Garon was as good as his word. Two days after the Equinox, Kiri stepped into the dining room to find him grinning at her from the center table. He was leaning back in his chair and his old boots were resting on the top of the table.
Kiri decided to wipe that smug look off his face. She stepped up to him and shoved his feet off the table. His chair fell back to level with a thud and he grabbed at the table to correct his balance.
“What did you do that for?” Garon grumbled.
“No feet on the table.” Kiri suppressed a smile. “We have manners here. Do you want anything to drink?”
“I was wondering when you might be able to take a break and visit.” As quick as that, Garon had lost all trace of grumbling. He looked up at Kiri with eagerness in his eyes.
Kiri glanced around the room, taking note of the various patrons’ progress on their meals. “Not for a while,” she said. “Anything to drink while you wait?”
“Just some tea,” Garon said. “It’s just the afternoon.”
When Kiri came back from the kitchen with Garon’s tea she was surprised to find Gilliam sitting at his table. They seemed to be engaged in easy conversation. Both were gesturing and talking. They looked up only when Kiri cleared her throat.
“Oh, my tea,” Garon said, taking it from her. “Thanks, Kiri.”
“You were talking about me,” she accused, and Garon’s guilty grimace confirmed it.
“Garon was just telling me what it was like growing up with you,” Gilliam said. “So far, it has all been favorable.”
“I see,” Kiri said. “But how did you...”
“Halden pointed me to Garon’s table,” Gilliam said. “He said it would be the best place to go if I wanted to have a word with you.”
“Well, you’ll have to wait for that, I’m afraid,” Kiri said. “I’m quite busy working right now.” She stalked back to the kitchen, her hair swishing side to side with her swift strides.
“So, Gilliam told me an amazing story,” Garon said, with a meaningful tone that made Kiri think he expected her to know what he was talking about.
The three of them, Kiri, Garon, and Gilliam, were walking along the outer wall of the manor. The wisteria was in full bloom, making the whole wall look like a fluttering purple cloud. Garon had cut a bunch of wisteria for Kiri. She buried her nose in it as she considered his comment.
“You were in it,” Garon pressed.
“Oh,” Kiri said. “That story.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you knew someone who had seen the sorceress?” Garon sounded irritated.
“Firebrand,” Gilliam corrected quietly, looking like he was trying not to smile at Kiri’s discomfort. She was staring at Gilliam with absolutely no idea how to answer his question.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Garon repeated, undeterred. “You let me go on like an idiot.”
“I thought you would think I was an idiot,” Kiri said finally, although that wasn’t the real reason at all. “The way you were going on about it...you thought it was some kids’ story.”
Garon paused at that, chagrined. “Still,” he said in a softer voice. “I wish you’d told me.”
“Do you still think it is a kids’ story, Garon?” Gilliam asked.
“I don’t doubt you,” Garon said.
“Hmm,” Gilliam mused. “I doubt myself. I consider myself a man of science above all. This...” He shook his head.
Kiri was starting to feel uncomfortable. She didn’t like them talking about the Firebrand, or maybe she did. But she felt as if there was no way she could keep her secrets if it kept up, as curious as she might be to learn what they thought of the Firebrand. Before she could give herself away with her expression, she changed the subject. “What do you think of Lord Westfall, Gilliam?”
“I like the man well enough,” Gilliam said. “But the mountain of work he has ready for me is more than one scribe could make it through in a year. He must not realize the magnitude of the task.”
“Westfall Valley has changed a lot, recently,” Garon said. “Maybe one scribe used to be plenty.”
“Maybe,” Gilliam allowed. “But I wish he had hired two this year. I have many long nights ahead of me to meet the King’s requirements.”
“Well, Kiri’s pretty good at figures,” Garon asked.
“Really?” Gilliam looked at Kiri, who blushed. “I’ll have to keep that in my mind.”
“Yup,” Garon said. “She kept the books at her family’s shop. It’s been a mess in there since she left.”
“Your family keeps a shop?” Gilliam asked. “In Westfall village?”
Kiri nodded. She tried to maintain a polite look while occasionally shooting daggers with her eyes at Garon. She did not want to talk about this.
“Why are you living at The Leaning Pillar then?” Gilliam asked.
“Her sister and brother-in-law don’t like her,” Garon said.
Kiri abandoned the pretense of manners and scowled at Garon. It was quite rude of him to be so blunt. “I wouldn’t put it like that,” she said.
“How would you put it?” Gilliam asked.
“If I were being honest? They hate me.” Kiri laughed. “No, they don’t hate me. I just...didn’t fit anymore.”
“That happens to everyone at some time or another,” Gilliam said.
What made him feel he was so much wiser than Kiri to talk down to her like that? He looked like he was no more than ten years older than her.
“Sure, sure,” Garon said. “We can’t get along with everyone.”
Kiri rolled her eyes. There was no way Garon was wiser than her, but it seemed Gilliam had given him the confidence to lecture her, too.
“You seem to fit in very well at The Leaning Pillar,” Gilliam said. “I’ll be sure to visit you there again.”
