from being located. I had Aurelia scry for their location, only to see darkness. Even if we can find them, we’d be marching on their home with them on the defensive. If Tessanna’s power is anything like Mira’s, it is best to leave them be.”
“You’re joking,” Tarlak fumed. “You have to be joking. Are you telling me you’re afraid of that crazy black- eyed little girl?”
“Not afraid,” Lathaar said. “But you haven’t seen what I’ve seen.”
“And what is that?” The wizard crossed his arms, challenging his friend. “What have you seen that shakes the knees of our most holy defender?”
“Do not confuse fear with wisdom,” Lathaar said. “I’ve seen an ancient demon brought low by the magical barrage of a goddess. I’ve seen the greatest fire wizard of our time brought to shame by the raging inferno leaving her fingertips. If Tessanna is akin to Mira, her power is awoken by anger. I suggest we not risk unleashing that unless we must. Until they harm again, I would leave them be.”
Tarlak frowned in silence. For a brief moment, Lathaar saw the young kid he had first met. Brash, reckless, and with red fuzz in place of a mustache and beard. Even now that recklessness wished out, to demand its way. But Tarlak was a wiser man now. Most of the time.
“This Mira girl really outdid Roand the Flame?” he asked.
“Her fireball was twice the size of his,” the paladin said.
“So we’ll leave him be?” Harruq asked, daring to hope.
“Yes, for now,” Tarlak said, not leaving Lathaar’s gaze. “If he’s wise, he’ll stay gone for a long, long time.”
“And if he’s not?”
It was Aurelia who asked this. Other than worry for her husband, she had revealed little of her opinion on the matter.
“If he’s not wise, then Lathaar might need to fetch that Mira girl to protect us,” the wizard said with a chuckle.
No one laughed.
Q urrah awoke with the dawn, rising from the warm bed with a ferocious cough. The stolen life had healed much of the sword wound, but the pain and blood remained, clogging his throat. The cold air did little to help. Tessanna stirred, but he kissed her eyes back to sleep. He slipped into Velixar’s robes and pulled tight the sash. Xelrak’s words haunted the morning air.
It may take time, but he will return. Karak has sworn this to me.
Qurrah cinched the robe tighter. Bracing himself, he opened the door to outside. The chilly air swept around
