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6-Angareth

Wimshel was four weeks from the borders of Angareth, but we made the journey in three. Our horses were fit, and Quill was in a hurry to get back. Our longest waking stop was to deposit our cash from the last few jobs and for Ayglos to dye his hair dark again. He dyed his hair nearly black, so he could more easily blend in amongst the dark-haired peoples of Angareth. I was glad of the travel days to get used to the new color when I looked at him.

We kept the Mountains of Imbir always on our right, the monstrous Mount Anlor at the end of the range coming closer with every stride. We spent the whole trip going over everything we knew about Angareth, Terrimbir, their customs, history and powerful players. When we were alone, we spoke in Angari. Brushing up on a tongue my brother and I hadn’t needed much since we’d been taught as children.

Quill explained that his arrival at the court of Angareth had been public, and he suspected half the nobility knew the King had hired him. Ayglos and I would not be known to the court or associated with him or his mission and could more easily spy. He had, in fact, been avoiding the Angari merchants on the off chance that they’d recognize him, or me if they if they returned to Angareth during our job. I’d tossed my hair and warned him that his plan would never work because I was nothing if not memorable.

Once we rounded the tip of the mountain range and cut west, the land before us rose and shifted into rolling hills that were shrouded in heavy mist every morning. We were in Angareth, headed for Wuhnravinwel, the seat of the Wuhn clan. It was a small fortified enclave near the Juni River situated between the contested hot springs and the capital city, Gar Morwen.

“Will we see the famous hot springs?” I asked.

“No time,” Quill replied, “We’d have to cut back north and head for the border with Terrimbir. It’d add at least a day to our journey, maybe two.”

“Pity, I wouldn’t mind a soak in magic healing water,” I stretched my arms and arched my back, reins abandoned on the saddlebow as our horses jogged.

Quill glanced at me and arched a brow, “What do you need healing for?”

“I have this awful sore spot where my money used to be.”

Occasionally, we saw herds of sheep in the distance, or a tendril of smoke from a homestead, but we managed to avoid people even when we crossed roads. When the stone walls of Wuhnravinwel rose on the horizon we held back and spent the afternoon sitting in a dell playing cards and waiting for Rabanki to return. The raven rejoined us just as our refuge dropped into twilight and I started to wish for a warm fire. Ayglos received the canister in Rabanki’s claw and withdrew a tiny scroll. He read it and looked up, “They’ll be in the observatory,” he said, handing the scroll to Quill. “Instructions for getting in.”

We saddled up our horses and waited until the hills were truly black, illuminated only by the faint glow of the city lights and the spectacular spread of stars above. Then, wrapped and hooded in cloaks, we crossed the grasslands. We circled wide around the stone walls until we reached the fortress rising from the walls in a glorious array of towers. A guard was waiting for us by a narrow door cut directly into the stone, I saw the gleaming teeth of a portcullis above our heads as the guard exchanged a few words with Quill. We dismounted when instructed and led the horses right through the wall and down a tight little hallway which dumped us into the stables. The horses stayed behind with a couple stable hands while we followed the guard.

He led us through a very tidy stable, then turned up a narrow stone stair that climbed in circles up into the keep. We passed narrow arched doorways looking into stone rooms and stone halls, all hung with tapestries I wished I had time to examine. My legs were starting to wobble when the guard stopped, moved aside and motioned to an archway. Quill nodded and stepped through, I followed and Ayglos came behind me. A short hallway, where we were received by a pair of guards who made us disarm, then we were in a circular chamber with a domed roof. Bookshelves lined the walls and several tables with chairs were scattered around the room. I saw a telescope by the window on the far side of the room. That was another thing I would like to examine further given the chance.

There were six people waiting for us. I grinned when I saw the familiar barrel-chested, full-bearded, form of Jemin and the choppy blonde hair of Eliah. Eliah’s answering grin was a wicked white slash while Jemin simply dipped his chin. Proper greetings would come later.

My eyes skipped to a young woman with dark hair, standing ramrod straight in a long burgundy gown. A collar of dyed red feathers swooped up and fanned behind her head like a peacock’s tail. She was beautiful, or I thought she would be under all the cosmetics. Her face was powdered an unnatural white, kohl lined her eyes in exaggerated swoops and her lips, which were pressed in a thin line, were painted as dark as her dress.  She was flanked by two men, one of which had a long white beard and long collared coat, while the other had a long black ponytail and a sword strapped to his waist. Behind them, a few steps away, was another young woman, clad in a sweeping collared coat in a similar style to that of White Beard, but burgundy like the Countess’s gown, most likely one of her leanyodi, her handmaidens.

Quill bowed deeply, Ayglos and I followed suit behind him, Rabanki spread his wings to keep his balance on Ayglos’s shoulder. I thought I saw the eyebrow of the black-haired man twitched upward. I held his gaze when I straightened. He was probably in his late thirties, with black eyes and a scar on his jaw. Druskin, the captain of her guard, judging from Quill’s descriptions.

