Tharstin sighed and said, ‘She said for us to know the prophecy is sure, one of her jewels would come into the kingdom and a spirit would be released.’

  ‘That creature in court?’

  ‘Yes, but that’s not all. On Remembrance Day, if the jewel is dropped within the heart of the city, the sorceress will have the power to release the spirits. So we must find the one with the jewel before then.’

  The direction of the wind changed, moving past them into a large field of tall purple lily plants that surrounded a stone house.

  ‘The house of Wisgurn.’ Tharstin said. He raised his hand and halted the soldiers. They stood at the edge of the field. There seemed to be no point of entrance except cutting through the field.

  ‘General, how will we cross?’ said one of the soldiers.

  ‘Just wait.’ he said.

  A breeze blew across the field, creating hissing sounds as the plants rubbed against one another. Like whispers, Gisilfried thought. She knew they were there. In front of them, the field cleared a narrow grassy path that led to the castle gate.

  ‘How can we trust the witch? Aren’t we the ones who enslaved her here?’ Gisilfried asked, his eyes perusing the fields. His eyes fell on a window in the house facing the path.

  ‘We have no choice. She has helped us before; let us hope she helps us now. She has as much to lose as we do if the sorceress rises.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘The sun is setting. We must go.’ Tharstin turned to the men, ‘Stay on the path. We ride hard.’

  He led the way through the path. Gisilfried heard rustling in the leaves nearby. A soldier behind him screamed. He looked back but the soldier was gone.

  ‘Ride fast.’ Tharstin shouted, ‘There are creatures in these fields. We must get to the house before sundown.’

  They rode faster but darkness was flooding the field and catching up with them. Whoever the darkness fell on was dragged with his horse by something into the fields. Gisilfried focused on the gate and rode as fast as he could. Tharstin rode ahead of him. By the time they reached the gate, it swung open without them touching it. They rode in and the gate was shut. Gisilfried turned around. Only twelve soldiers remained. The sun had set.

  Tharstin climbed down from his horse. Gisilfried and the rest of the soldiers followed suit.

  ‘Men, you’ll stand guard here.’ said the general. ‘Prince Gisilfried, come with me.’

  Gisilfried climbed the steps with him leading to a wooden door.

  ‘What were those things?’ he asked the general.

  ‘Don’t ask. It’s the curse of this house.’ Tharstin knocked on the door. It swung open by itself. Gisilfried hadn’t been sure of what he would find but he hadn’t expected what he saw. He caught his breath. The door opened to a hall way lit with candles on elaborately carved candlesticks that hung on the walls. The walls were lined with exotic tapestry and the chairs were carved from cedar wood. The air was warm and heavy with perfume. It was like walking into a palace. Tharstin didn’t seem surprised by the grandeur of the room. He walked across the room, his eyes darting side to side while he held the hilt of his unsheathed sword. Gisilfried followed him, wondering if he had stepped into a dream. Tharstin stopped at the foot of the stairs. The stair way was wide and built with white rock.

  ‘Witch of Wisgurn,’ he called, ‘we need your help.’

  His voice echoed in the stairway but there was no response. Tharstin drew his sword. ‘She usually answers when I call.’ he said. Gisilfried climbed two steps up.

  ‘My lord.’ Tharstin said in objection.

  ‘General, lower your sword.’ he said, then turned to face the stairs, ‘Lady in velvet, please we need your help.’

  There was silence, then they heard footsteps descending. A young, maiden in a rich green tunic stood at the landing of the stairs. ‘My mistress says you may come up.’ She turned and went up the stairs. They followed her.

  ‘Why didn’t your mistress answer me?’ Tharstin asked as they climbed.

  ‘My lady no longer answers to the name Witch of Wisgurn.’ She stopped at a door facing the stairs and knocked.

  ‘Come in.’ answered a silky voice. The girl said to them, ‘Wait here.’

  She let herself in and shut the door. Her voice was audible. ‘My lady, the general is here.’

  ‘Let he and the young man with him come in.’ said the voice. ‘I’ll speak with them alone. Take this and give some to the other girls. You know what to do.’

