Frostfell_ The Wizards - Mark Sehestedt [25]
The belkagen shot them each another look. "Think. Both of you. Lendri says that this dark one is traveling with the ones who have Amira's son. He seems to weaken during the day. Most likely Jalan's captors rest during the day and travel at night. Even if this dark thing does not need sleep, the Siksin Neneweth do. Most likely they have slept all day today. We-and I do mean we-will certainly do all we can to save the boy. But we cannot rush after them like a pack on a bloodscent." He looked at Amira. "You said that the first time you caught them, that… thing killed most of your force by himself. What can four expect to do?"
"We didn't know what we were facing the first time. I do now."
"Do you? What is this 'dark one,' then?"
Amira locked eyes with the belkagen, but it was she who dropped her gaze first.
"I thought as much," said the belkagen. "Then hear me. My people have walked these lands for many hundreds of years, and I myself walked here long before your grandfather was born. Not all lore is kept in books inside your stone forts, and the tales of these lands reach far back to the days of Raumathar and farther back still. You have heard of Iket Sotha? 'Winter's Fort' in your tongue, I think."
"You mean Winterkeep?" said Amira.
"Ah, Winterkeep, then."
"It's a ruin on the Great Ice Sea, said to have once been the capital of the Raumathari Empire."
The belkagen smiled, seeming genuinely pleased. "Very good! I see you were a good student."
"My family has had trading contacts in Nathoud for years. Most in House Hiloar study the lore of the East. Knowing your customers and competitors makes for good business."
"You've heard of the legends surrounding the place, then?"
"What ruin isn't surrounded in legends?"
The smile on the belkagen's face fell to a frown. "You study history but disdain legend?"
"Disdain? No. But history is fact. Legend is… not. Scholars-"
"Scholars? Pfah! I have met some of these 'scholars.' Half-mad, most of them. Legends… well, they are known by the people, who are… what is your word? Sane."
Amira chuckled, but it was an empty laugh with no humor in it. She buried her face in her palms and rubbed her eyes. Her head hurt. And getting a straight answer out of the belkagen… he was worse than any master or teacher among the war wizards. Gods, I hate the Wastes, she thought.
"What do your legends of Winterkeep have to do with me and my son?"
"And you still haven't answered our question," said Gyaidun. "Why have you kept us here? The trail goes colder as we sit by the fire, and this is the best lead we've had in over ten years. Ten years, Kwarun! If we lose-"
"Peace," said the belkagen. "I know your need, Yastehanye. I share your need. But rushing to our deaths-"
"Rushing?" Gyaidun's shout roused the wolf sleeping by Lendri's side, and it sat up, its ears stiff. "Would that we were, Belkagen. Instead we sit by the fire and talk!"
The belkagen opened his mouth to respond, but Lendri spoke first. "Peace, rathla. I feel your hunger. But you did not face this… thing. Our oaths, both blood and milk, bind us. But we cannot keep them by rushing to our deaths. If making amrulugek will give us a chance to bring this thing down, then it is worth a small delay."
"Look," Amira broke in, "you three obviously have much to discuss, but I don't understand half of what you're talking about. All I want is to get my son back. If you can help, I will be in your debt. If not, then speed me on my way. I beg you."
The belkagen muttered a long string of words in his own tongue. The speech was completely foreign to Amira, but she could sense the frustration in his words. He took a deep breath, then stared into the flames and spoke.
"Lady Amira, Lendri and Gyaidun and I have walked many horizons together, few of them pleasant. Forgive us our heated words."
Amira glanced over at Gyaidun, who didn't look at all apologetic.
"You were speaking of Winterkeep…" she said.