made sense, though he would have never suspected it, had it not been pointed out to him. The merchant guild would be the perfect disguise for their activities. There was not a kingdom in all of Kurt that did not feel the presence of the merchants of Rane. Thad didn’t know if destroying the merchant guild would hinder the Brotherhood overly but he was keen on finding out.
The easiest way to get to Rane would be through Farlan, but Thad knew there would be a good chance the Brotherhood would be looking for him there. The only other option would be to sail farther north to Delamar and then travel southeast into Rane.
Delamar was a small kingdom of simple folk made mostly of fisherman and farmers. From his studies in the academy, Thad knew that they were famous for their wines and had close ties with Rane, and the Merchant Guild, so he would have to be careful.
Before drifting off to sleep, Thad thought briefly of his other friends. He hoped they had survived the Brotherhood’s attack but he knew he didn’t have the luxury to search them out, nor did he have the drive. All that held his focus was a burning desire to kill every person who wore the sign of the fox.
CHAPTER VI
Just as she promised, as soon as the first rays of light graced the top of the trees, Emeriss escorted Thad to the council building. It was a large towering building easily twice the size of anything he had seen before. In the center of the building stood a giant tree that looked as if it was large enough to reach past the sky.
Emeriss led Thad to a large room that held a golden table with expensive silver chairs. “I thought there was only fifteen nobles on the council? I count twenty-five chairs in all,” Thad asked as he ran a hand across one of the tops of the chairs.
“We often have visitors and we would be loath to have them stand,” Emeriss explained in her musical voice. “The rest of the council will be here within the hour. I thought it best we arrive first so that we can speak to any of those who arrive early. I doubt they will deny you the rite, but it is better to do everything in our power to increase the chances, even if it is just by a little.”
A sudden thought occurred to Thad making him pale slightly. “Will Reinwood be in the meeting?”
“No, that blowhard is on one of the lower councils. I cannot rightly remember which one but then again there are countless councils. Most nobles belong to at least four or five. As I mentioned last night many elves seek out politics to end their boredom. It is the most popular pastime at the moment, though in a few hundred years most will grow bored with it and dabble in other distractions.” Thad could not mistake the disgust in her voice, making him wonder what the other distractions might be.
The first elf to join them in the council chambers was a youthful looking elf, though Thad knew the look of their age was deceiving. The elf wore an extravagant tunic made of what appeared to be butterflies crafted of spun gold and silver. From the look of discomfort on the elf’s face his attire must have weighed an ungodly amount.
“Lord Thornwood, I see you dress as extravagantly as ever,” Emeriss said, her tone slightly mocking.
Thornwood ran his fingers over the delicate wings of one of the larger butterflies, “Do you like it? One of my artisans finished it for me only this past week. It took him nearly two years to complete the work but I believe it was well worth the wait. The weight makes it a tad uncomfortable though.” The elf’s last word was accented with a sly wink as he laughed about his own pun.
“This must be the young mage that has the whole city in a dither,” Thornwood said, turning to look at Thad with appraising eyes. “Is it true you threw Reinwood out of his own house and beat him in the street with a whip?” Thornwood’s voice had a slight hint of laughter hidden within it.
“I don’t remember using a whip,” Thad said, his tone somber. “I
The easiest way to get to Rane would be through Farlan, but Thad knew there would be a good chance the Brotherhood would be looking for him there. The only other option would be to sail farther north to Delamar and then travel southeast into Rane.
Delamar was a small kingdom of simple folk made mostly of fisherman and farmers. From his studies in the academy, Thad knew that they were famous for their wines and had close ties with Rane, and the Merchant Guild, so he would have to be careful.
Before drifting off to sleep, Thad thought briefly of his other friends. He hoped they had survived the Brotherhood’s attack but he knew he didn’t have the luxury to search them out, nor did he have the drive. All that held his focus was a burning desire to kill every person who wore the sign of the fox.
CHAPTER VI
Just as she promised, as soon as the first rays of light graced the top of the trees, Emeriss escorted Thad to the council building. It was a large towering building easily twice the size of anything he had seen before. In the center of the building stood a giant tree that looked as if it was large enough to reach past the sky.
Emeriss led Thad to a large room that held a golden table with expensive silver chairs. “I thought there was only fifteen nobles on the council? I count twenty-five chairs in all,” Thad asked as he ran a hand across one of the tops of the chairs.
“We often have visitors and we would be loath to have them stand,” Emeriss explained in her musical voice. “The rest of the council will be here within the hour. I thought it best we arrive first so that we can speak to any of those who arrive early. I doubt they will deny you the rite, but it is better to do everything in our power to increase the chances, even if it is just by a little.”
A sudden thought occurred to Thad making him pale slightly. “Will Reinwood be in the meeting?”
“No, that blowhard is on one of the lower councils. I cannot rightly remember which one but then again there are countless councils. Most nobles belong to at least four or five. As I mentioned last night many elves seek out politics to end their boredom. It is the most popular pastime at the moment, though in a few hundred years most will grow bored with it and dabble in other distractions.” Thad could not mistake the disgust in her voice, making him wonder what the other distractions might be.
The first elf to join them in the council chambers was a youthful looking elf, though Thad knew the look of their age was deceiving. The elf wore an extravagant tunic made of what appeared to be butterflies crafted of spun gold and silver. From the look of discomfort on the elf’s face his attire must have weighed an ungodly amount.
“Lord Thornwood, I see you dress as extravagantly as ever,” Emeriss said, her tone slightly mocking.
Thornwood ran his fingers over the delicate wings of one of the larger butterflies, “Do you like it? One of my artisans finished it for me only this past week. It took him nearly two years to complete the work but I believe it was well worth the wait. The weight makes it a tad uncomfortable though.” The elf’s last word was accented with a sly wink as he laughed about his own pun.
“This must be the young mage that has the whole city in a dither,” Thornwood said, turning to look at Thad with appraising eyes. “Is it true you threw Reinwood out of his own house and beat him in the street with a whip?” Thornwood’s voice had a slight hint of laughter hidden within it.
“I don’t remember using a whip,” Thad said, his tone somber. “I
Similar Books
