Secrets and Guardians: Devious Intentions by H. Chambers (summer beach reads txt) 📖

When Gadolin got up after the explosion, he looked out into the valley, not knowing what else to do, he ran back to Rona and Igmy. Rona let him sit quietly for a while.

'Do you blame Kerdred for all this?' she asked gently.

'Yes,' replied Gadolin, not looking at her.

Rona sighed, what she was about to say, Gadolin may misunderstand, but if he could see things as she did, it may help him cope.

'You’re wrong, all of this is not just Kerdred's fault,' emphasising the 'all'. 'I am to blame, as is Shade, Kerdred's father and many others.'

Gadolin looked over at Rona, he knew better than to protest at her suggestion, before she had explained what she meant.

'Once upon a time,' Rona started, putting on her best story teller voice. 'There was a father, possessed with greed and ambition for his children. All through their young lives he taught them the meaning of power and fear. To please him they had to be like him, to be like him they would never learn love or compassion. The oldest grew into a handsome young man, whose burden was great. His father had tasked him to conquer two great lands. One day when raiding a small village, one of his soldiers killed a woman, she had been a brave fighter. The tragedy was that it was the mother of the most enchanting girl he had ever met. Taking her to his castle, he tried everything he could to win her heart. Sadly he knew so little of love, he was always going to fail,' Rona stopped and looked over at Igmy. 'Are you crying?'

Igmy's forlorn face looked back at Rona, biting his bottom lip he shook his head.

'I'm talking about Kerdred.'

'Oh!' said Igmy, surprised.

'Now this is where I come in,' she continued. 'I chose to torment him, for years, trying to drive him slowly mad. I could have talked to Shade instead, helped her understand Kerdred; well at least showed her how to manipulate him. Shade, for her part in all this, could have been slightly less bull headed. Her hatred of him, even now, eats deep into his heart.'

'Then none of this would have happened?' questioned Gadolin.

'Possibly,' replied Rona.

'If you could go back, would you do it differently?' asked Gadolin.

'Not a chance,' laughed Rona. 'Even if it means I have to spend my next twenty lives working on my 'vengeance' issues.'

Gadolin shook his head, Rona's 'words of wisdom' sometimes didn't feel that enlightening.

'What I am trying to say, is no one person can be blamed for all the bad things in the world, just as no one person can be accredited with all the good. We all play our parts.'

'I still blame Kerdred,' said Gadolin.

Gadolin was still staring down at the ground when Rona spoke, she had been sitting with her eyes closed for some time.

'I need you to save someone for me,' she said quietly.

'You said I wasn't to intervene in this battle,' said Gadolin surprised.

'I know, but in the future he will do something very important, if he lives,' said Rona. 'Kerdred is on his way, sooner than even I thought.'

Gadolin hared through the forest, why Breaker? The man was massive, there's no way he could just pick him up and run back with him. Igmy followed more slowly, thinking he might be of some help.

Gadolin saw Ebblin and Ghale first, running. Breaker was a good way behind and behind him a Nefkin. The two dogs snapping at its sides were not slowing it down. Swinging through the branches Gadolin was nearly on top of the Nefkin in seconds. The last branch he reached for one-handed and swung himself round and down onto the Nefkin's neck. The speed and weight of the impact sent the Nefkin staggering sideways. Ghale and Ebblin started running back towards the Nefkin. Daggers whizzed through the air, finding their mark on the now exposed belly. The dogs seized their chance, biting deep into the Nefkin’s back legs. Gadolin looked up to see Breaker raise his spiked club, bringing it down hard on the Nefkin’s armoured head. Again and again the spiked club came down, even after it had ceased moving. Breaker dropped to his knees, pouring with sweat. He was not built for running. His two remaining dogs stood next to him, their muzzles covered in blood and fur.

Gadolin pulled his trapped leg away from under the Nefkin, Breaker wasn't looking at him, but Ebblin and Ghale were. They said nothing, just inclined their heads once towards him. With one leap Gadolin was in the trees, heading back to Rona.

Igmy arrived just in time to see Gadolin heading back. Breaker and the dogs were heading straight for him. Dropping to the ground he lay still, Breaker walked straight past. One of the dogs stopped, inches away from his head and began sniffing around, raising one of its back legs, it peed on Igmy.