“Grofnu Adelheid,” said Quill, in Angari.

The woman inclined her head, replying in Angari “Quilleran, we’re glad to see you returned, and in good time.” Her eyes swept over me and Ayglos. “I trust these are the crew members you were seeking?”

“Indeed. Allow me to introduce Kimro Ruddybrook, my new shadow,” Quill gestured to Ayglos, “and Zephra Ruddybrook, your new leanyod.”

Her eyes flicked back to me in surprise. “New leanyod?”

“That’s preposterous!” barked the man with the white beard. Pontikel, her Chief Advisor.

The girl in robes, the real leanyod, looked like she agreed.

“Leanyodi are always with the Countess, always female, and no one would expect one so trained in combat,” Quill explained.

“You were not hired as a bodyguard,” reminded the Countess, her tone unruffled, as if she had no stake in the exchange.

“I was hired to find out who is trying to kill you,” Quill continued carefully, “The best way to do so involves someone I can trust close enough to you watching what’s going on.” Quill’s eyes flicked to Druskin, the captain of the guard, “And I’m sure you can see how having someone without entanglements in Angareth or Terrimbir, whose only priority is this mystery and the Countess’s safety, is valuable. Even without considering her fighting ability.”

Druskin was stone faced.

“Leanyodi are her most trusted advisors and servants,” Pontikel shook his head, “They carry out her most sensitive errands.” He shook his head again, “It’s a tremendous honor. You cannot desecrate the tradition in this manner! It’s an affront! An abomination!”

“Pontikel,” the Countess lifted a hand and the white beard cut off his tirade. But he threw up his hands, snarled, and spun on his heels like he was going to leave, then he thought better of it and circled back. When he stopped moving the Countess gestured to her captain of the guard, “Druskin?”

Druskin looked at the Countess, then turned an appraising eye on me. I lifted my chin. If there was anything I could stand under, it was the critical eye of a warrior. After a moment he said, “Quilleran’s idea is a good one.”

Pontikel threw up his hands again.

The Countess turned to the leanyod, “Galo?”

Galo looked at the Countess, rolled her lips together, and looked at me. I met her eye. She looked back at the Countess, “Can she read?”

My mouth opened.

“Because,” continued Galo, “If she can’t read it doesn’t matter what I think.”

Quill turned to me, brow arched. “Can you?”

I was filled with an overwhelming desire to slug him. Instead, I took a step forward, “My Lady,” I said in Angari, “I can read, and I would be happy to demonstrate.”

“Please do,” said Galo, pulling a book off a random shelf and walking up to me. She offered me the leather-bound volume.

I accepted it, “You could have picked something more scintillating than The History of Ink.”

Galo’s lips twitched.

I flipped open the book, “‘Chapter One: Cephalopods,’” I glanced up, “More interesting than I expected.” Then I began, “‘The cephalopod family of sea creatures is most known for its tentacles and for the ability some have to secrete a cloud of black or blue ink when attempting to confuse predators so it can—’”

“Stop.” The Countess held up her hand.

I stopped, closed the book and handed it back to Galo. Any feeling of smugness was tainted by the ridiculous.

“Very well, Quilleran,” the Countess dark lips tipped upward ever so slightly, “Your Zephra Ruddybrook will be one of my leanyodi, starting tomorrow. If she succeeds while here in Wuhravinwel, then she may stay in that position in Gar Morwen, also. Galo, make sure she is provided with clothes and a room near the other leanyodi.”

Galo nodded, expressionless as she tucked the book under her arm and returned to her place behind the Countess.

“Is there anything else?” the Countess was looking at Quill.

“I’m sending Kimro and Jemin ahead of us to Gar Morwen, they will leave tomorrow.”

“Very well. Your quarters are the same, I will have a servant bring you there. Galo will fetch Zephra when her rooms are ready.” The Countess turned and glided out of the room, her back straight and her gown trailing behind her, her captain of the guard just a step beyond it. The white-bearded counselor spared me a sour look as he, too, followed the Countess. Galo was the last to leave, pausing to the re-shelve The History of Ink before heading to the arched doorway. The moment she stepped out, a servant stepped in and gestured for us to follow.

*

Special thank you to my Patrons, I am so grateful for your support! Thanks for coming on this journey with me.

Share Zare with your friends and we will be a merry company.

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5-The Gig

“Elves?” I sat up from my spot curled on the couch next to Ayglos, my feet thumping on the woven carpet. “You said the job was in Angareth.”

Quill nodded from where he sat, teacup ignored in his hand. We’d left the horses at the stable and slipped into the inn through the kitchen and servants’ stairs. I thought one or two of the fancy southern merchants had been Angari, it must be them he was avoiding. Ayglos had been waiting for us at the suite and had already placed an order for his own breakfast and a tea service. After greetings were out of the way and food delivered, Quill had settled in to explain the job.

