Midnight Quest Read online

  Sarvell shared the sentiment, as he had a stabbing pain in between his eyes from listening to such shrill voices for so long. “If it wasn’t for Chizeld, I’m not sure if we could have escaped at all.”

  Chizeld flashed him a weary smile. “Knowing Order protocol helps sometimes.”

  “Truly.” Rialt gave him a suspicious look. “Although I think you made that particular rule about the length a High Priestess can stay on the spot.”

  “Did not,” Chizeld denied calmly. After a moment, he added, “Might have misquoted it, though.”

  Jewel spluttered, and then a laugh tumbled from her mouth. “I had wondered as I didn’t remember a rule like that at all. Chizeld, you wonderful man.”

  Rialt rolled his eyes toward the sky, in either a heavenly appeal or in a bid for patience. “Next time, misquote those things sooner.”

  Chizeld gave him a mock salute. “Will do so.”

  “I’m rather curious by something they said, though,” Jewel admitted. “But let’s walk that way,” she pointed toward the foothills, “as we talk. I don’t want them to think of an excuse to drag us back inside.”

  A very good point. Sarvell led them away at a fast walk, Rialt and Bortonor flanking Jewel’s sides to guide her back onto the street and away from the temple.

  When they were off the main street, Sarvell slowed the pace so he could talk freely with everyone. “You said you were curious about something they said?”

  Her forehead wrinkled up slightly in concentration. “Mmm. They said they weren’t sure what Elahandra was thinking, calling her to be the High Priestess of Bryn. This woman doesn’t meet their approval for some reason.”

  “It could simply be because she’s younger,” Sarvell observed. “Women like those, the ones that have been in a position of power for a long time, don’t like to see younger people advance ahead of them.”

  “Whatever the case, the disapproval will bring trouble,” Chizeld noted and he cast a dark frown over his shoulder in the direction of the temple. “The temple priestesses are there to support the high priestess. Those four will not do jobs properly with that attitude.”

  Good point. But they couldn’t do much about that. “Let’s not borrow trouble before it comes our direction,” Sarvell cautioned.

  The group lapsed into silence, everyone focused on their own thoughts. Or maybe they were all equally tired after three hours of senseless yammering and repetitive questions. Jewel directed them out of the city and onto a rough road that weaved its way into the vineyards. The further they walked, the more Jewel muttered under her breath, “It should be right there.”

  The stone under their feet turned into packed dirt, then slowly progressed into loose soil. The scent of earth and vegetation grew stronger until it seemed to fill his head.

  “Are we in the vineyards?” Jewel suddenly asked.

  “Yes,” Sarvell confirmed for her.

  “Do you see any small hills?” she asked hopefully. “It should be dead ahead.”

  “Jewel…this whole area is nothing but small hills.”

  She growled low in her throat. “Not helpful.”

  They walked on for an undefinable amount of time. Bortonor led her around several different bends, the land sloping upwards as they walked. Then a flat, almost plateau like area, and another short hike up a slope. Jewel started to take another step when Bortonor blocked her, making her come to a quick stop. Rialt dragged her to a halt at practically the same time.

  She put out her hands cautiously, flat out, until they encountered a very large surface not even an arm’s length away. “This is it.”

  “Good thing didn’t take wager,” Chizeld observed to no one in particular. “Axheimer right. Completely covered in vines.”

  Jewel’s hands explored the surface in front of her. Her fingers kept tangling with the vines and leaves that were knotted together. “Alright, gentlemen, how bad is it?”

  “We’re smack in the middle of the vineyard,” Sarvell told her on a long sigh. “And this patch seems to be the oldest of the vines, judging from their root systems. Getting this thing out of here is…will be difficult.”

  “Permission to dig crystal free will not be easy to obtain,” Chizeld agreed. His tone indicated that he was getting a headache just thinking about it.

  “Even once we get permission, you’ll destroy several dozen rows just dragging it clear,” Rialt informed her on a dark growl. “It was a wanton fit of folly, putting it here.”

