with a massive eye the size of a dog’s head. Its segmented legs ended in narrow points and were jagged with barbs. He just had to take away its light.The insect skittered across the plains of his mind’s eye, seeking work, leaving blue trails of light as it moved. Walter imagined himself inhaling, swallowing its light. The bluish light drifted from its body in swirling wisps, dissipating like smoke. It was translucent now, shimmering like a mirage in the Tigerian Bluffs.
He opened his eyes as the strange spider materialized on top of Lena’s head, a barely detectable shimmer in the air. Walter willed it to use its legs and it obeyed, jabbing them like daggers into Lena’s skull. She didn’t react to the spider though, or the beam that shot from its eye and into the front of her head.
Her answer is correct. Whatever it is, it is true . Walter pressed his thought through the Mind Eater and into Lena. Lena seemed to nod in understanding. Shit,Walter thought, keeping the thought internally focused. Its legs sunk deeper into her skull, pressing its round abdomen to her head.
“You’re a smart girl, I know you can figure this out,” Lena’s cool voice sprung in his mind. Walter’s eyes widened when he realized her mouth hadn’t moved. “Or maybe you don’t have what it takes to join the sisterhood? These two gentle minded souls got in, you should be able to as well…” Lena’s thoughts echoed in his head.
This wasn’t right. He’d already gone this far, no turning back now was there?Walter injected the thought again, “her answer is correct.”
Nyset glanced over at him and he flinched back a step, hands instinctively curling into fists. He felt sweat forming in the furrow that ran down the middle of his back. Did she know? Would she hate him for this? Should I tell her? He nodded at her, smiling reassuringly.
She turned back to Lena and drew out a long breath. “I’m not sure, but I suppose a guess is better than nothing at all,” Aislinn tried to hide the start of a self-satisfied smile, Lena’s expression stoic. “Is it Fairymoss?” Nyset asked, voice wavering with an utter lack of confidence.
“Her answer is correct,” Lena said flatly.
“Really?” Nyset said, hands clapping. Walter let the Mind Eater go and the Phoenix power that left his fingertips frozen.
“Shit,” Walter whispered. It worked.
“Uhm, yes the answer is correct,” Lena said again, pulling on a necklace of sticks and twine. “Welcome to the sisterhood of herbalists!” She beamed with open arms. They embraced and kissed each other’s cheeks.
----
G rimbald plodded along the Royal Road, King Ezra’s palace white like a bucket of milk reflecting the afternoon sun. He’d finally had some clothes tailored to fit his size from the good sum of marks Malek had most graciously left them in the Lair. It felt good to finally be able to move again.
Grimbald paused, leaning against an iron street torch. He glanced at the paper secured with twine around the post. It was a sketch of Malek with the words: “10,000 marks. Dead or Alive.” Malek, probably somewhere shivering in the Mountains of Misery. They’ll never find him. For the third time, he uncurled the scroll clutched in his hand, reading Field Marshall Jast’s letter. It was addressed to him. Now that was something.
D ear Grimbald Landon ,
I bore witness to your display of valor during the battle against the Death Spawn upon the Plains of Dressna. Visit me at the barracks tomorrow to discuss your future in the Midgaard Falcon.
J ast Adlam
Field Marshall of the Midgaard Falcon
H e gently closed the scroll and held it in his hand. It was just a few more blocks until he would turn right onto Falcon way. Grimbald thought it was strange that the guard’s barracks were in the Noble’s quarters. He didn’t like being in this part of the city much. He felt wrong, out of place. Like he didn’t belong here. He felt more at ease in the din of the market. It was
He opened his eyes as the strange spider materialized on top of Lena’s head, a barely detectable shimmer in the air. Walter willed it to use its legs and it obeyed, jabbing them like daggers into Lena’s skull. She didn’t react to the spider though, or the beam that shot from its eye and into the front of her head.
Her answer is correct. Whatever it is, it is true . Walter pressed his thought through the Mind Eater and into Lena. Lena seemed to nod in understanding. Shit,Walter thought, keeping the thought internally focused. Its legs sunk deeper into her skull, pressing its round abdomen to her head.
“You’re a smart girl, I know you can figure this out,” Lena’s cool voice sprung in his mind. Walter’s eyes widened when he realized her mouth hadn’t moved. “Or maybe you don’t have what it takes to join the sisterhood? These two gentle minded souls got in, you should be able to as well…” Lena’s thoughts echoed in his head.
This wasn’t right. He’d already gone this far, no turning back now was there?Walter injected the thought again, “her answer is correct.”
Nyset glanced over at him and he flinched back a step, hands instinctively curling into fists. He felt sweat forming in the furrow that ran down the middle of his back. Did she know? Would she hate him for this? Should I tell her? He nodded at her, smiling reassuringly.
She turned back to Lena and drew out a long breath. “I’m not sure, but I suppose a guess is better than nothing at all,” Aislinn tried to hide the start of a self-satisfied smile, Lena’s expression stoic. “Is it Fairymoss?” Nyset asked, voice wavering with an utter lack of confidence.
“Her answer is correct,” Lena said flatly.
“Really?” Nyset said, hands clapping. Walter let the Mind Eater go and the Phoenix power that left his fingertips frozen.
“Shit,” Walter whispered. It worked.
“Uhm, yes the answer is correct,” Lena said again, pulling on a necklace of sticks and twine. “Welcome to the sisterhood of herbalists!” She beamed with open arms. They embraced and kissed each other’s cheeks.
----
G rimbald plodded along the Royal Road, King Ezra’s palace white like a bucket of milk reflecting the afternoon sun. He’d finally had some clothes tailored to fit his size from the good sum of marks Malek had most graciously left them in the Lair. It felt good to finally be able to move again.
Grimbald paused, leaning against an iron street torch. He glanced at the paper secured with twine around the post. It was a sketch of Malek with the words: “10,000 marks. Dead or Alive.” Malek, probably somewhere shivering in the Mountains of Misery. They’ll never find him. For the third time, he uncurled the scroll clutched in his hand, reading Field Marshall Jast’s letter. It was addressed to him. Now that was something.
D ear Grimbald Landon ,
I bore witness to your display of valor during the battle against the Death Spawn upon the Plains of Dressna. Visit me at the barracks tomorrow to discuss your future in the Midgaard Falcon.
J ast Adlam
Field Marshall of the Midgaard Falcon
H e gently closed the scroll and held it in his hand. It was just a few more blocks until he would turn right onto Falcon way. Grimbald thought it was strange that the guard’s barracks were in the Noble’s quarters. He didn’t like being in this part of the city much. He felt wrong, out of place. Like he didn’t belong here. He felt more at ease in the din of the market. It was
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