The Huntsman of Adamos (Quartet)- draft

CH A NEW GAME BEGINS

Karstien watched Yuri go with wet eyes. “Do we need to move her?” Karstien asked.

“No, my king. She is on an island that requires a month by a ship to reach. She is safe because Huntsmen can’t sail. Their magic punishes them for leaving land.” Shadz smirked as he answered. “He would die of sea-sickness before he ever reached it. The islands are also listed as uninhabited in all databases. They are just spots on a map in the middle of a great ocean on a sparsely populated world. He has dozens of worlds to pick from and could search for a thousand years and still not find her. Even if he managed to get to her island, her village doesn’t exist on any map.” Shadz was confident Daisy, or Fluer as she thought of herself now, would be safe for a very long time.

Asha was still looking after Yuri with a worried frown. “How did he know about his son?”

“Huntsmen’s magic allows for the detection of pregnancy very early on,” Shadz answered with a shrug. “Regis knew Rheema was pregnant the first week. It is the same for animals, Yuri told Kaleth that part of their magic existed so they didn’t accidentally kill a pregnant female when hunting. Yuri probably knew when he went back with Karstien and I to rescue the Remnant.”

Asha narrowed her eyes analyzing every moment. Shadz and Karstien were again struck by how like her mother she was. “No, I don’t think so. He would have asked about it sooner if he knew. The dark magic residue in mom’s system might have hidden it...”

She chewed her lip like her father had often done when working out a problem. “I felt his soul reach out for hers and hers reached back. He saw her sitting and reading a book. They are still connected. It is a very thin connection, but it is still there. The fragment of her soul he carries means Uncle Yuri can still sense Mom. He said he could hear her singing. Aunt Serapha told me Uncle Yuri thought he was going crazy dreaming of mom singing in his sleep. What if it isn’t a dream? Meara said Mom sings to the baby every night just like she did with all of us. His soul can feel hers; he is going to find her eventually.”

Asha wasn’t happy with the solution she and Shadz had come up with three decades ago to save her mother, but it was the best plan at the time. Now, a dozen years after Daisy awoke, Asha was even less certain. The magic wasn’t as stable as she would like, if only there were a way to keep her mother’s misery from killing her without erasing who she was, but in all her studies of the archives, the master healer had found no other solution.

Shadz put his arms around her, “We did the only thing we could at the time. It gave us a chance to try to find another solution. There wasn’t one.”

“I know,” Asha said softly. She glanced over at Karstien. “I’m just worried. Uncle Yuri won’t give up. He is just a willful as Mom, we need to keep an eye on him.”

Karstien frowned but nodded. “I’ll take care of it. Lord Yurieth of Yophriel won’t be able to travel without us knowing where he goes and for how long.”

Yuri sat at the kitchen table of Abe and Serapha’s rebuilt home, the design was very reminiscent of the Manor of Adamos in the City of the Kings. After Lord Tabot had died, Colby had given his father’s estate to then Princess Allura, who had allowed many to use it over the years before giving it to Karstien’s Aunt and Uncle as a gift. It had been damaged in one of the many attacks during the war and was torn down after. Yuri had drafted the plans Serapha wanted and it felt like home to all of them. There was also an unregistered portal between the Academy and the Manor. Regis, Rheema, Serapha, and Abe were staring at Yuri like he was mad.

Kalen jumped up and whooped! “I knew it! I! Knew! It!”

“So, she’s alive?” Rheema sounded incredulous. “Lady Daisy is really alive?” Her voice caught in her chest as the sense of betrayal washed over her. Regis squeezed her hand.

“Yes, but Asha is convinced her mind is too fragile to be restored. Daisy doesn’t know who she is or who any of us are. Asha and Shadz claim if she remembers everything at once she could forever die,” Yuri revealed.

“Have they tried to grief harvest her memories?” Serapha asked. “It could cure her without erasing who she is.”

“I do not know. They do not know the magic of your people,” Yuri answered. “But they may be too afraid to try for fear of killing her. They said she was alive, content and protected, and to just let her go.”

Abe folded his arm across his broad chest and huffed, “It’s our parents’ games all over again. Father said once she went back, we wouldn’t have to keep any more secrets, now we have to figure out theirs.”

