Toby Neighbors - Crying Havoc

Corlis staggered out of the inn and was met by several soldiers who helped him toward the castle. It took six men to carry Mansel, now unconscious, to the castle. Commander Corlis was helped into a room where Quinn’s father was already being examined by healers.

“You’ve got another patient coming, but it may be too late for him,” Corlis said bitterly. “The fool gave me no choice.”

A few minutes later Mansel was hauled in and laid on a table.

“He’s alive,” said one of the healers, “but there’s precious little we can do for him, Commander.”

“Send for Zollin,” Corlis said. “He’ll know what to do. And give me something for the pain.”

Zollin was on his way to the makeshift infirmary to check on his father when a healer hurried him into the room. Mansel was unconscious, and Zollin looked over at Corlis angrily.

“I told you not to kill him,” Zollin said.

“He’s still alive,” the commander said. “He gave me very little choice.”

“Yes, it looks that way. Are you all right?”

“I’ll live, although I won’t argue if you want to heal me the way you did the King.”

“Give him something for the pain,” Zollin said to one of the healers. “I’ll get to him when I can.”

Zollin let his magic pour into Mansel. The wound in his stomach was deep. Blood was flowing into his abdomen, and his small intestines were lacerated in several places. It took nearly half an hour to stop the bleeding. When Zollin was finished knitting together Mansel’s abdominal muscles, he was forced to sit down. He was tired and hungry.

“I need wine,” Zollin said. “And some food, please.”

One of the castle servants ran to get the food as King Felix entered the room.

“Well this is a fine mess,” said Felix. “At least your plan with the dragon worked.”

“Partially, I meant to kill the beast,” Zollin said.

“At least you know how to fend it off,” said the King. “I don’t suppose either one of these two fools was able to save Wilam.”

“I don’t know,” Zollin said honestly. “I need to work on healing my father. Mansel should come around shortly. You can question him, but I’m not sure you’ll get any useful information.”

“And why is that?”

“Because he lied to me. He told me that my father and your son had been captured in Lodenhime. Now my father shows up here. I’m just not sure what is going on.”

“Well, we can be sure of one thing,” the King said. “Those troops will still be outside in the morning. We need a plan to defeat them.”

“That’s not my highest priority at the moment,” Zollin said.

The King’s face grew red. His eyes narrowed, and he stepped close to Zollin and spoke in a low voice.

“Well then, you’d better get your priorities straight,” he said. “Orrock isn’t your personal playground. Either get on board with what we’re trying to do, or I’ll hand you over to the Torr myself.”

Zollin looked at the King in surprise.

“You did a good job with the dragon,” the King said loudly, “but this is war, not some demonstration or parade. Those soldiers outside these walls have killed your countrymen. They have burned homes, stolen crops, done unspeakable harm to the innocent. Yet here you sit, like a spoiled child who only cares for himself. Yes, I understand your father is gravely wounded, but people died in this city tonight. Don’t you care?”

Zollin stood up. He was so angry the blue, electrical power began snapping up and down his body. When he spoke, his voice was supernaturally low and forceful.

“And what have you done, oh King? You hide here and push others into a fight they had no part in starting. What did you do to your son, Prince Simmeron, after he poisoned you and sent assassins to kill his older brother? After he recruited a wizard from the Torr and kidnapped an innocent girl to force me into his service? Has Simmeron been brought to justice, or does he live in luxury in one of your many palaces? I am not your slave. I am not in your service. Do not speak to me again, King Felix,” he said the ruler’s name with such disdain that the King cowered back. “Your presence is not required here.”

“This is my castle,” the King said.

“No, this is the castle of a king, not a sniveling, selfish coward. Don’t think I was not aware of your greedy attempts to bring me into your service. You are no different than your son. You wanted to use my power for your own gain. You could have stopped this war, but the truth is you wanted it. You want me to wipe out that army so that you will rise in power among the Five Kingdoms. I am no fool. Stop treating me like one.”

“Zollin,” came a weak voice from behind him.

The wizard turned quickly and saw his father, looking at him through glazed eyes. The power that had been building in Zollin waned, the energy stopped flowing, and his voice became normal.

“Father,” he said, rushing to Quinn’s bedside. “How do you feel?”

“Like I should be dead,” he said.

“I need to do more work on you,” Zollin said.

He started to send his magic into Quinn again but his father stopped him by taking his hand.

“Wait,” he said. “You need your rest. Tell me what is happening.”

“Brianna is gone,” Zollin said. “The dragon took her.” There were tears in Zollin’s eyes. “Mansel is here, but he killed Kelvich. What has happened to him?”

“There’s a witch in Lodenhime,” Quinn said. “We were there looking to sail north with Prince Wilam.”

“Does my son live?” King Felix asked from over Zollin’s shoulder.

“Yes, he lives. But he has been bewitched. We all were. She casts some type of spell over men, and they forget everyone and everything else but her. She sent Mansel and me to bring you to her, Zollin. She wants you. You have to stay away from her.”

“I will, I promise,” Zollin said.

“We will deal with this witch once we have pushed Offendorl back into the sea,” King Felix said. “See to your people, Zollin. I will see to the defense of our kingdom.”

The King left the room and Zollin felt a wave of guilt wash over him. He wasn’t proud of the way he had acted. It seemed like the world was against him. At one point, not long after he had discovered his powers, when he was still living in Tranaugh Shire, he felt as if the world was his for the taking. He had never heard of anyone who could do the things he was able to do. But now, despite all his powers, he felt helpless. Brianna was gone, his father was still not well, and Mansel had betrayed him. Now, he had been forced to confront his own King and fight a war he did nothing to start.

“Kelvich told me something about you, Zollin,” Quinn said. “He told me you would wake up the magical world. Everything is changing and change can be hard, but you aren’t alone. You can make the world a better place, but it won’t be easy. Making things better takes work, but you’ve never shirked a task, son. I’m very proud of you.”

“Oh, no,” Zollin said, as tears came pouring from his eyes. “I’ve ruined everything,” he moaned.

“No, you haven’t. Sometimes you have to clear away the rubble before you can rebuild something good. We have to do what we can to make things better Zollin. You and I.”

“I can’t do it alone,” Zollin said.

“You aren’t alone. I’m here. I’ll always be here for you. I love you.”

“I love you, too, dad.”

Quinn feel asleep after that and once Zollin had eaten he healed his father, Mansel, and Commander Corlis completely. It was late, well past midnight, when he finished. He was tired but he knew that he couldn’t rest until had made one thing perfectly clear.

He climbed slowly up the steps to the King’s personal quarters. The big, wooden doors, both elaborately carved with horses, were still open. The King sat with a goblet of wine, staring into a fire that had been kindled in the large stone fireplace.