The Towers of Adrala - Book One, Part One: Saranoda

  ***

  “I guess this is where we part,” said Sye, “Will you not come with me?”

  “We were going to ask the same of you,” said Pird.

  Sye shook his head, “I'm not going to fight a battle until I find out whose side I'm on.  There’s too much we don’t know and I can’t shake the feeling we’re being misled.  My father is at Mirith and so are the oldest archives of Adralian history.  We could get access to the Ringkeeper's histories.”

  “Ringkeeper?” Pird asked

  “You really never did pay attention to Magist.  The man beside the King and the Creed who-”

  “-wears keys!” Pird interjected, “I mean, he has a lot of them.  He…keeps the histories.  And Idusces’ creeds.  And other important and likely shiny things.”

  Sye shook his head, smiling, “Yes, that’s exactly how Magist explained it.”

  “Look at Zook, Sye,” Eris pleaded.  Zook was being led around the corner by Jakmin.  He seemed confused, his eyes not focusing on anything in particular.

  “You know him better than any of us,” said Eris, “He needs your help more than ever now.”

  Sye felt himself wavering.  He had never seen Zook this way.  I’ve never seen him kill anyone either.  But he’s seen plenty of death in his work.  I guess…this will just be a new way of him seeing it.

  Sye looked at Eris with as much confidence as he could muster, “And because I know him better I know he'll be all right.”

  “But he killed a man!”

  “No,” said Sye, smiling sadly, “He freed a man.  Freed him of the Madness that was making him murder and maim.  If he sees it any different you'll have to correct his views.”

  Eris’ eyes brimmed with tears.  She suddenly rushed forward and hugged Sye, burying her face in his shoulder.  He raised his hands in surprise, then awkwardly hugged her back.

  “Promise me you'll be careful,” she whispered into his shoulder.

  “I...” Sye swallowed.  He suddenly realized that this might be the last time he would ever see her again.  Krakrenenor might not be as welcoming as Saranoda was and her path might cross Scorn's.  A thousand things clamored in Sye's mind, each wanting to be spoken.  Then a prick of pain flashed across his back.  Sye realized that Eris had forgotten about the gauntlet.

  They'll be all right, Sye thought, After all those ‘Four’ are supposed to be watching over them.  With their ‘plan’.  It’s me that they might not feel too keen on protecting.

  “Only if you promise the same,” Sye finally replied.

  Eris nodded and gripped Sye harder, than released him and hurried to follow Zook.

  “Stay out of trouble,” said Pird, briefly embracing his friend.

  “Sounds funny coming from you,” said Sye, “Especially after that little bit with the swindler's silver.”

  “That man's so greedy he didn't even notice it was his own pouch,” Pird paused, “I better see you again, the Terrible Three doesn't sound as good as the Fearsome Four.”

  Sye laughed, “I'll miss you too.”

  Pird followed Eris around the corner and Jakmin appeared at Sye's side.

  “Your friends are in good hands,” said Jakmin, “The cart driver, Kurn, is…an old friend of mine.  He’s the best man you could have driving those noisey things.  And I’ll call Idusces to Judge Kingsmin on just how comfortable they are.”

  Sye watched Pird's cloak disappear, Will I ever see them again?  And will they be the same after everything that will happen?  Will I after what I discover?

  Sye turned and began his long walk back to Jahrst with Jakmin.

  “You four are sure a curious lot,” said Jakmin.

  “More curious than you would care to know,” Sye replied.