  Chizeld’s headache might still be in the developmental stages, but hers had clearly already arrived. She raised both hands to her temples and started rubbing in small circles. “One problem at a time.”

  “Hey! The woman with the dog!”

  Jewel’s head turned at the hail, from a female voice. It came from some distance ahead, but accompanied with rapid, heavy footsteps that said the woman was running toward them while she called out. Sarvell raised a hand against the late afternoon sun so that he could see.

  “Who is that?” Jewel asked in interest.

  Rialt answered slowly, “A young woman, about your age. Does no look like from the vineyard, though. Dressed like a huntsman, she be. With that fair skin and hair, must be Brynian.”

  The footsteps abruptly came closer and then slid to a stop. Only slightly short of breath, the newcomer asked, “Are you High Priestess Jomadd?”

  Jewel’s eyebrows rose in sharp surprise. “I am. Who might you be?”

  “Clarion Hahn. I am the newly called High Priestess of Bryn.”

  Jewel lit up, a bright smile on her face. She held up a hand in greeting. “I am so very glad to meet you!”

  “I’m glad to see you, too!” Clarion assured her in transparent sincerity, lifting a hand to return the greeting. “I was called about a week ago, and Elahandra told me that you were on your way, but I hadn’t heard anything about you since. I’ve been up top, trying to clear out the site for the crystal and keep a lookout for you. You didn’t run into trouble, did you?”

  “Not once we reached Ramath,” Jewel assured her. “It’s just hard to travel with me. I can’t move as fast as everyone else in a foreign environment.”

  “That’s understandable. In fact, I think it’s amazing you got here as quickly as you did, all things considered.” She paused for a moment before asking, “And who are your companions?”

  Jewel quickly introduced everyone, ending with, “We cannot stay long in this area, but please ask as many questions of us as you can while we are here. We will try to explain how the Order works.”

  Sarvell didn’t think Jewel offered out of politeness sake. With those old biddies at the Temple clearly prejudiced against Clari, the poor girl would probably be figuring a lot out on her own. She needed all the help she could get.

  “I appreciate that,” Clari replied sincerely. She reached out a hand and patted the covered crystal, her hand rustling the leaves as she did so. “I see you found the crystal quickly enough.”

  “Yes,” Jewel agreed ruefully. “You said you’ve been clearing the site. Is it ready?”

  “I wish, but no,” Clarion refuted on a heavy sigh. “Part of the collapsed structure is just too heavy for me to shift by myself. Unlike you, no one was called to help me. I’ve been muddling through on my own. I don’t suppose I could borrow you handsome, strapping gentlemen?”

  All three of them laughed at her mock-flirtatious invitation. “Eh, lass, we would be glad to,” Rialt assured her. “Afore we tackle that, who be the owner of this vineyard?”

  “The respectable Mr. Braun,” she answered sourly. “He actually owns, or is partners with, half of the vineyard owners. I’ve been arguing with him off and on all week about moving the crystal. But really, I don’t have the faintest idea of how we’d move this thing without destroying most of the vines in this area.”

  “It’s not as difficult as it looks,” Jewel assured her. “But I’ll tell you how we’ll manage on the way. Right now, we need to go speak with this Mr. Braun.”r />
  Chapter Thirteen

  Clari, after speaking with Mr. Braun most of the week, knew exactly where to find the man. Everyone followed her back down the slope and to a wooden business office that stood next to one of the warehouses. If the office could be used to measure the success of the business, then Mr. Braun was doing very well indeed.

  Rialt eyed the large glass windows, fancy trim work, and the pristine paint on the building with a sinking sense of misgiving. In his time, he had had to argue with merchants a time or two. Based on that experience, he knew that the more successful the merchant was, the more stubborn he became. For Braun, moving that crystal would no be a matter of profit loss—it would be a matter of power.

  He eyed the young woman striding confidently along at his side, her hand resting on Bortonor’s head. Perchance, if they failed to convince Braun, she might need to become a skulker. At least for a night.