“How much do you know about the relationship between Angareth and Terrimbir?” asked Quill.

I made a face. “They’ve been squabbling over hot springs for generations.” My childhood tutoring had been cut off by the wars that made the Empire, but I picked up some things while marauding the world.

“The elves of Terrimbir claim that the hot springs were a gift to them from Tirien,” Ayglos had pulled a little table close the couch so he could eat while we talked. Rabanki had claimed the mantel and was devouring a piece of sausage. “A reward for curing the forest from a disease.”

“Right,” confirmed Quill, “The Wuhn of Angareth have lived and hunted by the springs for centuries and claim that it belongs to them because they were there first.”

“Were they?” I asked, sipping at the tea. It was not spectacular.

Both men shrugged. Ayglos grunted, “Who knows?”

“With the Empire burgeoning up north, some of the powers in Terrimbir and Angareth decided that being allies is more important at this time than fighting over the springs.” Quill’s brown eyes found mine. “What better way to make peace than with a marriage?”

My jaw dropped. Marriage alliances were perfectly normal, but cross race marriages were rare, and royal cross race marriages…There had only been one of those in the past three hundred years and it had been my parents.

Ayglos put down his toast. “Holy heaven, who’s doing the honors?”

“Not the crown prince,” said Quill, “They aren’t quite ready for that. But the King’s niece, Countess Adelheid, who happens to be from the Wuhn clan, is now engaged to the Lord of Linden.”

I whistled. “Isn’t he the cousin of the High Lord of Terrimbir?”

“He is.”

Ayglos picked up his toast again. “A royal wedding sounds fun, but what’s the job?”

A faint smile touched Quill’s mouth, “As you can imagine, tensions are running high. The feud is longstanding, and there have been threats against both parties, but especially against Countess Adelheid. If either party is killed, it’s very likely that war will break out between Angareth and Terrimbir.”

“You’re…a bodyguard?” I took another sip of my tea and frowned. “Doesn’t she have her own?”

“Eloi, not a bodyguard,” Quill scoffed, “She has her own. I’m a spy. An investigator. They hired me to find the person trying to kill the Countess.”

“However did you manage that?”

A tip of his chin, “I can be very persuasive.”

“Why-ever did you manage that, is a better question,” put in my brother.

“Truth be told, I was in Angareth on other business when this popped up. If we succeed, the King will owe me a favor.” Quill’s look was downright wicked, “I like it when kings owe me favors.”

“I thought there was also something about twenty thousand gold,” I said. As if he needed more favors from kings.

Ayglos choked, his hand halfway raised to offer biscuit to Rabanki. “Twenty thousand gold?”

“Yes, that, too,” Quill’s eyes were sparkling.

Rabanki guffawed, leaving the mantel to sit on Ayglos’s shoulder and take the biscuit. “Is this a two Galhari job, or one?” asked my brother, ignoring the bird.

“Two,” Quill stood and moved to the fireplace.

“Where’s,” I waved my hand, “Rakov, or whoever you were traveling with?”

“I left Jemin and Eliah in Angareth when I came to get you.” Quill replied.

“You took Eliah with you?” I was offended. “Instead of me?”

“She was already with us from a different job.”

I frowned at him. “What can Eliah do that I cannot?”

“Hit a crabapple at a hundred yards,” he replied smoothly.

“Do you often need defending from crabapples?”

“Regardless,” Quill leaned his back against the mantel, crossing his arms, “I came to find you now. Angari culture is rather more reserved than most of Daiesen. Lots of pageantry and rules. There are plenty of places Jemin and I can’t go, and I need someone with a little more social finesse than Eliah—and someone who can speak Angari like a noble.”

Ayglos laughed, “I can just picture Eliah mingling with ladies in waiting.”

The image of Eliah, blonde hair cut short and choppy, knife in her teeth as she strung a bow, tried to blend with the image of ladies in silks bent over embroidery in a gilded room. A laugh coughed out of me. “This job requires mingling with ladies in waiting? My price just went up.”

“Too late,” said Quill, “You already agreed.”

“Verbally.”

He smirked, uncrossing his arms and pulling a folded paper out of his pocket, “There’s one other thing you won’t love about this job: You cannot come as Zare Caspian. Pick a different name.”

I pursed my lips. He was right. I didn’t love it.

He began tearing up the paper, feeding it piece by piece into remains of the morning fire. The shreds curled in the heat and I caught a glimpse of dark curly hair and dark eyes. The wanted notice. “I’d rather not have to worry about someone realizing they could finance a skilled assassin by turning you over to the Empire.”

Ayglos set his hand on his chest, “Kimro Ruddybrook,” then pointed at me, “Zephra Ruddybrook.”