  The girl came out with a large wooden bowl half filled with a green mixture. She left the door open and extended her hand for the men to enter. Tharstin whispered to Gisilfried, ‘Allow me to do the talking.’

  The girl closed the door behind them. Gisilfried looked around the room. It was neat and had two tables in it. One was arranged with the books and parchments, and the other had herbs and potted plants. There was a bed by the window and the window faced the path. A tall dark-haired woman in purple velvet robes stood by the table that had herbs. She was pounding something in a bowl with a small wooden pestle and humming a tune. Tharstin drew his sword.

  ‘Tharstin, put that toy of yours away.’ she said without looking. ‘You know I could kill you before you even moved it.’

  He slid the sword back into its sheath and said, ‘We didn’t come here to have our time wasted.’

  ‘I’m making something for your wounds.’ she said.

  ‘We’re not injured.’

  ‘Tharstin, feel your neck, and young man, check your left arm.’ They did and felt blood trickling down from small slits.

  ‘You did this, witch.’ Tharstin said, unsheathing his blade again. The woman didn’t stir from what she was doing.

  ‘I wish I did but I would have killed you in a more witch-like fashion, eating you alive perhaps.’ She dropped the pestle down. ‘The leaves on the plants had tiny spikes coated with poison. They cut you while you rode down here. The poison quickly spreads through your body.’ She approached them with the bowl. ‘First faintness, then paralysis, then death. Very simple.’

  ‘I warn you witch, if you come any closer, I’ll…’ Tharstin’s sword hand trembled and he staggered back.

  She smiled and said, ‘You’ll…phiff!’ She blew on him and he fell to the ground, his sword clanging on the floor beside him. His eyes were open and he tried to speak but no words came. Gisilfried held the hilt of his sword but his hands trembled. His sight was blurry and he felt numbness spreading to his hands and feet.

  ‘Sit down.’ she said to him, pointing to a chair beside the door. He obeyed, willing all his strength to control his movements. Breathing deeply, he balled his hands into fists and watched as she bent down and rubbed the green mixture into Tharstin’s cut.

  ‘That should do.’ she said, then crossed over Tharstin and walked to him. She pulled up his left sleeve and rubbed the mixture into his cut. He winced. It stung at first but he felt warmth spread through his body. His vision got clearer.

  ‘What about the others?’ Gisilfried said. ‘They must be wounded.’

  ‘My hand-maidens are tending to them and your horses.’ she said as she rubbed more in.

  ‘Why would you save our lives after trying to kill us?’

  ‘I didn’t try to kill you.’

  ‘But you planted those lilies.’

  ‘Yes, I did.’ She paused and looked at him. ‘The thing about this land is that it corrupts everything that grows out of it. It’s cursed, that’s why I was exiled here.’

  ‘If you could leave if you wanted, couldn’t you?’

  ‘Yes, I could, Prince Gisilfried.’

  ‘How do you know my name?’

  She smiled. Creases formed around the skin of her azure eyes. She looked in her mid-forties but she had a youthful glow.

  ‘There.’ she said, rising. ‘You’ll be fine in a few moments.’ She turned and dropped the bowl on the table and cleaned the green stains from her hands with a small rag.

  ‘How is your father and brother?’

  ‘They are well.’ he said. He could feel his strength returning.

  ‘How is the queen?’

  ‘My mother is fine.’

  She stared at the wall. ‘I met her once, long before she became queen. I could never forget her eyes, full of lofty ambitions. She got what she wanted but now she’s fulfilling someone else’s dream.’

  ‘Don’t listen to her, my lord, she’s full of deceit.’ Tharstin said, as he struggled to get up.

  ‘Oh shut up, Tharstin. Why are you here?’ she said, dropping the rag on the table and folding her hands.

  Gisilfried helped him up. He removed the sword wrapped in dark cloth from his back and gave it to her.

  ‘Interesting, a royal sword of Helmford.’ She giggled. ‘I’m sure the king almost died from just seeing this on his land.’

  ‘We want to know who owned it and where the person is.’