  The huntsman-turned-high priestess would likely be quite good at skulking. She moved like a mountain cat, that one. All grace and agility. He could no ken why Elahandra would choose a huntsman to call, though. The leathers she wore had signs of wear to them, but he knew how expensive her clothes were. She had to be good, very good, to afford such things. The bow on her back, twin daggers on her thighs, and the hunting knife riding along at the small of her back were no cheap, either. She could no be a handful of years older than Jewel, by his guess. To have that kind of skill and equipment at her age…eh, she’d be a force to reckon with.

  Whether or no she had the skills to be a priestess, now, that would be another matter.

  Upon reaching the door to the office, Clari did no pause and knock, but simply grasped the handle and pushed her way inside. Perforce, they all trailed in after her. Rialt had to blink a few times before his eyes adjusted from the brightness outside to the dimmer office.

  Two men were seated at the same table, a large amount of paperwork strewn in front of them. Several others were scattered around the large room, either conferring over a map on the wall, pulling records from a bookcase off to the side, or seated patiently near the door. They all looked up, some in surprise, others in resignation, at Clari’s entrance.

  A man with very dark skin, bushy mustache, and receding hair stood up. Judging from the nice suit he wore, this would be Braun. From the way his eyebrows slammed together, he was also clearly no pleased at their entrance. “My dear Miss Hahn—”

  “I am not here as Clari Hahn, Mr. Braun,” she interrupted, arms crossing over her chest in a gesture of stubbornness. “I am here as High Priestess Hahn of Bryn. Before you start arguing with me, know that the woman behind me is High Priestess Jewel Jomadd of Thornock.”

  That certainly made Braun pause, and he shot Jewel a considering glance. “Forgive me, but do you have proof of such a claim?”

  “I certainly do,” Jewel responded calmly. From under her shirt she drew out the seal of her office and displayed it clearly in front of her. Rialt had known that she wore it, but he’d no seen it afore this. It was simple enough—five interlocking rings made of silver hanging from a single chain.

  Braun took a long look at it, then glanced back up at her face. His expression was impassive, but the way his eyes darted back and forth made it clear he was unnerved.

  When there was no audible response, Jewel’s head tilted a little to the side. “Are you satisfied?”

  “…yes.”

  With a nod, she put the seal back into the front of her shirt. “Mr. Braun, I do understand your reluctance to move the crystal. We will have to hack it free to do so. But I assure you, we will do everything in our power to minimize the damage done.”

  “I cannot consent to it,” Braun riposted without hesitation. “As I have stated before to Mi—Priestess Hahn, those vines are the ones that produce the sweetest grapes. It would be disastrous to lose them. You will simply have to leave the crystal where it is and find some other way to work with its new location.”

  “We cannot.” Jewel took two steps forward, her own face set in a stubborn expression. Even though she could no see them, the way that she faced Braun gave the impression that she was facing him head-on. “The crystal is not in the proper place. We cannot work with it where it is. Do you honestly think that we would go to the trouble of moving it if we could simply use it where it lay?”

  “If your goddess is so insistent that it must be moved, then work a miracle,” he responded with a casual, dismissive wave of the hand. “Now, excuse me. I have work to do.”

  Rialt could no help but shake his head a little at the man’s stubbornness. He had no idea who he’d just challenged. Jewel had locked horns with Thornock’s ministers after all. She would no hesitate dealing with obstinate merchants.

  “Oh, we’ll excuse you—for now.” Jewel gave him a sweet smile, making her look like a young, innocent angel. “But you best convene at the town center this evening. We will be discussing this there with the general populace.”

  He spun back around on his heel, mouth curled up in a snarl. “If you think you can threaten me—”

  “Threaten?” she repeated mildly. “Heaven forbid! You are failing to understand the larger picture, merchant. I am going to put everything in perspective for you. Quite frankly, your opinion does not matter. The safety of this entire clan, no…the entire country of Evard hangs in the balance. Your opinion is of no consequence.” Without waiting for his response, she turned to Clari. “Sister, we are done here. We must speak with the town’s mayor. Do you know the way?”

