The Fractured Heartstone Read online

  “This is troubling,” the sovereign began. “I have received reports of a group operating in secret in almost every Western Kingdom. They were rumours for the most part but I have been seeing them mentioned in more and more missives from my agents abroad. From what you have told me I believe they not only exist but have a strong presence in my city,” the Queen mused, half to herself.

  “The Draconis Legium,” Raelynne announced to the room, cutting through the building tension.

  “Pardon me?” Elhara barked questioningly, her head snapping to the source of the interruption.

  “They call themselves the Draconis Legium or Dragon Legion in the common tongue,” Raelynne responded. “Some within my order believe they have existed for decades, possibly centuries, but it has only been in the last few years that they have been more active in their recruitment. They too believe in this prophecy and it seems they’re now taking an active interest in seeing it come to fruition,” the mage finished, her voice as cold as ice.

  “If you knew all this from the beginning, why didn’t you tell me?” Ydari asked suddenly, his voice on the verge of being a thunderclap.

  “Would you have believed me if I had?” Raelynne retorted.

  “Probably not,” Ydari conceded.

  “Regardless of that, the Royal Guard thoroughly searched the catacombs after the watch messenger arrived and they found correspondence that shows tangible proof of their involvement in my attempted assassination. They may also be linked to the death of the King of Tirgaal,” the Queen said solemnly. “They have only just made themselves known and yet they have become an intolerable threat that must be dealt with,” announced the Queen.

  “And I have to find out what this means,” Ydari replied, indicating the gem fragment which resonated softly in his chest.

  “Indeed. We both have questions to which we require answers,” Elhara intoned. “As such, I need to ask for your help once more.”

  “Name it,” Ydari replied without hesitation.

  “I need you to travel to Tirgaal and find out what you can about the Draconis Legium and just how widespread this conspiracy is. And, if you can, put a stop to whatever plans they have put in motion. Take whomever you need and, above all, trust,” said the Queen.

  “I promise I’ll do what I can,” Ydari swore.

  Ydari stood with a flourish as he half bowed towards the Queen. Raelynne and Idrahil too rose to their feet and followed suit and, after exchanging their goodbyes, the three of them trooped from the room in single file; leaving the sovereign alone and lost in thought. The figure of the Chamberlain hovered by the door and his face screwed in irritation as his eyes met Ydari’s. The Watch Captain ignored the look of disdain and walked noisily past him, deliberately stamping his feet as he did so, which sent Londorff scurrying up the corridor sulkily. They continued descending the staircase until several minutes later the three of them stood in the open air once more. Idrahil began to walk towards the watch house but pulled up short when she noticed her Captain hadn’t budged. Ydari rubbed his chin thoughtfully and opened his mouth to speak.

  “Idrahil, can you go back to the watch house and speak to Lothram about our new mission? Raelynne, I’d like you to travel with us to Tirgaal but are there any arrangements you need to make?” asked the Captain.

  “A few but it shouldn’t take long,” replied the Mage. “What will you be doing?”

  “There’s something I need to take care of,” Ydari responded. “But everyone should get a good rest tonight because we start our journey tomorrow and something tells me we’re going to need it.”

  Chapter Seven

  Ydari’s dreams came thick and fast; scenes from myth and legend playing out in their entirety, followed closely by another and another until there was no distinguishing them. When he awoke from slumber his mind was still awash with these distant memories. He felt as if he hadn’t slept a wink and his protesting limbs squealed as he perched on the edge of his cot and gazed gloomily at the drab room. For a moment Ydari forgot all that had happened until a constricting feeling in his chest brought the realisation that nothing would ever be the same again. He stretched his aching limbs and crossed to the door, opening it a crack and spying into the corridor beyond. All was still and the Captain took the opportunity to scurry to the shared bathroom and begin his morning ablutions.

  An hour later and after much vigorous scrubbing Ydari finally felt human again, his limbs reinvigorated from the warm water. After he had returned to his office the Captain dressed quickly, pulling on black hose and a loose-fitting white shirt. He quickly headed over to his watch armour and he went to retrieve it but hesitated a moment and looked at his bed, a thought occurring to him. Ydari turned on the spot and knelt beside the cot. He rummaged around for a moment before extracting a large wooden chest that was cracked and mottled. He swung the lid open to reveal a surprisingly ornate suit of armour that was crafted from dragon scales. The crest of his family was engraved in the centre of the chest plate and Ydari sighed as he ran a hand along it. It was of an Eagle with a sword grasped in each of its talons sitting atop a chevron which crested the shield design. Underneath this lay a chain mail vest, a thin silk shirt, a pair of dragon scale vambraces and a pair of greaves. Ydari sighed wistfully as he looked at it, the sight of it harkening back to a time he thought he had left behind.

  The Watch Captain hurriedly began the task of outfitting himself for the mission ahead. Ydari quickly slipped the silk shirt on before hauling the chain mail into place. Finally, he strapped the vambraces, greaves and chest plate to his body and shifted them into place until they hugged his physique snugly. After he had finished dressing himself Ydari finished packing and, after a brief pause, strapped his sword and scabbard on his belt. The Captain hefted the bag onto his shoulder and, after a glance around his office, pulled the door open and stepped through. The watch house was unusually silent as Ydari walked down the corridor, his footfalls echoing with each step.

