Rune Marked

CHAPTER 1

Gwen

Gwen could smell rain in the air.

Her mount’s ears perked up as thunder rumbled ominously overhead, but otherwise, the animal continued trudging along the road undeterred. Aimil rode next to Gwen, her attention focused ahead.

“Should we try to find shelter?” Gwen asked.

Aimil shrugged. “A little rain never hurt anyone.”

Gwen decided that was a fair point, but she didn’t find the idea of getting soaked very appealing. Since she had no idea how to get to their destination, she was left with no other choice but to continue following Aimil.

The rain started as a gentle sprinkle and quickly turned into a downpour. The road was worn from wagon traffic and the indents left from the wheels quickly filled with water, tinted brown from the dirt.

Between the storms and the complete lack of civilization, Gwen was glad to have Aimil’s company over the last few days. The woman had her quiet moments, but she never shied away from conversation. Any time Gwen started to think about her father or Tobias, she would divert her mind by asking Aimil a random question. If Aimil had grown tired of her, she did well to hide it.

They rode through the storm and the sun eventually returned, making the air feel thick and humid. Gwen’s wet clothes stuck to her skin, irritating her and making her mutter foul curses under her breath. The two traveled a half-mile after the last of the rain fell before Gwen spotted a town ahead. A poorly made sign displayed the town’s name: Woodpine.

“Have you been here before?” Gwen asked.

“I usually pass through without stopping. There’s not much to see.”

Gwen frowned in disappointment. Aimil hadn’t set a breakneck pace by any means, but it was steady with few stops. Unless she had to relieve herself, Aimil barely left the saddle. As the road led them into the heart of Woodpine, Gwen found the place similar to Dawsbury. They even had an inn, which made Gwen question what Aimil meant when she said there wasn’t much to see. There was always something interesting to see at an inn.

Aimil continued through the town without stopping and as they were about to cross over a small bridge, a group of armed men stepped into the road in front of them. They wore piecemeal armor and their weapons were more rust than metal.

“Halt!” One of the men shouted, pointing a spear at Aimil’s horse.

Gwen pulled on the reigns, forcing her mount to stop. Aimil continued ahead until the spear tip was inches from her horse before she directed the animal to stop. The man with the spear seemed uncertain and glanced around at his fellows.

“What’s the issue?” Aimil asked.

“You’ve got to pay the toll,” the man with the spear said.

“Yeah, pay the toll!” Another chimed in.

“Are you in service to the king of Steepcross?”

“Bah! The king is a fool,” the spearman replied. “He’s off in his castle ignoring all the problems around here. So, you know what we said? We said, ‘we’re going to make our own laws.’ And one of those laws is you have to pay a toll to cross this bridge.”

“And if I don’t want to pay the toll?” Aimil asked calmly.

“Then we’ll take it from you by force,” one of the other men threatened.

“Move out of my way,” Aimil said.

The group of brigands exchanged looks and whispers with each other, and Gwen assumed that they must not have received a reaction like Aimil’s before. They seemed confused about how to handle Aimil. Finally, the spearman poked the horse and said, “Pay first, then we’ll move.”

Aimil looked at Gwen, then back at the brigands. Gwen saw the look in Aimil’s eyes and guessed trouble was going to ensue. She was about to turn her horse around when Aimil lifted her left arm and said, “

Tine!

”

Flames erupted from her hand, catching the spear on fire and causing the group of men to stagger back from the heat. The apparent leader dropped the spear and threw his hands up in defeat.

“I don’t like repeating myself,” Aimil said.

“No need to,” the man said hurriedly. “Let’s go, boys. Clear the way!”

The brigands dispersed from the road and Aimil flicked her reigns. Her mount continued along the road and Gwen urged her horse to follow. As they crossed the bridge, Gwen thought she could hear someone crying out for help. There was a shack on the left, old and dilapidated. She guessed the sound was coming from there.

“Do you hear that?” Gwen asked.

“It’s probably a trap,” Aimil replied.

“Maybe, but what if it’s not?”

Aimil stopped her horse and turned her gaze on Gwen. “If it is, are you prepared to have the blood of these fools on your hands? We can easily leave right now, but if it’s a trap and we have to fight our way out, these men will die. Swords and spears cannot overpower magic.”

Gwen hesitated. The cry for help sounded genuine. She couldn’t leave knowing someone might need help, but the thought of killing the brigands didn’t sit well with her, either.

“I think we should check it out.”

“Suit yourself,” Aimil said. She dismounted and headed for the shack. Gwen slid out of the saddle and jogged to catch up. The brigands watched them until Aimil opened the door of the shack. The leader stalked toward them.

“Stop!” He shouted. “Don’t go in there!”

Aimil ignored him and stepped inside. Gwen peeked through the doorway curiously, but she kept her focus on the men around them. Gwen lifted her arm, facing her palm at the approaching leader. He stopped in his tracks, but his expression revealed his anger. Aimil stepped out a moment later, followed by a young elf.

Despite his disheveled look and dirty clothes, Gwen thought there was something regal about the elf. His blond hair was matted and a smear of blood ran the length of his forehead. Twin pools of emerald green stared at Gwen and she averted her gaze, somehow feeling inferior.

“That’s our elf,” the brigand leader said.