Kerdred rode Darius's prized horse, a chestnut stallion, he had named Mace. He was the result of years of selective breeding, big, powerful, fast and headstrong. Over the last few weeks it had become Kerdred’s, no one else had been allowed near. The stallion became his obsession and it soon learned who was in charge. Stopping at the edge of the valley Kerdred watched as the last of Hylaw's men were killed, watched as his own dead were piled over to one side. He watched a kestrel flying overhead and remembered the eagle from so long ago, he had an archer shoot the kestrel, just in case. When he approached the 'tree' he looked at it with curiosity rather than fear. It bore no resemblance to the creature some of his men had described, just a mass of dead wood. He felt unnaturally calm, dispassionate and indifferent. Soon he would have Hylaw’s head on a long spike and the old witch slowly burning on a pyre. He had not yet decided what to do with Shade and her child, but when the time came he knew he would think of something, interesting. Kerdred had different plans for Princess Ami. Back in Thantos he had two sons by his second wife, Andrass and Rogue. Now that Tremlin was dead, Andrass would have Daranel. He would marry Princess Ami.

*

Hylaw paced the floor, Darius said nothing. They needed to get some rest, tomorrow was going to be long and hard. Just before one of Shade's kestrels was killed she had seen Nathe, Aharen and the others fall, there was no sign of Breaker, Ghale and Ebblin. Hylaw felt it had been a disaster. Haystack came back into the library.

'How is she?' asked Darius.

'You know Shade, she's tough,' said Haystack, taking a seat next to him. 'Will you quit pacing!'

Hylaw stopped and glared at Haystack.

'Sorry, will you quit pacing, Your Highness,' snarled Haystack.

'How dare you!' started Hylaw.

Haystack was on his feet.

'I'll tell you how I dare, today there have been many brave men give their lives for you. Many I considered friends and you have done nothing since we got back but pace the floor, muttering how it was a disaster. Your saying those men died for nothing. Think about it! There's at least two hundred less men and quite a few less Nefkins to face tomorrow. You should be outside now inspiring your army, telling them...'

A knock at the door halted Haystack mid rant.

'Come in,' shouted Darius.

Penn entered his library respectfully.

'Your Highness, Lord Darius, sorry to disturb you but three of our boys have returned on the back of that large circus horse. They say Aharen sent them back when he realised they had no chance. The poor boys are quite distressed, Haber and Bowles have taken them to the kitchens for something to eat. Would you like to question them later?' said Penn in his usual calm quiet manner.

'No, let them rest after they have eaten,' said Darius.

Hylaw was picturing Aharen in his mind, saving the boys was just the sort of thing he would do.

Penn bowed and was just about to leave when a disturbance from outside stopped him. Looking out of the door, he pushed it open further.

'I believe some others have just returned, there are seven of them and two dogs.'

Haystack inappropriately was out of the door first. There stood Ebblin, Ghale, Breaker and Garth with his three men. Garth and his men took the dogs and went to find something to drink. Once back in the library Hylaw listened as Ghale and Ebblin recounted their ordeal. They told the same story regarding the 'tree' that saved Shade, they then talked of another 'tree' that had intervened to save Breaker.

'I sort of understand why a Tree Guardian might help Shade, as she's well, she's sort of a witch, you know what I mean?' said Darius looking awkwardly at Haystack.

'No, what do you mean?' asked Haystack mockingly.

'You do know what I mean, my point is, why would one help Breaker?'

'Because he's a tree sprite in disguise?' suggested Haystack.

Everyone looked at Breaker, Ebblin grunted and turned his head away trying not to laugh. Breaker raised his eyebrows and with an overly serious face, looked at each of them in turn. Hylaw scratched the side of his head trying to resist the smile creeping onto his mouth. The more each of them tried not to laugh the more it became funnier. Haystack sat back, pleased. Having fought many battles he understood the need for Hylaw to appear strong and in control, whether he felt like it or not. If making him laugh did the trick that was fine by him. When the laughter died down, Hylaw took a deep breath.

'Darius, let’s take a walk.'

For the next couple of hours Darius and Hylaw walked around Riftdale, then out into the fields where the main army was camped. They stayed there a while, laughing and joking with men who would probably die tomorrow.

When everyone had left