Dragon Heartstone > Chapter 28–News Travels

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A large fortified city rose above the otherwise flat, featureless Bretagnian plain—a stone-hewn giant erupting from a sea of windswept grasslands. Riasean pulled up short. The horse’s warm breath steamed in the cool air, matching the thin wisps of fog that clung to the distant horizon.

Gall glanced over at him. “Have you ever been to Landros?”

The boy nodded. “I traveled there many times in the last few years. You?”

Gall looked back toward the city. “Just a few months ago, when Brecc was King.” A hint of something—regret, perhaps—flickered in his voice. As he spoke, sunlight reflected and dappled off the waters of the inner keep. “Ah, I see the Heart of Landros is alive and well.”

Riasean recognized the reference to the large artificial lake in the raised inner keep, its vastness a whispered legend among travelers. “I’ve never seen it directly, but I hear it is deep.”

“So deep only the Creator has seen the bottom.” Gall again looked at him. “Or so the legend says.” The wind carried the faint scent of approaching rain and distant woodsmoke. “We’d better get to the gates before dark. Otherwise, we’ll have to camp outside the walls.” He spurred his mount, the horse’s hooves rhythmically drumming against the hard-packed earth. Riasean followed, the landscape around them a monotonous canvas of browns and grays, broken only by the imposing silhouette of Landros growing larger with each stride.

As they reached the main road that led to the northern gate, Gall reined his horse to a sudden stop. The sudden halt sent a plume of dust spiraling around them, making Riasean’s eyes water.

Riasean followed Gall’s gaze and saw black flags flying at half-mast on the walls—stark against the gray stone. “What does that mean?” Riasean asked.

“The Governor of Landros has declared an emergency, meaning that the city is in imminent danger.” Gall scanned the horizon, east and west, the lines around his eyes deepening with concern, then shook his head. “I have no idea why, but we’ll need to find out before heading to Cazidor.”

Riasean ground his teeth. There was no reason he couldn’t go to Wolfbern without Gall, but the Caretaker’s words echoed with the finality of a tomb door: “You must travel with the Watcher to see Larah alive again.”

So, as much as it pained him, he would make good on his promise. Nevertheless, it would not hurt to voice his angst, “We cannot tarry long here.”

Gall gave a measured reply, “I agree, but we must be aware of what’s happening around us. Otherwise, we risk being surprised.”

Riasean nodded, and they rode up to the city gates, mingling with the foot traffic into the gates. The clatter of wagon wheels and the murmur of conversations enveloped them. The guards, however, seemed almost unnaturally calm, their stance relaxed.

Gall shouted over the ambient noise, “Why the state of emergency?”

“Haven’t you heard about the trouble in Cazidor?” the guard answered.

Riasean’s pulse quickened. Gall’s jaw clenched, muscles tight beneath weathered skin.  “No, what is it?”

“King Alric is dead,” the Guard answered.

“How?” Gall shot back, his tone sharp.

The sentry shrugged. “Don’t know. Just heard it myself this morning. A courier from Wolfbern arrived with the news.”

Gall leaned closer to Riasean and whispered, “We need to find out more. I left Larah with Alric.”

Riasean gripped his reins tighter but quickly offered, “I have a contact in the old city who might give us details. Let me talk to them.”

“Lead on,” Gall replied.

* * *

Gall followed Riasean through the gate. The wide roads nearest the outer walls led to narrower paths beyond the second set of bulwarks. The grade gradually increased, and they turned west toward the inner keep, overlooking the reservoir. After navigating the winding streets for several minutes, they passed through an ancient portico.

 “How much farther?” Gall asked. Amazing. I didn’t think this would still be standing after all these centuries. He ran his hand over the stone surface.

Riasean turned in the saddle. “We’re almost there,” he said, then added, “Have you been here before?”

Gall stared at the weathered and pitted surface, “Yes . . .” Before there was a Landros. He looked at the young man. “Let’s keep going.”

Within minutes, they rode up to the crumbling façade of a low stone building, squeezed between two larger ones. “What is this place?”

“Home of a friend,” Riasean replied. They dismounted and walked through the open doorway. The inside appeared as decrepit as the exterior. Holes filled the walls, and interlaced cracks littered the ceiling. Several strands of herbs hung from hooks, most so old and dusty that they looked nearly petrified. Near the back, a small door set into the wall bore scratch marks and stains. Some jars sat on the shelves, most empty and a few covered in spider webs.

Riasean knocked three times and then kicked the door. A peephole opened, and an eye glanced out for a moment before the aperture slammed shut. After an audible series of clicks, the portal opened, but barely, leaving a narrow gap. Riasean slipped his lithe frame through and motioned for Gall to follow. Struggling to fit through the opening, Gall finally shoved the door.

