Robert Keller - The Heart of Shadows

Saranna sighed. "What am I even doing here? Working for Dremlock is a fine way to get killed. Or lose an arm." She laughed. "Of course, the pay is good, so I suppose I have no right to complain."

Aldreya glanced toward the severed arm, looking dismayed. "Poor Uncle Jace. I hope that wasn't his good arm."

"Maybe Jace can grow a new one," said Jerret, his expression serious. "I wouldn't be surprised if he did, considering how he survived that fall through the ice. Who knows what a sorcerer like that is capable of?"

Aldreya nodded. "Still, we better return the arm to him." She carefully wrapped it in cloth and put it in her pack. She sighed. "Uncle Jace uses his hands like weapons, so losing an arm could be especially devastating for him. Hopefully, we won't be trapped here so long that the arm will be rendered useless and the Healers can't reattach it."

"They reattached Vald Sparklesword's leg," said Jerret, "after the leg had been carried off by Goblin Wolves and was missing for almost a day. The Wolves had already feasted well and were saving it for later, so it only had a few teeth marks in it. Vald doesn't even have a limp to show for it."

Saranna shook her head in amazement. "Being a servant of Dremlock certainly has its privileges. When a Ranger loses a limb, it's replaced by a wooden one or, more often, not replaced at all. Many Rangers have been forced into early retirement after losing limbs to Goblins or infection while keeping the roads open for the Divine Knights to use."

The Squires looked uncomfortable but didn't reply.

"I could try blasting through the stone walls," said Vannas.

"Not a good idea," said Saranna. "You could bring a bunch of rubble down on top of us. Just hold off on the blasting, okay?"

Vannas nodded, but looked displeased.

"Maybe we should enter the pit," said Jerret. "Might be a way out."

"No, we should wait for a bit," said Lannon. "The Knights will return for us in time and find a way to remove the slab or tunnel around it-or something. Since the pit is an obvious trap, we should avoid it."

"I agree," said Vannas. "We will wait."

Jerret groaned. "We're stuck here while a battle is going on? I don't like it!"

"Take a rest, Jerret," said Lannon. "And be patient."

Jerret ignored him and paced about.

Saranna sighed and slapped her thigh. "So what shall we talk about?"

No one answered.

"Not a talkative bunch, I see," the Ranger mused. "So how do you like being Squires at Dremlock? Is it everything you'd hoped it would be? Come on now, we might as well get to know each other a bit. Aldreya?"

"Much more exciting," said Aldreya. "And dangerous. I had anticipated spending most of my time training and studying, instead of being thrown right into the action. But this is why I went to Dremlock-to battle Tharnin."

Saranna seemed to sense something that Aldreya had kept to herself. "But you don't seem overly happy with it. I see doubt in your eyes."

Aldreya shrugged and looked away. "As I said, it's not what I expected. And I miss Borenthia all the time."

"I can understand that," said Saranna. "I had a home once too, before I decided to make my living wandering Silverland."

"I love being a Squire," said Jerret. "It's far better than I had imagined. Of course, being part of the Divine Shield has added to the excitement. I get more battle opportunities protecting Lannon and the prince."

Saranna gazed at him with curiosity. "What is it about combat that you love, Jerret? I try to avoid it myself lately."

"As do I," said Lannon, admiring Saranna's way of thinking (and her beauty). He seldom took his eyes off the Ranger when she was around. Her clothes were dirty, her auburn hair pulled back in a simple ponytail, but her green eyes were captivating. A hard life had not diminished her natural beauty.

"Battle fires up my blood," said Jerret, as he paced about. "It makes me feel…" He shrugged. "I don't know. I just enjoy it."

"I enjoy advancing in my skills," said Lothrin, "but battle brings me no pleasure. I really don't think it's the way of a Divine Knight to relish bloodshed. A Divine Knight is one who fights for peace-and fights only when necessary. The Sacred Laws teach us that violence is a tool best used carefully and selectively, as a last resort. Love of bloodshed can lead to a dark path."

"I wholeheartedly agree," said Lannon. "Well said."

"I know all that," said Jerret, with a dismissive wave, "but I can't help myself. All I ever think about is proving myself in battle. It's just the way I am."

"You're like a Grey Dwarf, Jerret," said Lothrin, as he sat next to Saranna and chewed some jerky. "You're all about combat and glory. You're definitely more Red Squire than Blue, and I sense that will never change."

Jerret nodded, smiling. "I suppose I am like an Olrog. Kind of like Furlus Goblincrusher, maybe. I'll take that as a compliment."

"If you must," said Lothrin. "But I'm glad your way of life is not mine."

"Why?" said Jerret, a look of contempt and amusement on his face. "Am I missing out on the beauty of life and such?"

"Something like that," said Lothrin.

Saranna smiled at Lothrin and held his gaze for a moment. Lothrin was the oldest of the Squires, but still a few years younger than Saranna. "I like your attitude," she said. "But there is something else about you that interests me, though I'm not sure what it is. You seem familiar somehow."

"I too am a Ranger," he said. "Or I was, prior to coming to Dremlock. I haven't lived as you've lived, though. I was a Ranger mainly for the enjoyment of it, as I certainly didn't need the money."

"Of course not," said Saranna. "You're a member of the Birlote Royal Family. You must have lived a life of wealth and power."

Lothrin nodded. "I had access to such a lifestyle-though I spent most of my time away from others, wandering the forest and the lands beyond. I'm somewhat of a loner, I suppose. So a Ranger's way of life was easy for me to adopt. I even spent time killing Goblins for pay, protecting some of the farms in Silverland. Finally I decided to try my luck at Dremlock, and being a Birlote from the Elder Family, the Knights were happy to recruit me. So that's my story."

"A Goblin hunter, huh?" said Jerret. "No wonder you're so good with that bow, with all the trouble with Vultures. How many Goblins did you slay?"

Lothrin shrugged. "A few dozen."

Jerret's eyes widened. "That many? Quite impressive."

"It's a busy job protecting farms," said Lothrin.

"I must admit," said Saranna, "that I hate Goblins with all my heart." Her eyes were distant, full of painful memories. "I started my war with them in the stinking Bloodlands at the age of fifteen, and killing them was all I knew for years. In fact, I used to measure a day's worth by how many I'd slain. I lost quite a few good friends in battle with them, which is why I despise them so much."

"Understandable," said Aldreya. "They are spiteful creatures born of evil. The more that perish, the better. I was taught from birth to hate Goblins, and I was sent to Dremlock to make war on them."

"I'm not fond of killing anything," said Lannon. "Even Goblins, as evil as they are."

Jerret chuckled. "You speared that Wolf quick enough, my friend. That was an incredible move, by the way."

"I never said I wouldn't kill them," Lannon pointed out. "As a Knight in training, it's my duty to kill Goblins. I simply said I don't enjoy it."

"You're all talk, Lannon," said Jerret. "You don't fool me. You say you don't enjoy combat, but you sure do it well enough. That spear move was something only a real warrior would do, with a love for battle."

"You're wrong about me, Jerret," said Lannon. He'd felt no satisfaction in skewering the Wolf. It had simply been a duty to him. The Eye of Divinity, and his training as a Blue Squire, made him deadly in combat, but he cared nothing for glory or praise. The things Jerret held in such high regard seemed empty to Lannon. Lannon was more concerned with the fate of Dremlock and Silverland. On the other hand, Jerret lacked the unique gifts of Lannon and Vannas and probably felt pressured to measure up to his friends.