gave him pause. He decided that maybe a dozen breed and three hundred men might be more fitting to investigate the Dragon’s Fang up close. He also decided that he should set up a permanent patrol out of Settsted. With what the Zard had accomplished under Shaella before, it would be foolish not to do so. He decided that the same should be done along Dakahn’s marsh border. The organization of the patrols would give him something to do over the long winter months.
He thought about how to initiate his new plan as he flew across Dakahn, searching below for any sign of Petar or the skeleton crew. Twice he thought he saw something, but when he circled lower the first time, it had only been a group of men on horseback traveling from Oktin to Archa. The second time had been a group of night hunters outside of Svorn. Mikahl accidentally scared the pack of swamp swine that they were after. He felt bad for ruining their hunt.
It was late and he decided that he was doing no good. A few long hours later, just as the sun was beginning to rise, he was back in Dreen, landing the bright horse on the balcony of the royal bedchamber. He entertained thoughts of trying to produce an heir that very morning, but Queen Rosa apparently wasn’t so concerned about that issue anymore. No sooner did he wake her than she was rattling off a list of things for him to do. About halfway through, he decided that he might have been better staying out in the swamp.
The soul of Gerard, the Abbadon, Warlord of the Nethers, now resided in Shaella’s resurrected body. Her shaved head reared back in manic laughter. The swamp troll couldn’t have had better timing. The Warlord had given the order for the Zard to go about their business, or hide in the swamp grass when the dactyls had first called out their alarm. They had seen the bright horse coming from miles away. What was left of Gerard decided that if they attacked the High King, even if they managed to kill him and seize the all-powerful blade he possessed, the repercussions would be insurmountable. He wasn’t ready to defend against a full attack from vengeful kingdom men. It was better to hide and wait out the winter while growing stronger and gaining numbers.
The swamp troll had been badgering the skeletons for days. It was widely known that the moss-covered creatures were fixated with skulls. It was sheer coincidence that this one decided to attack the boiling pot while King Mikahl watched from above. It never occurred to the Warlord that all of the skeletons and decomposing undead coming to his summons would lead anyone to his location, but he knew now. He had been so concerned with concealing the movements of the demons and larger things that he had completely overlooked the pesky skeletons. Now that the High King was aware of them, he had to do something. His first inclination was to pulverize their bodies and give their skulls to the swamp troll. Then a better idea occurred to him. If he sent them on a mission, one that would lead them to their destruction, the High King would think the threat had passed.
He decided it should be O’Dakahn. It was the largest city in the realm, and the closest to the swamp.
If Shaella’s mind hadn’t been so barren, he might have been able to do this himself with a simple spell and a flick of her wrist. Instead, he had to order the Choska to command the skeletons. The Warlord hated to risk the creature, though. If it met an ill end leading the skeletons into O’Dakahn, it wouldn’t be able to carry him, in Shaella’s body, into Xwarda when the time came. After weighing the options, he decided that drawing the attention of the High King away from his location was more important than anything else. Shaella’s body was light enough that a hellcat, or even a hearty wyvern could carry her. He summoned the Choska and instructed it to find a place at the marsh’s edge near the village of Nahka and summon the skeletons. Even with help from the Zard, it would take a week or more for the them to traverse the swamp and get there, but other undead from across the realm might come too.
“In ten days, take the undead you’ve gathered and attack O’Dakahn,” the Warlord commanded through Shaella’s body. “Use whatever is necessary and available to get into the city. Lead the skeletons to their doom and be careful to save yourself.” The Warlord ran Shaella’s hand through the stubbly hair on her head. “Return to me once this deed is done, and make sure you’re not followed when you come.”
Chapter 25
Hyden Hawk Skyler finally got hold of himself. He jogged down from the hill he was on and reached out to shake Lord Gregory’s hand. He gave Oarly and Phen big hugs in turn.
“Sorry, Phen,” he said, holding back a laugh. “But it is funny.”
“I didn’t laugh at you when Oarly had you shitting fire,” Phen shot back harshly, but the way he hugged Hyden gave little room to doubt the love he felt for him.
“Aye,” Hyden said, losing his grin for an instant. “Who is she?”
“This is the Lady Telgra,” Phen said, feeling rude for not making the introduction already. “Lady Telgra, this is Sir Hyden Hawk Skyler.”
“Just Hyden, lady,” he replied, with a slightly strained look on his hawkish face. He was about to ask why she was here. His people had no love for the elves. He personally had no problem with them. One of the bravest beings he'd ever known was an elf. Phen saved him from asking the awkward question, though.
“Telgra has lost her memory.” Phen took her hand as he spoke. “She needs the Leif Repline fountain as badly as Talon and I do.”
Hyden immediately noticed the way Phen spoke of her. After a glance at Lord Gregory, and a quick seeing spell that no one noticed, he bowed to her with a smile.
“You may have to suffer my people’s dislike of your race,” he said honestly. “But you are safe here among us. We won't harm you.”
She batted her wild yellow eyes at him nervously and forced a smile. “Thank you.”
“You could have gotten that boy killed, Sir Hyden Hawk,” Lieutenant Welch said nervously.
“Oh, I doubt it,” Hyden grinned. “You and the boy reacted quickly enough, but not that quickly. A real attack on this group at that moment would have ended all of you, save for Phen and Oarly.” Hyden glanced again at Telgra then added, “The lady, and the Lion, would have probably made it, too.”
“What?” the lieutenant snapped, looking at Lord Gregory for support.
The Lion Lord just shrugged.
“My blade could have easily been in that boy’s flesh. It would have, had I not seen it was a boy and not some wild creature.”
“I’m not trying to offend you…” Hyden looked at the man’s collar to see what rank he held. “…Lieutenant. I’m just telling you the facts. Your whole party was surrounded by my clansfolk. If we had meant you harm, you would have been porcupined before your sword came free.”
Lieutenant Welch’s face turned red, but he gave a curt nod. “Point taken,” he said. “Still, even with arrows in me, your man could have felt my blade, had I not seen two horsehide boots sticking out of that hairy thing.”
Hyden extended the man's sword to him hilt first, as if he were reaching to shake the lieutenant’s hand. “Hyden Skyler,” he introduced himself.
“Lieutenant Buxter Welch,” the lieutenant replied. He reached his hand toward Hyden and saw that his sword was being handed back to him. Lieutenant Welch froze in dismay. It was clear he didn’t understand why he didn’t have his own sword anymore.
“I assure you, Lieutenant Welch, my cousin was safe from your blade.”
“Wow!” Phen said. “How did you do that, Hyden?”
“It’s a variation of that spell that sent Oarly’s boot off into the Nethers,” he said. “You’ll be surprised at what I’ve learned. Watch this.”
A cloud of roiling smoke and a shower of sparks enveloped Hyden. The display was accompanied by a loud, crackling pop. When the smoke cleared, the space where Hyden had been was empty.
Two of the horses whinnied in surprise. Phen turned at the tap on his shoulder and found Hyden Hawk standing behind him, grinning ear to ear.
“You’ve got to teach me that,” Phen said excitedly. After a moment he blurted out proudly, “Me and Oarly went back into the Serpent’s Eye. We got the emerald out of the sea cave, but Oarly lost it in the marshes.”
Hyden glared at Oarly. “By the Goddess, Phen, why would you let Oarly carry the Earth Stone?”
Oarly looked at the two of them and waved them off. “Bah!” he grunted, and stalked over to where Lord Gregory was speaking to one of Hyden’s cousins.