Regis frowned, and complained, “I hate the royal games, they cause nothing but pain and suffering, especially to those they are supposed to help. Look what they did to my father and his sealed one!”

Regulus and Eonae had barely escaped the Cataclysm with the Remnant. Eonae had to renounce any and all claims to the throne as there was a group who wanted Allura and Karstien with their progressive policies to be removed from ruling. The retired Guardian and ex-Queen had retreated into a very private life to escape those who would try to use the former queen’s status for gain, spending much of their time with their descendants. Regis felt he owed the Blind Oracle much, she had saved his family and brought him to his sealed one. “How do we find her? We are only six against the King, the mages, the healers, and their allies. The Royals will attempt to stop us if they believe they are protecting her.”

Rheema flipped her coppery ponytail over her shoulder. “As Daisy would say, we do it the hard way. Normally, I would ask Asha but if she hasn’t told me before, I doubt she will tell me anything more than what she told Yuri.” There was a bitterness in her tone that drew a sympathetic look from those at the table.

“I am sorry, my sunrise. It is my fault, she probably assumed you would tell me and I would tell her uncle,” Regis murmured into her hair as he hugged her.

“I know, I understand that, but it doesn’t take the sting away,” Rheema sighed.

“We also have a dozen worlds to search for a woman and child who are purposely being hidden,” Serapha added, “We can’t just go around asking questions, everyone knows who we are as members of the royal family.”

“I won’t give up,” Kalen insisted passionately. “She’s my mom!”

“Nephew, you will have to be the strongest of us all. You and Jenna. Your sister and brother will try to convince you that letting your mother go is for the best.” Yuri looked down at his coffee, and admitted, “They almost had me convinced. If I had not seen her and the child sitting with Fishlover in my moment of grief, I might have agreed. They would never have told us about your sibling, my only child. When I asked if they would have told me, they didn't answer. They only tried to convince me not to seek her.”

The 138-year-old straightened his spine. “I will not falter, Uncle Yuri. When I live with Karstien or Asha during holiday, I will try to find out more. I’ll talk to Jenna. She might be able to get something out of them.”

Abe drummed his fingers on his elbow. “Perhaps I can figure out a smaller search area or at least by comparing the time zones of the different worlds narrow the search on those worlds. You say it is two hours before dawn when you hear her sing on Meridian 4.”

Yuri nodded, “And she always tells whomever she is singing to, sweet dreams.”

“Mom always sang to us at bedtime.” Kalen reminded.

“Wherever she is, it is evening while it is very early morning at the Academy,” Rheema reasoned. “That at least gives us hemispheres. We can start here.”

“She’s not on Aetheria ,” Kalen and Yuri said at the same time, then grinned at each other as Yuri added, “We would have felt her.”

“Show me what you saw, brother, and I will try to figure out the latitudes.” Regis offered.

“That won’t work,” Yuri frowned, “It was dark beyond the window. No stars that I could see.”

“I’ll put a tracker on Lord Shadz. The Mage knows where she is, he is most likely to lead us to her.” Regis said, “I’ll make it a test for them. Follow the mage and don’t get caught.”

Rheema scowled, “But he and Lady Asha take the Seeker when they travel, using the portal gates. We will need someone with fleet access. They have to signal the gates to make sure there’s no intersecting traffic or patrols. Lilith might help unless...”

“What?” Serapha asked.

“Lessa and Colby are very close to Karstien and Allura, they may be part of those protecting Daisy and would tell Lilith what they told you, Yuri. If they did, she will choose to protect the Oracle if she believes her life is at risk,” Rheema revealed. “I know my friends and family; I would choose to protect her myself. Lady Serapha, do you really think you could heal her?”

Serapha shook her head solemnly. “I would not know until I examined her. We need to find her first. I will see if she can be healed, but if she can’t. We will have to leave her alone. She could never know it was us if Asha’s diagnosis is correct.”

“I would give up everything for her, Pha. I would even leave being a huntsman behind,” Yuri vowed.