Garon didn’t seem to like the promise. His eyes narrowed and he moved nearer to Kiri.
Their walk had brought them to the guarded gate in the wall. It stood open as always, two great doors held in place by stakes driven through iron rings. The gate was attended by two armed guards in Lord Westfall’s livery who looked more bored than alert.
“Here we must part ways,” Gilliam said. “I will see you again, lovely Kiri. Garon.”
Garon gave him a curt nod. Kiri, surprised a being called lovely, was blushing as she waved. Gilliam seemed known to the guards. He exchanged nods with them and headed up the hill toward the manor.
Garon immediately stalked off perpendicular to the wall, his shoulders hunched and steps hurried.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Kiri had to nearly run to keep up. “Don’t you like him?” she asked.
“He’s fine,” Garon huffed. Then he turned on Kiri with a look in his eyes that made her feel they might shoot sparks like her hand. “I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me about the Firebrand!”
~
Markus and Neal stood at the crest of a small ridge, watching out for the last of the scouts to return. Markus had sent the rest of their crew out to get the lay of the land by talking with others of their unsavory profession that they knew in the area. They were to report back on any rumors that had spread about the Untouchable particularly, and any other interesting news that might have spread about the valley. Everyone but Jas had come home already, and it was getting late. The crest was a little further up into the mountains than their hideout, offering an excellent view of the approach. The clouds were turning pink with the first hints of sunset and the deeper parts of the valley were falling into the shadow of the mountains standing tall at their backs. Both men stared intently down into the valley, looking for movement.
“There he is!” Markus flung out a hand, pointing. “Finally!” Nimbly, he skipped down the ridge, easily leaping along the uneven ground. Neal followed as fast as he could. It seemed that Markus had more energy everyday. He was younger than Neal, so more energy was normal and expected, but lately Markus seemed almost superhuman. Perhaps it only seemed that way in the context of his other powers, and Neal was seeing something that wasn’t there. By the time they reached Jas, Neal was breathing hard.
They met Jas at the bottom of the ridge, and he was not alone. Both Jas and his companion, who Neal did not recognize, looked like they’d run all the way from town. Jas’ hair was mussed and, despite the fact that the evening was cool, he was drenched in sweat. The man beside him did not look quite as exhausted, but he was red-faced with exertion and his brow was wet. He had the mean look, and wicked-looking knife, of a highway robber. His rough features were set in an expression that was a mixture of nervous and defiant.
“Master,” Jas dragged a sleeve across his face, wiping sweat from his eyes and leaving a trail of grime. “Sorry I’m late.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Neal said with a sidelong glance at Markus. Best diffuse any irritation before Markus unleashed it when they should be paying attention to the unexpected guest. “You’re not late 'til the sun sets.”
Markus’s eyes flicked to the hazy remnants of the day in the eastern sky. The only allowance he gave his irritation was when he pursed his lips for a few moments before addressing Jas. “Who is this? What did you learn?”
“This is Garm,” Jas said. “You won’t believe what he’s seen!”
“I’m Markus, this is Neal. Tell us on the way, Garm. It’s going to be dark soon” Without checking to see if the rest were following Markus set off with his quick stride, back up the slope he and Neal had just descended.
“So, what have you seen?” Markus asked when the others had caught him up.
“I wouldn’t believe it myself,” Garm huffed between words, struggling to talk while walking so fast. “If I hadn’t been there. I was working a traveler--rich fellow too, a scribe most likely. He had all kinds of pens and ink and paper. You know that stuff will fetch a lot in Caspar. Anyway, I was busy picking the choicest stuff for meself--seeing as how he had so much. I was rummaging round when...well...out from the trees comes some kind of elf lady!”
He paused at this point because they had reached the rough and tumble boulder field before the entrance to the cave. All four of them had to give their attention to their footing. Then came the descent into the cave. Neal went first, but Garm hesitated to follow.
“It looks like a might long drop,” he said. “I don’t fancy me some broken legs.”
“It’s not far, just dark,” Neal called up. “I’m not even bruised. Come on down. Just lower yourself carefully.”
With some coaxing and assistance Jas and Markus got Garm to hang over the edge and dropped him down toward Neal. The thief had squinted his eyes tight. The light of the torch in Neal’s hand played on Garm’s face as his eyes popped open one at a time and went wide.
“You’ll get used to it.” Neal chuckled.
Markus was the last down. No sooner had his feet touched the cave floor than he pressed Garm for more of his story “So there was an elf lady?”
“Out of nowhere!” Garm seemed eager to move on from the scary drop to what he clearly thought was a winner of a tale. “Scared me socks right off. But that ain’t the craziest part!”
“No? What is?” asked Markus.
“She shot lightning right out of her fingers!” Garm held a hand out to demonstrate. “I was set to send her on her way. Even if she was some crazy elf lady, I weren’t about to lose my take for that. But then she shot lightning at me! Right from her hand, if you’ll believe it! I can tell you I hightailed it right quick!”
“You hear that, Master?” Jas jumped in proudly. “Lightning!”
“I heard,” Markus said, in a quiet voice that would have made a man smarter than Jas step back.