I snorted. “Ruddy brook” was bit on the nose of our monster hunting job.

“Excellent,” Quill straightened and again reached into his jerkin, pulling out a thin sheaf of paper and tossing it on the little table next to Ayglos’s breakfast. “Your contract. We leave as soon as you’re done eating.”

*

 

Special thank you to my Patrons, I am so grateful for your support! Thanks for coming on this journey with me.

Share Zare with your friends and we will be a merry company.

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4-Breakfast

I arrived at Curry’s Catch at seven. The long building was a glorified shack sitting right on the dock, and it reeked of bait, fish, and fried food. I could hear voices and the occasional laugh inside. A handful of horses loitered at the hitching rail, and his bay, Brimborren, was among them. I noted a crossbow and sword nestled among the saddlebags. Dismounting, I flipped Hook’s reins over the rail, and gave both horses a scratch as they greeted one another. It’d been awhile.

I touched my knives, scanning the docks as I approached the open door. Ayglos was somewhere nearby, wandering the docks and keeping a weather eye. One could never be too careful when your invitation had come on a wanted poster. Even if—especially if—it was from an old friend.

As I stepped into the dim interior, my nose wrinkled as the scent of fried food and bait became overwhelming. I found him immediately; he was standing at a long counter to the right talking to the large woman behind it. And he was already looking at me, a smile teasing at his lips, as if he’d sensed my approach. Eloi, he looked good. His hair and skin had been burnished by weeks in the southern sun. He wore traveling clothes in mostly worn browns, tall boots coated with road dust, not a few knives tucked here and there. In the cool of the morning he wore a leather jerkin, but it hung open over his open collar shirt. He looked fresh off the road and fresh off success. I hadn’t seen him since he’d left on that job on the southern tip of the continent last fall, and my whole soul warmed to see Quilleran Rhydderick alive and well.

Quill stepped away from the counter carrying a platter. He jerked his chin for me to follow him to a spot removed from the other patrons. There were a goodly number of patrons—all of whom I’d glazed over entirely when I’d seen Quill. Bad form. I scanned the room quickly, they were hairy fishermen mostly, a few cattle hands mixed in, and they didn’t care at all about us. I strolled after Quill, turning my attention back to him, looking him over for injuries or anything out of place. He moved easily, strong and light on his feet.

He picked a spot where we could both keep an eye on the door. “You’re early,” he set the platter down and slid onto the bench.

I dropped onto the bench across from him and slapped the folded paper containing my likeness onto the table between us.

His smile broadened into a roguish grin, his eyes bright, “Did you like my note?”

I frowned at him, but it took an effort. “You’d better hope the servants didn’t see it; some people would turn their mothers in for less.”

“Please. You eat assassins for breakfast.” He picked up the paper and flicked it open, making a show of admiring my likeness. “I thought you’d appreciate seeing the latest price.”

I did, in fact. “Where did you get it?”

“At the border crossing between Magadar and the Empire.”

I smirked. Maybe hitting that caravan this past winter had been a little much, but it had been very satisfying. “Any for Ayglos?”

“No,” his grin quirked, “There was one with a description of a handsome dark-haired companion, but no picture. So vague as to be useless. Almost as if no one spent hours gazing at his face before giving a description.”

My eyes rolled. One mistake. One time. “Really? You, too?”

He folded the paper and slipped into a pocket inside his jerkin. “Have you had breakfast?”

I shook my head, turning my attention to the platter for the first time. Fried fish, biscuits and…some sort of white paste…it smelled good. Once I sorted the smell of the platter from all the other smells in the room. Quill handed me a fork. “Lucky for you, I knew you’d be early. I got enough for two. Though, Ayglos will have to fend for himself out there.”

I took the offered fork and twirled it through my fingers. “Why the note? Why not join us at the inn last night?”

“Ayglos was making a killing, you were reading.” He shrugged. Then, seeing my look, he added, “I felt my visit would make far too great an impression on the other guests. Word travels.”

I thought of the fancy merchants but decided to leave it for now and speared the fish with my fork. Internally, I blessed the food, adding a prayer for Eloi to preserve me from harm. Just in case. Eloi must’ve heard, because the first bite melted in my mouth just the way fish should, and I nearly moaned from pleasure. Inspired, I dipped my fork in the paste and tried it. Holy heaven. Butter and spices and a faint burn sizzled through my mouth. I smeared some paste on the fish and tried them together. Blessed harmony. I caught amusement in Quill’s eyes as I scraped extra paste onto another bite of fish. As if he’d drag me from the second most expensive inn in Tanglewood Springs to a dumpy fish shack for bad food. I arched a shoulder at him. Point.

We ate listening to the hum of fishermen discussing the morning’s catch, and our meal was mostly gone before I asked, “Why are you here, Quill?”

