Chapter 24
Kiannyn and I were laying on our sto machs so close to the front line that I could see the button closures on the Druz officers' uniforms. You could smell them, a little like rat feces and brimstone; it clawed at the back of your throat and made you gag.
Kin touched me, swallowed convulsively as if the smell was too much for him. "I've never been this close to them," he whispered. We watched as several outriders galloped in on beasts that looked like prehistoric sloth bears with the temperament of mother-in- law's. I heard the long, mournful call of a horn and the entire camp bolted to attention, the flaps on the black tent of the general staff flew open and several Druz officers marched out to receive messages.
They barked orders that carried even to our years. Kin translated in a whisper, "he's sending out a patrol, he knows spies are about. Probably best if we sneak back, my Lord."
I shook my head. "You go, Kiannyn. That's an order."
He looked at me aghast. "I would rather die than lose my honor, my Lord."
"I don't want your death on my conscience."
"What are you planning?" His face bore an expression of severe distress. I gripped the Seillach coin and used it to send him back behind our lines, where he was safe. The energy was enough to send a beacon to the Druz and within minutes, I was surro unded by armed warriors and had both arrows and swords pricking me to the point of bloodletting. I did not move. "My name is Jadewyn," I said carefully. "Your General Coelanth will want to speak to me."
My blood sparked in the air as it dripped from me. It floated like ruby fireflies, and did not hit the ground. Harsh voice screamed orders and they ringed me and stepped back as two more grabbed my arms and led me forwards towards the massive black tent and the equally formidable giant with a face straight o ut of King Kong. He was as ugly as the butt end of a rhino and stuck it in my face.
"Who are you?"
I understood his mangling of the language of Celene and answered him. "I am he whom you seek, the Holder of Strings, the Gatekeeper." I stared him in the eyes and saw that his face dropped in astonishment. His reaction was to grab me by the throat and hoist me into the air to dangle. I choked and flailed at him, opened my mouth to curse him and his fist came at me faster than I could get the words out. He hit me in the mouth, it filled with blood, and I felt teeth loosen, my lips were cut and I bit my tongue. He held me until the blackness crept into my eyes and I could not draw in another breath of air.
Heat woke me. Fire near my face, hot enough to singe the hairs on my arms. I opened my eyes on black walls and a fire pit blazing merrily away. Druz faces watched me with avid interest, licked their lips and showed their fangs.
I felt weak, raised a hand to my neck and searched for fang marks. The Druz took my hand and squeezed the wrist so two spots of blood oozed out near my elbow. "Your blood is rich and potent, String Master," he said and smiled. His teeth were tinged with crimson and his tongue was barbed.
"I am Coelanth, Commander of Olned's forces. Why have you come to your enemies?
Are you so foolish, so suicidal you seek your death?"
"I came, General, to stop this war," I said painfully.
He sneered, laughed and bent my arm back until the bone snapped. I screamed in pain, vomited and fell into a darkness until he slapped me awake. My arm throbbed viciously and I tried to move away from him; his feet were on my ankles and I was terrified he would crush them next.
"You cannot stop this war," he mocked. "You cannot bring us Druz home. It is a world destroyed and even if you could, we would not go. We prefer to fight and kill rather than live a boring existence on our old home." He paused. "You are a dead youngling. Unless you give me the Seillach and the Tree."
"The Tree? What do you want with the Tree?"
He kicked me, my body went rolling across the floor and my broken arm flopped. They hadn't even bothered to restrain me. "That is not your concern. Tell me where it is or die." He pulled out a wicked blade curved like a crescent moon and slashed it across my chest. Instant heat, my clothes separated and blood flowed in that same defiance of gravity to hover above me, like fireflies. His tongue darted out and flicked at it, missing nary a drop. I was nauseous, cold.
My head felt like it wasn't attached and everything throbbed in syncope with my arm.
"If you kill me," I slurred over my swelling mouth, "you will never find the Tree. Or the Seillach Pangorum."
"I can beat it out of you," he threatened, and I managed a laugh. "You'll kill me with much more of your questioning technique, Druz. The Seillach coin will disappear with my death, and you'll lose it forever. There is no other String Bearer alive." I knew that deep in my gut.
He growled in frustration. "What do you want?"
"I told you. An end to this war. To speak to your king and make a treaty, a cease-fire."
"I will bring this to him and seek his answer."
"Bring him here. I want to look into his eyes," I said and he pulled me to my feet. He opened his hand, before I could draw one breath; we were traveling through a dark corridor to emerge in a rough camp somewhere not on Celene but a mountainous region that was sere, dusty and starkly barren. A walled compound guarded by both humans‘ soldiers in Druz led into an adobe palace that was outfitted like a Turkish harem.
I was dropped at the foot of the table were an even uglier man sat on a bench covered in furs. He was nearly 7 foot tall with dark hair and fierce blue eyes, wore a golden collar and heavy gold baubles in both ears. His nose was pierced; he wore a flowing caftan of blue silk, belted with a crimson stitched sash that had little silver bells as tassels. They tinkled sweetly as he moved.
"Coelanth," he greeted and his voice was a deep growl. His eyes devoured me and his nostrils flared, as he smelled my blood. Reaching out a long arm, his fingers wiped the blood on my face.
"I smell… Seillach blood."
"Yes, sire. Ahh, the taste is finer than your own wines."
"Did you bring him here for me to drain? He looks almost empty."
"He is the String Bearer, sire. He came to me to demand an end to your war."
The king was silent and then swept his hand forward to knock me on the floor. I stared back up at him, opened my hand and spoke the words that brought the coin to full power. Time stopped.