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The Feri Circle
Chapter 21
The next morning after breakfast, Wren and I entered the Yull palace's library. The size of a football pitch, the impressive room was crammed with tall shelves. They were stacked with mostly parchments and books. One prominent feature of the place was a small lounge right smack in its middle. Even more astonishing were the walls. They were left free of shelves and were covered with elaborate tapestries of eagle shifters and their allies in battles.
On one of the tapestries, there was an image of a dragon. A colossal four legged creature with a massive head, a strong body adorned with a pair of bat wings and a long muscular spiny tail. The dragon appeared to be amber-brown but the light play on its scales in the image gave me the impression that the creature could change color at will like a chameleon.
'That's Dreg, the alpha dragon shifter,' Wren told me when he noticed me staring at the image.
'The alpha dragon shifter,' I repeated absentmindedly. Kan, the previous Keeper of the barrier between worlds and Helledon's predecessor told me about dragons. He spoke of them with disgust. As a matter of fact he demonized them. But seeing the image of a real dragon now, I realized that he had been exaggerating a bit. I could not see the evil that he saw. I had no idea why Kan loathed dragons so much. In the end he banished them from this realm.
'The dragons may not be around anymore but their feats were legendary. They made good allies. That was if you could get them to trust you. They mostly kept to themselves, never bothering about the politics of lesser creatures like us. Some say they had a god complex.'
'Do you think they're still alive wherever they are?'
'Probably,' he replied.
'Over here you guys,' Nick called us from the lounge. He was standing behind his father who was sitting on a couch facing my uncle. Charlie sat on the armrest of another couch occupied by Eric. Commander Stryker and Jan were cuddling on the last couch close to Commander Nicodemus.
Just as we reached the group, Seth and Dale entered the room followed by Wren's estranged brother. Kane looked like he normally did; Machiavellian and aloof.
'How are you feeling Rye? Eric asked me.
I looked around before I answered. The two commanders were engaged in a conversation while Jan was giving them her utmost attention. Nick seemed engrossed in the discussion as well. Dale was explaining something to Kane while pointing at Jan and Nico and Stryker. Seth was on the other side of the room talking with the book keeper, probably asking him for some privacy.
'I'm fine,' I said simply.
Wren frowned at me. 'He's not fine. He had another nightmare last night.'
I pinned him with a stare and scowled. I did not want to drag Charlie and Eric into this. However, it was true that I have been having nightmares for the past three days since we arrived here in the eagle shifter palace.
Charlie had a concerned look but he chose to remain quiet. He knew how stressful all of this was for me.
'Have you ever tried holistic healing? It can do wonders with such things as nightmares. I know someone who practices it in the city. If you like I'll book you an appointment,' Eric said.
Having someone pry into my private thoughts and life just to tell me how to live a more balanced lifestyle was not in my immediate plan. No thank you sir, but I never got to say that out loud.
'It's good that you all made it,' Charlie interrupted Eric and addressed the group. 'Our recent battle has left us with many scars however, no matter how small, victory was ours. Unfortunately we lost another man last night. His wounds were too great. At least I'm glad to say the other wounded are faring much better. They are receiving the best of care.'
'What about Riven?' I asked. Wren and I didn't get a chance to visit him this morning.
'The worst is over, although, he has yet to regain consciousness,' Eric replied with conviction in his tone.
There were a few more comments from Jan about the wounded before Charlie took over again. 'Anyway, except for Riven who can't be moved right now, all our wounded are being teleported back to the High Guard Camp this afternoon. They have family waiting to see them.'
He took a pause to gather his thoughts.
'Malik arrived in Yull this morning. He is having an audience with her Majesty Queen Selene. Since we were unsuccessful in convincing the Mageling communities to join our cause we are taking a different approach on the matter. They are discussing the possibility of hosting a banquet with a special invitation to all of them.'
'They have sticks shoved so far up their asses, I doubt they'll come,' Stryker said.
