Soul Fire

Soul Fire - Chapter 24

Four days passed before Ellishan awoke from his slumber. The Storm Dancers kept an unbroken vigil outside the house of the apothecary, with neither complaint nor sleep. Malithas had offered Artallah and his men compensation but on each attempt it was respectfully declined.

The recovery of Ellishan happened as suddenly as Dathion's. One moment he was lying still and lifeless, and in the next he awoke suddenly, bolting upright in his bed. No one could ask him what he had felt and expect an answer. They could; however, describe the days he had missed, and reassure him regarding the welfare of Dathion. Though the older brother was not in the room when the younger awoke, the smile they shared on his return spoke of their mutual love. The happiness of the two boys, who had endured so much, infected the spirits of those in their company. Even the unfathomable Storm Dancers walked with more sprightly steps and began to smile after days of pursed lips and stern, set brows.

When Dathion had sufficiently collected his thoughts and reflected on his time in Cretia, the selflessness of the Palians left him both amazed and indebted. Why they were regarded with such suspicion and derision by outsiders he could not fathom. On Dathion, they had left an enduring impression as men of irreproachable honor, selfless sacrifice, and incomparable skill. His mind wandered, questioning whether a Storm Dancer would be a match for the elite among the Shining Guard, horsed or unhorsed. Having seen their formidable prowess in battle, Dathion was unsure whether even Malithas could prevail against them. He hoped the swords of Asillia and Palia would always be raised together, never crossed.

In the days Ellishan had spent resting, much had been accomplished by Malithas and Salidon. Davidor had been his usual elusive self, researching libraries and private collections of tomes, and requesting considerable sums of silver from Malithas to do so. He had assured Malithas and Salidon that scrolls and maps existed in sufficient numbers to plan their travel through this part of the world.

The next leg of their journey filled Dathion with trepidation. They would travel northwest, to the western edges of the mountain ranges of the Masans and Cerds, then finally into the ancient forests of the Elves of Elvanae.

Dathion would never forget the night he had faced the man of shadows. That evening had brought slaughter to the streets of Cretia, leaving an indelible impression on its populace. The normally bustling markets laid quiet, as though to shop and enjoy the buzzing atmosphere would disrespect the recently slain. Families mourned and wept when the toll on life had been tallied. The dead numbered nearly five score men - all were fathers, brothers, or sons. Questions were asked and suspicions aroused. Enmities between families grew; from the fine cracks of distrust, to gaping chasms of open accusation. How had so many aggressors bypassed Cretia's wall?

Malithas and Salidon proved unforgiving in their condemnation of Cretia's governance. They announced loudly, to any influential merchant family brave enough to listen, how close the twin heirs of Asillia had come to death while within Cretia. The responses of the councilors were muted, with their arrogance of a few days past notably absent. The men of Asillia remained unpunished for words normally considered inflammatory or even treasonous. That silence gave Malithas small comfort, as though their unwillingness to challenge him constituted an admission of guilt.

To their credit, the Merchant Guard of Cretia tripled their patrols, while doubling the guards on their gates and wall. Soldiers who were normally disinterested and apathetic, demonstrated a marked increase in discipline and diligence. Their newly oppressive policing, and swift introduction of night curfews, were widely tolerated.

Malithas dismissed the actions as essential posturing, with the Cretian nobility showing commitment to duty only when required, to calm the nervousness of the populace. Many hushed whispers were exchanged between Malithas, Salidon, and Artallah; though Jerodai and Dathion managed to eavesdrop on a number of occasions. The Asillians and Palians questioned the attacks, about whether they had been aimed at Cretia, or the princes of Asillia. Had the ambush of the boys been unfortunate coincidence, or the dark purpose of those who had invaded Cretia's streets?