“To take my revenge, of course,” Kelvhan snapped, and took a step toward Taegan. In the light as he grew closer, his eyes were open wide, a cruel grin on his face. Kelvhan had always had a stern, austere look to him, but something was different now—something absolutely manic in his eyes that made Taegan falter.
Before he could get further than a few steps, though, Zorvut lunged at him as his sword erupted in flame, illuminating them in a vivid light where there had been only dim torchlight an instant before.
“Stay away from him,” he snarled, and for the first time a look of shock and genuine fear crossed the other elf’s face. The two orcs moved towards him but hesitated uneasily as well, their eyes trained on the burning sword. But Kelvhan seemed to gather himself quickly, taking a quick step back and keeping his eyes on Zorvut even as Taegan drew his bow.
“I didn’t realize you’d learned a new trick,” Kelvhan murmured, seemingly more to himself than to them. “That’s annoying. Oh, well.” He snapped his fingers, and the two orcs behind him abandoned their hesitation as they rushed Zorvut with a bellow, both brandishing axes that glinted in the firelight.
Taegan loosed his arrow into one before his blow could land, and the other Zorvut parried easily before screwing his face in concentration—the air felt perfectly still for a split second, then there was a rush of heat even Taegan could feel as a thunderous bolt sprang forth between Zorvut’s fingers, connecting with the other orc. The lightning was so radiant that for an instant the camp was illuminated bright as day, and Taegan turned his face to blink away the night-blindness.
“Good call,” a voice said softly from behind him. Taegan whirled around, fingers fumbling with an arrow. But Kelvhan was already upon him, a wide grin on his face as he placed his hands on Taegan’s shoulders, gripping them tightly and pulling him closer.
“Taegan!” Zorvut roared, turning away from the orc still slashing at him as the one struck by lightning s.
Panic overtook everything in Taegan’s mind—he did not know what Kelvhan was doing, but a deep pit of fear had opened in his chest as the elf whispered an incantation, brows furrowed in concentration as he maintained a vice-like grip on his shoulders. Taegan dropped his bow and reached desperately for Zorvut—he could not break free on his own, but Zorvut was strong, if he could only reach him—
But it was too late. He could feel his fingertips just barely brush against Zorvut’s before a lurching sensation wrenched him away and pinned him, motionless, in an inky expanse of nothing.
Chapter Twelve
Hewasdreaming,Taeganwas sure. None of this could be real. He was dreaming, a bad dream, just as he had been before all this happened, and soon he would wake up to Zorvut next to him in the wilderness, sleeping and quiet. It all had to be a terrible nightmare.
For a long moment, he could not move and darkness surrounded him, though he had the distinct sense of falling. Then, finally, there was a different lurching sensation, like pulling back the reins of a galloping horse that bucked underneath him, and a dim firelight replaced the darkness, moonlight glinting off of metal into his eyes. Taegan winced, at last able to move, and raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sudden light.
It was cold, much colder than it had been in the lagoon where they were camping, and a breeze bit at his exposed face and hands. If he were not already shaking from adrenaline, he would be shivering with cold.
Kelvhan’s hands were still clamped to his shoulders, he realized, but the pressure was soon relieved as the other elf released him with a bitter laugh.
“There,” he said snidely, and Taegan could practically hear the smirk in his voice, though he was not facing him. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“Excellent, you’ve returned,” a different voice called out, gruff and harsh—and familiar. Taegan whirled around, fear leaping into his throat, to find the huge figure of Hrul Bonebreaker behind them, a wide smile spread tight across his massive tusks. “Although, without my warriors, I see. I take it your little plan did not work out quite as you’d hoped.”
Kelvhan scowled. “No, but I’ve brought you what you’ve asked.”
“This is true,” Hrul agreed, his eyes lingering on Taegan. Taegan looked away, eyes flickering across their surroundings for only an instant before realizing orcs surrounded them on all sides. They were standing in some kind of courtyard or perhaps a town square, encircled by simple wood buildings and elaborate tents. Wherever they were, he thought with a sinking feeling, was certainly quite far from where they had just been. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest, and tried to slow his breathing, which had become rapid and shallow without him even realizing.
The warlord said something in orcish, gesturing with one huge hand, and three orcs stepped toward them, drawing their weapons. Kelvhan took a nervous step away from them, getting closer to Taegan, but Taegan pushed him aside on reflex and the other elf stumbled.
“What are you doing?” he demanded, panic starting to rise in his voice as he looked back toward Hrul. “This wasn’t—I just helped you! I did exactly as you asked. We had a deal!”
“Yes, but now you’ve outlived your usefulness,” Hrul replied with a shrug, as nonchalantly as if they were discussing the weather. The three orcs lunged at Kelvhan before he could scramble away, two of them pinning his arms to his sides in anticipation of his magic.
“Taegan!” Kelvhan cried, eyes rolling in his head as he thrashed between them. “Please, please, help me! I’m sorry, Taegan, please!”
Taegan could only stare in panicked silence. The third orc, the one not pinning him down, raised a sword and drove it down effortlessly through Kelvhan’s chest. The elf gasped wordlessly, the breath becoming a sickly gurgle drowned out by a gush of blood as the orc wrenched his sword back out, and Kelvhan fell dead to the ground with a wet thud.
Taegan did not realize he’d been taking a slow, fearful step backward until he felt a large hand on his back, pushing him toward the warlord. Hrul gestured toward the body and the two who had been pinning him just a moment ago lifted the limp form and carried it away, leaving a trail of blood behind as they moved. Then his eyes landed on Taegan, and a smile spread around his tusks once again.
“Prince Taegan Glynzeiros,” he said, giving a slight mocking bow of his head. “Forgive me, I wasn’t ignoring you. I welcome you to Drol Kuggradh. In fact, I have been trying to reach you for some time now.”
He did not respond, waiting wordlessly for the warlord to continue. Even if he knew what to say, the fear in his throat would not have allowed him to speak. When the orc was met with silence, he laughed.
“You’re right to be afraid,” he continued. “Though I won’t kill you, not yet. Let me tell you what’s going to happen. Zorvut will be quite sure of where you are, certainly, and he will come here to free you. When he arrives, he will die, and then you will as well.” He sighed, leaning back on his heels and folding his arms across his chest. “It’s a shame, but his presence is the greatest threat to my victory against the elves. Some of my people still have some misguided sense of loyalty to that damned peace treaty and to him, even though he is not my son.” He scowled at that, clearly vexed at the admission. “So, he must be taken care of, and so must you. Something tells me your death will break the king’s resolve enough that we can take the capital for good.”
Taegan looked around once more. There were at least ten orcs surrounding him, each of them armed. He had nothing but the clothes he wore. If he were to try to escape, he would certainly die. “And what makes you think Zorvut will know I’m here? What reason would he have to believe Kelvhan was working with you?” he asked, his voice hoarse. Hrul laughed at that.
“If he can’t figure it out, he’s far more a fool than I ever took him to be,” he chuckled. “The warriors I sent with your elf friend should be more than enough of a clue.”
He was right, Taegan thought, and the less the warlord knew about where they had been and what they were doing, the better. So he simply nodded once, looking away, and stayed silent.