'Oh, they will be obliged to come,' Charlie sounded confident on this. 'The eagle shifters control the trade of azurite. We all know it's the most precious commodities for the witches.'
There were agreements all around.
'What's azurite?' I asked.
It was Jan who answered. 'It's azurite powder to be exact. It's used in spell casting to make it more potent. Like the shielding spells that protect the cities. Putting one up without azurite can drain your strengths and won't last more than a day or two.'
So, azurite is the witches' weakness. And Charlie is using it as a carrot to coerce them into submission.
I personally thought it to be a terrible idea. Nothing good can come from bending someone to your will without the freedom of choice.
'I don't like it,' I said out loud. Every pair of eyes was on me now. 'If you're using it to get them in the same room, fine, but don't hold this over their heads. I want people to follow me for the right reasons. Not because they have no choice. The witches are keen on their laws as are the other races. There must be a loophole somewhere in their constitution that we can exploit. I know it won't be any different from what I'm opposing but I find people respond better when you follow and respect their institutions.'
Kane raised a brow while Stryker was giving me an approving nod, which told me he was impressed.
'We'll take that into consideration,' Charlie said with a candid smile.
'What will we do in the meantime?' Nick asked.
'I want you to join your father. He'll be recruiting more warriors to replenish our ranks. Stryker and I will be planning the gathering of the Mageling leaders with Malik and Queen Selene. Jan and Eric will accompany the wounded back to Camp. They will also see to the running of the Camp.'
He then looked at me. 'Rye, now that you've found the feri children, your job is to figure out how to break the Feri from reclusion.'
'Will do,' I said, 'but Wren and I have a new mission.'
Wren put his arm around my shoulder as if I needed protection.
'Wren's powers have been subdued. We need to find the man responsible.'
Wren and I took turns in explaining about Amegra's actions, about Dorek and Koff.
'Koff is a dangerous place, Your Majesty,' Commander Stryker said. 'I do not recommend you go there. It's the only town in the Sear not under the influence of the Mageling council and it's a safe haven for marauding cut-throats and thieves.'
Wren and I exchanged glances. The look in his eyes told me he really wanted this. And so did I.
'Your concern is duly noted but nothing will deter us from going. You forget that all feri children must be in full power if we are to bring this war to an end.'
'We hear you, Rye,' Charlie said raising a hand at Stryker who was about to protest some more. 'You are the High King and you have made a decision. We will abide by it. However, heed our concerns before you walk into the lion's den.'
I looked at Wren and he nodded.
'We're listening.'
Charlie turned to Stryker. 'Tell us what you know about the town?'
'I had just joined the Warrior Guild when my men and I got our fist paid assignment. It was a rescue mission. A band of bandits kidnapped the Mayor of Hering's daughter and he wanted her back in one piece.'
'Hering is a wealthy City. The Mayor has enough treasures to pay for the ransom,' Kane said out of the blue.
Eric frowned at him but Wren was grinning. I hadn't a clue why.
'It's not about treasure. It's about principles. The Mayor did not pay the ransom because if he did he might as well stand in the middle of an open field with a plank over his head written with the words "come and rob me more often. I am menially weak",' Commander Nico sarcastically said.
Everyone laughed. All but Kane who looked flustered.
'As I was saying, the Mayor's daughter was on her way to her bond possessor...'
'Bond possessor?' I interrupted. I have heard of bondmate, bond master for a slaver but never bond possessor.
'It's what we call a man who's taking a breeder to his bed. It's like an arranged marriage if you will,' Eric said.
'That's barbaric,' I said, appalled. Even though arranged marriages exist in the world I grew up in, I was against the idea.
'It may be, Rye, but it's perfectly legal in Targeten,' Jan said.
I still couldn't wrap my brain around it. How could someone force another human being through this? 'Are you telling me Eva had a similar arrangement with Niall?'