“Because I was told this place,” he waved his fork at the unremarkable shack surrounding us, “was the best breakfast in Tanglewood Springs.”

Very funny. “Why are you in Tanglewood Springs?”

“Looking for you.”

“Really?” I was surprised. “Why?”

Quill finished his half of the fish before replying. “I’ve got a job for you, if you want it.”

My brows went up. “What kind of job?”

“A job that requires a woman’s touch.”

I stared at him.

Quill set down his fork and stared back, one brow raised.

“What in Serrifis kind of job is that?”

His grin returned, slow and enthralling, “You’ll love it.”

“I’m less sure about that.”

“Three words,” he held up three fingers and ticked them down as he spoke, “Private. Hot. Baths.”

I leaned back. “You do know the way to a girl’s heart.” Also, how to find me in any city anywhere in the world. “How long?”

He considered. “By midsummer we will either be successful…or not.”

“Where?”

“Angareth.”

My brother and I had planned to spend the summer working our way southeast through Villaba toward the coastal city of Cartahayna, a glittering bed of silversmiths and tall ships. Angareth was southwest. Completely the other direction “What’s the job?”

“It involves twenty thousand gold, saving a woman’s life, and hopefully stopping a war before it starts.”

“That’s all?” my scoff was entirely ironic. I tapped the table as I considered. Or, pretended to consider. Fact was that I could never resist when Quill had a job. He had this gift for impossible things which I found utterly thrilling. “I’m interested,” I leaned forward, “Come to my suite and we’ll discuss the details over tea.”

*

Special thank you to my Patrons, I am so grateful for your support! Thanks for coming on this journey with me.

Share Zare with your friends and we will be a merry company.

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3-Notorious

It had not been easy to hack to head from the monster, but we managed. Only broke two knives in the process. It took long enough that our shirts dried and our nymph stripes, which bloomed blue across our bodies when in water, had faded enough for us to return without giving away our mixed heritage. I’d taken a few teeth from the beast, rinsed them off, and tucked them in a pocket as a memento.

We’d looped rope through the jaws and carried the head between us the long walk back to the main barns. It dripped and was disgusting. But the way the foreman recoiled and gaped was rewarding in its own way. He paid us what he promised and sent some of his hands to go fetch the rest of the carcass while we collected our horses and set off again.

Once we were a few miles down the road, Ayglos grinned at me and patted his saddlebag, “See, Zare? Easy money.”

I snorted. “You’re kidding, right? I nearly died of boredom out there.”

My brother laughed, the sun glinting in his short pale hair. It had been brown, once upon a time, but he bleached the color away. I preferred the brown, myself, but couldn’t deny that the white hair and tan skin were striking. Sometimes people asked him if he was Iltaran—his coloring now so like the nomads who lived where the snows never melted.

“I offered to have Rabanki sit with you.” On cue, the large black bird swooped down from trees lining the road and alighted on Ayglos’ shoulder.

I shook my head, leaning forward to stroke Hook’s neck. “No, thank you.”

Rabanki cocked a bright eye at me critically. Ravens were exceptional birds, so intelligent that they could learn languages, and some could speak with the tongues of men. They tended to be very loyal to their friends, and they loved—loved—anything that glittered. Rabanki had chosen Ayglos as a friend. He’d also taken particular interest in anything of mine that glittered.

My fingers strayed to the fine gold chain around my neck, confirming that the gold pendant hidden under my shirt was, in fact, still there. I continued, “If Rabanki sat with me I would have been robbed blind before that monster showed up.”

The raven tossed his head back and cawed a brassy laugh. The little hoarder.

“Then I would have had to fight the monster with just my bare hands—and that wouldn’t have been fair to the poor monster.”

“Point.” Ayglos laughed again, scratching Rabanki under his chin. After a moment Ayglos said, “I think we’ve earned a night in a proper inn, don’t you?”

“I think so,” my lips tipped up in a smile. A real bed sounded delightful. “Do you think we could find one with plumbing?”

It was Ayglos’ turn to snort. “Don’t get too carried away. This is Wimshell. They barely bother with buildings.”

It was only a slight exaggeration. Wimshell was just a few centuries removed from being nomadic. There weren’t many towns, and only the wealthiest had yet built anything as complex as indoor plumbing.  The sun was riding low in the sky as we rode through the wood stockade of Tanglewood Springs and lost ourselves in the dusty streets that wound between the three and four story wood buildings. There were plenty of people out at the end of the day, horse or oxen drawn wagons, women in long skirts carrying baskets, men in hats carrying bundles.

“Can we go to the inn the outfitter told you about?”

Ayglos groaned. “I knew I shouldn’t have told you about the Lake House. That’s probably the most expensive inn here.”

“So? It’s not like we stay in inns very often.” I tossed him grin.

“You want to spend everything all at once?”

