‘Probably went back to the manor,’ Lee thought as he returned to the carriage.
Once back at Lord Ganflin’s manor, Lee and Dina scoured the house, but Gewey was nowhere to be found. Martin informed them that no one had returned since they had all left together.
“Where do you think they are?” Dina asked Lee.
“Harlondo probably offered to show them a bit of the city,” he guessed. “We’ll give them some time before we start to worry.”
“I can see how well protected he is,” Ertik sneered.
“Watch it,” Lee warned. “I’m not beyond throwing you into the street. He may be young, but the boy is very capable.”
Dina frowned, placing her hands on her hips. “I refuse to listen to the two of you squabble,” she said. “We have no choice but to wait, unless you intend to start scouring the city. But if you refuse to be civil, you can both wait in separate rooms-at least that way I won’t have to listen to your childish bickering.”
Lee and Ertik looked like two scolded children.
“Of course, you’re right Sister,” Ertik offered, holding out his hand to Lee. “I apologize.”
“As do I,” Lee said, taking the man’s hand. “Now let’s put this behind us and wait in the parlor. I’ll have Martin bring us some wine.”
Dina showed Ertik upstairs to the parlor. Lee joined them a few minutes later, followed by Martin, who carried a tray of glasses and a bottle of good wine.
“Tell me about Gewey,” Ertik requested. “How old is he?”
“Seventeen,” Lee replied. “But you’d never know by looking at him.”
“Seventeen,” Ertik repeated softly. “So young.”
“Yes, but he has shown great maturity,” Dina pointed out. “It’s easy to forget how young he really is.”
“He has shown discipline during his training as well,” Lee added. “That comes from his father, I suspect. The man who raised him was an exceptional person. It’s why I chose him.”
“Do you know who his real father is?” Ertik asked.
“I have my suspicions,” Lee said. “He draws massive strength from the earth, so I think his father must be Gareth, but I can’t be certain. As for his mother, I don’t have a clue. Maybe someone at your temple will have a way to find out for sure.”
Ertik scratched his chin. “Possibly. It would certainly be helpful if we knew. It’s still hard to imagine-a God, here on Earth.”
“I know,” Lee agreed. “But once you get to know him, you’ll see that he’s in fact very human.”
Ertik opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly, the whole house began to shake violently, as if struck by an earthquake. Pictures fell from the wall, and the sound of breaking glass echoed through the halls. Lee grabbed Dina, protecting her body with his. After a few seconds, the shaking stopped.
“What was that?” Ertik cried.
Lee ran downstairs and out the front door as Dina and Ertik followed closely behind. People on the streets were screaming and crying with fear. The front gate had come loose from its hinges, and the gatekeeper was still crouched down on the walkway.
“It’s Gewey,” Lee said, his voice filled with fear. “I know it. He’s the only one who could cause this.”
“We must find him before he brings down the whole city,” Ertik said in a panic.
“Can you tell where it came from?” Dina asked.
“No,” Lee replied. “But if it’s inside the walls he will be easy to find. Wait here until I return.”
Lee ran off as fast as his legs could carry him. As anxious as he was to find Gewey, he was also afraid of what he might find when he did; if Gewey had let loose that kind of power inside the city, the devastation would be unimaginable.
Chapter 30
Gewey found the trail just south of the city wall. The trees were sparse and thin, but the light of the full moon offered ample shadows in which to hide. He unsheathed his sword and made his way south, keeping a few yards off the trail. He tried to stretch out his senses, but the roar of the nearby city drowned everything out. The trail itself provided little help; it was too frequently traveled for him to make out any distinct tracks. As he approached the clearing, he could see the light of several torches burning brightly. ‘No way to approach unseen,’ he thought. ‘Whoever this is either knows I’ve been trained, or they got lucky.’
The clearing was about one hundred feet in diameter, and torches had been placed at its edge in six-foot intervals. In the center, he saw Kaylia, gagged and on her knees, bound at the wrists and ankles. Lady Fritzina stood next to her with a vicious-looking dagger in her hand.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Gewey yelled, stepping into the clearing. Kaylia looked unhurt, though anger burned in her eyes.
“So fierce,” Fritzina laughed. “No wonder the master wants you… taken care of.”
“Release her and I will let you live,” he offered, taking a step forward, with his sword still drawn.
“Stop there, my handsome peasant,” she warned, holding her dagger close to Kaylia’s throat. “Or I might just have to bleed this… elf.” She looked down at Kaylia with contempt. “She loves you, you know.”
“What is it you want?” Gewey asked through his teeth.
“Don’t you want to tell her you love her too?” Fritzina replied, ignoring Gewey’s question. “Just once, before you watch her die?”
“If you hurt her, I swear you’ll beg me to kill you,” he roared. “You don’t think you can run from me, do you?”
“Run?” she repeated, amused. “It is you who should have run.” She pressed the blade against Kaylia’s throat. Gewey saw a trickle of blood fall down her neck.
“Wait,” Gewey cried. “Just tell me what you want.”
“Lady Fritzina,” came a voice from just beyond the clearing. “Enough.”
Gewey turned toward the voice. “You?” he said, his voice a mixture of confusion and rage.
Harlondo stepped from the shadows. His voice was now deep and menacing, rather than high and feminine, and he held a curved saber on his hand.
“Take the elf just outside the clearing,” he commanded Lady Fritzina. “Do nothing until this is over. Then,” he said, waving his hand carelessly, “you may do whatever you like with her.”
Lady Fritzina grinned fiendishly. She grabbed Kaylia by her hair and pulled her across the clearing to its edge. Gewey jumped forward in response, but the dagger in the woman’s hand held him at bay. He wouldn’t risk it-at least, not yet.
“I see you’re every bit as stupid as I’d hoped,” Harlondo said. “It’s a marvel you’ve made it this far, even with that idiot Starfinder helping you.”
“Why are you doing this?” Gewey asked. Gripping his sword tightly, he could feel it coming alive in his hand, drawing in the power of the earth around him.
“Why?” he replied scornfully. “Because you weren’t wise enough to join the master when you had a chance-not that I ever thought it was a good idea to let you in the first place.”
“Let Kaylia go, and I’ll come with you.”
Harlondo laughed. “It’s far too late for that. Besides, I’d rather you were dead; the last thing I want is more competition. We don’t need your help to win. The master is nearly at his full strength, and with you gone, there will be no one nearly powerful enough to challenge us.”
“If you hurt her, I swear you’ll pay with your life,” Gewey warned, his tone dark. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.”
“She will not be harmed until after I’ve killed you,” Harlondo promised. “Actually, you have Lady Fritzina to thank for that. She wants her to watch you die.”
Gewey grinned wickedly as he allowed the power of the earth to flow through him. “I look forward to gutting you. Then her. Then Lord Ganflin, just for good measure.”
“Ganflin?” He chuckled. “That fool knows nothing about this. We have agents in key positions everywhere, even in your beloved Sharpstone. Ganflin provides access for me, nothing more; he’s too damned thick to serve the master. In fact, I think I may make him my slave as a reward for killing you.”