Against the Giants

EPILOGUE

Late the next afternoon, Vlandar held a brief meeting in thebarracks courtyard. Excepting the slain Khlened and Bleryn, everyone from their party was there. Lhors thought Maera looked pale, and her face seemed even thinner than usual, but otherwise she was none the worse after her near-fatal wound.

“The Lord Mebree is readying a delegation to go to the king,”Vlandar told them. “There have been more raids in Keoland since our departure,and the king will need our information. The chief magician here has a spell that will transport as many as fifteen to the palace in Niole Dra. The lord asks that I go, and Nemis and Malowan. The rest of you need not if you would rather remain here or go your own way, but I think you all have the right.”

“I agree,” Malowan said. “Each of you performed deeds worthyof a king’s praise.”

“Or a king’s ransom,” Gerikh put in. He smiled, but his eyeswere dark. “Khlened would have said as much, or Bleryn, and I think I may speakfor them.”

“No.” A faint voice broke in. Florimund got to his feet, andwhen Maera-a subdued, almost docile Maera-would have protested, he put hisfingers on her lips to silence her, then turned to look Nemis in the eye. “I didnothing to deserve praise or thanks.”

“Nothing,” Nemis agreed, “but it was the right sort ofnothing.”

Agya scowled questioningly at Malowan, who merely shrugged in response.

Florimund sighed faintly. “Yes, Nemis. I knew all along thatyou mistrusted me.”

“I was aware you were not merely a prisoner taken, tortured,and left to rot in a cell,” Nemis replied. “I suspected there was more to you,but who could have known that the drow and their giant allies tried to turn you into a spy against your own kind? I admit, it seemed likely they would attempt this, but if they had succeeded with you, you would not have still been in that cell where we found you.”

“You did not do what they wanted,” Maera offered.

Rowans mouth twisted with distaste.

“He didn’t, Rowan!”

“I know,” Rowan replied softly. “Just as I know he never meant to make a wall between us, sister.”

Florimund shook his head. “Not that, ever. Still, when youmade your way into the Rift, I was so afraid that I began to think that… Ithought if I could somehow-”

“Y’meant t’make noise all along th’ way t’get us caught,”Agya snarled.

Malowan murmured something in her ear and she subsided, but the half-elf nodded.

“I tried to warn the frost giants, hoping they would… Idon’t know what I hoped. No more pain, of course. You didn’t know how bad firegiants’ hold was, and when I heard your plans to go there, and the drow… I…” He swallowed and turned away. “I could not face that.”

“No one who had been to either place could blame you,” Nemissaid quietly. “I know. I have been there.”

Florimund eyed the mage warily.

Nemis managed a faint, wry smile. “I say you have as muchright as I to come with us.”

Florimund bowed his head in grateful acquiescence. “Then howdare I say no? I have long wished to see the king’s city.”

“And I,” Gerikh said. “There may be jobs about for anengineer like me.”

“I am reminded, speaking of jobs,” Vlandar said. He wassmiling broadly. “We have coin and gems to divide among us. Even a small shareof that will keep you in comfort for some time to come, Gerikh.”

“Little as I did to help you,” the man said.

“You helped,” the warrior replied. “You held your own anddidn’t shrink back when the time came to fight.”

Vlandar went into the barracks and came back with a cloth-wrapped packet that seemed heavy for its size. “The chest you carried outof the drow’s quarters. Lord Mebree’s wizards kept the scroll and the box, butthe lord gave me back what else was in there. Look.” He whipped the cover asideto reveal three bars of black metal. “That’s adamantine, or so they tell me.Each of them is worth about three thousand gold pieces each, and they’re ours.”

“Not so bad,” the engineer allowed with a grin, though hiseyes were wide. The smile faded. “Too bad Khlened and Bleryn aren’t here toshare. I took to them, you know. I’d like to see the look on that red-beardedmadman’s face when he saw those.” A momentary silence followed, which he broke.“I’ll come with you, Vlandar. There may be a few things I can tell your kingabout what the giants were up to when I was taken.”

“I will go,” Maera said steadily. “I-”she glanced up at hersister-“I want to be certain they know what the drow are capable of.”

“If Mal’s in, then so’m I,” Agya added.

“You most certainly are,” the paladin told her. “This is noplace for a young woman alone, especially when her only acquaintances are thieves and the like.”

“No more thievin’ for me, I told y’so!” the girl protested.“B’lieve I’ll take my share of th’ bounty and use it t’be a fine lady in apalace.”

“You,” Malowan said evenly, “will give at least a few coinsto the thieves’ god Rudd for answering your prayer back in that lava tube! Butif you choose to stay with me, there will certainly be no palace in your future!”