  She closed her eyes and ran a hand over the blade, mumbling words under her breath. The blade cut her palm. Gisilfried moved forward to help her but Tharstin held him back. ‘Wait.’ he said. The blood on the blade trickled up and spread over the edges of the sword. It covered the hilt. She exchanged hands, holding the hilt with her injured hand. Her mumblings intensified. The blood on the sword glowed and then returned to her injured hand. She stopped talking and opened her eyes. There was no evidence on the sword or on her palm that she had cut herself. She gave the sword back to Tharstin and said, ‘It belongs to a girl from the royal line of Helmford. She’s in Naphdael, but for what purpose I cannot say.’

  ‘Where in Naphdael is she?’ Gisilfried said.

  She stared outside the window. ‘The girl carries a powerful talisman. It screens the place from my view.’

  ‘The talisman must be what we’re looking for.’ said Tharstin. ‘Try again.’

  She narrowed her eyes and said, ‘I could hear a voice—the talisman—it spoke to me.’

  ‘What did it say?’ the general asked.

  ‘I cannot say. It spoke to me in ancient Gudlief. It’s been many years since I heard the tongue.’

  ‘Try harder.’ he said, pacing the room.

  ‘It would take me sometime to understand what it said.’

  ‘Then break through its defense and find out where it is.’

  ‘No,’ she said, turning to face him. ‘The power is too strong. If I tried to fight it, it could kill me.’

  ‘Please, try again.’ said Gisilfried. ‘We’ve journeyed this far to see you. All we need is an image or a name.’

  She eyed Tharstin, then took a deep breath and closed her eyes, raising her arms. ‘Expositus mei paculi recto si lander.’

  Blood ran down from her nose and eyes. ‘Ah.’ she cried, dropping to her knees and covering her face. Gisilfried rushed to help her.

  ‘What happened?’ he said.

  ‘What did you see?’ Tharstin asked. She shook her head, her hands trembled.

  ‘I couldn’t see. The power of the talisman fought back. It’s far greater than mine and ancient…’ She stared into space and gasped, ‘power from the gods.’

  ‘So we risked our men’s lives for nothing.’ said Tharstin.

  ‘Can you remember anything about the voice?’ Gisilfried asked as he knelt beside her

  ‘It spoke of the key of Royer.’ she said, rising with his help.

  ‘Ida’s star? But her magic is destroyed.’ said Tharstin.

  ‘As long as Naphdael stands, her magic is never truly gone. It’s said Ida hid the star somewhere in the city where it can never be found except by the one with the jewel.’

  ‘So the talisman is the jewel we seek?’ Gisilfried asked.

  ‘I cannot say but it’s possible. But if the talisman is the jewel, I fear for Naphdael. The lesser unlocks the greater. I only got a glimpse of the talisman’s power and I cowered in fear at what it could do.’

  ‘How do we find it?’ Gisilfried asked.

  ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘You don’t know?’ Tharstin said, his face was red and contorted in rage. She remained still, her brows clumped together in thought as she looked out of the window.

  ‘No. I don’t, Tharstin. I’m not a dog you would expect to sniff out everything.’

  ‘Maybe we should have gotten one instead of risking the lives of our men.’

  ‘You knew the risks before coming here so don’t clean your smeared conscience on my doorstep. I didn’t ask you to come.’

  ‘Gisilfried, come. We’re only wasting our time.’ Tharstin turned and headed for the door.

  ‘Wait.’ she said, turning around. ‘The only way to find the jewel is to find the girl’

  Tharstin turned. ‘How?’

  ‘As the day of Ida approaches, she who wears the jewel grows stronger in power. She becomes a priestess of Ida. The forces of nature would be at her beckoning. Her injuries would heal quickly. However, if the jewel doesn’t fulfill its destiny on that day, she’ll die.’

  ‘So how do we find her? We can’t go around cutting every maiden in the city.’

  ‘I feel something else could be hiding the talisman from my view—like a cult or a coven.’

  ‘An occultic rebellion.’ Tharstin said, narrowing his eyes. ‘That’s impossible. Witches have no power in our city. The covering--’

  ‘The covering?’ She sniggered. ‘You did be surprised how weak it’s grown. Ida cannot protect you against darkness anymore. Her vengeance is darkness.’

  ‘Where can we find them?’ Tharstin’s face was set in calm resolution.

  ‘I’ve told you all I know. Do the rest yourself.’