“Stop,” hissed a feminine voice in low tones.

“Then open the door, fool,” Gall barked. Once through, he shoved it solidly shut and turned to find the deep brown eyes of a young woman with long, loose-flowing black hair; she could not have been more than twenty years old.

The girl stepped forward and, despite being a foot and a half shorter, stuck a finger into his chest and glared at him, “Do that again, and I will hurt you.”

Gall stared at her. Unlikely.

Riasean grabbed the woman by the shoulders and pulled her away from Gall. “Brianna, that is enough.”

She instantly turned her eyes to him. “And what are you doing here? Have you any idea what kind of trouble you’re in?”

“Yes, unfortunately,” he said, a half-smile crossing his face. “Gall, meet my sister, Brianna.”

The girl had none of Riasean’s Elvish features except perhaps thin, sharply defined eyebrows.

Riasean noticed his stare. “Well, my half-sister, anyway.”

She punched him in the shoulder so hard he winced. “Is this another of your criminal friends? Have you decided to start stealing in Landros?”

“No, but …”

Blowing a loud breath, Gall interjected, “Does she know anything?”

The girl jumped. “Know what?” she said, eyes drifting between them.

Riasean cleared his throat. “Do you know what happened in Cazidor?”

“I’m surprised you don’t since your friends killed Alric.”

Riasean blinked. “The Brotherhood? But why …?”

“Word is that the Grand Council also had a hand in it. Their people are crawling all over Cazidor as we speak. The Elders are to meet tonight to appoint a successor.”

So, the Grand Council had not given up on Cazidor—damned fools. Gall swore loudly and slammed his fist against the wall, causing bits of plaster to crumble.

Brianna cringed, then flashed an annoyed look at the Brin Shar. “Rather excitable, isn’t he?”

Gall turned for the door. “She isn’t telling us anything more than we already know.”

Riasean grabbed his arm. “Be patient. We need information and can get it faster here than by going to Cazidor.” He turned back to Brianna. “Do you still have contact with Renna?”

Brianna flashed him a dangerous look. “Yes, why do you ask?”

“Find out what you can about what happened; our friend was traveling with Alric.”

Brianna nodded, “All right, I’ll try. Who are you looking for?”

“A young girl named Larah. She’s a good friend of mine.”

“Really? That sounds … interesting,” she said, eyeing Riasean.

Gall growled at her, “She’s my daughter.”

Brianna’s eyes quickly looked at Gall, then back at Riasean. The young man shook his head, “I’ll explain later.”

Brianna smiled crookedly but turned away and walked over to the table covered in a sheet. Pulling it back revealed a brass bowl full of water. She leaned over it and whispered, “Speculum ad speculum, facie ad faciem [Mirror to mirror, face to face].” The container flared to life, shining light throughout the room, especially on Brianna’s face. “Renna, you there?”

A voice rose from the vessel, “Yes, I hear you. What do you want?”

“I have some people here who want to know what happened to those who traveled with Alric,” Brianna replied.

“Most of the guards were killed, but some got away, as did a little person and a girl.”

“That has to be Vig and Larah,” Gall stated. He stepped closer and looked into the bowl. “Where are they now?”

A wizened face looked up at Gall, “The little man disappeared after the attack, but a man with a hook grabbed the girl. That’s all I know.” She looked over her shoulder warily. “I must go now.”

Brianna replied, “Thank you, Renna.” The surface flashed, and the old woman vanished. Brianna slipped the cloth back across the container.

Gall turned to Riasean. The boy was silent, and his face had gone pale. “Do you know this man with a hook?”

“Yes, unfortunately,” Riasean replied. “His name is Coronados, and he’s a member of the Brotherhood. We’re unlikely to convince him to release Larah.”

“Then he will die,” Gall said, slapping a hand on the pommel of his sword. “We must go to Wolfbern immediately.”

Riasean stared at him. “I agree, but understand–if Coronados realizes we are trying to rescue Larah, he will kill her.”

Gall crossed his arms. “Then what do we do? Nothing? That is not an option.”

“No, but whatever we do must be done very carefully. Otherwise, Larah will be in danger. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Gall replied with narrowed eyes. “I understand.”

Riasean turned to Brianna. “Thank you for this information.”

Brianna put a hand on her brother’s shoulder. “Riasean, you’re a marked man to the Brotherhood. Be very careful.”

He fixed her with a sly smile. “I always am.” With a wink, he darted out the door.

Brianna smiled. “Liar.”

Gall nodded at the girl. “Thank you.”

“I wish you luck,” Brianna stated with some concern.

“We may need it,” Gall said, closing the door behind him.