While Seth was downstairs procuring sustenance and drink, Soth and Chyfe kept watch on the four lying upon the bed. Other than the rise and fall of their chests, it didn’t look as if they were alive.
Chad was the first to awaken. Groaning, he lifted his head and looked around. Lying next to him on the bed was Riyan. Lifting his head still further revealed Kevik and Bart lying on the other side of Riyan. A single candle burned on the table, around which Chyfe and the twins were asleep in chairs.
Getting up, he sat on the edge of the bed. A dull ache throbbed behind his eyes and the room was spinning. He felt as if he was going to pass out. Closing his eyes and taking a few deep, steady breaths, he brought himself back from the brink of unconsciousness.
The creak of a floorboard broke the stillness of the room. Opening his eyes once again, he turned to see Chyfe moving from the table toward him. The room hadn’t settled down yet, but it was better.
“How are you doing?” Chyfe asked quietly so as not to awaken the others.
Moving his hand to press against his forehead in an attempt to alleviate the pain, he stopped when his fingers came into view. A remembered pain came to him, though the flesh of his fingers was pink and whole.
“They were burnt pretty badly,” Chyfe told him. “We used Kevik’s gem to heal them.”
He remembered moving his segment toward the others. After that his memory grew a bit blurry. “What happened?” he asked.
“Not exactly sure to tell you the truth,” replied Chyfe.
The sound of a chair sliding across the floor announced Seth standing up and coming to join them.
“Why don’t we help you to the table,” suggested Chyfe. “You could probably use some food.”
Chad nodded. Coming to his feet, he staggered a bit as the room once again began swimming in earnest. Chyfe reached out and caught him before he could fall back onto the bed. “You better give me a hand,” Chad suggested. Seth came next to him to help as well, and together, he and Chyfe supported Chad over to the table.
Soth awoke by the time he had made it to the table and sat down. “Good to see you awake,” he said to Chad.
Ignoring the greeting, Chad’s eyes were riveted to the circular key sitting on the tabletop. The sight of the charred area around it prompted him to once again look at his fingers.
“As far as we can tell,” Seth told him as he poured Chad a mug of ale, “it’s been reforged.” He then handed the cup to Chad who took it with a shaky hand.
Downing the ale, Chad noticed that the sigil inscribed side of the key was facing up. Where the segments had forged together was seamless. As he reached his hand out to touch the key, Seth grabbed his forearm and stopped him.
“We thought it might be wise to wait for Kevik,” Seth explained.
From the bed, Kevik said, “Probably a wise precaution.”
The four at the table turned to see him propped up on one elbow looking in their direction. Beside him, Bart and Riyan had also begun to stir.
“About time you layabouts awoke,” Seth said with a grin. Coming over to the bed, he and his brother helped them over to the table. Each were as weak and unstable as Chad had been.
As Kevik took his seat at the table, he reached out his hand toward the key, but stopped before actually coming into contact. “Amazing,” he said.
Riyan was the last to the table. “Is it whole?” he asked.
“It would appear so,” replied Kevik.
“You guys had us worried,” Soth explained. “You’ve been out for hours.”
Kevik nodded. “Not surprising,” he said. “Especially considering the amount of magical energies we were exposed to.” Hesitantly, he brought his forefinger into contact with the metal of the key. Emboldened when nothing happened, he began tracing various sigils inscribed upon its surface. “It’s cool.” Glancing to the others, he said, “It should be safe to handle now.”
“Are you sure?” asked Chyfe. Turning to Kevik, he wore a dubious expression.
“Not completely, no,” he replied. “But I can’t imagine it would be dangerous. Now that the four segments are together again.” He tried getting his thumbnail under the edge to lift it up, but found it to be sunk into the table.
Seth saw his dilemma and produced his knife. At which point, he worked the knife’s point under the edge and pried it up. When the key came free, they discovered the area beneath it was charred beyond recognition. In fact, the key itself had sunk a quarter inch into the surface of the table. Taking hold of the key, he flipped it over and they could see the map on the other side.
“Look,” Riyan said, pointing to the section of the map on the back of the key they took from the River Man. A small star was set on the eastern side of a range of mountains. “It shows where we found the King.” From this, anyone with a working knowledge of the area around Quillim would recognize it as being in the area.
“If there were any doubts about what we found was in truth the King’s Horde, I think this cinches it,” Chad said.
Riyan nodded. Reaching out, he picked up the key and held it before him. “With this, we can open the Horde,” he announced. Silently he added, And change the mind of Freya’s father!
The following morning as the companions began their trek to Quillim for fame and fortune, a group of riders made their way along a narrow trail high above a deep canyon in the Tinderlock Mountains.
Burdy, a trapper and hunter who knew these mountains better than the face of the woman he once loved, rode at the fore. Behind him came Erz, an amusing if at times irritating man, and another rider whose name he had never been told. Though it didn’t take a fool to recognize the man as being a Tribesman. Add that to the fact he wore Orack colors and was addressed as ‘milord’, he had to be someone of great importance.
As he led them along a narrow, icy trail high in the mountains, Burdy thought about what it meant that such a man would take this route at this time of year. It couldn’t be for any upright and honorable reason. With the troubles that have been developing between the two nations, Burdy figured him as a spy of some sort. If he hadn’t of been a noble, perhaps even a saboteur.
Either way, Burdy really didn’t care. What nations did to one another was none of his concern. He kept to his mountains and no one bothered him except when they wanted him to lead them through the passes as was the case now. Though he had never done so for such a one as rode behind him now.
“How much further is it?” asked Erz for the hundredth time.
Burdy glanced back with a grin. “Not far,” he replied. Turning back, he pointed to where their trail rounded an outcropping of rock two hundred feet ahead. “We’re almost out of the mountains. Once we reach that point, you’ll be able to see the foothills below. You’ll be able to make your way on your own from there.”
“Excellent,” Erz said.
The one who rode beside him remained quiet.
As they drew closer to the outcropping, Burdy turned his head back to those behind him and said, “I’ll go check to make sure a snow drift doesn’t block our way.”
Erz nodded and shooed him on.
Burdy nudged his horse in the sides and quickened his pace.
Lord Kueryn silently raised his hand with fingers spread wide, then quickly brought them together to from a fist. Immediately, two of his men moved to follow Burdy.
Erz looked questioningly to the lord as the two men rode past, but received no reply. Up ahead he watched as Burdy reached the outcropping and rode out of sight around it. The two riders quickened their pace.
“What are they doing?” Erz finally asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
Lord Kueryn glanced to Erz and said, “No one can know we came this way.”
“But…” Erz said then grew quiet when he saw the eyes of the lord turn to him. “I understand.”
Turning his gaze back to where his two riders were disappearing around the outcropping, Lord Kueryn rode on.
It seemed his men had only just disappeared past the outcropping when one reemerged and returned quickly. “My lord,” the rider said as he came to Lord Kueryn.
“Is it done?” he asked.
“He’s gone!” the rider exclaimed.
“Gone?” responded Lord Kueryn.