“Yes, definitely.”

My brother rolled his eyes. “Insatiable taste for luxury.”

“It can be sated. With a big dinner and a big bath, a big bed,” I lifted my hands and ticked items on my fingers, reins dangling, “And a nice room with a big fireplace—”

Ayglos threw up his hands, Rood snorted. “How about we get all those things at the second-best inn?”

“I’ll take it.”

“And then tomorrow we need to find some new knives.”

“You have excellent ideas.”

*

When hiding nymph heritage, bathing in privacy was a high priority. As it turned out, there were only two inns with suitable bathing rooms in Tanglewood Springs, the Lake House and Prosperous Hall. They were the two finest and most expensive inns the little city had to offer. Far more expensive than they should have been, in my opinion. Yet, we were determined, so we booked at the slightly less expensive Prosperous Hall, under the name Fatty Bowbender. Ayglos had winked at the girl at the counter, his smile dazzling, “Boys in the company have a sense of humor. My real name is Heroic.” She’d blushed, laughed, and taken our money without asking which mercenary company we belonged to. Our suite had four rooms and two private baths—one of which was scandalously enormous. Servants had hand pumped the water from a mechanism in the room. It was definitely more convenient than hauling buckets, though rather less impressive than the plumbing in our grandfather’s palace under Daiesen Bay. But dinner had been excellent, and I couldn’t even begin to express how wonderful it was to have a lazy hot bath and be clean and in clean clothes. I had pulled out my one silk shirt and a clean set of supple breeches before sending an entire saddlebag of dirty laundry with the servants for cleaning. I even took some time to preen in front of the mirror while my stripes faded.

We spent the evening in the large parlor on the main floor. Ayglos played cards with a group of fancy merchants from the south while I sat by the fire with a book hiding most of my face while my knives glinted brazenly in the firelight. Ayglos plied the men with stories—most of them true—about our exploits. Even without knowing my true name, a female mercenary was rare and exciting. Especially if she were pretty, which I was. The other patrons were distracted enough by my presence that Ayglos won more hands than he should have, and we retired to our suite a hundred silver richer.

When we unlocked the door to our suite, a worn, folded piece of paper lay on the floor just inside. I bent and picked it up, flicking it open as I walked into the sitting area. The paper bore a sketch of a girl with dark eyes, a medium nose, lips that curved slightly up, and mane of dark curls. My face. Though, I was a few years older now. Beneath the sketch, printed in big, ugly letters, were the words: “WANTED; Dead or Alive, for Treason against the Empire, 5,000g.” I whistled, “That reward is madly huge. You could build a villa with that kind of money.” It was a much larger number than the first time I’d seen one of these three years ago. Instincts finally alarming, my head snapped up and I scanned the room. I didn’t see anyone or feel any eyes on me, but I loosened a dagger anyway.

Ayglos took the paper from my fingers and grunted critically before handing it back to me. “Still the same picture,” he said. I tossed him a sharp glance as he headed toward his bedchamber, waving a lazy hand at the notice in my hand. “So dramatic. I saw Curry’s Catch last time I was in town, it’s down by the lake shore. Though, I had thought he was on the far side of the world or some such.”

“What are you…” I cut myself off and looked at the notice again. Beneath the print, in handwriting I knew almost as well as my own, it read: “You look good notorious. Breakfast tomorrow, Curry’s Catch, eight.”

*

Special thank you to my Patrons, I am so grateful for your support! Thanks for coming on this journey with me.

Share Zare with your friends and we will be a merry company.

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2-Teeth

The river was clear where it closed over my head, but just a few feet away the cloud of silt roiled through the water. Dark shapes thrashed in the cloud but judging by the amount of red tainting the river, the cow didn’t have long. I swam toward the fray, my efforts hampered by the current. I reached out to the river, just make room for me, I coaxed, that’s all.

It ignored me.

Fine, then.

Even without help, a few powerful strokes pushed me into the cloud of silt and immediately a long hard shape slammed into me. I tumbled, my free hand scraping against scales. I grabbed ahold of a ridge of spikes and found myself whipped through the water. I bumped over the now limp form of the cow and then slammed into another coil of scaled muscle. Large savage claws were in the bleeding flank of the cow. Eloi, what was this thing?  I hoped it had an obvious head. I let go of the coil and grabbed the claws, thrusting my long knife at the creature’s wrist. The impact jarred through my arm as the knife barely pierced beneath the scales. The claws yanked from the cow, nearly tearing the knife from my grip.

With a swoosh of current I came face to face with the jagged teeth and wide fish eyes of the head. For one heartbeat my whole soul was overcome with conviction that in front of the teeth was the one place I did not want to be. I dove toward the creature, closing the distance between us and striking out with the knife. The monster slipped to the side, easily dodging my blow. I swept past it, turning to attack it from behind. A coil slammed into my back, forcing me down until I hit the river bottom. My ribs protested. For a few seconds I struggled to push off the coil, stirring up silt in blinding clouds. The rocky bottom offered tantalizing leverage, but I couldn’t get my legs under me to push upwards.