  Clari stared at Jewel in frank amazement for a long moment before a slow smile grew on her face. “Why yes, I do. Shall we go there now?”

  “Certainly.” Jewel gave a wave of her hand, indicating for the other woman to lead the way.

  Braun was still spluttering as they turned smartly around and exited the office as abruptly as they entered.

  They were barely five feet away when Clari asked, “Is that really true? That we can overrule him?”

  “Of course,” Jewel assured her, as if surprised by the question. “I spoke the absolute truth in there, Clari. The safety of the entire country lies in the balance of this task. I must get all crystals into proper alignment.”

  “Alright, keep in mind that I’m very new and Elahandra didn’t tell me much. Why must they be moved?”

  Rialt did no pay much attention to the explanation that followed, as Jewel and Chizeld caught their newest member up on the basics. He had already heard all of this afore after all. Instead he watched Jewel from the corner of his eye, his mind fixated on a mental picture. Is that what she had looked like when she had faced down the Thornock ministers? In that moment, she had radiated calmness and authority like a queen facing down her errant subjects.

  There were too many facets to this woman: blind, but not helpless. Young, but not powerless. Kind, but not weak. When he compared himself to her, he could no help but feel that just perhaps Elahandra had no been as choosy as she should have been.

  “What are you saying, Rialt?” Elahandra’s voice suddenly appeared in his mind, gently chiding. “You are exactly what she needs.”

  Think of the goddess, and she apparently would appear. Lady, I be a warrior with blood on my hands. She be…well, she deserves better than the likes of me.

  “Rialt, you have only killed in the line of duty. In our eyes, there is no sin in that.”

  And the rest of my bad habits? he inquired dryly.

  “If you feel guilty about them, why don’t you redeem yourself?” she suggested mock-sweetly. “You can begin now, in fact.”

  He snorted.

  “I chose you because you are a good man, Rialt Axheimer. But I also chose you because I’d hoped that you’d be fond enough of Jewel that you would forever protect her.”

  The idea took such strong root in his mind that his stride actually faltered for a moment. As Chizeld will?

  “Or even more. I cannot call you to the position because you are Juven’s.”

  He finished the
thought without trouble. But if I volunteer, her hands are tied?

  “I didn’t say that,” Elahandra retorted primly, a soft echo of laughter in the background.

  Did he really want to tie himself to her like that? True, he had dreaded the future day where he would be forced to separate from her and return home. Leaving her with just Chizeld as protection had no set well with him. But…to be forever at the call of another person’s needs, constantly on watch for danger from any side, could he agree to that? Although, he reflected to himself wryly, it be no different than the life I have led so far. In fact, the only difference he could see was that instead of answering to a whole chain of command for marching orders, he would be following just one woman. He had no cavil to serving Jewel instead.

  He stole another glance at the woman so calmly walking at his side, heading for the center of town. He simply could no leave her safety and future happiness in the hands of another person. His very soul rebelled at the idea. So to the goddess, he said, Eh, Elahandra, I will volunteer. But only, he hastily added, if you make a way for her to live in Ramath. She be no safe in Thornock.

  “You stubborn child,” Elahandra sighed, but he sensed she was no upset but simply resigned. “Oh, very well. I will make a way for that to happen.”

  A feeling, no unlike pure light, flooded through him. He stopped in his tracks as his heart and soul rang like a bell, a joy so strong that it threatened to sweep him under, flooding every fiber of his being. The feeling was so immense that it brought tears to his eyes and he had to blink hard, several times, to keep them from spilling over.

  “Welcome, my child,” the goddess whispered just inside his ear.

  “Thank you,” he whispered back.

  Jewel’s hand abruptly grabbed his arm, holding fast. “Rialt, what did you just do?!”

  He blinked again, to clear away the tears, and looked down at her. She appeared stunned, like someone had just slapped her on the back of the head. “You can feel it, then?”