Agya grumbled under her breath, sighed heavily, but finally grinned up at him. “Knew it,” she said cheerfully. “Knew y’needed me! Well, Is’pose th’ world needs someone like you t’keep things safe. My luck.”

“Your luck and my fate,” replied the paladin and tugged ather hair.

It was an odd relationship, Lhors thought. In Upper Haven, that kind of teasing between boy and girl or woman and man meant there’d be amarriage soon. But Malowan wouldn’t make such a vow, and certainly not with agirl less than half his age. Agya would likely be horrified if someone suggested she wanted Mal that way.

Things seemed to be much more complicated than he’d thoughtthem when he was growing up in a small hill village. There his life had been structured by the seasons, by the ways things had always been, patterns as familiar as the shadow cast by a grain rick across the village square every midsummer at midday, or the way squashes came ripe when the shadow of a certain oak lay across the hill where the first vines were planted, even Gran and her formidable memory for the past-and that had come down from wisewomen before her,so that even the unexpected could be traced back to a larger pattern.

There hadn’t been a pattern that warned her against thegiants, Lhors thought. But even if there had been, there couldn’t have been onethat would have told her about the drow or saved them from Eclavdra’s years ofscheming.

He blinked and came back to the moment as Rowan smiled and took one of Nemis’ hands between both of hers. “I will go-if only because youdo.”

Nemis tugged his hand free. “You owe me nothing,” he saidstiffly.

“Owe. That word has no meaning between you and me, mage,”Rowan replied, as stiffly. She smiled. “You think yourself hardened by yourpast, but I know better. We will talk of this later-in private.”

“If you like,” Nemis said, but he brought her hands up andbrushed them with his lips.

“Lhors?”

“Huh?” Lhors looked up to see Vlandar’s eyes on him.

“The king’s city, Lhors. You’ll come with us, of course?”

The question warmed him. Of course. Vlandar could never replace his father, but he was a good man and kind, as well as a skilled warrior. Lhors knew that Lharis would be pleased to see his son apprenticed to such a warrior. Still…

Giants had destroyed Upper Haven. High Haven and New Market were possibly gone as well. The king might not care so much for a few distant villagers trying to recover from such loss, but Lhors did. More importantly, he had his father’s hunting skills and he could plant, weed, shear sheep, helpbirth calves…

He could keep the people-his people fed. Of course, ifthe giants came again, he doubted he’d be able to lead them into battle. Butthanks to Vlandar and the others, he could find a way to fight with few against many. He knew his duty. Still, it was hard to get the words out.

“Sir… Vlandar.” He swallowed hard. “I would like very much to see theking’s city, but I know Gran must be worried. I should go home, at least to seeif she’s all right.”

Vlandar shook his head. “I knew you would say that. Yourfather would be proud. But no, the Lord Mebree has already made certain the Havens are safe. He has a small company of guards quartered in a new garrison based in New Market, and there are more guards on the way-with one of my oldlieutenants who knows how to keep proper watch on country like yours. Your Gran is there in New Market with the children you and she rescued. And she sends word to you, Lhors.” The warrior paused to recollect the exact words. “‘We manage aswe always do… and will. Carry word for us, boy. Tell the king what you sawand remember to remind him of the taxes-lose enough villages and you lose morethan a pair of coppers, you lose all.’”

“Pair of coppers…” Lhors echoed. He turned away, a lumpin his throat and his eyes damp. Gran, would it surprise you to know I have more wealth than our village ever paid the king in taxes, just because Vlandar thought I’d be a good rear guard? Well, he’d offer a few coins to his father’sgods, but more to the New Market and Havens villages. Enough to be certain his father had a proper burial, and that Gran and the two girls they’d savedwouldn’t want for anything.

Beyond that-he didn’t know. Too many possibilities.

One word caught his ear, all at once. Safe. Gran was, then. The girls were. That was good, he was sure of that.

But safe-it wasn’t what he wanted. Lhors GiantKiller… the words echoed in his mind. Hearing that had felt good. Iteased the pain of his slain village, if only just a little.

Vlandar seemed to read his thoughts. “If we are to put a stopto these raids, the king will need experienced men, especially those who have fought giants.”

The boy I was, Lhors thought, maybe giants would have killed him as easily as they had killed Father. He had survived that night more by luck or the favor of the gods. Nothings sure, but just perhaps, knowing what I know now, I could have saved him or Headman Yerik, who had his own store of knowledge, or laughing Bregya, who’d taught him so much…. Once again, therage began to smolder within him. He held out both hands. “Sir… Vlandar, I’mwith you. To the end.”

The warrior smiled and gripped Lhors’ shoulders hard.

“I hoped you would.” He raised his voice. “We all go, andthat’s as it should be. All right, people! Let’s get cleaned up. Meet back herejust after sundown! And I warn you, if you think giants are a dire foe, you haven’t met the king’s court yet!”