Even with those teeth and claws, I realized this creature preferred drowning its prey. A wry smile touched my lips; we could be here a while. I willed my body to relax. My hands floated up from the coil, limp and moving gently in the river’s current. I could see shadows moving around me in the murky water. The legs of the cow rolled by in a sickening motion before vanishing again. I waited, listening to the water and the beat of my heart. The silt had nearly settled, outlining the long body of the beast moving gently through the water, by the time the hideous head again turned toward me.

Stay still. Stay relaxed, I reminded myself. I hoped it wasn’t smart enough to know the knife I still held wasn’t a part of my anatomy.

The creature nosed my body, moving from my legs toward my head. The urge to strike burned inside me, stoked by every proprietary touch from the monster’s snout. The monster shifted its coil, loosening so it could get better access to my torso. The jaws opened, its teeth tearing at my shirt. I struck. Blood stained the river as I drove my knife into the monster’s eye. The beast jerked back, wrenching the knife from my hand. I let it, putting both hands on the coil and writhing free.

Bubbles exploded everywhere as another body hit the water. Loops of long, scaled body flailed, knocking me back and then going rigid. I caught the river bottom with one hand and pulled another knife with the other. Shudders ran through the scaled body, I saw a clawed foot flex and pull at the riverbed. Swimming through the silty water, I angled the knife carefully ahead of me. The monster’s head appeared in the glittering silt, my knife sticking from its eye still, its jaws slack. Behind it, shadows took form into the familiar shoulders and bleached head of Ayglos. His hands were still wrapped around his own knife hilt where it protruded from the base of the monster’s skull, leeching blood into the water.

Our eyes met, and Ayglos asked, “Are you alright?” using the language of clicks and whines nymphs used under the sea.

“Splendid,” I replied in the same language. I sheathed my knife and caught hold of the monster’s jaw, helping Ayglos tow it to the shore.

The cows were long gone when we broke the surface of the water and hauled the heavy carcass up behind us. It was thirty feet long when we finally got the whole thing out of the water. We stood back, hands on our hips and regarded our catch. Covered in muddy green scales, the back third was nearly flat for powering through the water, four short legs with webbed feet and savage claws in the middle third, a long flat neck crowned with glassy eyes and massive toothy jaws…

“It looks like an eel with legs,” I said.

“Crossed with that…dinrodile monster from Haim.” Ayglos gestured to the head. “Teeth of a dinrodile.”

“What’s it doing up here?”

My brother shrugged. It was a good question, but the answer wasn’t our business. Unless someone wanted to pay us to find out. “The real question is, will Hook and Rood be willing to haul it?”

I wrinkled my nose. Our horses were all the way back at the main barns for the cattle operation, since we hadn’t wanted to risk them getting eaten by whatever took the cows. I didn’t want to walk back for them and didn’t think we could whistle loudly enough to summon them. My lips twisted as I pictured them, ears askance and eyes wide, should they arrive and see the monster. “Let’s just take the head.”

*

Special thank you to my Patrons, I am so grateful for your support! Thanks for coming on this journey with me.

Share Zare with your friends and we will be a merry company.

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1-Monsters in the Water

I had spent three days perched in a gnarly oak tree watching for monsters, and I was bored. My branch extended over a little river, commanding clear view of the river and the fields on either side—not that there was anything to see. Cattle lazed peacefully in tall green grass to my left. Plowed earth filled the world to my right. Behind me, if I looked, I would see the distant blue ridge of the Phas Mountains. A pretty view. The river in front of me was wide and lazy and had many places where the banks dipped low, and many other places you could swim in deep, clear pools.

Quiet.

Good fishing.

And no monsters in sight.

I chewed on a stalk of grass, absently watching the tip toss. The thing about hunting was that you couldn’t bring a book.

Spring was bleeding into summer and the days were warm enough that I’d ditched my leather jerkin on the first day out here. The breeze obligingly licked through the linen shirt I wore under my harness of knives, soothing the burn of the late afternoon sun.

A three-note whistle came from upriver. My brother, Ayglos, checking in on his younger sister. I removed the grass long enough to repeat the three-note whistle back.

My brother had gotten us this monster hunting job. We were fresh off a job tracking down a bounty—a murderer we’d caught up with just a few days ride from here. Ayglos had gone into Tanglewood Springs for supplies while I took a nap in a puddle of sunshine. Of the two of us, he was less notable, so he did most of the errands when we were riding together.