  ‘It’s not enough.’

  She touched her head and groaned. ‘I have no more to give.’

  ‘What are you hiding?’ he said, approaching her.

  Gisilfried stood in his way. ‘She is weakened. Let us make do with what we have.’

  ‘Explain that to your father when he asks how we lost many good men for scraps.’ Tharstin made for the door.

  ‘Wait.’ she said as she wiped her face. ‘Before you do something foolish--which is inevitable--I have a feeling the girl with the talisman could be innocent. I saw her heart was pure.’

  ‘I have no interest in her heart,’ said Tharstin, ‘all I want is her head. Besides, no one from Helmford is innocent.’

  ‘Don’t start a needless war. I can feel she’s innocent—I can swear it.’ she said, her eyes pleading with him.

  ‘And a moment ago you said you saw nothing, now you say the girl is innocent. I care not for your words—they’re watered down to nothing.’

  Her eyes changed to rage. She approached him and said, ‘Then never come here again or I’ll make sure I fill this house with your screams as I tear you apart piece by piece. And even if I don’t drink blood I promise to pour yours in a goblet and have my fill of it, you ungrateful boor--now, get out!’ The door swung open.

  ‘This is not the end.’ Tharstin said in a teeth-gritting whisper.

  ‘I hope not, because I look forward to it.’ she said.

  He stormed out. ’Prince Gisilfried, we must leave.’

  Gisilfried turned back to her. She had gone to lean on the window sill.

  ‘If you’re wondering how you’ll get out of here,’ she said, ‘I’ll shine a light from here. It would wither the plants in your way and keep the monsters at bay.’

  ‘Thank you, but there’s something I want to give you.’ he said, removing the wooden horse from his belt.

  ‘What is it?’ She turned to him. She saw the horse in his hand and her face froze. Her hands shook as he put the horse in them.

  ‘How did you get this?’

  ‘A little girl I met in the woods gave it to me. She said you would understand.’

  ‘Yes.’ she said, caressing the horse. ‘Yes, I understand.’ She looked up at him, her eyes were glazed. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘What does it mean?’ he asked.

  ‘Death.’

  ‘For who?’

  ‘You must go.’

  ‘Tell me your name.’

  She turned around. ‘No one calls me by my name any more.’

  ‘What was your name?’

  ‘Hilda.’

  ‘Thank you for everything.’ he said.

  She smiled. ‘You are your mother’s son. Tell the queen I said I do not forget.'

  Gisilfried made to leave but stopped and turned around. ‘My lady,’ he said, ‘there’s something I don’t understand. Why would the talisman announce its powers to us--like it’s unafraid of being found?’

  She stared at the toy as she said, ‘Because some powers fear nothing. The foundation of their strength is built on the fear they cause others. That is how they win.’

  ‘This one won’t win. Farewell, Lady Hilda.’ He left the room. She stood motionless for some moments, taking labored breaths to control the emotion welling up within her. She raised the horse to her face and flung it across the room. She took a deep breath and turned to the open window, raising her hands.

  Gisilfried came out of the house. Tharstin and the men were already on their horses.

  ‘I thought you wanted to spend the night.’ said Tharstin.

  ‘I changed my mind.’ he said, getting on his horse. Golden light shone from the window into the path.

  ‘We need to go now.’ Gisilfried said.

  ‘It could be a trick.’

  ‘It’s not. No harm will come to us.’

  They rode out of the gate and down the path. The plants close to the path had wilted and the road was clear. They crossed the field unscarred. Gisilfried looked back. The light had stopped and the house looked as gloomy as it had been to him before.

  ‘General, who was she?’ he said as they rode.

  ‘She’s always been a witch.’

  ‘I mean how did she come here?’

  ‘You ask many questions to the wrong person.’ he said. He remained quiet throughout the journey, except when giving orders.

  CHAPTER 40

  ‘Amse, who was she before she become the Witch of Wisgurn?’ Kalani asked as she helped him load a camel. The orange glow of the sunrays seething through the horizon foretold of the heat to come. Everyone was gathering up, preparing for the journey ahead.

  ‘She was a woman much admired, yet struggling to suppress the power inside her.’

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43