Don Bassingthwaite - The doom of Kings

She could tell from Senen’s expression that she understood as well that there was no graceful way to decline the offer entirely. The Kech Volaar ambassador’s ears quivered, then bent. “I cannot accept on my own, and certainly I cannot leave my post in Rhukaan Draal, but I will relay your invitation to the leaders of my clan,” she said.

“What about your stories?” Vounn asked her. “Surely you don’t need to consult with the leaders of your clan before you share stories.”

Interest flashed in Senen’s eyes. “You are clever, Vounn d’Deneith. Call on me again and perhaps I will have a story to tell you.” She nodded to Haruuc and walked away.

“Nicely done, Vounn,” said Tariic quietly, watching Senen go. “Paatcha! I couldn’t have done better.”

Vounn thought she saw regret flit again across Haruuc’s face but she couldn’t be sure-one moment he was looking at his nephew, the next at a goblin messenger wearing the red-cord armband of Khaar Mbar’ost and hurrying along the hall of honor. The goblin clutched a loosely rolled scroll that he passed to Haruuc as if eager to be rid of it. Haruuc’s face darkened as he scanned the message.

“The Gan’duur have crossed the Ghaal at the eastern ferry,” he said. “They attacked wagons on their way to market in Rhukaan Draal this morning.” He glanced at the messenger. “Tell Munta and Vanii I’m on my way.” The goblin nodded and dashed away. Haruuc looked to Vounn. “Iron should not cool on the anvil, nor should it be left in the forge. I appreciate the distraction you offer me.”

Vounn bent her head. “You helped me, lhesh. Ta muut.”

Haruuc turned to go. Tariic sprang to his side. “Wait,” he said. “I’ll come with you.”

Vounn thought she saw Haruuc’s shoulders stiffen before he nodded to his nephew.

Following Wrath through the mountains was like fighting a battle from sunrise to sunset. In a time years ago-a time that felt like another life-Geth had fought just such a battle along the border between Cyre and Karrnath. In the end, he hadn’t been able to tell whether any ground had been gained, only that he would have laid down among the corpses on the battlefield if it meant a chance to rest.

He and the others felt the same way at the end of every day now. Their pace slowed even more as they crept up toward, then climbed among, the Seawalls. Distances they should have covered in a few hours took an entire day as they went around canyons and sought out gentler inclines to follow. The weather turned colder as they pushed higher. Occasionally, they saw signs of habitation, of the rare goblins who lived in the mountains, but they made no effort to seek shelter with them. As Chetiin pointed out, if someone chose to live in the wilderness, they probably wanted to be left alone.

One night Midian pulled out a map and some shiny brass instruments. He made observations of several stars, worked out calculations in chalk, traced a line across his map, and cursed. “Sage’s shadow! We’re traveling on a line with Paluur Draal and Korranberg.”

“What’s Paluur Draal?” asked Ashi.

“It was a shining jewel of the Empire of Dhakaan,” said Ekhaas. “A great city, now ruined, overrun in the past by gnomes and kobolds- even humans tried to live there for a time. The rod couldn’t be there, though. The ruins have been thoroughly explored.”

“Don’t be sure of that,” Midian said, stowing his instruments back into his pack. “The last time I was there, the expedition I was with found evidence that the roots of the city extended deeper than anyone expec-” He caught Ekhaas’s glare and quickly changed the subject. “The point is that Paluur Draal is quite close to Korranberg. We could have ridden back to Sterngate, caught the lightning rail into Zilargo, and been there already.”

“What if the rod has already been found?” Chetiin asked. “You said we’re also on a line with Korranberg. What if the rod rests in your famous library?”

Midian flushed. “Now see here! If the library held a Dhakaani artifact as significant as the Rod of Kings, I’d know about it!”

“I notice you don’t say that the library would give it back,” said Ekhaas.

“Maybe no one has asked for it!” Midian screwed up his face. “Not that we have it. I mean that if we did have it and Haruuc sent someone to explain why it was important that it be returned to Darguun, I’m sure the library would repatriate it immediately. Trust me, no nation wants to see Darguun remain peaceful more than Zilargo.”

“All those gnomes helpless before the threat of invading Darguul slavers?” asked Chetiin dryly.

“Exactly!” said Midian. “It’s in Zilargo’s best interest to support a stable leadership in Darguun.”

Chetiin scratched Marrow’s head. “You don’t have to worry,” he said. “I understand Zils make terrible slaves.”

Midian’s mouth opened, but no sound came out and his face turned an even deeper shade of red.

Geth sighed and put an end to it. “The rod can’t be in the library. Korranberg’s below the mountains and we”-he drew Wrath and held it out so that everyone could see the angle of the pointing blade-“are still going up.”

They caught a bit of luck the next day. During their time in the mountains, they’d passed a number of ancient ruins, some Dhakaani, some dating from the Desperate Times after the fall of the empire-Ekhaas and Midian generally agreed, surprisingly, on what belonged to which period. Most of the ruins had consisted of a wall or two, sometimes even less, emerging from the undergrowth or perched high on a bit of bare rock, but that day they rounded the shoulder of a hill to find themselves on a stretch of Dhakaani road.

The stone surface was washed with drifting soil, broken by weather and by the roots of trees that were themselves centuries old. It coiled across the landscape, running roughly northwest to southeast along the line of the mountains in that area. Both behind and ahead, it seemed to appear in stretches, then vanish among the trees before reappearing once more along the curve of a distant ridge.

Geth could guess at what they were all thinking: the curving road might take them out of their way, but it was still a road, and following it was easier than breaking their own trail. He lifted Wrath. The sword pointed in the same general direction as the road. “Grandfather Rat smiles for a change,” he said.

Even when the ancient road was under the canopy of trees that had grown up through it, they made good time. “Where do you think it goes?” Dagii asked as they paused to take some food.

“We’re not likely to follow it to the end,” Geth pointed out.

“No, but the Dhakaani must have. No one builds a road to nowhere.”

“We’re approaching the headwaters of the Torlaac River,” Ekhaas said. She pointed to a distinctive cleft peak far in the distance. “I think that’s the back of Giim Astraa. There are extensive ruins there.”

Midian’s eyebrows rose and he took a sudden interest in the hazy peak, but Ekhaas didn’t seem to notice.

Dagii nodded and said, “I think you’re right. Well done.”

Ekhaas flicked her ears casually in response, but Geth could see the expression of self-satisfaction she tried to hide.

His prediction that they wouldn’t see the end of the road seemed accurate, though. When they started on the road again, he checked their direction. Wrath didn’t point anywhere near Giim Astraa, but rather along the road and directly to the massive bulk of a much closer mountain. The road curved wide around the mountain’s flank. He grimaced. “It was nice while it lasted.”

“Follow the road around,” Ashi suggested. “It might curve back again.”