At the outfitter, he’d struck up a conversation with a Master Hadrake’s foreman. Turns out, Master Hadrake’s cattle were disappearing, and his herdsmen swore up and down that a scaled beast with hideous claws had risen from the river to claim the cows. It had gotten so bad most of the herdsmen refused to come anywhere near the river and the foreman was hitting up all the taverns and outfitters in Wimshell looking for new herdsmen. Ayglos had offered a different service. “Can’t pass up an ‘easy job,’” I muttered, biting down on the grass. Any chance to earn good money. It’s not like we had anywhere else to be for a few months. It was only a small comfort that Ayglos was sitting in a tree at another major watering spot. Just as bored as I was.

If I hadn’t seen massive clawed, webbed, tracks, in the soft river bank I would have assumed Master Hadrake was being robbed. I’d never heard of a river monster this far north. Though, despite being half-nymph, we’d spent rather less time hunting water monsters than one might suppose.

After three days of sitting in a tree by the herd’s favorite watering spot with nothing but insects and my thoughts for company, I was returning to the cattle rustler theory. We had tried to question the river itself when we first arrived, but it had been vague and uncooperative. Maybe the river thought we were crazy.

My stalk of grass snapped, and I nearly fell off the branch as I lunged to snatch it before it fell out of reach.

An uncertain moo sounded below. I looked down to see a cow craning her head to look at me, her large brown eyes set in a wide piebald face, ears flicking attentively. The whole herd was behind her, having picked their way over to the river while I’d been engrossed in my thoughts.

“It’s alright,” I told the cow, “I’m not the monster.” I waved vaguely at the river.

Her ears flicked. Unconvinced.

“I’m not. Go drink, I’m sure you’re thirsty.”

Cows were such skeptical creatures. I supposed they had a right, having lost several of their compatriots to the river in the past few weeks.

I swung my legs over the side of the branch and bowed at the waist, “Word of honor, my good cow, I, Zare Caspian of Galhara, am not the one killing your sistren.”

Eloi help me. Three days alone in a tree, and I, Zare Caspian of Galhara, Daughter of Zam the Great, Ghost of Nelia, Curse of the Empire, was losing my mind.

The cow blinked at me, as if agreeing with my thoughts. Then, with a shake of her head she turned and strolled to the water. Three others followed her down the slope to the water’s edge, and two waded in to drink half submerged. More from the herd started to amble over. I watched them, grass dangling from my fingers as my mind wandered far away to another river, swift and deep, that ran beside a breathtaking stone palace.

One of the cows vanished under the water with a bovine shriek. I cursed. Water churned, the black hooves of the cow breaking the surface in a desperate kick before a scaled ridge arched over them and both disappeared in a cloud of silt…and then blood…bellowing filled the air as the other cows fled. Leaping to my feet I drew a long knife and barely remembered to whistle for Ayglos before diving into the river.

Special thank you to my Patrons, I am so grateful for your support! Thanks for coming on this journey with me.

Share Zare with your friends and we will be a merry company.

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Title Reveal

It’s all fun and games until someone is stuck wearing hoop skirts and playing bait for an assassin. 

#mondayswithzare

I’m so excited you guys! Next Monday is the official release of the First Episode of The Hoopskirt Job. Can you believe it? You’re all like, “Yeah, we’ve been waiting for three months.” Yeah, yeah,  know. But if you rush a miracle you get a rotten miracle (Miracle Max was so wise).

Many thanks to my patrons, who’ve supported me as I wrote and brainstormed like a really stormy storm mage.

See you Monday!

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Launch Date

Hey everyone!

I have wonderful news, we have a launch date for the new Zare adventure! The story will resume February 4th, stay tuned for the release of the story name and the world map. Oh! And now we have a page devoted to keeping track of places and characters in the story, in case you get lost or turned about at any point. Thanks to keyboard short cuts it’s super easy to find who you are looking for.

If you want to be in the know and get things a bit early, check out Zare’s Patreon page where you can become part of the adventure.

Thank you so much Patrons for your continued support while the story has been in development!

I’m so grateful to have you all on this adventure with me.

 

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Legendary Art

Took a break to paint!

Typically, I have The Badlands Job, The River Rebellion, and the new story open all at the same time so I can work on them concurrently. There are so many moving parts, I’m so looking forward to launching this in the new year.

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In the works…

Hey Everyone!

I’m so excited to say that I’ve officially put words down in the next adventure! I’ve also got a couple other projects underway–a character list and a map.

I love maps, but they are not easy! You might not believe this but I have, actually, had a map this whole time which I’ve been referencing. But, I’ve never scanned it and frankly it’s huge. But the time has come to bring it to the digital world so you can see what I’m seeing. This also entails some work to make it pretty.

Stay tuned!

**Also, check out this totally cool Zare hoodie, I’m sure I need one**z blue spatter hoodie

Special thanks to my Patrons, who support the rebellion.

(Get first-looks and the inside track on other behind the scenes info by becoming a Patron.)

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