“Is it time?” he asked.
“Yes, if you’re ready.”
“I just need a little time to get up here,” he said struggling out from under the covers. “I’m afraid I’ve soiled your bed with my filthy clothes.”
“It’s okay,” Miriam said. “We can wash them later. Just take your time,” she added as she took hold of his arm.
Another coughing fit shook him, but it seemed less severe than the ones before. Then he was out of the bed and stretching.
“That brew your healer gave me was one of the worst things I’ve ever tasted,” he said. “And the taste it leaves in your mouth afterward is even worse.”
“Well, the good news is that it should help you feel better,” Miriam said.
“I feel like you’re leaving something out,” he said, smiling.
“Of course the bad news is,” she continued, “the healer left a whole canteen for you to drink today.”
“Oh no.”
“And the worse news is I’ve been instructed to brew more when that’s gone.”
Chapter 25
Zollin was tired. Emotionally he was a total wreck, but he hid the damage as best he could. Riding with Commander Hausey had one positive benefit: it allowed Zollin the freedom not to worry about pushing the pace or finding his way. Mansel was brooding and quiet, preferring not to speak unless he was asked a direct question. Zollin was too caught up in his grief over Brianna to take much notice, but Kelvich was worried.
Not only did the big warrior seem different somehow, he refused to drink. They passed several inns, but Mansel didn’t recommend they stop. When ale or wine was offered by villagers, he declined. It was the last straw in Kelvich’s case against Mansel, and once he was sure that something was wrong, he began looking for an opportunity to talk to Zollin about it.
That night they made camp a few hours after dark. Commander Hausey had pushed the pace, but he knew his men needed sleep. They all took turns standing watch, and Kelvich made sure he knew when Zollin would be awake in the night. They ate a dinner of beans and bread, with stream water to wash it down. Then, during the last watch of the night, several hours before dawn, Kelvich roused himself.
“What are you doing?” Zollin said without turning around. “You aren’t on watch tonight.”
He had been up for over an hour and he sat as still as possible, letting his magic flow out around him. He trusted his magic much more than his eyes and ears, especially in the dark.
“I couldn’t sleep,” Kelvich said. “Old men don’t need much anyway.”
“Well, if you’re staying up I don’t mind getting a little more rest,” Zollin said.
“I was hoping we could talk,” Kelvich said.
“Hausey wouldn’t approve. He doesn’t think we take watch seriously enough as it is.”
“Let me worry about Commander Hausey,” Kelvich added in a whisper. “I’m more concerned about Mansel.”
“What’s wrong with Mansel?” Zollin asked.
The truth was Zollin was having trouble caring about anyone but Brianna. Commander Hausey was intent on doing his duty and getting Zollin back to Orrock, but all Zollin could think about was Brianna. They hadn’t found anyone who had seen the beast, and Zollin was beginning to lose hope. It felt like part of him was dying. He knew Kelvich had been wanting to talk with him for days, but he just didn’t want to talk. He was grateful that Mansel seemed more quiet than normal, because at least Zollin didn’t have to pretend he was okay around the big warrior.
“Don’t you think he’s acting strange?”
“He’s just worried about Quinn. He probably feels guilty.”
“He doesn’t act like someone who feels guilty.”
“What do you mean?” Zollin asked.
“It’s as if he’s angry.”
“Of course he’s angry,” Zollin said, exasperated by the conversation already. “Quinn was his mentor. We’ve been like a family to him.”
“But that’s just it, he doesn’t seem angry at what happened. It’s as if he’s angry at us for keeping him from returning.”
“That makes sense,” Zollin said, thinking that he felt the same way about having to break off his search for Brianna.
“No, it doesn’t. He doesn’t act like he’s anxious to save Quinn. He just wants to get back to Lodenhime.”
“That doesn’t mean anything is wrong with him.”
“He stopped drinking; have you noticed that?” Kelvich said.
“No, I guess I haven’t, but I wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing. Perhaps he finally just realized that drinking isn’t a good idea for him.”
“I wish I could believe that,” Kelvich said. “Look, he’s very evasive about the details of what happened. I don’t think he ever set foot in the Grand City. When I asked him about the trident at the top of the Torr, he blew me off. There is no trident on top of the tower, I just said that to see if he was telling the truth. I think there’s more to his story than he’s telling us.”
“So ask him, if you’re concerned about it.”
“He won’t talk to me,” Kelvich said. “I was hoping you might try.”
“That’s probably not a good idea,” Zollin replied. “I’m not really in the right frame of mind to be questioning anyone.”
“So you’re not worried about this?”
“No, I’m not. I have enough to worry about. I’m leaving everything else up to you and Hausey.”
They sat in silence after that. Kelvich felt sorry for Zollin. He knew his world had been turned upside down when Brianna was taken. He was fascinated by the story of Brianna’s transformation and wanted more than ever to see the young girl again, but just like Zollin he was starting to lose hope. He had read the partial translations of the scrolls from the Ruins of Ornak, but unfortunately, he had learned nothing useful from them. The scrolls talked of dragons, but there was very little known about where they came from or where they went for long periods of time when no one saw them.
And Kelvich had to admit he was jealous of Zollin’s experience with dwarves. He had never met the people under the mountains, although he had read about them in the past. Dwarves were known in other places around the world, where Kelvich had traveled in his efforts to escape the Torr. Still, he had never met a dwarf and badly wanted to see their underground caverns.
When the sun came up they continued their journey. The days were cooler and more comfortable for everyone. Under other circumstances they might have greatly enjoyed being out on the open road together. They had only recently returned to the Weaver’s Road, which ran through the heart of Yelsia. They had ridden north of Felson and were now only a few days’ hard ride from Orrock. Commander Hausey grew more grim by the day, convinced he would return too late and find the city overrun.
Mansel, as usual, brooded quietly, keeping his own company and riding several paces behind everyone else. It made Kelvich nervous to have Mansel behind him. He felt a rising sense of dread over the last several days. He didn’t know if the feeling had something to do with Mansel or if it was because they were riding to war. He knew at some point he would need to stay behind, as he would be no use to anyone in battle. But he hated the thought of leaving the others without first discovering the truth about Mansel.
They stopped at midday to rest the horses near a small farmstead. Mansel went to relieve himself behind the stable, and Kelvich took the opportunity to speak with Zollin.
“This would be a good time to talk to Mansel,” Kelvich whispered.
“Oh, please don’t bother me with your constant worrying,” Zollin said, his aggravation obvious. “If you want to talk to him, go do it yourself.”
“Fine, I will,” Kelvich said. He was angry, but he quickly got control of his emotions. He understood Zollin’s pain and why he had been so short with everyone of late.
Kelvich found Mansel just behind the stable.
“Ah, Mansel, may I have a word?” the sorcerer asked.
“What?” Mansel said gruffly.
“Well, it’s just that I had a few questions,” Kelvich said. “It just seems a bit odd that you left Quinn in Lodenhime.”