Abe rubbed his beard. “They said she is being protected, that means guardsmen, or, more likely, ex-guardsmen. Those loyal to our late brother and Lord Shadz will definitely try and stop you from approaching her if they recognize you.”

“I will have to grow out and dye my hair and beard like I did when I was doing recon. I will also have to travel as something other than a Huntsman, there are fewer than a dozen in the whole kingdom,” Yuri said.

“You could travel as a lumberman or carpenter as you did when you were spying behind enemy lines on Xelusia,” Abe suggested.

Rheema offered, “I can create an identity for you. Someone from the Relic Refugees. I still have my access and Lady Daisy’s access codes to the Central Guardsmen’s Security Database and archives. Abe can help me create a believable background and security history. Many of the Relic Refugees are still moving around trying to decide where to settle.”

Serapha added, “We need to make sure it is as close to his true past as possible, that way if he is dosed with truth serum or encounters a mage, guardsmen, or someone using discerning magic, he won’t be found to be lying. If he resist the magic, it will raise suspicions.”

“Many of the survivors were mining and lumber workers on the territory of Odini. It was the last harvested by the Devourer.” Regis pointed out. “Most lost their families who had not traveled with them for the seasonal work.”

Rheema nodded. “A skilled migrant worker who lost his family wouldn’t have a reason to stay in one place for very long and would be a reason you had few friends to verify your past. The miners were all inducted into the Mining Guild, but there is no Wood Crafter guild. He would have to prove his skills to get work.”

“Yuri is a master carpenter and woodcarver.” Abe said proudly. Regis nodded, “And a master at making ornate bows and wooden handles for weapons.”

“Let’s leave the weapons part out.” Rheema said, “Yuri made bows for all the royal kids and grandkids.”

“I agree, just put in the record that I did my turn of service before the truce and said in my interview that I hated war and fighting.” Yuri said.

Regis laughed, “A pacifist Huntsman, King Xerxes would roll over in his grave if he had one.”

“Why?” Kalen asked shocked. “Uncle Yuri always says to seek the path of least harm.”

Yuri sighed, “Because, nephew, a long time ago, I was the greatest weapon in the King’s Arsenal. It is not an honor I am proud of.” They were all quiet for a moment then Yuri announced, “I just have to wait for my hair and beard to grow out and then dye them.”

“You know I can help you with that,” Serapha smiled. “Red or black?”

“What? How?” Rheema asked in surprise

“Demona’s hair was the blandest color of brown, and it would never grow passed her shoulders. She always used an enchanted comb and potions because she envied my long auburn hair. I can make a comb that will change Yuri’s hair and beard and a potion rinse to make them grow. So, Yuri, red or black?”

“I prefer black.”

“I’ll have the comb and potion ready in two days.” Serapha promised.

“I can have your identity done by then and false identities for the rest of us, just in case we need to travel too,” Rheema added.

“So, what do we tell the others of what happened today?” Kalen looked worried.

Abe scowled, and answered, “We tell them nothing. Rheema and Regis, go back to the school. Yuri will show up there later having a fit about Daisy being alive. I will tell them, Yuri commed me to meet him with Kalen at the Manor, which is the truth. He told us a crazy story about Daisy being alive and the rest of the family covering it up, also the truth. And that he wanted to take Kalen with him to search. Sorry, nephew but you can’t go.” Kalen laughed as Abe shook his finger at him, then Abe finished, “Now, I need to comm Karstien and demand to know what is going on.”

Regis sighed, “I guess I will be taking over the Academy for a while, perhaps Father and Eonae will join us.”

“But I’m not at the school. Regis can comm me at my Aunt Merla’s where I am spending a few days before visiting Lessa and Lilith for their birth anniversary,” Rheema said to them. Looking at Abe, she said, “I can hack into the database tonight if you are free to help me.”

Abe nodded, giving Serapha a charming smile, “Sorry my princess, I am working late tonight.”

She just rolled her eyes at him. “A warrior’s wife sleeps alone often enough.”

Yuri stood and squeezed Kalen’s shoulder, “I will find her, she is my hope.”

Kalen blinked back the tears in his eyes, “I know you will, Uncle Yuri, no one loves her as much as we do.”

Yuri looked around at them all. “Let the games begin.”