'No. Their arrangement was different. Our family did not send her to Niall. Niall picked us off the street, clothed us, bestowed us with his name and gave us a roof over our head with employment. No, my sister wasn't forced into that. She didn't even feel obligated to do it. Niall was a man with a broken heart. True he had Xander, but he longed for an heir. So my sister willingly agreed to bear his children,' Dale said with a disgusted face. I never saw him angry before and I might say the little guy is as fierce as his tiger.
'I'm truly sorry Dale,' I said apologetically. 'I didn't mean to offend you.'
He suddenly went white as a sheet. 'No, Your Majesty. It is I who should apologize for my brashness.' Dale was my friend but right now he was talking to his King not his friend.
'No harm done. It was I who was in the wrong. And I will gladly accept your apology.'
Nicodemus nodded approvingly while Wren held my hand.
'Commander Stryker. You were saying,' I said.
He smiled. 'As I was saying, the daughter was on her way to her bond possessor in Ashen when the bandits attacked her caravan. They killed a few of her bodyguards and chained the others with all her servants. They were then hauled off to Koff. Three days later a messenger arrived at Hering and another at Ashen demanding payment for her release. The Mayor of Hering refused to pay, so did the Mayor of Ashen. However, the Mayor of Hering's bondmate pleaded with him to at least send someone to rescue her.
'The Guild leased the contract and we took the job when others refused. It was a hopeless mission and we knew it. My commander at the time took the mission because he was desperate to make a name for our unit.
'We separated our squad into smaller bands and travelled to Koff in the guise of fellow thieves. What we found there was appalling. The women servants had been sold off to the King of thieves' men as sex slaves, while the men were dragged to the arena to be slaughtered for entertainment.
'It took us two weeks to come up with a workable plan. But in the end we did deliver the Mayor's daughter to her parents. Regrettably we lost our commanding officer and eight of our comrades on the night of the great escape. We almost did not make it if not for Keene.'
'If I'm not mistaken, Keene is your second in command, right?' Nicodemus interrupted.
'Yes. He was born in Koff. He has family there. If you're set on going to Koff, you should take him with you,' Stryker said.
'That's it then. Keene is coming with us,' Wren said.
'You should take Farren and Rhett with you too,' Charlie said.
'With all due respect Char, Farren is an excellent warrior but he can't lie to save his own life. And Rhett is too emotionally unstable right now to commit fully to the cause,' Nick said. 'I volunteer myself.'
'No,' Stryker said. 'You're a powerful boy but one thing you should know about Koff is its citizens are outcasts. They are men and women without any magical abilities and if they did, their magic is menial. Their leader himself is a hag. He had magical parents but he didn't inherit any of their magic. Anyway that's not the point. The point is your abilities won't work in Koff.'
'Why's that?' Seth asked.
'The same reason we almost failed in our mission,' Stryker said. 'There's an inhibitor crystal in the middle of town that is suppressing all magic within a ten mile radius of Koff. Within this circle, shifters can't shift, witches are rendered powerless and magical objects won't function. You'll be going in blind and unprotected.'
'I would go with Wren and His Majesty,' Kane said. 'We Graylards had been trained since childhood by the best weapon masters throughout Targeten. We have gone through a series of trials to test our learned skills. For our final trial we had to overcome an inhibitor collar. It was painful but we all made it.'
I gave Wren a questionable look. 'Is that true?'
He grimly nodded.
'Eric,' Charlie said. His voice barely a whisper.
'Our father valued strong sons. He put us through trials to shape us into perfect warriors. I loathed him for that, but yes, he did teach us how to overcome the inhibitor crystal.'
'You never told me about it. Why?' Charlie questioned his bondmate.
'It never came up.'
Charlie slid into the chair next to Eric and took him in his arms. 'I want to hear all about it later, okay atsa.'
'Sure.'
So, it was agreed. Kane and Keene will join Wren and me on our quest.
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End of chapter 21