“Well, it’s got to be her, hasn’t it, Master?” Jas pressed on eagerly. “The girl from the standing stones!”
Markus stared straight ahead, moving to the front of the little group and leading them into the main chamber, towards the glow of the gang's campfire. “Of course it is her.”
“Hang on, here!” Garm hardly looked at the cave, staring at Markus instead. He nearly bumped into a stalagmite. “What girl? Are you saying it wasn’t an elf?”
“No, just a girl,” Markus said. His voice dropped to a whisper and his pace quickened.
“What should we do about her, boss?” Neal asked.
“Do about her?” Markus snapped “Why should we do anything about her? She’s just a girl!”
“She caused us a lot of trouble last time, boss,” Neal said.
Markus blew out a long breath as he settled down by the fire on one of the many bags of food that were now piled all around the cave. His eyes looked as hot as the flames but he took a few more long breaths before speaking. “We’ll keep an eye out,” he said finally. “If she tries to sneak up on us, we put a knife in her.”
“Good plan, boss.” Neal was glad to see Markus calming down..
“I’m only concerned for you boys.” Markus’ eyes were looking less furious. “I’m The Untouchable, remember?”
“She’ll show up, too, Master, that’s for certain.” Jas said. “They say in town she’s clearing out all the low-lifes.”
“What’s that?” Markus asked sharply.
“She’s like a do-gooder saint,” Jas said. “Saving virtuous maidens and all.”
“Really,” Markus rubbed his chin, contemplating. “Maybe we can take care of this problem more quickly.” His eyes darted over to Neal, who was quick to give an encouraging nod. “Once we do that, she’ll be out of the way and we will move onto the real plan.”
“What’s the real plan?” Jas didn’t have the sense not to question Markus when he was in this mood.
“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” Markus asked.
Neal jumped in to ease the situation before Jas got himself hurt. He looked around the cave, stocked as if for a siege. “I don’t know,” he said. “Hibernation?”
Markus laughed at that, slapping his knee, guffawing until tears came to his eyes. “Hibernation,” he repeated, wiping the moisture from his cheeks with the back of his hand. “You are very funny, Neal, that’s why I keep you around. Hibernation.”
A hooded, cloaked man shimmied along a rough stone wall. The night was dark, with the moon long since set. He had watched this street for three nights, and now he was ready to make his move. The baker always locked his alley door, but the maid that tossed out the wash water never did. He had waited long enough now to be sure that she had gone to bed. He knew exactly where the moneybox was, and that the baker never brought it upstairs with him, unlike the more careful merchants on the street.
When he reached the door he looked carefully up and down the alley, searching the shadows and even the few windows in view to be sure he would not be seen. Once confident that he would be undetected, he quickly turned the knob and slipped inside.
A slim black-clad figure slipped over the edge of the roof opposite, hung for a moment by its fingertips, then dropped lightly to the street. Kiri looked up and down the alley just as the man had. She moved out of reach of the doorway and crouched in a shadow. She did not wait long; the man knew his business well. Soon the door opened and he glanced the other way down the alley, then back in her direction. He froze.
Oh, well. She had though herself better hidden that that, but it seemed he had sharp eyes. Spotted now, Kiri rose and held out her hand.
“Put the money back,” she said.
“What money?” The man came all the way into the alley. Kiri was surprised to see he was empty-handed.
Okay, so maybe he just wasn’t stupid enough to walk out carrying a moneybox. That didn’t mean he hadn’t taken the money. “If you didn’t take the money, then turn out your pockets.”
“I’m not going to ask why I should be afraid of you, Firebrand,” the man said. “I’ve heard of you. But I had not heard that you robbed people.”
“I’m not robbing you,” Kiri said. “You’re the robber. Now turn out your pockets.”
“Isn’t that what a robber says?”
Kiri ground her teeth. “Look,” she said. “I know you just went into the baker’s to rob the place, so you’d better put some money back. If I hear tomorrow that they’ve been robbed, I’ll know you didn’t put it all back. Then I’ll have to find you.” She flicked a quick spark at the ground by him, just to emphasize her point.
The man didn’t even flinch. That was a first. After staring Kiri in the eyes for a few moments he spoke. “How will you find me?”
“I found you this time.”
He heaved a sigh. “Fine.” He ducked back into the baker’s door. Kiri waited, hand still raised, for quite a long time. Finally she got fed up and went in.
“Hey, what are you...” she whispered, then broke off, whipping her head from side to side. There was no one else in the small room, just shelves stacked with crates and a desk with two large drawers. She didn’t even see a moneybox. There was the sound of movement further within, but that could as easily be the baker starting the morning’s bread in the kitchen as the robber making his escape. He’d had enough time to go out some other way by now. Kiri clucked her tongue and shook her head again as she ducked back into the alley and very carefully and quietly closed the door. Either the robber had put the money back or he hadn’t. There really wasn’t anything she could do about it now.
Kiri slipped her glove back onto her hand and flicked a glance at the pink of dawn appearing in the east. Soon it would be time to get up and work. She’d be lucky to get an hour’s sleep.