  Abruptly the figure of Teobrin by the main counter caught sight of his commanding officer and he sprang up and snapped to attention clumsily as he saluted; his face beaming at his Captain proudly. Teobrin maintained his stance until Ydari nodded and his posture relaxed. Beside the young man sat two large bags, filled to bursting. His manic grin widened with innocent pleasure. Ydari looked down and spotted strands of hay strewn across the floor and he couldn’t help noticing that Teobrin’s overly stuffed bags had more straw and hay poking through every crack and crevice. The Captain sighed as the proud man positively gleamed with pride and offered another salute. Ydari imagined that if he were a dog his tail would be wagging uncontrollably.

  “All packed and ready to go sir,” Teobrin announced, his hand still firmly pressed to his forehead.

  “I can see that,” Ydari replied. He paused in thought for a moment before continuing. “You know I trust you implicitly?”

  “Of course, I do,” the young man beamed, “but my name is Teobrin, not implicitly.”

  “Yes, I am aware, implicitly. I mean, Teobrin,” the Captain said sarcastically. Teobrin’s features remained aglow in adoration. Ydari shook his head in disbelief before turning his back on his subordinate and grabbing a quill and piece of paper. He quickly scrawled a few words on the paper and folded it in half neatly. He finished by writing the name of another officer of the watch on the front. Ydari turned and proffered the note to the still eagerly awaiting watchman. “I need you to take this message to the Captain of the Thomsberg Watch House,” instructed Ydari.

  “B. b. b. but,” the young watchman blubbered. His bottom lip wobbled for a moment before Teobrin caught a hold of himself and stiffened. “Of course, I can. I’ll leave now.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’ll just be going then.” Teobrin gathered up his belongings and a few minutes of scraping and clattering ensued whilst Ydari gritted his teeth as he did his best to ignore the din. Teobrin puffed his cheeks from the exertion and the bags toppled to the floor with a dull th
ud as he ineffectually tried to move them.

  “Do you really need to take all of that?” Ydari asked. “I’m sure you don’t need bags laden with straw.”

  “But they’re for the horses.”

  “Just take the one that has your belongings in it,” the Captain replied, suppressing the urge to yell at the kind-hearted simpleton.

  Teobrin nodded cheerily as the two of them exited the Watch House and out into the open air. The sky was a deep blue and clouds were dotted whilst the sun beamed onto the city and bathed it with the warmth of spring. Ydari’s thoughts became a jumbled mess as he looked about and grunted, waving a hand dismissively as if this simple action would somehow banish the doubts that gnawed at him. Ahead of him stood Lothram beside a magnificent horse of pure chestnut. The Sergeant idly fiddled with straps here and there as he worked in silence. Standing alongside this, five more horses stamped the ground restlessly as Idrahil moved between them checking that the harnesses were secured and finishing the busy work that her companions had neglected.

  As Ydari approached Lothram’s eyes fell on the form of the Watch Captain, his eyebrows rising in mild surprise at the ornate armour that now wreathed Ydari’s muscular frame. Behind the Captain, Teobrin sulkily stomped past the group, note in hand, and the young man theatrically slowed his pace as if it would persuade the members of the group to change their collective mind and ask him to abandon his task and join them in their adventure. Teobrin’s gait had slowed to a crawl before Lothram grunted irritably and snapped something inaudible at him, causing the youthful watchman to jump out of his boots and skip around the corner until he was gone from view, Lothram’s fierce gaze on him the entire time.

  “Where’s he off to?” Lothram asked, barely looking up as Ydari walked towards him.

  “I sent him to deliver a message to the Captain of the Thomsberg Watch House asking if he would accept Teobrin as a temporary recruit while we’re away. He’s a decent enough chap but not exactly a mental giant, if you know what I mean?”

  “I can see sense in that.”

  “Good morning,” Ydari said, directing the pleasantry to Idrahil and she returned it with a smile. The trio worked in unison as Ydari hoisted his pack onto the back of a particularly large roan which was jet black, save for a white streak that ran down the creature’s back. It only took a moment to fasten the pack in place but Idrahil still fussed about moving from horse to horse as she double and triple checked everything until at last her vigilance began to make even Ydari grow impatient. “Where’s Raelynne?” the Captain asked as Idrahil bustled past him.

  “Who cares?” Lothram spat. “Why don’t we just set off and leave her behind?”

  “You know why,” the Captain sighed. “Just play nice when she turns up. I don’t want to have to smack you both about until you behave, but I will.”

  Lothram stuck his tongue out in response to his Captain and turned his back as he climbed into the stirrup and swung a leg over a dappled grey horse. The Sergeant patted the beast and it whinnied at his touch. They waited for several minutes and there was still no sign of the mage, Ydari pacing about restlessly as the seconds ticked by. Eventually his patience wore thin and, with a signal to his companions, they mounted their steeds and began trotting through the streets, each of them holding onto a second horse by the reins and gently guiding them around dirt-streaked urchins and pompous looking townspeople.

