Son of Thunder - Murray J. D. Leeder [59]
"Such creatures disgust me," Leng finally said. "They lock themselves away from the world to flit about in their pools and glades-what purpose do they serve?"
"Why not simply kill it?" asked Gan.
Shrugging his shoulders, Leng answered, "I wanted to see what would happen. What Cyric's power could do to a creature of such purity. What such corruption would yield."
"Were you satisfied?"
Leng almost beamed. "I was."
"I've heard tell of a place not far from here where the fey rule," Gan said, trying hard to sound guileless.
"The Unicorn Run," Leng spat out, as if he were speaking a vile oath. "All know that name. It's the place we're avoiding."
"What would your powers do there?" asked Gan.
Leng shook his head slightly. "I don't know," Leng said.
There was a quality to Leng's voice that Gan couldn't put a name to, but it terrified him more than all of the battlefield atrocities he had witnessed in the Fallen Lands and throughout his life. It was something that went far beyond simple malice to a deep-set desire to corrupt and to destroy.
In that moment, Gan wanted to bring the axe down on Leng, to slice him apart just as he had that Zhentilar fool in the Fallen Lands. Could he act in time? What foul magic warded this priest? To think he could accomplish all that Ardeth wanted, all that Geildarr wanted, with a single swing.
But no-it would not be right. It would upset their plans. It would be beyond his place.
Leng looked down at the hobgoblin's fingers clutching the axe's shaft. A dark chuckle rolled out of his throat as he walked past Gan and back to where the others were making camp.
* * * * *
Kellin strolled under the autumn haven of the great tree and the peacefulness put her in a reflective mood. But then, she thought, when was she not in a reflective mood? Members of the Tree Ghost honor guard were stationed at intervals beneath the tree, but she felt alone nevertheless-an island in the deep shade. She thought about everything Thluna had told her-how Sungar had acted to preserve his tribe's beliefs at such a terrible cost. Now, Thluna feared he was doing the same thing: compromising, cooperating with an outsider-even a spellcaster-and selling off what it meant to be a Thunderbeast.
Here she was, leading them down that path. Threatening to destroy everything that her father was determined to document and help preserve.
She almost jumped when Thanar approached her.
"I didn't mean to disturb you," he said.
"It's all right," she answered. "I was just doing some deep thinking."
Thanar cast a glance up at the leafy expanse above them. "This place can have that effect."
"It must be hard to know you have to leave it so soon."
Thanar ran a hand over his bearded face. "It's better we leave soon. The tree has its own magic. There is a danger that we all might wish to linger in its shade and never accomplish our mission."
"I feel its pull," admitted Kellin. "It's not evil, nor good. It just is. That's its appeal-it doesn't need to be understood. It exists so far from civilization's works, apart from even the Tree Ghosts. No matter how much they revere it, it would exist without them. There's a seductiveness in its simplicity. I could get lost in it if I let myself. Such a pleasant fate, to remain here forever, thinking…"
"Contemplation may turn to sloth," Thanar said. "And we cannot allow ourselves to lose time."
"Where is Vell?" asked Kellin, changing the subject.
"I believe the elf maid has taken him into the forest to explore his shapeshifting powers. Does that make you jealous?" She was taken aback at the bluntness of his question. "It is best you acknowledge such feelings…"
Kellin cut him off. "Another matter best explored at a later time. Tell me, Thanar. I sense you don't despise me the way the others do." She found it perplexing that he had left Grunwald because he thought his people had become too decadent, yet he was the most tolerant of her-the city-dwelling