David Dalglish - The Cost of Betrayal

He couldn’t have. Qurrah. His brother.

He couldn’t have.

A ullienna?” Harruq asked, fighting off a brief wave of disorientation as he rushed up the stairs and entered his bedroom. He saw her on their bed and hurried to her.

“Baby, wake up,” he said, shaking her tiny shoulders in his hands. Aurelia’s spell broke and her eyes fluttered open.

“I was a flower,” she giggled. Harruq sighed. Her skin was fine. Her temperature was normal. A smile was on his daughter’s face.

“You were a flower, were you?” he asked. Behind him, he heard Aurelia and Delysia enter. He brushed her cheek with his hand. He would pick her up and show them his brother would never stoop so low as to harm his only daughter. He would show them all was fine, that the chaos in the night was a misunderstanding. But a change hit, so sudden the half-orc never saw it. He only realized when the little girl reached up, grabbed his hand, and sank her teeth into the upper part of his thumb.

He screamed, yanking his hand back. She refused to lessen her grip. Blood spilled across her face, the bed, and his hand as his skin tore underneath her stubborn teeth. He pried her loose and held the bleeding thumb to his chest, gaping at his daughter.

“Aully,” the half-orc almost pleaded, tears in his eyes. “Why? Why did you do that?”

Aurelia was at his side, pulling him to her as she looked on.

“I don’t know what happened,” she said, her voice quivering. “Delysia, it must be a poison. I saw the scorpion sting her.”

“Scorpion?” Harruq asked.

“The one Brug made for him.”

Harruq pulled away, his temper fuming. “Brug did this? Where is he?”

“Downstairs,” the elf said. “He’s unconscious. Qurrah did something to him.”

Delysia stepped beside them, her eyes on the little girl. Aullienna watched her approach, her legs pulled to her chest, her little white eyes shaking with fear.

“Don’t,” she said, jerking away from the priestess’s gentle hand. “Please. You’ll hurt me.”

“I won’t hurt you,” Delysia cooed. “Please. I want to help.”

Tears filled Aullienna’s eyes, and it broke Harruq’s heart that he could not go to her.

“You can’t,” the little girl said. “You’ll make it worse.”

Delysia ignored her, whispering another prayer for a healing spell.

“You’ll make it worse!” Aullienna shouted, her voice shrill. “Worse, worse, you’ll make it worse!”

Delysia shoved her hand forward, the blue-white light pouring out. Aullienna shrieked. She slapped, she kicked, and she dove to the ground, curling into a tiny ball. There she whimpered like an injured dog.

“Whatever it is, I can’t cure it,” Delysia said to the terrified parents. “We need to take her to Calan. If anyone can save her, he can.”

“I’ll open us another port-”

She stopped, taking up her staff and preparing to strike. A shadow crawled up the wall. It remained flat against the mossy stone until widening into a perfect visage of Qurrah Tun. Harruq drew his swords, but Aurelia reached out and pushed them down.

“Just a shadow image,” she said, eyeing the spell. “What is it you come to tell us, wretch?”

“I seek a trade,” Qurrah said. His eyes looked distant and unfocused. “Lathaar knows of a tome I desire, one freed by his defeat of the demon, Darakken. Have him bring this to me and I will hand over the cure for your daughter.”

“You bastard,” Harruq said. “How could you? How?”

“Harruq?” the image asked, glancing toward the half-orc’s general direction. “I mean her no harm. Things will become sane soon, I promise. Everything will return to how it was…how it should be.”

The image faded, even as Harruq cursed his name. The three stood silently while Aullienna whimpered.

“To Calan?” Aurelia asked. The other two nodded. She glanced at her daughter and offered a weak smile. “I’m sorry, honey,” she said, casting another sleep spell. The whimpering faded. Harruq took her in his arms, his heart aching with pain and anger. A new portal ripped open. They took her to Calan.

Q urrah opened his eyes, the message given. He steadied himself against the wall, furious at his own weakness.

“I should not show you such compassion,” he said. “You have grown far too weak.”

They were still inside Veldaren, cowering like rats in a wretched slum. Tessanna remained at his side. She huddled in the rain, looking wet and miserable. He remembered the chaos she had sown and felt his anger rise.

“Why did you come?” he said. “You were to remain behind!”

“I didn’t want them to find you,” she explained. “I had to make sure your pet kept them busy. You had to succeed. You had to.”

Qurrah slumped against the building.

“How many did you hurt?” he asked. “How many did you kill?” She turned away, her chin tucked down. Her hair hid her face. “Aullienna was to grant us the tome, Tessanna! Now you’ve hurt them, nearly killed them! What if they seek vengeance? What if they fear you more than they desire the girl to live?”

“I wanted to help,” the girl shrieked, nearly choking with sobs. “Please, you wouldn’t let me help, but I want to help! I want to see her one more time!”

The half-orc turned and wrapped his arms around her. He felt her crying into his chest, and his anger broke.

“All is well,” he said. “We have not killed any dear to them. They will forgive you, and me. I just need the spellbook. With it, all will be made right.”

Tessanna sniffled. “And if they don’t give it to us?”

“They will. I know my brother. He would do anything for those he loves.”

The girl was not sure if he meant himself or the girl. Perhaps it didn’t matter.

“I want to go home,” she said.

“As do I. Night and rain will be ending soon. Let us go.”

The two slunk off to the western wall, crossing to the other side through a door of shadow. Once again, they retreated to their sanctuary within the King’s Forest.

W ake the high priest,” Harruq said to the young priest that answered his vicious knockings on the temple doors. The boy paused in indecision. He looked no older than twelve, the lowest of the low in the temple hierarchy. Well, the half-orc had a way with dealing with the lowly.

“I said wake him,” Harruq screamed. “My daughter is dying! And if you keep standing here telling me he can’t be woken, I will rip the door off and beat you on the head with it.”

“I’ll go get him,” the boy said, flinging the temple doors wide. “Please, just…I’ll bring him here. Wait for him, if you please.”

“It would please me fine,” Harruq said, shoving his way in, “if you show me to his room. I don’t have time for this.”

The boy glanced at the two girls, his face brightening as he recognized Delysia.

“Oh,” he said. “I didn’t see you there.”

“This is important,” the priestess said, doing her best to calm him. “Take us to Calan. I am sure he will understand.”

The boy glanced at the half-orc, paled, and then gestured for them to follow. He led them through the entrance, wincing at the water they dripped across the carpets. They veered away from the main altar room, approaching a large oaken door. The boy politely knocked twice. Harruq followed it up with several booming fists of his own.

“That’s how you knock to wake someone up,” he said. “Now get out of here.”

The young priest glanced to Delysia, who gave him an assuring nod. He fled, hoping he had done the right thing. After no commotion from inside, Harruq smashed his fist against the wood a few more times.

“Give an old man time to rise from his bed,” came the answering call from within. Harruq stepped back, trying to calm himself. His daughter would be fine. Calan was a powerful priest, at least according to Delysia. Such a man could heal his daughter. Any mortal poison should be within the abilities of such a healer.