Solace Curse: Part I

13 - The Prince's Prize

Slowly, the Ska'al's body slid sideways. The mouth didn't contort with horror, the eyes didn't widen in surprise. The blank mask remained blank, frozen in that arrogant grin, and thudded dully to the ground with the rest of the body.

A guttural voice croaked out from the Ska'al."Tragsith ek krassath." He sucked in another wet breath. "Trait—"

He was cut short as the hooded man's sword came crashing down. I winced.

My head was pounding with magic, still bracing for a blow that would never come.

"Drop the sword and step away from him. Now." Tallion was on her feet, Lylisia's knife trained at the hooded man.

Stumbling back from the Ska'al's body, I eyed the hulking figure warily. He saved my life—but Tallion's challenge was making me nervous, making me second-guess my trust.

"I said put it down," she repeated. "Killing that thing doesn't mean we trust you."

He opened his mouth to speak, but Tallion instantly braced herself, eyes locked on something far off.

The man took one step toward her and that was all it took.

A Naem-shul burst from her palm in the blink of an eye and she lunged.

I gasped, but it was drowned by the two blades screeching off one another in the night, sparks flying into the air.

Frantically, I searched the clearing for another figure, bracing for the other Animaré blade to burst to life and swing, paralyzed, not knowing who to help. The mysterious teacher didn't move, his hooded face trained steadily on Tallion.

An agonizing moment passed, and Tallion's Naem-shul flickered. Flickered? And then the truth dawned on me.

"You..." I breathed. "You're alone."

She clenched her jaw, knuckles white on her weapon.

"Tallion, your friend that needs freed... is it your Animaré?"

The hooded man turned his face slowly, studying me out of the corner of his eye but never losing sight of the Animaré. A pause. Finally he sheathed his sword cautiously, left hand still resting casually on the hilt. "Solace... you wish to help her?"

She didn't know about me yet.. I braced myself for the shock on her face, the disgust and disappointment, but she just closed her eyes for a long moment. "Yes I do. I have to."

Tallion's Naem-shul disappeared. "A Solace, of course, how did I not... but who's this Baldük?"

I leaned heavily on a nearby tree, only to wince and shift my weight to the other side. My left shoulder spiked with pain when I moved, shooting down to my wrist. "He's—"

"I am Maeldok. A... Channeler in the House of D'ulk-kyra."

That was easy. I guess I could've just asked before.

"D'ulk-kyra? You're a long way from home aren't you, to wind up in Corvelen with Sedris?" Tallion wasn't satisfied with just a name.

"My position as Channeler in D'ulk-kyra is the reason for my association with him. He is a Solace, and one of my house is responsible. I imagine that by now you grasp the gravity of the situation." He nodded to the body beside us. "These Ska'al will stop at nothing to stop him from gaining the full power of a Solace, lest he challenge their quest for destruction. But great evil rules in D'ulk-kyra, and it must not only be challenged, but defeated. Whatever the cost," he added quietly.

"The Ska'al was after me, Maeldok." Tallion said flatly. "These Balduk aren't going to scare me away from Sedris, and neither are you." She turned to me. "I'll keep your knife safe, but I have to keep it. You understand better than anyone why I have to guarantee your help."