“Says who?” Aimil questioned.

“Says me. We captured him fair and square. You aren’t stealing our reward.”

“Reward?” Gwen asked. “What do you mean?”

“That elf is the prince of Auleavell. He ran off and his father is offering a reward to anyone who returns him. Me and my boys are going to do just that.”

“No, I don’t think so,” Aimil said. “He’s coming with us.”

“Are you deaf, woman? I just said you aren’t stealing our reward.”

“How much is the elven king offering?”

“A thousand gold astrals.”

“How about a wave of flames and death instead?” Aimil asked.

The leader’s bravado disappeared and he spat on the ground. “Blasted mage,” he grunted.

“He’ll ride with me,” Aimil told Gwen, then she walked back to where they’d left the horses. The brigands eyed them with hatred, but none of them were brave enough to risk testing Aimil’s promise of death.

Gwen mounted her horse and waited for Aimil to take the lead. She continuously looked over her shoulder to make sure the men weren’t doing anything. Aimil’s horse began trotting along and Gwen urged her mount into motion. They put a decent distance between them and Woodpine, then Aimil guided her horse to the left, off the road. They rode into a thicket of trees and Aimil dismounted, trying her reigns to a tree branch.

“What are we doing?” Gwen asked. “It’s still daylight.”

“I want to make sure those fools don’t do anything stupid,” Aimil replied. “The last thing we need is to be surprised in the middle of the night.”

“Good point,” Gwen said, dismounting and tying her horse next to Aimil’s.

The elf they’d rescued was subdued. He sat down on the ground among the trees. His eyes moved back and forth from Gwen to Aimil.

“Let me guess,” he said. “You’re going to take me back to my father and take his money.”

“Possibly,” Aimil replied. “Then again, maybe not. What are you doing out here, anyway?”

“I left my father’s court willingly,” he answered. “His closed view of the world around us is suffocating, at best. I’ve heard the gossip among my father’s servants. King Torian is threatening our peaceful way of life. My father doesn’t believe Torian is a menace, so he’s ignoring the rebellion’s pleas for help. I refuse to stand with my father on this.”

“So, you ran off to a human kingdom?” Aimil asked. “You do know Auleavell and Steepcross aren’t exactly on friendly terms, right?”

“I know that,” the elf said. “I’m not a fool. I was on my way to Isentol to find the rebellion when those humans attacked me. Attacked me! Within Auleavell’s borders, no less. How they managed to get past our patrols is a mystery that’s been plaguing me for days.”

“Well, it seems you are in luck,” Gwen said. “Aimil and I are part of the rebellion against King Torian.”

“Truly? Oh, thank the goddess. I was afraid I had traded one captor for another.”

“What’s your name?” Gwen asked.

“Kirith of House Euldin.”

“Well, Kirith, it seems your friends aren’t quite ready to give up on that reward,” Aimil said. “Stay low.”

Gwen hid behind a large tree and peered around the edge. The brigands they’d left behind were coming up the road swiftly, all of them riding horses. Gwen guessed they had stolen them from the people of Woodpine.

The leader slowed his mount and whistled, pointing toward the thicket where Gwen and her companions were hiding.

“The tracks go that way,” he said.

Gwen watched the men dismount and draw their weapons. She looked at Aimil. The woman had turned her attention behind them. She tilted her head to the side, listening to something Gwen couldn’t hear.

“What is it?” Gwen whispered harshly.

Aimil held up her finger, a sign for Gwen to be quiet. Kirith’s head jerked to the side and his eyes widened.

“Sentinels are coming!” he warned.

Aimil cursed and beckoned Gwen to come closer. The two women rushed to where Kirith was and Aimil closed her eyes. A moment later, one of the runes on her right arm began to glow with a sickly green light.

“Don’t move,” Aimil said softly. “I can hide us visibly, but noise can still be heard.”

Gwen stood completely still. She didn’t realize she was holding her breath until she started to hear her heart beating in her ears.

Kirith slowly lifted a hand and pointed. Gwen looked and didn’t see anything at first, but then she saw movement. It was almost imperceptible. A tall elf wearing leather armor that mirrored his surroundings slipped through the thicket without a sound. He carried a bow in one hand and a quiver of arrows across his back.

The elf stopped when he spotted the brigands and raised his bow, slipping an arrow onto the string. He took aim and paused. Gwen wondered what he was waiting on, but then she spotted more movement. Three other elves, similarly dressed as the first, moved into position and readied their arrows.

At an unspoken command, the elves let their arrows fly at the same time. Each arrow struck a target, taking down half the group of brigands. The leader shouted a retreat, but the elven sentinels fired off another round of projectiles to finish the job.

Gwen swallowed hard and hoped the elves would disappear as quickly as they returned. Kirith closed his eyes and lowered his head into his hands. The elves investigated the bodies of the brigands and then left in the direction they’d come. Gwen looked at Aimil. The woman had her eyes open now, and she was watching the trees intently.

“Are they gone?” Gwen whispered.

An arrow whizzed past her face, so close she felt the wind stir against her lips. She jerked her head back belatedly in surprise and noticed an elf standing behind Aimil. She pointed wordlessly, her eyes widened in terror. The elf pressed the tip of a sword to Aimil’s back.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t end your life,” the elf demanded.