hands. They did
try to do long range target practice with the bows, but Chele found
it difficult to aim correctly. Several of her arrows were lost and
one slightly injured a squirrel that happened to be watching from
the sidelines.
But put a sword in the human’s hands, and she was
remarkable. The two would fence whenever there was a free moment.
Queig usually bested her, but recently the tables were turning.
“The market was busy today,” Chele said collapsing on
a nearby seat. Queig was busy making a snack in the kitchen.
“I think I am too tired for any training tonight.”
The goblin’s voice echoed his sentiments.
They sat in silence, Queig eating.
“Has she ever left you this long before?”
Queig looked over at Chele. “Feeling a little concern
for Katrena, are you?” Instantly he knew it was the wrong thing to
say. Chele’s face went from passive to angry.
“If she stayed away forever, I wouldn’t care. But the
moment she is back, I am taking a sword across her throat.”
“You mustn’t.”
“Why else do you think I learned about the weapons?
She kidnapped me, killed my husband…ruined my whole life!” Tears
broke through and Chele covered her face. She hated to cry now. It
made her feel weak and like a freak because of her black tears.
“Mistress Katrena does do horrible things, and I do
not deny that you have a claim against her. But she is a skilled
assassin. You have only been training a few weeks. You cannot best her.” Queig tried to reason with the human. His
mistress would not die, even if he had to intervene. But the goblin
preferred to keep both women.
Chele dried her tears before giving Queig a long hard
stare. She stood, not saying a word, and then exited the room. The
goblin watched, worried what he might have done by teaching the
human how to use the weapons.
***
It had been another restless night for Taylon. There
was too much going on inside his head for his body to sleep. He sat
on a rock as the day was starting to break.
The rest of scouting party had come back empty
handed. No girl. The trail disappeared in the Territory woods.
Taylon thanked the men, still unnerved Euphoria knew his plans. Was
it a trick?
The wolves had not been bad last night, but there had
been a casualty among the soldiers. One cocky recruit thought it
would be funny to challenge one of the night beasts with a sword.
Needless to say, the wolf won, dragging most of the soldier into
the woods.
Taylon half-heartedly scolded the other men on night
watch, but his resolve was broken. It was not his guard anymore,
not his army. Euphoria controlled them all.
Taylon. Come. A voice rang in his head, a
haunting tone of death and misery. Euphoria was calling him. He
stood, looking out over the broken wall, forests showing through
the leftover rubble. His heart felt like the wall.
Euphoria’s carriage, stationed farther back and in
the center, found protection among the maze of tents and fire. Some
soldiers were up, cooking a morning meal or tending to their
possessions. Most nodded to the captain as he passed by. Taylon
kept his head down to avoid their eyes. He wanted to get this
meeting with the queen over with quickly.
Next to the carriage, a large tent was set up. She
needed no guards because her tigers acted as her sentries. Nothing
passed by the beasts without permission from the queen.
Figaro lay curled up by the entrance. As Taylon
approached, the big cat’s head lazily lifted to track his every
move. It silently tracked him with its eyes as the captain came
forward. Taylon had to step around it to enter.
Come.
The cat eyed the captain, before laying its head down
again. With the demon in control, he didn’t know how the tigers
would react to him.
Inside the queen’s chambers, Daisy lay close by the
door. This tiger didn’t even bother waking up. Euphoria was at a
table, studying the maps. Her usual black dress hung in the corner
by a makeshift bed. She wore a robe of silver and
try to do long range target practice with the bows, but Chele found
it difficult to aim correctly. Several of her arrows were lost and
one slightly injured a squirrel that happened to be watching from
the sidelines.
But put a sword in the human’s hands, and she was
remarkable. The two would fence whenever there was a free moment.
Queig usually bested her, but recently the tables were turning.
“The market was busy today,” Chele said collapsing on
a nearby seat. Queig was busy making a snack in the kitchen.
“I think I am too tired for any training tonight.”
The goblin’s voice echoed his sentiments.
They sat in silence, Queig eating.
“Has she ever left you this long before?”
Queig looked over at Chele. “Feeling a little concern
for Katrena, are you?” Instantly he knew it was the wrong thing to
say. Chele’s face went from passive to angry.
“If she stayed away forever, I wouldn’t care. But the
moment she is back, I am taking a sword across her throat.”
“You mustn’t.”
“Why else do you think I learned about the weapons?
She kidnapped me, killed my husband…ruined my whole life!” Tears
broke through and Chele covered her face. She hated to cry now. It
made her feel weak and like a freak because of her black tears.
“Mistress Katrena does do horrible things, and I do
not deny that you have a claim against her. But she is a skilled
assassin. You have only been training a few weeks. You cannot best her.” Queig tried to reason with the human. His
mistress would not die, even if he had to intervene. But the goblin
preferred to keep both women.
Chele dried her tears before giving Queig a long hard
stare. She stood, not saying a word, and then exited the room. The
goblin watched, worried what he might have done by teaching the
human how to use the weapons.
***
It had been another restless night for Taylon. There
was too much going on inside his head for his body to sleep. He sat
on a rock as the day was starting to break.
The rest of scouting party had come back empty
handed. No girl. The trail disappeared in the Territory woods.
Taylon thanked the men, still unnerved Euphoria knew his plans. Was
it a trick?
The wolves had not been bad last night, but there had
been a casualty among the soldiers. One cocky recruit thought it
would be funny to challenge one of the night beasts with a sword.
Needless to say, the wolf won, dragging most of the soldier into
the woods.
Taylon half-heartedly scolded the other men on night
watch, but his resolve was broken. It was not his guard anymore,
not his army. Euphoria controlled them all.
Taylon. Come. A voice rang in his head, a
haunting tone of death and misery. Euphoria was calling him. He
stood, looking out over the broken wall, forests showing through
the leftover rubble. His heart felt like the wall.
Euphoria’s carriage, stationed farther back and in
the center, found protection among the maze of tents and fire. Some
soldiers were up, cooking a morning meal or tending to their
possessions. Most nodded to the captain as he passed by. Taylon
kept his head down to avoid their eyes. He wanted to get this
meeting with the queen over with quickly.
Next to the carriage, a large tent was set up. She
needed no guards because her tigers acted as her sentries. Nothing
passed by the beasts without permission from the queen.
Figaro lay curled up by the entrance. As Taylon
approached, the big cat’s head lazily lifted to track his every
move. It silently tracked him with its eyes as the captain came
forward. Taylon had to step around it to enter.
Come.
The cat eyed the captain, before laying its head down
again. With the demon in control, he didn’t know how the tigers
would react to him.
Inside the queen’s chambers, Daisy lay close by the
door. This tiger didn’t even bother waking up. Euphoria was at a
table, studying the maps. Her usual black dress hung in the corner
by a makeshift bed. She wore a robe of silver and
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