  They rode in silence as the crowds parted before them and it wasn’t long before they could see the city gate looming ahead of them. Ydari wondered where Raelynne was and what she might be doing. He looked around and Lothram was wearing a smug grin, Ydari correctly surmising that the mage’s absence was the cause of his good mood.

  The three companions wormed their way through the throngs of travellers and past a city guardsman who looked thoroughly bored and barely registered them as he waved them through. The landscape beyond opened up ahead of them and the sight always made Ydari pause and he took a second to admire the sheer beauty. Rolling green hills shimmered in the distance and a plain of thick green grass was laid out like a carpet. Clumps of trees were dotted about the landscape, nestled alongside several farmsteads with a river snaking its way through the emerald paradise. The road they were on wound off to the left and meandered its way off into the distance, perfectly matching the undulations of the ground beneath it. Travellers could be seen walking to and from the city, though most of them were headed towards Maleardhus. With a final glance back at the walls and White Tower, Ydari sighed deeply and kicked his heels into the flanks of his horse and they were finally on their way.

  A muffled cry on the wind caused Ydari’s ears to prick and he called a halt. A few moments passed as Lothram huffed to himself before finally the familiar form of Teobrin came into view. The youthful watchman bellowed hoarsely as he frantically waved his arms. He was running at full tilt and as he got closer Ydari could see a folded piece of paper clutched tightly in one hand and a sizeable bag in the other. The Captain shook his head as he imagined all sorts of reasons for Teobrin’s arrival but he was cut off mid-thought as Teobrin puffed his way over and stopped short, leaning forwards dramatically as he placed his hands on his knees and fought to get his breath back. For someone who had such a physically demanding job he was easily winded, Ydari thought to himself. Finally, Teobrin collected himself and he waved the note in his hand triumphantly before proffering it to Ydari, slapping his overstuffed bag to the ground as he did so.

  “I was asked to bring you this message urgently,” Teobrin announced between winded breaths.

  “I see,” Ydari replied simply as he took the note from his subordinate and unfolded it. He immediately rolled his eyes and thrust the note at his Sergeant who looked at it curiously.

  “Nice try. He’s your problem, not mine,” Lothram read aloud before letting out an ear-splitting groan.

  “What does the message mean?” Teobrin asked, his eyes sparkling hopefully.

  “It means you get to come with us,” Ydari sighed. The young man immediately started to jig happily at the news. “No dancing!”

  “Aww,” the watchman whined but his beaming smile remained a permanent fixture as he hauled his bag into place onto the least burdened horse before, after many attempts, mounting it and steadying himself. “Where are we going?” Teobrin asked pleasantly, wobbling slightly as the horse moved under him.

  “Tirgaal.”

  “This is a bad idea,” Lothram warned as he kicked his heels into his mount and resumed a canter.

  The rest of the party remained silent as they too nudged their mounts forward and soon, they were cantering through the landscape. Dotting the road,weary travellers continued on their respective journeys but as they left Maleardhus behind their numbers began to thin until at last they were the only occupants of the road. Every so often they passed one of the farmsteads they had seen just outside the gates. Workers milled about in the fields or set about completing chores and only a few of them acknowledged the presence of Ydari and his companions with a wave as they cantered past.

  Soon, even these dwellings were left far behind and the rolling green plains began to steepen. Ahead of the party, hills loomed and rose up whilst the sun continued to beat down on them mercilessly. They had been riding for several hours and Ydari was now finally settling into a rhythm as the motion of the horse rocked him this way and that and he let his mind drift, thinking of events and friends that were lost to time. Occasionally a muttered curse from Lothram or an inane comment from Teobrin brought Ydari back to reality but these moments were few and became even more fleeting as they pressed on.

  The sun arched in the sky, its unrelenting warmth putting even Ydari in good humour as the day wore well into the afternoon. After a brief pause in their journey, the Captain looked back and the bleached white walls of Maleardhus were a streak on the horizon. Ydari sighed to himself before turning his back on it and moving on. By now, Raelynne’s absence had become conspicuous and it nagged at the group’s col
lective thoughts but nobody dared to voice the words. With each passing mile, Lothram’s grin grew ever wider and he nodded to his Captain as their eyes met as they rounded a bend. Idrahil reined her mount abruptly and she hissed a warning as she cast an arm upwards and pointed into the distance.

  Ahead of them the road meandered to the left in a sweeping loop. To the left of the road a towering oak soared into the heavens and at the foot of the tree two robed individuals could be seen. Lothram hissed at the sight of them and his hand went to his hilt. Ydari glowered at him and commanded him to stop in short, sharp whispers. Lothram placed his hand at his side but his posture remained tensed as they took stock of the situation. Even Teobrin detected the building tension and he took up a post at the rear of the column, craning his neck this way and that as he tried to be helpful and keep an eye on all lines of approach.

  “Who do you think they are?” Idrahil asked, keeping her voice low. She had her eyes firmly fixed on the two shrouded forms and they had not yet noticed their arrival. “Cultists?”